Abstract:
A toilet seat accessory mounted to the toilet seat cover and having a blocking device extending beyond a perimeter of the cover to block access to a flush handle of the toilet when the cover is in the raised position. A latching device on the accessory removably latches to the seat such that as the cover is moved between the raised and lowered positions, the seat is held by the opposite end of the toilet seat accessory and moves with the cover between the raised and lowered positions. The latching device has a tab connected with the latching device, whereby upon the cover and seat being in the raised position, pushing on the tab removes the latching device from the seat, thereby releasing the seat from being latched with the cover.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to the field of appliances and, more particularly, to a toilet seat attachment. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Conventional toilets include a lower bowl portion having an opening that is covered by a hinged seat and cover. The seat and cover are manually moved or pivoted between a generally horizontal lower position and generally vertical raised position. The cover and seat are moved separately or together at the choice of the user. The movable seat permits females to use the appliance in the seated position and males to use the appliance in a standing position. The cover is raised for use and lowered to provide a more pleasing appearance when the appliance is not in use. 
     As with so many other seemingly simple appliances, significant difficulties arise because many males will urinate from the standing position without raising the seat, thereby leaving the seat soiled. Soiling of the toilet seat can lead to bacterial growth on the seat and the possibility of disease being spread through human contact therewith. Females obviously find such a situation to be repugnant and are forced to clean the seat prior to use. This difference in toilet use between the sexes and a lack of recognition of proper toilet etiquette on the part of many males has led to considerable controversy over the past century. A lack of proper toilet seat use also arises with younger males who have yet to learn or are in the process of learning the habit of raising and lowering the toilet seat. 
     In addition, leaving the toilet bowl uncovered after use often attracts a child or pet. The open toilet bowl permits children to throw items into the toilet and also encourages domestic pets to drink from the bowl. Further, an uncovered toilet bowl can result in an infant falling into the bowl and sustaining an injury or worse. Finally, an uncovered toilet bowl presents a less attractive appearance than a closed toilet bowl. 
     Thus, there is a need for a device that encourages males to lift the toilet seat prior to urinating from a standing position and thereafter, flush the toilet and lower the seat and cover after use. Further, the device must permit females to easily use the toilet seat without undue manipulation or inconvenience. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a toilet accessory that promotes a proper and sanitary use of a toilet by males and females alike. More specifically, the present invention is especially useful in the training of young males in the proper use of the toilet. The present invention assures that males using the toilet will not soil the toilet seat, that the toilet will be flushed after use and the seat and cover will be placed in a lowered position after use. 
     In accordance with the principles of the present invention and in accordance with the described embodiments, the present invention provides a toilet seat accessory for use with a seat and cover of a toilet that independently pivot between raised and lowered positions. The toilet seat accessory is mounted to the cover and has one end extending beyond a perimeter of the cover to block access to a flush handle of the toilet when the cover is in the raised position. An opposite end of the accessory is removably latched to the seat such that as the cover is moved between the raised and lowered positions, the seat is held by the opposite end of the toilet seat accessory and moves with the cover between the raised and lowered positions. 
     The toilet accessory of the present invention has proven to be useful in training young males in the proper use of the toilet. As such, the toilet accessory prevents the unnecessary soiling of the toilet seat and further, encourages the user to lower the seat and cover after use and flush the toilet. A lowered seat and cover blocks access by children and pets to the toilet bowl with an advantage of preventing blockage of the plumbing works by foreign objects that may be put in the toilet bowl by children. Blocking access to the toilet bowl has a further advantage of preventing pets from drinking from the bowl. Another advantage of a closed toilet bowl is that infants are prevented from accidentally falling into the bowl and sustaining a serious injury or drowning. A lowered seat and cover provides a still further advantage of providing a substantially improved appearance when the toilet is not in use. Thus, with the present invention, the toilet bowl is always in a desired covered state when not in use. 
     In one aspect of the invention, a blocking device is on the one end of the toilet seat accessory and has a broad substantially flat portion blocking access to the flush handle from all directions. 
     In a further aspect of the invention, a latching device is on the opposite end for removably latching onto the seat. The latching device includes a standoff extending outward from the cover and a hook is the distal end of the standoff, and the hook extends over an inner edge of the seat and contacts and hooks onto the lower seat surface, thereby releasably connecting the seat to the cover. A tab extends opposite the hook on the distal end of the standoff, whereby upon the cover and seat being in the raised position, pushing on the tab removes the hook from the lower surface of the seat, thereby releasing the seat from being latched with the cover. 
     In another embodiment of the invention, a toilet seat cover includes a blocking device extending beyond a perimeter of the cover, the blocking device being mounted at a location causing the blocking device to block access to a flush handle of the toilet when the cover is in the raised position. The cover further includes a latching device adapted to be removably latchable to a toilet seat such that as the cover is moved between the raised and lowered positions, the seat is held by the latching device and is moved with the cover between the raised and lowered positions. 
     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent during the following detailed description together with the drawings herein. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of the toilet accessory with the cover and seat separated in accordance with the principles of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of a toilet showing how the toilet accessory of FIG. 1 latches the seat to the cover. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a toilet showing the toilet accessory of FIG. 1 with the cover and seat in the lowered position. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a toilet showing the toilet accessory of FIG. 1 with the cover and seat in the raised position. 
     FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the toilet accessory shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a latching device of the toilet accessory illustrated in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 7 is a partial plan view of an alternative embodiment of the blocking device of the toilet accessory illustrated in FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a toilet  20  includes a toilet bowl  22 , a toilet seat  24  and a toilet seat cover  26 . As further illustrated in FIG. 4, the toilet  20  is of a well known construction in which the seat  24  and cover  26  are independently, pivotally mounted to the bowl  22  by means of a pair of hinges  28 . Thus, the seat  24  and cover  26  are moveable, either independently or together, between a generally vertical raised position illustrated in FIG. 4 and a generally horizontal lowered position as illustrated in FIG.  3 . The toilet  20  further includes a tank  30  and a flush handle  32  that is operated to flush the contents from the bowl  22  utilizing clean water stored in the tank  30 . 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a toilet accessory  36  is attached to a lower surface  38  of the cover  26 . The toilet accessory  36  has a base portion  40  having a generally flat surface  42  in juxtaposition with the lower surface  38  of the cover. The base portion  40  of the toilet accessory  36  is either permanently or removably attached to the cover in any known manner, for example, by using adhesive, double sided tape, velcro, mechanical fasteners such as screws, or any other attaching, connecting or fastening apparatus. 
     The toilet accessory  36  includes a blocking device  44  connected to one end of the base portion  40 . The toilet accessory  36  is attached to the lower surface  38  of the cover  26  at a location such that when the toilet cover  26  is in the raised position, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the blocking device  44  covers the flush handle  32 . Normally, the toilet accessory  36  is located such that the flush handle  32  is centrally located behind the blocking device  44  when the cover  26  is in the raised position. The blocking device  44  has a broad substantially flat portion  45  with a curved perimeter  46 . Referring to FIG. 3, the blocking device  44  has a first surface  47  that is viewable by the user of the toilet  20  when the cover  26  is in the lowered position. The first surface  47  includes indicia  48  that normally is a graphical representation of a known and interesting image, for example, a smilely face, cartoon character, a doll image, etc. Normally the image is one that draws the attention of the user, especially younger children. Referring to FIG. 4, the blocking device  44  has a second surface  50  on its opposite side that also includes indicia  52  that is viewable by the user when the cover  26  is in the upper position. The indicia  52  is normally a statement or instruction, for example, “Flush Me!”. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the toilet accessory  36  further includes a latching device  56 . The latching device  56  has a standoff  58  extending outwardly away from the lower surface  38  of the seat  26 . Normally, the standoff  58  extends out at an angle of approximately 90° with respect to the lower surface  38 . The standoff  58  has a hook  60  at its distal end that extends in a generally radial outward direction. Thus, referring to FIG. 2, the hook  60  extends toward an inner edge  62  of the seat  24 . A tab  64  is also connected to the distal end  59  of the standoff  58 . The tab  64  extends in a direction opposite that of the hook  60 , and thus, the standoff  58 , hook  60  and tab  64  are generally T-shaped. The accessory  36  is normally molded, for example, injection molded, from a plastic material, for example, polypropylene. Therefore, the standoff  58  is able to flex from its illustrated position. The rigidity of the other portions of the toilet accessory  36  will depend on its thickness which is a design decision based on strength and cost factors. 
     Normally, the toilet seat  24  and cover  26  are in their generally horizontal, lowered position illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. As shown in FIG. 2, when in the lowered position, the hook  60  of the latching device  56  extends around the inner edge  62  and hooks over and contacts the lower surface  66  of the seat  24 . Thus, the seat  24  and cover  26  are releasably connected and held together by the latching device  56  of the toilet accessory  36 . If a male desires to use the toilet  20 , preferably, the seat  24  and cover  26  should be raised. However, without the toilet accessory  36 , it is possible for only the cover  26  to be raised, thereby resulting in the top surface  68  of the seat  24  being soiled by the male urinating from a standing position. However, with the toilet accessory  36 , any attempt to lift the cover  26  from its lowered position will result, because of the latching device  56 , in the toilet seat  24  also being raised. Thus, the seat  24  and cover  26  will be in the raised position illustrated in FIG. 4, and use of the toilet by a standing male will not soil the seat  24 . 
     When in the raised position, the blocking device  44  has indicia  52  reminding the user that the toilet should be flushed. However, since the blocking device covers the flush handle  32 , it is necessary for the user to lower the seat  24  and cover  26  in order to gain access to the flush handle  32 . Again, because the latching device  56  holds the seat  24  and cover  26  together, any attempt to lower the seat  24  will also result in the cover  26  being lowered. When in the lowered position, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the flush handle  32  is accessible for use. Further, the seat  24  and cover  26  are in the desired lowered position when the toilet  20  is not in use. 
     To accommodate users who wish to use the seat  24 , as previously described, the seat  24  and cover  26  are moved to the upper position illustrated in FIG.  4 . The user then depresses the tab  64  to release the hook  60  from the lower surface  66  of the toilet seat  24 . When the latching device  56  is released, the toilet seat  24  is then moved independently of the cover  26  to the desired lowered position for seated users. After use, the blocking device  44  requires that the cover  26  also be lowered in order to gain access to the flush handle. As the cover  26  is lowered onto the seat  24 , the hook  60  of the latching device  56  again hooks over the lower surface  66  of the seat  24 . 
     The toilet accessory  36  of the present invention has proven to be useful in training young males in the proper use of the toilet. As such, the toilet accessory prevents the unnecessary soiling of the toilet seat and further, encourages the user to lower the seat  24  and cover  26  after use and thereafter, flush the toilet. 
     The toilet accessory of the present invention has proven to be useful in training young males in the proper use of the toilet. As such, the toilet accessory prevents the unnecessary soiling of the toilet seat and further, encourages the user to lower the seat and cover after use and flush the toilet. Lowering the seat and cover to block access by children and pets to the toilet bowl has the advantages of preventing blockage of the plumbing works by foreign objects that may be put in the toilet bowl by children, preventing pets from drinking from the bowl, preventing infants from accidentally falling into the bowl, and providing a substantially improved appearance when the toilet is not in use. Thus, with the present invention, the toilet bowl is always in a desired covered state when not in use. 
     While the invention has been set forth by a description of one embodiment in detail, it is not intended to restrict or in any way limit the claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those who are skilled in the art. For example, in the described embodiment, the toilet accessory  36  is illustrated as an attachment to a toilet  20 . Referring to FIG. 5, as will be appreciated, the blocking device  44  and latching device  56  may be formed or manufactured integral with the cover  26 . Thus, the latching device  56  may be provided at a different location on the cover  26  from the blocking device, for example, more forward or on the opposite side of the cover  26 . 
     The latching device  56  of FIG. 1 is illustrated as a flexible member made of a nonrigid material. As will be appreciated, referring to FIG. 6, the latching device  56  may be a generally C-shaped and rigid device which is pivotally attached to the base portion  40  or, alternatively, directly to the lower surface  38  of the cover  26 . The latching device  56  is pivotally mounted between blocks  50 ,  52 , and a spring (not shown) is utilized to bias the latching device  56  in the clockwise direction as illustrated in FIG.  6 . The latching device  56  includes a hook  60  and tab  64  that operate as previously described. 
     FIG. 7 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the blocking device  44 . As will be appreciated, the blocking device  44  can have any desired shape, and the perimeter of the blocking device may be comprised of all curved lines, a combination of curved and straight lines or a combination of all straight lines. The indicia  70  may be of any type that encourages proper use of the toilet. 
     While the toilet accessory  36  is described as being made from a plastic material, as will be appreciated, other materials such a fibrous material, pressed paper, sheet metal, etc. or a combination of those materials may be used. Further, the different parts of the toilet accessory may be made of different materials and/or have different strengths and rigidity. As will further be appreciated, the toilet accessory or a part of it may be of a flourescent type of material such that the user is attracted to the accessory device in the dark and its use is thereby encouraged. 
     Therefore, the invention in its broadest aspects is not limited to the specific detail shown and described. Consequently, departures may be made from the details described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims which follow.