Back to results
US 12,690,730 B2Granted
Counterbalanced toilet seat and cover
AssigneeKohler Co.
InventorsHiroyuki Muraoka, John O. Lipinski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A toilet includes a base, a seat rotatably coupled to the base, a first counterweight fixedly coupled to the seat, wherein the first counterweight causes a center of mass of the seat to be spaced from a geometric center of the seat, a cover rotatably coupled to the seat, and a second counterweight fixedly coupled to the cover. The second counterweight causes a center of mass of the cover to be spaced from a geometric center of the cover.
Claims17
A toilet comprising:
- a base;
- a seat rotatably coupled to the base on an angled pivot axis shaft at an angle relative to a vertical axis and at an angle relative to a horizontal axis;
- a first counterweight fixedly coupled to the seat, wherein the first counterweight causes a center of mass of the seat to be spaced from a geometric center of the seat;
- a cover rotatable on the angled pivot axis shaft;
- and
- a second counterweight fixedly coupled to the cover, wherein the second counterweight causes a center of mass of the cover to be spaced from a geometric center of the cover,
- wherein the angled pivot axis shaft passes through a first opening of the first counterweight or a second opening of the second counterweight.
4 more elements
A drive mechanism for a toilet, the drive mechanism comprising:
- a motor;
- a first gear driven by the motor to rotate a seat housing of the toilet, the seat housing including a first counterweight;
- and
- a second gear driven by the motor to rotate a cover housing of the toilet about a angled pivot axis at an angle relative to a vertical axis and at an angle relative to a horizontal axis, the cover housing including a second counterweight fixedly coupled to the cover.
1 more element
A method for automatic operation of a toilet seat assembly, the method comprising:
- receiving input data to trigger the operation of the toilet seat assembly;
- generating a first signal to rotate a seat and a seat counterweight about an angled pivot axis at an angle relative to a vertical axis and an angle relative to a horizontal axis;
- and
- generating a second signal to rotate a cover and a cover counterweight, wherein a center of mass of the seat is spaced closer to the angled pivot axis than a geometric center of the seat and a center of mass of the cover is spaced closer to the angled pivot axis than a geometric center of the cover.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.