Arrangement for fitting and changing a tubular cover made of plastic film on a toilet seat, and method for forming a tube

A tubular toilet seat cover is stored on a reel and pulled off from this reel as it is replaced, and the used cover is taken up on another reel. By actuating a drive mechanism, the cover is moved through a predetermined distance in such manner that when it is in the mounted position, the toilet seat body is surrounded by the tubular cover and the cover covers the important part of the toilet seat. The toilet seat, drive mechanism and storage device constitute a structural unit which is mountable as a whole on a conventional toilet seat, or it may constitute a unit with a toilet seat.

FIELD OF INVENTION 
The present invention relates to an arrangement for fitting and changing a 
tubular cover of plastic film on a toilet seat, whereby the cover is 
stored and pulled off from a container during changing and wound up again 
in another container, as well as a method for forming such a tubular 
cover. 
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
Toilet seats for toilets, with a device for hygienic covering by a film, 
are known (German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2,505,855). The toilet seats has 
a V-shaped design, opening toward its pivot. Devices to accept the 
covering film are mounted on the right and left on the open side of the 
seat. 
Moreover, toilet seats with automatically changing covers made of plastic 
film constitute the state of the art (German Offenlegungsschrift No. 
1,554,585). After each toilet use, this cover can be wound up for a 
distance corresponding to the width of the seat without touching it with 
the hands. This ensures that there is always a hygienic and clean cover 
over the entire seat, with the exception of the central opening. 
Fifty years ago, an attempt was made to cover a horseshoe-shaped toilet 
seat with a paper cover (Austrian Pat. No. 110,102). However, the 
arrangement was unable to meet the requirements imposed upon it, either 
from the hygienic or technical standpoint (for example, urination on the 
clean roll, etc.). 
However, a toilet seat with a paper cover has been disclosed, said cover 
being windable off a supply roll and onto a takeup roll by a drive, 
whereby a foot pedal or motor serves as the drive (German Utility Model 
No. 7,000,474). In this embodiment, the paper is stored on the supply roll 
on one side of the seat. The paper strip is pulled over the seat and 
attached to the takeup roller on the other side. Before the seat is used, 
the takeup roller is turned and a new section of the paper strip is pulled 
across the seat. 
All of these known toilet seat covers of this type, in the form of a strip 
of plastic or paper, suffer from the considerable disadvantage that they 
can slide off the toilet seat or become crumpled when the user makes the 
slightest movement, or can remain stuck to the sides of the seat, so that 
the use of a toilet protected in this manner offers only very limited 
hygienic protection. 
SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
An object of the present invention is to overcome deficiencies in the prior 
art such as noted above. 
Another object is to provide an arrangement of the type described which is 
simple and hygienically reliable, the arrangement being simple to operate, 
being foolproof in function, and being easily replaceable.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
FIG. 1 shows an arrangement designed as an interchangeable unit, with a 
toilet seat and cover. This unit consists of a toilet seat 1, covered by a 
tube 2, preferably of plastic film. Both ends 3 and 4 of the toilet seat 1 
project into a housing 5, such housing also comprising a closed but 
disassemblable unit, as described below. In the embodiment shown, the 
toilet seat is narrower at its forward curved part than at the two sides 
(a&lt;b). 
FIG. 2 shows the toilet seat 1 with tube 2, as well as the two ends 3 and 4 
of the toilet seat 1 projecting into the interior of the housing 5. This 
housing 5 also contains an electric motor 6 with a replaceable battery 7 
as a power source, as well as a tubular film container 8 and/or 9 located 
on the left and/or right. The box 9 is also provided with a driven 
conveying roller 10 and a guide roller 11 (FIG. 4) mounted on a support 
arm 13. A reel 12 is used to wind up the used tube 2. The motor 6 drives a 
gear train 14, to whose output the conveying roller 10 and reel 12 are 
coupled. The unused tube 2 is unwound from a reel 15, contained in the 
film container 8. A cutter 17, with an obtuse cutting angle, mounted at 
the end 3 of toilet seat 1, serves to slit the tube 2 in order to allow it 
to be pulled off and wound up on the reel 12. 
In order to smooth the cut tube, which may have creases in it, one or both 
rollers 10 and/or 11 are preferably provided with individual transverse 
grooves, as shown in FIG. 23, the presence of which provides this 
important advantage. The housing 5 comprises a first housing cover 20 
having partitions 21 and 22 which delimit the film containers 8 and 9 on 
their inner sides, and a second cover 25 which fits over the first cover 
20. The partitions 21 and 22 can be provided with seals 34 and 35 where 
they contact the second cover 25 to protect the interior of the housing 
from the dripping water. 
As FIG. 5 shows, it is highly advantageous to make the upper surface of 
toilet seat 1 concave and to round off the inner and outer contours in 
such manner that tube 2, as clearly shown in FIG. 5, in practice rests 
against only boundary areas of the toilet seat 1. Consequently, the 
minimum contact surface and frictional area considerably facilitate its 
advance. Basically, it is possible, as shown in FIG. 20, to provide an air 
duct with holes through which air is blown, serving to lift tube 2 off 
toilet seat 1 as it is advanced and to reduce the drag, i.e. to reduce the 
friction between the toilet seat 1 and and tube 2. Likewise, as shown in 
FIGS. 6 and 21, the shape of the surface of the toilet seat, which can be 
provided with corrugations, serves to facilitate its advance. 
FIG. 7 shows a film container 56, from which a protective tube 2, 
preferably a film tube made of plastic, is pulled out in the manner 
previously described, from the film container 56 on the left hand side of 
the figure. The rear left part of a toilet seat 57 is cut through by a 
slot 58. This makes it possible to push the tube 2 into the slot 58 and 
then over the forward part of toilet seat 57, whereby the front part of 
seat 57 is then covered by the tube 2. In order to permit the tube to be 
pulled off toilet seat 57 at the other end, tube 2 must be slit as it is 
pulled off, e.g. using the blade 17. 
This design is extremely simple. It can easily be mounted on existing 
facilities. Designing slot 58 appropriately minimizes the resistance to 
movement of the tube 2. This design is especially suited for locations 
with a high use frequency. 
FIG. 8 is a perspective drawing, with parts shown cut away, of the lower 
part of a flush tank 62 with a tubular film container 63 attached, having 
a bottom 80. The latter is divided by two partitions 64 which support the 
drive mechanism to move tube 2 and to form a chamber 65 for an electric 
motor (not shown in FIG. 8). The supply roll with reel 15 is visible at 
the left side of the figure, while the right side shows the takeup roll 
with reel 12. The shaft of the reel 12 is provided with a pulley 67, and a 
belt 68 being connected to a second pulley 70. This second pulley is 
connected to a drive gear 71. This gear 71 meshes with two gears 72, the 
upper of these gears being provided with a stop pin 74, fastened in a 
spring-tensioned manner, for example. This pin cooperates with a limit 
switch 76 located in an appropriate position in order to interrupt the 
rotational movement and/or takeup of the tube 2 when a motor-drive takeup 
is provided. The lower of the gears 72 drives a pinion 77 and hence 
conveying roller 10. Guide roller 11 can also be driven. The film strip 
and/or tube 2 is pulled between the two rollers 10 and 11 when it is wound 
up. A side wall 79, as shown in FIG. 8, can be opened sideways to permit 
the tube 2 to be replaced easily. The side wall opposite side wall 79 can 
also be swung out with reel 15 to permit easier access to the roll. 
The number of gear teeth and/or dimensions of the gear drive are selected 
so that one rotation of the upper gear 72 corresponds to one complete 
replacement of the tube 2 on the toilet seat. 
FIGS. 9-14 show various possibilities for guiding the tube 2 as well as 
arrangements of the film container, whereby, however, the basic principle, 
namely complete covering of the front part of the toilet seat, is the same 
and is complete in all embodiments. 
FIGS. 15-17 show in a purely schematic fashion how a dispensing station 82 
and a takeup station 83 can be mounted in the manner described hereinabove 
on the existing toilet in simple fashion. It is possible, for example, as 
shown in detail in FIG. 17, to connect the dispensing station 82 and 
takeup station 83 by a support 85 provided with two slots 86 between the 
two stations 82 and 83, the width of the slots corresponding to the 
diameter of the two openings in the toilet bowl which serve to mount the 
cover. In this manner, the support 85 can easily be fastened onto the 
toilet bowl 40 by using the same fastening device used for the cover. The 
two stations 82 and 83 are fastened to the support 85 in such manner that 
they are laterally adjustable and swivelable. In FIG. 17, one guide roller 
88 to guide tube 2 is provided in each station 82 and 83, said tube 
entering and emerging through appropriate slots 89 in the two stations. 
FIG. 18 shows a cross section through the design according to FIG. 2 
combined with another design for a toilet seat profile, provided on the 
inner edge with a hollow rib 48, serving as an air duct. Blade 17 is shown 
on the outer edge, as well as a seal 46. Housing cover 25 is extended 
along its outer edge to form a drip guard 45. 
FIG. 19 shows a practically water-tight design for a housing according to 
FIG. 2, consisting essentially of the above-mentioned parts, namely, a 
housing shell 20 with a continuous cover 36 provided with seals 34 and 35 
at the contact points. The cover 25 is likewise provided with a seal 46 in 
the vicinity of drip guard 45, whereby the interior of the housing with 
battery 7 and electric motor 6 is especially well protected. 
FIG. 20 shows another profile for a toilet seat 1, the seat having a 
concave upper surface and an interior chamber 50 with vents 51. These 
vents make it possible to lift the upper portion of the tube 2 off toilet 
seat 1 in the critical areas. Here, compressed air can be obtained from a 
blower driven by the electric motor 6. 
FIG. 22 shows a housing design with a disposable container 42 which accepts 
the takeup reel 12 with the used tube 2; the disposable container 42 is 
lifted out as a unit after raising the cover 25, and the material can be 
reused as raw material, or it can be destroyed. This disposable container 
42 has a slot at the front to accept the tubular film, but can be made in 
two parts or hinged. Support arm 13 for guide roller 11 is mounted on 
cover 25, so that after cover 25 is in place, this arm can perform the 
guide function shown in FIG. 22. It has been found that mounting the 
rollers 10 and 11 at approximately the same height (see FIG. 4) has the 
advantage that any liquid carried along with the tube cannot drip off, but 
is wrapped up with the tube. The axial spacing of the rollers is also made 
so that any material soiling the tube will not be squeezed. 
Finally, the arrangement described allows the toilet seat on a toilet to be 
covered with a plastic tube by pushing a button or actuating a lever. An 
important element of this arrangement is the fastening frame 24, which 
constitutes the connecting element between the toilet bowl 40 and the rest 
of the arrangement and serves as an adjustable mounting base. The housing 
shell 20, preferably made of plastic like the rest of the housing parts, 
forms the lower half of the housing 5. On one side, shell 20 is provided 
with reel bearings 27 and 28 to accept the clean tube on reel 15 and on 
the other side is provided with reel bearings 19 and 20 to accept the used 
reel 12 to take up the slit tube. The chamber 65 therebetween, delimited 
by walls 21 and 22, serves to accept the drive and the power source. This 
intermediate chamber can be sealed separately so that it is impervious to 
dripping water by using an appropriate cover 36 with sealing strips. 
Housing shell 20 is swivelably mounted in fastening frame 24. 
The cover 25 of housing 5, likewise preferably made of plastic, can be 
designed as a cover resistant to dripping water and to theft. It can also 
be used to display operating and maintenance instructions as well as 
trademarks and the like. The toilet seat 1 is a horseshoe-shaped plastic 
part mounted on the side of the housing shell 20 on which the used roll is 
mounted. The replaceable blade 17, used to cut the plastic tube, is 
mounted at an obtuse angle in the cutting direction, in other words, it 
has a cutting angle of more than 90.degree.. For safety reasons, the blade 
is mounted inside the housing, i.e., it is not exposed. 
The following variations are also possible: 
The toilet seat can be made detachable and, e.g., multipartite. Instead of 
a closed tube, a folded film can be used, the film being joined to form a 
tube by welding or gluing after being dispensed from reel 15. 
A bactericide, e.g., hexachlorophene, iodine, formalin, or the like can be 
added to the tube material and/or the housing material. 
It is also possible to irradiate the tube with ultraviolet light before 
use. 
Appropriate lubricants can be used to make the contact between the toilet 
seat and the tube more slippery. The drive roller and possibly the guide 
roller can be roughened by providing them with grained outer surfaces and 
they can be grooved, for example, to prevent jamming. 
The toilet seats are interchangeable. Control can be by means of an 
electric eye. The device can be installed as follows: 
The end of the tubular plastic film, stored in the housing and wound up 
flat on one roll, is slipped over the free end of the toilet seat when the 
housing is opened; the tube is then pulled over the entire 
horseshoe-shaped seat and over the blade. The tube, thus slit laterally, 
is placed over the takeup roller of the drive, preferably coated with 
carborundum grains, and attached to the empty reel whose surface can be 
gummed with adhesive. The reel is then inserted from above into its 
bearing. A battery or line connection can serve as a power source. 
When the device is connected to the line, where sufficient energy and power 
are available, it is basically possible to eliminate the drive roller and 
to pull the tube along using the takeup roller. In this case, a photocell 
is advantageously used to control the amount pulled off. 
In order to ensure that the used tubing is wound up tight, a friction 
clutch can be built into the supply roller drive. The S-shaped part 
provided for the slit tubular film ensures a good fit and hence protection 
against slippage. Then the cover is put in place and locked firmly using a 
key lock, for example. By pressing the push button switch or moving a 
lever, the tube is moved along the toilet seat until the latter is 
completely covered with a new section of tube. This makes it possible to 
raise the toilet seat a few centimeters off the front edge of the toilet 
bowl to facilitate this movement, especially when the tube is inflated, to 
prevent the inflated tube from coming in contact with the edge of the 
toilet seat and thereby encountering increased resistance to its movement. 
A cam in the drive can be used to control this lifting action. 
A cam disk can likewise control the operating time of the motor as a 
function of the rpm of the drive roller, whereby a delay element can be 
provided to protect against an immediate further advance, i.e., by someone 
pushing the button again. 
An arrangement of this kind is not only extremely simple and hence 
operationally reliable, but relatively inexpensive. It provides every user 
with a clean seat. Appropriate shapes and especially a careful selection 
of material for the tube and seat permit minimum friction between the two, 
and ensure that the tube will be advanced each time. This choice of 
material will also prevent electrostatic charges from building up on 
either the tube or the toilet seat. 
It is also possible, however, to form the tube immediately before it is 
placed on the toilet seat and to provide a welding station or a gluing 
station for the purpose. 
In this manner, it is reliably possible to cover the toilet seat for each 
user anew, with no danger that this movement will eventually result in the 
user sitting on an uncovered seat, a situation which the above designs are 
basically intended to avoid. 
The embodiments described are simple in structure and therefore functional. 
They can also be mounted easily on existing toilets. Since the space 
available is such that the tubing supply is sufficient for at least 100 to 
300 changes, unacceptably frequent replacement and loading of a new tube 
in the dispensing station of the film container is unnecessary. 
It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be 
made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention 
is not to be considered limited to what is shown in the drawings and 
described in the specification. For example, it will be understood that a 
tube of paper, e.g. glassine paper or the like, may be used in place of 
the tubular plastic film as a covering medium.