US20040107487A1

US20040107487A1 - Device for operating a toilet seat and a toilet seat provided therewith

Info

Publication number: US20040107487A1
Application number: US10/314,975
Authority: US
Inventors: Eric Middleton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-12-10
Filing date: 2002-12-10
Publication date: 2004-06-10

Abstract

A device for operating a toilet seat has a user-operated unit for lifting toilet seat; and a timer operative for lowering the toilet seat after elapsing of a predeterminded time from a time point when the seat was lifted.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to devices for operating toilet seats.

Toilet seats are known and used to support user while sitting on the toilet bowl. It is known that when a male is about to urinate, he has to lift the seat so that drops of urine do not fall on the toilet seat. Then, after he finishes urinating, he has to place the toilet seat back into its horizontal position, so that another user, for example a female can sit on the toilet seat in its horizontal position.

Frequently, the male users do not lift the seats and the seat is contaminated by urine, or when they lift the seat they frequently forget to lower the seat to the horizontal position, which causes dissatisfaction from the female users.

It is believed that it is advisable to provide toilets with improved lifting and lowering of the toilet seat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for lifting and lowering of a toilet seat which improves operation of the toilet seat, in particular lifting the toilet seat and its lowering afterwards.

In keeping with these objects and with others which will become apparent hereinafter, one-feature of the present invention resides, briefly stated, in a device for operating a toilet seat, which has a user-operated means for lifting toilet seat; and timer means operative for lowering the toilet seat after elapsing of a predeterminted time from a time point when the seat was lifted.

The present invention also deals with a toilet seat comprising a seat part; and a device for operating said seat including a user-operated means for lifting a toilet seat; and timer means operative for lowering the toilet seat after elapsing of a predeterminted time from a time point when the seat was lifted.

When the device is designed and the toilet seat is designed in accordance with the present invention, then a male user manually lifts the seat without touching it and the timer means after a certain time automatically lowers the seat to its horizontal position for a subsequent use.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a toilet bowl with a seat and a device for operating the seat; and [0010]
FIG. 2 is a front view of the toilet bowl, the seat and the invented device. [0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 and 2 are views showing a toilet bowl which is identified as whole with [0012] reference numeral 1. The toilet bowl is provided with a well-known seat which is identified as reference 2 and is movable between a lifted position and a lowered position. In the lower position, the seat is coextensive with the upper surface of the toilet bowl 1 so that the user can sit on the toilet seat.
In accordance with the present invention, a device is provided for operating the [0013] toilet seat 2 and is identified with reference numeral 3. The inventive device 3 for operating a toilet seat 2 is first of all a manually-operated lifting unit. The manually-operated lifting unit can be composed for example a pneumatic element formed for example as an air pump 4 which is connected by an air pipe 6 to an actuating element 7 connected to the toilet seat. The actuating element 7 can be formed for example as an air tubing with a plurality of vanes and a shaft connected to the lower edge of the seat. When a user activates the pneumatic pump, air is supplied through the pipe to the tubing, towards the vanes of the tubing to turn the vanes and therefore the shaft of the tubing, and the shaft rotates and pivots the seat from the horizontal position to a vertical or at least inclined position. In the position when the seat 2 is lifted, a male user can urinate without contaminating the seat.
To prevent the situation that the user forgets to lower the seat, a [0014] further mechanism 8 is provided for automatically lowering the seat after a predetermined time after the use of the toilet. The mechanism 8 includes a timer which is identified as reference numeral 9 and an actuating element 10 which can be formed for example as a miniature electric motor.
When a certain time has passed, it is sensed by the timer, the timer activates the electric motor, the electric motor rotates its shaft connected to the seat, and the shaft turns the seat from its lifted position to its lowered position. [0015]
In accordance with the present invention, the timer can start counting time after the [0016] seat 2 is lifted. For this purpose, for example a sensor 11 can be connected to the timer and sense the presence of the seat in its lifted position, and therefore activate the timer to start counting.
When the device is designed in accordance with the present invention, then the user manually, for example by his foot, activates the mechanism for lifting the seat and the [0017] seat 2 is lifted so that a male user can urinate in a standing position, and thereafter the lowering mechanism provides lowering of the seat after a predetermined time.
Also suction cups can be provided on the lower surface of the toilet seat. [0018]
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions and methods differing from the types described above. [0019]
While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a device for operating a toilet seat and a toilet seat provided therewith, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. [0020]
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention. [0021]
What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims. [0022]

Claims

1. A device for operating a toilet seat, comprising user-operated means for lifting a toilet seat; and timer means operative for lowering the toilet seat after elapsing of a predeterminted time from a time point when the seat was lifted.

2. A device for operating a toilet seat as defined in claim 1, wherein said user-operated means for lifting is formed as manually operated means.

3. A device for operating a toilet seat as defined in claim 1, wherein said timer means is formed so that said timer means is activated and start counting time after said lifting means lift said toilet seat.

4. A device for operating a toilet seat as defined in claim 1, and further comprising a plurality of suction cups provided on the toilet seat.

5. A toilet seat, comprising a toilet seat and a device for operating said toilet seat, said device for operating said toilet seat including a user-operated means for lifting said toilet seat, and timer means operative for lowering the toilet seat after elapsing of a predetermined time from a time point when the seat was lifted.

6. A device as defined in claim 5 wherein said user-operated means for lifting is formed as manually operated means.

7. A device as defined in claim 5, wherein said timer means is formed so that said timer means is activated and start counting time when said lifting means lift said toilet seat.

8. A device as defined in claim 5; and further comprising a plurality of suction cups provided on the toilet seat.