Abstract:
A toilet seat and toilet lid assembly is provided which prevents bodily waste from undesirably exiting flushing toilets and contaminating surrounding areas and surfaces. More particularly, the assembly comprises an annular toilet seat and a lid, hingedly attached to the seat. An underside of the lid is configured to closely mate with the opening formed in the seat. Prior to flushing a toilet, a user may pivotally close the assembly, which may be secured over a toilet bowl. When closed, a male protrusion in the lid may be closely mated with the opening in the seat to prevent contaminants within the toilet bowl from exiting such bowl when activating the toilet&#39;s flushing capability agitates water and waste contained therein.

Description:
GOVERNMENT CONTRACT 
       [0001]    Not applicable. 
       CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
         [0003]    STATEMENT RE. FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT 
         [0004]    Not applicable. 
       COPYRIGHT &amp; TRADEMARK NOTICES 
       [0005]    A portion of the disclosure of this patent document may contain material which is subject to copyright protection. This patent document may show and/or describe matter which is or may become trade dress of the owner. The copyright and trade dress owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by any one of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrights and trade dress rights whatsoever. 
       TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0006]    The disclosed subject matter relates generally to hygienic solutions for toilet seats and, more particularly, to means for containing debris and aerosolized biological waste within a toilet bowl. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0007]    Some toilets and toilet seats may be considered to be dangerously unhygienic due to the fact that the biological waste they periodically contain, especially fecal matter, itself contains and even transmits certain, often antibiotic-resistant, bacteria including, for example, methicillin resistant  staphylococcus aureus  (MRSA), extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)  E. coli , vancomycin resistant  enterococcus  (VRE), as well as other pathogens such as norovirus. Indeed, sanitation concerns extend even beyond the toilet bowl because the typical flushing action employed to dispose of the waste in the bowl aerosolizes the waste and attendant bacteria. In other words, when a toilet seat is left open, or even imperfectly sealed, flushing the toilet may cause some of the waste contained in the toilet bowl to vaporize, spraying contaminated water and particulate into the surrounding environment and on surfaces such as door knobs, faucet handles, and even toothbrushes regularly encountered by restroom occupants. 
         [0008]    Many efforts to improve toilet sanitation have been made. For instance, some have proposed limiting a user&#39;s physical contact with portions of the toilet by, for example, providing detachable tabs formed as levers to forcibly lift a toilet seat without directly touching it. Examples of this include U.S. Pat. No. 6,634,032 to Janik. Others have developed means for enabling hands-free use of toilets such as by providing motion-activated flushers, and foot pedal flushers are sometimes presented so that users can avoid touching portions of the toilet with their hands. Unfortunately, these proposals do not solve the problem of unhygienic emissions unavoidably occurring with each flush. Even where a user avoids physically contacting the toilet, he or she may still be in danger of contacting contaminants that have aerodynamically transferred to various nearby surfaces. 
         [0009]    Thus, some guards for blocking harmful emissions, including for example, over-sprayed bodily waste, from contaminating the area surrounding a toilet have also been suggested. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,760 to Brown et al. teaches a portable spray guard that adheres to an interior portion of a toilet rim to protect surfaces adjacent to the toilet from residue sprayed therefrom; U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,589 to Rego et al. teaches a pleated web or accordion folded splash guard attachable to rim and seat portions of a toilet; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,757 to Johnson teaches automatically closing a toilet lid when flushing a toilet via a retrofitable motor. Still, these solutions fail to fully obscure, block, or seal all openings present in their toilet seat assemblies. Thus, there is still a risk that aerosolized bodily waste can possibly exit the toilet bowl, through uncovered gaps, and contaminate various surroundings. Additionally, each of these proposals fail to provide an aesthetically integrated and fully sealable solution to the problem of unhygienic toilets. 
         [0010]    As such, there remains a need for effectively sealing biological waste and related contaminants within a toilet bowl. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0011]    The present disclosure is directed to a sealing toilet seat assembly configured to prevent hazardous materials present in biological waste, especially vaporized particulate from fecal matter, from exiting gaps that generally exist between toilet seats and their accompanying lids. 
         [0012]    For purposes of summarizing, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features have been described. It is to be understood that not all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment. Thus, the disclosed subject matter may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages without achieving all advantages as may be taught or suggested. 
         [0013]    In accordance with one embodiment, the toilet seat and lid assembly comprises an annular toilet seat hingedly attached to a toilet seat lid. The seat and lid are pivotably securable to a rim portion of a toilet. More particularly, the seat may be defined by a supportive upper surface configured to support the weight of a sitting user, and a lower surface which rests on the rim of the toilet, though it should be noted that toilet seats may be upwardly pivoted to permit use of the toilet without the seat obscuring a bowl portion of the toilet in any way. The supportive upper surface and lower surface of the seat may be spaced apart by an inner side and an outer side, wherein the inner side may define an opening for receiving biological waste therethrough. 
         [0014]    Next, the lid, hingedly attachable to the annular toilet seat, is provided which may be particularly characterized by an underside configured to matedly seal, or plug, the opening in the toilet seat and thereby minimize the amount of toilet bowl content expelled from the bowl into the surrounding area and onto surrounding surfaces when biological waste within the toilet bowl is flushed. In an embodiment, the underside of the lid may comprise a channel, or concave groove, sized to receive the supportive upper surface of the annular toilet seat. Such channel may be defined by an outer edge of the toilet seat, and it is contemplated that providing a channel in this manner may insure that any gaps persisting between the seat and lid while in a pivotally closed position may be obscured by said edge so that contaminated water vapor, undesirable particulate, and other waste contained within the toilet bowl are prevented from escaping therethrough. 
         [0015]    The channel may be further defined by a male protrusion integrated on the underside of the lid. Such male protrusion may be defined by a lower surface and a side portion, and may be further sized to closely mate with the opening of the annular toilet seat. 
         [0016]    To operate the hygienic assembly, user may hingedly pivot the lid, or the seat and lid as the case may be, into an upward, open position to expose the opening defined by the annular seat and interior of the toilet bowl. Then, after discarding waste into the toilet bowl, but before flushing the toilet, the user may hingedly pivot any open portions of the assembly into a closed position, so that the male protrusion is mated with the opening in the annular toilet seat to seal or plug the assembly. This prevents aerosolized waste, water, and particulate from exiting the bowl through the space that typically persists between such parts. 
         [0017]    Various embodiments are contemplated for the lower surface of the male protrusion. For instance, in some embodiments, a ridge may be formed along at least a portion of the lower surface of the male protrusion to further block contamination from exiting a toilet bowl through gaps between the toilet seat and lid. In another embodiment, segments of the side portion of the male protrusion may be inwardly angled to ease insertion of the male member into the opening defined by the annular toilet seat. One skilled in the art will thus recognize that the foregoing is offered by way of example only, and not of limitation. 
         [0018]    One or more of the above-disclosed embodiments, in addition to certain alternatives, are provided in further detail below with reference to the attached figures. The disclosed subject matter is not, however, limited to any particular embodiment disclosed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  shows a plan view of a hygienic toilet seat and lid assembly in accordance with one embodiment. 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective exploded view of a hygienic toilet seat and lid assembly in accordance with one embodiment. 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of a hygienic toilet seat and lid assembly in accordance with one embodiment. 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of a hygienic toilet seat and lid assembly in accordance with an alternative embodiment. 
       
    
    
       [0023]    The disclosed embodiments may be better understood by referring to the figures in the attached drawings, as provided below. The attached figures are provided as non-limiting examples for providing an enabling description of the method and system claimed. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered as limiting of its scope. One skilled in the art will understand that the invention may be practiced without some of the details included in order to provide a thorough enabling description of such embodiments. Well-known structures and functions have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0024]    Having summarized various aspects of the present disclosure, reference will now be made in detail to that which is illustrated in the drawings. While the disclosure will be described in connection with these drawings, there is no intent to limit it to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed herein. Rather, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents included within the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. 
         [0025]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , a plan view exposing an underside of one embodiment of the hygienic toilet seat and lid assembly  10  is shown in order to generally illustrate sealing the assembly  10  to block bodily waste and associated contaminants contemplated by this disclosure. More particularly, the assembly  10  may comprise an annular toilet seat  12 , such as any of those toilet seats commonly known in the art for supporting a user thereon and receiving biological waste therethrough, and a lid  14 , hingedly attached to the seat  12  along corresponding rear edges  16 , for covering the seat  12  when not in use. The open, center portion of the annular toilet seat  12  may then be fully sealed off, or plugged, by a male protrusion  18  that extends downwardly into the opening, which is here defined by an inner edge  20  of the seat  12  but otherwise obscured due to the presence of the male protrusion  18 . 
         [0026]    Turning to  FIG. 2 , elements comprising the toilet seat and lid assembly  10  may be viewed in an exploded configuration and in combination with a toilet  30  for additional clarity. The annular seat  12 , for instance, may be defined by a supportive upper surface  22 , upon which a user may sit, and a lower surface  24  which rests on top of and is pivotally securable to a rim  32  around a toilet bowl  34 . Further defining the annular toilet seat  12 , the supportive upper surface  22  and lower surface  24  may be spaced apart by an inner side portion  26  which defines the opening  28  in the seat  12  for admitting biological waste to enter the toilet bowl  34  for disposal, and an outer side portion  29 . 
         [0027]    Additionally, the lid  14 , hingedly connected to the seat  12 , may comprise an underside  42  configured to matedly seal the opening  34  in the seat  12  and minimize the amount of water, bacteria, bodily waste, and potential contaminants expelled from the bowl  34  into the surrounding area and onto surrounding surfaces when flushed. In particular, the underside  42  of the lid  14  comprises in some embodiments, a concave channel  44  sized to overlap with and closely receive the supportive upper surface  22  of the annular toilet seat  12 . The channel  44  may be defined by an outer edge  46  of the lid  14  spaced apart from the aforementioned male protrusion  18 . Providing a channel in this manner may insure a close seal to prevent debris, biological waste, contaminants, etc. from exiting a flushing toilet bowl  32  via any possible gaps which may exist between the edge  46  of the lid  14  and side portion  29  of the seat. However, it is also contemplated that the alternative to a channel  44  formed in the underside  42  of the lid  14 , the underside  42  of the lid  14  may alternatively be flat, excepting extension of the male protrusion  18 , so that the underside  22  of the lid  14  may contiguously rest along the upper supportive surface  28  of the annular seat  12 , while the male protrusion  18  closely mates with the opening  34  in the seat  12 . 
         [0028]    Regardless of the particular shape of the underside  42  of the toilet seat  14 , it is contemplated that the male protrusion  18  may comprise a side portion  48  formed to extend into the opening  28  defined by the seat  12  and, when engaged in the closed position, also be contiguous with the inner side portion  26  of the seat  12 . This may be seen, for example, with reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , which illustrate a closed-off seal  36  where the underside  42  of the lid  14  and supportive surface  22  of the seat  12  contiguously rest against one another. Of course, one skilled in the art will recognize that the word “seal” is herein used to mean, generally, to shut, block, obscure, cover, plug or otherwise close off access to the contents of the toilet bowl  32 , and forming an air tight seal is not necessary to practice the invention. One skilled in the art will also recognize that when disposed over a toilet bowl, sealing, or plugging, any openings in the toilet seat, and also any gaps that typically persist between toilet seats and lids and even between toilet seats and toilet rims in this manner, even if not air tight, will minimize or even wholly prevent biological waste and potentially harmful contaminants contained therein from being projected into nearby spaces and onto nearby surfaces when the toilet is flushed. 
         [0029]    Returning to  FIG. 2 , to operate, a user may hingedly pivot the lid  14  into an upward, open position to expose the opening  28  defined by the annular seat  12  and interior of the toilet bowl  34 . If desired, a user may also hingedly pivot the toilet seat  12  into an upward position to reveal the rim  32  defining an upper edge of the toilet bowl  34 . Then, after use but before flushing the toilet, the user may hingedly pivot any open portions of the assembly  10  into a closed position, so that the male protrusion  18  is mated with the opening  28  in the annular toilet seat  12  to seal or plug the assembly  10  so that aerosolized waste, water, and particulate are prevented from exiting the bowl  34  through the space that typically persists between such parts. 
         [0030]    It is further envisioned that one embodiment of the of the male protrusion  18  may comprise a low profile such that the lower surface  52  would rest above the supportive surface  22  when the assembly  10  is in the closed position. In this exemplary embodiment, the male protrusion  18  may comprise a ridge which extends below the supportive surface  22  while the the lower surface  52  of the male protrusion  18  remains above it. 
         [0031]    With reference to the perspective view according to an embodiment of the hygienic toilet seat and lid assembly in  FIG. 3 , a lower surface  52  may further define the male protrusion  18  and may be flat. Providing a flat lower surface  52  may inhibit growth and propagation of any bacteria collected on the male protrusion  18  and also make cleaning the lid  12  easy, as it has a smooth surface area, however, other shapes and textures are contemplated as well. 
         [0032]    In some embodiments, the lower surface  52  of the male protrusion  18  may extend below the toilet seat to further obscure any potential space, though microscopic, that may be left between the protrusion  18  and inner edge  20  of the annular seat  12 . In other embodiments, the lower surface  52  of the male protrusion  18  may extend only as far as the lower surface  24  of the annular seat  12  to define a smooth surface when the assembly is closed. In still other embodiments, the lower surface  52  of the seat may extend to some distance that extends, when the assembly  10  is closed, below the supportive surface  22  but above the lower surface  24  of the seat so that at least some depth defined by the side portion  29  of the seat  12  is plugged. Thus, the particular height of the side portion  48  of the male protrusion  18  is not determinative so long as it is able to plug or otherwise close off the opening  28  defined by the annular seat  12 . 
         [0033]    With reference to  FIG. 4 , an additional ridge  54  may optionally be formed along a portion of, or even the entirety of, the male protrusion  18 . Such ridge  54  may extend beyond the lower surface of the seat  12  to prevent undesirable material from entering any space between the contiguous side portions of the seat  12  and lid  14 . 
         [0034]    Other configurations are contemplated for sealing, or plugging, the toilet seat  12  in addition to easing use of the assembly  10 . As one non limiting example and with reference again to  FIG. 2 , a front portion of the side  48  of the male protrusion  18 , may be angled inward by some amount to easy opening and closing the lid  14  while avoiding frictional or forcible interference with corresponding segments of the side portion  26  of the seat  12 . As another example, the lid  14 , channel  44 , and even male protrusion  18  may be formed as a single, integrated piece in order to avoid cracks, seams, and crevices which might harbor bacteria, to ease application of cleaning solutions to the lid  14 , and even to improve the aesthetic appearance of the lid  14 . Of course, one skilled in the art will recognize that the foregoing are offered by way of example only, and not of limitation. 
         [0035]    It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments are merely examples of possible implementations. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the principles of the present disclosure. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims. 
         [0036]    Moreover, embodiments and limitations disclosed herein are not dedicated to the public under the doctrine of dedication if the embodiments and/or limitations: (1) are not expressly claimed in the claims; and (2) are or are potentially equivalents of express elements and/or limitations in the claims under the doctrine of equivalents. 
       CONCLUSIONS, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE 
       [0037]    While certain embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, various modifications are contemplated and can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, various components comprising the hygienic toilet seat and toilet lid assembly may be made from any suitable material. Some materials available for these parts may be polystyrene, blended wood and plastic, porcelain, clay, vitreous china, and plated metal, among others. Similarly, the hygienic toilet seat and toilet lid assembly may round, oblong, elongated, or any other shape defined by any desirable dimensions. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention not be limited, except as by the appended claim(s). 
         [0038]    The teachings disclosed herein may be applied to other systems, and may not necessarily be limited to any described herein. The elements and acts of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. All of the above patents and applications and other references, including any that may be listed in accompanying filing papers, are incorporated herein by reference. Aspects of the invention can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions and concepts of the various references described above to provide yet further embodiments of the invention. 
         [0039]    Particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being refined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects of the hygienic toilet set and lid assembly with which that terminology is associated. In general, the terms used in the following claims should not be constructed to limit the hygienic toilet set and lid assembly to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification unless the above description section explicitly define such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope encompasses not only the disclosed embodiments, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the disclosed apparatus. The above description of embodiments of the hygienic toilet set and lid assembly is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the precise form disclosed above or to a particular field of usage. 
         [0040]    While specific embodiments of, and examples for the apparatus are described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible for which those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. 
         [0041]    While certain aspects of the apparatus disclosed are presented below in particular claim forms, various aspects of the method, system, and apparatus are contemplated in any number of claim forms. Thus, the inventor reserves the right to add additional claims after filing the application to pursue such additional claim forms for other aspects of the hygienic toilet set and lid assembly.