Abstract:
A support platform for wall mounted toilets is described. The platform attaches easily under the toilet and contains bolts and feet for adjustment. The platform provides support to wall mounted toilets so that persons of weight greater than the rated load of the wall mounted toilet can use the toilet in comfort and safety. It is removable for use in different bathrooms, easily transported and can be sterilized where bacterial or viral contamination is a concern.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/689,323 filed on Jun. 10, 2005, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The instant invention relates to supports for installed toilets. In particular, the instant invention relates to adjustable, portable, removable platforms for wall mounted toilets which allow additional weight to be supported. More particularly, the instant invention relates to floor supports for wall mounted toilets in hospitals and other health care facilities, where the toilet may be used by overweight, obese and extremely obese patients. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a support platform for wall mounted toilets, particularly to support the additional weight placed on the toilet by overweight, obese or severely obese individuals. 
     Although there are many types of toilets, those used in hospitals, clinics and other health care facilities, nursing homes and assisted living facilities, weight loss clinics, gyms, office buildings and other related buildings are often wall mounted. Part of the reason for mounting to the wall is to make cleaning easier as this type of toilet leaves a space between the floor and the bottom of the toilet. Frequently, wall mounted toilets are located in bathrooms where a floor drain is available so that the entire floor can be washed and drained easily without having to hold the wash water in a container. Where the toilet is floor mounted, cleanliness at the interface of the toilet and the floor is not assured and bacteria from urine and fecal matter are not always eliminated by normal cleaning procedures. In hospital rooms, clinics, recovery rooms and nursing homes, this is of particular concern as patients may be immune compromised and subject to secondary or hospital acquired infections from bacterial and viral contamination. 
     Wall mounted toilets are typically rated for a normal sized patient; 350 pounds is a common weight limit for such fixtures. With the increase in obesity in the United States and other nations, there is a high likelihood that an overweight, obese or severely obese individual will use a wall mounted toilet somewhere in the facility. With a limit in the rated weight bearing capacity of the toilet, there is a risk that the toilet mountings will fail and the overweight, obese or severely obese individual will fall. Any fall by such an individual, particularly one where a toilet fixture breaks away from a wall or one where the porcelain breaks, could lead to an injury. Furthermore, there is a risk of damage to the bathroom which can be costly to repair. The issue is of sufficient concern that Harrell and Miller discuss hospital design for bariatric patients and suggest the need for a bariatric toilet seat support (Health Facilities Management, March 2004, pp 34-38). 
     Current techniques to alleviate this problem in hospitals use wooden supports as a wedge between the wall mounted toilet and the floor. These supports are not easily adjustable. Their composition is not easily cleaned and can become contaminated with microorganisms such as  E. coli  which is commonly found in bathrooms. 
     In response to this problem, BAR Industries (Adairsville, Ga.) has developed the SK1000 series toilet support. The support is described in two pending and published US applications, U.S. Ser. No. 11/205,666 to Wright and U.S. Ser. No. 10/701,812 to Wright et al. This support is designed to be mounted using the wall mounts for the toilet and is adjustable using a screw type bumper positioned close to the front of the toilet. It cradles the bottom of the fixture with an arm-like single support and attaches integrally to the wall mounting bolts. The device described in the &#39;666 and &#39;812 applications can be used by each toilet design. Since the BAR Industries toilet support is attached at the wall mounts, it is more difficult to remove or move to a new location. This permanency makes cleaning and repairing the fixture or floor more difficult. It also increases the number of units required by a hospital by reducing the ability to move the fixture to a new bathroom. As the number of units purchased increases, the cost advantage claimed by the manufacturer decreases. Since the SK1000 uses a single bumper style foot, all of the weight of the user is held by the single foot. If the single foot fails under the load (as could occur over time and through exposure to loads), the device will no longer provide support and the toilet could still break away from the wall. Finally, the installation of the SK1000 requires removal of the mounting bolts contained on the toilet. This can cause the toilet to break its seal and can create a leak. These deficiencies make the SK1000 undesirable as a mobile and interchangeable support. 
     Another company, DB Industries (Little Suamico, Wis.) has developed a Bariatric Toilet Seat Support (BTSS) as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,889,392 to Karnopp et al and published U.S. application Ser. No. 11/057,793. This support is a four legged stand made of stainless steel which is inserted between the toilet seat and the bowl. It is designed to provide additional weight bearing capacity on the toilet seat itself and not specifically on the fixture. The four legs are adjustable providing for the ability to match any unevenness in the floor. It also provides vertical adjustment with two stainless steel threaded rods with rubber end caps that are fit to the wall behind the toilet. Locking nuts are used at all six adjustable arms or legs. The device is very large and although the manufacturer claims that it takes up little room, it is cumbersome to position, use and maintain. It is also made from a complex series of components leaving multiple opportunities for stress failure. As it is placed between the toilet seat and the bowl, there is a risk that the seat may break under the weight of the bariatric patient. Furthermore, because the unit is positioned underneath the toilet seat and is exposed to the water, there is a higher risk of contamination by fecal matter and/or bacteria. This creates a need for more frequent cleanings than the instant invention. The BTSS is also too large to be heat sterilized in a standard hospital autoclave. Finally, the BTSS does not fit all wall hung toilet models and the company offers customized manufacturing. 
     Other devices designed for toilets are typically wall mounts that are used at the time of construction. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,638 to Unertl which shows a permanent mounting means for a wall mounted water closet fixture. These devices are not specifically designed for bariatric use, but simply as further methods for securing wall mounted elements of the toilet assembly. These devices are permanent attachments to the toilet or its tank and cannot be easily moved. They are ideally used at installation or during renovation of the bathroom and not ideal for use on an existing wall mounted toilet 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the descriptions above and the deficiencies contained therein, the present invention can provide a platform to support wall mounted toilets, so that the weight capacity of the toilet is increased. 
     The present invention can further provide a removable and portable platform to support wall mounted toilets. 
     The present invention can also provide adjustment capability to the platform, so that the platform will support a wall mounted toilet independent of the height of the toilet. 
     The present invention can yet further provide a platform for a wall mounted toilet that is easy to position and adjust and does not require tools to use. 
     The present invention can embody a platform for wall mounted toilets that can be easily cleaned and sterilized. 
     The present invention can also provide a platform for wall mounted toilets that is easily transported and lightweight. 
     Other embodiments, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and the specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the toilet support in use with a wall mounted toilet. 
         FIG. 2  shows a top view of the toilet support. 
         FIG. 3  shows a front side view of the toilet support. 
         FIG. 4  shows an oblique view of the toilet support as it is placed under a partial view of a wall mounted toilet. 
         FIG. 5  shows an oblique view of an alternate embodiment of the toilet support. 
         FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the toilet support in use with a wall mounted toilet. 
         FIG. 7  shows an oblique view of the alternate toilet support as it is placed under a partial view of a wall mounted toilet. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Described herein is a bariatric support for a wall mounted toilets that is lightweight, is easily removed for cleaning or transfer to a new bathroom and is adjustable to any wall mounted toilet design. The toilet support can be sterilized chemically using common disinfectants or through heat, steam or high pressure. It is compact in design and can be easily stored in limited spaces. It has a small number of parts and uses high quality interchangeable components. 
     Referring now to the drawings, in  FIG. 1  a front perspective view of the preferred toilet support apparatus as it is placed between the floor  2  and a wall mounted toilet  4 . The lower section  6  of the wall mounted toilet  4  is commonly configured either in a flat or a curved shape. In  FIG. 1 , the lower section  6  is flat. Accordingly, the toilet support is shown with a platform  10  having a top surface  11  and a bottom surface  13  spaced by an outside edge  15  having a thickness  17 . The platform  10  also has adjustable base members  9  comprising mounting bolts  12  and feet  16 . In this perspective, only two mounting bolts  12  and feet  16  are shown but four are the preferred number spaced around the corners of the platform  10 . A threaded bore  23  is drilled into the platform  10  and the mounting bolts  12  of the adjustable base members  9  are inserted through the threaded bore  23 . The adjustable base members  9  can be made of any suitable material with a preferred design of stainless steel. The adjustable base members  9  can be adjustable glides or snap lock leveling mounts. The mounting bolts  12  can be of any height with the desirable height sufficient to raise the platform  10  such that it connects the bottom portion of the toilet. Mounting bolts  12  of multiple heights can be used depending on the space between the floor  2  and wall mounted toilet  4 . It is desirable to have at least two inches of each mounting bolt  12  remain above the top surface  11  of the platform  10 . The adjustable base members  9  are arranged around the platform  10  such that any portion of a mounting bolt  12  projecting above the top surface  11  of the platform  10  will not touch any surface of the wall mounted toilet  4 . Each adjustable base member  9  has a weight bearing capacity of at least 250 pounds with a preferred capacity of 500 pounds. The adjustable base members  9  may have greater weight bearing capacity if desired. Adjustable glides or snap lock leveling mounts can be found through multiple sources, one example is the Monroe Company (Auburn Mills, Mich.). The number of adjustable base members  9  is at least four although it can be five or more depending on the design of the toilet support apparatus. A groove  14  is cut into the platform  10  to accommodate a nipple  8  commonly found on the lower section  6  of the wall mounted toilet  4 . The nipple  8  is a common artifact of the molding process. The groove  14  is at least one-eighth inch deep in the platform  10  so that the nipple  8  does not make contact with the platform  10  while the lower section  6  of the wall mounted toilet  4  establishes direct contact with the top surface  111  of the platform  10 . To use the device, the platform  10  is placed under the wall mounted toilet  4  with the groove  14  directly under the nipple  8 . The adjustable base members  9  are adjusted by hand to raise the platform until it makes contact with the lower section  6  of the toilet  4 . Once all adjustable base members  9  have been adjusted and the platform  10  contacts the lower section  6 , the adjustable base members  9  can be adjusted using a wrench to make a firm contact between the platform  10  and the toilet  4 . 
     In  FIG. 2  a top view of the preferred toilet support apparatus is provided. A platform  10  is shown having a top surface  11  and an outside edge  15  with four mounting bolts  12 . The platform  10  is preferably made of aluminum block but can be made from steel, including stainless steel or surgical steel. Other high strength metals that can be sterilized by heat, pressure or chemicals can be used. The platform  10  is at least three quarters of an inch thick and can be of greater thickness depending on the starting material. The mounting bolts  12  are part of the adjustable base members (not shown) which are preferably adjustable glides placed at even intervals near the corners of the platform  10 . Adding at least four mounting bolts  12  allows the force to be distributed among them so each mounting bolt  12  is carrying a portion of the load and not the full force or weight. If a single mounting bolt  12  failed, the remaining adjustable base members will distribute and support the load. The mounting bolts  12  are added by drilling threaded bores (not shown) in the platform  10  to match the diameter of the mounting bolts  12 . The mounting bolts  12  are threaded to accommodate a securing device such as a nut and so they can be inserted into the threaded bores (not shown). The mounting bolts  12  are interchangeable and can be of different thread lengths and total heights depending on the needs of the support and the layout of the bathroom floor. The mounting bolts  12  can have optional flat or Philips head screwdriver notches on their top surface. The groove  14  is cut into the platform  10  to a preferred depth of one quarter inch and a preferred width of two inches. The depth and width of the groove  14  can be varied depending on the dimensions of the wall mounted toilet. The groove  14  extends from the front edge of the platform  10  to a distance of two thirds of the length of the platform  10 . The corners of the platform  10  are preferably rounded to avoid sharp edges. The top and bottom edges of the platform  10  can also be rounded to avoid sharp edges. 
     In  FIG. 3 , more detail is shown through a side view of the toilet support apparatus. The platform  10  and the mounting bolts  12  are shown. A threaded bore  23  is drilled into the platform  10  to provide space for the mounting bolts  12 . Now visible are the adjustable base members  9  comprised of feet  16  connected to the mounting bolts  12 . Each mounting bolt  12  has a top portion  19  extending from the top surface  11  of the platform  10  and a bottom portion  21  extending from the bottom surface  13 . The feet  16  stabilize the toilet support apparatus and provide weight bearing capability. The adjustable base members  9  raise or lower the platform  10  so that the top surface  11  of the platform  10  fits snugly under the wall mounted toilet. Each adjustable base member  9  can be adjusted manually to correct for any slope in the bathroom floor. This is particularly important in hospital bathrooms and nursing home bathrooms where a drain in the floor may exist to allow for easier cleaning. The feet  16  can be made of the same material as the mounting bolts  12  and the platform  10 . Covers or pads  20  made of rubber, Teflon, plastic or another appropriate substance can be added to provide a non-slip and/or non-marring surface if desired. These covers or pads  20  are preferably removable and replaceable although they can be fixed and permanent if made of an appropriate inert substance such as polyethylene or Teflon that is capable of chemical sterilization. The feet  16  can be configured to have covers or pads  20  on none, all or some of the feet  16  as desired. 
     In an alternate embodiment, a securing member can be added to the mounting bolts  12 . The mounting bolt is then threaded into the threaded bore  23  in the platform  10  so that the securing member sits just below the platform  10 . The securing member is maintained in a loosened position under the platform  10  while the adjustable base member  9  is raised or lowered to fit the platform  10  under the toilet. A wrench can be used to snugly tighten the securing member against the bottom surface  13  of the platform  10  after it has been placed under the wall mounted toilet to provide further security for the platform  10 . In yet another alternate embodiment, securing members can be added above and below the platform  10  on the mounting bolts for further security. The securing members are preferably nuts and can be regular hex nuts or lock nuts of a size that matches the mounting bolts  12 . Washers can be used to further add security between the securing member and the bottom surface  12  of the platform  10 . Both the nut and the washer are made from materials similar to the platform  10  with a preferred embodiment of stainless steel. 
     In  FIG. 4 , a lateral oblique view of the toilet support apparatus is shown as it would appear in use. A partial view of the lower section  6  of a wall mounted toilet  4  with the platform  10  supporting the lower section  6  of the wall mounted toilet  4  is shown. Three adjustable base members  9  with mounting bolts  12  and feet  16  are visible in this view. The adjustable base members  9  are adjusted by rotating them in the threaded bore  23  so that the feet  16  are connected solidly with the floor  2  and the platform  10  is connected firmly with the lower section  6  of the wall mounted toilet  4 . In this view a single wall mount  22  is shown which affixes the toilet  4  to the wall. The toilet support apparatus does not attach to the wall mount  22  of the wall mounted toilet  4  unlike the SK1000 support described above. Furthermore, there is no need for vertical stabilization arms as in the BTSS support described above. The mounting bolts  12  can be of different heights in order to adjust for the height of the wall mounted toilet  4  and for any slope of the floor. In  FIG. 4 , covers or pads are not shown but can be used on one or more of the feet  16 . 
     In  FIG. 5 , an alternate version of the toilet support apparatus is shown in a stand alone oblique view. This version supports wall mounted toilets with rounded bottoms. The toilet support apparatus previously described in  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 4  can be used with a wall mounted toilet that has a rounded lower section but a smaller area of contact between the wall mounted toilet and the toilet support apparatus occurs. The alternate version provides a greater area of contact between the wall mounted toilet and the toilet support apparatus. Two support members  32  are shown with a connecting member  34 . The support members  32  have a front surface  33  and a back surface  35  that are spaced from each other by bottom edges  37  and top edges  39  The top edges  39  of the support members  32  are curved, exemplarily in a saddle shape, and are configured to cradle the rounded lower section of the wall mounted toilet and provide additional area for the lower section  6  of the wall mounted toilet  4  to contact the toilet support apparatus. The exemplary bottom edges  37  are configured to facilitate welding to the platform  10 , and in the exemplary embodiment both the platform  10  and the bottom edge  37  are accordingly flat. The support members  32  and the connecting member  34  are welded together and are welded to the platform  10 . The support members  32  are of different heights to accommodate the curved shape of a rounded lower section of the wall mounted toilet. The mounting bolts  12  and feet  16  of the adjustable base members  9  are shown and are inserted through the threaded bore  23  in the platform  10 . In the preferred embodiment two support members  32  and a single connecting member  34  are used to add sufficient weight or force bearing capacity. Additional support members  32  and connecting members  34  can be added. The connecting member  34  has a front edge  41 , rear edge  43 , top edge  45 , bottom edge  47 , and two side surfaces  49  where the front edge  41  is connected to a more forwardly disposed (front) vertical support member  32 , the rear edge is connected to a more rearward disposed (rear) vertical support member  32  and the bottom edge  47  is connected to the platform  10 . All connections between the support members  32 , the connecting member  34  and the platform  10  are preferably welds. 
     In  FIG. 6  an alternate version of the toilet support apparatus, as it is used on a rounded bottom, wall mounted toilet, is presented in perspective view. In this example, the wall mounted toilet  4  has a rounded lower section  6 . The platform  10  contains two support members  32  which are welded to the platform  10  with a connecting member  34  welded to the support members  32  and stabilizing them. Adjustable base members  9  inserted through threaded bores  23  in the platform  10  comprise mounting bolts  12  and feet  16  and are shown along with the optional securing member  18 , shown here as adjusting nuts. The feet  16  remain in contact with the floor  2 . To use this version on rounded bottom, wall mounted toilets  4 , the device is placed under the wall mounted toilet and adjusted so the support members  32  are positioned directly under the rounded lower section  6  of the wall mounted toilet  4 . The adjustable base members  9  are then adjusted by hand until the support members  32  cradle the rounded lower section  6  of the wall mounted toilet  4  and then are adjusted using a wrench to create a firm connection. When the optional securing members  18  are nuts they can be adjusted using a wrench until they are firmly positioned under the bottom of the platform  10 . 
       FIG. 7  shows an oblique view of the alternate version of the toilet support apparatus as it is in use with a partial view of the rounded lower section  6  of a wall mounted toilet. The two support members  32  are shown with the connecting member  34  between the support members  32 . The support members  32  are of different heights to accommodate the curved shape of a rounded lower section  6  of the wall mounted toilet. The mounting bolts  12  and feet  16  of the adjustable base members  9  are shown. 
     Continuing with the embodiments described above, an alternative can include a wrench mount on the platform and a wrench with the proper span for the mounting bolts and nuts. This provides the user with the ability to place the support quickly and without the need to search for the right tool. The wrench can be of any commercially available type, preferably having a fixed span fitted to the size of the adjustable base member and the optional securing members and more preferably having a ratcheting action due to the confined nature of the space. The wrench and its mount are placed outside of the contact area between the platform and the bottom surface of the wall mounted toilet, preferably along a side of the platform. 
     In an alternate embodiment, the platform has one or more levels mounted to its top surface including a simple bull&#39;s-eye bubble level as is commonly used in construction and on tripod stands. The optional level is used where the floor is determined to be level and a level toilet support is desired. The level or levels are fixed to the top surface of the platform, outside of the contact area between the platform and the bottom surface of the wall mounted toilet. 
     The toilet support provides additional weight bearing capacity for wall mounted toilets beyond their rated failure point. For many wall mounted toilets, the rated load is between 250 and 350 pounds. When a weight or force greater than this rating is placed on the wall mounted toilet, the toilet may pull away from the wall or crack near the wall mounts, possibly injuring the user and necessitating costly repair or replacement and downtime for the bathroom and/or hospital room. By placing the toilet support properly under the wall mounted toilet, the risk of damage to the toilet is reduced as the force or weight load of the toilet is increased. 
     Testing of the toilet support with weights has demonstrated that the support can bear a load of well over five hundred pounds, above the normal weight limit of the fixture and well within the weight range for overweight, obese and severely obese persons.