GB2309040A

GB2309040A - Device for adjustably positioning a cover on a toilet

Info

Publication number: GB2309040A
Application number: GB9600351A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Pien-Rueng Lu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-01-09
Filing date: 1996-01-09
Publication date: 1997-07-16
Anticipated expiration: 2016-01-09
Also published as: GB9600351D0; GB2309040B

Abstract

A device for adjustably positioning a cover on a toilet includes a base (10) pivotally engaged with the cover. A positioning member (20) is fixedly mounted on an underside of the base. At least one guiding channel (224) is defined by two flanges formed on an underside of the positioning member. At least one sliding member (28) is slidably mounted in the guiding channel and has an elongated slot (282) defined therein. A bolt (26) includes a shank (260) extending through a hole defined through the toilet, an upper end portion (262) slidably mounted in and retained by a periphery defining the elongated slot, and an enlarged head abutting against two sides of the periphery defining the elongated slot. A nut is mounted around the shank of the bolt for securing the bolt to the toilet.

Description

DWTCw FOR ADJUSTABtY POSITIONTNG A COVER ON A TOILET The present invention relates to a positioning device, and more particularly to a device for adjustably positioning a cover on a toilet.

A conventional toilet cover and seat are pivotally mounted on one end portion of a toilet. However, the longitudinal and transverse positions of the cover together with the seat relative to the toilet cannot be adjusted freely, so causing an inconvenience when it is required to exchange and assemble covers with different dimensions on the toilet.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the disadvantage of the conventional toilet.

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a device which can easily adjust the longitudinal and'transverse positions of a cover relative to a toilet.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for adjustably positioning a cover on a toilet which includes one end portion having at least one hole vertically defined therethrough.

The positioning device includes a base pivotally engaged with the cover. A positioning member is fixedly mounted on an underside of the base. At least one guiding channel is defined in an underside of the positioning member. Preferably, the guiding channel is defined by two elongated side flanges formed on the underside of the positioning member and disposed in parallel with each other.

At least one sliding member is slidably mounted in the guiding channel and includes two distal ends each supported and retained by a corresponding one of the two side flanges.

An elongated slot is defined in the sliding member and is located between the two distal ends thereof.

A bolt includes a shank extending through the hole of the toilet, an upper end portion slidably mounted in and retained by a periphery defining the elongated slot of the sliding member, and an enlarged head abutting against by two sides of the periphery defining the elongated slot of the sliding member. A nut is mounted around the shank of the bolt for securing the bolt to the toilet.

Further features of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: - Fig. 1 is an exploded view of a positioning device in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is an assembly view of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side view of the positioning device in combination with a toilet; and Fig. 4 is an exploded view of a positioning device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, and initially to Figs. 1-3, a device in accordance with the present invention is provided for adjustably positioning a cover 34 and a seat 36 on a toilet 30 which includes one end portion 302 having two holes 38 vertically defined therethrough.

The positioning device comprises a base 10 pivotally engaged with the cover 34 and the seat 36. Preferably, two cavities 12 are laterally defined in the base 10. A fastening device such as a hinge 35 is received in each of the two cavities 12 for hingedly securing the cover 34 and the seat 36 to the base 10.

A positioning member 20 is fixedly mounted on an underside of the base 10. Preferably, the base 10 has a plurality of sockets 14 vertically and threadedly defined in the underside thereof. The positioning member 20 includes a plurality of bores 24 vertically defined therethrough and each aligning with a corresponding one of the plurality of sockets 14. A plurality of screws 29 each extend through a corresponding one of the plurality of bores 24 and are each engaged in an associated socket 14, thereby fixedly securing the base 10 on the positioning member 20.

Two Two guiding channels 224 are each defined in an underside of the positioning member 20. Each of the two guiding channels 224 is defined by two elongated side flanges 226 formed on the underside of the positioning member 20 and disposed in parallel with each other.

Two sliding members 28 are each slidably mounted in a corresponding one of the two guiding channels 224 and each include two distal ends each supported and retained by a corresponding one of the two side flanges 226. An elongated slot 282 is defined in each of the two sliding members 28 and is located between the two distal ends thereof.

Preferably, two receiving recesses 22 are each defined in the underside of the positioning member 20 and each communicate with an associated guiding channel 224. Each of the two receiving recesses 22 has a length nominally larger than a length of an associated sliding member 28 such that each of the two sliding members 28 can be introduced via the associated receiving recess 22 to be received and retained in the associated guiding channel 224.

Two bolts 26 each include a shank 260 extending through an associated hole 38 of the toilet 30, an upper end portion 262 slidably mounted in and retained by a periphery defining the elongated slot 282 of an associated sliding member 28, and an enlarged head 264 stopped by two sides of the periphery defining the elongated slot 282 of the associated sliding member 28.

Preferably, the upper end portion 262 of each of the two positioning bolts 26 has a square periphery with sides nominally smaller in length than a width of the associated slot 282 such that the upper end portion 262 can be secured and retained by respective edges of the two sides defining the associated slot 282, thereby preventing each of the two bolts 26 from rotating relative to the associated sliding member 28.

Two nuts 50 are each threadedly mounted around the respective shanks 260 of the associated bolts 26 for fixedly securing each of the two bolts 26 to the toilet 30.

In operation, referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the cover 34 and the seat 36 are pivotally engaged with the base 10 which is fixedly mounted on the positioning member 20 which is securely mounted on the end portion 302 of the toilet 30 by means of the nuts 50 co-operating with the associated bolts 26.

Referring to Fig. 2, when it is intended to adjust the position of the cover 34 together with the seat 36 relative to the toilet 30, the nuts 50 can be unscrewed so as to loosen the bolts 26.

In such a situation, the base 10 together with the positioning member 20 can be moved relative to the toilet 30 such that each of the two sliding members 28 can be disposed along the associated channel 224 at a position as shown in phantom lines A, thereby adjusting a transverse position of the base 10 together with the positioning member 20 relative to the toilet 30, and also thereby adjusting the transverse position of the cover 34 together with the seat 36 relative to the toilet 30.

- Alternatively, the base 10 and the positioning member 20 can be moved relative to the toilet 30 such that each of the two bolts 26 can be disposed along the associated slot 282 at a position as shown in phantom lines B, thereby adjusting a longitudinal position of the base 10 together with the positioning member 20 relative to the toilet 30, and also thereby adjusting the longitudinal position of the cover 34 together with the seat 36 relative to the toilet 30.

Referring to Fig. 4, a second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, wherein the positioning member 20 is undefined.

A substantially T-shaped guiding groove 102 is defined in the underside of the base 10 for receiving and guiding the sliding members 28 therein, thereby adjusting the transverse position of the base 10 together with the cover 34 and the seat 36 relative to the toilet 30.

A channel 104 is also defined in the underside of the base 10 and communicates with the guiding groove 102. The channel 104 has a dimension large enough for the bolts 26 to move therein such that each of the bolts 26 can be displaced along the associated slot 282 in the channel 104, thereby adjusting the longitudinal position of the base 10 together with the cover 34 and the seat 36 relative to the toilet 30.

It should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments of the present invention may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Claims

cTATxs.

1. A device for adjustably positioning a cover (34) on a toilet (30) which includes one end portion (302) having at least one hole (38) vertically defined therethrough, said device comprising: a base (10) pivotally engaged with said cover (34); a positioning member (20) fixedly mounted on an underside of said base (10), at least one guiding channel (224) defined in an underside of said positioning member (20), said guiding channel (224) being defined by two elongated side flanges (226) formed on the underside of said positioning member (20) and disposed in parallel with each other; at least one sliding member (28) slidably received in said guiding channel (224) and including two distal ends each supported and retained by a corresponding one of said two side flanges (226), an elongated slot (282) defined in said sliding member (28) and located between the two distal ends thereof;; a bolt (26) including a shank (260) extending through said hole (38) of said toilet (30), an upper end portion (262) slidably mounted in and retained by a periphery defining said elongated slot (282) of said sliding member (28), and an enlarged head (264) stopped by two sides of said periphery defining said elongated slot (282) of said sliding member (28); and a nut (50) mounted around said shank (260) of said bolt (26) for securing said bolt (26) to said toilet (30).

2. The device in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one receiving recess (22) is defined in the underside of said positioning member (20) and communicates with said guiding channel (224), said receiving recess (22) having a a length nominally larger than length of said sliding member (28).

3. The device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said base (10) has a plurality of sockets (14) vertically and threadedly defined in the underside thereof, said positioning member (20) having a plurality of bores (24) vertically defined therethrough and each aligning with a corresponding one of said plurality of sockets (14), a plurality of screws (29-) each extending through a corresponding one of said plurality of bores (24) and each engaged in an associated socket (14).

4. The device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said positioning member (20) is integrally formed with said base (10).

5. A device for positioning a cover on a toilet substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.