Toilet seat attachment assembly and method of use

Abstract

Two polymeric, cylindrical, and tubular bushings that each have an inner surface defining inner diameter, an outer surface defining an outer diameter, an upper end, a lower end opposing the upper end of the bushing, a bushing length separating the upper and lower ends of the bushing, and a bushing channel defined by the inner surface of the bushing and spanning the bushing length, disposed, respectively, within bowl bores defined by a toilet bowl, and with a threaded screw, coupled to a toilet seat, disposed within the bushing channel and coupled to the inner surface of the bushing, wherein the bushings prevent inadvertent loosening of the toilet seat when attached to the toilet bowl.

Claims

1. In combination with a toilet bowl defining a bowl aperture, two upper bore apertures disposed on a top surface of the toilet bowl, two lower bore apertures disposed on a bottom surface of the toilet bowl, and two bowl bores each spanning, respectively, from the two upper bore apertures to the two lower bore apertures and a toilet seat having two threaded screws coupled to the toilet seat and shaped and sized to be received within the two upper and lower bore apertures and the two bowl bores, the improvement comprising: two polymeric, cylindrical, and tubular bushings each: having an inner surface defining inner diameter, an outside surface defining an outer diameter, an upper end, a lower end opposing the upper end of the bushings, a bushing length separating the upper and lower ends of the bushing, and a bushing channel defined by the inner surface of the bushing and spanning the bushing length; selectively removably disposed, respectively, within the bowl bores; and with one of the two threaded screws disposed within the bushing channel and uncoupled to the inner surface of the bushing, whereby each of the two threaded screws are freely disposed for insertion therethrough bushing channel; and two nuts threadedly engaged with the two threaded screws and each with an upper nut surface and an opposing lower surface thereon, the upper surface directly coupled to the bushing in a mechanically coupling bond configuration.

2. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein: the bushing is frictionally retained by the toilet bowl.

3. The improvement according to claim 2, wherein: the inner diameter of the busing is of a uniformly width along the bushing length.

4. The improvement according to claim 2, wherein: the bushing is of a substantially rigid material.

5. The improvement according to claim 2, the two bowl bores defining a bore length separating the two upper and lower bore apertures, wherein: the bushing length is at least the bore length.

6. The improvement according to claim 5, wherein: the bushing length is greater than the bore length.

7. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein: two nuts are of a polymeric material and include a plurality of flanges disposed thereon.

8. The improvement according to claim 7, wherein: the bushing and the two nuts are of a nylon material.

9. In combination with a toilet bowl defining a bowl aperture, two upper bore apertures disposed on a top surface of the toilet bowl, two lower bore apertures disposed on a bottom surface of the toilet bowl, and two bowl bores each spanning, respectively, from the two upper bore apertures to the two lower bore apertures and a toilet seat having two threaded screws coupled to the toilet seat and shaped and sized to be received within the two upper and lower bore apertures and the two bowl bores, the improvement comprising: two polymeric and tubular bushings each: having an inner surface defining inner diameter, an outside surface defining an outer diameter, an upper end, a lower end opposing the upper end of the bushings, a bushing length separating the upper and lower ends of the bushing, and a bushing channel defined by the inner surface of the bushing and spanning the bushing length; selectively removably disposed, respectively, within the bowl bores; and with one of the two threaded screws disposed within the bushing channel and fixedly and uncoupled to the inner surface of the bushing, whereby each of the two threaded screws are freely disposed for insertion therethrough bushing channel; and two nuts threadedly engaged with the two threaded screws and each with an upper nut surface and an opposing lower surface thereon, the upper surface directly coupled to the bushing in a mechanically coupling bond configuration.

10. The improvement according to claim 9, wherein: the two bushings are each cylindrical.

11. The improvement according to claim 9, wherein: the bushing is frictionally retained by the toilet bowl.

12. The improvement according to claim 11, wherein: the inner diameter of the busing is of a uniformly width along the bushing length.

13. The improvement according to claim 12, wherein: the bushing is of a substantially rigid material.

14. The improvement according to claim 13, the two bowl bores defining a bore length separating the two upper and lower bore apertures, wherein: the bushing length is at least the bore length.

15. The improvement according to claim 14, wherein: the bushing length is greater than the bore length.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views and which together with the detailed description below are incorporated in and form part of the specification, serve to further illustrate various embodiments and explain various principles and advantages all in accordance with the present invention.

(2) FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a prior art toilet;

(3) FIG. 2 is a close-up elevational side view of a toilet seat attachment assembly in accordance with the present invention;

(4) FIG. 3 is a close-up perspective view of a toilet seat attachment assembly in accordance with the present invention;

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a bottom surface of a toilet bowl in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

(6) FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional and fragmentary view of a toilet seat attachment assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

(7) FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a bushing utilized with a toilet seat attachment assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

(8) FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a bushing and screw configuration utilized with a toilet seat attachment assembly in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; and

(9) FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of a toilet bowl attachment assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals are carried forward. It is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which can be embodied in various forms.

(11) The present invention provides a novel and efficient toilet seat attachment assembly that is utilizing in combination with a known toilet bowl assembly as exemplified in FIG. 1. More specifically, the toilet bowl assembly includes a toilet bowl 102 defining a bowl aperture 104, two upper bore apertures 108a-b disposed on a top surface 106 of the toilet bowl 102, two lower bore apertures (one lower bore aperture is depicted in FIG. 5 with numeral 504) disposed on a bottom surface 506 of the toilet bowl 102. As those of skill in the art will appreciate, the two bowl bores each span from one of the upper bore apertures 108a-b to one of the lower bore apertures 504. The toilet assembly also includes a toilet seat 110 having two threaded screws 112a-b coupled to the toilet seat 110. As discussed above, there may be one or more screws 112a-b and said screws 112a-b may extend from a hinge of the toilet seat 110, or from the seat 110 itself. The screws 112a-b may be polymeric, metallic, or another material. The screws 112a-b are also shaped and sized to be received within the two upper and lower bore apertures 108a-b, 504 and the two bowl bores. Typical screws, or threaded fasteners, are of a length of approximately 2-4 inches, but they may span outside of said range.

(12) Beneficially and with reference to FIGS. 1-2 and FIGS. 5-7, a polymeric, cylindrical, and tubular bushing 200 is disposed within each of the bowl bores to minimize and/or dampen vibration caused from the opening and closing of the toilet seat 110 (that conventionally causes the nut to disengage or loosen, along with the toilet seat 110) and to create a mechanical coupling bond between a lower end 502 of the bushing an a nut, e.g., nut 202, rotatably fastened to the threaded fastener 112 of the toilet seat 112. The bushing 200 may include inner surface 612 defining inner diameter 602, an outer surface 614 defining an outer diameter 600, an upper end 500, a lower end 502 opposing the upper end 502 of the bushing 200, a bushing length 610 separating the upper and lower ends 500, 502 of the bushing 200, and a bushing channel 604 defined by the inner surface 612 of the bushing and spanning the bushing length 610. Beneficially, the bushing 200 is disposed within each of the bowl bores and with one of the two threaded screws 112a-b disposed within the bushing channel 604 and coupled to the inner surface 612 of the bushing 200.

(13) In one advantageous embodiment, the bushings 200 are selectively removably couplable to the toilet bowl 102 and disposed for insertion of one of the two threaded screw 112a-b therethrough. As such, the present invention may be retrofit onto conventional toilet seat assemblies. This embodiment is best depicted in FIGS. 5-6. In other embodiments, as best depicted in FIG. 7, the bushings 200 are fixedly and directly coupled to each of the respective two threaded screws 112a-b, e.g., through welding, casting, a threaded engagement, etc. Said another way, the bushings 200 and the threaded screws 112a-b move as one because they are mechanically affixed together. In one embodiment, the two bushings 200 each have the one of the two threaded screws 112a-n fixedly and directly coupled to the inner surface 612 of the bushing 200 along the entire bushing length 610. Said another way, the distal end 700 of the threaded screws 112a-n protrudes from the lower end 502 of the bushing 200 a length sufficient to allow attachment of the nut 300 (e.g., approximately 1-2 inches). If the inner surface 612 of the bushing 200 has a mechanical fastener disposed thereon, e.g., tongue-and-groove or threaded configuration, and corresponding to the two threaded screws 112a-n, the bushing 200 may still be able to be retrofit with conventional toilet seats 110 and their threaded screws 112a-n.

(14) In preferred embodiments, the bushing 200 is frictionally retained by the toilet bowl 102. Said another way, the bushing 200 is specifically shaped and sized to deform slightly in order to be inserted within the upper and lower bore apertures 108a-b, 504, and the bore channel. For example, the bushing diameter 600 may be a diameter of approximately 2 inches, and the bore apertures 108a-b and two bowl bores may be approximately 1.90 inches, thereby requiring slight non-plastic deformation of the bushing 200 when inserted into the bore apertures 108a-b and two bowl bores. The outer surface 614 of the bushing 200 causes compression with the bowl 102 defining the bore apertures 108a-b and two bowl bores, keeping it retained therein more effectively.

(15) In order to effectively receive the screw of the toilet seat 112, the inner diameter 602 and/or outer diameter 600 of the bushing 200 may be uniformly configured along the bushing length 610. The two upper and lower bore apertures 108, 504 may also each define a bore length spanning therefrom, wherein the bushing length 610 may be at least the bore length. The bushing length 610 may be greater than or equal to the bore length but is preferably is greater than the bore length in order to form a solid mechanical coupling bond as described above. Said another way, when a nut 202 is rotatably translated along the screw 112 until it reaches a protruding portion of the bushing 200, the continued twisting force causes the snug bushing 200 to flex laterally, thereby causing compression of the outer surface 614 of the bushing against an inner surface of the toilet body 102 defining the bore.

(16) The bushing 200 and/or nut is beneficially of a deformably rigid material such as nylon, having a hardness ranging from approximately 70-110 Shore A. Said another way, the bushing 200 is of a hardness sufficient to enable it to flex or bow when subjected to a tensile force of approximately 2-5 lbf. In other embodiments, the bushing 200 and/or the nut 202 may be a polyurethane such as PTFE or polypropylene. The other figures depicted herein also disclose features and characteristics of the invention, but as described herein and depicted in the figures, the invention can be provided in several shapes, sizes, combinations of features and components, and varying numbers and functions of the components.

(17) As best seen in FIGS. 2-4, the two nuts 300a-b are threadedly engaged with the two threaded screws 112a-b. Each of the nuts 300a-b have an upper nut surface 302 and an opposing lower surface 400 thereon, wherein the upper surface 302 is operably configured to directly couple to the bushing 200 in a compression configuration (depicted in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4). Said another way, the nuts 300a-b enable a mechanically rigid coupling configuration that prevents (or reduces the likelihood of) detachment or loosening of the toilet seat 110 with respect to the toilet bowl 102. Furthermore, the two nuts 300a-b may be of a polymeric material and include a plurality of flanges 402a-n disposed thereon for easy and effective grasping and rotation by the user with respect to the threaded fasteners 112a-b.

(18) Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, while the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this disclosure also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the above described features.