Toilet lid and seat closer and flushing system

Abstract

A toilet lid and seat closer and flushing system that aims to prevent the spread of diseases and reduce environmental pollution caused by the emission of infectious and polluting bioaerosols during toilet flushing. The system includes a main actuator with dual closing and flushing buttons, a secondary actuator with a strike knob for closing the lid and seat, and a mechanical timer for delaying the water flushing. The system also includes a sealing rubber on the toilet lid and seat to provide a hermetic and antimicrobial barrier. This invention substantially reduces the emission of polluting bioaerosols, contributing to preventive medicine and improving the health of the global population. The system can be incorporated into new toilets or installed externally as an independent kit, making it adaptable to hundreds of millions of existing toilets worldwide.

Claims

1. A toilet lid and seat closer and flushing system comprising a main actuator connected to a secondary actuator through a connector rod, wherein said main actuator comprises at least a first closing button for partial flushing and a second closing button for full flushing and said second actuator closes said toilet's lid, wherein said first and second closing buttons also act as a flushing buttons, simultaneously activating water flushing and lid closure, and wherein said secondary actuator comprises a strike knob that activates closure of said toilet's lid when pressed, an articulated link between the connector rod and the strike knob and a secondary actuator support and cover to protect the second actuator from external elements.

2. A toilet lid and seat closer and flushing system of comprising a mechanical timer and a main actuator connected to a secondary actuator through a connector rod, wherein said main actuator comprises at least a first closing button for partial flushing and a second closing button for full flushing and said second actuator closes said toilet's lid, wherein said first and second closing buttons also act as a flushing buttons, activating lid closure first and water flushing subsequently, wherein said secondary actuator comprises a strike knob that activates closure of said toilet's lid when pressed, an articulated link between the connector rod and the strike knob and a secondary actuator support and cover to protect the second actuator from external elements, and wherein said mechanical timer delays water flushing until closing of said toilet's lid has been completed.

3. The toilet lid and seat closer and flushing system of claim 2, further comprising a sealing rubber on said toilet's lid to provide a hermetic seal against said toilet's seat, and a sealing rubber on said toilet's seat to provide a hermetic seal against said toilet's bowl.

4. The toilet lid and seat closer and flushing system of claim 3, further comprising an accessory handle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a toilet with an installed toilet lid and seat closer and flushing system in accordance with the present invention. The seat is completed with a rubber seal on the toilet bowl and the lid with a rubber seal against the seat.

(2) FIG. 2 is a front view of an embodiment of a toilet with an installed toilet lid and seat closer and flushing system in accordance with the present invention. The seat is completed with a rubber seal on the toilet bowl and the lid with a rubber seal against the seat.

(3) FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of an embodiment of a toilet with an installed toilet lid and seat closer and flushing system in accordance with the present invention. The seat is completed with a rubber seal on the toilet bowl and the lid with a rubber seal against the seat.

(4) FIG. 4 is an enlargement of the part of FIG. 3 marked with “B”.

(5) FIG. 5 is an enlargement of the part of FIG. 4 marked with “C”.

(6) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a main actuator in a toilet lid and seat closer and flushing system in accordance with the present invention.

(7) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a main actuator and secondary actuator in a toilet lid and seat closer and flushing system in accordance with the present invention.

(8) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a secondary actuator in a toilet lid and seat closer and flushing system in accordance with the present invention.

(9) FIG. 9 is an exploded view of an embodiment of a main actuator and secondary actuator in a toilet lid and seat closer and flushing system in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND BEST MODE OF IMPLEMENTATION

(10) The present invention refers to a toilet lid and seat closer and flushing system with mechanical timer, which is particularly useful for avoiding the emission of bioaerosols after a toilet flush. The system is composed of a main actuator responsible for activating the flush in the toilet cistern through the closing buttons (which are also delayed flush buttons) and connected to the secondary actuator through a connector rod. The toilet lid is equipped with a sealing rubber to provide a hermetic seal against the toilet seat. The toilet seat is also equipped with a sealing rubber to provide a hermetic seal against the toilet bowl. The secondary actuator is responsible for activating the closing of the toilet lid (or lid and seat) through the strike knob. The secondary actuator is supported by the secondary actuator support and covered by the secondary actuator cover. The system is installed in the toilet cistern and is activated through the closing buttons located on a combined button panel. The panel is fixed to the toilet cistern using panel fixing screws. The water flush is activated after a delay determined by the regulatory screws, which act as a mechanical timer, in such way that the discharge will only occur after the sit and lid have been closed. The second-degree levers are responsible for transmitting the force from the closing buttons to the main actuator and the regulatory screws, respectively. The pivot axis of the second-degree levers is supported by the support.

(11) The toilet lid (or lid and seat) closer and flushing system of the present invention significantly improves hygiene in toilet environments by preventing the emission of bioaerosols during flushes. It is easy to install and can be easily adapted to existing toilets. The application of this system can achieve a global impact (social, economic, sanitary), contributing to preventive medicine and significantly improving the level of public health of the whole population worldwide. It is capable of avoiding contagion of diseases of low, medium and high complexity (in many cases lethal), besides contributing to the fight against environmental pollution (intra-housing, hospital, etc.).

(12) The system technically achieves: a) Completely eliminating the transmission and contagion of thousands of diseases through the fecal-oral and urine-oral routes (directly or indirectly) derived from the infectious microscopic bioaerosol column (formed by fecal particles and pathogen germs) from toilets (invisible to the naked eye), to avoid the spread and transmission of diseases. b) Preventing in many cases deaths in all the inhabitants of the world, regardless of place, country, sex, age and purchasing power. c) Avoiding the huge suffering of contracting some of the diseases detailed below. d) Decreasing the death rate worldwide, and also a great economic benefit for public health: the governments of each country will spend less on hospital care.

Diseases Transmitted Via the Fecal-Oral and Urine-Oral Routes

(13) Following is a list of mild, severe and fatal infectious diseases transmitted by the fecal-oral and urine-oral routes, through the pathogenic germs that generate them (viruses, bacteria, protozoa, etc.). It is important to highlight that this list of 47 diseases is not exhaustive and definitive. In reality, there are even more, generated by thousands of existing strains, so the number of diseases to avoid is measured in the hundreds or thousands. By way of example, in a single flushing of water, feces can contain up to 200 Rotavirus cells, 20 billion Shigella Bacteria and 100,000 parasite eggs.

(14) 1. Hookworm disease Infectious agent that produces it: nematode/worm/parasite. Hookworm disease caused by Necator americanus. Ancylostoma duodenale. Ancylostoma brasiliense. Ancylostoma ceylanicum. Symptoms: anemia, abdominal pain, cough, bloody diarrhea, fatigue, fever, rash, excessive weight loss, lung problems, gastrointestinal problems, heart failure, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(15) 2. Balantidiasis Infectious agent that produces it: protozoon. Balantidium coli. Symptoms: diarrhea with blood and pus, nausea and vomiting, excessive weight loss, severe dehydration, high fever, headache, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(16) 3. Botulism Infectious agent that produces it: bacteria. Clostridium botulinum Symptoms: abdominal pain, constipation, vomiting, fatigue, blurred or double vision, difficulty speaking, swallowing and breathing, muscle paralysis, loss of reflexes, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(17) 4. Mononucleosis Infectious agent that produces it: virus. Cytomegalovirus. Symptoms: fever, fatigue, sore throat, muscle aches, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(18) 5. Cholera Infectious agent that produces it: bacteria. Vibrio cholerae. Symptoms: intense diarrhea, severe dehydration, vomiting, muscle cramps, hypovolemic shock, blood pressure alteration, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(19) 6. Ebola Infectious agent that produces it: virus. Ebola virus. Symptoms: pain in the abdomen, headache, throat, joints, muscles and chest. Dehydration, fever, diarrhea, vomiting blood, coughing up blood, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(20) 7. Strongyloidiasis Infectious agent that produces it: ascarid. Strongyloides stercoralis. Symptoms: cough, rash, diarrhea, vomiting, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(21) 8. Bacillary and Amoebic Dysentery Infectious agent that produces it: bacteria. Shigella for Bacillary Dysentery, and Amoeba called Entamoeba histolytica for Amebic Dysentery. Symptoms: bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, colic, fever, dehydration, cramps, excessive weight loss, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(22) 9. Enteritis caused by Rotavirus Infectious agent that produces it: virus. Rotavirus. Symptoms: abdominal pain, cramps, colic, excessive weight loss, watery diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, high fever, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(23) 10. Enteritis caused by Adenovirus Infectious agent that produces it: virus. Adenovirus. Symptoms: diarrhea, abdominal pain, blood in the urine, bladder pain, high fever, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(24) 11. Enteritis caused by Campylobacter Infectious agent that produces it: virus. Campylobacter. Symptoms: diarrhea, abdominal pain, blood in the urine, bladder pain, high fever, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(25) 12. Enteritis caused by Yersinia Enterocolitica Infectious agent that produces it: bacteria. Yersinia. Symptoms: diarrhea, abdominal pain, blood in the urine, bladder pain, high fever, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(26) 13. Enterocolitis caused by Clostridium Difficile Infectious agent that produces it: bacteria. Clostridium difficile. Symptoms: diarrhea, abdominal pain, blood in the urine, bladder pain, high fever, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(27) 14. Enterocolitis caused by Enterovirus Infectious agent that produces it: virus. Enterovirus. Symptoms: diarrhea, abdominal pain, blood in the urine, bladder pain, high fever, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(28) 15. Norwalk Gastroenteritis Infectious agent that produces it: virus. Norwalk. Symptoms: diarrhea, abdominal pain, blood in the urine, bladder pain, high fever, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(29) 16. Acute viral gastroenteritis Infectious agent that produces it: virus. Norovirus. Symptoms: diarrhea, abdominal pain, blood in the urine, bladder pain, high fever, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(30) 17. Acute bacterial gastroenteritis Infectious agent that produces it: bacteria. Heliobacter Pylori (high degree of lethality). Symptoms: diarrhea, abdominal pain, blood in the urine, bladder pain, high fever, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(31) 18. Giardiasis Infectious agent that produces it: protozoan parasite. Giardia. Symptoms: chronic diarrhea, impaired mental and physical development, lactose intolerance, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(32) 19. Hantavirus Infectious agent that produces it: virus. Hantaviridae. Symptoms: high and hemorrhagic fever, headache, muscle aches, cough, lung problems, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(33) 20. Hepatitis A Infectious agent that produces it: Highly contagious liver infection caused by the Hepatitis A virus. Symptoms: Symptoms include fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and low-grade fever. Joint pain, headache, inflammation of the liver. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(34) 21. Hepatitis B Infectious agent that produces it: Serious liver infection caused by the Hepatitis B virus. Symptoms: Symptoms include fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and low-grade fever. Joint pain, headache, inflammation of the liver. Cirrhosis, liver cancer. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(35) 22. Hepatitis E Infectious agent that produces it: Liver disease caused by the Hepatitis E virus. Symptoms: Symptoms include jaundice, lack of appetite, and nausea. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(36) 23. Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia Coli Infectious agent that produces it: bacteria. E. coli Symptoms: Cramps, abdominal pain, diarrhea, severe bleeding, intestinal infections, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(37) 24. Enteroinvasive Escherichia Coli Infectious agent that produces it: bacteria. Escherichia coli Symptoms: Cramps, abdominal pain, diarrhea, severe bleeding, intestinal infections, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(38) 25. Enteropathogenic Escherichia Coli Infectious agent that produces it: bacteria. Escherichia coli Symptoms: Cramps, abdominal pain, diarrhea, severe bleeding, intestinal infections, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(39) 26. Escherichia Coli Enterotoxins Infectious agent that produces it: bacteria. Escherichia coli Symptoms: Cramps, abdominal pain, diarrhea, severe bleeding, intestinal infections, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(40) 27. Enteroaggregative Escherichia Coli Infectious agent that produces it: bacteria. Escherichia coli Symptoms: Cramps, abdominal pain, diarrhea, severe bleeding, intestinal infections, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(41) 28. Escherichia Coli Diffuse Adhesion Infectious agent that produces it: bacteria. Escherichia coli Symptoms: Cramps, abdominal pain, diarrhea, severe bleeding, intestinal infections, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(42) 29. Cryptosporidiosis Infectious agent that produces it: parasite. Cryptosporidium. Symptoms: diarrhea, abdominal pain, blood in the urine, bladder pain, high fever, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(43) 30. Isospora Infectious agent that produces it: parasite. Isospora Belli. Symptoms: diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, dehydration, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(44) 31. Bacillus cereus Infectious agent that produces it: bacteria. Bacillus Cereus. Symptoms: emetic syndrome or diarrheal syndrome. Fever, dehydration, abdominal pain, headache, bloody stools, abdominal cramps, poisoning, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(45) 32. Clostridium perfringens Infectious agent that produces it: bacteria with eight lethal toxins. Clostridium. Symptoms: watery diarrhea, nausea, colic, abdominal pain, headache, poisoning, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(46) 33. Staphylococcus Infectious agent that produces it: bacteria. Bacilli. Symptoms: skin infections, boils, blood infections, bone infections, lung infections, poisoning, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(47) 34. Klebsiella Infectious agent that produces it: bacteria. pneumoniae. Symptoms: urinary and biliary tract infections, osteomyelitis, meningitis, septicemia, pneumonia, fever, tachycardia, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(48) 35. Malaria Infectious agent that produces it: parasite. Plasmodium. Symptoms: abdominal pain, muscle pain. Fatigue, fever, tremors, diarrhea, vomiting, headache, tachycardia, confusion, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(49) 36. Epidemic Pleurodynia or Bornholm Disease Infectious agent that produces it: virus. Enterovirus. Symptoms: intense pleural and chest pain. Abdominal pain, fever, myocarditis, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(50) 37. Salmonellosis Infectious agent that produces it: bacteria. Salmonella. Symptoms: diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain, muscle pain and headache, dehydration, bloody diarrhea, excessive weight loss, fatigue, chills, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(51) 38. Poliomielitis Infectious agent that produces it: virus. poliovirus. Symptoms: atrophy, fatigue, fever, dizziness, muscle loss, slow growth, headaches, nausea, vomiting. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(52) 39. Rubella Infectious agent that produces it: virus. Rubella. Symptoms: fever, nasal congestion, headache, body aches, enlarged neck lymph nodes, body rashes, cardiac disorders, diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, etc. Severity level: mild and severe.

(53) 40. Typhoid Fever Infectious agent that produces it: bacteria. Salmonella typhi. Symptoms: abdominal pain, muscle aches, headaches, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, fatigue, chills, extreme weight loss, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(54) 41. Shigellosis Infectious agent that produces it: bacteria. Shigella. It has 3 strains. Symptoms: bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, headache, intestinal fever. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(55) 42. Trachoma Infectious agent that produces it: bacteria. Chlamydia trachomatis. Symptoms: blindness (main infectious disease globally). Other symptoms: conjunctivitis, eye irritations. Severity level: mild and severe.

(56) 43. Trichuriasis Infectious agent that produces it: parasite. Trichuris trichiura. Symptoms: abdominal pain, anemia, malnutrition, bloody diarrhea, rectal prolapse, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(57) 44. Tuberculosis Infectious agent that produces it: bacteria. Koch's bacillus. Symptoms: chest pain, headache, coughing up blood, fatigue, fever, loss of appetite, breathing difficulties, swollen lymph nodes, weight loss, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(58) 45. Vibrio Parahaemolyticus Gastroenteritis Infectious agent that produces it: bacteria. Vibrio Parahaemolyticus. Symptoms: diarrhea, abdominal and headache pain, nausea, vomiting, fever etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(59) 46. Intestinal or extraintestinal yersiniosis Infectious agent that produces it: bacteria. Yersinia. Symptoms: severe diarrhea, fever, cramps, intestinal pain, etc. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

(60) 47. COVID-19 Infectious agent that produces it: infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Symptoms: headache, shortness of breath, chills, muscle aches, pneumonia, fever, cough, tiredness, loss of taste or smell. Severity level: mild, severe and fatal.

Superbugs

(61) The World Health Organization (WHO) has published a list of superbugs for which new antibiotics are urgently needed. The list includes the 12 most dangerous and deadly families of bacteria worldwide, 7 of which will be mentioned below as they can be transmitted via the fecal-oral route, and 2 via the fecal-oral and urine-oral route. Said published list is a new tool to guarantee that research and development, such as the work carried out in this patent where we developed a preventive product for disease transmission and a complement to medication, responds to urgent global public health needs.

(62) The WHO divides them into three categories based on the urgency in which new antibiotics, drugs, etc. are needed: critical, high or medium priority.

(63) The critical priority group includes multi-resistant bacteria that can cause serious and often fatal infections, such as bloodstream infections and pneumonia.

(64) The second and third levels of the list (the high and medium priority categories) contain other bacteria that exhibit increasing drug resistance and cause common diseases and food poisoning such as salmonella, etc.

(65) Predictions suggest that by the year 2050 superbugs can cause 10 million deaths per year worldwide and many of these diseases are of great concern and impact for the United States, for instance.

(66) Priority 1: CRITICAL

(67) Acinetobacter baumannii, carbapenem-resistant: Can be transmitted via fecal-oral or urine-oral route. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, carbapenem-resistant: Can be transmitted via fecal-oral or urine-oral route. Enterobacteriaceae, carbapenem-resistant, ESBL producers: Can be transmitted by the fecal-oral route.
Priority 2: HIGH Enterococcus faecium, vancomycin-resistant: Can be transmitted via fecal-oral route. Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant (MRSA), with intermediate sensitivity and resistance to vancomycin: Can be transmitted via fecal-oral route. Helicobacter pylori, clarithromycin-resistant: An infectious agent mentioned earlier in the List of Diseases. Can be transmitted via fecal-oral route. Campylobacter spp., fluoroquinolone-resistant: A disease mentioned earlier in the List of Diseases. Can be transmitted via fecal-oral route. Salmonellae, fluoroquinolone-resistant: A disease mentioned earlier in the List of Diseases. Can be transmitted via fecal-oral route.
Priority 3: MEDIUM Shigella, fluoroquinolones-resistant: A disease already mentioned above in the List of Diseases. It can be transmitted by the fecal-oral route.

(68) In addition, outside the WHO list, there is a strain of superbug called CRE that belongs to the group of Enterobacteriaceae, carbapenems-resistant and is lethal in 50% of cases. It is of great concern to public health because current drugs (between 26 and 28 antibiotics used) do not provide the required result. This strain was classified as a “Nightmare Bacteria” by the Director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Tom Frieden. The CRE superbug can be transmitted through fecal-oral and urine-oral routes. The West Virginia Public Health Office indicated that infected patients often have the bacteria on their skin or hands and spread it through urine, feces, or wounds.

(69) Some general aspects of the present invention have been summarized so far in the first part of this detailed description and in the previous sections of this disclosure. Hereinafter, a detailed description of the invention as illustrated in the drawings will be provided. While some aspects of the invention will be described in connection with these drawings, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely illustrative of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. The specific materials, methods, structures, and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting. Instead, the intended function of this disclosure is to exemplify some of the ways—including the presently preferred ways—in which the invention, as defined by the claims, can be enabled for a Person of Ordinary Skill in the Art. Therefore, the intent of the present disclosure is to cover all variations encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims, and any reasonable equivalents thereof.

(70) Referring to the drawings in more detail, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a toilet with an installed toilet lid (or lid and seat) closer and flushing system in accordance with the present invention. This figure shows the main actuator (1) and the secondary actuator (6) installed in the toilet cistern (8). The main actuator (1) is connected to the secondary actuator (6) via a connector rod (2). The main actuator (1) is a dual closing button panel with buttons (9) and (10) for selecting a partial flush or a full flush. The toilet lid (3) and seat (4) are shown in a semi-opened position, while the toilet bowl (5) is visible below. the toilet seat (4) is also equipped with a sealing rubber (4b) to provide a hermetic seal against the toilet bowl (5). Although this seal is useful for preventing the spread of bacteria, some embodiments may not include this feature.

(71) FIG. 2 is a front view of an embodiment of a toilet with an installed toilet lid (or lid and seat) closer and flushing system in accordance with the present invention. This figure shows the main actuator (1) and secondary actuator (6) in more detail, as well as the dual closing button panel and buttons (9) and (10). The toilet lid (3) and seat (4) are also shown in a semi-opened position. The sealing rubber (3b) of the toilet lid (3) is also shown.

(72) FIG. 3 is a sectional side view through line A-A of FIG. 2, of an embodiment of a toilet with an installed toilet lid (or lid and seat) closer and flushing system in accordance with the present invention. This figure shows the internal components of the system, including the main actuator (1) and the secondary actuator (6). The water drain valve (13) is also visible, as well as the toilet bowl (5) and the toilet cistern (8). The toilet lid (3) and seat (4) are also shown in the semi-opened position. An accessory handle (3b) is also considered at the proximal end of the lid so that it can be lifted without contact with the lid (3) Similarly a handle could be added for the seat, or both. They can be made of various materials.

(73) FIG. 4 is an enlargement of the part of FIG. 3 marked with “B”. This figure shows a closer view of the main actuator (1) and the connector rod (2) between the main actuator and the secondary actuator (6). The panel fixing screws (7, 12) are also visible, as well as the internal lock (11) that allows for the secure attachment of the panel to the existing toilet lid.

(74) FIG. 5 is an enlargement of the part of FIG. 4 marked with “C”. This figure shows a closer view of the main actuator (1) and its components, including the panel fixing screws (7, 12), the closing button (9) and the internal lock (11). The connector rod (2) and the 2nd degree lever (20) are also shown.

(75) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a main actuator in a toilet (or lid and seat) closer and flushing system in accordance with the present invention. This figure shows the main actuator (1) with the closing buttons (9, 10) and the panel fixing screw (12) visible.

(76) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a main actuator and secondary actuator in a toilet lid (or lid and seat) closer and flushing system in accordance with the present invention. This figure shows the main actuator (1) and the secondary actuator (6) with the connector rod (2) between them. The closing buttons (9, 10) are also visible. The secondary actuator is shown with its support (14) and cover (15), as well as the strike knob (16) for activating the closing of the lid (or lid and seat).

(77) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a secondary actuator in a toilet (or lid and seat) and flushing system in accordance with the present invention. In this figure, the secondary actuator (6) is shown in more detail, including the secondary actuator support (14), secondary actuator cover (15), and strike knob (16) for activating the closing of the toilet seat (4) and toilet lid (3). The secondary actuator (6) also includes an articulated link (17) connecting the strike knob (16) to connector rod (2), allowing the secondary actuator (6) to be actuated by the main actuator (1).

(78) Lastly, FIG. 9 is an exploded view of an embodiment of a main actuator and secondary actuator in a toilet lid (or lid and seat) closer and flushing system in accordance with the present invention. This figure shows the component parts of the main actuator (1), the secondary actuator (6) along with the various components that make up the system. The closing buttons (9, 10), and the connector rod (2), and the panel fixing screw (12) are visible, as well as the internal lock (11) that allows for the secure attachment of the panel to the existing toilet lid. The parts of the secondary actuator (6) shown in the figure are the secondary actuator support (14), the secondary actuator cover (15), and the secondary actuator strike knob (16). The articulated link (17) between the connector rod (2) and the strike knob (16) is also visible. The 2nd degree levers (20, 21) and the regulatory screws (19) used for adjusting the time delay between the activation of the closing buttons and the actual flushing until the closing of the toilet seat has been completed are also shown, as well as the pivot axis and support (18) for the 2nd degree levers.

(79) The description as set forth is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the teachings above without departing from the spirit and scope of the forthcoming claims.