Counterbalanced toilet seat and cover

Inventors: Hiroyuki Muraoka (Milwaukee, WI); John O. Lipinski (Sheboygan, WI)

Assignee: Kohler Co.

A47K13/10 A47K13/12 E03D5/10

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12690730
App. No.: 18/432,797
Granted: Jul 28, 2026
Kind: B2

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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.

Claims (34)

1 . 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.

2 . The toilet of claim 1 , wherein the center of mass of the seat is within a predetermined distance of the pivot axis.

3 . The toilet of claim 1 , wherein the center of mass of the cover is within a predetermined distance of the pivot axis.

4 . The toilet of claim 1 , wherein the pivot axis shaft includes a first shaft coupled to the cover and a second shaft coupled to the seat.

5 . The toilet of claim 1 , wherein a majority of the second counterweight is on a first side of the pivot axis shaft and a majority of the cover is on a second side of the pivot axis shaft.

6 . The toilet of claim 1 , wherein a majority of the first counterweight is on a first side of the pivot axis shaft and a majority of the seat is on a second side of the at least one pivot axis shaft.

7 . The toilet of claim 1 , wherein the seat includes a seat housing enclosing the first counterweight.

8 . The toilet of claim 1 , wherein the cover includes a cover housing enclosing the second counterweight.

9 . The toilet of claim 1 , further comprising:

a motor configured to rotate the seat or the cover; and

a battery configured to store electrical energy to operate the motor.

10 . The toilet of claim 1 , wherein the first counterweight or the second counterweight includes a metal.

11 . The toilet of claim 1 , wherein the toilet is a tankless toilet.

12 . 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.

13 . The drive mechanism of claim 12 , wherein the first counterweight causes a center of mass of the seat to be spaced from a geometric center of the seat and the second counterweight causes a center of mass of the cover to be spaced from a geometric center of the cover.

14 . The drive mechanism of claim 12 , further comprising:

a battery configured to store energy and supply the stored energy to the motor.

15 . The drive mechanism of claim 12 , further comprising:

a power converter to supply current to the motor.

16 . The drive mechanism of claim 12 , further comprising:

at least one pivot axis shaft, wherein the at least one pivot axis shaft passes through a first opening of the first counterweight or a second opening of the second counterweight.

17 . 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.