Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Flush closet seat assist to raise user
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-24
2001-03-13
Fetsuga, Robert M. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Flush closet seat assist to raise user
C004S20900R
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199228
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a height adjustable toilet seat and more particularly pertains to adjusting a height of a toilet seat using a standard water supply.
Older people and physically challenged people ordinarily have trouble doing everyday things, such as using the toilet. Most of these people have trouble sitting down on normally low-seated toilets. They have even more trouble getting off of these toilets and standing. These problems stem from the fact that these people have a lack of lower body strength, very little flexibility or control that is necessary to enable adequate or confident movement between erect and crouched positions.
The present invention solves the aforementioned problems by providing that which will serve to raise and lower an individual with respect to a toilet bowl. The individual will utilize hand controls to raise and lower themselves using water from a standard water supply associated with bathrooms and toilets.
The use of adjustable toilet assemblies is known in the prior art. More specifically, adjustable toilet assemblies heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of raising and lowering a toilet seat are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,833 to Hunter discloses a hydraulic cylinder used in conjunction with a frame for vertically raising and lowering a toilet seat for use by an infirm person. U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,617 to Ward discloses the use of household water pressure to raise and lower a toilet seat for use by people who are disabled. U.S. Pat. No. 3,473,174 to Cool discloses means for automatically raising a user from a seated position to a standing position used in conjunction with a toilet.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objective and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a height adjustable toilet seat for adjusting a height of a toilet seat using a standard water supply.
In this respect, the height adjustable toilet seat according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of adjusting a height of a toilet seat using a standard water supply.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved height adjustable toilet seat which can be used for adjusting a height of a toilet seat using a standard water supply. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of adjustable toilet assemblies now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved height adjustable toilet seat. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved height adjustable toilet seat and method which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a frame member disposed on opposing sides of a toilet. The frame member includes a pair of inverted generally U-shaped members disposed on opposing sides of the toilet. A cross bar extends between rear vertical segments of the U-shaped members. The U-shaped members each have a sliding plate slidably disposed thereon. The sliding plates have a toilet seat secured therebetween whereby the toilet seat is positioned over a toilet bowl of the toilet. A water supply conduit is provided that is coupled with a standard water supply line. The water supply conduit has a bifurcated outer portion for positioning with respect to the inverted U-shaped members. A pair of cylinders are positioned underneath the sliding plates of the inverted U-shaped members. The pair of cylinders each have a water inlet in fluid communication with the bifurcated outer portion of the water supply conduit. The pair of cylinders each have a piston extending upwardly therefrom and securing to an underside of the sliding plates. Each of the cylinders have a water outlet. A water outlet conduit is provided that is comprised of a bifurcated portion coupling with the water outlets of the pair of cylinders. The water outlet conduit has a free end extending within the toilet bowl. A pair of control valves are coupled with respect to the water supply conduit and the water outlet conduit for selectively supplying water to and removing water from the pair of cylinders to facilitate raising and lowering of the toilet seat with respect to the toilet.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved height adjustable toilet seat which has all the advantages of the prior art adjustable toilet assemblies and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved height adjustable toilet seat which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved height adjustable toilet seat which is of durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved height adjustable toilet seat which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such a height adjustable toilet seat economically available to the buying public.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved height adjustable toilet seat for adjusting a height of a toilet seat using a standard water supply.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved height adjustable toilet seat including a frame member disposed on opposing sides of a toilet. The frame member has sliding plates slidably disposed thereon. The sliding plates have a toilet seat secured therebetween whereby the toilet seat is positioned over a toilet bowl of the toilet. A water supply conduit is provided that is coupled with a standard water supply line. The water supply conduit has a bifurcated outer portion for positioning with respect to the frame member. A pair of cylinders are positioned underneath the sliding plates. The pair of cylinders each have a water inlet in fluid communication with the bifurcated outer
Fetsuga Robert M.
Goldstein & Canino
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