TIOLET SEAT WITH SANITARY SYSTEM

Abstract

The invention presents a reversible (two sided) toilet seat with a sanitary system. The toilet seat, placed on top of a washing chamber, has two sides and, in the lifted position, can be rotated to allow use and washing of each side. The washing chamber is equipped with washing nozzles supplying washing fluid and a dryer/blower supplying drying air. After each use, the seat can be is lifted, rotated and placed back with the washed surface in seating position on the washing chamber and the used surface in the washing position. The lifting apparatus may be operated manually, by foot or power operated. In the reversed position, the washed side is ready to be used and the underside can be washed. Drying/blowing apparatus supplies air, preferably heated, to dry the washed surface. Optionally, the system may be equipped with additional sanitizing devices (germicidal, ultraviolet lamps, lasers, microwave device, supersonic Generator or other type), to provide seating surface sanitizing. This invention provides simple and reliable solution to the sanitary problem of toilet seats. The system has few moving parts and allows easy, reliable and cost effective solution of the toilet seat cleanliness.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Most of toilets seat do not have any cleaning device. Toilet seats, particularly in public restrooms, are frequently soiled after use. Soiled toilet seat is practically out of service. Open front toilet seats reduce possibility of the most common problem of leaving drops of urine on the seat. To provide clean seat, various types of seat covers (paper tissue or foil type) and seating surface cleaning devices have been invented, but they are not frequently used because they are ineffective, impractical, expensive, complicated. There is a need for a reliable, inexpensive device that, without disadvantages of the presently used methods of providing clean toilet seats, will be commonly used.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention presents a reversible (two sided) toilet seat having two seat surfaces installed on top of a washing chamber. Such a chamber is equipped with washing nozzles supplying washing liquid, and a dryer/blower supplying drying air. The toilet seat is attached to the washing chamber the way to be able to be rotated to allow alternate use and washing of each side.

For clarity, the presented version does not show a seat cover and a toilet flushing system, bit the flushing system and optional seat cover will be needed as for typical seats and can be easily incorporated with the system.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show general views of the seat assembly placed of a toilet. The seat, item 1, is double sided. It is placed on top (covers) the washing chamber, item 2, placed on the toilet rim. A blower/drier, item 5, equipped with a heater, supplies warm air to the washing chamber through a hose, pipe or duct, item 7. Arrows show the air inlet to the drier, the lifting and the rotating movement of the seat, movement of an optional lifting mechanism pedal and lever attached to the lifting axle. Item 3 is an axle bracket that rotates in bearings, items 4. Item 8 is a washing liquid supply to the chamber. Item 6 is a foot-operated seat lifting mechanism.

FIG. 3 shows detail of the seat, item 1. The seat resembles two typical toilet seats without hinges attached back-to-back (item 11) with the axle of rotation, item 12, attached at the back.

FIG. 4 shows the washing chamber, item 2. The washing chamber housing is a U-shaped (in cross-section) vessel that can be covered and sealed by the seat. At the back the housing has a mounting plate, item 21, for attachment of two bearings and an opening for supply of drying air. Washing coil with nozzles, item 22, is placed at the bottom of the chamber. The washing liquid is supplied under pressure through pipe, item 8, and discharged through the nozzles as shown on the cross section. The washing liquid discharge is activated when the washing chamber is closed and sealed by the seat (seat in the lowered position). The internal and the external edges of the washing chamber provide sealed connection with the seat, or are equipped with attached seals, to contain the washing liquid inside the washing chamber. After completion of the washing cycle, drying air is supplied through hose, pipe or duct, item 7, The airflow, shown with arrows, blows out washing liquid and dries the washed surface of the seat. The air exits to the toilet through openings in the front part of the internal wall of the housing as shown with arrows.

FIG. 5 shows the axle bracket. Two plates, item 31, join the sleeve, item 32 and two half-axles for lifting, items 33 and 34. The sleeve is the place where seat axle (FIG. 3, item 12) is inserted. The two axles, item 33 and 34, rotate in bearings (item 4 on FIG. 1 and FIG. 2). The axle, item 34, is extended and bent to provide a lever and allow easy rotation of the entire bracket in the bearings.

FIG. 6 shows the cross sections three examples of the washing chamber, item 2, covered with the seat, item 1. Type A washing chamber is placed on top of the toilet rim and has only one washing coil, item 22, with nozzles. Water discharges from the coil nozzles washing the bottom surface of the seat. Type B is a washing chamber integral with the toilet. Instead of one washing coil, it contains two washing coils, items 22, and a sanitizing lamp, item 23, between them. Type C, a chamber placed on the toilet rim, has different shape and seals than Type B. Many other possible designs could be used, such as washing coil(s) integral with the chamber, different type of sealing edges and seal etc.

The seat lifting and the rotating movement can be manual or with use of any mechanical devices that are commonly used for such purpose. Such mechanisms could combine the lifting movement with the seat rotation, i.e. lifting movement causing the seat rotation, and may incorporate a ratchet type mechanism to allow rotation in one direction only.

FIG. 7, Side View shows an optional lifting mechanisms, (item 6, FIG. 1). Cable, item 61 is connected to the end of bent lifting axle, item 34 and runs through pulley, item 61, to pedal, item 63. Pressing down the pedal rotates the lever and lifts the seat.

FIG. 8 shows two examples of the kinematic diagram of the axle rotation. The Basic type has the axle bracket as shown on FIG. 5 and requires manual seat rotation. The Optional version shows one of the bearings (item 4) replaced with a support, item 4A. Instead of being integral with plate, item 31, and rotate in bearing, axle 33A is firmly attached to support, item 4A and inserted in sleeve attached to bracket. Seat lifting movement rotates the seat through bevel gear with axles item 33A and item 12. Thus, lifting of the seat causes seat rotation. One directional (ratchet type) rotation of axle 12 or disengaging coupling (not shown) may be added to allow stay in the reversed position.

More expensive version may be equipped with one or more of the following features:

• • 1. a spring, counterweight, accumulator of energy or any similar device to balance the weight of the seat and for easy lifting (or lifting and rotation);
  • 2. lifting and/or rotating devices that use power (such as electric, pneumatic, hydraulic) as commonly used for driving purpose in similar mechanisms. Because they are commonly used, they are not a subject of this patent;
  • 3. germicidal, ultraviolet lamps, lasers, microwave device, supersonic generator or other sanitizing device(s) placed inside the washing chamber to provide, in addition to washing, additional sanitizing;
  • 4. washing/sanitizing liquid dispenser with proportioning device to mix water with washing detergent before use;
  • 5. water repellent coating of the seat surface to improve cleanliness and reduce the drying time;
  • 6. programmable control (mechanical, electrical, electronic, microchip or other) controlling part or the entire cycle or lifting, rotation, washing and drying) as well as use of proximity sensor(s) or switch(es) for activation and/or protection of the user;

Such additional features are commonly used, they do not need to be described in this specification and are not a subject of this patent.

It is to be understood that the methods and apparatus, which have been described above and shown on the drawings are merely illustrative applications of the principles of the invention. Numerous modifications may be made by those skilled in the are without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A double-sided (reversible) toilet seat, similar to two toilet seats placed back-to-back.

2. A toilet seat as described in claim 1 having an axle, or opening for an axle, to allow the seat to be rotated and placed on the toilet in reversed position. The axis of rotation may be, but does not have to be, the axis of symmetry of the seat.

3. A washing chamber for toilet seat equipped with a seat-cleaning device. The chamber shaped the way that can be sealed to contain spraying of the washing liquid inside the washing chamber with a drain for removal of the washing fluid or/and opening for escape of drying air.

4. A washing chamber as described in claim 3 equipped with an inlet for cleaning liquid and cleaning nozzles that allow the cleaning liquid to wash the seat surface.

5. A washing chamber as described in claims 3 and 4 equipped with a drying device that allows supply of drying air that may, but does no have to, be heated.

6. A toilet seat as described in claims 1 and 2 that is placed on the washing chamber as described in claim 3 the way it can be lifted and rotated.

7. A toilet seat with washing chamber as described in claim 4 with the seat or seat axle attached to a lifting and rotating (reversing) device of any type commonly used for such movements. The lifting and rotating devices may, but do not have to, be interlocked.

8. A toilet seat as described in claim 1 having seat surfaces coated with water repellent material to allow the surface to be dry for use.

9. A toilet seat as described in claim 1 having each surface of different material, color, texture or design.