Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an easily removable cover assembly suitable for use in sanitary furniture items with a movable damper.

Background of the invention

Among the sanitary furniture items, it is known that water closets are used with a foldable cover assembly. In such cover assemblies, there are some configurations that are operated by a damper system and are removable. One of the known methods for attaching and removing these covers is to remove the cover from the hinge on the water closet by pressing a single or double button. In the cover assemblies available in the art, these buttons wear out over time. Moreover, hygiene problems arise due to the recesses and protrusions of the buttons on the cover.

Some of the water closet covers available in the art cannot be easily assembled or disassembled, which may also require additional apparatuses for fixing purposes. Also, hinge structures available in the art increase production costs due to their multi-piece and complex structures.

Some the dampers forming the rotation axis in the cover assemblies can be used in a fixed manner. Therefore, they may be destroyed over time, and it is also possible that they may not function well against possible impacts from the external environment. In such cases, since the dampers are used in connection with upper and lower covers, the whole system must be changed.

Objects of the Invention

The present invention relates to an improved cover assembly to be used in bathrooms and toilets, which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages. With the cover assembly presented within the scope of the present invention, a movable damper system is achieved. In this way, the user may pull the dampers into the housing and remove them whenever desired. In this way, a practical detachable cover assembly is obtained. In addition, by virtue of this system, only the damper can be replaced, not the cover assembly, in case of a possible wear and failure of the dampers.

The cover assembly presented within the scope of the present invention can be easily mounted to the water closet and can be easily detached therefrom when it should be replaced.

The present invention provides a hygienic environment as well as a robust connection since the closet cover is easily detachable without using any button, and has less recesses and protrusions.

The present invention provides a simple configuration in which the user does not need a separate apparatus to remove the closet cover.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cover assembly for use in sanitary furniture items, said cover assembly comprising a lower seating cover; an upper cover for positioning on the lower seating cover to make a pivotal movement therewith, and a damper for forming a rotation axis and connecting the lower seating cover and the upper cover together. Said cover assembly comprises: at least one damper housing positioned on the lower seating cover, and at least one damper for positioning in the damper housing, wherein the damper is arrangeable between a first position where the damper is retracted in the damper housing, and a second position where the damper is slided for coupling with a connection assembly. Said damper comprises an attachable holding portion for actuating the damper. The present invention also proposes a cover connection assembly comprising said cover assembly and a connection assembly suitable to be fixed to a sanitary furniture item.

Brief Description of the Drawings The fixing device which is the subject of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings for better understanding thereof, which drawings are attached for better explaining the present invention and are not limiting the invention, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a water closet to which a cover assembly presented according to the present invention is mounted.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the cover assembly presented according to the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a bottom end of the cover assembly presented according to the present invention.

Fig. 4a is a partial perspective view showing a damper and a holding portion in the damper housing of the cover assembly presented according to the present invention.

Fig. 4b is a partial side view of the cover assembly presented according to the present invention, when seen from the damper and the holding portion.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the cover assembly presented according to the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a partial perspective view showing a damper mechanism of the cover assembly presented according to the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a bottom view of the damper mechanism mounted to the cover assembly, an exploded view of which is presented in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8a is an exploded view showing the parts forming the damper mechanism presented according to the present invention.

Fig. 8b is a close-up perspective view of an extension part of the damper mechanism presented according to the present invention.

Fig. 9a is a bottom perspective view of the damper presented according to the present invention, showing a position thereof before it is inserted into the right damper housing. Fig. 9b is a bottom perspective view of another damper presented according to the present invention, showing a position thereof before it is inserted into the left damper housing.

Fig. 10a is a perspective view of the cover assembly presented according to the present invention, without being mounted on the connection assembly, showing a position thereof before the dampers are driven.

Fig. 10b is a side view showing an engagement housing into which the cover assembly presented according to the present invention is to be inserted, as well as the cover assembly.

Fig. 10c is a view of the cover assembly shown in Fig. 10b inserted into the engagement housing.

Fig. lOd is a perspective view of a movable position of the cover assembly presented according to the present invention inserted into the engagement housing.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The invention will herein be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and the list of the part numbers used in the figures is as follows:

20. Cover assembly

21. Upper cover

22. Lower seating cover

23. Damper housing

24. Slot

25. Lower fitting

26 Upper fitting

30. Connection assembly

31. Engagement housing

32. Middle portion

33. Lateral wall 40. Damper

41. Extension part

42. End portion

43. Engagement end

44. Holding portion

45. Gripping protrusion

46. Tip

47. Handling surface

48. Housing

49. Guiding protrusion

50. Fixing member

51. Fixing member housing

52. Coupling cavity

100. Sanitary furniture item

The present invention relates to a cover assembly (20) for use in sanitary furniture items (100), said cover assembly (20) comprising a lower seating cover (22); an upper cover (21) for positioning on the lower seating cover (22) to make a pivotal movement therewith, and a damper (40) for forming a rotation axis and connecting the lower seating cover (22) and the upper cover (21) together. Said cover assembly (20) comprises: at least one damper housing (23) positioned on the lower seating cover (22), and at least one damper (40) for positioning in the damper housing (23), wherein the damper (40) is arrangeable between a first position where the damper (40) is retracted in the damper housing (23), and a second position where the damper (40) is slided for coupling with a connection assembly (30). Said damper (40) comprises an attachable holding portion (44) for actuating the damper (40). The present invention also proposes a cover connection assembly (100) comprising the cover assembly (20) and a connection assembly (30) suitable to be fixed to a sanitary furniture item. Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the cover assembly (20) presented within the scope of the present invention mainly comprises the upper cover (21) suitable for pivotal movement with the lower seating cover (22) in the form of a hollow donut, and is configured to be mounted to the connection assembly (30). The cover assembly (20) is preferably easily mounted on the connection assembly (30) which is connected on the water closet as a sanitary furniture item. Said connection is realized by the damper (40) partially extending into the engagement housing (31). At one end of said damper (40), there is an extension part (41) for engagement with the connection assembly (30). Said extension part (41) is formed as an extension of the damper (40).

As illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, said extension part (41) comprises an engagement end (43) comprising a housing (48) shaped and sized according to a protruding end portion (42) of the damper (40) so as to engage with the damper (40). As illustrated in Fig. 8a, the end portion (42) at one end of the damper (40) is preferably configured to have a rectangular cross-section, and an opposite engagement end (43) of the extension part (41) to be engaged with the damper (40) comprises an engagement end (43) to engage with the end portion (42) with a rectangular cross-section. The end portion (42) engages into the engagement end (43), then the damper (40) and the extension part (41) are connected to each other by a fixing member (50) passing therethrough.

The extension part (41) of the invention is mainly a separate part and is attached to the damper (40) via a suitable fixing member (50). The extension part (41) comprises an engagement end (43) at its end where it will be engaged with the damper, and a tip (46) at its opposite end. It also comprises a cylindrically shaped guiding protrusion between the engagement end (43) and the tip (46). The guiding protrusion (49) ensures to take the proper position and rotation within the damper housing (23) for guiding.

Said fixing member (50) is passed through the extension part (41) and is connected to the damper fixing housing (51) on the damper. A suitable bolt or screw may be used as a fixing member, or the damper fixing housing (51) in the damper (40) is configured accordingly. Again, referring to Figs. 8a and 8b, the holding portion (44) has a crescent shaped gripping protrusion (45). The gripping protrusion (45), which extends over a transversely extending main body of the holding portion (44), is configured to circumferentially surround the extension part (41). In said extension part (41), there is a coupling cavity (52) shaped according to the gripping protrusion (45). The gripping protrusion (45) of the holding portion (44) is engaged into the coupling cavity (52) formed as an inward recess between the engagement end (43) and the guiding protrusion (49), and the damper (40) is thus moved. Again, as illustrated in Fig. 8b, the holding portion (44) has a handling surface (47) that is inwardly depressed in a concave form suitable to be held by the user. The handling surface (47) may be in a convex form, and it allows the user to hold the holding portion (44) in an easy manner.

The damper (40) presented within the scope of the invention can be retracted to a first position in which the damper (40) is in free position inside the damper housing (23). As illustrated in Fig. 10a, said damper (40) is in the first movable position within the damper housing (23) together with the extension part (41) to which it is connected. As illustrated in Fig. 9b, there is a slot (24) on the damper housing (23) into which that the gripping protrusion (45) can be inserted and which allows the damper (40) to move linearly. The slot (24), which extends in the direction of the rotation axis, extends within a certain range, and the holding portion (44) is inserted into the slot (24). After the cover assembly (20) coincides with a corresponding engagement housing (31), the damper (40) in the damper housing (23) is slided/moved by means of the holding portion (44) and brought to the second position from the first position where it coupled with the connection assembly (30), and the tip (46) engages with the engagement housing (31). In the second position, the damper (40) and thus the cover assembly (20) are rotatably attached to the connection assembly (30).

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, there are two opposing damper housings (23) on said lower seating cover (22), and the damper (40) in each damper housing (23) which includes an extension part (41). Each damper (40) can be moved to the second position so that it can move linearly between the first and second position in the damper housing (23) and engage with the engagement housing (31) in a connection assembly (30), when in use. It comprises a rectangular engagement end (43) on the extension part (41) such that the damper (40), when moved to the second position, protrudes into the engagement housing (31). Said engagement housing (31) is configured to have a rectangular crosssection with rounded corners. In another embodiment of the invention, this cross section can be changed.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the cover assembly (20) and the connection assembly (30) can be produced together. Accordingly, a cover connection assembly (100) may comprise a cover assembly (20) and a connection assembly (30) as described above. Again, it comprises a damper (40) suitable for engagement with the engagement housings (31) on said connection assembly (30).As illustrated in Fig. 10a, there are said engagement housings (31) on the mutually lateral walls (33) in a raised middle portion (32) of said connection assembly (30).

Referring to Fig. 5, a lower surface of the upper cover (21) includes a series of upper fittings (26) such that it will contact the lower seating cover (22). Likewise, the lower seating cover (22) also includes a series of lower fittings (25) to allow dampening in case of a rapid closing. With this arrangement, if the water closet is mainly made of ceramic, any possible damage is thus prevented. Said damper (40) is preferably formed cylindrically. Said connection assembly (30) may be a separate part, or may be integrated with the water closet. When the connection assembly (30) is used as a separate part, the connection of the water closet is achieved with the appropriate fasteners passing through the mounting holes thereon. The connection assembly (30) is preferably made of plastic material. The sanitary furniture item (100) described herein may be a water closet, preferably a wall-hung water closet.

The connection assembly (30) is preferably made of plastic. The sanitary furniture item (100) described herein may be a water closet, preferably a wall-hung water closet.