Toilet Cover and Seat Angled-Axis Hinge to Reduce Dirt Accumulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional toilets face challenges in maintaining cleanliness, especially at hinge locations, and aesthetics due to traditional pivot-based cover and seat mechanisms, which are difficult to clean and obstruct the view.
Innovation Solution
The toilet features a ball-and-socket hinge mechanism allowing the cover and seat to rotate about two axes, pivoting upward and then swiveling backward, obscuring the hinge from view and reducing dirt accumulation, with optional motorized operation for ease of use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a traditional pivot-based cover and seat mechanism is used, then the structure is simple, but the hinge locations are difficult to clean and obstruct the view
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge mechanism is extracted and concealed within the base structure. The cover and seat are rotatably coupled to the base with hinges that are substantially hidden within the base, removing the visible and accessible hinge points that traditionally accumulated dirt.
Solution Approach 2:
A hidden hinge mechanism serves as an intermediary between the cover/seat and the base. This intermediary mechanism allows rotation while remaining concealed within the base, preventing direct exposure to contaminants while maintaining functional movement.
2Ease of manufacture
If a traditional pivot-based cover and seat mechanism is used, then the structure is simple, but the hinge mechanism is visible and obstructs the view
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge mechanism is extracted from the visible exterior and placed within the base. The cover and seat rotate about hinges that are substantially hidden within the base, eliminating visual obstruction while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of placing hinges on the exterior surface for easy manufacturing, the hinges are inverted and placed within the base structure. This reversal achieves a streamlined appearance while keeping the hinge mechanism accessible for manufacturing.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the cover and seat are rotatably coupled with hidden hinges, then cleanliness and appearance are improved, but the mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The base structure serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, conceals the hinge mechanism, and facilitates rotation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, offsetting the increased complexity of the hidden hinge arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge mechanism is merged with the base structure rather than being a separate external component. The cover and seat are rotatably coupled to the base with hinges substantially hidden within the base, combining functions and reducing overall system complexity despite the concealed arrangement.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the cover and seat rotate about an angled axis, then the hinge is obscured and cleanliness is improved, but the rotation mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation axis is changed from a traditional horizontal pivot to an angled axis extending upward and forward. This dimensional change in the rotation axis orientation obscures the hinge within the base while enabling the cover and seat to rotate between lowered and stowed positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The angled axis rotation mechanism provides multiple benefits: it obscures the hinge, improves cleanliness, and enables both lowered and stowed positions. This multi-functionality justifies the increased complexity by delivering multiple performance improvements simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
A toilet includes a base, a cover, and a seat. The seat is rotatably coupled to the base, and the cover is rotatably coupled to the seat. The cover and the seat define an angled axis that is oriented upward and forward toward a front end of the base. The cover and the seat are each configured to rotate about the angled axis between a lowered position in which the cover and the seat are located adjacent the base and a stowed position in which the cover and the seat are oriented in an upward direction.