Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Opener or closer for a closet seat or lid
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-28
2001-04-10
Recla, Henry J. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Opener or closer for a closet seat or lid
C016S905000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06212694
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of appliances and, more particularly, to a toilet seat attachment.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional toilets include a lower bowl portion having an opening that is covered by a hinged seat and cover. The seat and cover are manually moved or pivoted between a generally horizontal lower position and generally vertical raised position. The cover and seat are moved separately or together at the choice of the user. The movable seat permits females to use the appliance in the seated position and males to use the appliance in a standing position. The cover is raised for use and lowered to provide a more pleasing appearance when the appliance is not in use.
As with so many other seemingly simple appliances, significant difficulties arise because many males will urinate from the standing position without raising the seat, thereby leaving the seat soiled. Soiling of the toilet seat can lead to bacterial growth on the seat and the possibility of disease being spread through human contact therewith. Females obviously find such a situation to be repugnant and are forced to clean the seat prior to use. This difference in toilet use between the sexes and a lack of recognition of proper toilet etiquette on the part of many males has led to considerable controversy over the past century. A lack of proper toilet seat use also arises with younger males who have yet to learn or are in the process of learning the habit of raising and lowering the toilet seat.
In addition, leaving the toilet bowl uncovered after use often attracts a child or pet. The open toilet bowl permits children to throw items into the toilet and also encourages domestic pets to drink from the bowl. Further, an uncovered toilet bowl can result in an infant falling into the bowl and sustaining an injury or worse. Finally, an uncovered toilet bowl presents a less attractive appearance than a closed toilet bowl.
Thus, there is a need for a device that encourages males to lift the toilet seat prior to urinating from a standing position and thereafter, flush the toilet and lower the seat and cover after use. Further, the device must permit females to easily use the toilet seat without undue manipulation or inconvenience.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a toilet accessory that promotes a proper and sanitary use of a toilet by males and females alike. More specifically, the present invention is especially useful in the training of young males in the proper use of the toilet. The present invention assures that males using the toilet will not soil the toilet seat, that the toilet will be flushed after use and the seat and cover will be placed in a lowered position after use.
In accordance with the principles of the present invention and in accordance with the described embodiments, the present invention provides a toilet seat accessory for use with a seat and cover of a toilet that independently pivot between raised and lowered positions. The toilet seat accessory is mounted to the cover and has one end extending beyond a perimeter of the cover to block access to a flush handle of the toilet when the cover is in the raised position. An opposite end of the accessory is removably latched to the seat such that as the cover is moved between the raised and lowered positions, the seat is held by the opposite end of the toilet seat accessory and moves with the cover between the raised and lowered positions.
The toilet accessory of the present invention has proven to be useful in training young males in the proper use of the toilet. As such, the toilet accessory prevents the unnecessary soiling of the toilet seat and further, encourages the user to lower the seat and cover after use and flush the toilet. A lowered seat and cover blocks access by children and pets to the toilet bowl with an advantage of preventing blockage of the plumbing works by foreign objects that may be put in the toilet bowl by children. Blocking access to the toilet bowl has a further advantage of preventing pets from drinking from the bowl. Another advantage of a closed toilet bowl is that infants are prevented from accidentally falling into the bowl and sustaining a serious injury or drowning. A lowered seat and cover provides a still further advantage of providing a substantially improved appearance when the toilet is not in use. Thus, with the present invention, the toilet bowl is always in a desired covered state when not in use.
In one aspect of the invention, a blocking device is on the one end of the toilet seat accessory and has a broad substantially flat portion blocking access to the flush handle from all directions.
In a further aspect of the invention, a latching device is on the opposite end for removably latching onto the seat. The latching device includes a standoff extending outward from the cover and a hook is the distal end of the standoff, and the hook extends over an inner edge of the seat and contacts and hooks onto the lower seat surface, thereby releasably connecting the seat to the cover. A tab extends opposite the hook on the distal end of the standoff, whereby upon the cover and seat being in the raised position, pushing on the tab removes the hook from the lower surface of the seat, thereby releasing the seat from being latched with the cover.
In another embodiment of the invention, a toilet seat cover includes a blocking device extending beyond a perimeter of the cover, the blocking device being mounted at a location causing the blocking device to block access to a flush handle of the toilet when the cover is in the raised position. The cover further includes a latching device adapted to be removably latchable to a toilet seat such that as the cover is moved between the raised and lowered positions, the seat is held by the latching device and is moved with the cover between the raised and lowered positions.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent during the following detailed description together with the drawings herein.
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Le Huyen
Recla Henry J.
Wood Herron & Evans L.L.P.
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