Lid opener and toilet lid assembly

Abstract

The application relates to a cover opening booster and a toilet cover plate assembly, which comprises a rotating shaft, a fixing assembly, a motion conversion piece and an elastic piece, can realize an automatic cover opening function, has the characteristics of low cost and convenient later maintenance. The fixing assembly is provided with an installation cavity, the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft is provided with a spiral track, and the spiral track is arranged in the installation cavity. An opening track and a locking protrusion are arranged on the cavity wall of the installation cavity, the starting position and the ending position of the opening track have a height difference in the axial direction of the rotating shaft, the locking protrusion is located on the side of the starting position of the opening track close to the ending position in the axial direction of the rotating shaft, and the starting section of the opening track is arranged in an inclined mode relative to the axial direction of the rotating shaft. The motion conversion piece comprises two matching parts, when one matching part slides on a corresponding track, the other matching part synchronously slides on another corresponding track. The elastic piece provides an acting force along the axial direction of the rotating shaft for the motion conversion piece, so that the second matching part of the starting position abuts against the locking protrusion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of damper technology, and in particular to lid opening aids and toilet seat assemblies. Background Technology

[0002] Smart toilets are favored by consumers due to their high degree of automation and ease of use. The toilet seat of a smart toilet is rotatably mounted on a toilet seat base. A soft-close damper can also be installed at the rotatable connection between the seat and the base, allowing the seat to close automatically and slowly. In situations requiring automatic opening, a motor is generally used to drive the seat rotation, which presents problems such as high cost and maintenance difficulties. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a lid opening assist device and toilet seat assembly to address the above problems. This device utilizes elastic components, motion conversion components, pivots, and fixing components to achieve automatic lid opening, with lower cost and easier maintenance.

[0004] A lid-opening aid, comprising:

[0005] A rotating shaft, wherein a guide track is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft, the guide track including a spiral track;

[0006] A fixing component is provided, wherein a mounting cavity is provided within the fixing component, and a portion of the rotating shaft having the guide track is inserted into the mounting cavity, and the relative positions of the rotating shaft and the fixing component in the axial direction of the rotating shaft are fixed. The cavity wall of the mounting cavity has a locking protrusion and an opening track, and the starting position and the ending position of the opening track have a height difference in the axial direction of the rotating shaft. In the axial direction of the rotating shaft, the locking protrusion is located on the side of the starting position of the opening track near the ending position, and the starting segment of the opening track is arranged at an angle relative to the axial direction of the rotating shaft.

[0007] A motion conversion component has two mating parts, namely a first mating part and a second mating part. The first mating part is slidably mated to the guide trajectory, and the second mating part is slidably mated to the opening trajectory. When one of the mating parts slides on the corresponding trajectory, the other mating part slides synchronously on the other corresponding trajectory.

[0008] An elastic element acts between the fixed component and the motion conversion component. The direction of the force provided by the elastic element to the motion conversion component is the elastic driving direction, which is consistent with the direction along the axis of the rotating shaft towards the end position of the opening trajectory.

[0009] In one embodiment, the cavity wall of the mounting cavity also has a closing trajectory, the starting position of the closing trajectory and the ending position of the opening trajectory are at the same position, and the ending position of the closing trajectory and the starting position of the opening trajectory are at the same position.

[0010] The second mating part can slide along the closing trajectory, and when the second mating part slides on the closing trajectory, the first mating part slides synchronously on the guide trajectory.

[0011] In one embodiment, the closing trajectory passes through the locking protrusion, and the second mating part can glide over the locking protrusion when sliding along the closing trajectory.

[0012] In one embodiment, the fixing component includes a track cylinder and a spring-loaded short arm. The space inside the track cylinder is the mounting cavity. A first notch is provided on the wall of the track cylinder. The locking protrusion is disposed on the spring-loaded short arm. The spring-loaded short arm is located outside the track cylinder. One end of the spring-loaded short arm is fixed relative to the track cylinder, and the other end of the spring-loaded short arm can be bent outward relative to the track cylinder. The locking protrusion protrudes from the first notch into the mounting cavity.

[0013] In one embodiment, the end segment of the opening trajectory and the beginning segment of the closing trajectory are the same segment. The portion of the closing trajectory upstream of the locking protrusion is a first groove structure, and the portion of the opening trajectory upstream of its own end segment is a second groove structure. The depth of the first groove structure is greater than the depth of the second groove structure. A transition protrusion is provided at the intersection of the opening trajectory and the closing trajectory, and the height of the transition protrusion gradually increases along the trajectory direction of the opening trajectory.

[0014] In one embodiment, the fixing component further includes a flexible long arm, the transition protrusion is disposed on the flexible long arm, the flexible long arm is located outside the track cylinder, one end of the flexible long arm is fixed relative to the track cylinder, the other end of the flexible long arm is bendable outward relative to the track cylinder, the track cylinder is also provided with a second notch on the cylinder wall, and the transition protrusion protrudes from the second notch into the mounting cavity.

[0015] In one embodiment, the trajectory cylinder is divided into multiple arc-shaped wall panels in the circumferential direction. Each arc-shaped wall panel is provided with the opening trajectory, the closing trajectory, the first notch and the second notch. Each arc-shaped wall panel corresponds to a short elastic arm and at least one long elastic arm.

[0016] The motion conversion component includes multiple pairs of first mating parts and second mating parts, and each arc-shaped wall panel corresponds to a pair of first mating parts and second mating parts;

[0017] The rotating shaft is provided with a plurality of guide tracks, which are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the rotating shaft, and one guide track corresponds to one arc-shaped wall panel;

[0018] The fixing component also includes a base, and multiple arc-shaped wall panels, multiple elastic short arms and multiple elastic long arms are all assembled on the base. The elastic element acts between the base and the motion conversion component.

[0019] In one embodiment, the outer wall surface of the arc-shaped wall panel is provided with a positioning strip, the base is provided with a positioning notch, the end of the arc-shaped wall panel along the axial direction of the track cylinder is inserted into the base, and the positioning strip is at least partially inserted into the positioning notch to limit the relative position between the two in the circumferential direction of the track cylinder;

[0020] One end of the elastic short arm, which is fixed relative to the arc-shaped wall panel, is pressed between the arc-shaped wall panel and the base, while the other end of the elastic short arm is located outside the base. One end of the elastic long arm, which is fixed relative to the arc-shaped wall panel, is pressed between the arc-shaped wall panel and the base, while the other end of the elastic long arm is located outside the base.

[0021] The elastic short arm and the elastic long arm are connected to form an elastic clamp, and the elastic clamp and the base are engaged to limit their relative positions in the circumferential direction of the track cylinder.

[0022] In one embodiment, the fixing component further includes a protective sleeve, with the plurality of arc-shaped wall panels and the base located inside the protective sleeve, and the base and the protective sleeve engaging with each other via a snap-fit.

[0023] In one embodiment, the cavity wall of the mounting cavity is provided with a plurality of opening tracks, one locking protrusion corresponds to two opening tracks, and the starting segments of the two opening tracks corresponding to the same locking protrusion are tilted in the opposite direction to the axial direction of the rotating shaft.

[0024] The motion conversion component includes multiple pairs of mating parts, each pair of mating parts corresponding to one guide trajectory and two opening trajectories corresponding to the same locking protrusion;

[0025] The guide trajectory also includes a straight trajectory, which is connected to the spiral trajectory. The direction of the straight trajectory is consistent with the axis of the rotating shaft. When the second mating part is located at the starting position of the opening trajectory, the corresponding first mating part is located in the straight trajectory.

[0026] In one embodiment, each opening trajectory includes a starting segment, an intermediate segment, and a final segment connected sequentially. Each starting segment is arranged circumferentially along the mounting cavity. The portion of the intermediate segment near the starting segment is arranged axially along the rotating shaft. The final segment is arranged axially along the rotating shaft. The final segment and the intermediate segment are staggered circumferentially in the mounting cavity. Two intermediate segments corresponding to the same locking protrusion are located on both sides of the corresponding locking protrusion.

[0027] In one embodiment, the motion conversion component further includes a ring sleeved outside the rotating shaft, with the first mating portion and the second mating portion both connected to the ring. The motion conversion component is located in the mounting cavity, and the elastic element includes a compression spring sleeved outside the rotating shaft, with the compression spring abutting between the ring and the fixing assembly.

[0028] A toilet seat assembly includes a seat, a mounting base, and an opening assist device as described in any one of the above. The seat is rotatably connected to the mounting base via a hinge shaft, and the hinge shaft is drive-connected to the mounting base.

[0029] The above solution provides a lid-opening assist device and a toilet seat assembly. When the seat is closed, the second mating part is located at the starting position of the opening trajectory, and under the action of the elastic element, the second mating part abuts against the locking protrusion. When it is necessary to open the lid, a small force is applied to the rotating shaft to rotate it slightly, and then the seat opens automatically. Because a section of the opening trajectory near its starting position is inclined relative to the axial direction of the rotating shaft, the second mating part slides along the opening trajectory and disengages from the locking protrusion when the rotating shaft is rotated at the beginning. Subsequently, after the force applied to the rotating shaft is removed, the second mating part automatically slides along the opening trajectory to the ending position under the action of the elastic element. During this process, the entire motion conversion component moves. Since the rotating shaft is fixed in its axial position relative to the fixed component, when the entire motion conversion component moves, the rotating shaft can only adapt to the movement of the first mating part by rotating itself, thus achieving the effect of rotating the shaft and automatically opening the seat. The entire process does not require a motor or similar driving component, relying entirely on mechanical structures, resulting in lower costs and easier maintenance. Furthermore, since the second mating part is locked and limited when the cover is closed, the energy stored in the elastic element is relatively large at this time. Therefore, the elastic force provided by the elastic element when opening the cover is relatively large, which can ensure a smoother opening process. Attached Figure Description

[0030] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the invention.

[0031] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the opening aid described in this embodiment;

[0033] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The exploded view of the lid-opening assist device is shown below;

[0034] Figure 3 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the cover-opening aid hidden behind the protective cover.

[0035] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the arc-shaped wall panel and the elastic clip assembly described in this embodiment;

[0036] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the arc-shaped wall panel described in this embodiment;

[0037] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the combination of the rotating shaft, elastic element, and motion conversion element described in this embodiment;

[0038] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the rotating shaft and motion conversion component assembly described in this embodiment;

[0039] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the rotating shaft described in this embodiment;

[0040] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the base described in this embodiment from one perspective.

[0041] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0042] 10. Lid opening assist; 11. Rotating shaft; 111. Guide track; 1111. Spiral track; 1112. Linear track; 12. Fixing component; 121. Curved wall panel; 1211. Mounting cavity; 1212. Opening track; 1213. Starting section; 1214. Middle section; 1215. Ending section; 1216. Closing track; 1217. First notch; 1218. Second notch; 1219. Positioning strip; 122. Elastic clip; 1221. Elastic short arm; 1222. Elastic long arm; 1223. Locking protrusion; 1224. Transition protrusion; 123. Base; 1231. Positioning notch; 124. Protective sleeve; 13. Motion conversion component; 131. Ring; 132. First mating part; 133. Second mating part; 14. Elastic component. Detailed Implementation

[0043] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention can be practiced in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0044] In some embodiments of this application, a lid-opening assist device 10 is provided, such as... Figures 1 to 3 As shown, it includes a rotating shaft 11, a fixed assembly 12, a motion conversion component 13, and an elastic component 14.

[0045] like Figures 6 to 8 As shown, a guide track 111 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 11, and the guide track 111 includes a spiral track 1111.

[0046] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the fixing component 12 has a mounting cavity 1211, and the part of the rotating shaft 11 with the guide track 111 is inserted into the mounting cavity 1211. The relative positions of the rotating shaft 11 and the fixing component 12 in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 11 are fixed.

[0047] like Figure 4As shown, the cavity wall of the mounting cavity 1211 has an opening trajectory 1212, and the starting position and the ending position of the opening trajectory 1212 have a height difference in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 11. In other words, if a moving part slides from the starting position to the ending position along the opening trajectory 1212, the position of the moving part in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 11 will change. The section of the opening trajectory 1212 near the starting position is the starting segment 1213, and the starting segment 1213 of the opening trajectory 1212 is arranged at an angle relative to the axial direction of the rotating shaft 11.

[0048] Further as Figure 4 As shown, the cavity wall of the mounting cavity 1211 also has a locking protrusion 1223, which is located on the side of the starting position of the opening trajectory 1212 near the ending position in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 11.

[0049] like Figure 2 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the motion conversion component 13 has two mating parts, namely a first mating part 132 and a second mating part 133. The first mating part 132 is slidably mated to the guide trajectory 111, and the second mating part 133 is slidably mated to the opening trajectory 1212. When one of the mating parts slides on the corresponding trajectory, the other mating part slides synchronously on the other corresponding trajectory.

[0050] like Figure 2 and Figure 6 As shown, the elastic element 14 acts between the fixed component 12 and the motion conversion component 13. The force provided by the elastic element 14 to the motion conversion component is in the direction of elastic driving, which is consistent with the direction along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 11 towards the end position of the opening trajectory 1212. It should be noted that, although Figure 2 and Figure 3 The elastic element 14 shown in the figure passes through the motion conversion element 13 along the axis of rotation 11, but in the illustrated embodiment, the elastic element actually abuts between the motion conversion element 13 and the base 123.

[0051] When the cover is closed, the second mating part 133 is located at the starting position of the opening trajectory 1212. Under the action of the elastic member 14, the second mating part 133 abuts against the locking protrusion 1223. Under the restriction of the locking protrusion 1223, the motion conversion member 13 cannot slide along the axis of the rotating shaft 11. When it is necessary to open the cover, a small force is first applied to the rotating shaft 11 to rotate it by a small angle, and then the cover can be opened automatically. Specifically, based on the fact that a section of the opening trajectory 1212 near its starting position is arranged at an angle relative to the axis of the rotating shaft 11, the second mating part 133 will slide along the opening trajectory 1212 and disengage from the restriction of the locking protrusion 1223 when the rotating shaft 11 is rotated in the initial stage. After the force applied to the rotating shaft 11 is then removed, the second mating part 133 will automatically slide along the opening trajectory 1212 to the ending position under the action of the elastic member 14. During this process, the motion conversion member 13 moves as a whole. Since the relative position of the rotating shaft 11 with respect to the fixed component 12 in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 11 is fixed, when the motion conversion component 13 moves as a whole, the rotating shaft 11 can only adapt to the movement of the first mating part 132 by rotating itself, thereby achieving the effect of the rotating shaft 11 rotating and the cover opening automatically. The whole process does not require an electric drive mechanism such as a motor, but relies entirely on the cooperation between mechanical structures, which is low in cost and convenient for later maintenance. Moreover, since the second mating part 133 is limited by the locking protrusion 1223 when the cover is in the closed state, the energy stored in the elastic element 14 is relatively large at this time. Therefore, the elastic force provided by the elastic element 14 when opening the cover is relatively large, which can ensure a smooth opening process.

[0052] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the cavity wall of the mounting cavity 1211 is provided with a plurality of opening tracks 1212 and a plurality of locking protrusions 1223. The plurality of opening tracks 1212 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the mounting cavity 1211, and the locking protrusions 1223 correspond one-to-one with the opening tracks 1212. The rotating shaft 11 is provided with a plurality of guide tracks 111, which are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the rotating shaft 11. The guide tracks 111 correspond one-to-one with the opening tracks 1212. The motion conversion component 13 includes a plurality of pairs of first mating parts 132 and second mating parts 133, and a pair of first mating parts 132 and second mating parts 133 corresponds to one guide track 111 and one opening track 1212.

[0053] An opening track 1212, a locking protrusion 1223, a first mating part 132, a second mating part 133, and a guide track 111 combine to form a mating unit. The lid-opening assist device 10 includes multiple mating units, which are arranged circumferentially along the rotating shaft 11. The multiple mating units in the circumferential direction make the entire structure more evenly stressed, the motion conversion component 13 moves more smoothly when the rotating shaft 11 rotates, and the lid-opening process is smoother.

[0054] Specifically in some embodiments, such as Figure 6 and Figure 7 The motion conversion component 13 further includes a ring 131, which is sleeved on the outside of the rotating shaft 11. The first mating part 132 and the second mating part 133 are both connected to the ring 131. The motion conversion component 13 is located in the mounting cavity 1211. The elastic member 14 includes a compression spring, which is sleeved on the outside of the rotating shaft 11 and abuts against the ring 131 and the fixing assembly 12.

[0055] When the second mating part 133 is in the starting position of the opening trajectory 1212 and abuts against the locking protrusion 1223, the compression spring is in a compressed state. The position of the ring 131 in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 11 is fixed.

[0056] When the rotating shaft 11 rotates, the guide track 111 on the rotating shaft 11 will carry the first mating part 132 to move circumferentially along the rotating shaft 11. Then the ring 131 rotates, the second mating part 133 is misaligned with the locking protrusion 1223, and the compression spring releases energy to push the second mating part 133 to slide axially along the rotating shaft 11. In summary, the second mating part 133 slides relative to the mounting cavity 1211 along the opening track 1212.

[0057] In one embodiment, such as Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the first mating part 132 and the second mating part 133 are both cylindrical protrusions provided on the ring 131, and the corresponding first mating part 132 and the second mating part 133 are coaxially arranged. The first mating part 132 is located inside the ring 131, and the second mating part is located outside the ring 131.

[0058] like Figure 4 As shown, the opening trajectory 1212 is defined as including a starting segment 1213, an intermediate segment 1214 and an ending segment 1215 connected in sequence. The starting segment 1213 of the opening trajectory 1212 is a segment close to the starting position, the ending segment 1215 of the opening trajectory 1212 is a segment close to the ending position, and the intermediate segment 1214 is connected between the starting segment 1213 and the ending segment 1215.

[0059] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4As shown, the starting segment 1213 is arranged circumferentially along the mounting cavity 1211, the portion of the intermediate segment 1214 near the starting segment 1213 is arranged axially along the rotating shaft 11, and the ending segment 1215 is arranged axially along the rotating shaft 11. The ending segment 1215 and the intermediate segment 1214 are arranged in a staggered manner circumferentially in the mounting cavity 1211.

[0060] When the second mating part 133 is in the starting position, the starting segment 1213 is arranged circumferentially, and the second mating part 133 is not restricted in the circumferential direction. Therefore, when the rotating shaft 11 is rotated, the first mating part 132 will rotate circumferentially under the drive of the rotating shaft 11, and the motion conversion member 13 will rotate as a whole. When the second mating part 133 rotates circumferentially to the middle segment 1214, the motion conversion member 13 will undergo axial displacement relative to the rotating shaft 11 under the action of the elastic member 14. The first mating part 132 will slide on the spiral trajectory 1111, and then the first rotating shaft 11 will rotate automatically.

[0061] Optionally, the opening trajectory 1212 can also be arranged along other paths, without specific restrictions here.

[0062] Furthermore, such as Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the cavity wall of the mounting cavity 1211 further has a closing trajectory 1216, the starting position of the closing trajectory 1216 and the ending position of the opening trajectory 1212 are at the same position, and the ending position of the closing trajectory 1216 and the starting position of the opening trajectory 1212 are at the same position. The second mating part 133 can slide along the closing trajectory 1216, and when the second mating part 133 slides on the closing trajectory 1216, the first mating part 132 simultaneously slides on the guide trajectory 111.

[0063] This can be understood as follows: after the second mating part 133 moves from the starting position to the ending position along the opening trajectory 1212, the second mating part 133 can return to the starting position of the opening trajectory 1212 along the closing trajectory 1216. After the cover automatically opens, the second mating part 133 moves to the ending position of the opening trajectory 1212. When closing the cover, the second mating part 133 returns to the starting position of the opening trajectory 1212 along the closing trajectory 1216. During this process, the first mating part 132 returns to the starting position along the guide trajectory 111, so that the cover can automatically open again when it needs to be opened next time.

[0064] Specifically, the opening trajectory 1212 and the closing trajectory 1216 can be the same trajectory. In other words, when the cover is closed, the second mating part 133 returns to the starting position of the opening trajectory 1212. Alternatively, the opening trajectory 1212 and the closing trajectory 1216 can be different trajectories. In other words, when the cover is closed, the second mating part 133 does not return along the opening trajectory 1212, but returns from a different trajectory than the opening trajectory 1212.

[0065] For example, such as Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the closing trajectory 1216 passes through the locking protrusion 1223, and the second mating part 133 can glide over the locking protrusion 1223 when sliding along the closing trajectory 1216.

[0066] When the cover is opened, the second mating part 133 moves relative to the locking protrusion 1223 in the circumferential direction of the mounting cavity 1211, causing it to misalign with the locking protrusion 1223 and disengage from its restraint, thus completing the automatic opening process. When the cover is closed, the rotating shaft 11 rotates under the weight of the cover and the pressure of an external force. As the rotating shaft 11 rotates, the first mating part 132 returns along the spiral trajectory 1111. The motion conversion member 13 overcomes the elastic force of the elastic member 14 and moves relative to the fixed component 12 along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 11. During the movement, the second mating part 133 slides along the closing trajectory 1216 until it passes the locking protrusion 1223 and reaches the starting position of the opening trajectory 1212.

[0067] In some cases, the locking protrusion 1223 or the second mating part 133 is made of deformable material. When the second mating part 133 slides along the closing trajectory 1216 to the locking protrusion 1223, relative compression occurs between the locking protrusion 1223 and the second mating part 133. As long as the force of pressing the cover plate to close it is sufficient, the locking protrusion 1223 or the second mating part 133 can ensure that the second mating part 133 can pass over the locking protrusion 1223 by the deformability of its own material.

[0068] Optionally, the second mating part 133 can be supported on other parts of the motion conversion member 13 by an elastic reset member, for example, the second mating part 133 can be supported on the outside of the ring 131 by an elastic reset member. The direction of the force applied by the elastic reset member to the second mating part 133 is radially outward along the axis of rotation 11. When relative compression occurs between the locking protrusion 1223 and the second mating part 133, the elastic reset member is compressed until the second mating part 133 slides over the locking protrusion 1223, after which the elastic reset member extends so that the second mating part 133 abuts against the closing track 1216.

[0069] Similarly, the locking protrusion 1223 can also be supported on the fixing component 12 by the elastic reset member. The force applied by the elastic reset member to the locking protrusion 1223 is radially inward along the rotating shaft 11. When the locking protrusion 1223 and the second mating part 133 are relatively squeezed, the elastic reset member is compressed. After the second mating part 133 slides past the locking protrusion 1223, the elastic reset member extends again to push the locking protrusion 1223 out.

[0070] In some embodiments, the cavity wall of the mounting cavity 1211 is provided with a plurality of closing tracks 1216, the plurality of closing tracks 1216 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the mounting cavity 1211, the closing tracks 1216 correspond one-to-one with the opening tracks 1212, the locking protrusions 1223 correspond one-to-one with the closing tracks 1216, and the second mating part 133 corresponds one-to-one with the closing tracks 1216.

[0071] More specifically, in some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the fixing component 12 includes a track cylinder and a spring-loaded short arm 1221. The space inside the track cylinder is the mounting cavity 1211. A first notch 1217 is provided on the cylinder wall of the track cylinder. The locking protrusion 1223 is disposed on the spring-loaded short arm 1221. The spring-loaded short arm 1221 is located outside the track cylinder. One end of the spring-loaded short arm 1221 is fixed relative to the track cylinder, and the other end of the spring-loaded short arm 1221 can be bent outward relative to the track cylinder. The locking protrusion 1223 protrudes from the first notch 1217 into the mounting cavity 1211.

[0072] During the closing process, when the second mating part 133 slides along the closing trajectory 1216 to contact the locking protrusion 1223, one end of the elastic short arm 1221 with the locking protrusion 1223 is squeezed outward and bent, allowing the second mating part 133 to pass over the locking protrusion 1223. After the second mating part 133 has passed the locking protrusion 1223, the elastic short arm 1221 returns to its original position, causing the locking protrusion 1223 to be inserted into the mounting cavity 1211 through the first notch 1217. This allows the locking protrusion 1223 to restrict the axial movement of the second mating part 133 along the rotating shaft 11, keeping the cover in the closed state.

[0073] Specifically, the elastic short arm 1221 can be arranged axially on the outside of the track cylinder or circumferentially on the outside of the track cylinder.

[0074] One end of the elastic short arm 1221 that is fixed relative to the track cylinder can be connected to the track cylinder, or the two can be bound together by other components.

[0075] In some embodiments, the cylinder wall of the trajectory cylinder is provided with a plurality of first notches 1217, and the first notches 1217 correspond one-to-one with the locking protrusions 1223. The fixing component 12 includes a plurality of elastic short arms 1221, and the elastic short arms 1221 correspond one-to-one with the locking protrusions 1223.

[0076] Furthermore, in some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the final segment 1215 of the opening trajectory 1212 and the starting segment 1213 of the closing trajectory 1216 are the same segment. The portion of the closing trajectory 1216 upstream of the locking protrusion 1223 is a first groove structure, and the portion of the opening trajectory 1212 upstream of its own final segment 1215 is a second groove structure. The depth of the first groove structure is greater than the depth of the second groove structure. A transition protrusion 1224 is provided at the intersection of the opening trajectory 1212 and the closing trajectory 1216. The height of the transition protrusion 1224 gradually increases along the trajectory direction of the opening trajectory 1212.

[0077] During the opening process, as the second mating part 133 slides along the opening trajectory 1212, it first slides in the second groove structure, then falls into the first groove structure after passing the transition protrusion 1224, and finally reaches the end section 1215. During this process, the transition protrusion 1224 serves as a guide for the second mating part 133.

[0078] When the cover is closed, since the depth of the first groove structure is greater than the depth of the second groove structure, and the height of the transition protrusion 1224 gradually increases along the trajectory direction of the opening trajectory 1212, when the second mating part 133 slides along the closing trajectory 1216, when it reaches the intersection of the opening trajectory 1212 and the closing trajectory 1216, the second mating part 133 will be blocked by the transition protrusion 1224 and will not be able to enter the second groove structure. Instead, it will continue to slide in the first groove structure, that is, continue to slide along the closing trajectory 1216 until the second mating part 133 passes the locking protrusion 1223 and reaches the starting position of the opening trajectory 1212, thus completing the cover closing process.

[0079] When the cavity wall of the mounting cavity 1211 is provided with a plurality of opening tracks 1212 and closing tracks 1216, the transition protrusion 1224 may be provided at the position where each opening track 1212 intersects with the corresponding closing track 1216.

[0080] More specifically, in one embodiment, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the fixing component 12 further includes a flexible long arm 1222, the transition protrusion 1224 is disposed on the flexible long arm 1222, the flexible long arm 1222 is located outside the track cylinder, one end of the flexible long arm 1222 is fixed relative to the track cylinder, and the other end of the flexible long arm 1222 can be bent outward relative to the track cylinder. Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the track cylinder is also provided with a second notch 1218 on its cylinder wall, and the transition protrusion 1224 protrudes from the second notch 1218 into the mounting cavity 1211.

[0081] Similar to the function of the elastic short arm 1221, the deformability of the elastic long arm 1222 allows the second mating part 133 to slide along the opening track 1212. When the second mating part 133 presses against the transition protrusion 1224, the transition protrusion 1224 can move back a certain amount outward from the track cylinder, making it easier for the second mating part 133 to pass through.

[0082] The elastic long arm 1222 and the elastic short arm 1221 can be connected to form an elastic clip 122, which can be integrally injection molded.

[0083] In some embodiments, the cylinder wall of the trajectory cylinder is provided with a plurality of second notches 1218, and the second notches 1218 correspond one-to-one with the transition protrusions 1224. The fixing component 12 also includes a plurality of elastic long arms 1222, and the elastic long arms 1222 correspond one-to-one with the transition protrusions 1224.

[0084] Specifically in some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the trajectory cylinder is divided into multiple arc-shaped wall panels 121 in the circumferential direction, and each arc-shaped wall panel 121 is provided with the opening trajectory 1212. Figures 6 to 8 As shown, the motion conversion component 13 includes multiple pairs of first mating parts 132 and second mating parts 133, and each arc-shaped wall panel 121 corresponds to a pair of first mating parts 132 and second mating parts 133. The rotating shaft 11 is provided with multiple guide tracks 111, which are arranged at circumferential intervals along the rotating shaft 11, with one guide track 111 corresponding to one arc-shaped wall panel 121.

[0085] During installation, the rotating shaft 11, motion conversion component 13 and elastic component 14 can be assembled together first, and then each arc-shaped wall panel 121 can be surrounded to form an installation cavity 1211.

[0086] Furthermore, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, in some cases, the fixing component 12 also includes a base 123, on which a plurality of the arc-shaped wall panels 121 are mounted, and an elastic element 14 acts between the base 123 and the motion conversion element 13.

[0087] Furthermore, such as Figure 4 As shown, each of the arc-shaped wall panels 121 may also be provided with at least one of the closing trajectory 1216, the first notch 1217, and the second notch 1218. Each of the arc-shaped wall panels 121 may correspond to one elastic short arm 1221 and at least one elastic long arm 1222.

[0088] When the fixing component 12 includes a plurality of the arc-shaped wall panels 121, the fixing component 12 may also include a plurality of the elastic clips 122, with one arc-shaped wall panel 121 corresponding to one elastic clip 122.

[0089] In one embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, the fixing component 12 includes a base 123, and a plurality of arc-shaped wall panels 121, a plurality of elastic short arms 1221 and a plurality of elastic long arms 1222 are all mounted on the base 123. The elastic element 14 acts between the base 123 and the motion conversion element 13.

[0090] Furthermore, in some embodiments, such as Figures 3 to 5 and Figure 9 As shown, the outer wall surface of the arc-shaped wall panel 121 is provided with a positioning strip 1219, and the base 123 is provided with a positioning notch 1231. The end of the arc-shaped wall panel 121 along the axial direction of the track cylinder is inserted into the base 123. The positioning strip 1219 is at least partially inserted into the positioning notch 1231 to limit the relative position between the two in the circumferential direction of the track cylinder.

[0091] One end of the elastic short arm 1221, fixed relative to the arc-shaped wall panel 121, is pressed between the arc-shaped wall panel 121 and the base 123, while the other end of the elastic short arm 1221 is located outside the base 123. One end of the elastic long arm 1222, fixed relative to the arc-shaped wall panel 121, is pressed between the arc-shaped wall panel 121 and the base 123, while the other end of the elastic long arm 1222 is located outside the base 123.

[0092] The elastic short arm 1221 and the elastic long arm 1222 are connected to form an elastic clamp 122. The elastic clamp 122 and the base 123 are engaged to limit their relative positions in the circumferential direction of the track cylinder.

[0093] The base 123 fixes the elastic clip 122 and the arc-shaped wall panel 121 together, so that the protrusions on each of the elastic clips 122 can correspond to the corresponding notches.

[0094] Furthermore, in some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the fixing component 12 also includes a protective sleeve 124, and the plurality of arc-shaped wall panels 121 and the base 123 are all located inside the protective sleeve 124, with the base 123 and the protective sleeve 124 engaging with each other.

[0095] In some embodiments, the cavity wall of the mounting cavity 1211 is provided with a plurality of opening tracks 1212, such as... Figure 4 As shown, one locking protrusion 1223 corresponds to two opening tracks 1212, and the starting segments 1213 of the two opening tracks 1212 corresponding to the same locking protrusion 1223 are tilted in opposite directions relative to the axial direction of the rotating shaft 11.

[0096] The motion conversion component 13 includes multiple pairs of mating parts, each pair of mating parts corresponding to a guide trajectory 111 and two opening trajectories 1212 corresponding to the same locking protrusion 1223;

[0097] The guide trajectory 111 also includes a straight trajectory 1112, which is connected to the spiral trajectory 1111. The setting direction of the straight trajectory 1112 is consistent with the axis of the rotating shaft 11. When the second mating part 133 is located at the starting position of the opening trajectory 1212, the corresponding first mating part 132 is located in the straight trajectory 1112.

[0098] Since the first mating part 132 is located in the straight track 1112 when the cover is closed, whether the cover is pressed or lifted, as long as the rotating shaft 11 rotates, the first mating part 132 will be held by the straight track 1112 and rotate with the rotating shaft 11. The two opening tracks 1212 corresponding to the locking protrusion 1223 also ensure that the second mating part 133 can enter a certain opening track 1212 regardless of whether it rotates clockwise or counterclockwise, thus completing the automatic cover opening process.

[0099] Furthermore, when one locking protrusion 1223 corresponds to two opening tracks 1212, the start and end positions of the two opening tracks 1212 can be the same. The two opening tracks 1212 can correspond to one closing track 1216. In other words, regardless of whether the rotation is clockwise or counterclockwise, after completing the opening process, when closing the cover, the second mating part 133 can return from the closing track 1216 to the same starting position of the two opening tracks 1212.

[0100] like Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, each position on the mounting cavity 1211 where a closing trajectory 1216 and an opening trajectory 1212 are formed has a shallow groove. A strip-shaped deep groove is provided in the middle of the shallow groove, extending axially along the shaft 11. The deep groove extends outwards along its length. The deep groove constitutes the closing trajectory 1216 in this application. The two side spaces formed by the deep groove in the shallow groove belong to the two opening trajectories 1212, respectively. Furthermore, the opening trajectory 1212 also includes a section extending axially outwards from the deep groove.

[0101] Furthermore, in some embodiments, when one closing trajectory 1216 corresponds to two opening trajectories 1212, one closing trajectory 1216 corresponds to two elastic long arms 1222. An elastic latch 122 includes two elastic long arms 1222 and one elastic short arm 1221.

[0102] In some embodiments, the cover opening assist 10 includes a plurality of locking protrusions 1223, each of which corresponds to two opening tracks 1212. A plurality of guide tracks 111 are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 11, each guide track 111 corresponding one-to-one with a locking protrusion 1223.

[0103] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, each of the arc-shaped wall panels 121 has one closing trajectory 1216 and two opening trajectories 1212. Correspondingly, each arc-shaped wall panel 121 may also have one first notch 1217 and two second notches 1218.

[0104] Furthermore, in some embodiments, each of the opening trajectories 1212 includes a starting segment 1213, an intermediate segment 1214, and a ending segment 1215 connected sequentially. Each starting segment 1213 is arranged circumferentially along the mounting cavity 1211. The portion of the intermediate segment 1214 near the starting segment 1213 is arranged axially along the rotating shaft 11. The ending segment 1215 is also arranged axially along the rotating shaft 11. The ending segment 1215 and the intermediate segment 1214 are staggered circumferentially within the mounting cavity 1211. Two intermediate segments 1214 corresponding to the same locking protrusion 1223 are located on either side of the corresponding locking protrusion 1223.

[0105] During the opening process, whether the cover is pressed or lifted at the beginning, the rotating shaft 11 can slide the first mating part 132 into a starting section 1213, offsetting the locking protrusion 1223.

[0106] In some embodiments of this application, a toilet seat assembly is provided, including a seat, a fixed base, and an opening assist device 10 as described in any of the above claims. The seat is rotatably connected to the fixed base via a hinge shaft, and the rotating shaft 11 is drively connected to the hinge shaft.

[0107] By employing the lid-opening assist device 10 described in any of the above embodiments, the lid can be opened automatically. Furthermore, when the lid is closed, the second mating part 133 is limited by the locking protrusion 1223, resulting in a larger energy storage in the elastic element 14. Consequently, the elastic force provided by the release of energy during subsequent lid opening is greater, ensuring a smooth opening process. The entire process requires no driving components such as motors, relying entirely on mechanical structures, resulting in lower costs and easier maintenance.

[0108] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0109] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0110] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0111] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0112] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0113] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0114] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A lid-opening assist device, characterized in that, include: A rotating shaft, wherein a guide track is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft, the guide track including a spiral track; A fixing component is provided, wherein a mounting cavity is provided within the fixing component, and a portion of the rotating shaft having the guide track is inserted into the mounting cavity, and the relative positions of the rotating shaft and the fixing component in the axial direction of the rotating shaft are fixed. The cavity wall of the mounting cavity has a locking protrusion and an opening track, and the starting position and the ending position of the opening track have a height difference in the axial direction of the rotating shaft. In the axial direction of the rotating shaft, the locking protrusion is located on the side of the starting position of the opening track near the ending position, and the starting segment of the opening track is arranged at an angle relative to the axial direction of the rotating shaft. A motion conversion component has two mating parts, namely a first mating part and a second mating part. The first mating part is slidably mated to the guide trajectory, and the second mating part is slidably mated to the opening trajectory. When one of the mating parts slides on the corresponding trajectory, the other mating part slides synchronously on the other corresponding trajectory. An elastic element acts between the fixed component and the motion conversion component. The direction of the force provided by the elastic element to the motion conversion component is the elastic driving direction, which is consistent with the direction along the axis of the rotating shaft towards the end position of the opening trajectory. The cavity wall of the mounting cavity also has a closing trajectory, the starting position of the closing trajectory and the ending position of the opening trajectory are at the same position, and the ending position of the closing trajectory and the starting position of the opening trajectory are at the same position. The second mating part can slide along the closing trajectory, and when the second mating part slides on the closing trajectory, the first mating part slides synchronously on the guide trajectory; The guide trajectory also includes a straight trajectory, which is connected to the spiral trajectory. The direction of the straight trajectory is consistent with the axis of the rotating shaft. When the second mating part is located at the starting position of the opening trajectory, the corresponding first mating part is located in the straight trajectory. The motion conversion component further includes a ring, which is sleeved outside the rotating shaft. The first mating part and the second mating part are both connected to the ring. The motion conversion component is located in the mounting cavity. The elastic element includes a compression spring, which is sleeved outside the rotating shaft and abuts against the ring and the fixing component.

2. The lid-opening assist device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The closing trajectory passes through the locking protrusion, and the second mating part can glide over the locking protrusion when sliding along the closing trajectory.

3. The lid-opening assist device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The fixing assembly includes a track cylinder and a spring-loaded short arm. The space inside the track cylinder is the mounting cavity. A first notch is provided on the cylinder wall of the track cylinder. The locking protrusion is provided on the spring-loaded short arm. The spring-loaded short arm is located outside the track cylinder. One end of the spring-loaded short arm is fixed relative to the track cylinder, and the other end of the spring-loaded short arm can be bent outward relative to the track cylinder. The locking protrusion protrudes from the first notch into the mounting cavity.

4. The lid-opening assist device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The end segment of the opening trajectory and the beginning segment of the closing trajectory are the same segment. The portion of the closing trajectory upstream of the locking protrusion is a first groove structure, and the portion of the opening trajectory upstream of its own end segment is a second groove structure. The depth of the first groove structure is greater than the depth of the second groove structure. A transition protrusion is provided at the intersection of the opening trajectory and the closing trajectory, and the height of the transition protrusion gradually increases along the trajectory direction of the opening trajectory.

5. The lid-opening assist device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The fixing component also includes a flexible long arm, the transition protrusion is disposed on the flexible long arm, the flexible long arm is located outside the track cylinder, one end of the flexible long arm is fixed relative to the track cylinder, the other end of the flexible long arm can be bent outward relative to the track cylinder, the track cylinder wall is also provided with a second notch, and the transition protrusion protrudes from the second notch into the mounting cavity.

6. The lid-opening assist device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The trajectory cylinder is divided into multiple arc-shaped wall panels in the circumferential direction. Each arc-shaped wall panel is provided with the opening trajectory, the closing trajectory, the first notch and the second notch. Each arc-shaped wall panel corresponds to a short elastic arm and at least one long elastic arm. The motion conversion component includes multiple pairs of first mating parts and second mating parts, and each arc-shaped wall panel corresponds to a pair of first mating parts and second mating parts; The rotating shaft is provided with a plurality of guide tracks, which are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the rotating shaft, and one guide track corresponds to one arc-shaped wall panel; The fixing component also includes a base, and multiple arc-shaped wall panels, multiple elastic short arms and multiple elastic long arms are all assembled on the base. The elastic element acts between the base and the motion conversion component.

7. The lid-opening assist device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The outer wall surface of the arc-shaped wall panel is provided with a positioning strip, and the base is provided with a positioning notch. The end of the arc-shaped wall panel along the axial direction of the track cylinder is inserted into the base. The positioning strip is at least partially inserted into the positioning notch to limit the relative position between the two in the circumferential direction of the track cylinder. One end of the elastic short arm, which is fixed relative to the arc-shaped wall panel, is pressed between the arc-shaped wall panel and the base, while the other end of the elastic short arm is located outside the base. One end of the elastic long arm, which is fixed relative to the arc-shaped wall panel, is pressed between the arc-shaped wall panel and the base, while the other end of the elastic long arm is located outside the base. The elastic short arm and the elastic long arm are connected to form an elastic clamp, and the elastic clamp and the base are engaged to limit their relative positions in the circumferential direction of the track cylinder.

8. The lid-opening assist device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The fixing component also includes a protective sleeve, and the plurality of the arc-shaped wall panels and the base are located inside the protective sleeve, with the base and the protective sleeve engaging in a snap-fit ​​connection.

9. The lid-opening aid according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The cavity wall of the mounting cavity is provided with multiple opening tracks, one locking protrusion corresponds to two opening tracks, and the starting segments of the two opening tracks corresponding to the same locking protrusion are tilted in opposite directions relative to the axial direction of the rotating shaft. The motion conversion component includes multiple pairs of mating parts, each pair of mating parts corresponding to one guide trajectory and two opening trajectories corresponding to the same locking protrusion.

10. The lid-opening assist device according to claim 9, characterized in that, Each opening trajectory includes a starting segment, an intermediate segment, and a final segment connected in sequence. Each starting segment is arranged circumferentially along the mounting cavity. The portion of the intermediate segment near the starting segment is arranged axially along the rotating shaft. The final segment is arranged axially along the rotating shaft. The final segment and the intermediate segment are staggered circumferentially in the mounting cavity. The two intermediate segments corresponding to the same locking protrusion are located on both sides of the corresponding locking protrusion.

11. A toilet seat assembly, characterized in that, The device includes a cover plate, a fixed base, and a cover opening assist device as described in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the cover plate is rotatably connected to the fixed base via a hinge shaft, and the rotating shaft is drively connected to the hinge shaft.

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