Patent Description:
Sanitation has always been a problem with regard to toilet-seats, particularly in public bathrooms. Wiping the seat prior to use might be ineffective against some disease-causing organisms such as bacteria and viruses.

Several attempts have been made to address this problem. One relatively common means is the use of a circular cover which sits on the top portion of the toilet-seat, with no means of securement thereon, thus this type of cover is prone to dislocation from its initial positioning.

The reference to <CIT>, and to <CIT>, are essentially the same and it is believed that they can be discussed together. Both references disclose a continuous tubular toilet-seat cover that includes a supply reel and a take-up reel, the cover being fed around a round toilet-seat from back to front and then toward the back again to complete the circle. After use, the used portion is wound up on the take-up reed which in turn pulls a new segment of the continuous tubular member around the toilet-seat. In both of these references, the cover is introduced from the back edge and proceeds around the front of the seat to the opposite rear edge of the seat. In addition, both the Asberg and Hefty et al. covers are continuous so that they may be wound around the seat from the supply reel to the take-up reel. These references involve a substantial investment in the mechanisms and in the continuous threading of the reels in order for the inventions to work as they are designed.

Documents <CIT> and <CIT> disclose a toilet-seat sanitary protector changer comprising a continuous strip of sanitary protective covers that is moved across the toilet-seat from a supply assembly to a take-up assembly.

Thus, it can be seen that a need continues to exist for a toilet-seat cover that avoids the disadvantage of the known prior art. It is to this need that the present invention is addressed.

It is therefore, one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide a toilet-seat cover that is easily and quickly applied and which is easily disposed after use.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a toilet-seat cover that is inexpensive to produce and to use.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a toilet-seat cover designed for a single-use application and which is conveniently stored, preferably utilizing a roll upon which the product is wound.

The present invention relates to a device for automatically providing a disposable seating-surface cover for a toilet-seat according to claim <NUM>.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the rotational mechanism includes a cylindrical member driven by a motor that turns said cylindrical member, and on which said disposable seating-surface covers are wrapped around when said cylindrical member turns.

The present invention is to be used with a disposable seating-surface cover roll, wherein said roll is a long strip of made of at least one layer, wherein the strip comprises plurality of similar apertures, each of which defines an individual seating-surface cover. According to an embodiment of the invention the strip is wrapped around a cylindrical core.

According to an embodiment of the invention the initial edge of the strip includes an engaging member, such as a rod.

Reference will now be made to several embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying figures. Wherever practicable similar or like reference numbers may be used in the figures and may indicate similar or like functionality. The figures depict embodiments of the present invention for purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the invention described herein.

The terms, "for example", "e.g.", "optionally", as used herein, are intended to be used to introduce non-limiting examples. While certain references are made to certain example components, other components can be used as well and/or the example components can be combined into fewer components and/or divided into further components.

<FIG> show a device according to the invention. The device illustrated in this figure is particularly convenient because it can be applied as an ad-on device to existing toilet-seats without the need to carry out major alterations in the structure. The device generally indicated by numeral <NUM> in the figure comprises a feeding housing <NUM>, a receiving housing <NUM>, arms <NUM> and <NUM> for physically connecting between housing <NUM> and housing <NUM> and for supporting the feeding of disposable seating-surface covers from housing <NUM> into housing <NUM>. A rotational mechanism, driven by a motor <NUM> (as indicated by the dotted square in <FIG>), is situated in housing <NUM>, and is adapted to pull the disposable seating-surface covers from a disposable seating-surface cover roll <NUM> located within housing <NUM> (as indicated by the dotted rectangular in <FIG>). For example, the rotational mechanism may include a cylindrical member <NUM> (see <FIG>) or an elongated rod attached from one of its ends to motor <NUM>, and on which the pulled disposable seating-surface covers are wrapped around while motor <NUM> turns that cylindrical member.

Referring now to <FIG>, in order to allow the rotational mechanism to pull the disposable seating-surface cover from roll <NUM>, the initial edge of roll <NUM> is attached to the cylindrical member by any suitable securing or engaging means. According to an embodiment of the invention, the edge of the disposable seating-surface cover may include an engaging rod <NUM> and the cylindrical member <NUM> (that is located at housing <NUM>) may include a corresponding clip member(s) <NUM> adapted to secure the engaging rod <NUM> to the cylindrical member <NUM>, such that each turning of the cylindrical member <NUM> will pull the disposable seating-surface cover from housing <NUM> into housing <NUM>. In such arrangement, the disposable seating-surface cover moves like a one-way conveyer. <FIG> shows the rotational mechanism and the disposable seating-surface cover from roll without their housings. <FIG> shows the rotational mechanism accommodated in housing <NUM> and the disposable seating-surface cover accommodated in housing <NUM>. Both housing <NUM> and <NUM> are shown in their opened state allowing the insertion of roll <NUM> into housing <NUM> or the extraction of roll <NUM> from housing <NUM>. In this exemplary embodiment, both housing <NUM>, <NUM> having a cylindrical form which opens in a clamshell manner. As will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, other forms (e.g., rectangular box) and opening arrangements can also be utilized for housing <NUM>, <NUM>.

Mounting means, e.g., as indicated by mounting adapter <NUM> and hinges <NUM>, can be used to install device <NUM> such that it can be used with a toilet module, as will be described in further details with respect to <FIG> hereinafter.

As shown in <FIG>, device <NUM> is mounted (via the mounting means) on a wall <NUM> adjacent to a toilet module <NUM> so as to be foldable between a closed state (i.e., ready for use) and an open state. Alternatively, device <NUM> can be mounted directly to the toilet module <NUM> as will be described hereinafter with respect to <FIG>. In <FIG>, device <NUM> is shown in its open state, whereas in <FIG> device <NUM> is represented in its closed state. For example, when mounting device <NUM> on a wall, the mounting adapter <NUM> may include telescopic arms or other adjusting arrangement adapted to accurately fit device <NUM> to a nearby toilet module (due to a gap between the wall and the location of the toilet-seat, which is usually different from one toilet room constellation to another).

Toilet module <NUM> may comprise common toilets elements such as a toilet-seat flap <NUM>, a toilet lid (not shown), a water tank (not shown), etc. The toilet-seat flap <NUM> has a seating surface and it is generally constructed as a seating ring, in which case there is understood to be, under said seating ring, a surface with an aperture <NUM> (a hole or a clearance). The toilet-seat flap <NUM> is usually produced from a plastic which is hypoallergenic, washable and so stable that said toilet-seat flap <NUM> withstands the load constituted by a user who is sitting on it.

The toilet-seat flap <NUM> has a substantially rounded outer periphery. The aperture <NUM> has a substantially elliptical inner periphery. The center of the surface described by the inner periphery of aperture <NUM> and the center of the surface described by the outer periphery of toilet-seat flap <NUM> are located substantially concentrically in relation to one another.

Each individual disposable seating-surface cover <NUM> of roll <NUM> (see <FIG>) is adapted to cover the seating surface of the toilet-seat flap <NUM> in order to avoid contact between a user and said toilet-seat flap <NUM>. In a state of use, said individual disposable seating-surface cover <NUM> covers the seating surface of the toilet-seat flap <NUM> in such a way that, when sitting on the seating surface of the toilet-seat flap <NUM>, a user has no direct contact of any kind with the toilet-seat flap <NUM> itself via his or her buttocks. When the disposable seating-surface cover <NUM> is in the state of use, it is suitable for use by a user and lies directly on the seating surface of the toilet-seat flap <NUM> in un-deformed, flat and smoothly stretched manner (see <FIG>). The state of use of the disposable seating-surface cover <NUM> may be understood to be a position of use and an orientation of use of said cover.

According to an embodiment of the invention, roll <NUM> is a long strip of plastic, nylon or other suitable material(s) to keep germs and wetness away. For example, the strip can be a soft non-woven fabric for comfort, coated with a layer of plastic that are wrapped around a cylindrical core. Roll <NUM> is adapted to be stored in the feeding housing <NUM> (i.e., the dispensing side). The strip comprises plurality of similar apertures (e.g., as indicated by numeral <NUM> in <FIG>), each of which defines an individual seating-surface cover <NUM>. The rotational mechanism adapted to pull each single seating surface cover at a time, either by automatically detecting a user that has finished using the toilet or by manually activating the motor (e.g., via a dedicated control button or a triggering arrangement).

The surface area of each defined single seating-surface cover is equal to the seating surface, which is to be covered for hygiene purposes, of the toilet-seat flap <NUM>. The disposable seating-surface cover <NUM> has a substantially rectangular outer periphery and the aperture that defines each single cover has a substantially elliptical inner periphery. The center of the surface area described by the inner periphery and the center of the surface area described by the outer periphery are located substantially concentrically in relation to one another.

The geometry/shape of each individual seating-surface cover <NUM> is adapted to the geometry/shape of toilet-seat flap <NUM> in such a way that said individual seating-surface cover <NUM> completely covers the seating surface of said toilet-seat flap <NUM>. Furthermore, the aperture <NUM> is adapted in its size, position and orientation, when the disposable seating-surface cover <NUM> is in the state of use, to the aperture <NUM> in the toilet-seat flap <NUM>.

Device <NUM> operates as a conveying apparatus that is adapted to convey a portion of roll <NUM> that defines the disposable seating-surface cover <NUM> onto the seating surface of the toilet-seat flap <NUM>. In doing so, device <NUM> slides each single defined disposable seating-surface cover <NUM>, as represented by the black arrows in <FIG>, and deposits said disposable seating-surface cover <NUM> on the seating surface in its state of use. Motor <NUM> operates for the purpose of conveying said disposable seating-surface cover <NUM>. The motor <NUM> drives roll <NUM> in such a way that each individual disposable seating-surface cover <NUM> follows a preset displacing movement. Device <NUM> therefore transfers the disposable seating-surface cover <NUM> from its storage state into its state of use and then to its collection state. Upon completing using the entire disposable seating-surface covers <NUM>, roll <NUM> is collected at the receiving housing <NUM>, i.e., wrapped around cylindrical member <NUM> (see <FIG>).

Device <NUM> also comprises the two supporting rails <NUM> and <NUM>. Said rails run parallel to one another and extend substantially parallel to the seating surface of the toilet-seat flap <NUM>. With the aid of the rails <NUM> and <NUM> the disposable seating-surface cover <NUM> is mounted so as to be displaceable along said rails <NUM>, <NUM>. Under these circumstances, the feeding of the covers <NUM> can be easily conveyed forward to the receiving housing <NUM>. In a receiving state, housing <NUM> collects/receives the disposable seating-surface cover <NUM>. In the course of the conveying operation, the feeding process in (see <FIG>) describes a displacement that follows a straight path. There is therefore substantially a parallel displacement of the disposable seating-surface cover <NUM> relative to the toilet-seat flap <NUM>.

It can also be seen in <FIG> and <FIG>, that housing <NUM> has a receiving slit <NUM>. Device <NUM> is adapted to convey the disposable seating-surface cover <NUM> out of the housing <NUM> through the receiving slit <NUM> and onto the cylindrical member <NUM> (<FIG>).

<FIG> schematically illustrates a top view of a conventional toilet module <NUM>. Toilet module <NUM> includes a water tank <NUM>, a toilet-seat base <NUM> and two holes <NUM> located on base <NUM> that are usually used for attaching a corresponding set of a toilet-seat flap and a lid (not shown), to base <NUM>. <FIG> schematically illustrate a bracket arrangement <NUM> attached to base <NUM> of toilet module <NUM> of <FIG> via holes <NUM>, e.g., using corresponding screws <NUM> or other tightening means. Bracket arrangement <NUM> has an essentially "L" like shape that is defined by two arms <NUM> and <NUM>. In some embodiments, arms <NUM> and <NUM> are pivotally connected via an axis <NUM>, thereby allowing device <NUM> to pivot away from the toilet-seat (see <FIG> and <FIG>) when device <NUM> is not in use, e.g., when cleaning the toilet. In this figure, arm <NUM> is attached to base <NUM> (using screws <NUM>) and arm <NUM> is used for installing device <NUM> on top of it similar to the wall installation described hereinabove e.g., using the mounting adapter <NUM> (see <FIG>). Such installation does not require any walls or surface to be located adjacent to the toilet module <NUM>. The set of the toilet-seat flap and a lid can be also so attached on top of arm <NUM> of said bracket arrangement <NUM> using the same screws <NUM> (see <FIG> show an exemplary installation of device <NUM> to toilet module <NUM> using the bracket arrangement <NUM> described hereinabove.

Referring now to <FIG>, according to the invention, device <NUM> comprises a toilet-seat flap lifting arm <NUM>. Lifting arm <NUM> is configured to lift the toilet-seat flap <NUM> when device <NUM> is not in use (i.e., in an open state) and vice versa. Lifting arm <NUM> can be an integral part of device <NUM> and may be operated automatically when device <NUM> is foldable between a closed state (i.e., ready for use) and an open state. For example, lifting arm <NUM> can be connected to the bracket arrangement <NUM> in such way that it will transmit the force from the lifting of device <NUM> (to an open state) to the lifting arm <NUM> to form a lever point (e.g., at the bottom of toilet-seat flap <NUM>, as shown in the <FIG>). Alternatively, lifting arm <NUM> can be part of an independent lifting mechanism operated either manually (e.g., by foot pedal mechanism) or automatically (e.g., by an electric motor).

<FIG> schematically illustrates a lifting arm <NUM>, according to an embodiment of the invention. Lifting arm <NUM> comprises a rotatable base bar <NUM>, a handle <NUM> and one or more upright lifting arms as indicated by numerals <NUM> and <NUM>. Handle <NUM> can be connected to an actuating mechanism such as bracket arrangement <NUM> of device <NUM> or to an external mechanism such as foot operated pedal. Upon applying an actuating force by the actuating mechanism, handle <NUM> forces the rotatable base bar <NUM> to move and to transmit the actuating force to toilet-seat flap via the physical contact of the upright lifting arms <NUM> and <NUM> with the toilet-seat flap.

According to an embodiment of the invention, a toilet-seat flap and a toilet lid can be an integrated part of device <NUM>, such that an installation of device <NUM> will also provide the toilet-seat flap and the toilet lid. For example, such an arrangement can be used as a kit for replacing an existing toilet-seat flap and lid.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the triggering arrangement is adapted to control the conveying of the disposable seating-surface cover <NUM>. On receiving a triggering signal, device10 brings about a transfer of each defined disposable seating-surface cover <NUM> from its storage state into its state of use. For example, a control indication <NUM>, e.g., in from of at least one aperture or at least one printed sign on cover <NUM>, can be located adjacent to each aperture <NUM> in order to define a single cover at the disposable seating-surface cover <NUM>. Control indication <NUM> can be used to indicate when to stop the feeding process (e.g., the rotation of motor <NUM>). According to the invention, an optical reader located at housing <NUM> and/or <NUM> can be configured to capture visual information (i.e., an image) of control indication <NUM> and to translate the image into digital information that reflects the triggering signal (i.e., when to stop the feeding of cover <NUM>). As will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, the feeding process can be applied by using electronic, kinematic, hydraulic and/or pneumatic construction.

Claim 1:
A device (<NUM>) for automatically providing a disposable seating-surface cover for a toilet-seat, comprising:
a) a first housing (<NUM>) adapted to feed a disposable seating-surface cover roll (<NUM>) installed therein, wherein said cover roll (<NUM>) is a long strip layer that comprises plurality of similar apertures (<NUM>) and a control indication (<NUM>) located adjacent to each aperture (<NUM>), so that each aperture (<NUM>) defines an individual seating-surface cover (<NUM>);
b) a second housing (<NUM>) adapted to receive and collect the roll (<NUM>) by connecting an initial edge of said roll (<NUM>) to a rotational mechanism situated in said second housing (<NUM>) and equipped with a motor (<NUM>), said rotational mechanism is adapted to pull said roll (<NUM>) such that each individual disposable seating-surface cover (<NUM>) follows a preset displacing movement where one individual disposable seating-surface cover (<NUM>) is positioned in a state of use, wherein when an individual seating-surface cover (<NUM>) of the roll (<NUM>) is in a state of use, it lies directly on a seating surface of a toilet-seat, such that the aperture (<NUM>) of the individual seating-surface cover (<NUM>) is parallel to an aperture of said toilet-seat, wherein said first and second housings are physically connected by supporting rails or arms (<NUM>, <NUM>);
c) an optical reader located at said first housing (<NUM>) and/or said second housing (<NUM>), wherein said optical reader is configured to capture visual information of said control indication (<NUM>) and to translate the captured visual information into digital information that reflects a triggering signal that indicates when to stop the feeding process of said cover through the stopping of the motor, as to enable the preset displacing movement;
d) a bracket arrangement (<NUM>) adapted to install said device (<NUM>) to said toilet-seat in a way that allows said device to pivot away from said toilet-seat when said device is not in use; and
e) a lifting arm (<NUM>) for enabling a hands-free lifting/lowering of a toilet-seat flap (<NUM>) of the toilet-seat.