Abstract:
A toilet seat lifting device maintains a toilet seat in a partially elevated position when at rest. The device includes a lifting spring attached to a toilet rim. The lifting spring includes a compressible air bellow which provides resistance for maintaining a front end of the toilet at a prescribed angle when in the resting state. The spring is compressible such that a user may depress the toilet seat to a flat position when seated. The seat is not attached to the spring such that the seat can be lifted to an upright position in a traditional manner. The spring is attached to the toilet rim underneath the toilet seat, adjacent to a hinge by an adhesive.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present invention was first described in a notarized Official Record of Invention on May 6, 2010, that is on file at the offices of Montgomery Patent and Design, LLC, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to toilet seats, and in particular, a toilet seat lifting device for raising and maintaining a toilet seat to a desired upward angle relative to a toilet bowl. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The occurrence of a male using a toilet with the seat in a lowered position is common, especially with younger male children and those who may have difficulty in bending over due to a physical disability. These individuals regularly find it cumbersome to reach all of the way down to a lowered toilet seat simply to raise it. Unfortunately, no matter how careful the aim, urine is bound to splash on the seating surface. This presents a very unsanitary condition and an annoyance to those who follow and wish to use the toilet in a seated position. 
     To address this problem, various seat lifting devices have attempted to make the act of lifting the toilet seat easier by providing a handle or other grippable member for the user to use to lift the seat. Other devices attempt to provide some type of foot-actuated seat lifting mechanism. However, these attempts still require active participation by the toilet user for them to be effective. 
     Sill other devices attempt to maintain the seat in a generally vertical position or at an upward angle relative to the toilet bowl. Typically, these devices rely on a spring mechanism in mechanical communication with the toilet seat hinges or are disposed between the toilet seat and the toilet rim. While these attempts may achieve their purported objectives each suffers from one or more disadvantage or deficiency related to design or utilization. Particularly, these device can be cumbersome to install and can become ineffective over time due to wear and over use. Due to the general complexity of the design and mechanisms, these devices can be relatively expensive to replace or repair. Additionally, urine and other fecal matter can collect within the moving parts which can also become unsanitary. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The inventor has therefore recognized the aforementioned inherent problems and lack in the art and observed that there is a need for a device and a method of use by which the raising and lowering of a toilet seat and lid can be accomplished in an automatic manner, such that it does not pose an imposition to people of either sex and allows for the keeping of a toilet seat in a generally cleaner condition. In accordance with the invention, it is an object of the present disclosure to solve these problems. 
     The inventor recognized these problems and has addressed this need by developing a toilet seat lifter that allows for the raising and lowering of a toilet seat and lid in a quick, simple, and effective manner. The inventor has thus realized the advantages and benefits of providing a spring fastened to a top surface of a toilet rim below a bottom surface of a toilet seat. The spring biases a front end of the toilet seat at a desired angle above horizontal. The spring includes a flexible and resilient base having a hemispherical body and an annular outside edge. A stem protrudes upwardly from a top end of the base opposite the outside edge. The outside edge is fastened to the toilet rim by an adhesive layer disposed around the annular ring. An upper end of the stem contacts the toilet seat bottom surface when the seat is lowered into the rest position. The base provides an upward reaction force in response to a downward force applied to the stem by the seat alone and maintains a front end of the seat at an upward angle relative to the toilet bowl. A downward force applied by a combination of the toilet lid and the toilet seat or when a user is sitting on the toilet seat overcomes the reaction force, such that the toilet seat rest in a generally horizontal position in contact with the toilet rim upper surface. 
     Furthermore, the described features and advantages of the disclosure may be combined in various manners and embodiments as one skilled in the relevant art will recognize. The disclosure can be practiced without one (1) or more of the features and advantages described in a particular embodiment. 
     Further advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The advantages and features of the present disclosure will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an environmental view of a toilet seat lifting device  10 , according to a preferred embodiment in accordance with the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of the toilet seat lifting device  10 , according to the preferred embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of the toilet seat lifting device  10 , according to the preferred embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is a section view of the toilet seat lifting device  10  taken along line A-A of  FIG. 2 , according to the preferred embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is top perspective view of the toilet seat lifting device  10  depicted in a compressed state, according to the preferred embodiment. 
       
         
           
                 
               
                 
                 
               
             
                 
                     
                 
                 
                   DESCRIPTIVE KEY 
                 
                 
                     
                 
               
               
                 
                     
                 
               
            
             
                 
                   10 
                   toilet seat lifter 
                 
                 
                   11 
                   toilet 
                 
                 
                   12 
                   toilet rim 
                 
                 
                   13 
                   toilet seat 
                 
                 
                   14 
                   toilet lid 
                 
                 
                   20 
                   body 
                 
                 
                   21 
                   stem 
                 
                 
                   22 
                   base 
                 
                 
                   23 
                   interior portion 
                 
                 
                   24 
                   backing 
                 
                 
                   25 
                   adhesive 
                 
                 
                     
                 
               
            
           
         
       
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In accordance with the invention, the best mode is presented in terms of a preferred embodiment, herein depicted within  FIGS. 1 through 5 . However, the disclosure is not limited to a single described embodiment and a person skilled in the art will appreciate that many other embodiments are possible without deviating from the basic concept of the disclosure and that any such work around will also fall under its scope. It is envisioned that other styles and configurations can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present disclosure, and only one particular configuration may be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 through 5 , depicting a toilet seat lifting device (herein described as a “device”)  10 , where like reference numerals represent similar or like parts. The device  10  is a spring that biases a toilet seat  13  in an elevated angle when in a resting position, compared to the seat  13  normally being in a down or horizontal position when in the resting position. This elevation limits the amount of lifting required to pivot the toilet seat  13  to an upright position ninety degrees (90°) from the resting position. The device  10  is especially useful for male users are may not always lift the toilet seat  13  to the upright position due to a physical disability or indolence, which can result in occasionally missing a bowl of the toilet  11  and urinating on the toilet rim  13 . The device  10  also compresses flat when a downward force is applied to the device  10 . 
       FIG. 1  shows an environmental view of the device  10 . The device  10  biases the toilet seat  13  in a slightly elevated position after the toilet lid  14  has been lifted, to limit the amount of effort the user must exert to lift the toilet seat  13  into the upright position. The device  10  is fastened to a top surface of a rear end of the toilet rim  12  adjacent to a rear hinge. This position biases a front end of the toilet seat  13  at a slightly upward angle. 
     The device  10  is preferably fabricated from a dynamic rubber material having a preferred thickness of approximately between one-sixteenth ( 1/16) and one-eighth (⅛) of an inch. Preferably the material has a durometer value approximately between 55 and 60. It can be appreciated to one of ordinary skill that other materials having similar material characteristics can be utilized without limiting the scope of the device  10 . The rubber material utilized for construction of the device  10  includes elastic or memory qualities which enables the device  10  to return to a natural state after compression. The material of the device  10  has resiliency characteristics such that the downward force created by the combined weight of the toilet seat  13  and toilet seat lid  14  will compress the material and squash the device  10 . The weight of the toilet seat  13  alone will not fully compress the device  10 , such that the seat  13  is propped up at its base by the device  10 . The device  10  can include script, logos, and images such as, but not limited to, sports names and logos, personal names, symbols, pictures, and similar surface ornamentation to further customize and personalize the device  10 . The device  10  is intended to also be introduced with the forming material having a variety of colors and patterns. 
       FIG. 2  shows a top perspective view of the device  10 ;  FIG. 3  shows a bottom perspective view of the device  10 .  FIG. 4  shows a section view of the device  10  taken along line A-A of  FIG. 2 . The device  10  includes funnel-shaped body  20  having a narrow stem  21  which is oriented to engage a bottom surface of the toilet seat  13  and a wide, bell-shaped base  22  which is fastened to the top surface the toilet rim  12 . The stem  21  prevents the toilet seat  13  from completely closing against the toilet rim  12 . The stem  21  is a solid member and is integral to the base  22 . The length of the stem  21  can be selectively defined adjusted by cutting the stem  21  to a desired length with a cutting tool such as, but not limited to: a knife, scissors, or the like. The length of the stem  21  corresponds to the relative angle of the front end of the toilet seat  13 . 
     The base  22  is hollow which allows for compression when a downward force is applied to the stem  21 . The base  22  also includes a backing  24  which is peeled away to reveal an adhesive  25  disposed on an outside edge of the annular base  21 . The backing  24  is preferably a wax paper that will not stick to the adhesive  25 . The adhesive  25  fastens the device  10  to the toilet rim  12  in the preferred location near the rear hinge, yet other locations may be utilized without limiting the scope of the device  10 . The device  10  can also include an air release aperture through the base  20  disposed at any location. The air release aperture allows for air to vent when the device  10  is compressed and decompressed back to an original state, such that the seal created by the adhesive  25  and the rim  12  does not blow out or a vacuum is not formed. Alternately, the outside edge of the base  20  can be only partially covered with the adhesive  25 , such that air can vent between the base  20  and the rim  12  during use. 
       FIG. 5  shows a top perspective view of the device  10  depicted in a compressed state. When the downward force is applied, such as when a person sits upon the toilet seat  13  or when the toilet lid  14  is in the downward and closed position, the stem  21  compresses into an interior portion  23  (see  FIG. 3 ) of the base  22 . Compression of the device  10  allows the toilet seat  13  or toilet lid  14  to lay flat and parallel to the toilet rim  12 . 
     It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     In accordance with the invention, the preferred embodiment can be utilized by the user in a simple and effortless manner with little or no training. After initial purchase or acquisition of the device  10 , it would be installed as indicated in  FIG. 1 . 
     The method of utilizing the device  10  may be achieved by performing the following steps: acquiring the device  10 ; cutting the stem  21  to a desired length via a common cutting tool; removing the backing  24  from the base  22 ; engaging the adhesive  25  on the base  22  with the toilet rim  12 ; enabling the toilet seat  13  to lay upon the stem  21 , thereby angling the toilet seat  13 ; utilizing the toilet  11  in a common manner and limiting the amount of urine splashed upon the toilet seat  13 ; closing the toilet lid  14  or sitting upon the toilet seat  13  to completely depress the device  10 ; and, utilizing the device  10  to raise and lower the toilet seat  13  in a quick, simple, and effective manner. 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit to the precise forms disclosed and many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain principles and practical application to enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.