PRIORITY

The present non-provisional patent application claims priority based on the prior U. S. non-provisional patent application entitled "TOILET SEAT COVER ASSEMBLY", application number 14/587,934 filed on December 31, 2014 in the names of James Jackson and Anthony Bostick, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The disclosure relates to reusable sanitary toilet seat cover devices and more particularly pertains to a new reusable sanitary toilet seat cover device for allowing a person to cover and sit on a public toilet seat. SUMMARY

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a toilet seat cover assembly configured for positioning on a toilet seat to shield a toilet user from the toilet seat is provided. The assembly comprises a panel including a central section and a first arm and a second arm being attached to and extending away from a front edge of said central section. The first and second arms are spaced from each other and have distal ends with respect to said central section. The panel has a top side and a bottom side, the bottom side being substantially planar. The central section has a break therein extending through the front edge and a rear edge of the central section to define a pair of central ends, a central hinge being provided for hingedly coupling together the central ends.

Optionally, the central hinge is positioned on said bottom side of said panel. The central hinge may also be integrally formed in the pair of central ends. A convexly arcuate peripheral edge of the panel may be defined between the top and bottom sides. The first and second arms may each have an inner edge facing each other. The inner edges may each be concavely arcuate from the central section to the distal ends.

Each of the first and second arms may have a break therein extending through an outer edge and the inner edge of an associated one of the first and second arms to define a pair of arm ends in each of the first and second arms. A pair of arm hinges may be provided and each of the first and second arms having one of the arm hinges coupled thereto. Each of the arms hinges hingedly couples together an associated pair of the arm ends, each of the hinges being positioned on the bottom side.

Optionally, the toilet seat cover assembly may further include a plurality of toilet seat engaging members attached to the bottom side, each of the first and second arms having at least one of the toilet seat engaging members attached thereto. The toilet seat engaging members is configured to frictionally engage the toilet seat. Each of the toilet seat engaging members may comprise a foamed elastomeric material. Each of the toilet seat engaging members may further be detachably attached to the bottom side and the foamed elastomeric material may further be treated with an antifungal agent.

Optionally, the toilet seat cover assembly may further include a plurality of toilet seat engaging members attached to the bottom side, each of the first and second arms having at least one of the toilet seat engaging members attached thereto, each of the toilet seat engaging members further comprising a replaceable friction pad configured to frictionally engage the toilet seat. Each of the toilet seat engaging members may further provide a detachably attachable mechanism for the replaceable friction pad. The replaceable friction pad may further be treated with an antifungal agent.

Optionally, the toilet seat cover assembly may further include a satchel having a size and shape configured for receiving the panel when the central section is folded into a stored position.

The panel may optionally be formed in antimicrobial thermoplastic. In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a toilet seat cover assembly configured for positioning on a toilet seat to shield a toilet user from the toilet seat is provided. The assembly comprises a panel including a first arm and a second arm being attached to one another at a first end and at a second end thereof for providing a central opening therebetween. The panel has a top side. The panel has a top side has a bottom side substantially planar and providing a surface for frictionally engage the toilet seat. A first hinge and a second hinge are respectively provided between the first arm and the second arm at the first end and the second end. The first hinge and the second hinge allow folding of the assembly so as to expose only the top side thereof once folded.

The first hinge and the second hinge may optionally be integrally formed in the first arm and the second arm. The toilet seat cover assembly may further optionally include a plurality of toilet seat engaging members being attached to the bottom side, each of the first and second arms having at least one of the toilet seat engaging members attached thereto. The toilet seat engaging members may be configured to collectively provide the surface that frictionally engages the toilet seat. Each of the toilet seat engaging members may further comprise a foamed elastomeric material. Each of the toilet seat engaging members may further be detachably attached to the bottom side and the foamed elastomeric material may be treated with an antifungal agent.

The toilet seat cover assembly may further optionally include a plurality of toilet seat engaging members being attached to the bottom side, each of the first and second arms having at least one of the toilet seat engaging members attached thereto, each of the toilet seat engaging members further comprising a replaceable friction pad configured to collectively provide the surface that frictionally engages the toilet seat. Each of the toilet seat engaging members may further provide a detachably attachable mechanism for the replaceable friction pad and the replaceable friction pad may be treated with an antifungal agent. The toilet seat cover assembly may further optionally include a satchel having a size and shape configured for receiving the panel when folded.

The panel may be formed in antimicrobial thermoplastic.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, some features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a top perspective in-use view of a toilet seat cover assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Figure 2 is a bottom view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

Figure 4 is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

Figure 5 is a rear view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure. Figure 7 is a bottom view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

Figures 8A and 8B, referred to together as Figure 8, are top views of an embodiment of the disclosure.

Figure 9 is a bottom view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

Figure 10 is a bottom perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to Figures 1 through 10 thereof, a new reusable sanitary toilet seat cover device embodying the principles and concepts of embodiments of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in Figures 1 through 10 depicting exemplary embodiments, the toilet seat cover assembly 10 generally comprises a panel 12 that includes a central section 14 with a first arm 16 and a second arm 18 each attached to and extending away from a front edge 20 of the central section 14. In some embodiments, the first 16 and second 18 arms are spaced from each other and each has distal ends 22 with respect to the central section 14. In other embodiments, the first 16 and second 18 arms are connected to one another at both ends. The panel 12 has a top side 24 and a bottom side 26. The bottom side 26 is substantially planar and a peripheral edge 28 of the panel 12 between the top 24 and bottom 26 sides may be convexly arcuate. The first 16 and second 18 arms each have an inner edge 30 facing each other. The inner edges 30 each are concavely arcuate from the central section 14 towards the distal ends 22. The distal ends 22 may be angled such that they face each other and are spaced from each other. In this manner the panel 12 has the shape and size of a conventional toilet seat 32, and in particular as such might be found in a public restroom. The panel 12 may be comprised of any conventional material, rigid material, though plastic or metal may be preferred. In one embodiment, all components of the assembly 10 made of thermoplastic provide antimicrobial characteristics. In another embodiment, all components of the assembly 10 provided towards the user thereof and all components that may be in contact with the toilet seat 32 provide antimicrobial characteristics. In another embodiment, all components of the assembly 10 that may be in contact with the toilet seat 32 provide antimicrobial and/or antifungal characteristics. For instance, an antimicrobial agent may be mixed with raw thermoplastic material prior to injection molding.

The central section 14 has a break 34 therein extending through the front edge 20 and a rear edge 36 of the central section 14 to define a pair of central ends 38 where they meet. A central hinge 40 may be attached to the central section 14 and hingedly couple together the central ends 38. The central hinge 40 is positioned on the bottom side 26 of the panel 12. This allows the central section 14 to be folded onto itself in a stored position such that the bottom sides 26 of portions formed by the break 34 in the central section 14 abut each other. Alternatively, the central hinge 40 may be formed integrally within the central ends 38. For instance, each of the central ends 38 may present extensions (not shown) that fit within one another to provide the central hinge 40. When the first 16 and second 18 arms are connected to one another at both ends, two hinges 40 may be provided on the bottom side 26 of the panel 12.

In some embodiments, each of the first 16 and second 18 arms may each have a break 42 therein also which extends through an outer edge 44 and the inner edge 30 of an associated one of the first 16 and second 18 arms to define a pair of arm ends 46 in each of the first 16 and second 18 arms. A pair of arm hinges 48 is provided and each of the first 16 and second 48 arms has one of the arm hinges 48 coupled thereto. The arm hinges 48 hingedly couple together an associated pair of the arm ends 46. Each of the arm hinges 48 is positioned on the bottom side 26. As with the central section 14, the first 16 and second 18 arms are foldable into a stored position such that arm portions formed by the breaks 42 have there bottom sides 26 abutting each other. It should be understood that the assembly 10 may only include one break in the central section 14 or a pair of breaks, one each of the first 16 and second 18 arms. Alternatively, the arm hinges 48 may be formed integrally within each of the first 16 and second 18 arms. For instance, each of the first 16 and second 18 arms may present extensions (not shown) that fit within one another to provide the arm hinges 48. A plurality of toilet seat engaging members 50 is attached to the bottom side 26.

Each of the first 16 and second 18 arms has at least one of the toilet seat engaging members 50 attached thereto. However, a total of at least four engaging members 50 are preferred to stabilize the assembly 10 during usage. The toilet seat engaging members 50 are configured to frictionally engage a toilet seat 32 to prevent panel 12 movement during usage. Each of the toilet seat engaging members 50 may comprise a foamed elastomeric material. One or more of the toilet seat engaging members 50 may be made of material presenting antifungal properties or made of material enhanced for presenting antifungal properties (e.g., material treated with the SLZ-05™ antimicrobial agent from Trinion Chemical Trading. Ltd.). In one embodiment, each of the toilet seat engaging members 50 present antifungal properties. In one embodiment, each of the toilet seat engaging members 50 further comprise a replaceable friction pad 51 presenting the antifungal characteristics and providing the frictionally engagement with the toilet seat 32. The replaceable friction pad 51 may be about 1 inch thick, made with a matte finish. Skilled persons will readily acknowledge that the toilet seat engaging members 50 and/or replaceable friction pad 51 may be made of various shape (length, thickness, etc.) as long as the frictionally engagement with the toilet seat 32 is properly maintained. It is expected that the antifungal properties of the replaceable friction pad 51 and/or the toilet seat engaging members 50 may last between 3 and 5 months. As such, in one

embodiment, at least the toilet seat engaging members 50 presenting antifungal properties are detachably attached to the assembly 10 (e.g., press fit coupling, cooperating sliding channels, etc.) for convenient replacement. Alternatively, in one embodiment, the replaceable friction pad 51 presenting antifungal properties are detachably attached to the corresponding toilet seat engaging members 50 (e.g., press fit coupling, cooperating sliding channels, etc.) for convenient replacement. It should be noted that one or more detachably attachable mechanism may be provided between other components of the assembly 10 (not shown) for convenient replacement thereof, even though antifungal characteristics are not provided thereby.

A satchel 52 may be provided that has a size and shape configured for receiving the panel 12 when each of the central section 14 and the first 16 and second 18 arms are folded into a stored position. The satchel 52 may specifically be sized if one, two or three breaks 34, 42 are utilized. A strap 54 is attached to the satchel 52 for carrying.

In use, the assembly 10 is typically brought with a person while traveling and taken into public restrooms when a public toilet is to be used. The user places the assembly 10 on the toilet seat 32 so that it overlaps the toilet seat 32 and then sits upon the assembly 10. Thus, the user need not sit directly on the toilet seat 32. The assembly 10 may be folded for easy storage when not in usage and cleaned between usages as needed.

Exemplary advantages of the assembly 10 will be readily apparent to skilled persons. For instance, the assembly 10 may advantageously replace toilet paper or protective paper sheet, thereby contributing to reducing paper consumption. The assembly 10 may be made completely or partly (e.g., thermoplastic components) from bio degradable material. The optional satchel 52 may further improve portability of the assembly 10. Skilled people will also readily recognize that dimensions of the different components of the assembly 10 may be tweaked (e.g., thickness, length, width thereof or of central aperture, etc.). For instance, the dimensions may be modified for improved accessibility of the toilet seat 32 for people with certain characteristics or disabilities (e.g., thinner for smaller people with difficult access to higher seats, thicker for people with difficulty in switching between seated and upward positions, larger for heavier people, smaller central aperture for kids or small people, etc.). For instance, Figure 8 shows an embodiment better adapted to kids and exemplary measurements. Likewise, compressibility of the different material of the assembly 10 may be considered in setting the different dimensions. For instance, the overall thickness of the assembly 10 may be set considering possible germ exposure (e.g., directly from contact with the toilet seat 32 or due to close proximity thereto) caused by the overall compressibility. While skilled people will recognize that thinner designs could be provided without departing from the teachings of the present invention, it is expected that an overall thickness of 2 1/2 inches would alleviate these potential exposure issues.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word "comprising" is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article "a" does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.7