Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Opener or closer for a closet seat or lid
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-08
2002-10-29
Eloshway, Charles R. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Opener or closer for a closet seat or lid
C004S216000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06470503
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for lifting a seat of a toilet. More particularly, the present invention relates to a foot operated device for lifting a seat of a toilet.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for foot operated devices for lifting a seat of a toilet have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,576 to Lillie teaches a foot actuated toilet seat lifter in which a base member of substantially triangular cross-section is placed on the floor with the apex down. Foot pressure on one surface of the base pivots the base about the apex, causing a shaft to press upward on a bracket attached to the toilet seat, thus lifting the seat. A variety of base shapes are disclosed, together with a bellows for damping seat lowering, and optional means for securing the base to the floor or carpet. All parts are removable to aid in cleaning, and may be installed or removed without tools. The base member may optionally have a continuously curving lower surface, or may be formed of angled material to achieve the same effect as a triangular member. The resulting devices have the advantage of employing very few parts when compared to some prior art lifters.
A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,988 to Won teaches a device for lifting, lowering, and locking a toilet seat assembly in position without any hands-on interaction with the toilet seat assembly that includes a selection of devices having additional mechanical advantage when pivoting the seat assembly. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, a cable-operated foot lever is used in combination with a crank portion on the hinge of the toilet seat. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, a system of planetary gears is used in the lever and/or the hinge assembly.
A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,444,877 to Kumarasurier teaches a foot operated double acting lever for rotating a lid hinged to a base from a first position to a second position such as lifting the seat of a toilet bowl without touching the seat with the hands wherein the lid (or seat) is locked in the second position when the pedal is not depressed thereby maintaining the seat in its second position and is unlocked by depressing the pedal a second time and allowing the lid to rotate back to its first position at a speed that is under control of the foot on the pedal. The device includes a rotating housing coupled to one end of the lever (opposite the end with the pedal) that is coupled to a drive gear that turns a hinge gear mounted to rotate on the same axis as the lid. In order that the lid be locked in the second position, a lock catch engages the drive gear and a fixed slot thereby locking the drive gear. when the pedal is depressed, the lock catch is with drawn permitting the drive gear to rotate thereby allowing the lid to rotate on its hinge back to its first position.
A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,782 to RataJac teaches a foot actuated toilet seat lifting device having an adjustable width toilet seat attachment bracket, a telescoping lifting arm assembly, an actuator lever, a fluid pressure cylinder, and a base assembly. The rear end of the fluid pressure cylinder is pivotally secured to the base assembly and the front end of its piston rod is pivotally secured to the actuator lever intermediate its front and rear ends. The actuator lever is secured to a transversely extending axle mounted to the base assembly. A foot pedal assembly is mounted on the front end of the actuator level. When the foot pedal is depressed, the actuator level pivots around its axle and lifts the telescoping lifting arm assembly tube upwardly. This causes the toilet seat attachment bracket secured to its upper end to lift the toilet seat through a predetermined upward angle. The fluid pressure cylinder allows the toilet seat to be automatically slowly lowered to its horizontal position upon release of pressure on the foot pedal assembly.
A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,192 to Hodges teaches an apparatus for the raising and self-lowering of a toilet seat comprising a level, the lever being disposed in an essentially vertical plane having a central aperture extending therethrough for the receipt of a bolt and an associated nut for constituting a pivot point, the lever having an outboard end with a pedal secured thereto for being depressed by the foot of a user, the lever having an inboard end with an aperture therethrough for receipt of a bolt with an associated nut for transferring motion from the pedal to a toilet seat to be lifted upon the depression of the pedal; and a support assembly for attachment to a support bolt of a toilet seat and for supporting the lever at its pivot point, the support assembly including an L-shaped bracket with a horizontal leg formed with an aperture for being received by and secured to the support bolt of a toilet and with the L-shaped bracket having an upstanding leg with an aperture, the support assembly also having a horizontal bracket with a pair of apertures at each end, the aperture at one end being coupled to the apertures of the L-shaped bracket, the support assembly also including a vertical bracket having an upper end with two apertures adapted to be received in the outboard apertures of the horizontal bracket and with a lower end positionable in contact with the toilet for maintaining a proper orientation of the support assembly.
A SIXTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,743 to Alfonso teaches a mechanical apparatus used to lift and lower the lid and seat of a toilet by the way of a pedal mechanism. The pedal mechanism is connected by levers to a cylindrical lifting device mounted on a shaft. The lifting device is connected to the lid and seat by clasps which are screwed, bolted, riveted, or glued to the toilet lid and seat. The apparatus is held in place by floor braces attached by threaded studs which are fixed to the floor by nuts or by being cemented in depending on the material to be fixed to. An adjusting lever proceeding from the lifting device and connected to the pedal mechanism by a lever, can be adjusted 80 that the lid and seat stay up after taking the foot away from the pedal. One or both pedals can be actioned at the same time with one foot. The pedal stirrups are cup shaped. Thus the lid and seat can be lifted by pressing down with the sole of the shoe. To lower the seat and/or lid, the top of the shoe toe makes contact with the inside top of the pedal stirrup pressing upwards on the pedal thus lowering the seat and/or the lid. The entire apparatus can be made of synthetic materials and/or noncorrosive metal with the exception of the mounting shaft and the floor braces. For the mounting shaft and the floor braces noncorrosive metal is best due to the strain produced when fixing the apparatus in it place to keep it secured.
A SEVENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,958 to Nguyen teaches a hands-off toilet seat lifting apparatus comprised of a mounting bracket adapted for removable securement around a base of an existing toilet. The mounting bracket has a securement block secured to an outer surface thereof. The device contains a first foot pedal having a rod extending outwardly therefrom. The rod has an end portion pivotally coupled to an intermediate portion of an arm. A stop mechanism is coupled around the pivotally coupled rod and arm. The arm has a first end and a second end. The first end is pivotally coupled to an outer surface of the securement block of the mounting bracket. The second end of the arm has an adjustable shaft extending upwardly therefrom. The adjustable shaft has an end portion secured to a toilet cover. The first foot pedal has a spring secured to a bottom surface thereof. The first end of the arm has a spring secured to a bottom surface thereof. It is apparent that numerous innovations for foot operated devices
Eloshway Charles R.
Miller, P.E. Richard L.
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