Apparatus for lifting toilet seat and lid with friction-based embodiments for regulating differential lowering rate of the seat and lid

Abstract

A toilet seat lifting and lowering device, i.e., one that does not require use of or touching with the hands is disclosed. The invention comprises several improved embodiments for not only making the lifting and lowering assembly more simplified but also for counterbalancing the seat and lid against the pedal. In preferred embodiments the invention comprises a torque transfer assembly comprising two interacting cams that can, depending upon the embodiment used, designed to be self limiting in their rotational travel such that the arc rotation of the seat travels from horizontal to about vertical. The apparatus further has a friction-regulated tension assembly that acts to attenuate the rate of drop of the seat while a separate friction structural arrangement between the seat and lid provide for a differential lowering rate for the lid thereby eliminating inherent slamming down of the lid onto the seat.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/261,118 filed Oct. 28, 2005, to be issued as U.S. Pat. No. ______, (and PCT application Ser. No. PCT/US05/38923 also filed Oct. 28, 2005, national stages pending), which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/187,252 filed Jul. 25, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,168,106 issued Jan. 30, 2007, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/979,039 filed Nov. 2, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,934,974 issued on Aug. 30, 2005, which claims benefit of Provisional application No. 60/640,537 filed on Dec. 20, 2004.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates generally to toilet seat lifting and lowering mechanisms. More particularly, this invention relates to toilet seat lifting and lowering devices that can be operated without touching the seat and/or lid with the hands. Even more particularly, this invention relates to such devices that operate without rotating gears.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The following description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any such information is prior art, or relevant, to the presently claimed inventions, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.

[0004] Throughout the modern world's educated and urbanized societies people are generally aware of environments that harbor disease related germs and have learned a strong desire to avoid physical contact with such environments. With respect to attempting to minimize contact, one fact of humanity is that humans cannot avoid dangerous environments given that human waste itself harbors disease related bacteria and in some cases can harbor strains of highly virulent bacteria that can cause life-threatening illness. There has been a need therefore for the proper disposal of such waste, both fecal and urinary, while keeping exposure to the offensive environment to a minimum. Public and private toilets have been the primary answer for solving this ubiquitous sanitation problem in urbanized societies and some earlier attempts have been made to further improve upon the toilet itself.

[0005] With respect to keeping from being contaminated and maintaining sanitation, civilized societies harbor general understanding that although it is necessary to use, it is not desirable to have to touch by the unprotected skin, such as of the hand or portion of a finger, the receptacle of disease related waste (i.e., the toilet itself) which includes its seat and lid. This has long been the case especially with respect to public toilets especially in situations such as restaurants where food is consumed, or highly dense population centers such as airports and rail stations. Thus, there have been numerous attempts to devise contraptions that allow a person in need of use of a toilet to avoid having to physically contact by bare skin, such as a portion of the hand, the toilet. As set forth below, examples of such devices have, due to their complexity (indicating limited level of understanding by the inventor of the problem to be solved and an indication of the level of skill of one of skill in the art at the time of such inventions), have limited practicality and usefulness in the market place.

[0006] For instance, in a first example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,517 to Brooks, discloses an apparatus wherein although the user need not touch the toilet lid or seat themselves, the user would none the less be required to touch and in fact contact with reasonable force so as to insure intimate contact with a pull handle to actuate raising or lowering the lid and/or seat. Such a feature, especially in dense population settings of air and rail stations, is just as undesirable as having to touch the lid or seat. This is due to the well known phenomenon of transferring of germs from one person to another via "fomite", i.e., inanimate objects handled by a plurality of people, in this case the pull handle itself.

[0007] In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,705,330 to Knudsen discloses a complex rotating gear apparatus wherein in order to provide for lifting of the toilet set and, if also present, the lid, a complex gearing arrangement consisting of at least six gears is used. To lift the toilet seat/lid a foot pedal must be depressed at an appropriate rate but not so hard as to bounce the seat back down. To lower the lid/seat the user is required to push on the pedal again but must do so in a manner to either bounce the seat off of a spring clip mounted under the lid (for lowering only the seat) or bounce the seat off of a seat lowering arm bumper for lowering both seat and lid. This arrangement results in a seat lifting device that requires not only the learned talent of the user to properly press the pedal, but also on gravity alone to bring the seat and lid down to a closed position and in this case there is no resistant force against the drop of the seat causing the seat to slam down on the toilet rim. Additionally, the foot pedal is not designed to be manipulated other than by being pressed down towards the ground by the foot. There is no contemplation of manipulating the foot pedal in any other manner such as to lift up on the pedal from the under side of it or to counter weight it. In fact the lifting arm has no attachment to the seat. Additionally, a user must press the foot pedal at differing rates in order to either raise both seat and lid or just the lid, but in either case the seat must slam down by gravitational force when the foot is removed from the pedal. In each manner of operation there is intended only a downward force to be applied to the pedal.

[0008] Knudsen, discussed above, is a first example of complex rotating gear apparatuses that remarkably increase in complexity with respect to the specific elements therein that cause the seat to be raised or lowered. In a second example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,654 to Wolfer discloses a mechanism comprising at least 4 gears arranged in a fashion similar to Knudsen with an added feature that is unrelated to the mechanism of action for lifting the seat/lid, namely, a liquid dispensing squirt pump operated by the raising and lowering of the seat and lid. Thus, Wolfer offers nothing over Knudsen except for reducing the number of rotation gears by two.

[0009] In a third example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,444,877 to Kumarasurier discloses a pedal operated device comprising a plethora of rotating and ratcheting gears for locking the seat in an up position and operated only by pressing down on the pedal. Specifically, the user must press the pedal to raise and lock the seat into a vertical position and then press again to lower wherein the user must maintain foot pressure on the pedal to keep the lid/seat from slamming down onto the toilet rim. Remarkably, rather that finding simplicity, this invention comprises an entire rotating gear assembly for merely raising the seat via foot pressure on a pedal. Like the previous three patents, pulling up on the pedal is not contemplated and in this case is not even possible for such an action to effectuate lowering of the seat.

[0010] Still other inventions increase complexity using a multiplicity of interconnected levers. For example, PCT patent application serial number PCT/AU87/00424 discloses a device which operates via a foot pedal which remains on the ground and is attached to the seat/lid via a rod. This device does not simplify the mechanism for lifting but rather complicates it. Likewise, in another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,498 to Joseph discloses a foot pedal operated device which also remains on the floor. In both of these inventions the pedal must be pressed for both raising and lowering. In the latter, it is actually a spring that induces the seat to be lowered. Further, due to the fixed location of the lifting rod near the seat hinge, there is much weight acting on the push rod allowing it to easily slam down on the toilet rim when the foot is removed from the pedal.

[0011] In yet another example, even the recent state of the art (other than this inventor's) contemplates complexity in the design and operation of a rotating gear-based seat and lid lifting device. In this example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,807687 to Marras, discloses a device employing at least 4 rotating gears between separate pedals for lifting the seat and lid. This device requires the user to know which pedal to push.

[0012] Not until this inventor's previous invention, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,934,974, was a pedal operated toilet seat lifting device rotating "gear" mechanism reduced to only one double gear set (i.e., only two rotating gears). This device significantly advanced the pedal-driven toilet seat lifting art by locating the gearing mechanism a predetermined distance away from (and typically lower than) the location of the seat/lid hinge itself and allowing the seat displacement rod to engage the seat via a slide guide attachment clip allowing the lifting arm to slidably engage the seat which combination of gear location and slide provides for a changing vector force acting upon the seat displacement rod causing a dampening of the downward force of gravity acting on the seat thereby further allowing the weight of the seat to be counterbalanced by a weight on the pedal displacement rod further allowing for effortless pushing down on the pedal for raising and lifting by the toe for lowering the seat. This invention further advanced the art by significantly simplifying a means for limiting the travel of the lifting arm in the form of a set-screw acting upon a tang associated with the gear mechanism.

[0013] Additionally, as it is well known in the sanitation arts that public toilets are constantly a challenge to maintain in a cleanly state, there is still a need for easy maintenance toilet systems. This is particularly in need with respect to men's toilets due to users urinating on the seat due to avoiding lifting the toilet seat because of not wanting to touch it. As further disclosed below, the current invention provides a solution to this problem by providing a means requiring the user to lift the seat prior to urinating from a standing position. Despite the advancements made in the art to date therefore, there is still a need for a pedal driven toilet seat which is simple, has a minimum of moving and/or engaging parts, is economical to produce and that satisfies a marketable need for a pedal driven seat and lid lifter. Thus, as herein set forth in the following paragraphs, we provide yet a further novel improvement in the operation of a pedal-driven toilet seat lifting apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0014] In a first embodiment, this invention comprises a pedal-operated toilet seat/lid lifting and lowering apparatus comprising a torque transfer assembly which as herein disclosed comprises a double cam actuator affixed to displacement rods which are themselves held in a position relative to one another in apertures in a support plate, said apertures specifically designed to both hold the displacement rods at a predetermined distance from one another and allow for the rods to rotate in their respective apertures.

[0015] In a particularly desirable embodiment the double cam actuator of the torque transfer assembly comprises first and second cams wherein said first cam is fixedly attached to a first displacement rod which is loosedly held in place in the support plate such that the rod can rotate about a 360 degree circle. The first displacement rod is elongate and shaped at a 90 degree angle after extending through the support plate aperture. The first displacement rod ultimately terminates in a two-way (i.e., up and down movement) foot pedal. With respect to said first cam, it is a generally "U" shaped groove fixedly connected to the displacement rod. The cam can be attached to the rod by any known means having a strength to withstand the torque force experienced by the cam under the weight of the toilet seat/lid, such as for example, a set pin, weld, screw, nail, dowels, cotter pins, punch pins, splined attachment fit, etc. The cam may also simply be machined into the metal comprising the displacement rod. The first displacement rod is shaped so that it terminates in a pedal and as stated above is rotatably mounted in the support plate. Thus, by pressing down on the pedal connected to the end of the shaft the first cam will rotate and cause the second cam to rotate in a counter direction.

[0016] In a further embodiment the second cam comprises a nonuniform nipple with travel limitation stops machined at either side of the nipple, the nipple having a shape that will fit the groove of the first cam and be able to rotate with respect to the groove in the first cam. The second cam is fixedly connected to a second displacement rod that is loosedly held in place in the support plate of the torque transfer mechanism such that the rod can rotate about a 360 degree circle but for the limitations to rotation caused by the engagement of the nipple of the second cam with the "U" shaped indention of the first cam. The second displacement rod attached to the second cam is elongate but much shorter than the length of the first displacement rod. Upon rotation of the first cam actuated by pressing down on the pedal the second cam is caused to be forced to rotate until the travel limit stop engages surface of the first cam. Due to this improved design there is no need for a limiting screw to limit the travel of the seat or lid. Further, this aspect provides for up to over a 90 degree arc movement from horizontal to past vertical of the toilet seat/lid while movement of the pedal has been less than a 90 degree movement. This advance provides an unforeseeable improvement by allowing such rotation without gears by forming a pivot point between only two dynamic cam surfaces.

[0017] In another embodiment, the second cam stop limits can be constructed so as to cause the travel limit of the seat/lid to be reached before the seat or lid contact the toilet water tank, if present, or if not present to not travel so far as to allow the lid or seat to swing more than, for example, 5 degrees past vertical.

[0018] In yet another improved embodiment, the seat is formed with a second displacement rod actuator slide/tension adjusting assembly positioned so as to act in three functional aspects. First, the actuator assembly housing acts as a rear seat support for supporting the weight of a person sitting thereon. Since the invention pedal mechanism can be positioned on either side of the toilet, the seat is manufactured with rod actuator slide/tension adjustment assemblies on both sides of the seat. Second, the actuator slide is placed lower than the seat surface and by its positioning forward from the seat hinge, when pressure is applied by the terminal end of the displacement rod inserted therein as by pressing down on the pedal of the invention, the vector force of gravity acting on the seat/lid is decreased, as experienced by the pressure required to be applied to the foot pedal of the invention, providing for additional counter balancing of the seat/lid weight with the pedal. Third, the rod actuator slide is designed with a two point tensioning bar which is adjustable for applying force against the displacement rod inserted in the slide. This particularly provides for a novel combination of mechanical interaction and method for attenuating the effects of gravity on the downward rate at which the seat is capable of lowering to a horizontal position. In a particularly preferred embodiment the seat/lid are neutrally counterweighted with the pedal and the first displacement rod without the need for a counter weight on the displacement shaft.

[0019] In still another embodiment, the seat and lid are designed such that when the foot pedal is pushed down thereby causing the seat, and lid if present, to rise, both the seat and lid remain in a near vertical to vertical position even if the user removes their foot from the pedal.

[0020] In another preferred embodiment, the seat and lid may be allowed to close or fall at differential rates of drop to a horizontal position as the foot pedal is eased upward by a user so as to provide for the lid to drop slower than the rate of drop of the seat. This aspect arises to solve the problem of the lid slamming down which is caused by the inherent difference in spatial positioning between the seat and lid with respect to their respective hinges and the free movement between the seat and lid which causes the lid to drop from a vertical position to a horizontal position independently from the drop rate of the seat. Typically, there is enough differential in the rates and timing of drop to cause the lid to slam down onto the seat. With the present invention, slamming can be avoided.

[0021] In still other embodiments, the pedal is designed to include space to position the foot or toe of the foot under the edge of the front of the pedal for lifting the pedal. In still further embodiments, the foot pedal is equipped with a cane receptacle that will accommodate the tip of a crutch or cane, making it easier to depress the pedal for handicapped individuals.

[0022] In still further advanced embodiments, the pedal and displacement rods can be eliminated and replaced with a motor driven torque transfer assembly wherein said motor is connected to the first displacement rod as it exits the support plate. Thus, in this embodiment the first cam is directly driven by the motor. In a further related embodiment, said motor can be further equipped with an infrared (IR) sensor that can activate the motor to raise the seat/lid when a hand is waved past the IR sensor and lowered when the sensor detects a second pass of the hand. In a further embodiment the sensor can be placed at the side of the toilet so that a user would have to consciously stretch out their hand to wave past the senor in order to activate it.

[0023] Alternate advancements are also understood as comprising embodiments of the invention. For example, rather than the cam itself providing a seat/lid vertical swing travel limit stop tang, the travel limit can comprise the hinge mounting bolt acting against the bottom rear of the seat or lid. With respect to any combination seat and lid systems of the current invention, the user must use the pedal to lift the toilet lid to be able to use the toilet. Thus, by equipping a toilet with a lid adorned seat, the seat should maintain a healthier sanitation.

[0024] Further embodiments of the invention device are provided below. Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following drawings, detailed description, and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] FIG. 1 is a perspective drawing of the torque transfer assembly comprising first and second displacement rods, first and second cams, and support plate which is capable of attaching to the seat mount of any standard toilet.

[0026] FIGS. 2A, B and C are cross sectional drawings of the dynamic engagement of first and second cams. In FIG. 2A the cams are shown in a resting or seat down position. FIG. 2B shows the position of the cams in mid arc displacement and FIG. 2C shows the terminal open or seat up position, wherein first cam catch ridge engages catch trough on second cam at same time the displacement limitation block of the second cam contacts the outer trailing edge of first cam thereby limiting the further arc movement of the cams.

[0027] FIG. 3 is a side view of the invention showing the arc movement of the pedal relative to that of the cam.

[0028] FIG. 4 is a perspective drawing of one embodiment of the pedal of the invention.

[0029] FIG. 5 is a top view of one embodiment without a lid and indicating in dashed lines the positioning of the rod actuator slide/tension adjusting assembly that is positioned under the seat.

[0030] FIG. 6 is side view of the rod actuator slide/tension adjusting assembly.

[0031] FIGS. 7A and B are detailed example close-up views of the rod actuator slide/tension adjusting assembly. In FIG. 7A, the tension adjustment bar is shown adjusted upward on the seat hinge side of the rod actuator slide/tension adjusting assembly. FIG. 7B is a close-up of the depiction in FIG. 7A showing that the tension bar is raised primarily on one side (the seat hinge side) with the adjustment screw on the other side providing a refinement adjustment for further tuning not only the downward movement of the seat but also the neutral balance relative to the counter weighted pedal and its displacement rod and the seat/lid.

[0032] FIG. 8 is a top view of the pedal which is connected to the first displacement rod.

[0033] FIGS. 9 and 10 are alternate embodiments of a pedal that can be used as an embodiment of the invention.

[0034] FIG. 11 shows another embodiment of the present invention wherein the toilet seat is equipped with a lid which lid as depicted has tabs on underside of the lid which frictionally engage tailored slots in the toilet seat providing for a drop rate of the lid that is different from that of the seat.

[0035] FIGS. 12A and B show close-ups of the tab embodiments shown in FIG. 11. In FIG. 12A, the tabs and slots are shown juxtaposed. In FIG. 12B, a close-up cross sectional representation is provided showing that the tab "a" is tapered for a slight slideable engagement of the tab surfaces with the surface of both or even just one of the sides of the slot. "b".

[0036] FIG. 13 shows a side view of a toilet with both seat and lid. In this view the lid is depicted as dropping at a slower rate than the seat.

[0037] FIGS. 14A and B show a side view of the hinge portion of the seat and lid. The lid travel is limited by a travel limitation tang than contacts the seat hinge or another portion of the toilet rim.

[0038] FIGS. 15 is an exploded view drawing of the seat and lid hinge wherein the lid hinge is designed to both allow the seat to slip downward when in the vertical position and additionally engage an axel of the hinge which design of engagement induces the lid to rotate towards a horizontal position once it has slipped downward from the seat slots. FIG. 15 shows an exploded view of one hinge embodiment.

[0039] FIGS. 16A and B are drawings showing one preferred shape for each of the first and second cams.

[0040] FIG. 17 is a drawing of a cross sectional view from the side of one embodiment wherein the travel stop for the raising of the seat is the bottom of a portion of the seat surface 801 contacting the hinge pin mounting bolt cover 802.

[0041] FIG. 18 is a close-up cross sectional drawing from the side as depicted in FIG. 17 showing detail of the contact of the hinge cover 802 at portion 804 to contact surface 801.

[0042] FIG. 19 is a cross sectional drawing from the side showing that in a seat and lid combination, in this embodiment the travel limit of the lid is provided by the hinge pin cover 802 contacting surface 810.

[0043] FIG. 20 is a schematic drawing of the rear view of the seat and lid combination for one embodiment.

[0044] FIG. 21 is a schematic top view of the lid and seat combination for one embodiment wherein the lid and seat are depicted, in the vicinity of the hinge, in the vertical position. With this perspective, it can be seen that when the seat and lid are in the vertical position the travel of the swing is limited by the contact of the lid surface 810 and the seat portion 804.

[0045] FIG. 22 is a perspective view of one seat and lid combination embodiment wherein the portion of the lid is slanted so as to act as one half of a friction tabs 811a and 811b for contacting matching slanted surfaces 812a and 812b in the seat.

[0046] FIG. 23 is a side view of a cam for use in seat and lid combinations wherein the seat acts as the travel limit for the arc of the seat and lid. As shown there is no need for a travel limit tang.

[0047] FIG. 24 is a schematic drawing showing the mounting bracket 301 for attaching the cams 304 and 306 and an electric motor connected to the first cam 306 with gears 701 and 702.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0048] As those in the art will appreciate, the following description describes certain preferred embodiments of the invention in detail, and is thus only representative and does not depict the actual scope of the invention. Before describing the present invention in detail, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the particular device arrangements, systems, and methodologies described, as these may vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims.

[0049] In a first embodiment, the present invention comprises an improved pedal-operated toilet seat/lid lifting/lowering device that is hands-free. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the invention provides for over 90 degree rotational arcing of the seat from horizontal to vertical with only about a 45 degree arc movement of the pedal, a rotational displacement not possible with simple rotating gears.

[0050] With reference to FIG. 1, in a first preferred embodiment the invention comprises a torque transfer assembly 300 that comprises a rotational-travel-limited double cam actuator held in working engagement by a support plate 301, the double cam actuator itself comprising two opposing cams (first cam 306 and second cam 304) wherein first cam 306 is firmly connected to, or alternatively an integral extension of, an elongate pedal displacement rod 105. First cam 306 is connected with the rod such that rotation of the rod about an axis running there through will cause rotation of first cam 306. The pedal displacement rod 105 is held in an aperture formed in the support plate 301 such that the rod can rotate freely. In one embodiment the rod 105 is simply loosely engaged in the aperture without any form of bearings or, alternately, with bearings. The pedal displacement rod 105 is bent at least 90 degrees after the rod exits the support plate 301 and is further formed to terminate in a pedal 126 and so as to rest in a position capable of being accessed by the foot of a human when the invention device is attached to a toilet.

[0051] In a further embodiment, second cam 304 is also firmly connected to, or alternatively an integral extension of, an elongate toilet seat displacement rod 103 that is shorter that the pedal displacement rod 105 and has two 90 degree bends. The toilet seat displacement rod 103 is connected to the second cam 304 in the same manner as the first cam 306 is to the pedal displacement rod 105. Additionally, the seat displacement rod 103 is held in place in the support plate 301 in the same manner as the pedal displacement rod 105 such that it can freely rotate.

[0052] As disclosed in FIGS. 2A, B, and C, actuation of the first cam 306, such as by causing it to rotate counterclockwise, which actuation would be provided by foot pressure action on the pedal 126 connected to the terminal end of the pedal displacement rod 105, causes force to be applied on the second cam 304. Specifically, first cam 306 has a generally "U"-shaped trough 306a (FIG. 1 inset, FIG. 2C) which is bordered on one side by resting stop tang 306b and on the other side by a catch ridge 306c (see FIG. 2A). As first cam 306 is rotated counterclockwise, (FIG. 2B) the cam trough 306a surface forces the lopsided nipple (non-uniform parabolic) 304a of second cam 304 to in turn displace the second cam 304 forcing it to rotate, the two cam surfaces continuing to engage one another in counter rotation, the second cam 304 rotating a greater arc than the first cam 306. When the catch ridge 306c of first cam 306 engages catch trough 304b of second cam 304 the cams are stopped from further rotation. For added rigidity and overall strength to the double cam actuator in its ability to handle the weight forces of the toilet seat and lid, the second cam 305 has displacement limitation block or tang 304c. When the catch ridge 306c engages catch trough 304b, displacement limitation tang 304c also simultaneously engages or contacts the trailing surface of first cam 306. In this position the toilet seat would be held in a vertical attitude. When the seat and lid are allowed to return to horizontal, the stop tang 306b of first cam 306 engages the matching surface of second cam 304. Moreover, as noted in FIG. 2C the novel torque transfer assembly of the invention, comprising first and second cams provides for arc rotation of first cam 306 through an angle of .alpha. whereas second cam 304 is capable of arcing through angle .beta., a surprisingly and significant difference.

[0053] In a further related embodiment the cams are designed for their maximum arc differential rotation based on the curvature designed into both the first and second cams. For Example, as depicted in FIGS. 16A and B, the first and second cam can be designed with the functional shaped shown. As depicted in FIG. 16A, the second cam nipple or "tooth" is curved about a partial circular arc on one side leading to an abrupt angle sharply leading towards the spline-designed lifting rod attachment groove and arcing sharply perpendicular to the direction of the nipple at a point where the point of arc touches the 30 degree position as measured from a central axis located centrally in the nipple, said centrally meaning in-part that the central axis is in the same plane as the axis of the lifting rod's attachment groove. This non-uniform parabolic shape allows for the cam to rotate about 90 degrees when engaged with the first cam. In FIG. 16B, the first cam is shown with its generally "U"-shaped groove. In this embodiment, the U has a generally uniform partial arc leading to an abrupt angle wherein the trough of the U rises sharply to a ridge that is lower than the top of the U on the opposite side and that is smoothly curved. Thus, when the first and second cam are engaged, in their respective resting positions, their respective surfaces will mate. When the cams are rotated against one another, the lower lying curved ridge of the first cam applies a rotating force onto the nipple of the second cam.

[0054] Referring now to FIG. 3, the invention device is disclosed as it would rest from a side view on the toilet. Specifically, support plate 301 is mounted onto the toilet rim 307 using standard bolts used to mount, for example, a standard sized toilet seat. Once mounted, the torque transfer assemble is positioned to rest lower than the toilet seat 111 and at about the same lateral positioning of the seat hinge. In a similar fashion as inventor's own earlier rotating gear invention to which the current invention claims priority, the double cam actuator of the torque transfer assembly takes advantage of the changing vector force acting upon the seat displacement rod due to the weight of the seat as the seat displacement rod slidably engages the seat. Whereas the previous invention comprised both an actuator slide in the form of a slide clip and a slot in the seat itself, the current invention has the second displacement rod engaging an actuator slide/tension adjusting assembly 312 which has three important functions both structural and dynamic. First, the actuator assembly comprises a formed durable material such as for example plastic, rubber, or fiberglass and other materials of comparable weight and strength. In a preferred embodiment the assembly's outer circumference forms a rigid seat support for supporting the seat on the rim of the toilet particularly under the weight of a person sitting thereon. In this case the support is for the rear or hinge side of the seat and to accommodate placement of the invention with the pedal on either side of the toilet, the actuator slide/tension adjusting assembly 312 is placed as supports on both sides of the seat near the seat hinge. In one related embodiment, the actuator slide/tension adjusting assembly 312 is molded as an integral part of the seat 111. As indicated in FIG. 3, when the pedal displacement rod 105 is pressed down, the seat displacement rod 103 is activated to raise the seat 111. Second, because of the lower placement of the slide relative to the seat surface (undersurface) as well as its placement forward of the seat hinge, when pressure is applied to the pedal, the vector force of gravity acting on the seat, and lid if present, is decreased, as experienced by the pressure required to be applied on the pedal. This aspect provides additional counterbalancing affect. Third, the actuator assembly 312 is designed with a tensioning plate for applying pressure on the terminal portion of the seat displacement rod 103. As shown in FIG. 6, actuator slide/tension adjusting assembly 312 is in contact with seat 111. The assembly 312 comprises an outer circumference of durable material. In the middle running the length of the material making up the support, except for the terminal portions, is a slot 402 in which seat displacement rod 103 is positioned. Along the bottom of the slot 402 is tension bar 401 that is itself both held in place and adjusted up or down by, adjustment screws 403a and 403b as depicted in FIGS. 7A and B. With respect to adjustment screw 403b, the tension bar is primarily adjusted here, i.e., opposite the seat hinge side of the assembly 312. After adjustment screw 403b is adjusted an amount .phi. to provide sufficient tension to keep the toilet from slamming down, adjustment screw 403a is adjusted to assist smooth travel of the seat lid up in a fully counterbalanced fashion. FIG. 5 shows a vertical view of the invention attached to a toilet. As depicted the tension bar 401 lies under seat displacement rod 103. The current invention further advances the art by eliminating both a need for an adjustable arc rotation termination screw (discussed above) and a counter weight on the pedal displacement rod.

[0055] Further useful aspects of the invention include a pedal having any of various embodiments such as shown for example in FIG. 4, namely, a pedal 126 having a receptacle 208 for a cane and under side lip 122 for providing a space under which to place the toe of the foot for raising the pedal. Additionally, as shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, the pedal can also have numerous other attributes including an angled toe catch 268 and flat foot surface 261. The pedal can be attached to the displacement rod 105 either through one of a multiplicity of bores 123 in the pedal (FIG. 4), or in bores 265 or 207 for adjusting the pedal higher or lower as needed.

[0056] As further depicted in FIGS. 11 to 15, the invention provides for regulating the rate at which a toilet seat lid, if present, will drop thereby solving an inherent problem of the lid slamming down in an unregulated fashion in toilet models requiring a lid. In the current invention where a lid is present, when the seat is raised, the lid hinge is designed so as to limit the rotation of the lid to the vertical but as the seat is lowered also cause the lid to shift its center of gravity enough to cause the lid to fall towards horizontal due solely to the effects of gravity. This aspect allows for the simplest solution to a means for lowering the seat, namely, gravity.

[0057] Limiting the lid rotation from horizontal to vertical can be accomplished by numerous means. For example, as shown in FIGS. 14A and B, in a preferred embodiment the hinge 603 connecting the seat 111 and lid 600 can be designed with travel limits on the lid hinge plate 602 that engage the seat hinge anchor plate 604 on the toilet rim or on another portion of the toilet rim. As the seat 111 and lid 600 is raised, the lid 600 travels with the seat 111 until the travel limit block 304c of the second cam 304 engages the first cam 306, the engagement set to limit out when the seat 111 is vertical. Naturally, it is contemplated that the lid 600 is also at vertical. The lid 600 travel limit is particularly provided by limit tang 601 which can be fixedly connected to the hinge plate 602 or formed as an integral part of said plate. When the lid is rotated up to a vertical position with the seat, since (as disclosed below) lid friction tabs 501a and 501b are engaged with slots 503a and 503b the lid has a tendency to remain so engaged until the lid reaches the vertical position. This is because the tabs and their respective slots are engineered, as would be understandable to one of ordinary skill in the art, to engage one another by minimal frictional force. By "minimal frictional force" is meant that amount of friction between two bodies to allow slippage of said two bodies past one another as opposed to no slippage (where one body is stationary and the other acting under gravitational force) but at a rate lower than if said two bodies had no friction acting between one another. Once the lid is vertical, it will be affected by gravity and have a natural tendency to slip downward slightly due to a further novel embodiment wherein the lid hinge is designed to allow the lid to slip downward on the axis of the hinge, combined with the slots being engineered in the rear section of the seat such that the slots actually comprise open ended slots in the rear of the seat. Thus, there is nothing obstructing the downward slippage of the seat on its elongated slot hinge once it is brought to a vertical position. Consequently, the lid friction tabs can fully separate from the slots in the seat. The downward movement of the lid is terminated while remaining in the vertical position by contact of the lid travel limit tang 601 with the hinge plate 602 or other part of the toilet rim top.

[0058] With respect to the lid hinge designed to allow vertical slippage of the lid and the embodiment providing for causing the lid to shift its center of gravity upon the seat being induced to rotate from vertical to horizontal, both are interrelated. Specifically, as depicted in FIG. 15 the seat hinge 603 comprises hinge axel pin 700, seat attachment hinge plate 605, seat mounting hinge plate 604, and lid attachment hinge plate 602. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the axel pin 700 is cylindrical and is slidingly fitted to a cylindrical aperture 704 in seat attachment hinge 605. Likewise, hinge mounting plate 604 is slidingly fitted to said axel pin 700. In a further preferred embodiment, the lid attachment hinge plate 602 has an oblong aperture 705 through which the axel pin 700 is positioned. The oblong aperture 705 is situated with respect to the lid attachment end of the hinge plate 602 so that when the lid is in a vertical position, the oblong aperture 705 is also longest from top to bottom or essentially in the vertical position as well. When the lid is brought to a vertical position the lid is induced by gravity to drop about between 0.5 cm and 1.5 cm. The lid remains in a vertical position however until the seat is induced to lower. Upon the seat lowering, because the oblong aperture 705 is designed to lean in the vertical slightly to the closed position, it will induce the lid to fall forward on the axel pin 700. Alternatively, if a user wishes to sit on the seat with the lid remaining in the vertical, the user simply can nudge the lid up from the seat from its resting position to the vertical in which case the lid will rest on the limit tang 601, and if the user wishes to lift the lid by pressing the pedal, and then letting the seat drop to the horizontal, then the user can simply arrest the lid from falling to keep it balanced on the limit tang 601 until nudged towards the closing position in which case the lid will drop on its own by gravity and the rate of drop will be affected by the tabs 501a and 501b.

[0059] Once the seat and lid have reached this limit, the seat and lid can remain in the raised position easily due to the equal counterbalance between the seat/lid weight and the counter weight provided by the combination of the pedal and pedal displacement rod weight, the spatial positioning of the cam actuator lower than the seat hinge, and the tension adjustment bar. When the seat is lowered by a tug of the toe on the bottom of the pedal the lid will inherently drop and follow the seat down to a resting horizontal position. In a preferred embodiment the lid drop rate is regulated by friction between tabs 501a and 501b that form an integral part of the under surface of the lid 502 and slots 503a and 503b which are formed into the rear edge of the toilet seat 504. As shown in FIGS. 12A and B and FIG. 13, the tabs can be fixedly fitted on to, but preferably are molded into, the toilet lid. The dimensions of the tabs can be a plurality of sizes but generally protrude from the under surface of the lid to a distance sufficient to extend into the depth of the slot at least enough so that the sides surfaces of the tabs, which are thicker than the slot width by enough of a dimension to cause the tab to frictionally engage the side surfaces of the slots. In a further preferred embodiment, the frictional engagement of the tabs and slots is sufficient to slow the drop of the lid without causing the lid to be held firmly by the frictional engagement of the tabs and lid. Instead, the friction allowed to be applied due to the choice of tab and slot dimensions is such that the lid tabs will slide against the sides of the slots without becoming wedged and in any event when the seat and lid are in a vertical position, the lid will disengage from any gripping it may experience with the seat.

[0060] In operation, when the foot pedal is pressed, the cam actuator transfers torque applied via the foot pedal and pedal displacement rod into rotational force on the seat lifting displacement rod thereby lifting the seat. Because the seat is evenly balanced between the force required to lift the seat by pressing down on the pedal versus letting the seat return to a horizontal position by pulling up on the lip of the pedal, the seat can be brought to a resting position without slamming. Further, the lid, if present, can freely drop and as the tabs under the lid engage the slots of the seat, the lid drop rate will sharply decrease and cause the lid to slowing drop to a resting horizontal position. There is an inherent benefit for installing lid covered toilet seats with the current pedal driven invention, particularly in men's toilets as the user will be required to lift the seat (and lid) in order to use it, thereby lessening the likelihood of soiling the toilet seat with urine.

[0061] In yet alternate embodiments, the seat and/or lid combination can be designed as shown in FIGS. 17 to 22. In this embodiment, the seat 800, as in other embodiments, comprises seat mounts 312 with lifting rod slots 402 located at the rear lateral position. The hinge in this embodiment comprises a hinge pin 807 (FIG. 20) formed in a rigid substrate 802 which substrate is shaped in an "L" further comprising a mounting bolt 803 positioned at 90 degree angle with respect to the hinge pin 807. Seat 800 has a section 804 (FIG. 18) comprising surface 801 along the rearward underside of the seat which when the seat is lifted, surface 801 contacts hinge substrate 802 and terminates the ability of the seat to travel any further in the upward direction. FIG. 18 is a close-up view showing the hinge pin attachment lobe 806 rotated with the seat in the vertical position. As depicted, seat surface 801 impacts the hinge pin substrate 802. FIG. 19 depicts the similar arrangement with a seat and lid combination. With respect to the lid, it has a travel limit capability due to the uniquely designed limit stop surface 810 which contacts a portion of hinge pin substrate 802.

[0062] FIG. 20 shows a rear view of the above alternate embodiment. As is understandable to one of skill in the mechanical arts, hinge substrate 802, which encompasses hinge pin 807 and mounting bolt 803 is formed so as to have an elongated hinge pin 807 to connect to hinge pin lobe 806 of seat 800 and the lid portion 820 encompassing the pin.

[0063] In a further aspect of the above alternate embodiment, the rate of fall of the seat is slowed similarly to that of the embodiment disclosed in FIGS. 11 to 13 in that the reduction in fall rate is accomplished with a minimal frictional contact between slanted surfaces 811a and 811b, and 812a and 812b, respectively. Specifically, when the lid is urged to fall to a horizontal position, the slanted surfaces will contact with minimal friction and the lid will slowly close. FIG. 21 shows a view from the top wherein the lid and seat are raised in the vertical position. As depicted, surface 810 of the lid and seat section 804 contact hinge pin substrate 802. FIG. 22 shows a perspective view providing another view to comprehend the lid and seat combination.

[0064] Thus, with this alternate embodiment, the user can press the foot pedal and lift both seat and lid simultaneously. The seat travel will terminate upon the seat surface 801 contacting the hinge pin substrate 802. Consequently, there is no need to include a travel stop tang on the second of the two cam assembly as depicted in FIG. 23 further advancing the art by simplification and lowering expense of manufactured parts. Further, whether applied to one embodiment or another disclosed herein, the seat drop weight can be tailored to the counter weight in the pedal and/or amount of friction than can be applied by the tensioning plate.

[0065] Still further, the current invention benefits from the multipoint travel limitation capability. For example, in some instances, such as high traffic use locations, it may benefit the longevity of the hardware to employ the above alternate embodiment yet keep a travel limit tang on the seat lifting cam. In such arrangement, the hardware would benefit from having travel limits built into both the cam and the seat surfaces.

[0066] In yet another alternate embodiment, the pedal and its associated rod can be replaced by a motor which is connected to a gear attached to a shortened rod. For example, as depicted in FIG. 24, the motor can be mounted on the assembly mounting bracket 301 but in and extended portion 704 thereof. Specifically, motor 703, which can be any A/C driven or battery operated motor having a sufficient torque to raise and lower the seat and lid. It is contemplated in such an arrangement that the motor is housed in a fashion to keep it sealed from contact with liquids and is connected to the cam via gears 701 and 702. It is also contemplated that the motor would be activated through infra red sensor technology, which is well understood by one of skill in the electronic arts, by waving a hand across a sensor that can be located along the side of the toilet, its water tank if present, or in a casing removed from the toilet itself. A routine can be designed into the electronics for the IR sensor to act as an up an down switch.

[0067] All of the compositions and methods disclosed and claimed herein can be made and executed without undue experimentation in light of the present disclosure. While the compositions and methods of this invention have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that variations may be applied to the compositions and methods and in the steps or in the sequence of steps of the method described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. More specifically, the described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. All similar substitutes and modifications apparent to those skilled in the art are deemed to be within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

[0068] All patents, patent applications, and publications mentioned in the specification are indicative of the levels of those of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains. All patents, patent applications, and publications, including those to which priority or another benefit is claimed, are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

[0069] The invention illustratively described herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element(s) not specifically disclosed herein. Thus, for example, in each instance herein any of the terms "comprising", "consisting essentially of", and "consisting of" may be replaced with either of the other two terms. The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention that use of such terms and expressions imply excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described in whole or in part thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed. Thus, it should be understood that although the present invention has been specifically disclosed by preferred embodiments and optional features, modification and variation of the concepts herein disclosed may be resorted to by those skilled in the art, and that such modifications and variations are considered to be within the scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A toilet seat lifting and lowering apparatus comprising: A) a torque transfer mechanism comprising first and second cams, said second cam having a tooth which contacts a groove in said first cam; B) first and second lever arms, said first arm connected to said first cam and to a foot pedal, said second arm connected to said second cam and in sliding contact with said toilet seat, said pedal comprising a counter weight; and C) at least one seat mount, said seat mount comprising a lateral slot for accommodating said second arm wherein said second arm is maintained in said slot, said apparatus characterized in that when a force is applied downward on said pedal, the first lever arm is caused to rotate translating such rotation to the first cam which displacement of said first cam causes said second cam to rotationally displace and translate such displacement to said second lever arm which in turn forces said seat to lift, and where an upward force applied to said pedal causes an opposite rotation of said first lever arm and thereby translates motion to said first cam which in turn acts upon said second cam to displace and thereby cause the second lever arm to rotate forcing said seat to a lower position.

2. A toilet seat lifting and lowering apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a lid, wherein said lid is attachable to a toilet in relation to said seat via a hinge having the same axis of rotation and fulcrum as said seat.

3. A toilet seat lifting and lowering apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first cam comprises at least one groove for slidingly and rotationally contacting said second cam, said second cam comprising at least one tooth.

4. A toilet seat lifting and lowering apparatus of claim 2, wherein said lid further comprises at least two friction tabs, said tabs projecting from the under surface of said lid and sized to engage by minimal friction at least two slots, respectively, positioned on said seat in close proximity to said hinge.

5. A toilet seat lifting and lowering apparatus of claim 1, wherein said lateral slot in said seat mount further comprises a tension adjusting assembly, said assembly comprising a seat support, a lifting rod slot, and a tensioning plate.

6. A toilet seat lifting and lowering apparatus of claim 1, wherein the arc of swing of the seat from horizontal to vertical is limited by a displacement limitation tang associated with said second cam.

7. A toilet seat lifting and lowering apparatus comprising: A) a torque transfer mechanism comprising first and second cams, said second cam having a tooth which contacts a groove in said first cam; B) first and second lever arms, said first arm connected to said first cam and to a foot pedal, said second arm connected to said second cam and in sliding contact with said toilet seat, said pedal comprising a counter weight; C) at least one seat mount, said seat mount comprising a lateral slot for accommodating said second arm wherein said second arm is maintained in said slot, and D) a hinge assembly comprising a hinge pin and mounting bolt fixed in a solid substrate at 90 degrees to one another, said hinge pin having a length to connect to both a seat and a lid. said apparatus characterized in that when a force is applied downward on said pedal, the first lever arm is caused to rotate translating such rotation to the first cam which displacement of said first cam causes said second cam to rotationally displace and translate such displacement to said second lever arm which in turn forces said seat to lift, and where an upward force applied to said pedal causes an opposite rotation of said first lever arm and thereby translates motion to said first cam which in turn acts upon said second cam to displace and thereby cause the second lever arm to rotate forcing said seat to a lower position.

8. A toilet seat lifting and lowering apparatus of claim 7, wherein an upward travel of said seat is limited by any or all of a travel limit stop in a cam and a surface of the seat contacting a surface of said hinge pin substrate.

9. A toilet seat lifting and lowering apparatus of claim 7, wherein said seat has a slanted surface for contacting a slanted surface on said lid with a minimal friction contact.

10. A toilet seat lifting and lowering apparatus comprising: A) a torque transfer mechanism comprising first and second cams, said second cam having a tooth which contacts a groove in said first cam; B) first and second lever arms, said first arm connected to said first cam and to an electric motor, said second arm connected to said second cam and in sliding contact with said toilet seat, said motor capable of a torque to lift said seat and or lid and lower said seat and or lid; C) at least one seat mount, said seat mount comprising a lateral slot for accommodating said second arm wherein said second arm is maintained in said slot, and D) a hinge assembly comprising a hinge pin and mounting bolt fixed in a solid substrate at 90 degrees to one another, said hinge pin having a length to connect to both a seat and a lid. said apparatus characterized in that when a force is applied downward on said pedal, the first lever arm is caused to rotate translating such rotation to the first cam which displacement of said first cam causes said second cam to rotationally displace and translate such displacement to said second lever arm which in turn forces said seat to lift, and where an upward force applied to said pedal causes an opposite rotation of said first lever arm and thereby translates motion to said first cam which in turn acts upon said second cam to displace and thereby cause the second lever arm to rotate forcing said seat to a lower position.

11. A toilet seat lifting and lowering apparatus of claim 10 wherein said motor is activated by an infra red sensor.

12. A toilet seat having at least one slotted rear seat mount for accepting a lifting rod.

13. A toilet seat of claim 12 further comprising a hinge having a substrate surface thereof that is positioned with respect to a portion of said seat when the seat is attached to a toilet such that when the seat is fully raised to an upright position, said surface of said seat will contact said hinge substrate thereby terminating the ability of the seat to swing any further past said upright position.

14. A toilet seat of claim 13 further comprising a lid wherein said hinge substrate is positioned with respect to a portion of said lid when the lid is attached to a toilet by said hinge such that when the lid is fully raised to an upright position, said surface of said lid will contact said hinge substrate thereby terminating the ability of the lid to swing any further past said upright position.

15. A toilet seat of claim 14 further comprising a seat lifting lever arm inserted into said slot.

16. A toilet seat of claim 15 further comprising a torque transfer assembly comprising a double cam actuator connected to said seat lifting lever arm.

17. A toilet seat of claim 16 further comprising a second lever arm connected to at least one of said cams, said second lever arm further connected to one of an electric motor or a foot pedal.

18. A toilet seat of claim 1 7 wherein said lid further comprises at least one surface for slidingly contacting a surface of said seat by minimal frictional force for slowing rate of drop of said lid onto said seat.

19. An article of manufacture comprising a toilet seat system comprising a toilet seat comprising at least one slotted rear seat mount for accepting a lifting rod, at least one surface on said seat for contacting a portion of a hinge pin mount substrate for terminating arc travel about said hinge of said seat when said seat is attached to a toilet, said termination occurring when said seat is raised to an upright position, and a torque transfer assembly comprising a two cam actuator for translating linear motion to rotational motion, said cam assembly connected to said toilet and to said seat by a mounting bracket.

20. An article of manufacture of claim 19 further comprising a lid.

21. An article of manufacture of claim 20 wherein said hinge substrate is positioned with respect to a portion of said lid when the lid is attached to a toilet by said hinge such that when the lid is fully raised to an upright position, said surface of said lid will contact said hinge substrate thereby terminating the ability of the lid to swing any further past said upright position.

22. An article of manufacture of claim 21 wherein said two cams comprise at least one groove in one cam and at least one tooth in said second cam.