Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Opener or closer for a closet seat or lid – Fluid mechanism
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-26
2002-04-02
Phillips, Charles E. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Opener or closer for a closet seat or lid
Fluid mechanism
Reexamination Certificate
active
06363543
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to the field of toilet seat-lifters, and more specifically, to toilet seat lifters operated by application of pressure by the user's foot. Many prior art foot actuated toilet seat-lifting devices are known, employing levers, rods, cables, air and fluid displacing pistons. The force of the user's foot is transmitted to the toilet seat, so that the seat is lifted. By not touching the seat with the hand, the risk of spreading microorganism that can cause sickness and disease transmission is greatly reduced. Furthermore the inconvenience of bending over is eliminated. None of the prior devices have achieved wide acceptance and use. This lack of acceptance and use is believed to be due, at least in part to a few disadvantages inherent in the design of prior art devices. One of the major disadvantages is most of the prior art devices have not managed to hide the mechanical hardware (levers, rods, air and fluid displacing pistons linkage, etc.). They appear as a crude mechanical hardware device instead of a bathroom accessory. This is not acceptable to the public.
Another disadvantage is the mechanical complexity that makes them too expensive, and requires complicated installation procedures that are unacceptable to customers. Devices such as that disclosed in, U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,146 of Pilkington and U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,576 of Lillie are functional, but are not visually appealing, and only slightly inhibit the force associated with the lowering of the seat. If the user's foot is suddenly removed from the mechanism, there is nothing in place to prevent the seat from slamming back down. U.S. Pat. No. 3,055,016 of Kemp uses multiple levers and foot pedals, complex linkages, does not provide for adjustment of the air cylinder to different height toilets, and is very difficult to install. U. S. Pat. No. 3,504,385 of Fields positions a cylinder vertically behind the lifting arm, which seriously limits its anti slamming protection capability. The prior art devices make no provision for user comfort such as if the user is barefoot when using the facility in the middle of the night. Devices such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,988 of Won, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,426,743 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,470,161 of Seabrooke, are so technical that they would require extremely detailed installation instructions which the average person would find too burdensome. In addition, the cost to manufacture and thus retail price of the product would be commercially unfeasible. U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,708 of Zamoyski describes a very functional but cumbersome mechanical hardware device. A very basic, low-cost accessory is required which is easy to install and easy to use as it gently lifts up and then lowers the toilet seat back down without slamming despite varying degrees and swiftness of pressure and release of the foot pedal by various users. This appliance needs to look like a bathroom accessory or fixture, and thus blend into the interior.
ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
The preferred embodiment of this invention provides an inexpensive, easy to use, easy to install, toilet seat lifter. The design has the look of a bathroom accessory, while performing the lifting of the toilet seat. The unit then allows the toilet seat to naturally fall back down, slowing the rate of fall to the bowl.
Another preferred embodiment of the invention eliminates the need to bend over to lift the seat (this saves the back) and protects the user's hand from contracting diseases from the toilet seat.
Another preferred embodiment of the invention offers a low manufacturing cost, and installs in less than 2 minutes onto a wide variety of toilet seats. No tools are required to do the installation, and the device is easily displaced for floor cleaning.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A device that is used to lift a toilet seat. This device has a base hinge with a foot pedal that uses a cable and pulley lifting system. This system lifts the movable rod of a shock absorber device, which in turn lifts the seat bracket and the toilet seat. The removable adjustment pad, limits the travel lift distance of the toilet seat. This adjustment keeps the toilet seat on a slight tilted angle. The gravity of the seat on an angle, returns the seat when pedal is depressed.
The shock absorber device slows the returning decent of the seat back down to the bowl when the pedal is depressed. The shock absorber device resides inside the housing tube, and it rests on top of the bottom cover plate pedestal. The housing tube is attached to the base hinge. There is non-skid material on the bottom cover plate.
Theory of application
As pressure from the user's foot is applied to the foot pedal, the rod of a shock absorber device extends upward lifting the bracket and the attached toilet seat. The seat is lifted to about an 85 degree angle. This action also extends out the piston of the shock absorber device and air fills the shock absorber. At the exhaust end of the shock absorber there is a one-way valve with a partially blocked outlet.
When the pedal is released, the toilet seat starts to descend by gravity and angle of the seat. The seat moves downward and the shock absorber starts to compress air in the cylinder and the valve at the bottom of the shock absorber allows the air to escape slowly providing a controlled, gentle return of the seat to the bowl.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2723400 (1955-11-01), Wilson
patent: 4951323 (1990-08-01), Shalom
patent: 5103506 (1992-04-01), Munford et al.
patent: 9006715 (1990-06-01), None
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