Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Opener or closer for a closet seat or lid
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-11
2001-04-24
Huson, Gregory L. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Opener or closer for a closet seat or lid
C004S246300, C004S246400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06219854
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to lifting devices and more particularly pertains to a new toilet seat lifting apparatus for lifting a toilet seat with a user's foot.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of lifting devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, lifting devices heretofore devised and utilized 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.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,496; U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,595; U.S. Pat. No. 2,954,565; U.S. Pat. No. 621,790; U.S. Pat. No. 2,155,548; and U.S. Des. Pat. No. 341,416.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new toilet seat lifting apparatus. The inventive device includes a toilet and a lifting means. The toilet has a bowl. A toilet seat is hingedly coupled to the top edge of the top section of the bowl. A lifting means for lifting the toilet seat has a base portion. The base portion has a top surface and a bottom surface for mounting on a floor surface adjacent to the toilet. A platform is hingedly connecting the platform to the base portion. A first rod is elongate, having a first end, a second end and a middle portion. The middle portion is coupled to the platform. A second rod is elongate and has a first end and a second end. The first end of the second rod is hingedly coupled to the second end of the first rod. The second end of the second rod is coupled to the toilet seat.
In these respects, the toilet seat lifting apparatus 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 lifting a toilet seat with a user's foot.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of lifting devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new toilet seat lifting apparatus construction wherein the same can be utilized for lifting a toilet seat with a user's foot.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new toilet seat lifting apparatus apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the lifting devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new toilet seat lifting apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art lifting devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a toilet and a lifting means. The toilet has a bowl. A toilet seat is hingedly coupled to the top edge of the top section of the bowl. A lifting means for lifting the toilet seat has a base portion. The base portion has a top surface and a bottom surface for mounting on a floor surface adjacent to the toilet. A platform is hingedly connecting the platform to the base portion. A first rod is elongate, having a first end, a second end and a middle portion. The middle portion is coupled to the platform. A second rod is elongate and has a first end and a second end. The first end of the second rod is hingedly coupled to the second end of the first rod. The second end of the second rod is coupled to the toilet seat.
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 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.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new toilet seat lifting apparatus apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the lifting devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new toilet seat lifting apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art lifting devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new toilet seat lifting apparatus which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new toilet seat lifting apparatus which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new toilet seat lifting apparatus 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 toilet seat lifting apparatus economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new toilet seat lifting apparatus which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new toilet seat lifting apparatus for lifting a toilet seat with a user's foot.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new toilet seat lifting apparatus which includes a toilet and a lifting means. The toilet has a bowl. A toilet seat is hingedly coupled to the top edge of the top section of the bowl. A lifting means for lifting the toilet seat has a base portion. The base portion has a top surface and a bottom surface for mounting on a floor surface adjacent to the toilet. A platform is hingedly connecting the platform to the base portion. A first rod is elongate, having a first end, a second end and a middle portion. The middle portion is coupled to the platform. A second rod is elongate and has a first end and a second end. The first end of the second rod is hingedly coupled to the second end of the first rod. The second end of the second rod is coupled to the toilet seat.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new toilet seat lifting apparatus that has an adjustable stop on the second rod to allow for variance in toilet height.
Even st
Milliman Chad L.
Milliman John R.
Huson Gregory L.
Huynh Khoa
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