The present disclosure is related to toilets, toilet seats for such toilets, and means, mechanisms and/or methods for raising such toilet seats. More specifically, the present disclosure is directed to a toilet device configured to provide a self-rising toilet seat and method of use thereof.
Generally speaking, a toilet is a piece of sanitary hardware that collects human urine and feces, and sometimes toilet paper, usually for disposal. Flush toilets use water, while dry or non-flush toilets do not. They can be designed for a sitting position popular in Europe and North America with a toilet seat, with additional considerations for those with disabilities. Toilets are commonly made of ceramic (porcelain), concrete, plastic, or wood. The technology used for modern toilets varies. Newer toilet technologies include dual flushing, automatic flushing with sensors, low flushing, toilet seat warming, self-cleaning, female urinals and waterless urinals.
A toilet seat is a hinged unit consisting of a round or oval open seat, and usually a lid, which is bolted onto the bowl of a toilet used in a sitting position (as opposed to a squat toilet). The seat can be either for a flush toilet or a dry toilet. A toilet seat consists of the seat itself, which may be contoured for the user to sit on, and the lid, which covers the toilet when it is not in use. The lid may be absent in some cases, particularly in public restrooms. The issue of whether the seat and lid should be placed in the closed position after use is a perennial topic of discussion and light humor (usually across gender lines), with it often being argued that leaving the toilet seat up is more efficient for men, while putting it down is more considerate for women. The “right answer” seems to depend on factors ranging from the location of the toilet (public or private), the population of the users (e.g. a sorority house vs frat house) and/or personal or family values, opinions, preferences, agreements or toiletry habits.
However, in most public restrooms, the toilet seat is typically kept in a down position when a toilet is not in use, making it so, a male should raise the toilet seat to urinate in the standing position. As such, a male must raise the toilet seat prior to urinating in a standing position. However, this standard may not always be followed in public restrooms, as males may not want to touch the toilet seat to raise it prior to urinating. This issue may lead to toilet seats being inoperable to sit on as their top sides become saturated with urine. As such, there is clearly a need to provide a means for raising a toilet seat, especially in commercial or public restroom settings.
The instant disclosure may be designed to address at least certain aspects of the problems or needs discussed above by providing a toilet device configured to provide a self-rising toilet seat and method of use thereof.
The present disclosure may solve the aforementioned limitations of the currently available toilets, toilet seats, and means for raising such toilet seats, by providing the disclosed toilet device configured to provide a self-rising toilet seat and method of use thereof. As such, the disclosed toilet device may be configured to provide a self-rising toilet seat on a toilet. The toilet device may generally include a base, at least one raising arm, and a force mechanism. The base may be configured to attach to the toilet. The at least one raising arm may be in communication with the self-rising toilet seat. Each of the at least one raising arms may be rotatably connected to the base, where the at least one raising arm may be configured to rotate about the base for raising the self-rising toilet seat. The force mechanism may be operatively connected to the at least one raising arm. The force mechanism may be configured to control the at least one raising arm to move to a raised position of the self-rising toilet seat.
One feature of the disclosed toilet device configured to provide a self-rising toilet seat may be that the toilet device can be configured to self-raise the self-rising toilet seat from a seated position to the raised position.
Another feature of the disclosed toilet device configured to provide a self-rising toilet seat may be that the toilet device can be configured to maintain the self-rising toilet seat in the raised position until a lowering force is applied to move the self-rising toilet seat to the seated position.
In select embodiments of the disclosed toilet device configured to provide a self-rising toilet seat, the force mechanism may include a spring device. The spring device may be configured to provide a bias to the at least one raising arm to move to the raised position of the self-rising toilet seat. The spring device may include at least one spring that can be configured to provide the bias to the at least one raising arm to move to the raised position of the self-rising toilet seat. In select embodiments of the spring device, at least two springs may be included in a parallel configuration configured to provide the bias to the at least one raising arm to move to the raised position of the self-rising toilet seat. As an example, and clearly not limited thereto, in select possibly preferred embodiments, the spring device may include five springs in the parallel configuration. The spring device may include a housing with a plurality of channels therein. Each channel in the housing of the spring device may be configured to hold one of the springs therein. As an example, and clearly not limited thereto, in select possibly preferred embodiments, the spring device may include five springs in the parallel configuration, and a housing with five channels, where each of the five channels is configured to hold one of the five springs therein.
In select embodiments of the disclosed toilet device configured to provide a self-rising toilet seat, each of the at least one raising arms may include a mounting hole, a first arm portion, and a second arm portion. The mounting hole may be configured to receive a hinge pin of a toilet seat hinge therethrough. The first arm portion may extend away from the mounting hole in a first direction. The first arm portion may be configured to support the self-rising toilet seat for raising it from a seated position to the raised position. The second arm portion may extend away from the mounting hole in a second direction. The second arm portion may be configured to be operatively connected to the force mechanism to control the first arm portion to move to the raised position of the self-rising toilet seat. In select embodiments, the second direction may be approximately perpendicular to the first direction. In other select embodiments, the first arm portion may include a protective cover configured to engage a bottom of the self-rising toilet seat for dampening forces between the bottom of the self-rising toilet seat and the first arm portion. In other select embodiments, the second arm portion may include a controller rod affixed thereto. The controller rod may be affixed to the second arm portion at approximately a distal end of the second arm portion. The controller rod may be configured to engage the force mechanism to control the first arm portion to move to the raised position of the self-rising toilet seat. The base may include a rounded passageway configured to allow the controller rod to be moved therein from the seated position to the raised position of the self-rising toilet seat. In select possibly preferred embodiments, the at least one raising arm may include two raising arms. The two raising arms may include a first raising arm on a first side of the base, and a second raising arm on a second side of the base. The controller rod may be affixed between approximately a first distal end of the first raising arm and approximately a second distal end of the second raising arm. Wherein, the controller rod may be positioned through the rounded passageway of the base from the first side of the base to the second side of the base. In select embodiments, the force mechanism may include a sliding member configured to slide within the base. The sliding member may be configured to control the at least one raising arm to move to a raised position of the self-rising toilet seat via controlling the controller rod within the rounded passageway of the base. Wherein the force mechanism may include at least one spring configured to bias the at least one raising arm to the raised position of the self-rising toilet seat by biasing the sliding member to control the controller rod within the rounded passageway of the base.
Another feature of the disclosed toilet device configured to provide a self-rising toilet seat may be the inclusion of a disengaging mechanism. The disengaging mechanism may be configured to disengage the force mechanism from the at least one raising arm. Whereby the self-rising toilet seat may function as a normal toilet seat when the disengaging mechanism disengages the force mechanism from the at least one raising arm. In select embodiments, the disengaging mechanism may include an engaging nut and a lever. The engaging nut may have a rounded top portion and a flat bottom portion. The lever may be configured to rotate the engaging nut. The engaging nut may be operatively connected to a lip of the sliding member of the force mechanism. Wherein, when the lever is rotated in a self-rising direction to position the flat bottom portion down, the sliding member is free to move within the base and the force mechanism is configured to control the at least one raising arm to move to a raised position of the self-rising toilet seat. And when the lever is rotated in a disengaging opposite direction to position the rounded top portion down, the rounded top portion is configured to lock the sliding member in the seated position of the sliding member via the lip to prevent the force mechanism from controlling the at least one raising arm, whereby the self-rising toilet seat functions as the normal toilet seat.
Another feature of the disclosed toilet device configured to provide a self-rising toilet seat may be that the base can include a first notch and a second notch. The first notch of the base may be on a first side of the base. The first notch may be configured to receive a first toilet seat hinge. The second notch of the base may be on a second side of the base. The second notch may be configured to receive a second toilet seat hinge. Wherein, the base may be positioned and affixed to the toilet via the first toilet seat hinge being positioned and affixed in the first notch, and the second toilet seat hinge being positioned and affixed in the second notch.
In another aspect, the instant disclosure embraces the disclosed toilet device configured to provide a self-rising toilet seat in any embodiment and/or combination of embodiments shown and/or disclosed herein.
In another aspect, the instant disclosure embraces a toilet with the disclosed toilet device configured to provide a self-rising toilet seat in any embodiment and/or combination of embodiments shown and/or disclosed herein.
The foregoing illustrative summary, as well as other exemplary objectives and/or advantages of the disclosure, and the manner in which the same are accomplished, are further explained within the following detailed description and its accompanying drawings.
The present disclosure will be better understood by reading the Detailed Description with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and in which like reference numerals denote similar structure and refer to like elements throughout, and in which:
It is to be noted that the drawings presented are intended solely for the purpose of illustration and that they are, therefore, neither desired nor intended to limit the disclosure to any or all of the exact details of construction shown, except insofar as they may be deemed essential to the claimed disclosure.
Referring now to
The present disclosure may solve the aforementioned limitations of the currently available toilets, toilet seats, and means for raising such toilet seats, by providing toilet device 10 configured to provide self-rising toilet seat 12 and method of use thereof. As such, toilet device 10 may be configured to provide self-rising toilet seat 12 on toilet 14, as shown in
Force mechanism 20 may be included with toilet device 10 configured for providing self-rising toilet seat 12. See
At least one raising arm 18 may be include with toilet device 10 configured for providing self-rising toilet seat 12. See
As shown in the Figures, in select possibly preferred embodiments, the at least one raising arm 18 may include two raising arms 18. The two raising arms 18 may include first raising arm 70 on first side 72 of base 16, and second raising arm 74 on second side 76 of base 16. Controller rod 64 may be affixed between approximately first distal end 78 of first raising arm 70 and approximately second distal end 80 of second raising arm 74. Wherein, controller rod 64 may be positioned through rounded passageway 68 of base 16 from first side 72 of base 16 to second side 76 of base 16. In select embodiments, as shown in the Figures, force mechanism 20 may include sliding member 82 configured to slide within base 16. Sliding member 82 may be configured to control the at least one raising arm 18 to move to raised position 22 of self-rising toilet seat 12 seat via controlling controller rod 64 within rounded passageway 68 of base 16. Wherein, force mechanism 20 may include at least one spring 32 configured to bias the at least one raising arm 18 to raised position 22 of self-rising toilet seat 12 by biasing sliding member 82 to control controller rod 64 within rounded passageway 68 of base 16.
Referring now specifically to
Base 16 may be included with toilet device 10 configured for providing self-rising toilet seat 12. See
In another aspect, the instant disclosure embraces toilet device 10 configured to provide self-rising toilet seat 12 in any embodiment and/or combination of embodiments shown and/or disclosed herein.
In another aspect, the instant disclosure embraces toilet 14 with toilet device 10 configured to provide self-rising toilet seat 12 in any embodiment and/or combination of embodiments shown and/or disclosed herein. Toilet 14 may include any size, type or style of a toilet including any size, type, or type of toilet seat and hardware, including any type of toilet seat hinge.
In sum, the disclosed toilet device 10 configured to provide self-rising toilet seat 12 and method of use thereof may be designed to provide a single self-contained unit that fits on a toilet and controls the seat to keep it raised until pushed down and then returns up when finished. A feature of the present disclosure may be its ability to keep the toilet seat up when not in use. Another feature of the present disclosure may be its ability to be disengaged if needed so the seat can act as a standard seat. Another feature of the present disclosure may be its ability to operate without power or adjustment by an outside force, i.e. it may be self-contained.
In the specification and/or figures, typical embodiments of the disclosure have been disclosed. The present disclosure is not limited to such exemplary embodiments. The use of the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. The figures are schematic representations and so are not necessarily drawn to scale. Unless otherwise noted, specific terms have been used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation.
The foregoing description and drawings comprise illustrative embodiments. Having thus described exemplary embodiments, it should be noted by those skilled in the art that the within disclosures are exemplary only, and that various other alternatives, adaptations, and modifications may be made within the scope of the present disclosure. Merely listing or numbering the steps of a method in a certain order does not constitute any limitation on the order of the steps of that method. Many modifications and other embodiments will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Although specific terms may be employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments illustrated herein but is limited only by the following claims.
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