Toilet lift seat
| Title: | Toilet lift seat |
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| Patent Number: | 10918,247 |
| Publication Date: | February 16, 2021 |
| Appl. No: | 16/587681 |
| Application Filed: | September 30, 2019 |
| Abstract: | A toilet lift seat positionable over a toilet bowl is liftable by actuators connected to the lift seat such that the lift seat initially pivots forward as the actuators lift the lift seat off of the bowl. An underside of the lift seat is pivotally connected to upper ends of the actuators such that a center of gravity of the lift seat extends forward of a pivot axis of the lift seat. Stops connected to the actuators are separated from a front portion of the lift seat when it is supported in a lowered position above the toilet bowl. When the actuators are engaged to lift the lift seat, the lift seat pivots forward until its underside engages the stops preventing further forward pivoting of the lift seat relative to the actuators as the actuators continue to lift the lift seat. The actuators may be water driven. |
| Inventors: | Hollis, Steve (Herman, NE, US) |
| Claim: | 1. A toilet lift seat for a toilet having a toilet bowl with a toilet bowl rim, the toilet lift seat comprising: a toilet seat having a toilet seat opening extending therethrough; left and right actuators supported in left and right actuator supports; said left and right actuators are supported by the left and right actuator supports to be oriented vertically and to extend in spaced relation on opposite sides of the toilet bowl of the toilet with which the toilet seat is used; an underside of the toilet seat pivotally connected on opposite sides of the toilet seat opening relative to upper ends of the left and right actuators such that a center of gravity of the toilet seat extends forward of a pivot axis of the toilet seat relative to the left and right actuators; left and right stops connected to the left and right actuators proximate the upper ends thereof; a front portion of the toilet seat, extending forward of the pivot axis, is supported on the toilet bowl rim when the left and right actuators are retracted to a retracted position whereby the toilet seat is drawn down to a lowered position relative to the toilet bowl; wherein upon vertical extension of the left and right actuators from the retracted position, the front portion of the toilet seat pivots downward relative to the upper ends of the left and right actuators and remains supported on the toilet bowl rim until left and right abutment features on the underside of the toilet seat abut against the left and right stops respectively preventing further forward pivoting of the toilet seat relative to the left and right actuators, and further vertical extension of the left and right actuators lifts the toilet seat, including the downwardly pivoted front portion of the toilet seat, vertically relative to the toilet bowl rim. |
| Claim: | 2. The toilet lift seat as in claim 1 wherein an upper surface of each of the left and right stops is vertically adjustable relative to the upper ends of left and right actuators respectively. |
| Claim: | 3. The toilet lift seat as in claim 1 further comprising at least one leveling foot threadably connected to the underside of the toilet seat forward of the pivot axis of the toilet seat and projecting downward relative thereto and positioned to engage the toilet bowl rim when the left and right linear actuators are retracted to a retracted position and the toilet seat is drawn down to a lowered position relative to the toilet bowl. |
| Claim: | 4. The toilet lift seat as in claim 1 wherein each of the left and right actuators includes a piston head and a lifting rod slidingly secured within a cylinder, a lift seat water supply line is flow connectable between a water supply line for the toilet and the cylinder of each of the left and right actuators below the piston head, a supply valve is connected to the lift seat water supply line, the supply valve is normally spring biased closed to prevent water from flowing to the left and right actuators and actuatable to supply water to the cylinder of the left and right actuators below the piston head to lift the lifting rod of each of the left and right actuators, a drain line is connected to the lift seat water supply line by a drain valve positioned between the supply valve and the left and right actuators, an outlet end of the drain line is positionable to direct water into the toilet bowl, and the drain valve is normally spring biased closed and actuatable to allow water to flow from the left and right actuators through and out of the drain line into the toilet bowl. |
| Claim: | 5. The toilet lift seat as in claim 1 wherein the left and right stops are formed on left and right lift blocks respectively connected at upper ends to the left and right actuators respectively and the toilet lift seat further comprises left and right stabilizing rods connected to and projecting downward from the left and right lift blocks respectively on a side of the left and right actuators opposite the left and right stops, and wherein lower ends of the left and right stabilizing rods extend into left and right receivers extending into the left and right actuator supports respectively. |
| Claim: | 6. A toilet lift seat for a toilet having a toilet bowl with a toilet bowl rim, the toilet lift seat comprising: a toilet seat having a toilet seat opening extending therethrough; left and right linear actuators supported in left and right actuator supports; said left and right linear actuators are supported by the left and right actuator supports to be oriented vertically and to extend in spaced relation on opposite sides of the toilet bowl of the toilet with which the toilet seat is used; left and right pivot mounts supported on upper ends of the left and right linear actuators; left and right stop features are associated with and extend forward of the left and right pivot mounts respectively; an underside of the toilet seat pivotally connected on opposite sides of the toilet seat opening to the left and right pivot mounts such that a center of gravity of the toilet seat extends forward of a pivot axis of the toilet seat relative to the left and right pivot mounts; a front portion of the toilet seat, extending forward of the pivot axis, is supported on the toilet bowl rim when and a gap extends between the stop features on the left and right pivot mounts and left and right abutment features respectively on the underside of the toilet seat; wherein upon vertical extension of the left and right linear actuators from the retracted position, the front portion of the toilet seat pivots downward relative to the left and right pivot mounts supported on the upper ends of the left and right linear actuators and remains supported on the toilet bowl rim until the left and right abutment features on the underside of the toilet seat abut against the left and right stops respectively preventing further forward pivoting of the toilet seat relative to the left and right linear actuators, and further vertical extension of the left and right linear actuators lifts the toilet seat, including the downwardly pivoted front portion of the toilet seat, vertically relative to the toilet bowl rim. |
| Claim: | 7. The toilet lift seat as in claim 6 wherein an upper surface of each of the left and right stops is vertically adjustable relative to the left and right pivot mounts respectively. |
| Claim: | 8. The toilet lift seat as in claim 6 further comprising at least one leveling foot threadably connected to the underside of the toilet seat forward of the pivot axis of the toilet seat and projecting downward relative thereto and positioned to engage the toilet bowl rim when the left and right linear actuators are retracted to a retracted position and the toilet seat is drawn down to a lowered position relative to the toilet bowl. |
| Claim: | 9. The toilet lift seat as in claim 6 wherein each of the left and right actuators includes a piston head and a lifting rod slidingly secured within a cylinder, a lift seat water supply line is flow connectable between a water supply line for the toilet and the cylinder of each of the left and right actuators below the piston head, a supply valve is connected to the lift seat water supply line, the supply valve is normally spring biased closed to prevent water from flowing to the left and right actuators and actuatable to supply water to the cylinder of the left and right actuators below the piston head to lift the lifting rod of each of the left and right actuators, a drain line is connected to the lift seat water supply line by a drain valve positioned between the supply valve and the left and right actuators, an outlet end of the drain line is positionable to direct water into the toilet bowl, and the drain valve is normally spring biased closed and actuatable to allow water to flow from the left and right actuators through and out of the drain line into the toilet bowl. |
| Claim: | 10. The toilet lift seat as in claim 6 further comprising left and right stabilizing rods connected to and projecting downward from the left and right pivot mounts respectively on a side of the left and right actuators opposite the left and right stop features, and wherein lower ends of the left and right stabilizing rods extend into left and right receivers extending into the left and right actuator supports respectively. |
| Patent References Cited: | 3925833 December 1975 Hunter 5309583 May 1994 White et al. 5819325 October 1998 Richards 2002/0124308 September 2002 Ward 2013/0232686 September 2013 Schwartz |
| Primary Examiner: | Skubinna, Christine J |
| Attorney, Agent or Firm: | Erickson Kernell IP, LLC Erickson, Kent R. |
| Accession Number: | edspgr.10918247 |
| Database: | USPTO Patent Grants |
| Language: | English |
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