Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Flush closet seat assist to raise user
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-27
2001-02-20
Eloshway, Charles R. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Flush closet seat assist to raise user
C004S254000, C297S313000, C297SDIG001
Reexamination Certificate
active
06189164
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to toilets and more specifically it relates to a toilet seat elevating system for assisting a physically challenged individual departing a conventional toilet.
Individuals who are physically challenged, such as an elderly person, often times find it difficult to remove themselves from a conventional toilet after utilization. These individuals sometimes injure themselves attempting to remove themselves from the conventional toilets. Sometimes they fall from the toilet attempting to remove themselves. Hence, there is a need for an invention that assists individuals in leaving a toilet after utilization.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices to assist individuals from a toilet have been in use for years. Typically, an elongated handle structure is attached to a wall adjacent the toilet for the individual to grasp thereby allowing them to pull themselves up from the toilet.
Unfortunately, some physically challenged individuals do not have the physical strength required to pull themselves from the toilet. Also, some bathrooms do not have a wall adjacent the toilet for these handles to attach to.
Examples of attempts to solve the problem of elevating an individual from a toilet include U.S. Pat. No. 4,185,335 to Alvis; U.S. Pat. No. 3,473,174 to Cool; U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,703 to Jones et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,561,872 to Phillips; U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,709 to McGuire; U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,085 to Gibbons; U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,736 to Sadler et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,168,552 to Austin; U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,446 to Robertson; U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,130 to Snijders et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,671 to Kearns; U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,678 to Love et al. which; U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,576 to Epstein; U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,833 to Hunterare all illustrative of such prior art.
Alvis (U.S. Pat. No. 4,185,335) discloses a movable toilet seat assembly. Alvis teaches a platform that is elevated by a pair of hydraulic cylinders. Alvis is positionable about an existing toilet.
Cool (U.S. Pat. No. 3,473,174) discloses a seat construction for assisting an individual from a conventional toilet. Cool teaches an upstanding frame member with side sections, an interconnection means and associated power operable means between the frame member and the seat for selectively pivoting the seat upwardly and forwardly.
Jones et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,703) discloses a powered toilet seat lift for assisting a physically challenged person to use a toilet. Jones et al. teaches a toilet seat having a passageway therethrough, a baseplate positioned about the base of a toilet bowl, and a pair of hydraulic cylinders supporting the toilet seat for vertical movement between a lowered and elevated position.
Phillips (U.S. Pat. No. 5,561,872) discloses an apparatus for raising and lowering a toilet seat. Phillips teaches a frame having a U-shaped base and a pair of parallel spaced support members projecting upwardly from the base at an inclined angle for supporting a pair of telescopic arms.
McGuire (U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,709) discloses a hydraulic commode assembly for lowering a handicapped person from a standing position to a seated position. McGuire teaches a hydraulc cylinder that operates on household water pressure for ellevating a seat.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for assisting a physically challenged individual departing a conventional toilet. Conventional methods of assisting individuals from a toilet seat require a wall or similar structure adjacent the toilet along with the ability of the individual to pull themselves from the toilet. Attempted modifications are not suitable in the respect that they do not provide a simple and affordable structure that can be purchased by the average consumer.
In these respects, the toilet seat elevating system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of assisting a physically challenged individual departing a conventional toilet.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of physical aid devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new toilet seat elevating system construction wherein the same can be utilized for assisting a physically challenged individual departing a conventional toilet.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new toilet seat elevating system that has many of the advantages of the physical aid devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new toilet seat elevating system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art toilet aid devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a frame having a pair of side members, a pair of cross members, and securing members for engaging the lower portion of a conventional toilet. An extendible structure attached to the frame and a seat member for moving the seat member forwardly and upwardly thereby assisting an individual from a seated position. A guide funnel is secured about an opening within the seat member for guiding discharged material directly into the toilet basin. A pair of arm rests are attached to the seat member for assisting the individual during utilization of the device. The extendible structure is comprised of a pair of upper arms and lower arms attached between the frame and the seat member. An actuator is attached between the frame and a lever structure that is pivotally attached to the frame and the seat member thereby elevating the seat member.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and that 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 the description and should not be regarded as limiting.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a toilet seat elevating system that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices.
Another object is to provide a toilet seat elevating system that assists a physically challenged individual departing a conventional toilet.
An additional object is to provide a toilet seat elevating system that elevates a physically challenged individual from a seated position into an upright position from which they may comfortably stand.
A further object is to provide a toilet seat elevating system that reduces the physical strain placed upon an individual's body when departing a conventional toilet.
Another object is to provide a toilet seat elevating system that assists in lowering an individual from an elevated position to a seated position about a conventional toilet.
A further object is to provide a toilet seat elevating system that is positionable about an existing conventional toilet.
Another object is to provide a toilet seat elevating system that is adjustable for various heights of toilets.
An additional object is to provide a toilet seat elevating system that can be easily installed about a conventional toilet.
Another object is to provide a toilet seat elevating system tha
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