US 11,744,415 B2
Toilet seat
Erich Slothower, Mill Valley, CA (US); and Mary J. Reid, Sheboygan, WI (US)
Assigned to Kohler Co., Kohler, WI (US)
Filed by Kohler Co., Kohler, WI (US)
Filed on Jul. 20, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/869,382.
Application 17/869,382 is a continuation of application No. 17/222,665, filed on Apr. 5, 2021, granted, now 11,426,036.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/011,896, filed on Apr. 17, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0354318 A1, Nov. 10, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A47K 13/02 (2006.01); A47K 13/12 (2006.01)
CPC A47K 13/02 (2013.01) [A47K 13/12 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A toilet seat assembly comprising:
a toilet seat having a top surface, a bottom surface, an inner edge at which the top surface and the bottom surface meet, an outer edge at which the top surface and the bottom surface meet;
a hinge rotatably attached to the toilet seat and forming an opening defined by an outer edge leading to a bore containing a coupling mechanism;
a hinge tower configured to facilitate coupling with the hinge;
a flexible anchor configured to connect with the hinge tower, wherein at least one of the hinge tower and flexible anchor are made of flexible material for coupling of the toilet seat with a toilet;
a shoulder located at a first end of the hinge;
a slot located within a first end of the toilet seat; and
an engagement member that engages the shoulder and the slot.
 
8. A toilet comprising:
a bowl having an upper surface, a first end, a second end, and a hole on the upper surface near the first end;
a toilet seat having an outer region supported by the upper surface of the bowl and an inner region configured to elastically and vertically deform inward relative to the outer region in response to an applied load;
a hinge having a first end and a second end, the first end rotatably attached to the toilet seat and the second end forming an opening defined by an outer edge leading to a bore containing coupling features;
a hinge tower having a first end and a second end, the first end having coupling features configured to facilitate coupling with the second end of the hinge, and the first end of the hinge tower being configured to couple within the opening of the hinge; and
a flexible anchor having a first end and a second end, the first end of the anchor configured to connect with the second end of the hinge tower and the flexible anchor being configured to fit within the hole on the upper surface of the bowl,
wherein at least one of the hinge tower and flexible anchor are made of substantially flexible material to facilitate flexible coupling of the toilet seat with upper surface of the toilet, wherein the substantially flexible material comprises rubbers, polymers, plastics, plastics, composites, woven materials, or any other elastic or viscoelastic material.