Patent Publication Number: US-6907621-B2

Title: Toilet seat lifter with flusher

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention generally relates to the field of toilet seat lifting mechanisms and more particularly to a toilet seat lifting mechanism that combines toilet flushing and seat lowering. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Allowing one to use toilet facilities while avoiding hand contact with the toilet seat or other fixtures associated with the toilet facilities enhancing sanitary conditions. Health problems due to unsanitary practices are well understood. In order to eliminate the need to contact toilet fixtures, several electrical and compressed air solutions have been developed. The use of electrical or compressed air in toilet facilities, particularly commercial toilet facilities, is often impractical or undesirable for a number of reasons. First, the cost for electrical and compressed air equipment is expensive. Second, the complexity of electrical and compressed air systems increase repair and maintenance costs. Third, the placement of electrical power near plumbing fixtures is dangerous and increases the likelihood of electrical shock. Fourth, fixtures or other devices that are used to automatically lift and/or lower toilet seats are required to operate in wet and often dirty conditions which severely limits design options. 
   The lifting and lowering of the toilet seat is one action where avoidance of using one&#39;s hands is particularly desirable. In addition to the desire to raise and lower the toilet seat without using one&#39;s hands, there is also a desire to ensure that the toilet seat is returned to its lowered position after the toilet is used. The contention between men and women of “who left the seat up?” is often a source of disagreement. The problem with returning the toilet seat to its lowered position after toilet use is that manually doing so is easily forgotten and typically avoided to eliminate contact with toilet fixtures. 
   Therefore, a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art as discussed above. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a toilet seat raising mechanism, that is for operation with a toilet having a seat, has an input line and a first control that causes a first change in a pressure in the input line from a first pressure level to a second pressure level in response to a first activation input. The toilet seat raising mechanism further has a seat actuator adapted for moving a toilet seat between a lowered position and a raised position in response to changes in the pressure in the input line. The seat actuator places the toilet seat in the lowered position when the pressure is at the first pressure level and the seat actuator places the toilet seat in the raised position when the pressure is at the second pressure level. The toilet seat raising mechanism also has a second control that operates in response to a second input to selectively place the input line in communication with a drain so as to cause a second change in the pressure from the second pressure level towards the first pressure level. The toilet seat raising mechanism also has a flush actuator for flushing a toilet in response to an operation of the second control. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The subject matter, which is regarded as the invention, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features and also the advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Additionally, the left-most digit of a reference number identifies the drawing in which the reference number first appears. 
       FIG. 1  is side view of a toilet that has a toilet seat lifting mechanism according to an embodiment the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of a toilet with a toilet seat lifting mechanism of  FIG. 1  according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a front view of another embodiment of the toilet with a toilet seat lifting mechanism with a return spring according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a cut-away view of a foot actuator valve for a toilet seat lifter that is configured to lift a toilet seat according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a cut-away view of a foot actuator valve for a toilet seat lifter that is configured to flush the toilet and lower the toilet seat according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   It is important to note, that these embodiments are only examples of the many advantageous uses of the innovative teachings herein. In general, statements made in the specification of the present application do not necessarily limit any of the various claimed inventions. Moreover, some statements may apply to some inventive features but not to others. In general, unless otherwise indicated, singular elements may be in the plural and visa versa with no loss of generality. 
   The present invention, according to an exemplary embodiment, overcomes problems with the prior art by providing a toilet seat lifting mechanism that includes foot operated valves that control the flow of water to a hydraulic cylinder that operates to lift and lower a toilet seat. Water from the water supply to the toilet is connected, in response to a user&#39;s operation of a valve, to the hydraulic cylinder to provide energy to lift the toilet seat. The user subsequently operates another valve that causes the water in the cylinder to drain, thereby causing the toilet seat to lower. The drained water in the exemplary embodiment is returned to the toilet tank for use in flushing the toilet. By returning the water back in the toilet tank the present invention does not increase water usage. This is important in applications where water conservation and low-flow toilets are required. The toilet flushing mechanism is connected to the mechanism that activates the valve that causes the cylinder to drain, so that a user&#39;s flushing of the toilet also causes the toilet seat to lower, advantageously ensuring that the toilet seat remains in a lowered position after each use. Further, the present invention works with both tank and tank-less type existing toilets without the need to modify the toilet mechanism. 
   A side view  100  of a toilet  101  that includes a toilet seat lifting mechanism in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG.  1 . The toilet  101  includes a conventional toilet tank  124  and toilet bowl  126 . Attached to the toilet bowl  126  is a toilet seat  132  and toilet lid  134 . The toilet  101  includes a conventional flush actuator that includes a flapper valve  120 , flapper valve chain  122  and flush handle  136 . 
   The toilet  101  further includes a toilet seat raising mechanism that is a toilet seat lifter. The toilet seat lifter includes a seat actuator that includes a lifter mounting bracket  130 , a cylinder  112  that operates a piston  138  and a seat clevis mount  114 . Cylinder  112  is attached to the lifter-mounting bracket  130  by a cylinder clevis mount  128 . The toilet seat lifter further has a control mechanism that includes a foot actuated control valve  102  that includes pedals  116 , a lifter water supply line  104 , a cylinder water supply line  106  and a flush cable  118 . The flush cable  118  is a mechanical linkage between a flush pedal, described below, and the flush actuator so that operation of the flush pedal causes actuation of the flush actuator. When the toilet seat  132  is lowered, the water contained in the cylinder  112  is routed through a water release line  108  into the toilet tank  124  by the foot actuated control valve  102 . 
   A front water supply view  200  of the toilet  101  of  FIG. 1 , that incorporates an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG.  2 . The toilet  101  has a toilet water supply line  210  that delivers supply water to the toilet tank  124  as well as to the toilet seat lifter. The toilet  101  of the exemplary embodiment incorporates a conventional float valve (not shown) that is internal to the toilet tank  124  and allows water to enter the toilet tank  124  until a pre-determined water level is reached inside of the toilet tank  124 . Alternative embodiments of the present invention are suited for use with tank-less toilets that have a conventional flush valve. Shutoff valve  206  turns the supply of water into the toilet water supply line  210  on and off, primarily for maintenance purposes. The water supply line  210  of the exemplary embodiment has a line Tee  212  that connects the water supply line to both the toilet tank and to a lifter water supply line  104 . The water supply line  104  supplies water, through an in-line shut off valve  208  to the foot activator valve  102 , that is described in detail below. The water supply line is at a typical household water pressure. Moreover, although the term water supply line is used throughout the present invention, other liquids such as those used in temporary facilities such as “Port a Johns” which are within the true scope and spirit of the present invention. The foot activator valve  102  of the exemplary embodiment  102  controls the flow of water to and from the cylinder  112  to cause the toilet seat  132  and toilet seat lid  134  to lift and lower. The foot activator valve  102  has a seat-up pedal  204  that is a first control that accepts a first actuation input that is given by a user pressing the seat-up pedal  204  with his or her foot. The foot activator valve  102  further has a flush pedal  202  that is a second control that accepts a second input that is given when a user presses the flush pedal  202  with his or her foot. Operation of the seat-up pedal  204  or the flush pedal  202  operates valves within the foot actuator valve  102  to cause water pressure in the cylinder water supply line  116  to change between a first pressure level and a second pressure level. The cylinder  112  of the exemplary embodiment is configured to cause the toilet seat  132  to be in a raised position when the water pressure supplied to the cylinder through the input line, i.e., the valve cylinder water supply line  106 , is at a high level and to cause the toilet seat  132  to be in a lowered position when the water pressure in the input line is at a lower level. 
   Alternative embodiments of the present invention utilize automatic flush actuators that are based upon infrared or other detection means to automatically initiation flushing of the toilet. An example of these automatic flush actuators is the Optima Flushometer line that is manufactured by the Sloan Valve Company of Franklin Park, Ill., USA. These embodiments use the automatically triggered flush actuation of these automatic flush actuators to provide activation of seat actuator control valves similar to the activation of the valves described by the pressing of the flush pedal  202  as is described herein. 
   A cylinder connection front view  300  of an alternative embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG.  3 . In addition to the components illustrated in the front water supply view  200 , the cylinder  112  is shown to be connected to the toilet bowl  126  by cylinder bracket  130 . The top end of cylinder bracket  130  of the exemplary embodiment is secured to the toilet bowl  126  by the bolts that secure the toilet seat  132  and toilet lid  134  to the bowl  126 . The opposite end of the cylinder bracket in the exemplary embodiment connects to the cylinder  112  by the cylinder clevis mount  128 . The cylinder plunger  138 , which is on the opposite end of cylinder  112 , is connected to the toilet seat  132  via a seat clevis mount  114 . Seat clevis mount  114  and the cylinder clevis mount  128  allow rotation of the joint formed by the clevis mounts with the cylinder  112  and cylinder plunger  134  as needed due to the lifting of the toilet seat  132 . This alternative embodiment of the present invention has an external yieldable member, in the form of spring  302  within cylinder  112  that exerts a downward force on the cylinder plunger  138  and urges the toilet seat  132  into a lowered position in the absence of force from cylinder  112 . Other embodiments alternatively include a similar spring that internal to cylinder  112  and that urges the toilet seat  132  into a lowered position. 
   A cut away view of a seat up position  400  of the foot actuated valve  102  of an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG.  4 . The foot actuated valve  102  of the exemplary embodiment has a valve housing  540  in which are moveably mounted a flush piston  506  and a seat actuator piston  504 . The flush piston  506  and the seat actuator piston  504  have channels that are selectively placed into a flow channel that carries a liquid, such as water in the exemplary embodiment. The flush piston  506  has a flush piston base  528  to ensure proper positioning of the flush piston  506  in the absence of a flush pedal pressing input. The flush piston  506  is mounted in and is able to move in a flush piston cavity  524 . A flush piston spring  520  urges the flush piston  506  into an upper position. The seat actuator piston  504  has a seat actuator piston base  530 . The seat actuator piston  504  is mounted in and is able to move in a seat actuator piston cavity  526 . A seat actuator piston spring  522  urges the seat actuator piston  504  into an upper position. The flush piston  506  is depressed into a lower position by pressing down of the flush petal  202 . The seat actuator piston  504  is depressed into a lower position by pressing down of the seat up petal  204 . 
   The cut away view of a seat up position  400  shows the seat actuator piston  504  to be in a lower position, which indicates that the first control, i.e., the seat up pedal  204 , has received a first activation input by being pressed by the user&#39;s foot. The flush piston  506  is shown to be in an upper position, as is urged by the flush piston spring  520  without the pressing of the flush petal  202 . Supply water enters the water supply input  502  and flows through seat actuator cylinder channel  516  to the middle channel  512 . Seat actuator cylinder channel  516  is in a proper location so as to place the water supply input  502  in communication with the middle channel  512  by being urged into its lower position though pressing of the seat up pedal  204 . The flush piston  504  is shown in an upper position thereby placing the middle channel  512  into communication with a valve cylinder outlet  508  through an inlet to cylinder channel  517  within the flush cylinder  506 . The valve cylinder outlet  508  of the exemplary embodiment is an input line in which water pressure is changed to cause the seat actuator to raise and lower the toilet seat. Prior to activation of the seat up pedal  204 , the pressure in the valve cylinder outlet  508  is at a low pressure, as is described below. The configuration of the seat actuator piston being in the down position causes the valve cylinder outlet  508 , i.e., the input line, to change from a first pressure level, which is the initial low pressure, to a second pressure level, which is the pressure of the water supply entering at the water supply inlet  502 . The water provided at the valve cylinder outlet  508  is communicated to the cylinder  112  through the cylinder water supply line  116 . Providing the water to the cylinder  112  at the water supply pressure level causes the cylinder  112  to raise the toilet seat  132  to a raised position. 
   A cut away view of a flush position  500  of the foot activator valve  102  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG.  5 . The cut away view of a flush position  500  shows the flush cylinder  506  to be in a lower position, which is cause by a second input, i.e., the pressing down the flush pedal  202 . The seat actuator piston  504  is shown in an upper position, as is urged by the seat actuator spring  202  without depressing the seat up pedal  204 . The seat actuator cylinder channel  516  is no longer in a position to allow water to flow from the water supply inlet  502  to the middle channel  512  when the seat actuator piston  504  is in the upper position. The middle channel is also no longer in communication with the valve cylinder outlet  508  while the flush piston  506  is in the lower position because the inlet to cylinder channel  517  is moved. With the flush piston in a lower position, the cylinder drain channel  518  in the flush piston  506  is in position to allow water in the cylinder  112  to be routed into the water release port  510 . This places the valve cylinder outlet  508  in communication with a drain and causes a second change in the pressure within the valve cylinder outlet  508  from the second pressure level towards the first pressure level. Causing the pressure within the valve cylinder outlet  508  to return to a lower pressure level allows the cylinder piston  108  to return to its position within the cylinder  112  and allows the toilet seat  132  to return to its lowered position. The mechanical linkage  118  between the flush pedal  202  and the flush mechanism ensures that the seat is lowered after each flush of the toilet. This is enhanced in some embodiments by removing other flush actuation mechanisms, such as the flush handle of a conventional toilet. 
   The exemplary embodiments of the present invention advantageously provide a foot activated toilet seat raising and lowering device that is linked to the toilet flush mechanism. These embodiments allow a user to raise the toilet seat without touching the seat by hand. These embodiments also couple the toilet seat lowering function to the flush activation, so that the toilet seat is lowered after each flush, ensuring that the toilet seat is in a lowered position for the next user. 
   Although specific embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, those having ordinary skill in the art will understand that changes can be made to the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is not to be restricted, therefore, to the specific embodiments, and it is intended that the appended claims cover any and all such applications, modifications, and embodiments within the scope of the present invention.