"TOILET SEAT LIFTING APPARATUS" BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to apparatus for lifting the seat and lid of a toilet. It has been recognised previously that, due to the potential unhygienic nature of toilet seats and lids, a method of lifting the seat and lid without requiring physical contact may be beneficial. While attempts have been made to produce such devices, they have not gained particularly wide acceptance in many areas due to a number of reasons. For example, power must generally be provided to drive the seat and lid up and down and overly complex systems result in an increase in cost to an item that would otherwise be relatively inexpensive. For many consumers, the issue of needing to make contact with a potentially unhygienic toilet seat is simply not of sufficient importance to justify the additional cost and effort to install such a device.

The present invention attempts to overcome at least in part the aforementioned disadvantages of previous devices provided for lifting the seat and lid of a toilet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for lifting a seat and lid of a toilet seat and lid assembly, the seat and lid being pivotally mounted for rotation about a base wherein the apparatus includes: a first hinge portion integral with the seat and rotatably mounted to the base; a second hinge portion integral with the lid and rotatably mounted to the base; and a drive means engageable with the first and second hinge portions; wherein the first hinge portion is adjacent a first side of the seat and is the only integral part of the seat secured for rotation about the base, the second hinge portion is adjacent a second opposite side of the lid and is the only integral part of the lid secured for rotation about the base and the drive means is mounted between the first

and second hinge portions and engages with the first and second hinge portions to rotate either or both of the seat and lid about the base.

Preferably the seat and lid rotate about a common rotation axis and the first hinge portion extends from the first side of the seat along the rotation axis to a point adjacent the midpoint of the seat and the second hinge portion extends from the second side of the seat along the rotation axis to a point adjacent the midpoint of the lid.

Preferably, the first hinge portion comprises a first hollow cylindrical member, the second hinge portion comprises a second hollow cylindrical member and the drive means engages inside adjacent open ends of the first and second hollow cylindrical members.

The drive means preferably comprises a cylindrical drive housing into which is received a first drive motor and a second drive motor, the first and second drive motors having drive shafts extending in opposite directions along the central axis of the cylindrical drive housing. The first and second drive shafts may each include gears that extend through apertures in the drive housing and engage with inner surfaces of the first and second hollow cylindrical members respectively.

The base preferably includes a mounting portion comprising a first end portion having an arcuate upper surface onto which is received the first hinge portion, a second end portion having an arcuate upper surface onto which is received the second end portion and a central portion having a cradle into which is received the drive housing.

Slots may be provided in the first and second cylindrical members, into which are received arcuate securing clips which engage with the drive housing to prevent disengagement of the first and second hollow cylindrical members from the drive housing.

Typically, the base portion includes a battery housing for batteries to power the drive means, the battery housing being located parallel to and behind the mounting portion such that the battery housing is accessible when the seat and lid are both closed. Preferably a spring bias mean is provided in engagement with the seat and lid to provide a rotational force in the direction of opening to the lid and seat. The spring bias means may comprise a first coil spring in the first hollow cylindrical member and a second coil spring in the second hollow cylindrical member. Advantageously, a control means is provided to control operation of the drive means. The control means may include a control panel having a transmitter and the drive means include a receiver for receiving signals from the transmitter in the control panel such that the drive means can either raise or lower either the seat or lid or both. Preferably the control panel includes a sensor to detect motion such that motion detected by the sensor is used to control operation of the drive means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a partially exploded view of a toilet seat and lid assembly and drive means in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fully exploded view of the toilet seat and lid assembly and drive means of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a top view of the toilet seat and lid assembly of Figure 1 assembled; and

Figure 4 is a side cross sectional view of the toilet seat and lid of Figure 1 assembled.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the Figures, there is shown apparatus 10 for lifting a seat and lid assembly. The seat and lid assembly includes a toilet seat 12 and a lid 14. The toilet seat 12 and the lid 14 are mounted for rotational movement about a base 16. The base 16 is to be mounted to a toilet (not shown) by any suitable means. The seat 12 and the lid 14 are mounted to both be rotatable about a common axis 18 such that either the seat 12 and lid 14 can be opened together or the lid 14 can be rotated open and the seat 12 left in place.

The apparatus 10 is provided with a drive means 20 capable of providing a rotational force to either the seat 12 and the lid 14 together or the lid 14 alone. The drive means 20 comprises a first electric motor 22 having a first drive shaft 24 for rotation of the seat 12 and a second electric motor 25 having a second drive shaft 27 for rotation of the lid 14. The base 16 comprises a battery housing 32 and a mounting portion 30, onto which is mounted the seat 12, the lid 14 and the drive means 20. The battery housing 32 is located parallel to and behind the mounting portion 30 in use such that the battery housing 32 is accessible when the seat 12 and the lid 14 are closed.

The mounting portion 30 includes a first end portion 34, a second end portion 36 and a central portion 38. Each of the first and second end portions 34 and 36 include a generally arcuate upper surface. The seat 12 includes a first hinge portion 80 comprising a first hollow cylindrical member 40. The first hinge portion 80 is integrally formed with the seat 12 and is located on a first side of the seat 12. The first hollow cylindrical member 40 is received in the arcuate upper surface of the first end portion 34 such that the seat 12 is rotatable about the base 16 by rotation of the first hollow cylindrical member 40 within the first end portion 34. The first hollow cylindrical member 40 extends from the first side of the seat 12 to a point before the midpoint of

the seat 12. The length of the hollow cylindrical member 40 allows the seat 12 to rotate about the base 16 while being connected only on the first side thereof. The lid 14 includes a second hinge portion 82 comprising a second cylindrical member 42. The second hinge portion 82 is integrally formed with the lid 14 and is located on a second side of the lid 14 opposite the first hinge portion 80. The second hollow cylindrical member 42 is received in the arcuate upper surface of the second end portion 36 such that the lid 14 is rotatable about the base 16 by rotation of the second hollow cylindrical member 42 within the second end portion 36. The second hollow cylindrical member 42 extends from the second side of the lid 14 to a point before the midpoint of the lid 14. The length of the hollow cylindrical member 42 allows the lid 14 rotate about the base 16 while being connected only on the second side thereof.

The drive means 20 includes a drive housing 44 into which is received the first and second electric motors 22 and 25. The housing 44 is generally cylindrical and the first and second electric motors 22 and 25 are arranged centrally within the drive housing 44 such that the first and second drive shafts 24 and 27 extend coaxially away from each other. The central portion 38 of the mounting portion 30 includes a cradle 46 into which is mounted the drive housing 44. When received in the cradle 46, a first end of the drive housing 44, in which is located the first drive shaft 24, extends into the first hollow cylindrical member 40 of the seat 12. A second end of the drive housing 44, in which is located the second drive shaft 27, extends into the second hollow cylindrical member 42 of the lid 14. Each of the first and second drive shafts 24 and 27 include gears that extend through apertures in the drive housing 44 and engage with inner surfaces of the corresponding first and second hollow cylindrical members 40 and 42 such that operation of the first electric motor 22 rotates the first hollow cylindrical member 40 and thereby the seat 12, and operation of the second

electric motor 25 rotates the second hollow cylindrical member 42 and thereby the lid 14.

The arrangement in which the first and second integral hinge portions on the seat 12 and the lid 14 are provided on opposite sides with the drive means mounted centrally allows for easy assembly of the apparatus. The drive housing 44 can be placed in position and the seat 12 and lid 14 slid into engagement with the drive means from opposite sides.

A cover member 50 is also provided to extend over the drive housing 44 between the first and second hollow cylindrical members 40 and 42 and prevent access to the drive housing 44. Once the drive housing 44 is received in the cradle 46 and the cover 50 is in place, a first securing clip 66 is received in a corresponding slot 67 in the first hollow cylindrical portion 40 to engage with the drive housing 44. A second securing clip 68 is received in a corresponding slot (not visible) in the second hollow cylindrical portion 42 to engage with the drive housing 44. The first and second securing clips 66 and 68 comprise generally arcuate members being received in the corresponding slots. The securing clips 66 and 68 have protrusions 70 at each end to engage with corresponding apertures in the drive housing 44. Also provided is suitable circuitry located in the cradle 46 below the drive housing to control operation of either or both of the first and second electric motors 22 and 25. The battery housing 32 houses sufficient batteries 35 to power the first and second electric motors 22 and 25

The apparatus 10 of the present invention includes spring bias means. The spring bias means comprises a first coil spring 60 arranged to be in engagement with the seat 12 and a second coil spring 62 in engagement with the lid 14. The first coil spring 60 is located in the first hollow cylindrical member 40 and the second coil spring 62 is located in the second hollow cylindrical member 42. The first coil spring 60 is engaged such that when the seat 12 is in the closed position, the first coil

spring 60 provides a rotational force to the seat 12 in a direction that would tend to move the seat 12 to the open position. The rotational force provided by the first coil spring 60 is not sufficient to move the seat 12 by itself but provides sufficient bias such that only a minimal amount of force provided by the first electric motor 22 results in movement of the seat 12 .

The second coil spring 62 is engaged such that when the lid 14 is in the closed position, the second coil spring 62 provides a rotational force to the lid 14 in a direction that would tend to move the lid 14 to the open position. The rotational force provided by the second coil spring 62 is not sufficient to move the lid 14 by itself but provides sufficient bias such that only a minima! amount of force provided by the second electric motor 25 results in movement of the lid 14 . In this way, the first and second electric motors 22 and 25 provided may be relatively small and inexpensive. The apparatus 10 is provided also with a control means in the form of a control panel 66. The control panel 66 is provided with a transmitter (not shown) that transmits a signal received by a receiver (not shown) in communication with the drive means 20. The control panel 66 includes means to accept user input to select functions including lifting the lid 14 only, lifting both the lid 14 and the seat 12 and lowering the lid 14 and the seat 12. In the embodiment shown, the control panel 66 includes a sensor to detect motion such that the user may control the operation of the apparatus by moving their hand in the vicinity of the sensors.

Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention