The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 16, 1993
Filed:
May. 10, 1991
Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A toilet covering hinge assembly has a damping capability for damping the motion of the toilet covering from a raised to a lowered position upon a toilet. The assembly includes a hinge shaft connecting the toilet covering to the rear of the toilet so as to be rotatable together with the toilet covering between the lowered and raised positions. Also connected to the hinge shaft is a dashpot which is secured on the side of the toilet and comprises a cylinder containing a volume of damper fluid and a rotor rotatably received within the cylinder. The rotor receives the hinge shaft to be rotatable together therewith and is provided with a flap extending outwardly into the damper fluid. The flap is pivotable relative to the rotor such that the flap is caused to, in response to the toilet covering moving from the lowered to the raised position, pivot into a folded condition where it receives no substantial resistance from the damper fluid and is caused. In response to the toilet covering moving from the raised to the lowered position, the flap pivots into an unfolded condition where it receives increased resistance from the damper fluid for dampening the motion of the toilet covering moving in that direction. The flap is formed to have an integral anchor bulb which is rotatably fitted within a corresponding bearing cavity in the outer surface of the rotor so that the flap is pivotally supported to the rotor without requiring any other supporting structure.