US 7,386,895 B2
Opening/closing device for toilet seat or toilet lid, and transmission unit for the device
Ryosuke Hayashi, Fukuoka (Japan); Yoshiro Terada, Fukuoka (Japan); Satoshi Kato, Fukuoka (Japan); and Kenji Hashidume, Fukuoka (Japan)
Assigned to Toto, Ltd., Fukuoka (Japan)
Appl. No. 10/516,245
PCT Filed May 29, 2003, PCT No. PCT/JP03/06760
§ 371(c)(1), (2), (4) Date Nov. 30, 2004,
PCT Pub. No. WO03/101269, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 11, 2003.
Claims priority of application No. 2002-160666 (JP), filed on May 31, 2002; and application No. 2002-322991 (JP), filed on Nov. 06, 2002.
Prior Publication US 2005/0172384 A1, Aug. 11, 2005
Int. Cl. A47K 13/12 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 4—246.1  [4/248] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A lifting and lowering device for a toilet seat or toilet cover, comprising:
a lifting and lowering control unit to be indirectly fixed to a toilet bowl main body, the lifting and lowering control unit having an axial member to be disposed on a swing center line of a toilet seat or a toilet cover being pivotable about respective base end portions of the toilet seat or toilet cover in a lifting direction and a lowering direction, and
a transmission unit adapted to be arranged within a swing block insertion section provided in one of the base end portions of the toilet seat, the transmission unit having
a swing shaft to be disposed on the swing center line, wherein a first end portion of the swing shaft is to be coupled to the toilet seat or the toilet cover, and wherein a second end portion of the swing shaft is detachably coupled to the axial member of the lifting and lowering control unit at a cutout section formed on the second end portion of the swing shaft such that the transmission unit is structured so as to be detachable from the lifting and lowering control unit by moving the toilet seat or the toilet cover upwardly so as to detach the axial member of the lifting and lowering control unit from the cutout section formed on the second end portion of the swing shaft, and
an urging member for urging the swing shaft so as to rotate in the lifting direction of the toilet seat or toilet cover.