WO1995031922A1

WO1995031922A1 - Seat raising and lowering apparatus of a flush toilet

Info

Publication number: WO1995031922A1
Application number: PCT/GB1995/001167
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christopher Hennessy
Original assignee: Christopher Hennessy
Priority date: 1994-05-24
Filing date: 1995-05-23
Publication date: 1995-11-30
Also published as: GB9410361D0; AU2532495A

Abstract

Apparatus for controlling the raising and lowering of a seat (2) of a flush toilet, comprising a toilet bowl (1) fitted with a seat moveable between a lowered position and at least a first raised position, a flush tank (4) provided with manually operable actuating means (6) for flushing the toilet with water contained in the flush tank, a source (21) of pressurised fluid and a fluid pressure actuating device (32) having an actuating chamber and an actuating member (34) which is moveable between first and second positions.

Description

Seat Raising and Lowering Apparatus of a Flush Toilet

Technical Field

This invention relates to apparatus for controlling the raising and lowering of a seat of a flush toilet.

Background Art

A common complaint associated with flush toilets equipped with a seat pivotally moveable between raised and lowered positions is that previous users of the flush toilet, especially males, often forget to lower the seat into its lowered position. Leaving the seat in its raised position presents sanitary and aesthetic problems.

Various solutions have been provided to automatically lower a raised seat of a flush toilet after use. Examples of apparatus for automatically lowering after use the seat of a flush toilet are disclosed in US-A-5222260, US-A- 5060318, US-A-5020165, US-A-5058216, US-A-4491989, US-A- 4912783 and US-A-5153946.

The present invention seeks to provide apparatus for a flush toilet which automatically lowers a raised toilet seat after flushing of the toilet and in addition enables the lowered toilet seat to be automatically raised.

Disclosure of Invention

According to the present invention, there is provided apparatus for controlling the raising and lowering of a seat of a flush toilet, the apparatus being as claimed in the ensuing claim 1.

With such an apparatus, the seat will automatically move into its lowered position (if not already therein) on actuation of the actuating means to flush the toilet. By movement of the valve means, suitably by manual actuation. the seat can, however, be raised from the lowered position into its first raised position.

The source of pressurised fluid may be connected either directly to the actuating chamber or to a control chamber connected to the actuating chamber when the valve means occupies its first valve position.

If a control chamber is provided, it is conveniently arranged between the valve means and the fluid pressure actuating device, the control chamber having an inlet connected to the source of pressurised fluid when the valve means is in its first valve position and an outlet connectible to said actuating chamber. The control chamber may have a further outlet which is opened and closed by an outlet valve movable between open and closed positions, the pressure within the control chamber increasing when the outlet valve is in its closed position, the outlet valve normally being in its closed position but being adapted to move into its open position for a period of time following actuation of the actuating means to flush the toilet. Typically, for example, the outlet valve is moveable between its open and closed positions in dependence on the level of water contained in the flush tank. In this case, the outlet valve may comprise a float valve which is in a closed position when the water in the flush tank is above a predetermined level and which is in an open position when the water level falls below said predetermined level.

Suitably the fluid pressure actuating device comprises a pneumatic actuator having a bellows device comprising the actuating chamber which can be inflated and deflated to control the position of the actuating member.

The source of pressurised fluid conveniently comprises a pressurised water supply means, e.g. supplied at mains pressure or via gravity feed from a tank.

The manually operable actuating means for flushing the toilet suitably comprises a turnable handle which is turnable from a normal position in a first direction to flush the tank and in a second direction to move the valve means from its second valve position into its first valve position.

In other embodiments of the invention, it is possible for the fluid pressure actuating device to comprise a fluid controlled piston device.

Brief Description of Drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with particular reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1 and 2 are schematic side views of different parts of one embodiment of apparatus according to the invention for controlling the pivotable raising and lowering of the seat of a flush toilet; and

Figures 3 to 5 are schematic side views of second, third and fourth embodiments, respectively, of apparatus according to the invention for controlling the pivotable raising and lowering of the seat of a flush toilet.

Best Modes of Carrying Out the Invention

Figure 2 shows a flush toilet comprising a toilet bowl 1, a toilet seat 2 mounted on top of the bowl 1 for pivotal movement about a pivot axis 3 between a lowered position (as shown in Figure 2) and a raised position (not shown) . Figure 1 shows a flush tank 4 having a flush pipe 5 for delivering water contained in the flush tank 4 to the toilet bowl 1 on flushing of the toilet. Flushing of the toilet is achieved by turning a handle 6 in direction A downwardly from its normal rest position (shown in Figure 1) to operate a conventional flush valve via the control wire 8. The turning handle 6 is also turnable in the opposite direction B upwardly from its normal rest position in a manner to be described hereinafter. Water is supplied under pressure to the flush tank 4 by means of a water supply pipe 9 supplied through a water supply valve 10 controlled in conventional manner by a float 11 floating on the surface of the water contained within the flush tank 4.

A control chamber 20 is positioned within the flush tank 4. An inlet tube 21 connects the water supply pipe 9 to the bottom of the control chamber 20 and includes an inlet valve 22 in the form of a gate valve for controlling flow of water from the water supply pipe 9 into the control chamber 20. As shown in Figure 1, the inlet valve 22 is in a closed position. However, on turning the handle 6 in direct B from its rest position, valve actuator 22A is moved to the right (as viewed in Figure 1) to move the inlet valve into an open position so that water can be supplied to the control chamber 20. An outlet tube 24 is positioned inside the chamber 20 with its lower end opening into the bottom of the chamber 20 and its upper end exiting the chamber 20 near the top. A normally closed outlet valve 25 closes the outlet tube 24. As shown schematically in Figure 1, the valve 25 is controlled by a float 26 positioned within the flush tank 4. The float 26 is positioned below the normal upper level 27 of the water in the tank 4 and keeps the valve 25 closed. On flushing of the toilet, the level 27 of water within the flush tank 4 drops and, when it falls sufficiently, the valve 25 will open thereby opening the outlet from the outlet tube 24. A control pipe 30 extends from an upper part of the chamber 20 to an actuating chamber of a bellows device 31 of a pneumatic actuator 32. The inlet end of the control tube 30 within the chamber 20 has a control valve 33 which is intended to close the inlet end of the control pipe 30 when water within the chamber rises sufficiently to move the valve 33 into a position blocking the entrance of the pipe 30.

Referring to Figure 2, the pneumatic actuator 32 is mounted in a housing 33 and has an actuating member 34 slidable within a bush 35 on expansion and contraction of the bellows device 31. In Figure 2, the actuating member 34 is shown in a first position which it occupies when the seat 2 is in its lowered position. On full expansion of the bellows device 31 when the actuating chamber is at an elevated pressure, the actuating member 34 is moved to the left into a second position to cause the seat 2 to be raised into a first raised position. The actuating member 34 is operatively connected to the seat 2 by means of a linkage mechanism comprising a lever 40 pivotally connected at its upper end to the seat 2 at pivot 41 and pivotally connected at 42 at its lower end to a turning member 45 journalled for turning movement in a bearing 46. The turning member 45 has an arcuate bearing surface 50 which on turning of the turning member 45 about its bearing 46 is able to move against the actuating member 34. The actuating member 34 is connected to the turning member 45 by means of a cable 54 connected to the turning member 45 at point 52 and being received in a slot 56 formed at the free end of the actuating member 34. To prevent the cable 54 from pulling through the slot 56, an enlargement member 58 is provided at the end of the cable 54. A weight 60 is shown connected to the end of the cable 54 but it will be realised that other force applying means, e.g. spring means, could be provided to ensure that a force is applied to the cable 54.

In use of the apparatus, turning of the handle 6 in direction B from its rest position causes the valve 22 to open so that water under pressure is supplied via the inlet tube 21 to the control chamber 20. Assuming that the water level 27 inside the flush tank 4 is sufficient to cause the outlet valve 25 to be closed, the water entering the chamber 20 will rise within the chamber. As the water rises within the chamber 20, the air pressure within this chamber increases and is transmitted to the actuating chamber of the bellows device 31. When the water reaches the level of the control valve 33, the latter will close the inlet end of the control pipe 30. The increased air pressure within the chamber 20 will be sufficient to cause the bellows device 31 to expand so moving the actuating member 34 moves from its first position (shown in Figure 2) to its second position causing the seat 2 to pivot upwardly about pivot axis 3 from its lowered position to a raised position. As the actuating member 34 moves from its first position towards its second position, the actuating member 34 pulls on the cable 54 causing the turning member 45 to turn about the bearing 46.

There is sufficient force for the weight of the seat 2 to be overcome and for the seat 2 to pivot upwardly into its raised position. When the actuating member 34 has been moved into its second position, the turning member 45 will have turned through slightly less than 90° and the seat 2 will also have been pivoted through slightly less than 90°. When in its raised position, the seat will not have passed through an "over-centre position" but will almost be in a vertical position. Alternatively, or in addition, the turning member 45 may tension a spring or the like as it is turned during the latter stages of movement of the seat 2 into its raised position, which spring or the like will generate a seat lowering force on the seat 2. To retain the seat in this raised position, it is necessary for an elevated pressure to be retained within the actuating chamber of the bellows device 31.

If, when the seat 2 is in its raised position, the handle 6 is turned from its rest position in direction A to cause flushing of the toilet, the turning movement of the handle 6 will cause the inlet valve 22 to be closed by movement of the valve actuator 22A. Thus supply of water under pressure to the control chamber 20 is stopped. In addition, the level 27 of water within the flush tank 4 will drop as the flushing water in the tank 4 is delivered to the toilet. As the water level drops below a predetermined level within the flush tank 4, the valve 25 will open so that pressure within the chamber 20 can be relieved. In particular, the water within the chamber 20 is passed out through the now open outlet tube 24 and is drained of water. As the water level drops within the control chamber 20, the control valve 33 opens and the air within the actuating chamber of the bellows device 31 is expelled into the chamber 20. The seat lowering force provided by the weight of the seat and/or the force of the previously referred to tensioned spring or the like is suitably sufficient to cause the seat to pivot downwardly into its lowered position and the actuating member 34 to return from its second position back into its first position.

Since the actuating member 34 is connected to the turning member 45 by means of a cable 54, the seat 2 can be moved manually between its raised and lowered positions without movement of the actuating member 34 provided that the latter is in its first position. In manual moving of the seat 2, it is desirable for the seat to be moved into an "over-centre" position (not shown) so that the weight of the seat 2 retains the seat in the raised position without the need for the seat to be manually held in the raised position to prevent it from pivoting back into the lowered position.

If a tensioned spring or the like is provided, the seat 2 should be so positioned in this raised position so that its weight, acting in the opposite turning direction, overcomes the lowering force applied by the tensioned spring.

A separate manual actuating device (not shown) could be provided for operating the inlet valve 22 instead of having the inlet valve 22 controlled by operation of the handle 6. The outlet valve 25 may comprise any suitable form of valve and need not necessarily be a float controlled valve. As described, the valve 25 is designed to stay open the period of time that it takes for the level of water 27 to drop beneath a predetermined level on flushing of the toilet and subsequently to rise back above this predetermined level as the tank refills. Alternatively, however, the valve 25 could be designed to open on operation of the flush handle 6 and to close automatically a preset period of time, typically, for example, 15 seconds or so after it is opened. This period of time must, of course, be sufficient to enable the seat 2 to pivot downwardly from its raised position into its lowered position. Although the control chamber 20 has been described as being positioned within the flush tank 4, it will be realised that this is not essential and that it could be positioned outside the flush tank.

Although not shown, restrictor devices e.g. adjustable valves, may be provided in the inlet pipe 21, the outlet tube 24 and/or the control pipe 30.

Other embodiments of the invention are schematically illustrated in Figures 3 to 5. Where possible the same reference numerals have been used to identify parts of the apparatus shown in Figures 3 to 5 which are similar to parts of the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2. In the embodiments shown in Figures 3 to 5, only the seat lowering and raising control apparatus is shown although, in practice, flushing apparatus and water supply apparatus would be provided. The seat lowering and raising apparatus operated by the actuator 32 may be of the type shown in

Figure 2 and will not be described in detail with regards to these other embodiments.

In Figure 3, the flush tank 4 is provided with a manually turnable flushing handle 6. The fluid actuator 32 has an actuating chamber within the bellows device 31 which, when pressurised, urges the actuating member 34 towards the right into a seat raising position. A valve 70 is provided having a valve member 71 which is turnable, through linkage 72-74, by the handle 6 for placing the actuating chamber of the fluid actuator 32 either in communication with a source 75 of pressurised water, e.g. supplied from the water mains or gravity fed from a water tank, or other fluid, or in communication with a pressure-relieving pipe 76 which positioned over the flush tank 4. In use, when the valve member 71 is in the position shown in Figure 3, the source 75 of pressurised water is supplied to the actuating chamber of the actuator 32 and the actuating member 34 is moved to the right into its seat raising position. On flushing the toilet by turning the handle 6 in direction A, the valve member 71 is turned in a clockwise direction so that the supply of pressurised water to the actuating chamber of the actuator is stopped and the actuating chamber is connected to the pipe 76. Water from the actuating chamber is thus drained into the flush tank 4 as the seat moves into its lowered position. From this position, the seat can be raised by turning the handle 6 from its rest position in direction B so that the valve member 71 is turned in the anti-clockwise direction into the position shown in Figure 3. The source 75 of pressurised water is thus re-connected to the actuating chamber of the actuator 32 so that the pressure within the actuating chamber is elevated above the predetermined pressure required to raise the seat 2 so that the seat is pivoted into its raised position.

Figure 4 is similar to the embodiment described with reference to Figure 3 but additionally includes a closed control chamber 80 partially filled with water positioned between the valve 70 and the actuator 32. In use, when the valve member 71 is in the position shown in Figure 4, the pressurised water source 75 is supplied to a bottom inlet 81 of the chamber 80. Air in the upper part of the chamber 80 is subjected to increased pressure and this increased pressure is applied, via a top outlet 82 of the chamber 80 and a connecting tube 83, to the actuating chamber of the actuator 32. The pressurised water source 75 creates sufficient air pressure within the actuating chamber to move the actuating member 34 into its seat raising position. On turning the handle 6 in direction A from its rest position, to flush the toilet, the valve member 71 is moved in a clockwise direction via the linkage 72-74. The pressurised water source 75 is disconnected from the chamber 80 and the bottom inlet 81 is connected to the pipe 76. The increased air pressure in the chamber 80 forces the water level downwards, expelling some of the water contained in the chamber 80 out through the pipe 76 into the flush tank 4. However not all the water will be expelled in view of the position of the outlet of pipe 76 above the water level in the chamber 80. As the water is expelled, the air pressure in the actuating chamber decreases and the seat is lowered. To raise the seat, the handle 6 is turned from its rest position in direction B so that the valve member 71 is turned in the anti-clockwise direction to re-connect the inlet 81 to the pressurised water source 75 instead of to the pressure-relieving pipe 76. The air pressure in the actuating chamber thus increases and the seat is raised. A closable opening 84 may be provided to set or adjust the height of water in the chamber 80.

Figure 5 is similar to the embodiment shown in Figure 4 although the control chamber 90 is positioned above the pressure-relieving pipe 76. In the Figure 5 embodiment, turning of the valve member 71 in the clockwise direction by turning the handle 6 from its rest position in direction A to flush the toilet, connects bottom outlet 91 of the control chamber 90 to the pipe 76. All the water is drained from the chamber 90 which is than at atmospheric pressure. On turning of the valve member 71 back to its position shown in Figure 5, the bottom outlet 91 is connected back to the pressurised water source 75 and water is supplied to the chamber 90. The air pressure in the volume above the water in the chamber 90 increases and this increased air pressure is applied to the actuating chamber of the actuator 32 to raise the seat.

It will be appreciated that many other alterations in the design may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. In its simplest form, the invention covers apparatus which can be operated to automatically raise a toilet seat from a lowered position into a raised position and to automatically lower the seat to its lowered position on subsequent flushing of the toilet.

Although not shown, damping means may be provided for damping the pivotal downward movement of the seat from a raised position into its lowered position.

Claims

1. Apparatus for controlling the raising and lowering of a seat of a flush toilet, comprising a toilet bowl (1) fitted with a seat (2) moveable between a lowered position and at least a first raised position and a flush tank (4) provided with manually operable actuating means (6) for flushing the toilet with water contained in the flush tank, characterised in that the apparatus further comprises a source (21) of pressurised fluid, a fluid pressure actuating device (32) having an actuating chamber and an actuating member (34) which is moveable between first and second positions, the actuating member being moveable from its first to its second position, to raise the seat from its lowered position to its first raised position, when the pressure within said actuating chamber is in excess of a predetermined pressure sufficient to overcome the lowering force of the seat, and being moveable back from its second position to its first position by the lowering force of the seat in its first raised position when the pressure within the actuating chamber is sufficiently reduced, and valve means (22) movable between a first valve position in which the source (21) of pressurised fluid is connected so as to ensure that the pressure within the actuating chamber is in excess of said predetermined pressure so that the actuating member occupies its said second position and a second valve position for relieving pressure within said actuating chamber to enable the seat (2) to move to its lowered position, the actuation of the actuating means (6) to flush the toilet causing the valve means (22) to move into, or remain in, said second valve position.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the source of pressurised fluid is connected directly to the actuating chamber when the valve means occupies its first valve position.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterised in that the actuating chamber is connected to a pressure relieving outlet when the valve means occupies its second valve position.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that a control chamber (20) is arranged between the valve means and the fluid pressure actuating device, the control chamber having an inlet connected to the source of pressurised fluid when the valve means is in its first valve position and an outlet connectible to said actuating chamber.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterised in that the control chamber (20) has a further outlet (20) which is opened and closed by an outlet valve (25) movable between open and closed positions, the pressure within said control chamber (20) increasing when the outlet valve (25) is in its closed position, the outlet valve (25) normally being in its closed position but being adapted to move into its open position for a period of time following actuation of the actuating means (6) to flush the toilet.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterised in that the outlet valve (25) is moveable between its open and closed positions in dependence on the level of water contained in the flush tank.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterised in that the outlet valve (25) comprises a float valve which is in a closed position when the water in the flush tank is above a predetermined level and which is in an open position when the water level falls below said predetermined level.

8. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the fluid pressure actuating device comprises a pneumatic actuator (32) having a bellows device (31) comprising said actuating chamber which can be inflated and deflated to control the position of the actuating member (34).

9. Apparatus according to claim 4, 5, 6 or 7, characterised in that the actuating chamber is connected to the control chamber (20) by means of a control pipe (30), the control chamber (20) containing air which, on movement of the valve means (22) into its first valve position, is subjected to increased pressure which is transmitted to the actuating chamber for operating the actuating member (34).

10. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the source of pressurised fluid comprises a pressurised water supply means.

11. Apparatus according to claim 9, characterised in that the control pipe (30) opens into an upper part of the control chamber (20) and has a control valve (33) associated therewith which closes the control pipe (30) when water supplied to the control chamber rises to a predetermined level within the latter.

12. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the manually operable actuating means for flushing the toilet comprises a turnable handle (6) which is turnable from a normal position in a first direction (A) to flush the tank and in a second direction (B) to move said valve means (22) from its closed position into its open position.

13. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the fluid pressure actuating device comprises a fluid controlled piston device.