Patent Publication Number: US-8966675-B1

Title: Water closet lifting device

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a device to raise the seat height of a toilet (or water closet) to meet the needs of handicapped and other persons requiring additional seat height. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Many manufacturers provide toilets of seat heights that differ from the standard or uniform height of a water closet or toilet seat (which is roughly 15 inches). These elevated seats accommodate those that may be handicapped or uncomfortable with a seat having the standard height. However, if a consumer needs to have a toilet having a higher seat height, they are required to buy an entirely new toilet having the preferred height and replace their existing toilet. These steps which include purchasing a new toilet, removing and disposing of the old toilet, and the plumbing labor costs, are substantial and often can be prohibitive to the consumer. 
     What is needed is an improved device and system that would allow consumers to elevate the height of their existing toilet without requiring the user to purchase a new water closet and at a minimum expense to the consumer. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The device of the present invention is a platform-like device that is configured so as to be secured to a soil pipe flange in the floor of a room and beneath the base of a toilet. The device thereby elevates the height of the toilet so that it can be easier to use for a handicapped individual, or any individual seeking an increased seat height. 
     The device includes a plurality of bolt receiving sections configured for receiving the bolts or screws for securing the toilet to the soil pipe flange and floor and includes a central, outlet opening section configured to align with the drain outlet of the toilet and the soil pipe and wax seal or sealing member positioned in the floor. 
     The base of the device is mounted onto an existing flooring and soil pipe flange. The base surface is substantially smooth and flat, and includes a projection that serves as a wax ring retainer lip to accommodate an existing soil pipe flange and wax sealing material. The base and base surface of the device may be configured in a manner similar to the base surface of the toilet with which the device is to be used. 
     The device can be mounted to the soil pipe flange and wax seal material in the floor in the same manner as the toilet would be mounted to the soil pipe flange and wax seal material. The mounting can be done with sealing wax and screws as would be done with the base of the toilet. The device includes multiple screws which are sufficient in length to accommodate the thickness of the device and the toilet floor rim. These screws may be the screws already in use to secure the toilet to the floor or may be an alternative set of screws. 
     The top surface of the device can be substantially smooth and flat and may comprise a wax retainer lip in the outlet opening configured to receive the base of the toilet, which would otherwise fit into the soil pipe flange. The top surface of the device thereby simulates the soil pipe flange and wax seal arrangement that the toilet would otherwise demonstrate. On the top surface of the device, a wax seal is placed and the screws projecting above the toilet floor rim are inserted through openings in the device to secure the device to the toilet and to the floor. This fastening securely anchors the toilet and device as a single unit to the soil pipe floor flange and the existing flooring. 
     The device according to the present invention can be made of materials including a rigid plastic, a plastic with surfaces simulating glazed china, or any other material that may be compatible and complimentary with the consumer or manufacturer&#39;s water closet, such as porcelain. 
     The perimeter joint between the device and the toilet base, or the perimeter joint between the device base and the floor, can be set dry. Alternatively, it can be set with a thin application of a sealing, caulking or grout to prevent any unevenness in the planting of the toilet on the device, or in the planting of the device on the floor. 
     According to a further embodiment of the invention, an elevated toilet system is provided. The elevated toilet system comprises a toilet having an outlet section, and a floor section comprising a plurality of bolt receiving sections. The system further includes an elevating device comprising a top surface, a base surface, a body section in between the top surface and the base surface, an outlet opening extending through the body section and aligned with the outlet section of the toilet, and a plurality of bolt receiving sections extending through the body section and aligned with the plurality of bolt receiving sections of the toilet. Positioned beneath and interacting with the elevating device, there is a sealing material comprising an opening aligned with the elevating device outlet opening and a soil pipe aligned with the outlet opening of the elevating device, and extending beneath a floor surface and comprising a soil pipe flange extending above the floor flange surface, and a plurality of bolt receiving sections. The device is mounted to the soil pipe flange in the existing flooring. A plurality of bolts secured to the soil pipe flange are inserted through the respective plurality of bolt receiving sections of the toilet, the elevating device and the soil pipe, and provided with a nut secured to each of the plurality bolts adjacent the floor section of the toilet, so that the arrangement of the toilet, the elevating device is secured together and the floor and flange. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a first, top-side view of an embodiment of the toilet elevating device according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows a second, under-side view of an embodiment of the toilet elevating device according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3   a  shows a first cross-sectional view along axis A-A of an embodiment of the toilet elevating device according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3   b  shows a second cross-sectional along axis B-B view of an embodiment of the toilet elevating device according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  shows a third cross-sectional along axis C-C view of an embodiment of the toilet elevating device according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  shows an exploded view of an embodiment of the toilet elevating device according to the present invention in combination with an existing floor containing a soil pipe flange and seal. 
         FIG. 6  shows an arrangement of an embodiment of the toilet elevating device according to the present invention in combination with a toilet and related components. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention, exemplary embodiments of which are shown in  FIGS. 1-6 , relates to a device  10  for elevating a toilet  200  or water closet to a raised height off of a floor  100 . The device  10  allows a consumer to elevate the seat level for an existing toilet  200  owned by the consumer if the height of the seat of the toilet  200  is not sufficient. 
     The device  10 , shown for example in  FIGS. 1-4 , includes a top surface  12 , a bottom surface  14  and side surfaces  16 . The device  10  has a height H. The device  10  may be manufactured or configured to have different, variable heights H, so that toilet  200  seat level can be elevated to the desired level depending on which device height H is used. If a consumer is using a device  10  having a first height H and it is later found to be insufficient for the consumer&#39;s needs, the consumer can replace it with a second device  10  having a second height H. 
     An outlet opening  18  extends through the body of the device  10  in between the top surface  12  and bottom surface  14 . The opening  18  substantially corresponds in size to the outlet  208  of the toilet  200 . The toilet  200  can be placed on top of the device  10  with the toilet outlet  208  aligned with the opening  18  so that fluid flows out of the outlet  208  of the toilet  200  through the opening  18  in the normal operation of the toilet  200 . 
     The device  10  further includes a plurality of mounting holes  20   a  and  20   b  which serve as bolt receiving portions. The mounting holes  20   a  and  20   b  extend through the body of the device  10 . The mounting holes  20   a  and  20   b  can be dimensioned to receive the bolts or screws, such as bolts  108   a  and  108   b , that would be used to secure the toilet  200  to the floor  100  and soil pipe flange  104 . The relative positions and dimensions of the opening  18  and mounting holes  20   a  and  20   b  can vary in different embodiments of the device  10  in order to accommodate the dimensions and orientation of the soil pipe  102 , soil pipe flange  104 , sealing member  106  and bolts  108   a  and  108   b . In an exemplary embodiment, the sealing member  106  is a wax sealing member and the bolts  108   a  and  108   b  are brass screws, but the present invention is not limited to the use of these two materials for the sealing member  106  and bolts  108   a  and  108   b , but can include any other material that is used in combination with the toilet  200  that is used in combination with the device  10 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, the top surface  12  of the device  10  is configured with an indented lip  22  surrounding the opening  18 . The lip  22  may be configured for aligning with a toilet floor ring  204  so as to improve the fit of the device  10  to the toilet  200 . The lip  22  may also correspond in shape and size to a wax seal or other sealing material, such as sealing member  106 . The indented lip  22  may also be configured with a sealing material, such as a wax retaining ring, such that the indented lip  22  is configured in a similar manner to the soil pipe flange  104  and sealing member  106 . In this manner, indented lip  22  would allow the device  10  to interact with the base of the toilet  200  in the same manner as if the toilet  200  were placed on the floor  100 . 
     In this preferred embodiment of the invention, the base surface  14  of the device  10  is configured with a protruding lip  24  extending from and surrounding the opening  18 . The protruding lip  24  is dimensioned for engaging and aligning with a sealing member  106  and the flange  104  of a soil pipe  102 . The lip  24  interacts with the sealing member  106  and flange  104  to improve the fit between the device  10  and the soil pipe  102  in the floor  100 . 
     The device  10  can be made from a variety of materials in order to compliment the toilet  200  with which the device  10  will be used. In an exemplary embodiment, the device  10  is made of a rigid, plastic material and the top surface  12  and side surfaces  16  of the device  10  are polished to simulate a glazed china or porcelain to match the toilet  200 . The device  10  is not limited to being made from plastic and can also be made from other suitable materials for matching with the toilet  200  and supporting the toilet  200 , such as porcelain. 
     Although the device  10  as shown in the drawing is substantially rectangular in shape, the device  10  can be formed into any variety of shapes, such as square, ovular or circular. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the device  10  is configured to elevate the height of the toilet  200  by lifting the toilet  200  off of floor  100  and inserting the device  10  between the floor  100  and toilet  200 . In the process of elevating the height of toilet  200 , the toilet  200  is disengaged from the soil pipe  102 , soil pipe flange  104  and sealing member  106  by removing or unscrewing the screw tops or bolts  206   a  and  206   b  positioned on the toilet floor  202  from the bolts  108   a  and  108   b  extended from the flange  104  or floor  100 . The toilet  200  can then be lifted off of the floor  100 . With the toilet  200  removed, the device  10  can be inserted as shown in  FIG. 5 . The bolt receiving holes  20   a  and  20   b  (shown with dashed lines in  FIGS. 5 and 6  to indicate that these components are located inside of the device  10 , and not externally visible from the perspective shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 ) of the device  10  are aligned over the bolts  108   a  and  108   b , which extend out of the soil pipe flange  104 , and the outlet opening  18  is aligned with the soil pipe  102  and sealing member  106 . The device  10  is then placed on top of the soil pipe  102  so that the bolts  108   a  and  108   b  extend through the bolt receiving holes  20   a  and  20   b  and the sealing member  106  and the soil pipe flange  104  are engaged in the lip  24  in the opening  18 . This configuration of the device  10  relative to the soil pipe  102  and sealing member  106  is similar to the standard configuration that would be found between the toilet  200  and toilet floor  202  and the soil pipe  102  and sealing member  106  when the device  10  is absent. By using a similar configuration in its base surface  102  as would be found in the base of the toilet  200 , it makes the use and installation of the device  10  easier for the consumer. 
     After the device  10  has been configured onto the floor  100  and over soil pipe  102 , soil pipe flange  104  and sealing member  106 , the toilet  200  can be arranged over the device  10 . The outlet opening  208  and the bolt receiving portions (not shown) of the toilet  200  are respectively aligned over the opening  18  and the bolt receiving portions  20   a  and  20   b  of the device  10 . The toilet  200  is lowered onto the device  10 , so that the bolts  108   a  and  108   b  extend through the toilet floor  202  and through the bolt receiving portions of the toilet  200 . The screw tops or nuts  206   a  and  206   b  can be secured to the top of the bolts  108   a  and  108   b  adjacent to the toilet floor  202  in order to secure together the toilet  200  and the device  10 , and to secure each to the floor  100  to result in a single unit. When the toilet  200  is placed onto the device  10 , the floor ring  204  of the toilet  200  is configured to engage the lip  22  extending into the top surface  12  the device  10 . In this manner, the interaction and arrangement between the top surface  12  of the device  10  and the toilet  200  and toilet floor  202  is also similar to the arrangement that would be between the standard configuration that would be found between the toilet  200  and toilet floor  202  and the soil pipe  102 /soil pipe flange  104  and sealing member  106  when the device  10  is absent. 
     At the intersection of the floor  100  and the device  10 , and at the intersection of the device  10  and the toilet floor  202 , a thin layer of sealant, caulk or grout  110  or  210  may be applied along the perimeter of the device  10  and/or toilet floor  204 . 
     The device  10  according to the invention may further be configured with means for stacking more than one device. For example, the top surface  12  can comprise a series of protrusions for inserting into corresponding openings in the base surface  14  of a second device  10  to secure the two together, or the devices may be configured with a series of latching mechanisms to secure two devices  10  together. Further, the indented lip  22  and protruding lip  24  may be configured with a similar size and shape so as to be compatible with each other, so that the protruding lip  24  on the bottom surface  14  of a first device  10  may be inserted into the indented lip  22  on the top surface  12  of a second device  10  to secure the two devices together. The devices  10  may thus be stacked accordingly in order to further raise or adjust the height of the toilet  200 . 
     While there have been shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices and methods described may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto. Furthermore, in the claims means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures. Thus although a nail and a screw may not be structural equivalents in that a nail employs a cylindrical surface to secure wooden parts together, whereas a screw employs a helical surface, in the environment of fastening wooden parts, a nail and a screw may be equivalent structures.