SANITIZING APPLIANCE FOR TOILET SEAT RINGS Field of application The present invention relates to an electrical sanitizing appliance for toilet seat rings that can be used in three versions, a static floor-standing one, a wall-mounted one and a mobile one mounted on castors that can be positioned and moved easily. The invention automatically washes, sanitizes, sterilizes and dries toilet seat rings complete with their cover.

Background Art In the current background art, several methods, systems and machines for the automatic sanitizing and cleaning of certain products are known.

Electrical appliances, such as washing machines for automatically washing clothing, dishwashers for automatically washing dishes, glasses and kitchenware, and washer dryers for washing and drying dishes are known.

All these electrical appliances generally wash and/or sterilize very specific objects commonly used in domestic life, but none of them could be used promiscuously for washing and sterilizing toilet seat rings, also because of a matter of different intended uses of the treated products.

Therefore, in the current background art there are no known specific electrical appliances suitable for washing and sterilizing toilet seat rings.

Currently, making the bathroom welcoming and comfortable has become increasingly synonymous with civilized life and social requirements, not only in private building but also in public building. This need has developed at the same pace as affluence and healthy living and with the increasing attention to personal grooming and to hygiene in particularly. The various private and public living arrangements (for example homes, small communities, hotels, hospitals, schools, old people's homes, railroad and bus stations, airports et cetera) seek to meet these needs with more or less pleasant and functional solutions, but very often neglect the sanitization of sanitary fittings and most of all of toilets.

Especially in public environments, the user in fact has to deal with

situations of uncertain hygiene caused by promiscuous use of restrooms and at the same time by the impossibility of effective sterilization of toilet seats by maintenance personnel.

Despite currently applicable statutory provisions regarding health and safety in private and public environments, the diseases and infections that can be transmitted, especially to women, by using imperfectly sanitized toilet seats are still underestimated. Clearly, this entails not only a significant social cost but also an attitude that clashes with the prevention policy implemented by the Ministry of Health. Unfortunately, currently applicable statutory provisions do not provide for particular sanitizations for toilets, but indeed because of this, our product can offer many advantages for maintenance personnel and users.

These considerations do not reflect only the Italian situation but obviously affect the entire world.

Summary of the invention First of all, it has been though to render said toilet seats and covers easy to disassemble and reassemble with respect to the ceramic bowls, in order to be able to handle them and insert them in an appropriately provided electrical appliance, which is the subject of the present invention, that is suitable to automatically wash, sanitize, sterilize and dry them. In this manner, one obtains simultaneously an excellent result in terms of hygiene both on the part of the user and on the part of cleaning personnel.

Essence of the invention The goal of perfect hygiene of the toilet seat is achieved, according to the main claim, by providing a particular electrical appliance suitable to automatically and rapidly clean and sanitize the toilet accessory so that it can be used promptly.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the electrical appliance automatically washes, sanitizes and/or sterilizes completely with final drying, so that at the end of the working cycle the accessory is ready for its

intended use.

The electrical appliance is automatic, is complete with programming and control systems, and is provided in two versions, a fixed one and a mobile one. The appliance can operate with water and sanitizing substances suitable for the purposes, or with a dry process. Clearly, in certain cases it can be equipped with a coin box or card for paid use of the system.

The fixed version, by being compact, can be fixed to the wall next to the toilet or can simply be static and floor-standing, and can be connected to the electrical and water mains and to the drain, while the mobile version is mounted on castors with a tank and is easily maneuverable in order to be moved over smooth surfaces (for example wards of hospitals and private clinics, schools, communities, et cetera). This last solution can include a power outlet and a roll-up power cord extension for electrical connection to the mains, so that it can be used autonomously in any environment and can also be designed so as to be of the multiple type in order to work simultaneously on multiple seat rings and covers, in order to optimize the work of the operators.

The invention comprises, in addition to the automation and control systems, the devices for washing, sanitizing, sterilizing and drying with the associated systems for operation, recharging or connection to said mains.

The methods used for the perfect sanitization of toilet seats are various and are known to the person skilled in the art and can be used interchangeably depending on the systems used. It is also possible to use ultrasound and/or chemical substances suitable to destroy the harmful microbial loads that are present, or to use, in the dry case, substances such as Amuchina or another fungicidal disinfectant (in an alcohol solution) associated with the emission of ultraviolet light with an antibacterial function.

The electrical appliance is provided internally with a compartment, which accommodates the toilet seat ring with the associated cover, preferably in a

vertical and/or slightly oblique direction in order to reduce space occupation.

Said compartment can be closed hermetically, and the washing, sanitizing, sterilizing and drying (e. g. hot air) devices are arranged around it.

The toilet accessory, once inserted inside it, is subjected in a fully automatic manner to the intended treatment cycle and is then expelled so as to protrude slightly outside and is dry, in order to facilitate its complete extraction and safe handling on the part of the operator or user.

The invention achieves the intended aim of perfect hygiene of toilet seats, giving assurance and safety to users and cleaning workers.

Brief description of the drawings These characteristics and others of the present invention will become better apparent from the following description of some preferred embodiments, given only by way of non-limitative example with the aid of the accompanying three drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a side view of a toilet bowl, with the seat ring and cover on top above it in the separated condition; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the toilet seat sanitizing appliance of the dry static type, rested on the ground next to a wall, with the opening on the upper side and with vertical insertion; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the sanitizing appliance of the wall- mounted type with openings on the upper side; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the same appliance as in Figure 3, but with the toilet seat partially protruding and ready to be extracted after treatment or during insertion at the beginning of the cycle; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a sanitizing appliance in the dry version, of the multiple type (six simultaneous treatment stations) that can move on castors; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a sanitizing appliance, similar to the preceding one, with a tank on the underside.

With reference to the figures, the sanitizing appliance for seats (2-3) of

toilets (1) is provided in various constructive solutions: a dry one (4-11), one that uses suitable substances (for example Amuchirqa) or other fungicidal disinfectant in alcohol solution, or other equivalent substances suitable for the purpose and/or with known methods for destroying microbial loads), in order to achieve perfect sanitization without the need for connection to the water mains and to the drains, or of the type that uses water for washing assisted by other methods such as ultrasound and the use of suitable substances (in this case, designated by the reference numeral 8, it is necessary to provide a connection to the water mains both for operation and for discharging the washing liquids, or to provide a tank, designated by the reference numeral 15, as in the example designated by the reference numeral 11).

The sanitizing appliance for toilet seats (2-3) is provided both in a wall- mounted type (8) or, as mentioned, simply as a floor-mounted static type (4) or mobile type (10-11) mounted on castors (12) with handles (14) for facilitating its movement on the part of the operator, and with or without a tank (15).

Said appliance can be of the single type (4-8), i. e. , with a single opening (6-9) suitable to process a single toilet seat (2-3) with a lid (5), or of the multiple type (10-11), with multiple modules (13) capable of acting simultaneously on multiple seat rings (six modules are shown in the drawings).

The automatic sanitizing appliance is composed of an external container of the vertical type with preferential opening on the upper side, but can also be provided by means of another technical solution, and contains a compartment that is large enough to accommodate a seat ring (2) and the corresponding cover (3) of various sizes. Said compartment, which can optionally be closed hermetically, is surrounded by the devices suitable for washing, sanitizing, sterilizing and drying for an optimum hygienic treatment. Said appliance is provided externally with the controls and the

luminous/acoustic indicators (7) or other devices for programming and controlling the sanitization treatment according to the various provided technical solutions.

The sanitizing appliance, once connected to the mains for supplying electric power and optionally to the water mains or drain (for the non-dry example), works as follows: -- the upper lid (5) or other door is optionally lifted and the toilet seat, constituted by the ring (2) and the cover (3), is inserted in the opening or compartment for treatment; -- the toilet seat is drawn completely into the compartment and the cover, if any, is closed hermetically (in the manual version); -- one acts on the controls (7) and the appliance starts to operate automatically, performing the cycle for treatment, washing, sanitizing and/or sterilizing and drying, after which the cover, if any, opens and the seat is made to protrude slightly in order to facilitate its full extraction; -- in the automatic and/or paid variation, the sanitizing cycle starts automatically after insertion has occurred and ends with the partial expulsion of the accessory; -- the appliance is ready for another cycle.