Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Seat – Hinges
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-27
2003-04-01
Fetsuga, Robert M. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Seat
Hinges
C004S246100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06539557
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to a toilet seat positioning assembly, which is electrically powered to selectively raise and/or lower the toilet seat by manual activation of a control switch preferably, but not necessarily, comprising a foot pedal assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
In most households it is common practice for more than one individual of the same family or group to share the same toilet facilities. Female members of the family or household community require that the toilet seat be placed in lowered position so as to directly overly the toilet bowl. To the contrary, male members of the family normally prefer the toilet seat to be in an oppositely disposed, raised position during the performance of at least some of the normal bodily functions. Because of the necessity to share the same toilet, it is a common complaint of both male and female family members that other members, of the opposite gender, tend to leave the toilet in the “wrong” position. This of course requires the current user of the toilet to position the seat in the preferred orientation.
Therefore, both male and female users encounter the same problem when required to manually orient the toilet seat into a preferred position by physically contacting the exposed, outer or under surfaces of the toilet seat. Contact with the toilet seat obviously exposes the user to potentially hazardous health conditions by coming into direct contact with bacteria, germs, etc. from bodily fluids which may have inadvertently contacted the toilet seat. Moreover, the raising or lowering of a toilet seat may be difficult for younger children, physically handicapped individuals or the elderly. Such individuals may have difficulty in bending or otherwise positioning themselves so as to locate the toilet seat in a preferred orientation. In the case of infants or younger children, it is not uncommon for the toilet seat to be inadvertently dropped into the lowered position, possibly resulting in injury if the toilet seat falls on a child's hand, finger, etc.
In recognition of the disadvantages and problems of the type set forth above, there have been numerous attempts to design a lifting or positioning device structured to facilitate the automatic raising and/or lowering of the toilet seat. As used herein and as commonly recognized in this field, the term “automatic” is generally meant to be descriptive of a variety of devices which selectively position the toilet seat without requiring the user to touch, grip or otherwise come into direct contact with it.
In spite of the recognition of the problems associated with positioning the toilet seat and the many attempts to design and/or produce automatic toilet seat positioning devices, it is obvious that there is a scarcity of such positioning devices being commercially offered to the public or in actual use by the general population. A review of representative attempts to design an efficient, commercially attractive toilet seat positioning device clearly indicates that such known devices appear to be extremely complicated, rendering them difficult to install and possibly less than totally reliable for continued, repetitive operation.
More specifically, known attempts to overcome the problems and disadvantages associated with positioning a toilet seat for use, as generally set forth above, typically involve manually or hydraulically powered devices. Such devices frequently comprise an assembly of articulated components, including elongated arms and/or lifting devices, which are pivotally attached to one another. Moreover, this collection of interactive components are secured to some portion of the toilet seat, such as about the peripheral edge or along the under surface thereof.
A well known category of prior art or known devices include a foot activated lever or pedal assembly, wherein manual force applied thereto facilitates the positioning of the toilet seat in the desired orientation by the interaction of the plurality of the interconnected components. In addition, foot activated assemblies may also include force generating piston and cylinder assemblies utilizing some type of hydraulic fluid or air to raise and lower the toilet seat. By way of example, the outer most end of the piston is connected to the toilet seat and may be forced into an outwardly extended or inwardly retracted position in order to obtain the desired orientation of the toilet seat.
Another category of toilet seat positioning devices incorporates the use of some type biasing structure or spring assembly, which is mounted in direct association with a hinge serving to pivotally connect the toilet seat to the toilet bowl for proper positioning thereof. In this category of devices the toilet seat is usually biased into a vertical or at least partially raised orientation, thereby requiring that the user touch or otherwise engage the exposed surfaces of the toilet seat in order to orient it into the lowered position.
Yet even more complicated toilet seat positioning devices are designed to aid the physically challenged or incapacitated, elderly individuals. Such devices involve structural features which allow for the temporary detachment of the toilet seat from the toilet bowl and the orientation thereof outwardly into a position which is more easily accessible by a handicapped or incapacitated individual. Such devices may also be operated by a variety of different types of control or switching assemblies. Control devices of this type may be either foot or hand operated so as to selectively position the toilet seat back into an operative position, while the seat at least partially bears the weight of the individual in order to aid his or her positioning relative to the toilet bowl.
A review of the various categories of automatic toilet seat positioning devices, of the type generally set forth above, provides a clear indication that the lack of commercial acceptance by the consuming public is based, at least to a large extent, on the fact that such devices are unattractive when installed and generally not “consumer friendly”. More specifically, numerous known devices are overly complex, difficult and cumbersome to operate, require considerable amount of space for their operative positioning and are difficult, if not impossible, to install without specialized tools or specific experience or training in the operation and structure of such positioning devices.
Therefore, there is a recognized need in this area for an improved automatic toilet seat positioning assembly which is effective and efficient in its operation and consistently reliable for continuous and/or repetitive use. If any such improved toilet seat positioning assembly were developed, it should be compact in its design and structure, safe and reliable in its operation and capable of being easily and quickly installed, particularly by women consumers, without the use of expensive and/or complicated tools or equipment. In addition, the structural and design features of any such improved toilet seat positioning assembly should be such as to allow its purchase as part of the toilet seat assembly. As such, both the positioning assembly and toilet seat can be installed as an integrated unit in a manner substantially similar to that used to install a conventional toilet seat. Alternatively, any improved positioning assembly should be capable of being sold and purchased independently and structurally adaptable to be easily and quickly installed on existing toilet seat structures.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a toilet seat positioning assembly structured to selectively orient a toilet seat in either a raised or lowered position relative to the toilet bowl on which it is mounted without requiring the user to grip or otherwise directly contact the toilet seat. The positioning assembly of the present invention is distinguishable, at least in part, from known or conventional toilet seat lifting devices by virtue of its efficiently compact size. As such, at least a port
Fetsuga Robert M.
Malloy & Malloy P.A.
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