BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Toilets generally have a bowl and a seat pivotally movable between a lowered position where it rests on the top surface of the bowl and a raised position where it is remote from the top surface.

Female users normally sit on the seat when using the toilet. If the seat is in the raised position, it must be handled and positioned to the lowered position. Male users prefer to urinate in a standing position and to avoid dirtying the seat they normally place the seat in the raised position. To clean the toilet bowl the seat is also placed in the raised position. Accordingly, the toilet seat must be physically handled to raise and/or lower the seat.

Many of toilets have a lid for closing the opening in the seat. The lid is also generally pivotally movable between a raised position and a lowered position.

Again, the lid must be physically handled to move between the two positions.

Physical handling of the seat and/or lid of a toilet is a health hazzard as it can become a source of contamination of germs and/or diseases left by a user who is a carrier of the germs and/or diseases. In a public toilet, the level of health hazzard increases many folds as it is used daily by hundreds and even thousands of users.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is to substantial alleviate or to reduce to a certain level one or more of the prior art disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect therefore the present invention resides in a toilet seat positioning device for a toilet system having a base formed as a bowl with a bottom

surface adapted for resting on a floor and a top surface arranged opposite to the bottom surface, the top surface having a front portion and a rear portion, a seat pivotally arranged for pivotal movement between a lowered position at which the seat is in contact or adjacent to the front portion and a raised position at which the seat is remote from the front portion; the seat having a central opening, a lid being arranged to be pivotally movable to close the central opening when the seat is in the lowered position, and to move with the seat when the seat is moving to the raised position; the device including an actuating assembly having seat positioning means arranged for, when actuated with the seat in the lowered position, causing the seat to pivotally move to the raised position, and when actuated with the seat in the raised position, causing the seat to pivotally move to the lowered position, and lid position means arranged for causing the lid in an up position to move to a down position for closing the central opening when the seat is at or moving to the lowered position.

In preference, the actuating assembly includes a bracket member for mounting to the base, and the seat positioning means having a seat positioning member arranged on or adjacent to the seat, and first actuating means coupled to the seat positioning member for, when actuated when the seat is in the lowered position, moving the seat to the raised position.

The seat positioning member may be in the form of an arm or plate arranged for pivotal movement. The arm or plate has a first end arranged below the seat and a second end arranged for actuation by the first actuating means. When actuated, the first actuating means moves the arm or plate and thereby pivotally moves the first end to cause the seat to move in a direction to the raised position.

In another form the arm or plate having its first end coupled to the seat and its second end arranged for actuation by the first actuating means. When actuated, the first actuating means moves the arm or plate and thereby pivotally moves the seat in a direction to the raised position. When actuated again, the first actuating means moves the arm or plate and thereby pivotally moves the seat in a direction opposite to said first mentioned direction to the lowered position. In this manner, the seat needs not be handled by a user of the toilet.

It is preferred that the first actuating means includes an actuating arm mounted relative to the bracket member and arranged to move the positioning member to said raised position following actuation of the first actuation means.

The actuating arm may be arranged for actuation by a driving arrangement.

The driving arrangement may include a controllable driving member connected to the actuating arm and arranged for controllably moving the actuating arm to move the positioning member to said raised or lowered position.

In one form, the driving member is a rotatable device connected to said actuating arm and arranged for controllably moving said actuating arm.

The rotatable device can be an electrically, pneumatically or hydraulically controllable device arranged for controllably moving the actuating arm. The driving arrangement may have a switching device arranged to switch manually or automatically for applying energy to said electrically, pneumatically or hydraulically controllable device. Desirably, the controllable device is an electric motor having its rotatable shaft coupled to controllably moving the actuating arm, and a manual electric switch or remote sensor switch is arranged to control energisation of the motor.

Said actuating arm may have adjustable telescopic sections so that its length can be adjusted to suit different seat heights.

It is preferred that said actuating arm is removably coupled to said positioning member. The toilet seat positioning device may have a releaseable coupling arrangement for coupling said actuating arm to said positioning member.

The coupling arrangement desirably has a locking means movable between a locking position for locking said actuating arm and said positioning member in the coupled relationship, and a releasing position at which the actuating arm can be released from the coupling relationship. The coupling arrangement in the releasing position allows uncoupling of the actuating arm so that the seat can be manually positioned between the raised and the lowered positions. This arrangement is useful as the toilet can still be used when power is not available.

Thedevicemayhaveaclutchassemblyarrangementfortheseatposit ioning means to, while the controllable driving member is not operating, be manually

movable to cause the seat to move between the lowered position and the raised position. The clutch assembly, preferably, includes a changeover switch arranged to change state of a switch arrangement for controlling direction of travel of the positioning means so that when the controllable driving member is caused to operate following said manual movement of the seat positioning means, the seat positioning means rotates in a direction opposite to that of the manual movement.

The lid position means may have a second actuating member with a linearly movable elementwhich is controllable to move between an extended position and a retracted position. The linearly movable element is arranged to be normally in said retracted position and in the retracted position it supports the lid in the up position. When the seat is moving to or reaches said lowered position, the lid positioning means is energised to cause the movable element to move to the extended position and while moving, the movable element causes the lid to move pivotally so that at the extended position the lid continues to move under gravity to the down position.

The driving arrangement may have one or more limit switches positioned in relation to said actuating arm for de-energising the driving member when the actuating arm is in one or more predetermined limit position (s). One of the limit switches may be arranged to sense the actuating arm reaching said lowered position, and to stop energisation of said driving member and to energise said lid positioning means to cause the moveable element to move to the extended position. Alternatively, a timer may be arranged to delay energisation of the lid positioning means by a predetermined time period following energisation of said driving member to move the seat positioning member to the lowered position.

Preferably, the predetermined time is selectively adjustable from a range of time intervals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the system of the present invention can be readily understood and put in practically effect the description will now refer to the accompanying drawings which illustrate non-limiting embodiments of the present invention and wherein:-

Figure 1 is an angled front perspective view showing a toilet system having an embodiment of the toilet seat positioning device according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view showing in more detail the toilet seat positioning device shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view showing, with the casing removed, the device shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a side view of the reverse side of the device shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is an angled front perspective view showing an application of another embodiment of the toilet seat positioning device according to the present invention ; Figure 6 is a side view showing in detail certain components of the actuating arrangement mounted on one side of the bracket member of the toilet seat positioning device shown in Figure 8; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a form of the lid positioning means for the device according to the present invention; Figure 8 is a side perspective view showing a further embodiment of the toilet seat positioning device according to the present invention and the device is in the lowered position; Figure 9 is a side perspective view showing a further embodiment of the toilet seat positioning device according to the present invention and the device is in the raised position; Figures 10 and 11 respectively show an embodiment of the safety clutch arrangement for the device in the raised and lowered positions; Figure 12 shows the clutch arrangement shown in Figure 11 when the seat is lowered without power; Figure 13 shows details of the clutch arrangement shown in Figures 10 to 12 ; Figure 14 is a perspective view showing a yet further embodiment of the toilet seat positioning device according to the present invention; Figure 15 is a perspective view showing a yet another further embodiment of the toilet seat positioning device according to the present invention;

Figure 16 shows in detail the lid positioning means for the device shown in Figure 15 ; Figure 17 is a side view of the device shown in Figure 15 in the lowered position, with the housing removed; Figure 18 is a side view of the device shown in Figure 15 in the raised position, with the housing removed; Figures 19 to 21 show a form of the releaseable coupling arrangement in different positions of the locking member; Figure 22 is a perspective view showing in detail certain components of the actuating arrangement mounted on the reverse side of the bracket member of the toilet seat positioning device shown in Figures 5 to 7; Figure 23 is a perspective view showing in detail certain components of the actuating arrangement mounted on the reverse side of the bracket member of the toilet seat positioning device shown in Figure 15; and Figure 24 is a schematic circuit diagram for the device shown in Figures 15.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring initially to Figures 1 and 2, the embodiment of the toilet seat positioning device 10 as shown is applied to a toilet system. The toilet system has a base 100 shaped to define a toilet bowl. The base 100 has a bottom surface 102 resting on the floor and a top surface 104 in the form of a flange around an opening of the toilet bowl. A toilet seat 106 is pivotally connected to the rear of the top surface 104 so that it can be moved between a lowered position as shown in Figure 1 and a raised position (see Figure 5). A lid 108 is also pivotally arranged for moving between an open or up position as shown in Figure 1 to a closed or down position (see Figure 6) where it rests on the toilet seat 106 in the lowered position to thereby close the toilet bowl opening.

The positioning device 10 has a mounting bracket 12 which is substantially L-shaped and formed of a horizontal plate 14 and a vertical plate 16. The plate 14 has two spaced through holes 18 adapted for alignment with the usual toilet seat mounting holes located in the rear of the top surface 104. The toilet seat 106 is

hingedly connected to a mounting plate (not shown) with two spaced holes also adapted for alignment with the usual toilet seat mounting holes. When the holes 18 and the holes in the mounting plate are aligned with the holes in the rear of the top surface 104 of the base 100, the toilet seat 106 and the bracket 12 can be secured to the base 100 by means of bolts 112 (partially shown in dotted lines in Figure 1).

An actuating assembly is mounted on the bracket 12 for positioning the seat 106 between the lowered position as shown in Figure 1 to the raised position as shown in Figure 5. In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 4, the actuating assembly has a substantially Z-shaped toilet seat lifting arm 20 rotatably received in a through hole arranged in an extended section of the plate 14. The lifting arm 20 is positioned with its inner end beneath the seat 106 in the lowered position as shown in Figure 1, and its outer end adapted to be rotatable by an actuating means.

In this embodiment, the actuating means has a driving arm 22 with an outer end pivotally connected to the arm 20 and an inner end receiving a pivot pin 42, The pin 42 extends from a crank 40 which is coupled to a shaft 38 extending from a gearing assembly 36 driven by a powered device which in this case is a motor 34.

In an alternate form the outer end of the lifting arm 20 may be fixed to the seat 106 so that the seat 106 can move with the lifting arm to and from the raised position. Figure 5 shows such form in that the arm 20 is a pin that is fixed to a mounting plate 52 for mounting to the seat 106. In this regard, the arm 20 is configured as a pin with one end exposed from the plate 52. Said upper end of the driving arm 22 is pivotally mounted to the pin 20 and its inner end rotatably mounted to the crank member 40 by means of a pin 42. A stop member 32 is arranged so that the arm 22 rides over the an edge of the stop member 32 during its travel. A spring member 54 is positioned to apply a biassing force on the arm 22 to ensure smooth travel of the arm 22. This embodiment requires a single limit switch 46 only. When the crank member 40 is driven by the motor 34 and the gearing assembly 36, it will rotate through different positions as shown in Figure 6.

The upper end of the drive member 22 is such thatthis end moves in a substantially straight line through the rotational travel path of the crank member 40. Following each operation of the motor 34, the arm 22 returns to the position as shown in the

solid lines in Figure 6 where it contacts the limit switch 46 and thereby de- energising the motor 34. As such, the seat 106 is positioned to the raised position when the motor 34 is operated while the seat 106 is in the lowered position, and is positioned to the lowered position when the motor 34 operates again.

A soft material 120 can be provided to the under face of the seat 106 for absorbing impact force when the seat 106 lands on the top surface 104 of the base 100.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a switch 50 (being a proximity type switch shown in Figure 1 or a touch sensing type shown in Figure 2) is used to activate the device 10 to energise motor 34 An embodiment of the powered device is shown in Figures 3 and 4. As shown, the powered device has an electric motor 34 coupled to a gearing assembly 36. The assembly 36 has a driving shaft 38 to which is fixed a crank member 40.

The crank member 40 has a pin 42 which is pivotally connected to inner end of the driving arm 22. The outer end of the arm 22 is pivotally connected to the outer end of the positioning arm 20. An upper limit switch 44 and a lower limit switch 46 are positioned to limit the travel path of the arm 22.

A lid positioning means 56 is mounted on the plate 14 of the mounting bracket 12 as shown in Figures 7 to 9. The lid positioning means 56 has a solenoid 58 arranged to be controllably energised for causing an actuating member 60 to move linearly between a retracted position as shown in Figures 7 and 8, and an extended position as shown in Figure 9. The member 60 is normally in the retracted position. When the solenoid 58 is energised, the member 60 is caused to move to the extended position, Upon de-energisation, the member 60 returns to its retracted position.

The lid positioning means 56 has a mounting block 62 with an elongate slot 64 extending in the direction of travel of the member 60. The slot allows adjustment to the retracted position and the extended position of the actuating member 60 by selectively positioning a carrier block 66 for fixing by a screw 68 through the slot 64. Accordingly, the device 10 can be used for different toilet systems.

The seat positioning arm 20 of the embodiment of the device 10 shown in Figures 8 to 12 is some what shorter than that shown in Figure 2 to 4. The inner end of the member 20 carries a fixing element 64 that has a long recess 65 for the inner end to be adjustably positioned for fixing by a screw 66. A bent striking pin 68 extends laterally through the free end section of the element 64 so that its inwardly extending end would contact the bottom edge of the seat 106 and thereby, when the device 10 is actuated, would liftthe seat 106 and the lid 108 to the respective raised and up positions. When the device 10 is actuated again, the raised seat 106 would be supported by the pin 68 and follows the pin 68 to the lowered position.

The lid 108 in the up position would be resting on the member 60 which is at the retracted position. The device 10 would energise the solenoid 62 to extend the member 60 thereby causing the lid 108 to rotate by gravity to the down position.

A noise absorption material such as a rubber knob 70 is placed on the element 64 to minimise noise and to protect the lid 108 when it comes into contact with the knob 70 in the down position. Again the adjustment of the position of the element 64 allows the device 10 to be suitable for use with various makes of toilet systems.

The device 10 has a safety clutch arrangement 72 as shown in Figures 10 to 13. The clutch arrangement 72 has a leather pad 74 sandwiched between two clutch plates 76 and 78. The outer plate 76 is fixed to the crank member 40 by means of screws 80 and a bolt acting as the pin 42. A retainer ring 82 is positioned about the shaft 38 so that it acts on the inner face of the inner plate 78. The outer plate has a slot 84 arranged to receive a pin or nut 86. When motor 34 is energised to rotate the crank member 40 to position the seat 106 in the lowered position as shown in Figure 10, the pin 46 is at one end of the slot 84. When the motor 34 is energised again, it would rotate the crank member 40 to position the seat 106 to move in the opposite direction to the raised position as shown in Figure 11. The plates 76 and 78, and the pad 74 of the clutch arrangement 72 would move together through 180° and the slot 84 and the pin 86 would be in the position as shown. When a person applies force to lower the seat 106 without switch on the motor 34, the plate 76 would initially move relative to the pad 74 and the pin 86 would come to rest at the opposite end of the slot 84. This relative movement

between the plate 76 and the pad 74 would actuate a switch arranged so that the motor 34 would rotate the crank member 40 in the direction to cause the seat 106 to be raised when it is nextenergised. Similarly, the switch action would take place, if the seat 106 is raised without power. Thus, the clutch arrangement 72 allows a person to manually lower or raise the seat 106 without applying power to the motor 34, and the device 10 would switch so that the motor 34 will not be damaged.

Figure 14 shows a form of the lid positioning means 56 having a striking member 88 fixed to a threaded rod 89 which is adjustably supported by a body 90 carried by an end of a Z-shaped rod 91. The rod 91 is rotatably supported on a plate 92 so that its free end is pivotally movable by a linearly movable member 60. A solenoid 58 is arranged to cause the member 60 to move and thereby causing the member 88 to move between a striking position and a non-striking position. By rotating a knob 93 the position of the striking member 88 can be adjusted to suit different toilet systems.

Figure 15 shows an embodiment of the device 10 wherein the driving arm 22 has a recess 96 (see Figure 21) for receiving a pin 20 between a first plate 97 and a second plate 98. The first plate 97 has a lateral member 99 shown in dotted lines.

The plate 97 can be rotated to a locking position as shown in Figure 19 and a releasing position as shown in Figure 21. In the locking position, the lateral member 99 prevents the pin 20 from being released from the recess 96. To release the pin 20, the plate 97 must be rotated to clear the member 99 as shown in Figures 20 and 21. This releaseable coupling arrangement allows the toilet seat 106 to be uncoupled for use when poser is not available.

Returning to Figure 15, the device 10 has a housing 94 that covers the arm 22 and the crank member 40. But the plate 97 is exposed so that one can place the coupling arrangement in the releasing position for uncoupling. A graduated dial 95 is provided to adjust the time delay for actuating the lid positioning means 56 following actuation of the seat positioning means. For the time delay, a timer 53 is provided for a control circuit 48 as shown in Figures 23.

Figure 16 shows that the lid positioning means 56 has an L-shaped mounting plate 120. The plate 120 has slot 122 for height adjustment of the member 60, and slots 124 for height adjustment of the extended and retracted positions.

Figures 17 and 18 show that the driving arm 22 is configured for telescopically adjustment. In this regard, the arm 22 has a first section 22A adapted to receive in a second hollow section 22B. The section 22A has a number of spaced holes for receiving a stop pin 23 so that the length of the arm 22 can be adjusted.

A power control circuit given the generally reference of 48 is employed to control the device 10 and to step down from the mains supply. The control circuit 48 as shown in Figures 22 and 23, and in Figure 24, includes a control switch 50 (see Figure 4) for switching the motor 34 on. The switch 50 can be mounted on a wall at a position convenient for a user to use it if the switch 50 needs to be pressed or touched for activation. If the switch 50 is a remote sensing type then it is simply placed to detect the presence of a user at an appropriate location relative to the toilet system.

When the seat 106 is in the lowered position and if a user wishes to raise the seat 106, the user simply activate the switch 50 to turn the motor 34 on. The motor 34 will then drive the gearing assembly 36 and thereby rotate the crank member 40 to rotate clockwise. The rotation of the crank member 40 causes the driving arm 22 to move from its position as shown in figures 2,8 and 17 along the travel path of the pin 42 until it contacts the sensing contact element 47 of the lower limit switch 46. When the contact element 47 is contacted, power to the motor 34 is cut and the arm will remain in that position unti I further activation of the switch 50. At the same time, the arm 22 moves the inner end of positioning arm 20 from the position shown in solid lines to the position shown in dotted lines. Thus the seat 106 is raised.

Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example of the present invention many variations and modifications thereto will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the broad ambit and scope of the invention as herein set forth.