Toilet seat hinge

Abstract

A hinge assembly for securing a toilet seat to a toilet bowl, comprising a base adapted to be secured to a toilet bowl and a cover adapted to be connected to the base in a seat-securing position thereof. The base and the cover when in the seat-securing position thereof, define at least one cavity adapted to accommodate therein at least one shaft of the toilet seat such that the toilet seat can pivot relative to the hinge assembly. When the cover is removed from the base, the shaft, and thus the toilet seat, can be removed from the hinge assembly. The cover can be installed to, and removed from, the base without tools, for instance by frictionally engaging the cover to the base. This allows for an easy removal of the toilet seat (and any associated seat cover) from the toilet bowl for cleaning of the toilet bowl or for replacing the toilet seat. At least one anchor is provided for securing the base to the toilet bowl. This anchor is adapted to be installed from above the toilet bowl and to then be concealed by the cover. The anchor basically includes a bolt and a biased nut, such as a spring-loaded wing nut, mounted on the bolt and displaceable between hole-engaging and anchoring positions.

1 . A hinge assembly for securing a toilet set to a toilet bowl, comprising a base adapted to be secured to a toilet bowl and a cover adapted to be connected to said base in a seat-securing position thereof, said base and said cover when in said seat-securing position, defining at least one cavity adapted to accommodate therein at least one shaft of the toilet seat such that the toilet seat can pivot relative to said hinge assembly, wherein when said cover is removed from said base, the shaft, and thus the toilet seat, can be removed from said hinge assembly.  
   
   
       2 . The hinge assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein each said cavity comprises a channel defined in said base and adapted to rotatably receive the shaft, said cover in said seat-securing position at least partly closing said channel for preventing the shaft from disengaging therefrom.  
   
   
       3 . The hinge assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said cover is frictionally held to said base in said seat-securing position.  
   
   
       4 . A hinge assembly for securing a toilet seat to a toilet bowl, comprising a base adapted to be secured to a toilet bowl with at least one anchor and a cover adapted to be connected to said base, at least one of said base and said cover being adapted accommodate therein at least one shaft of the toilet seat such that the toilet seat can pivot relative to said hinge assembly, said anchor including a bolt and a biased nut that is displaceable between hole-engaging and anchoring positions, wherein said bolt and said nut in said hole-engaging position on said bolt are inserted from above the toilet bowl into an aperture defined in the toilet bowl until said nut biasedly assumes said anchoring position, said bolt being then tightened from above the toilet bowl such as to secure said base to the toilet bowl, and said cover being then engaged to said base thereby concealing said bolt above the toilet bowl.  
   
   
       5 . The hinge assembly as defined in  claim 4 , wherein said nut is a spring-loaded wing nut threadably engaged on a threaded stem of said bolt.  
   
   
       6 . The hinge assembly as defined in  claim 4 , wherein said anchor further comprises a plug provided around a stem of said bolt and adapted to be lodged in the aperture defined in the toilet bowl when said base is anchored to the toilet bowl.  
   
   
       7 . A method for installing a toilet seat to a toilet bowl, comprising the steps of: (a) attaching a base to a toilet bowl; (b) positioning at least one shaft of the toilet seat on said base; (c) and attaching a cover to the base such that said cover and the base co-act to prevent the shaft from disengaging from the base while allowing the toilet seat to pivot relative to the toilet bowl.  
   
   
       8 . The method as defined in  claim 6 , comprising, for removing the toilet seat from the toilet bowl, the further steps: (d) detaching the cover from the base; and (e) removing the toilet seat from the base and thus freeing the toilet seat from the toilet bowl.