Toilet hinge arrangement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Toilet cover assemblies experience dimensional instability and lateral movement issues, leading to noise and instability in the hinge mechanism, which complicates easy removal and proper alignment.
Innovation Solution
A resilient member biased away from the adaptor ring allows independent rotational movement of the seat and cover, while a catch ring with spiral surfaces and a snap feature facilitates easy mounting and secure engagement with the damper shaft, reducing lateral movement and noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the hinge mechanism is closely assembled to provide stable and controlled movement, then the stability and control of seat/cover movement is improved, but the tolerance for dimensional instability of injection moulded parts is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The adaptor ring acts as an intermediary component between the damper shaft and the ear lugs. It provides a stable reference surface that compensates for dimensional variations in the injection moulded seat and cover, allowing the hinge mechanism to maintain stability while accommodating manufacturing tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient member changes the physical state of the connection by introducing elastic deformation. This allows the hinge mechanism to absorb dimensional variations through controlled deformation, maintaining stable movement while accommodating manufacturing tolerances in the plastic components.
2Ease of operation
If tolerances are provided to allow unhindered movement of the toilet cover relative to the toilet seat, then the ease of movement is improved, but the lateral movement of the toilet seat and cover relative to the rotation axis increases
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient member is positioned specifically to apply force in the lateral direction, providing localized constraint where needed. This allows tolerances to be accommodated for vertical movement while preventing unwanted lateral movement, maintaining both ease of operation and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The adaptor ring with its centrally positioned opening serves as an intermediary that guides the damper shaft. This ensures that rotational forces are properly transferred while limiting lateral movement, allowing the cover to move freely within acceptable tolerances without excessive lateral displacement.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the cover and seat are closely assembled to provide controlled movement, then the stability is improved, but the noise when one or the other is being rotated increases
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient member provides beforehand cushioning by maintaining a slight gap between the cover and seat through biased force. This prevents direct contact and grating noise during rotation while still providing controlled movement, addressing the noise issue before it occurs.
4Ease of operation
If the hinge mechanism is designed for easy removal by manipulation, then the ease of operation is improved, but the stability and control of the hinge mechanism is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge mechanism incorporates dynamic elements including the resilient member that can be compressed to release the catch ring from the catch cavity. This allows the mechanism to be stable during normal operation but easily convertible to a removable state through simple manipulation, balancing stability and ease of removal.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution ensures precise alignment and reduced noise by allowing for tolerances in the hinge mechanism, enabling easy removal and adaptation of the toilet cover assembly without requiring tools, while maintaining stable and controlled movement.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient member (35) arranged on the damper shaft (24) and being biased away from the adaptor ring (30) in a direction parallel to the central axis (100)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a~3b
Figure 4~5
AI summary
Toilet hinge arrangement for fastening of a toilet cover assembly, including a toilet seat and a toilet seat cover, to a toilet bowl, where by means of the toilet hinge arrangement, the toilet seat and toilet seat cover may pivot around a central axis, where said toilet hinge arrangement comprises a rotational dampener, a catch ring and an adapter ring.