Ceramic Toilet Pan Hinge Formation Using Jig for Dimensional Variation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing toilet systems face challenges with sealing accuracy, hinge alignment, latch complexity, and overflow arrangements, leading to issues with hygiene, maintenance, and fluid contamination, particularly due to the limitations of ceramic material manufacturing and design flaws in traditional toilet pan and cistern components.
Innovation Solution
A method of manufacturing a toilet pan body with a hinge formation using a jig to ensure precise positioning and fixation of hinge components, combined with a simplified latch arrangement and improved overflow design, including a horizontal hinge axis and a compact cistern system with integrated air and water pumps, to enhance sealing reliability, ease of maintenance, and fluid management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a compression seal is used to seal the lid to the pan, then sealing reliability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase and the system becomes less adaptable to movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible compression seal (gasket) that can deform to accommodate dimensional variations in ceramic pans. The seal is made of elastomeric material that compresses under the lid weight to create a reliable seal without requiring high manufacturing precision, thus resolving the contradiction between sealing reliability and manufacturing precision requirements.
2Reliability
If a latch bolt engages with the interior surface of the pan, then the lid can be securely held closed, but hygiene is compromised due to contact with the interior surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the latch engagement point from the interior surface of the pan and relocates it to the exterior surface. The latch bolt now engages with a recess or protrusion on the outside of the pan, eliminating contact between the latch and the interior surface that contacts waste, thus maintaining latching reliability while improving hygiene.
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate brackets are used for the lid and seat, then the components can be independently mounted, but the overall device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the separate lid brackets and seat brackets into a single integrated bracket assembly. This combined bracket serves both the lid and seat mounting functions, reducing the total number of components and simplifying the overall structure while still allowing independent mounting positions for both the lid and seat.
4Reliability
If the lid and seat are permanently fixed to the pan, then sealing reliability is improved, but ease of repair and cleaning is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the mounting system into removable bracket components that can be detached from the pan. The lid and seat are mounted to these brackets rather than being permanently fixed to the pan, allowing the brackets to be removed for cleaning or repair while maintaining secure sealing during normal use through the compression seals.
5Object-affected harmful factors
If ceramic material is used for the pan, then hygiene and durability are improved, but manufacturing precision is reduced due to distortion during firing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible compression seal that can deform to accommodate the dimensional variations inherent in ceramic firing processes. The elastomeric seal compensates for distortion and size variations in the ceramic pan, maintaining reliable sealing without requiring high manufacturing precision, thus resolving the contradiction between hygiene/durability benefits of ceramic and its manufacturing precision limitations.
6Device complexity
If a double acting air pump is used for both pressurizing the cistern and providing flush air, then device complexity is reduced, but the space requirement behind the pan increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a single double-acting air pump that performs multiple functions: pressurizing the cistern for water delivery and providing compressed air for pan flushing. This multi-functional approach reduces the number of separate components and overall space requirements compared to using separate pumps for each function, resolving the contradiction between device complexity and space requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A ceramic toilet pan having a raised rear portion to which a hinge tube may be accurately located and fixed in position for example by adhesive using a jig despite variations in pan body size due to ceramic firing, a water pump and air pump being provided for flushing the toilet pan when a seat and lid are in a closed position. The seat and lid are rotationally mounted to the pan by a horizontal hinge pin located in the hinge tube and a latch member is provided for latching the lid and seat closed. A cistern is also provided having an overflow weir.