Abstract:
An apparatus for automatically lifting a toilet seat is disclosed. The apparatus includes at least one spring that upwardly urges the toilet seat from its down position to its up position and a means for tempering the speed with which the spring or springs upwardly urge the toilet seat. The apparatus may further include a means to lock the toilet seat in the down position.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to earlier filed U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/743,316, filed Feb. 17, 2006, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates generally to toilet seats and more particularly to a toilet seat that will reposition itself in the upright open position after use. 
         [0004]    2. Background of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Public restroom toilets, such as those found in restaurants, offices, schools and malls and shopping plazas, are used by many people. As a consequence, it is difficult to maintain the cleanliness of these public toilets. This can be especially true in male or unisex restrooms where there is a single toilet and no installed or functioning urinal. Even in restrooms that have multiple urinals and toilets, males frequently use the toilets for urinating. In particular, if a male user uses a toilet for urination only and does not lift the toilet seat prior urinating, there is a risk that the male user will splash urine onto the toilet seat. Needless to say, this situation increases the frequency with which the restroom must be cleaned. 
         [0006]    This situation may even occur to a homeowner who has occasional guests or house parties. 
         [0007]    Therefore, there is a need for a restroom toilet that minimizes the chances that a male user will urinate on the toilet seat. There is also a need for a restroom toilet that makes maintaining the cleanliness of the restroom less burdensome. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention solves the problems of the prior art by providing a self-lifting toilet seat. In particular, the self-lifting toilet seat of the present invention includes a spring that upwardly urges the toilet seat from a closed position to an open position. A hydraulic actuator tempers the speed with which the spring upwardly urges the toilet seat to the open position, yet enables a user to easily and quickly push the toilet seat to the closed position. It is also desirable that the hydraulic actuator provide a positive locking system in the closed position allowing the user adequate time to undress and use prior to allowing the toilet seat to lift into the open position. 
         [0009]    Accordingly, among the objects of the present invention is the provision for a device to automatically lift a toilet seat to its up position. 
         [0010]    Another object of the present invention is the provision for a device to lift a toilet seat to its up position in a slow and controlled manner and more preferably after a pause in time from when the user of the toilet stands up from being seated. 
         [0011]    Another object of the present invention is the provision for a device that automatically locks the toilet seat in the closed position allowing the user sufficient time for use. 
         [0012]    Yet, another object of the present invention is a provision for a device to automatically lift a toilet seat that is durable and requires little of no maintenance. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  is a top partial cross-section view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention with the toilet seat in the down position; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a side partial cross-section view thereof; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a elevation partial cross-section view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention with the toilet seat in the up position; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a side partial cross-section view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention with the toilet seat in the up position; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a cross-section view through line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a cross-section view through line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 1 ; 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0020]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , the self-lifting toilet seat of the present invention is shown generally at  10  mounted to a toilet  12  and toilet seat  14 . In particular, the self-lifting toilet seat apparatus  10  is pivotally connected to a toilet  12  and toilet seat  14  so that the toilet seat  14  may be pivoted between a closed position and an open position and vice versa. Two torsion springs  18  upwardly urge the toilet seat  14  to the open position. As the toilet seat  14  is moved from the open position to the closed position, and vice versa, it rotates a shaft  16 . The shaft  16  is received into a hydraulic actuator  18  having a fluid-filled cylindrical chamber  20  and a valve body  22 . 
         [0021]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a vane  24  extends from the shaft  16  and into the cylindrical chamber  20  of the hydraulic actuator  18  and rotates with the shaft  16  between the open position  26  and the closed position  28  and effectively divides the chamber  20  into a first side and a second side. 
         [0022]    The valve body  22  is connected to the chamber  20  of the hydraulic actuator  18 . The valve body  22  has a fluid channel  30 , which connects the first side and the second side in fluid connection and allows the fluid to flow from the first side to the second side of the chamber  20  and vice versa. As the vane  24  rotates, it forces the fluid from one side to the other of the chamber  20 . 
         [0023]    Within the valve body  22  and interposed between the fluid channel  30  and the chamber  20 , is a spring-biased ball valve  32 , which opens when the toilet seat  14  pivots from the open position to the closed position, but shuts closed when the toilet seat  14  pivots from the closed position to the open position. 
         [0024]    A bleed channel  34  bypasses the ball valve  32  and fluid channel  30  and has an adjustable flow control  36  thereon. The bleed channel  34  allows a restricted amount of fluid to pass from the first side to the second side of the chamber  20  while the ball valve  32  is closed. The flow control  36  may be adjusted to lessen or increases the fluid flow through the bleed channel  34 . Preferably, the flow control  36  is a needle valve. 
         [0025]    Air bleed plugs  38  are included on the valve body  22  to bleed off excess air and allow the hydraulic actuator  18  to operate smoothly. 
         [0026]    Extending from the chamber  20  of the hydraulic actuator  18  is a pressure accumulator  40 . The pressure accumulator  40  supplies fluid to the shot pin  43  to lock in vane detent  42 . The vane  24  will be locked in this position at angle d until it is further rotated to the closed position  28  and then bleeds out the accumulated pressure allowing the shot pin  23  to retract and the toilet seat  14  to return to the open position. 
         [0027]    In use, a user can quickly and easily pivot the toilet seat  14  from the open position to the closed position. As the user pivots the toilet seat  14  with sufficient force to overcome the torsion springs  18  connected to the toilet seat  14 , the vane  24  forces the fluid from the second side into the first side of the chamber  20  through the fluid channel  30  and ball valve  32 . The user can then sit on the toilet seat  14 . After the user leaves the restroom, the torsion springs  18  urge the toilet seat  14  upwardly, causing the toilet seat  14  to pivot the shaft  16  and the attached vane  24 . The vane  24  forces the fluid from the first side of the chamber  20  and into the fluid channel  30 . However, because the ball valve  32  remains closed, the fluid is forced through the bleed channel  34  instead at a restricted rate. Because the bleed channel  34  is restricted by the flow control  36 , the fluid flow is impeded, which in turn impedes the movement of the toilet seat  14  as it rises. The flow control  36  can be adjusted to allow the toilet seat  14  to rise as fast or as slow as desired. 
         [0028]    In particular, the flow control  36  can be adjusted to provide a momentary pause between when the toilet seat  14  is placed in the closed position and begins to rise to the open position. This advantage enables the user of the toilet  12  to leave the restroom prior to the toilet seat  14  resetting itself to the open position. 
         [0029]    Referring now to  FIG. 6 , the hydraulic actuator  18  also includes the ability to temporarily lock the toilet seat  14  in the down position for the convenience of the user. In particular, the hydraulic actuator  18  includes a pair of spring-biased shot pins  43  that project inwardly into the chamber  20 . Two shot pins  43  are preferred for redundancy and added strength. Although  FIG. 6  shows only a single shot pin  43 , the other is spaced-apart and substantially parallel to the shot pin  43  shown. The tip of the shot pin  42  cooperates with a vane detent  42  on the end of the vane  24  to positively hold the toilet seat  14  slightly above the down position at angle d, which is about five degrees offset from the closed position. Vane detent  42  can be a single detent or a pair of corresponding detents. When a user sits on the toilet seat  14 , the shot pins  43  are dislodged from the vane detent  42  as the toilet seat  14  is move from angle d to the closed position. After the user rises from the toilet seat  14 , the torsion springs  18  rotate the shaft  16  and vane  24 . As the vane  24  passes the shot pins  43 , the speed and force of the vane  24  is sufficient that the tip of the shot pins  43  merely ride over the vane detent  42  rather than engaging it, which allows the toilet seat  14  to rise fully to the open position. 
         [0030]    Therefore, it can be seen that the present invention provides a unique solution to the problem of maintaining the cleanliness of the toilet seat. Because the toilet seat is self-lifting, a male user can never forget to lift the toilet seat prior to urinating. Moreover, other people that use the toilet will be appreciative of the effort to ensure that the toilet seat is clean. 
         [0031]    It would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention. All such modifications and changes are intended to be within the scope of the present invention except as limited by the appended claims.