Patent Application
20210085135
The instant disclosure is directed to toilet seats. More specifically, the disclosure is directed to a toilet seat useable in conjunction with a conventional toilet seat for potty-training children.
A non-limiting exemplary embodiment of a toilet seat reducer includes a hub disposed on an underside of a lid of a conventional toilet seat, a toilet seat, and a pair of complementary magnets configured for detachably coupling the hub and the toilet seat to each other. In some embodiments, the toilet seat includes an aperture smaller than an opening in the conventional toilet seat, and the toilet seat is configured for mating with at least a portion of the conventional toilet seat. In some embodiments, each magnet of the pair of magnets is disposed on opposing locations on the hub and the toilet seat.
Another non-limiting exemplary embodiment of a toilet seat reducer includes a hub and a toilet seat. In some embodiments, the hub includes opposing first and second sides and a perimetric wall disposed at a periphery of at least a portion of the first side, and the toilet seat includes opposing first and second sides and an aperture smaller than an opening in a conventional toilet seat, wherein the aperture is defined at least in part by a perimetric wall disposed at a periphery of at least a portion of the first side and is configured for receiving at least a portion of the perimetric wall of the hub. In certain embodiments, the second side of the hub is configured for coupling with an underside of a lid of the conventional toilet seat, the second side of the toilet seat is configured for mating with at least a portion of the conventional toilet seat, and the perimetric wall of the hub and the perimetric wall of the toilet seat are configured for detachably coupling the hub and the toilet seat to each other.
In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the toilet seat reducer includes a flexible urine guard configured to collapse into at least a portion of the aperture of the toilet seat when the lid is lowered onto the toilet seat and return to an un-collapsed state when the lid and the toilet seat are separated.
One or more non-limiting exemplary embodiments are disclosed herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals indicate like, but not necessarily identical, elements. It should be clearly understood that the embodiments described with reference to the drawings are merely exemplary in that any one or more of them may be implemented in alternative manner as may become apparent to a person of ordinary skills. The figures, wherein some features may have been exaggerated or minimized to illustrate details of particular components, are not necessarily to scale. Specific structural and/or functional features and details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but should rather be treated as a basis for teaching one of ordinary skills. There is no intent, implied or otherwise, to limit the disclosure in any way, shape or form to the embodiments illustrated and described herein. Accordingly, any and all variants for providing structures and/or functionalities similar to those described herein are considered as being within the metes and bounds of the instant disclosure.
Referring to
In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the hub 14 is disposed on an underside 38 of a lid 40 of the conventional toilet seat 36. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the second side 28 of the hub 14 is configured for fixedly or removably coupling with the underside 38. For instance, in certain embodiments, a two-sided tape (not shown) is used for attaching the hub 14 to the underside 38 of the lid 40. Other means and/or manners of coupling the hub 14 to the underside 38 of the lid 40 as may become apparent to one skilled in the art are considered to be within the metes and bounds of the instant disclosure. For example, other fastener types, in addition to or instead of tape, may be used to couple the hub 14 to the underside 38.
In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the second side 28 of the toilet seat 16 is configured for mating with at least a portion of the conventional toilet seat 36. In some embodiments, the toilet seat 16 is configured to snugly fit over or mate with the conventional toilet seat 36. In certain embodiments, the toilet seat 16 includes one or more support structures 52 extending away from the first side 26 of the toilet seat 16. In some embodiments, the one or more support structures 52 are configured to abut the rim of the opening in the conventional toilet seat 36. In certain embodiments, the second side 28 of the toilet seat 16 is configured for a snap fit on the conventional toilet seat 36. In some embodiments, the second side 28 is configured to ensure a slip-resistant coupling with the conventional toilet seat 36. Other means and/or manners of mating and/or coupling the toilet seat 16 with the conventional toilet seat 36 as may become apparent to one skilled in the art are considered to be within the metes and bounds of the instant disclosure.
In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the hub 14 and the toilet seat 16 are configured for detachably coupling with each other. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the hub 14 and the toilet seat 16 include one or more pairs of complementary magnets 42 wherein the magnets 44 and 46 of each pair of magnets 42 are disposed on substantially opposing locations on the hub 14 and the toilet seat 16. In certain embodiments, the magnets 44 and 46 of the pair of complimentary magnets 42 are disposed on substantially opposite locations on the perimetric walls 22 and 32, respectively, of the hub 14 and the toilet seat 16. Accordingly, when the lid 40 is lowered over the toilet seat 16, the magnets 44 and 46 detachably couple with each other whereby the hub 14 and the toilet seat 16 are detachably coupled with each other. In some embodiments, the hub 14 and/or toilet seat 16 may include a single magnet, instead of a pair of magnets 44, 46. In other embodiments, the hub 14 and/or toilet seat 16 may include three, four, or more magnets. In addition to or instead of magnets, in some embodiments, the hub 14 and the toilet seat 16 are configured with complementary connectors for detachably coupling the hub 14 and the toilet seat 16 to each other. For instance, in certain embodiments, the hub 14 and the toilet seat 16 include complementary tabbed connectors or complementary snap connectors. In some embodiments, the hub 14 and the toilet seat 16 are configured for snug fitment, e.g., frictional coupling, with each other. Other means and/or manners of detachably coupling the hub 14 and the toilet seat 16 with each other as may become apparent to one skilled in the art are considered to be within the metes and bounds of the instant disclosure.
In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the hub 14 and the toilet seat 16 detachably couple to each other when the lid 40 is lowered onto the toilet seat 16. Consequently, the toilet seat 16 will be raised off the conventional toilet seat 36 when the lid 40 is raised if a user does not forcibly decouple the hub 14 from the toilet seat 16. In some embodiments, the toilet seat 16 will detach from the hub 14 when the toilet seat 16 is lowered over the conventional toilet seat 36 while the lid 40 is restrained or held firmly by a user. In certain embodiments, the toilet seat 16 will detach from the hub 14 when the lid 40 is raised while the toilet seat 16 is restrained or held firmly by a user.
In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the toilet seat 16 includes an outwardly extending tab 48 configured for at least one of raising the toilet seat 16, lowering the toilet seat 16, and restraining the toilet seat 16 such as for instance when de-coupling the hub 14 and the toilet seat 16 from each other. In some embodiments, the tab 48 is configured for removably attaching or coupling the toilet seat 16 to the conventional toilet seat 36. For instance, in certain embodiments, the tab 48 extends from an outer periphery of the toilet seat 16 and snaps over or onto an outer periphery of the conventional toilet seat 36.
In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the toilet seat reducer 10 includes a substantially flexible urine guard 50 disposed on a front section of the toilet seat 16. In some embodiments, the urine guard 50 is removably attached to or coupled with at least a portion of the toilet seat 16. In certain embodiments, the urine guard 50 is an integral component of, e.g., formed integrally with, the toilet seat 16. In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, such as for example illustrated in
In view thereof, modified and/or alternate configurations of the embodiments described herein may become apparent or obvious to one of ordinary skill. All such variations are considered as being within the metes and bounds of the instant disclosure. For instance, while reference may have been made to particular feature(s) and/or function(s), the disclosure is considered to also encompass any and all equivalents providing functionalities similar to those disclosed herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. Accordingly, the spirit, scope and intent of the instant disclosure is to embrace all such variations. Consequently, the metes and bounds of the instant disclosure are defined by the appended claims and any and all equivalents thereof.
