Technical field

The present invention relates to a toilet designed in a way which allows it to be more hygienic than most of the conventional toilets.

It is well known that the area where the toilet seat and lid are fastened to the toilet is often very hard to clean due to it being hard to reach. As a result, it becomes very unhygienic. Since a number of dangerous diseases can be transmitted by body fluid, it is very important to clean the toilet thoroughly.

In Swedish patent SE462 546 (B) was presented a solution where the toilet seat was fastened on the sides of the water tank so that the fastening was arranged higher up than the toilet seat when the toilet seat lies against the lavatory bowl. In this way, the need for holes in the lavatory bowl for fastening the seat and lid are rendered unnecessary. It is also a significantly lower risk of bodily fluids reaching the fastening arrangement on the sides than holes in the lavatory bowl. Thus, the hygiene is greatly improved. A disadvantage with the solution is that the toilet seat and toilet lid are heavy, and care is therefore required when moving the toilet seat between a vertical and horizontal position. Another disadvantage is that the fastening arrangement for the toilet lid is unhygienic on the toilet seat.

There is a need for a more user friendly and hygienic toilet.

It is an aim of the present invention to at least partly overcome the above problems, and to provide an improved device for facilitating the cleaning of a toilet.

This aim is achieved by a toilet as defined in claim 1.

A toilet comprising: a housing unit housing a water tank,

a toilet seat arranged pivotable between an opened position and a closed position, a toilet lid arranged above the toilet seat and pivotable between an opened position and a closed position,

a lavatory bowl, and

a pivoting unit, wherein the toilet seat and the toilet lid are each fastened to the housing unit with a respective lever shaft and the pivoting unit, the pivoting unit being arranged on an inside of a lower part of the housing unit, the lever shafts are fixedly attached to the respective toilet seat and toilet lid and then extend horizontally, when the toilet seat and toilet lid are in the closed position, towards a side of the housing unit, the lever shafts are then bent in an angle so that they continue upwards in a vertical direction to the same height as the pivoting unit, the lever shafts are then bent in a second angle so that they go through a hole in the housing unit and through the pivoting unit on the inside of the housing unit, the lever shafts being pivotably fastened in the pivoting unit so that the toilet seat and the toilet lid are pivoted around a pivoting point in the pivoting unit upon opening or closing.

The first bend is necessary for the toilet seat and toilet lid to rotate satisfactorily and allows the pivoting point to be arranged above where the lever shafts are connected to the toilet seat and the toilet lid. Without the bend, the toilet seat and the toilet lid cannot rotate between the open and closed position, due to the fact that the pivoting point is arranged higher than the closed position of the lid and seat. The toilet seat and the toilet lid are thus fastened to the toilet at the pivoting unit. This makes the toilet very hygienic since the fastening location is both above the toilet seat and toilet lid as well as inside the housing unit. It is thus highly unlikely that any bodily fluids from users of the toilet contaminate the pivoting unit. Thus, having the pivoting unit arranged inside the housing unit means that it is protected from being soiled by contaminants e.g. urine and other body fluids.

The shafts continue upwards to the same height as the pivoting unit before bending in a second angle. This is for allowing the part of the shaft extending from the second angle to the pivoting unit to only rotate around its own axis when rotating around the pivoting point. If the bend in the second angle would be at a different height than the pivoting unit, the lever shafts would wobble.

According to some aspects, the lever shaft of the toilet seat and the toilet lid are pivotably fastened in the pivoting unit at the same pivoting point, wherein, at the pivoting unit, one of the lever shafts has a hollow part with the other lever shaft arranged on the inside of the hollow part.

Having the lever shaft and the toilet seat pivotable around the same pivoting point allows the lever shafts to be connected to the same location of the pivoting unit, thus the pivoting unit only needs one connection point.

According to some aspects, the lever shaft of the toilet seat and the toilet lid are pivotably fastened in the pivoting unit at two different pivoting points. With this arrangement, both the lever shafts can be solid, i.e. without the hollow part, which may be easier from a manufacturers point of view. Having different pivoting points also prevents the rotation of one lever shaft to affect the rotation of the other lever shaft.

Having two different pivoting points means that the areas on the pivoting unit receiving the lever shafts can be of a simpler design since only one lever shaft needs to be connected to each area. This also means that both the lever shafts can have the same shape and diameter facilitating the production of the lever shafts.

According to some aspects, a support plate is arranged on the inside of the housing unit, wherein the support plate have an upper surface and the pivoting unit is arranged on the upper surface.

Since the housing unit most often is made of porcelain, using screws to fix the support plate in the housing unit is preferably avoided. Thus, a better method is to, for example, glue it to a top side of the lavatory bowl on the inside of the housing unit. The pivoting unit can then be fixed to the support plate by e.g. gluing it or using fastening methods such as screw joints. An alternative is to directly glue the pivoting unit to the top side of the lavatory bowl on the inside of the housing unit or to a side wall of the housing unit. Gluing or screwing on the side facing the lever shaft means that there is need for an area that allow the use of glue or screws to be applied.

According to some aspects, the lever shafts extend through the pivoting unit and then bend in a third angle so that it is arranged vertically upwards when the toilet seat and the toilet lid are in a closed position, the lever shafts comprises counter weights attached at these extending parts. The counter weights are adapted to provide the toilet seat and the toilet lid with a smoothing mechanism. The counter weights constitute a rotational force on the lever shaft by means of the leverage principle, causing the toilet seat and the toilet lid to rotate to be kept in the open position and to close smoothly when moving from the open to the closed position.

According to some aspects, the extending parts are threaded, and the counter weights are adjustable in position on the extending parts by screwing them. According to the leverage principle, by adjusting the counter weight further and closer to the pivoting unit the amount of force the counter weights constitutes on the lever shaft can be adjusted. If the toilet seat or toilet lid is changed, the new one might have a different weight. The counter weight may then be moved to adjust for the new weight.

According to some aspects, the toilet comprises a holding device adapted to prevent the toilet lid and toilet seat from rotating to their closed position when the toilet lid and toilet seat are in their opened position.

According to some aspects, the holding device is a magnet or a clamp.

According to some aspects, the toilet comprises corresponding and mirrored lever shafts and pivoting unit on the opposite side of the toilet so that the toilet lid and toilet seat are pivotably fastened on both insides of the housing unit. All the components relating to the rotation of the toilet seat and toilet lid are in this aspect doubled and mirrored. Having the toilet lid and seat pivotably fastened on both sides of the housing unit makes it easier to rotate the toilet lid and seat.

Brief of the drawings

The invention will now be explained more closely by the description of different embodiments of the invention and with reference to the appended figures.

Fig. 1 shows a toilet seen from a side view.

Fig. 2 shows a toilet seen from a side view with lever shafts connected to different pivoting points.

Fig. 3 shows a cut through of a toilet as seen from the front.

Fig. 4 shows a cut through of a toilet as seen from the front with pivoting units on both side.

Detailed description

Figure 1 shows a toilet 1 comprising a housing unit 3 housing a water tank (not shown). The toilet further comprises a lavatory bowl 5, toilet seat 7, toilet lid 9 and a pivoting unit 11. The toilet seat 7 is arranged above the toilet lid 9. The toilet seat 7 and the toilet lid 9 are arranged pivotably between the lavatory bowl 5 and the housing unit 3. When the toilet seat 7 and the toilet lid 9 are in a position extending substantially parallel to the housing unit 3 they are in an opened position. In other words, in the open position, the toilet lid and the toilet seat are in a vertical position. When the toilet seat 7 and the toilet lid 9 are in a position extending substantially parallel to the lavatory bowl 5 they are considered to be in a closed position. In other words, in the closed position, the toilet seat and the toilet lid are in a horizontal position. The toilet has a front side, a back side and two sides. The front side is defined as the side where a person sits when using the toilet. The back side is the opposite side and is usually facing a wall. The two sides are the perpendicular sides connecting the front and back sides.

The toilet seat 7 and toilet lid 9 are each fastened to the housing unit 3 with a respective lever shaft 13,14 and the pivoting unit 11. The pivoting unit 11 is arranged on an inside of a lower part of the housing unit 3. The lower part of the housing unit 3 being the lower half of the housing unit 3. The lower part may also be the lower quarter of the housing unit 3.

The lever shafts 13,14 are fixedly attached to respective toilet seat 7 and toilet lid 9. The lever shafts 13,14 then extend horizontally towards one of the two sides of the housing unit 3 when the toilet seat 7 and the toilet lid 9 are in the closed position. The lever shaft 13,14 are then bent in an angle 15 so that they continue upwards in a vertical direction to the same height as the pivoting unit 11 before bending in a second angle 16. The lever shafts 13,14 then extend through a hole 17 in the housing unit 3 and through the pivoting unit 11, where they are pivotably fastened. This arrangement allows the toilet seat 7 and toilet lid 9 to be pivoted around a pivoting point in the pivoting unit 11 upon opening and closing. The angle 15 and the second angle 16 are, according to some aspects, substantially 90°. Having the first bend allows the pivoting point to be arranged above the connection between the lever shafts 13,14 and the toilet seat 7 and toilet lid 9. As seen in figure 1, where the toilet seat 7 is in the closed position and the toilet lid 9 is in the open position, the bends 15 facilitates the function that the toilet seat and toilet lid can be in the closed horizontal position and in the open vertical position while the pivoting point is above the toilet bowl. As also seen in figure 1, the parts of the lever shafts 13,14 going from the toilet seat and toilet lid to the bend at angle 15 are longer than the shortest distance from the hole 17 to the front side of the housing unit. The same applies to second parts of the lever shafts 13,14 going from the bend at angle 15 to the bend at the second angle 16. The second parts also have a length such that the toilet lid and toilet seat lie against the lavatory bowl in a horizontal position in the closed position.

The hole 17 may be a hole in the side of the housing unit 3 at the point where the lever shafts 13,14 goes through the housing unit 3. The hole may also be elongated so that it goes all the way from a bottom part of the housing unit 3 and up to where the lever shafts 13,14 goes through. In such a case, it is possible to remove the housing unit 3 by lifting it upwards, without removing the toilet seat 7 and the toilet lid 9. Figure 2 shows a toilet with an elongated hole 17.

The pivoting unit 11 may, according to some aspects, have a protruding part that protrudes into the hole 17 in the housing unit 3 so that the hole 17 is sealed by the pivoting unit 11. The protruding part is for example made of plastic or silicon or a mix thereof. The protruding part has a shape to fill the hole around the lever shafts 13,14.

As previously mentioned, the lever shafts 13,14 continues upwards to the same height as the pivoting unit 11 before bending in the second angle. This is for allowing the parts of the shafts extending from the second angle to the pivoting unit 11 to only rotate around their own axis when rotating around the pivoting point. If the bend would be at a different height the pivoting point would not be in centre of the part extending from the second angle to the pivoting unit which means that the lever shafts 13,14 would wobble. Having the pivoting unit 11 arranged inside the housing unit 3 means that it is protected from being soiled by contaminants e.g. urine and other body fluids.

Figure 2 shows the lever shafts 13,14 connected to different parts of the pivoting unit 11. The lever shaft 13 connected to the toilet seat 7 is connected to the pivoting unit 11 closer to the back side and the lavatory bowl 5 than the lever shaft 14 connected to the toilet lid 9. This is to allow the toilet seat 7 and the toilet lid 9 to be closed or opened independently of the other. It should be noted that since the toilet seat is located under the toilet lid, the toilet seat will never be in the opened when the toilet seat is closed. Likewise, the toilet lid will never be closed when the toilet seat is not also closed.

Figures 3 and 4 shows a cut through of the toilet 1. In the illustrated examples, the lever shafts 13,14 of the toilet seat 13 and the toilet lid 14 are pivotably fastened in the pivoting unit 11 at the same pivoting point. One of the lever shafts 14 has a hollow part 18, and the other lever shaft 13 is partly arranged inside that hollow part 18.

Having the lever shafts 13,14 pivotable around the same pivoting point allows the lever shafts 13,14 to be connected to the same area of the pivoting unit 11, thus the pivoting unit 11 only needs one connection point. In this example, the hollow part 18 comprises a horizontal through hole 20 extending from the bend at the second angle 16 and with an opening 20 arranged at the second angle 16 adapted to receive the other lever shaft 13. The through hole 20 is of a higher diameter than the other lever shaft 13 allowing the other lever shaft 13 to be partly arranged inside the through hole 20.

In this example, the lever shaft 14 connected to the toilet lid 9 has the hollow part 18. Since both lever shafts can be turned independently, it does not matter which of the toilet seat and toilet lid are arranged on the lever shaft comprising the through hole.

In a different example, the lever shafts 13,14 of the toilet seat 7 and the toilet lid 9 are pivotably fastened in the pivoting unit 11 at two different pivoting points, for example as shown in figure 2. With this arrangement, both the lever shafts 13,14 can be solid, which may prevent the lever shafts 13,14 from being deformed from external forces. This has the advantage that both the lever shafts 13,14 can have the same shape and diameter facilitating the production of the lever shafts. It should be noted that the lengths of the two lever shafts, i.e. the length between the toilet seat or the toilet lid and the first bend, the length between the first bend and the second bend and the length going through the pivoting unit may vary depending on the size and shape of the toilet, the thickness of the toilet seat and/or toilet lid and the position of the pivoting unit. The lengths are such that the toilet seat and the toilet lid are pivotable between the closed and open position and such that the toilet seat lies horizontally on the toilet bowl in the closed position and the toilet lid lies horizontally on the toilet seat in the closed position.

In the examples of figures 3 and 4, a support plate 22 is arranged on the inside of the housing unit 3. The support plate 22 have an upper surface 24 and the pivoting unit 11 is arranged on the upper surface 24. Since the housing unit 3 most often is made of a fragile material such as porcelain, using screws to fix the support plate 24 in the housing unit 3 is to be avoided. Thus, a better method is to for example glue it to a top side of the lavatory bowl on the inside of the housing unit 3. The pivoting unit 11 can then be fixed to the support plate 22 by e.g. gluing it or using fastening methods such as screw joints. Using a support plate 22 for fixing the pivoting unit 11 to the top side of the lavatory bowl 5 on the inside of the housing unit 3 is a preferred solution since the fastening arrangement, for example in the form of glue or screws, can be arranged on a bottom side of the pivoting unit 11 and not the side facing the lever shafts 13,14. Having the fastening arrangement on the side facing the lever shafts 13,14 means that there is need for an area that allows the use of fastening arrangement such as glue to be applied. Also, when using a support plate 22, it is possible to arrange the pivoting unit 11 at a distance from the side of the housing unit 3.

In the illustrated examples, the lever shafts 13,14 extends through the pivoting unit 11 and then bend in a third angle 26 so that it is arranged vertically upwards when the toilet seat 7 and the toilet lid 9 are in a closed position, forming two extending parts 28. The lever shafts 13,14 may comprise counter weights 30 attached at these extending parts 28. The counter weights 30 are adapted to provide the toilet seat 7 and the toilet lid 9 with a smoothing mechanism. The counter weights 30 constitute a rotational force on the lever shaft 13,14 by means of the leverage principle, causing the toilet seat 7 and the toilet lid 9 to stay in the open position when opened and then close smoothly when a user pushes the toilet lid or toilet seat from the open position towards the closed position.

In one example, the extending parts 28 are threaded and the counter weights 30 are adjustable in position on the extending parts 28 by screwing them. According to the leverage principle by adjusting the counter weights 30 further and closer to the pivoting unit the amount of force the counter weights 30 constitutes on the lever shaft 13,14 can be adjusted.

In a different example a part of the lever shafts extends upwards after the second angle and the counter weights 30 are arranged on that part, outside of the housing unit 3.

It should be noted that in both figures 3 and 4, the lever shafts 13,14 are illustrated as extending through the pivoting unit and bending in a third angle 26 and having extending parts 28. However, the lever shafts 13,14 may end in the pivoting unit. Alternatively, the lever shafts 13,14 may have a short extending part 28 which may engage a clamp or magnet to be held in the open position.

In one example the toilet 1 comprises a holding device 32 adapted to prevent the toilet seat 7 and toilet lid 9 from rotating to their closed position when the toilet seat 7 and the toilet lid 9 are in their opened position. In one example, the holding device 32 is a magnet. The magnet can for example be arranged on an upper part of the housing unit facing the toilet lid and toilet seat when they are in the open position. In such a case, the toilet seat 7 and the toilet lid 9 has a corresponding iron part adapted to connect with the magnet to hold it in the open position. In the illustrated examples of figures 3 and 4, the holding device 32 is a clamping device. In this example, the clamping device has two pairs of receiving parts 34 arranged in the housing unit 3. The receiving parts 34 are adapted to receive the extending parts 28 when the toilet seat 7 and the toilet lid 9 are in the opened position, thus locking them in the opened position. By using force, the extending parts 28 can be removed from the receiving parts 34 thus allowing the toilet seat 7 and toilet lid 9 to rotate to the closed position.

In one example, as illustrated in figure 4, the toilet 1 comprises corresponding and mirrored lever shafts 13,14 and pivoting unit 11 on the opposite side of the toilet allowing the toilet seat 7 and toilet lid 9 to be pivotably fastened on both sides of the housing unit 3. All the components relating to the rotation of the toilet seat 7 and toilet lid 9 are in this aspect doubled and mirrored. Having the toilet seat 7 and lid 9 pivotably fastened on both sides of the housing unit 3 provides a more stable arrangement with two pivoting units carrying the weights of the toilet lid and toilet seat when they are in the open position.

In one example the lever shafts 13,14 are removable. The openings 20 and optionally the pivoting unit 11 can then be used for connecting a conventional elevated toilet seat.

It should be noted that the figures are merely illustrating examples of the disclosure. The illustrated examples are not to be seen as limiting. For example, in figure 1, the lever shafts 13,14 are arranged at a common pivoting point and with a hole 17 in the housing unit 3 only at the pivoting point and in figure 2, the lever shafts 13,14 are arranged at separate pivoting points and with an elongated hole 17. However, the lever shafts 13,14 with a common pivoting point may as well be used in combination with an elongated hole 17 and, similarly, the lever shafts 13,14 which have separate pivoting points may be used in combination with a hole only at the pivoting points. The aspect of an elongated hole is for when it is desirable to be able to remove the housing unit 3 without affecting the lever shafts 13,14 and the pivoting unit. Also, in figures 3 and 4, lever shafts 13,14 with a common pivoting point are illustrated, but the illustrated features are also applicable to using lever shafts 13,14 with separate pivoting points.

Reference list

Toilet 1

Housing unit 3

Lavatory bowl 5

Toilet seat 7

Toilet lid 9

Pivoting unit 11

Lever shaft (seat) 13

Lever shaft (lid) 14

(First) angle 15

Second angle 16

Hole 17 (housing unit)

Hollow part (lever shaft) 18

Opening (hollow part) 20

Support plate 22

Upper surface (support plate) 24

Third angle 26

Extending parts 28

Counter weights 30

Holding device 32

Receiving parts (holding device) 34