Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Opener or closer for a closet seat or lid
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-28
2001-10-23
Eloshway, Charles R. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Opener or closer for a closet seat or lid
C004S661000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06305032
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Field of Invention
This relates to a toilet seat lifting device which permits the user to raise and lower the toilet seat without necessitating manual touching of said seat or any attachment of the seat. This provides for increased sanitation, particularly at public toilet facilities. Advantageously, it also provides a sanitary means of raising and lowering a toilet seat for the less fortunate, those with physical disabilities that prevent them from bending as well as those without sight, thereby maximizing the universality of its utilization.
2. Description of Prior Art
Users of toilet commodes, particularly at public locations, are oftentimes concerned about the possible spreading of disease by touching the toilet seat, which is obviously necessary in order to raise and lower said seat. The desire to avoid such manual touching has been previously addressed with only a limited degree of acceptability. Several previously proposed solutions have required an additional element to be physically attached to the toilet seat. Typical of such prior toilet seat lifers are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,129,907, 4,742,582, 4,875,251, and 5,027,472.
Such lifers, as aforementioned, due to their continual proximity to the toilet seat, are apt to become soiled over an extended period of time. Hence, they can subject the user to the same sanitary concerns of physically grasping the toilet seat itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,758,315 is directed to a similar type of lifter for this cover portion of the toilet seat assembly, which disadvantageously also requires physical attachment to the cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,215 is directed to a toilet seat lifter which is intended to be connected to the underside of toilet seat by double coated adhesive tape. Due to its continued close proximity to the toilet seat, such a lifter can tend to become soiled over a period of time. Further, the adhesive securement might weaken, causing disengagement of the lifter, rendering it useless, and thereby again necessitating manual touching of the toilet seat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,238 discloses a combination toilet seat lifter and flusher in which the toilet seat must be inserted in a narrow opening between an “L-shaped” round tube and the supporting holder. This would require a certain amount of dexterity, and limited versatility, since the unit would have to be customized in accordance with the thickness of the toiled seat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,799 is directed to a rather complex clamping member having jaw members which must engage the toiled seat.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,737,778 discloses a rather awkward toilet seat lifting system fish tail like appendage that offers no real control over the seat when it is in motion, consequently, over a period of time, damage could occur to the toilet bowl and the water reservoir from the impact of the uncontrollable toilet seat.
Therefore, the myriad of prior proposals for avoiding the manual grasping of the toilet seat have demonstrated several disadvantages resulting in their lack of acceptability.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved toilet seat operating mechanism.
Another object and definite advantage of the invention is to provide a sanitary toilet seat operating mechanism which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture and simple and efficient to use.
A definite advantage of the invention is its simplicity and efficiency. The invention is so efficient, simple and easy to use that persons without sight will have no difficulty in mastering its use and versatility.
With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims it being understood that the changes may be made in the form, size proportions and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit of sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4979238 (1990-12-01), Clark
patent: 5220693 (1993-06-01), Paglia
patent: 5619758 (1997-04-01), Burkett
patent: 5713084 (1998-02-01), Greco
patent: 5729839 (1998-03-01), Bigelow
patent: 5737778 (1998-04-01), Black
patent: 5829067 (1998-11-01), Smith
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