Eccentric Plumbing Hinge Assembly With Concealed Pivot Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hinge structures for plumbing fixtures are aesthetically unpleasing and prone to debris and urine collection, and their concealed pivot axis arrangements complicate assembly and manufacturing, especially when trying to form the hinge and seat cover as one piece.
Innovation Solution
A multi-part eccentric hinge assembly with a bent-back, offset configuration allows the upper end to be connected to the seat or lid while the other end is connected along a concealed pivot axis, minimizing slot sizes in the housing and facilitating easier assembly by allowing connection points to be accessed and viewed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If conventional straight hinges are used with concealed pivot axis, then the pivot axis is concealed and aesthetics are improved, but the openings in the housing must be oversized which creates gaps for debris and liquids to collect
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge is divided into multiple segments including a first arm, second arm, and connecting element with pivot points. This segmentation allows the hinge to achieve complex motion paths while maintaining compact dimensions, enabling the use of smaller openings in the housing that prevent debris accumulation while still allowing the seat to pivot through the necessary range of motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge incorporates curved paths and arc-shaped motion trajectories through its geometric design. The connecting element follows a curved path as it pivots, allowing the hinge arms to move through large angles while maintaining a compact overall envelope that fits within smaller housing openings, thus preventing debris collection while achieving the required motion.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional straight hinges are used, then the structure is simple and manufacturing is easier, but the hinges are exposed and unsightly and become locations where debris and urine can collect
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the hinge into multiple connectable parts rather than using a single straight piece, the invention enables the hinge to be concealed within the housing while maintaining manufacturing feasibility. Each segment can be manufactured separately and then assembled, achieving both aesthetic concealment and reasonable manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-segment hinge design allows the hinge components to be nested within or along the housing structure when in the closed position. The first and second arms can be positioned within the housing boundaries, concealing the hinge mechanism while maintaining the ability to pivot the seat cover, thus eliminating the exposed hinge appearance problem.
3Productivity
If the hinge and seat cover are formed as one piece, then assembly time is reduced and a solid connection is created, but assembling the hinges to the concealed pivot axis becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge is segmented into multiple connectable parts with external connection points that are accessible during assembly. This segmentation allows the integrated hinge-seat cover assembly to be connected to the pivot axis in a controlled manner, with each segment being positionable and connectable at accessible locations, thereby reducing assembly difficulty while maintaining the productivity benefits of the integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting element serves as an intermediary component between the first and second hinge arms, providing a mechanism that facilitates assembly. This intermediate component can be connected to the integrated seat cover assembly at accessible external points, allowing the entire hinge assembly to be mounted to the concealed pivot axis more easily than would be possible with a completely monolithic structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-part eccentric hinge assembly for a plumbing fixture has two hinge bodies, which when connected pivotally couple a movable part of the fixture to a fixed part, for example, a lid or cover to a bowl deck. One of the hinge bodies has a radial portion and an offset portion. The radial portion generally extends along a line intersecting a pivot axis from a connection for pivotally connecting the hinge assembly to the plumbing fixture. The offset portion intersects the radial portion at one side of the pivot axis and extends back toward an opposite side of the pivot axis to a free end that connects to the second hinge body by a connector. The single hinge body is integrally formed with the moveable part so that the follows an eccentric path when the hinge body is pivoted about the pivot axis.