Abstract:
A unit created to maintain hygiene to lower and lift up the toilet seat without direct physical contact with the seat when being used. It will come in a plain cylindrical tubular vertical form and can be made from plastic, wood, or metal. It can remain right next to the toilet or on top of the tank cover standing on its base and does not need any batteries nor requires plugging for electricity use.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention generally relates to sanitary appliances and, more specifically, to a hygienic lifting device for lifting or lowering toilet seats, especially those in public restrooms. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     It is generally common knowledge that bathrooms are, as a general rule, unsanitary and fertile breeding grounds for bacteria responsible for numerous diseases. This is especially true for surfaces of toilet seats in any bathroom but in particular in public bathrooms. What is needed is a way to lilt or lower a toilet seat without having to touch it or having to touch it. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The “Clean Lift” has a handle that would make it easier lift and lower the seat. 
     (a) This unit will have a cylindrical design with a main handle grip and a dual-hooked extension at the far end. The unit could measure approximately 24 inches long and could be produced from plastic. To use the “Clean Lift”, the user would simply grip the handle and use the hooks to lift the seat. 
     (b) The unit could be offered in wide variety of colors and designs to match household decor. It would also be easy to store and clean and would durable and not rust. It would offer the consumer convenience, especially in a public restroom. 
     (c) The “Clean Lift” could be produced easily using conventional and readily available materials and manufacturing processes. No new production technology would be required. It could be produced from any number of hard, durable plastic formulations such as ABS, acrylic, polypropylene, phenolic resins or amino resins. These materials generally have good color ability, are reasonably priced, and are readily fabricated by a number of manufacturing processes, including injection molding. 
     (d) The “Clean Lift” could be packaged in a blister pack. This type of packaging consists of a piece of thin, clear polystyrene which has been molded to conform to the shape of the product being glued or otherwise attached to a piece of cardboard pressboard. The product would be placed in the molded polystyrene prior to its attachment to the cardboard. The cardboard pressboard could have the product name and other descriptive material, such as a sketch showing the product in use, printed on the front of the cardboard pressboard using a four-color printing process. Other material such as instructions for use could be printed on the back using black ink on stock. A single hole could be punched in the top of the cardboard pressboard for rack merchandising or for use with a point-of-purchase display. Corrugated cardboard shipping containers would then be used to hold a quantity of individually packaged products to facilitate shipment and storage. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Those skilled in the art will appreciate the improvements and advantages that derive from the present invention upon reading the following detailed description, claims, and drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows the complete body of a unit in accordance with the invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows the top portion or handle of the unit shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  shows the bottom portion of the unit that can be used to lift the toilet seat up or down; 
         FIG. 4  shows a demonstration on how the unit can be used to raise a toilet seat; 
         FIG. 5  shows a demonstration on how the unit can be used to lower a toilet seat; 
         FIG. 6  shows the base where the “Clean Lift” can rest on 
         FIG. 7  shows how the “Clean Lift” rests on the base 
         FIG. 8  shows how he bottom piece has a hook to be able to grasp the toilet seat and make it easier to pull down 
         FIG. 9  shows how the “Clean Lift” can rest on its base either on the floor or on top of the toilet 
         FIG. 10  shows the front side view of the “Clean Lift” 
         FIG. 11  shows the back side view of the “Clean Lift” 
         FIG. 12  shows a demonstration on how the “Clean Lift” will be used to bring the toilet seat up 
         FIG. 13  shows a demonstration on how the “Clean Lift” can also be turned around and how you can use the other side to also lift the toilet seat 
         FIG. 14  shows how the “Clean Lift” is used to bring down the toilet seat and how the hook shown on  FIG. 8  will make it easier to bring down 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now specifically to the Figures, in which identical or similar parts will be identified by the same reference numerals throughout, and first referring to  FIG. 1 , the device or unit in accordance with the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral  10 . 
     Also referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the device  10  includes an engaging member  12  having a generally Z-shaped cross sectional configuration as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 . The member  12  includes a generally U-shaped curved wedge portion  12   a  and a straight wedge portion  12   b , the portions  12   a ,  12   b  being joined by an inclined transition portion  12   c . The curved wedge portion  12   a  forms a generally uniform U-shaped channel  12   d  that defines an arcuate surface  12   e  that includes both an upwardly facing surface portion  12   e ′ and a downwardly facing surface portion  12   e ″. The U-shaped channel is dimensioned to receive the edges of a toilet seat  20   b  and/or cover  20   c . The straight portion  12   b  forms a generally triangular channel  12   f  that defines a flat surface  12   g  inwardly facing the wedge shaped channel  12   f  and a lower generally flat surface  12   h . The curved wedge portion  12   a  is provided with a generally circular bore or opening  12   i  that is internally threaded and defines an axis A as shown in  FIG. 3 . The lifting device  10  includes a generally straight handle  14  having an external threaded end  14   a  dimensioned to be threadedly received within the threaded bore  12   i  and an enlarged handgrip  14   b . The location and orientation of the axis A of the bore  12   i  in the member  12  are preferably selected so that when not in use the device can rest on the flat surface  12   h  with the handle  14  generally oriented in a vertical direction as shown. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a typical or conventional toilet facility is shown referenced by the numeral  20 . The facility  20  includes a bowl  20   a , a seat  20   b  and a cover  20   c  generally pivotedly mounted on the bowl  20   a . Frequently, a tank  20   d  is provided that typically has a generally horizontal surface at the top thereof. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  an edge E 1  at the lower end of the arcuate surface  12   e  gradually increases in thickness due to the arcuate surface  12   e  while the thickness of the edge E 2  is typically maintained along the entire straight portion  12   b . Depending on the manufacture and style of the seat  20   b  and cover  20   c  it may be easier or advantageous to engage the seat  20   b , cover  20   c  or both with either the edge E 1  or E 2 . When one of the edges is inserted below the seat  20   b  or cover  20   c  a user can lift both of these pivoted components and engage the same and move them from one position to the other. Thus, for example, referring to  FIG. 4 , the device  10  is shown to be engaged while the cover and seat are in a lowered position. Upon engagement, the device can be raised thereby lifting the seat and/or cover. Similarly, in  FIG. 5 , with the seat and cover in the up position these can be engaged individually or together as suggested in the figure to lower them. 
     In  FIG. 6 , a base  30  is shown suitable for supporting the device  10  when not in use. Base  30  may include two separate, differently dimensioned portions  30   a ,  30   b  as shown. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the device  10  is shown positioned on the base  30  as it may be when not in use. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates the bottom surface of the Z-shaped member  12 , the dimensions of the base and in particular the portion  30   b  being dimensioned to support the surface  12   h.    
     In  FIG. 9 , the device is shown supported on the base  30  when same is placed on the floor, while  FIG. 9 a    shows the base placed on top of the tank  20   d  for supporting the device  10 . 
       FIGS. 10 and 11  show more details of the device as seen from the front perspective in  FIG. 10  and rear perspective in  FIG. 11 . 
       FIGS. 12-14  illustrate the manner in which the device  10  can be used to raise a seat, in  FIG. 12 , to raise a seat from a closed position in  FIG. 13  and lowered from raised position in  FIG. 14 . Depending on the dimensions of the cover and/or seat one channel  12   d  or channel  12   f  can be used to facilitate manipulation of the components or parts to be moved as well as to prevent unnecessary damage to the surfaces of the components being moved. A feature of the invention is that both channels  12   d  and  12   f  can receive and engage a toilet seat and/or cover both from the bottom and top surfaces thereof so that these can be raised or lowered by raising the handle  14  ( FIG. 13 ) or lowering the handle ( FIG. 14 ) without separating the device  10  from the items to be moved. 
     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.