Spring mechanism for toilet seat and toilet seat

Abstract

A spring mechanism for returning a seat plate to a desired angular position relative to a toilet seat includes a rotatable pivot shaft mounted on the toilet seat and interactable with the seat plate so that the shaft is rotated whenever the seat plate is rotated over its angular travel, a first spring interconnecting the toilet seat and the pivot shaft for biasing the seat plate towards the desired angular position, and a pawl engageable with the rotatable pivot shaft as the pivot shaft is urged by the first spring to rotate in a first direction for moving the seat plate to the desired angular position. The engagement temporarily holds the rotation of the seat plate in the first direction for a period of time until the pivot shaft disengages the pawl due to the spring force exerted thereon by the first spring. In an exemplary toilet seat embodiment according to an aspect of the invention, when the seat plate returns to the desired angular position, the seat plate can be sterilized automatically.

1 . A spring mechanism for returning a seat plate to a desired angular position relative to a toilet seat, comprising: 
 a rotatable pivot shaft mounted on the toilet seat and interactable with the seat plate so that the shaft is rotated whenever the seat plate is rotated over its angular travel;    a first spring interconnecting the toilet seat and the pivot shaft for biasing the seat plate towards the desired angular position; and    a pawl engageable with the rotatable pivot shaft as the pivot shaft is urged by the first spring to rotate in a first direction for moving the seat plate to the desired angular position,    wherein said engagement temporarily holds the rotation of the seat plate in the first direction for a period of time until the pivot shaft disengages the pawl due to the spring force exerted thereon by the first spring.    
   
   
       2 . The spring mechanism of  claim 1 , further comprising an engaging tooth mounted on the pivot shaft for engaging the pawl.  
   
   
       3 . The spring mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the pivot shaft includes a profile with an engaging surface for engaging the pawl.  
   
   
       4 . The spring mechanism of  claim 3 , wherein the profile is designed to provide a clearance, which allows the pawl to move to a position after it has disengaged the engaging surface so that the pawl will not be in engagement with the pivot shaft during subsequent rotation of the pivot shaft in the first direction.  
   
   
       5 . The spring mechanism of  claim 3 , wherein the pivot shaft includes a retention hook mounted thereon for providing said profile with the engaging surface.  
   
   
       6 . The spring mechanism of  claim 1 , further comprising a second spring for biasing the pawl towards the pivot shaft.  
   
   
       7 . The spring mechanism of  claim 6 , wherein the pawl is pivotable mounted to the toilet seat with one end connected to the second spring and the other end to engage the pivot shaft.  
   
   
       8 . The spring mechanism of  claim 7 , wherein the second spring is a tension spring.  
   
   
       9 . The spring mechanism of  claim 1 , further comprising 
 an idler shaft to which the toilet seat is secured so that the shaft is rotated whenever the toilet seat is rotated over its angular travel;    a transmission mechanism between the idler shaft and the pivot shaft for correlating rotations of the idler shaft and the pivot shaft.    
   
   
       10 . The spring mechanism of  claim 6 , wherein the first spring is a torsion spring mounted to the pivot shaft.  
   
   
       11 . A toilet seat, comprising 
 a seat plate; and    a spring mechanism for returning the seat plate to a desired angular position relative to the toilet seat, Including: 
 a rotatable pivot shaft mounted on the toilet seat and interactable with the seat plate so that the shaft is rotated whenever the seat plate is rotated over its angular travel;  
 a first spring interconnecting the toilet seat and the pivot shaft for biasing the seat plate towards the desired angular position: and  
 a pawl engageable with the rotatable pivot shaft as the pivot shaft is urged by the first spring to rotate in a first direction for moving the seat plate to the desired angular position,  
 wherein said engagement temporarily stops the rotation of the seat plate in the first direction for a period of time until the pivot shaft disengages the pawl due to the spring force exerted thereon by the first spring.  
   
   
   
       12 . The toilet seat of  claim 11 , wherein the pivot shaft includes a profile with an engaging surface for engaging the pawl.  
   
   
       13 . The toilet seat of  claim 12 , wherein the profile is designed to provide a clearance, which allows the pawl to move to a position after it has disengaged the engaging surface so that the pawl will not be in engagement with the pivot shaft during subsequent rotation of the pivot shaft in the first direction.  
   
   
       14 . The toilet seat of  claim 11 , further comprising a second spring for biasing the pawl towards the pivot shaft.  
   
   
       15 . The toilet seat of  claim 14 , wherein the pawl is pivotable mounted to the toilet seat with one end connected to the second spring and the other end to engage the pivot shaft.  
   
   
       16 . The toilet seat of  claim 11 , further comprising 
 an idler shaft to which the toilet seat is secured so that the shaft is rotated whenever the toilet seat is rotated over its angular travel;    a transmission mechanism between the idler shaft and the pivot shaft for correlating rotations of the idler shaft and the pivot shaft.    
   
   
       17 . The toilet seat of  claim 11 , further comprising at least one suction rubber damper mounted to a bottom of the seat plate for temporarily holding the rotation of the seat plate in the first direction.  
   
   
       18 . The toilet seat of  claim 11 , further comprising means for automatically sterilizing the seat plate when the seat plate returns to the desired angular position.  
   
   
       19 . The toilet seat of  claim 11 , further comprising 
 a cover plate generally atop the seat plate; and    a sterilized paper towel attached to a bottom of the cover plate for sterilizing the seat plate when it is in engagement with the seat plate.    
   
   
       20 . The toilet seat of  claim 19 , wherein the sterilized paper towel is self-adhesive and is shaped to receive the seat plate surface.  
   
   
       21 . The toilet seat of  claim 20 , wherein the cover plate is modeled in accordance with the configuration of the seat plate surface.