# US 2014/0189947 A1 · Damper locking mechanism for toilet seat > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0189947 A1 - Document ID: US20140189947A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/143,538 - Filed: 2013-12-30 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-08 - Assignees: Kohler Co. - Applicants: Kohler Co. - Inventors: Roger W. Murphy; Jeffrey T. Laundre; David Ourada - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140189947A1 ## CPC - A47K 13/12: Hinges - A47K 13/10: Devices for raising and lowering {; Collapsible or rotating seats or covers} - A47K: SANITARY EQUIPMENT; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR, e.g. TOILET ACCESSORIES ## Abstract A toilet includes a seat, a bowl and a damper locking mechanism that allows the seat to rotate relative to the bowl with an influenced inertia. The damper locking mechanism includes a hinge base having a biasing member and an interior surface that defines a bore and a damper having an exterior surface that engages the interior surface. When the damper is disposed in the bore, the biasing member imparts a radial force to bias the damper into the hinge base and remove a looseness between the seat and the bowl. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A toilet comprising: a seat; a bowl; and a damper locking mechanism configured to allow the seat to rotate relative to the bowl with an influenced inertia, the damper locking mechanism comprising: a hinge base having a biasing member and an interior surface that defines a bore; and a damper having an exterior surface that engages the interior surface, wherein when the damper is disposed in the bore, the biasing member imparts a radial force to bias the damper into the hinge base and remove a looseness between the seat and the bowl. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The toilet of claim 1, wherein a plurality of grooves are disposed on the interior surface of the hinge base and a plurality of splines are disposed on the exterior surface of the damper. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The toilet of claim 2, wherein at least one spline disposed on the exterior surface of the damper is configured to engage with a groove disposed on the interior surface of the hinge base, and a rotation of the damper is limited within the plurality of grooves. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The toilet of claim 1, wherein the biasing member comprises: a fixed end affixed to the interior surface of the hinge base; a distal end; and a contoured surface disposed between the fixed end and the distal end; wherein the biasing member is configured to pivot about the fixed end relative to the interior surface of the hinge base. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The toilet of claim 4, wherein the biasing member further comprises at least one extension member extending away from the bore, and the hinge base comprises at least one hole disposed on a surface of the hinge base that is not traversed by the bore, wherein the at least one hole is configured to receive and secure the at least one extension member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The toilet of claim 5, wherein when the at least one hole receives and secures the at least one extension member, the contoured surface of the biasing member is configured to engage with at least one spline disposed on the exterior of the damper such that the radial force is applied to the damper to secure the damper to the hinge base and remove a clearance between the damper and the hinge base. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The toilet of claim 6, wherein the radial force is removed by releasing the at least one extension member from the at least one hole. ### Claim 8 A damper locking mechanism for a toilet, comprising: a hinge base having a biasing member and an interior surface that defines a bore; and a damper having an exterior surface that engages the interior surface; wherein when the damper is disposed in the bore, the biasing member imparts a radial force to bias the damper into the hinge base. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The damper locking mechanism of claim 8, wherein a plurality of grooves are disposed on the interior surface of the hinge base and a plurality of splines are disposed on the exterior surface of the damper. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The damper locking mechanism of claim 9, wherein at least one spline disposed on the exterior surface of the damper is configured to engage with a groove disposed on the interior surface of the hinge base, and a rotation of the damper is limited within the plurality of grooves. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The damper locking mechanism of claim 8, wherein the biasing member comprises: a fixed end affixed to the interior surface of the hinge base; a distal end; and a contoured surface disposed between the fixed end and the distal end; wherein the biasing member is configured to pivot about the fixed end relative to the interior surface of the hinge base. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The damper locking mechanism of claim 11, wherein the biasing member further comprises at least one extension member extending away from the bore and the hinge base comprises at least one hole disposed on a surface of the hinge base that is not traversed by the bore, the at least one hole configured to receive and secure the at least one extension member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The damper locking mechanism of claim 12, wherein when the at least one hole receives and secures the at least one extension member, the contoured surface of the biasing member engages with at least one spline disposed on the exterior of the damper such that the radial force is applied to the damper to secure the damper to the hinge base. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The damper locking mechanism of claim 13, wherein the radial force is removed by releasing the at least one extension member from the at least one hole. ### Claim 15 A method of removing a looseness between a toilet seat and a toilet bowl through a damper locking mechanism, the method comprising: providing a hinge base having a biasing member and an interior surface that defines a bore; disposing a damper within the bore such that an exterior surface of the damper engages the interior surface; and imparting, by the biasing member, a radial force to bias the damper into the hinge base and remove a looseness between the toilet seat and the toilet bowl. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the disposing step comprises: engaging at least one spline disposed on the exterior surface of the damper with at least one of a plurality of grooves disposed on the interior surface of the hinge base; and limiting a rotation of the damper within the plurality of grooves. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the biasing member comprises: a fixed end affixed to the interior surface of the hinge base; a distal end; and a contoured surface disposed between the fixed end and the distal end, wherein the biasing member is configured to pivot about the fixed end relative to the interior surface of the hinge base. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the biasing member further comprises at least one extension member extending away from the bore, and the hinge base comprises at least one hole disposed on a surface of the hinge base that is not traversed by the bore, the at least one hole configured to receive and secure the at least one extension member. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein when the at least one hole receives and secures the at least one extension member, the contoured surface of the biasing member engages with at least one spline disposed on the exterior of the damper such that the radial force is applied to the damper to secure the damper to the hinge base. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the radial force is removed by releasing the at least one extension member from the at least one hole.