JOINT ARRANGEMENT FOR THE PIVOTABLE MOUNTING OF A LID, A SEAT OR A SEAT/LID FITTING ON A CERAMIC SANITARY ARTICLE

Abstract

A joint arrangement for the pivotable mounting of a lid, a seat or a seat/lid fitting about a pivot axis on a ceramic sanitary article, which joint arrangement comprises an elongate fastening element which is intended to be arranged on the sanitary article, a bearing element having a passage bore through which the fastening element is intended to engage, and a damper element which damps the pivoting movement and has a connecting element, which likewise has a passage bore into which the fastening element engages or through which said fastening element engages and which fits on the bearing element in the assembled position, wherein the bearing element has a retaining portion which receives the connecting element in a form-fitting manner.

Claims

1. A joint arrangement for the pivotable mounting of a lid, a seat or a seat/lid fitting about a pivot axis on a ceramic sanitary article, which joint arrangement comprises an elongate fastening element which is intended to be arranged on the sanitary article, a bearing element having a passage bore through which the fastening element is intended to engage, and a damper element which damps the pivoting movement and has a connecting element, which likewise has a passage bore into which the fastening element engages or through which said fastening element engages and which fits on the bearing element in the assembled position, wherein the bearing element has a retaining portion which receives the connecting element in a form-fitting manner.

2. The joint arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the connecting element has a round external shape at least in the portion abutting the bearing element and the retaining portion is of a round design in a manner compatible in terms of shape.

3. The joint arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the portion and the retaining portion have a part-cylinder shape.

4. The joint arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the bearing element is designed in the manner of a cap with a wide foot and an adjacent narrower portion which has the retaining portion, or in that the bearing element is of a sleeve-like design and has the retaining portion at one end.

5. The joint arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the elongate fastening element is a mandrel.

6. The joint arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the mandrel is provided at least in certain portions with a thread for receiving a counterbearing element, in particular a nut, which fixes said mandrel to the sanitary article, or in that the mandrel is arranged on a retaining washer which abuts the sanitary article and is intended to be fixed to the sanitary article by way of a fastening screw arranged offset with respect to the mandrel.

7. The joint arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the mandrel has a collar, by way of which the mandrel having the thread abuts a bearing washer bearing against the sanitary article in the assembled position or the mandrel arranged on the retaining washer abuts the retaining washer.

8. The joint arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the collar has a retaining geometry for acting on with a tool.

9. The joint arrangement according to claim 5, wherein at least one clamping ring for clamping the connecting element is provided on the mandrel in the region which engages into the passage bore provided on the connecting element in the assembled position.

10. The joint arrangement according to claim 9, wherein provided on the connecting element on the side which leads during the pushing onto the mandrel in the region of the passage bore is a bevel which makes abutting contact with the clamping ring such that it compresses said clamping ring.

11. The joint arrangement according to claim 5, wherein at least one damping ring which damps the pushing-on movement is arranged on the mandrel.

12. The joint arrangement according to claim 5, wherein a threaded bore is provided on the mandrel, wherein the connecting element is intended to be fixed by means of a fastening screw which is to be screwed into the threaded bore.

13. The joint arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the threaded bore is an axial bore or a radial bore.

14. The joint arrangement according to claim 12, wherein a depression or recess for receiving a head of the fastening screw is formed on the connecting element.

15. The joint arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the elongate fastening element is a threaded rod with a head which is intended to abut the connecting element.

16. The joint arrangement according to claim 15, wherein a depression or recess for receiving the head is formed on the connecting element.

17. The joint arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the head has a round top side.

18. The joint arrangement according to claim 1, comprising a covering cap which is intended to be pushed onto the connecting element.

19. The joint arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the connecting element, the bearing element and optionally the bearing washer, the retaining washer and the covering cap are made of plastic.

20. A sanitary apparatus comprising a ceramic sanitary article as well as a seat, a lid or a seat/lid fitting which is mounted on the sanitary article by means of one or two joint arrangements according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0031] In the drawing:

[0032] FIG. 1 shows an exploded representation of a joint arrangement according to the invention in two different embodiments,

[0033] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged perspective view of the damper element with dedicated covering cap,

[0034] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged perspective view of the bearing element,

[0035] FIG. 4 shows an enlarged perspective view of the fastening element in the form of a mandrel,

[0036] FIG. 5 shows an exploded representation, partially sectioned, of a first configuration according to the invention of the joint arrangement of the first embodiment with mandrel,

[0037] FIG. 6 shows a basic representation of the assembled position, partially sectioned, of the arrangement from FIG. 5,

[0038] FIG. 7 shows a partially sectioned view of a second configuration according to the invention of the joint arrangement of the first embodiment with mandrel, partially assembled,

[0039] FIG. 8 shows an enlarged basic representation of a fastening element in the form of a threaded rod,

[0040] FIG. 9 shows a partially sectioned basic representation of the assembled joint arrangement of the second configuration with the threaded rod,

[0041] FIG. 10 shows an exploded representation of a joint arrangement according to the invention of a third embodiment according to the invention with mandrel mounted eccentrically on a retaining plate,

[0042] FIG. 11 shows a plan view of the retaining plate along with fastening screw and mandrel, and

[0043] FIG. 12 shows an exploded representation, partially sectioned, of a joint arrangement according to the invention of a fourth embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0044] FIG. 1 shows an exploded representation of a joint arrangement 1 according to the invention, comprising a damper element 2 with dedicated connecting element 3, which here is designed integrally with the damper element 2. The damper element 2 has a housing 4 which is preferably manufactured from plastic and on which the connecting element 3 is integrally formed.

[0045] Formed on the damper element 2 in a manner known per se is a form-fit geometry in the form of a flattened, protruding pin 5 which runs into the inside of the housing 4 and there, usually fluidically, is coupled to or interacts with a damping apparatus, with the result that a rotation of the pin 5 in relation to the housing 4 takes place in a damped manner. The pin 5 engages into a corresponding form-fit contour which is compatible in terms of shape on a seat or a lid, which is intended to be fastened on the top side to a ceramic sanitary article by way of the joint arrangement 1, with the result that a pivoting movement of the seat takes place necessarily with respect to a rotation of the pin about the pivot axis, which is formed by the damping element 2 in conjunction with the connecting element 3. The basic structure of such a damper element and the arrangement of such seat, lid or fitting mountings is known, see for example EP 1 199 020 A2.

[0046] In the joint arrangement according to the invention, the connecting element 3 has a passage bore 6 , that is to say a bore of constant diameter. A flattening or depression 7 is formed on the top side of the connecting portion, that is to say that a planar top side is produced. The bottom side of the connecting element has a form-fit geometry 8 which is provided with a round external shape, preferably a part-cylinder shape.

[0047] The joint arrangement 1 comprises in addition a bearing element 9 which has a wide foot 10 adjoining a narrower portion which has, on its top side, a retaining portion 11 in the form of a second form-fit geometry 12, which is likewise of a round design and is compatible in terms of shape with the first form-fit geometry 8 of the bottom side of the connecting element 3. In the assembled position, which will be further addressed below, the connecting element 3 lies by way of its form-fit geometry 8 in a form-fitting manner in the second form-fit geometry 12 of the bearing element 9, with the result that both are coupled in a rotationally secured manner with respect to a rotation about the axis running through the passage bore 6.

[0048] The bearing element 9, which in the example shown has a rectangular foot 10 which can have similar or else round or another geometry, likewise has a passage bore 13 which communicates with the passage bore 6 in the assembled position.

[0049] The two passage bores 6, 13 serve to jointly receive a fastening element 14, wherein two configurations of fastening elements are shown in FIG. 1. The first alternative of the invention provides a fastening element 14 in the form of a mandrel 15 which has a threaded portion 16, which serves to receive a fastening nut or the like in order to screw the mandrel 15 to the sanitary article. Adjoining the threaded portion 16 is a radially outwardly protruding collar 17, which is flattened laterally and thus has a retaining geometry 18 which can be acted on by a tool such as an open-ended wrench or the like, in order to firmly screw the mandrel 15 to the ceramics.

[0050] Adjoining the collar 17 is the actual mandrel portion 19, which engages into the aperture 6 in the assembled position. Received on the mandrel portion 19 in a groove is a clamping ring 20 which brings about a radial bracing with respect to the inner wall of the passage bore 6 in the assembled position. The clamping ring 20 is expediently a metal ring. Arranged axially spaced apart therefrom is a damping ring 21, for example a simple rubber ring, which damps the pushing-on movement when the connecting element 3 or the damping alternative 2 is thus pushed onto the mandrel 15.

[0051] FIG. 1 shows in addition, as described, an alternative second fastening element 14 in the form of a threaded rod 22 which enables a further fastening variant, which however will be addressed in more detail below.

[0052] More specific details relating to the components of the first variant of the invention, specifically the damping element 2, along with connecting element 3, the bearing element 9 and the fastening element 14 in the form of the mandrel 15 can be seen from FIGS. 2 to 4.

[0053] FIG. 2 shows, in an enlarged perspective view, the damper element 2 with the integrally formed connecting element 3. The flattening or depression 7, in the region of which the passage bore 6 is formed, can be clearly seen.

[0054] Also shown is a covering cap 23 which is plugged onto the connecting portion 3 in the assembled position. Said cap has a recess 24 in order to engage around the bearing element 9, which is arranged in each case underneath the connecting portion 3 in the assembled position. Like the damper element 2 and the connecting portion 3, the covering cap 23 is also preferably manufactured from plastic.

[0055] The damper element 2, along with connecting element 3, and the covering cap 23 are the same for all subsequently described configuration variants.

[0056] FIG. 3 shows, in an enlarged view of a detail, the bearing element 9 with the wide, flat foot 10, on which the narrower portion with the end-side retaining portion 11 rises as it were centrally. It can be seen that the retaining portion 11 is realized as round, recessed, second form-fit geometry 12, which receives the round first form-fit geometry 8, that is to say the bottom side of the connecting portion 3, in a form-fitting manner. The bearing element 2 is also preferably a plastics element, but it can also be realized from metal.

[0057] FIG. 4 shows, in an enlarged representation, the mandrel 15, which expediently is a metal component, because it on the one hand has to enter into a fixed connection with respect to the sanitary article but on the other hand also has to absorb the corresponding moments in the event of pivoting. The details already described above are clearly illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0058] FIG. 5 shows, in the form of an exploded representation, partially sectioned, the described elements before the assembly. The damper element 2 with the integrally formed, sectioned connecting element 3, the sectioned bearing element 9 as well as the sectionally illustrated mandrel 15, and a bearing washer 25 assigned thereto are shown, preferably likewise made of metal. For the purpose of assembly, first the bearing washer 25 is pushed onto the threaded portion 16 of the mandrel 15, after which it is pushed through a corresponding bore 26 in the ceramic sanitary article 27, which is only basically illustrated in FIG. 6 that shows the assembled position. In the example shown, a nut 28 is screwed onto the threaded portion 16 from the bottom side, by way of which the mandrel 15 is firmly fixed because it bears against and is counter-mounted by the bearing washer 25 at the opposite side by means of the collar 17. The bearing washer 25 is preferably made of metal and slightly convex such that it is slightly deformed when the screw connection is being tightened, as a result of which an axial securing stress which fixes the screw connection is produced.

[0059] After this, the bearing element 9 is pushed on, the foot of which is dimensioned such that it engages over the bearing washer 25. The bearing element 9 serves, as described, to receive the damper element 2 or the connecting element 3, which next is pushed onto the mandrel 15 or the mandrel portion 19, which still protrudes axially out of the passage bore 13 of the bearing element 9, by means of the passage bore 6. As FIG. 5 shows in the sectional view, a bevel 29 is formed on the bottom side of the connecting element 3, that is to say in the region of the first form-fitting contour 8, at the entrance to the passage bore 6. During the pushing onto the mandrel portion 19, this bevel 29 makes abutting contact with the radially somewhat protruding clamping ring 20. This leads to the clamping ring 20 being compressed by virtue of the conical shape of the bevel. During further pushing on, said clamping ring abuts the inner wall 30 of the passage bore 6 with pressure, with the result that a fixing by clamping is possible by way thereof.

[0060] When the final position has been reached, the bevel 29 makes abutting contact with the damping ring 21, with the result that a damped contact of the two form-fit geometries 8 and 12 with one another takes place.

[0061] FIG. 6 shows the assembled position, from which it can be seen that the mandrel 15 is completely encapsulated and the outside of the joint arrangement is formed by the bearing element 9 in the region underneath the damping device 2.

[0062] In this position, the damping element 2 can be pivoted about the axis of the mandrel 15, only the clamping action of the clamping ring 20 opposes the pivoting with a small resistance. This makes a simple alignment of the connecting element 2 in relation to the seat and/or lid possible. However, the bearing element 9 also pivots by means of the connecting element 2 about the mandrel axis, as a result of the form-fitting connection of the form-fit geometries 8 and 12.

[0063] In the above-described configuration, the fixing of the connecting element 3 on the mandrel 15 takes place by way of a clamping by means of the clamping ring 20. This arrangement can be readily released again, that is to say that the damping device 2 can be pulled off from the mandrel 15 again in a simple manner. Only the resistance of the clamping via the clamping ring 20 has to be overcome.

[0064] In order to realize a more secure fixing, a configuration as shown in FIG. 7 is conceivable. FIG. 7 shows in turn a partially sectioned, partially assembled joint arrangement 1, which is identical to the above-described configuration in this respect, that is to say likewise has, in addition to the damper element 2 along with connecting element 3, a bearing element 9 of the type described previously and a mandrel 15.

[0065] What is different than the preceding embodiment is that formed in the end face 31 of the mandrel 15 is an internal threaded bore 32, into which a fastening screw 33 is screwed, the screw head 34 of which bears against the flattening or depression 7 in the assembled position. In this way, the connecting element 3 is tensioned fixedly against the bearing element 9 which abuts the sanitary article. The length of the fastening screw 33 is dimensioned such that, as before, the covering cap 23 can be pushed on.

[0066] In this configuration, a release of the connection is thus possible only by means of a tool.

[0067] In principle, it would be conceivable also to form a top-side internal threaded bore 32 on the mandrel 15 shown in FIG. 4, as well as to provide the clamping ring 20 or at least one groove and the damper ring 21 or at least one groove on the mandrel 15. This makes it possible, with one and the same mandrel 15, to decide on site whether the fastening variant shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 or the fastening variant shown in FIG. 7 is then realized.

[0068] FIG. 8 shows, in the form of an enlarged perspective view, the second embodiment of the connecting element 14 in the form of the threaded rod 22. Said threaded rod has an elongate threaded portion 35 which terminates in a head 36, which has a round top side 37 in the example shown. In this configuration, the assembly sequence is different than the above-described variant.

[0069] Here, first of all the connecting element 3, see FIG. 9, is pushed onto the threaded portion 35 until the screw head 36 bears flat against the flattening or depression 7.

[0070] Subsequently the bearing element 9, which in the example shown is made from solid material, is pushed on, that is to say is not of a somewhat sleeve-like design as illustrated in the preceding figures. As required, a preferably metallic and optionally slightly convex bearing washer can also be pushed on here, by way of which the bearing element 9 would then be supported on the ceramics in the assembled position. If a bearing washer is not used, the bearing element 9 is supported directly on the ceramics, as shown in FIG. 9. This prefabricated arrangement is then placed onto the sanitary article 27 such that the threaded portion 35 engages through the bore 26. Then, a nut 38 is screwed onto the threaded portion 35 from below the fastening surface on the sanitary article 27, by way of which the arrangement is axially firmly braced. Before this bracing, the joint pivoting option of damper element 2 and bearing element 9 is also provided here, since the first form-fit geometry 8 of the connecting element 3 also engages in a form-fitting manner into the second form-fit geometry 12 of the bearing element 9 here.

[0071] Although FIG. 9 here has a bearing element 9 designed as a stable solid-material part, a bearing element as described with regard to the first configuration and shown in section in FIG. 5 could similarly be used. That is to say that then, as concerns the damper element 2 and the connecting element 3 as well as the bearing element 9, identical components can be used, which naturally is to be preferred to the extent that as few as possible different components should be used to form a system as a whole.

[0072] FIG. 10 shows an exploded view of a further embodiment of a joint arrangement 1 according to the invention. An identically designed damper element 2 with identically designed connecting element 3 is also used here. Furthermore, a bearing element 9, which here however is of a sleeve-like design, that is to say does not have a foot, is also provided here. Said bearing element likewise, however, has a passage bore 13 and a retaining portion 11 in the form of a second form-fit geometry 12, which interacts in a form-fitting manner with the first form-fit geometry 8 of the connecting element 3 in the same way as described above.

[0073] Provided in addition here is also a fastening element 14 in the form of a mandrel 15, the configuration of which substantially corresponds to the mandrel 15 shown in FIG. 4, it is merely not provided with a threaded portion 16, rather the mandrel 15 terminates with the collar 17. Provided on the bottom side of the collar 17 is an internal threaded bore, into which is screwed a fastening screw 40 for the purpose of fastening the mandrel 15 to a retaining washer 39 in the example shown.

[0074] In the assembled position, the bearing washer 39 abuts the top side 41 of the sanitary article 27. In order to fix said retaining washer, inserted into a passage bore 42 is a fastening screw 43 which engages through the bore 26 of the sanitary article 27 and is secured on the bottom side by a nut, which is not shown in any more detail.

[0075] FIG. 11 shows a view of the retaining washer 39. On the one hand, the fastening screw 43 and, on the other hand, the mandrel 15 is shown. This configuration enables double rotatability and thus alignability of the damper element 2 to a broadened extent. On the one hand, the retaining washer 39 per se can be rotated about the axis of the fastening screw 43, as represented by the arrow P1. The eccentric mandrel 15 can thus be pivoted about this axis.

[0076] In addition, as shown by the double-headed arrow P2, as in all the embodiments, the pivotability of the connecting element 2 together with bearing element 9 exists about the axis of the mandrel 15. In this way, the option also exists of also being able to adapt to relatively large tolerances without any problems.

[0077] In the context of the assembly, first of all the mandrel 15 is fastened to the retaining plate 39, after which the fastening screw 43 is placed and pushed through the bore 26 and secured slightly by way of a nut. Then, the bearing element 9 is pushed on, followed by the connecting element 3. Said connecting element is here in turn fixed by clamping by way of the clamping ring 20, while the damping ring 21 enables a damped contact of the form-fit geometries 8 and 12 with one another. A simple pulling-off is readily possible here. After aligning the arrangement, the fastening screw 43 is tightened, with the result that the position of the retaining washer 39 is fixed.

[0078] By contrast, the configuration according to FIG. 12, which corresponds almost identically to the configuration according to FIG. 10, is different. It is merely the case that the mandrel 15 is designed somewhat differently here because it has an internal thread 32, as in the configuration according to FIG. 7. Into this internal thread 32 in turn is screwed the fastening screw 33, the screw head 34 of which abuts or is received in a recessed manner on the flattening or depression 7. Here, a tool for screwing on the screw 33 is therefore necessary for releasing the connection once again.

[0079] It is common to all embodiments that an identically designed damper element 2 along with connecting element 3 that has a passage bore can be used. This passage bore makes it possible to form the different fastening variants, such that overall a variable joint system is produced.

[0080] While the configurations in which the fixing of the connecting element 3 to the mandrel 15 takes place by way of the clamping ring 20 are very simple to release, the configurations in which the connecting element 3 is screwed to the mandrel 15 by way of the fastening screw 33 are only intended to be released by a tool. By contrast, the configuration with the threaded rod 22 is even more difficult to release, since the round head 36 thereof cannot be engaged by a tool and for this reason the fastening of the joint arrangement to the sanitary article 27 is possible only by releasing the nut 38 from underneath the ceramics.

[0081] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.