Toilet seat lifter

Abstract

The present invention is an improved and retrofitted attachment clip for toilets that allows the toilet seat to maintain an upright position. The toilet seat lifter comprises a rectangular plate attached thereto a clip via a spring-loaded hinge, wherein the spring-loaded hinge includes a torsion spring. In operation, the device removably attaches thereto the back rim of the toilet so that the upper end of rectangular plate lays against the underside of the toilet seat. In some embodiments, the present invention further includes a pair of arms that fasten to the toilet seat to ensure that the device is secured onto the toilet seat. The present invention maintains the rectangular plate and the toilet seat in an upright position. The toilet seat can be placed down by applying an external force. When the external force is released the toilet seat returns to an upright position.

Claims

1. A toilet seat lifter, comprising; a clip adapted to removably attach to an interior edge of a rear rim of a toilet; a rectangular plate having a lower end and an upper end; said lower end of said rectangular plate attached to said clip via a spring-loaded hinge; wherein the clip is disposed on a first side of the rear rim, the first side of the rear rim disposed towards a center of the toilet; wherein said rectangular plate is configured to move between an upright position and a horizontal position; said upper end of said rectangular plate adapted to directly contact an underside of a toilet seat when said rectangular plate is in said upright position; wherein an axis of the spring-loaded hinge is disposed parallel a pivot of the toilet seat; the rectangular plate configured to slide along an underside of the toilet seat.

2. The toilet seat lifter of claim 1, wherein said clip comprises a base, a first side and a second side; each of said first side and said second side having a looped edge.

3. The toilet seat lifter of claim 2, further comprising a pair of removable handles; each of said pair of removable handles having a first terminal end and a second terminal end; each of said first terminal end and said second terminal end disposed within said looped edge.

4. The toilet seat lifter of claim 1, wherein said spring-loaded hinge comprises a torsion spring; wherein said torsion spring moves said rectangular plate into said upright position when said torsion spring is relaxed; wherein said torsion spring moves said rectangular plate into said horizontal position when said torsion spring is squeezed.

5. The toilet seat lifter of claim 1, further comprising a pair of arms having a first end and a second end; said first end of said pair of arms attached to said clip; said second end of said pair of arms having a circular tip; said circular tip adapted to secure to a topside of said toilet seat.

6. The toilet seat lifter of claim 4, wherein said second end of said pair of arms is bent away from said rectangular plate.

7. The toilet seat lifter of claim 1, wherein said clip comprises a triangular cross section.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein the numeral annotations are provided throughout.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a view of the present invention as installed on a toilet seat.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a view of the present invention as being moved into a lowered position.

(5) FIG. 4 shows a successive view of the present invention as being moved into a lowered position.

(6) FIG. 5 shows a successive view of the present invention as being moved into an upright position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) References are made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the toilet seat lifter. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used to maintain toilet seats in an upright position. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.

(8) Referring to FIG. 1 there is shown a view of the preferred embodiment of the toilet seat lifter 20. The toilet seat lifter 20 comprises of a clip 21 having a rectangular plate 23 attached thereto via a spring-loaded hinge 22. It is contemplated that the clip 21 may be composed of flexible metal or other suitable material, and the plate 23 may be composed of rigid material such as metal or plastic. Further, the clip 21 and the plate 23 may be anti-bacterial. In the illustrated embodiment, the clip 21 also includes a pair of elongated arms 24. The clip 21 is configured to attach to the rear rim of the toilet. The clip 21 comprises a base 21E, a first side 21A, and a second side 21B, wherein the two sides 21A, 21B extend from the base 21E and are biased toward each other to form an apex. When viewed from the side, the clip 21 comprises a substantially triangular cross section. Each of the two sides 21A, 21B comprises a terminal edge that curls outward, so as to form a looped edge 21C. Tension along the base 21E of the clip 21 forces the two sides, 21A, 21B, closed, such that the looped edges 21C of the two sides 21A, 21B directly contact one another.

(9) The two sides 21A, 21B, can be moved apart such that the clip 21 is in an open configuration. In an open configuration, the clip 21 can attach to a rear portion of a toilet rim such that the base 21E of the clip 21 rests flush against the side of the rim of the toilet; the first side 21A rests flush against the top of the rim; and the second side 21B rests flush against the bottom of the rim. The loops 21C prevent the edges of the first and second sides 21A, 21B from cutting into the rim of the toilet.

(10) In some embodiments, each of the loops 21C are adapted to hold removable handles 21D thereon. Each of the handles 21D comprises an elongated wire having two terminal ends, wherein each of the ends are disposed within the loops 21C so as to form a closed loop. It is contemplated that the wire comprises a circular cross section with a diameter that is less than a diameter of a cross section of the loop 21C such that the wire can freely rotate within the loops 21C. The handles 21D that can be squeezed together to move the sides 21A, 21B apart such that the clip 21 is open. The handles 21D can be removed from the clip 21 by squeezing them sideways and pulling them out from the loops 21C.

(11) The rectangular plate 23 is hingedly attached to the clip 21 via a spring-loaded hinge 22, or other suitable fasteners. The rectangular plate 23 comprises an upper end 23A, a lower end 23B, and opposing side ends 23C. The distance between the upper end and the lower end defines a length of the rectangular plate 23; and the distance between the two side ends 23C define a width of the rectangular plate 23. The lower end 23B of the rectangular plate 23 is attached to the clip 21 where the base 21E connects to the first side 21A. The spring-loaded hinge 22 spans the width of the base 21E of the clip 21 so that the entire lower end of the plate 23 is hingedly connected thereto. Thus, the width of the plate 23 is substantially equal to the width of the base 21E of the clip 21. In operation, the upper end of the plate 23 contacts an underside of a toilet seat to prevent the seat from lowering, thereby maintaining the toilet seat in an upright manner. Additionally, the rectangular plate 23 is dimensioned so that the upper end 23A of the plate 23 does not extend beyond the underside of the toilet seat. In this way, the plate 23 does not protrude into the recess afforded by the toilet seat.

(12) In the illustrated embodiment, spring-loaded hinge 22 comprises a torsion spring 22A. The torsion spring 22A is adapted to keep the rectangular plate 23 upright in its starting portion, thereby also maintaining a toilet seat in an upright position. When an external force is applied, the rectangular plate 23 can be moved into a horizontal position, whereby the toilet seat can be moved downward. When the external force is released, the torsion spring 22A will return to its starting position, and the rectangular plate 23 will return to its upright position.

(13) In the illustrated embodiment, the present invention comprises a pair of arms 24. Each of the arms 24 comprises an elongated wire having a first end and a second end. The first end of the wire is attached to the side 21A of the clip 21, and the second end comprises a circular tip 27. The arms 24 are bent such that the circular tips 27 point away from the rectangular plate 23. In operation, the arms 24 are positioned so that the first ends of the arms 24 are disposed at the top of the rim of the toilet on the underside of the toilet seat, and the circular tips 27 extend over the topside of the toilet seat. The arms 24 are dimensioned so that the circular tips 27 are locked into position when it extends over the topside of the toilet seat. In this way, the arms 24 provide additional fastening means to secure the present invention 20 to the toilet on which it is mounted.

(14) Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a view of the present invention as attached to a toilet. The toilet seat lifter 20 can be retrofitted to any existing or new toilets, and can be removably attached thereto without requiring any disassembly of the toilet. The clip 21 is clamped onto the rear rim of the toilet such that the base of the clip 21 is flush against the side of the rim, and the sides of the clip 21 are clamped on top and bottom of the rim. In its starting position, the torsion spring 22A of the spring-loaded hinge 22 is in a relaxed state, and it forces the top end of the rectangular portion 23 to directly contact the underside of the toilet seat, such that the plate 23 pushes the seat in the upright position and prevents the seat from falling down.

(15) To move the seat into a horizontal position, the seat is moved down, whereby pushing the seat down exerts pressure on the torsion spring 22A. As the pressure is applied to the spring 22A, the spring 22A is squeezed. This allows the plate 23 to move downward into a substantially horizontal position, whereby moving the plate 23 allows the toilet seat to move into the down position. As such, when the user is sitting on the toilet seat, the seat stays in a down position. When the toilet seat is not pushed down, the pressure is released from the torsion spring 22A, thereby allowing it to relax and move back to its starting position, returning the plate 23 and the toilet seat into the upright position.

(16) Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, there are shown successive views of the toilet seat being lowered. Due to the resistance from the torsion spring 22A, an external pressure must be applied to the toilet seat for the toilet seat to be used in a horizontal setting. Additionally, the external force must be consistently applied for the toilet seat to remain in the horizontal setting. The toilet seat lifter 20 does not limit the maneuverability of the toilet seat; the toilet seat can still move between a horizontal and a vertical setting. However, the toilet seat lifter 20 is adapted to create a starting position in the upright position and consistent pressure must be applied to use the toilet in a horizontal setting.

(17) The rectangular plate 23 is positioned on the underside of the toilet seat. The rectangular plate 23 is dimensioned so that it does not protrude into the recess of the toilet seat and does not interfere with any function of the toilet. When the toilet seat is in a down position, only the base 21E of toilet seat lifter 20 remains visible. The toilet may be used in a usual manner, and the toilet seat can automatically return to an upright position. Therefore, the usage, functionality, and appearance of the toilet is not affected by the attachment of toilet seat lifter 20.

(18) Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a view of the present invention when the external pressured applied thereto has been released and the toilet seat is returning to the default upright position. The torsion spring 22A of the spring-loaded hinge 22 returns to its relaxed state when the seat is released, which in effect pushes the rectangular plate 23 and the toilet seat from the horizontal position back to the default upright position. The toilet seat will remain in the upright position, until an external pressure moves the toilet seat back into a horizontal position.

(19) It is contemplated that the present invention is further adapted to maintain both the toilet seat and the lid in an upright position. As the torsion spring 22A pushes the toilet seat upright, the seat pushes against the lid, thereby moving the lid into an upright position. The toilet seat and lid can both be also moved into a down position by an external force applied to the lid.

(20) It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above descriptions then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function, and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specifications are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

(21) Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.