BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to toilet seat assemblies, and more particularly to combined adult and child toilet seat assemblies. A combined adult and child toilet seat assembly allows an adult to use an adult-sized seat and a child to use a child-sized seat.
SUMMARY
In one embodiment, the invention provides a toilet seat assembly including first and second hinges configured to be mounted on a toilet bowl, an adult seat coupled to the hinges for pivotal movement about an axis, and a child seat including a child ring portion and first and second arms extending from the child ring portion. The child seat is removably coupled to the hinges for pivotal movement about the axis and is removable from the hinges by squeezing the arms towards one another.
In another embodiment, the invention provides a toilet seat assembly including first and second hinges configured to be mounted on a toilet bowl, an adult seat coupled to the hinges for pivotal movement about an axis, and a child seat including a child ring portion and first and second arms extending from the child ring portion. Each of the hinges has thereon an inwardly extending projection and each of the arms has therein an outwardly opening recess that receives a respective one of the projections.
In another embodiment, the invention provides a child toilet seat including a child ring portion and first and second arms extending from the child ring portion. The arms are resiliently flexible such that the arms can be squeezed together for removable attachment to hinges.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toilet seat assembly with a lid in a raised position, an adult seat in a lowered position, and a child seat in a lowered position.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the toilet seat assembly of FIG. 1 with the lid in the raised position, the adult seat in the lowered position, and the child seat in a storage position.
FIG. 3 is a partial top view of a portion of the toilet seat assembly of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a partial top view of the portion of the toilet seat assembly of FIG. 3, including two areas shown in a cut-away section view.
FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the toilet seat assembly of FIG. 1 with the lid in the raised position, the adult seat in the lowered position, and the child seat in the lowered position.
Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIGS. 1-5 illustrate a toilet seat assembly 100 including an adult ring or seat 105, a removable child ring or seat 110, a cover or lid 115, a first hinge 120, and a second hinge 125. The hinges 120 and 125 are secured to a toilet bowl in a known manner. As shown in FIG. 1, the hinges 120 and 125 couple the adult seat 105, the child seat 110, and the lid 115 together, while allowing each of the adult seat 105, the child seat 110, and the lid 115 to pivot about a horizontal axis 130. The hinges are conventional except for a projection or pin 135 extending inward from each hinge. As shown in FIG. 4, a pin 135 extends along the axis 130 from the hinge 120 towards the hinge 125. Similarly, a pin 135 extends along the axis 130 from the hinge 125 towards the hinge 120. Preferably, the hinges are formed from plastic. Alternatively, other suitable materials are used (e.g., metal). In some constructions, slow-close style hinges are used.
As shown in FIG. 2, the adult seat 105 includes an adult ring portion 145 that defines an adult aperture 150. The adult seat 105 also includes a pair of bumpers 155 on the bottom of the ring portion 145 (shown in FIG. 5). The bumpers 155 space the adult seat 105 from the toilet bowl when the adult seat 105 is in a lowered position. In some constructions, the adult seat 105 is an open front or U-shaped seat. Preferably, the adult seat 110 is formed from compression molded wood. Alternatively, other suitable materials are used (e.g., plastic).
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the child seat 110 includes a child ring portion 160 that defines a child aperture 165. The child seat 110 also includes a first projection, extension, or arm 170 extending rearward from the ring portion 160, and a second projection, extension, or arm 175 extending rearward from the ring portion 160. The outer perimeter of the child seat 110 is larger than the outer perimeter of the adult aperture 150. The child aperture 165 is smaller than the adult aperture 150, as shown in FIG. 5. In other respects, the size and shape of the child seat 110 can vary. As shown in FIG. 2, the child seat 110 also includes a magnet 180 secured to the ring portion 160 and a splash guard 182 extending downward from the ring portion 160. The magnet 180 is preferably located near the front of the child seat 110. The splash guard 182 is located at the front of the child aperture 165. Preferably, the child seat 110 is injection molded polypropylene. Alternatively, other suitable materials are used (e.g., other plastics or compression molded wood).
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the arms 170 and 175 are spaced apart and are preferably substantially parallel to one another. The arms 170 and 175 are also preferably mirror images of each other, and each has a rearward end 184 having therein an outwardly opening hole, opening, aperture, cavity, or recess 190. While the illustrated recess is a blind bore, or has a closed inner end, this need not be the case. The recess could pass all the way through the arm. The recess 190 in the arm 170 receives the pin 135 of the hinge 120, and the recess 190 in the arm 175 receives the pin 135 of the hinge 125. The arms 170 and 175 are resiliently flexible, such that the rearward ends 184 of the arms 170 and 175 can be squeezed together (as shown in FIG. 4), and the arms 175 will return to their original positions when released (as shown in FIG. 3). Alternatively, only one of the arms 170 and 175 is flexible.
As shown in FIG. 1, the lid 115 includes a lid body 195, a child seat recess 200 formed in the underside of the body 195, and a magnet 205. The magnet 205 is preferably located near the front of the lid 115. The child seat recess 200 is sized and shaped so that that child seat 110 is received by the recess 200 when the child seat 110 is in a storage position, as shown in FIG. 2. While the illustrated recess 200 has a shape that mirrors the outer perimeter of the child seat 110, this need not be the case. The recess 200 could be shaped differently than the outer perimeter of the child seat 110. In the storage position, the bottom of the child ring portion 160 is flush with the bottom of the lid body 195 and the magnets 180 and 205 interact so that the attraction between the magnets 180 and 205 secures the child seat 110 in the storage position. Alternatively, either of the magnets 180 and 205 could be replaced by a piece of ferromagnetic metal. The child seat recess 200 includes an access notch 210 that allows a user to grasp the front of the child seat 110 to pull the child seat 110 out of the storage position. The lid 115 also includes, on the bottom of the body 195, a pair of bumpers 215 that space the lid 115 from the adult seat 105 when the lid 115 is in a lowered position. In some constructions, the child seat 110 is secured in the storage position by other suitable mechanisms. In other constructions, the lid 115 does not include the child seat recess 200. In still other constructions, the access notch 210 is not included in the child seat recess 200. Preferably, the lid 115 is formed from compression molded wood. Alternatively, other suitable materials are used (e.g., plastic).
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the child seat 110 can be attached to and removed from the hinges 120 and 125 as needed without using tools. As shown in FIG. 4, to couple the child seat 110 to the hinges 120 and 125, the arms 170 and 175 are squeezed together and the rearward ends 184 of the arms 170 and 175 are positioned between the pins 135 of the hinges 120 and 125. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the arms 170 and 175 are allowed to return to their original or relaxed positions so that the recesses 190 receive their respective pins 135 to pivotably couple the arms 170 and 175 to their respective hinges 120 and 125. As shown in FIG. 4, to uncouple the child seat 110 from the hinges 120 and 125, the arms 170 and 175 are squeezed towards one another so that each pin 135 is removed from the corresponding recess 190, and the child seat 110 can then be removed from the rest of the toilet seat assembly 100. Alternatively, only one of the arms 170 and 175 is flexible so that the child seat 110 is removed from the hinges 120 and 125 by squeezing the flexible arm towards the other arm. Alternatively, the pins and the recesses can be interchanged between the arms and the hinges as desired. For example, the arms can each include an outwardly extending pin and the hinges can each include an inwardly extending recess so that each pin is received by a respective recess. Also, one of the arms could include a pin with the respective hinge including a recess to receive the pin and the other of the arms could include a recess with the respective hinge including a pin so that the recess receives the pin.
In use, the lid 115 is pivotable from a lowered position (not shown) to a raised position (FIGS. 1, 2, and 5). The adult seat 105 is also pivotable from a lowered position (FIGS. 1, 2, and 5) to a raised position (not shown). When the adult seat 105 is in the lowered position, the child seat 110 can be pivoted between the storage position (FIG. 2) and a lowered position (FIGS. 1 and 5). As shown in FIG. 5, in the lowered position, the child seat 110 sits on the adult seat 105 so that the adult seat 105 supports the child seat 110 and the child aperture 165 is positioned within the bounds of the adult aperture 150.
Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.
Patent Application
20130212793
