Toilet Seat Lift Handle

Abstract

This disclosure is generally directed to toilet seat lift handles that permit a user to lift a toilet seat without directly touching the underside of the seat. The handle may be made of a hard-plastic material with, for example, an adhesive strip and\or screws to attach to the underside of the seat. Other appropriate attachment means known in the art are also contemplated. Screws may be made of stainless steel in one embodiment. The handle may have a contour shape to match the contour of a toilet seat.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 USC § 119(e) to U.S. provisional application No. 62/922,301 filed Aug. 2, 2019, the contents of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Field of the Invention

The field of this disclosure is generally related to toilet seats and more specifically toilet seat handles.

Description of the Related Art

It can be unsanitary and unsafe to directly touch the underside of a toilet seat when lifting the seat. This is particularly true in a hospital or medical field context. Products including a handle to modify existing toilet seats, and which can be used on new toilet seats, that allow a user to avoid touching the underside of the toilet seat when lifting the seat are needed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure is generally directed to toilet seat lift handles that permit a user to lift a toilet seat without directly touching the underside of the seat. The handle may be made of a hard-plastic material with, for example, an adhesive strip and\or screws to attach to the underside of the seat. Other appropriate attachment mechanisms known in the art are also contemplated. Screws may be made of stainless steel in one embodiment. The handle may have a contour shape to match the contour of a toilet seat.

Other features and aspects will be apparent from the following detailed description, the drawings, and the claims

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a toilet seat handle of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of a toilet seat handle of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of another embodiment of a toilet seat handle of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of a toilet seat handle of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of a toilet seat handle of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 shows a top view of an embodiment of a toilet seat of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 shows a bottom view of an embodiment of a toilet seat of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 shows a side view of another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Throughout the drawings and the detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements. The drawings may not be to scale, and the relative size, proportions, and depiction of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity, illustration, and convenience.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description is provided to assist the reader in gaining a comprehensive understanding of the products and/or systems described herein. However, various changes, modifications, and equivalents of the methods, products, and/or systems described herein will be apparent to an ordinary skilled artisan.

This disclosure is directed to a toilet seat lift handle that permits a user to lift a toilet seat without directly touching the underside of the seat. It may be made of a hard-plastic material with, for example, an adhesive strip and\or screws to attach to the underside of the seat. In one example, the adhesive strip may be used to attach the part to the seat prior to inserting screws. The screws may be made of stainless steel in one embodiment. The handle may have a contour shape to match the contour of a toilet seat.

The plastic may be coated with a mildew resistant product. Spacers may also be used and may be disposed between the toilet seat and the base. Spacers may be used, for example, for concave-type toilet seats. The color of the handle may be varied to match the toilet seat. The handle may be made of for example plastic, hard plastic, stainless steel (e.g. for hospital or medical field use), composite, ceramic, or any other appropriate material known in the art.

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a toilet seat handle 1 of the present disclosure. Toilet seat handle 1 includes handle 2, body 4, and adhesive 3. The adhesive 3 may be an adhesive strip as shown in FIG. 1 or may be any other suitable adhesive product for adhering the toilet seat handle 1 to the underside of a toilet seat. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, it may be seen that handle 2 is of approximately the same thickness as body 4.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of a toilet seat handle 5 of the present disclosure. Toilet seat handle 5, similar to toilet seat handle 1, includes handle 2 and body 4. Toilet seat handle 5 includes screws 6 for attaching the handle to a toilet seat. The screws may be stainless steel, or any other appropriate material known in the art.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of another embodiment of a toilet seat handle 5 of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 shows handle 2, screws 6, and body 4.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of a toilet seat handle 7 of the present disclosure. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, handle 8 is disposed on body 9. Body 9 is attached near the bottom of, or to an underside of, handle 8. In the embodiment exemplified in FIG. 4, the thickness of handle 8 is less than the thickness of body 9. Adhesive 3 is disposed on body 9.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of a toilet seat handle 5 of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 shows holes 7 which may be tapped and used for screws (not shown).

FIG. 6 shows a top view of an embodiment of a toilet seat 10 with, cover 11 and toilet bowl attachment means 12 for attaching the toilet seat 10 and cover 11 to a toilet bowl (not shown). Toilet seat handle 1 may be seen to have a contour shape that generally matches the contour of toilet seat 10.

FIG. 7 shows a bottom view of an embodiment of a toilet seat 10. Toilet seat 10 has bumpers 13 attached and toilet bowl attachment means 12. Toilet seat handle 1 is shown attached to the underside of toilet seat 10. Cover 11 is disposed opposite of toilet seat 10.

FIG. 8 shows a side view of another embodiment of a toilet seat handle. In FIG. 8, sloped section 14 can be seen on handle 2 near base 4. Sloped section 14 may allow the handle to better fit under a toilet seat and to provide a more stable and durable fit.

EXAMPLE

In one specific example the base and handle may measure approximately 2.5 inches wide. The handle may measure approximately 1 inch in the length direction from the top of the handle to the base. The base may measure approximately 1.5 inches long.

While this disclosure includes specific examples, it will be apparent after an understanding of the disclosure of this application has been attained that various changes in form and details may be made in these examples without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A toilet seat handle comprising:

a base;

a handle;

an attachment mechanism;

wherein the handle has a contour shape that generally matches the contour of the toilet seat.

2. The toilet seat handle of claim 1, wherein the attachment mechanism comprises an adhesive.

3. The toilet seat handle of claim 1, wherein the attachment mechanism comprises one or more screws.

4. The toilet seat handle of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the handle is approximately the same as the thickness of the base.

5. The toilet seat handle of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the handle is less than the thickness as the base.

6. The toilet seat handle of claim 1, wherein the handle and base comprise plastic.

7. The toilet seat handle of claim 6, wherein the plastic is coated with a mildew resistant product.

8. The toilet seat handle of claim 1, wherein the handle and base comprise stainless steel.

9. The toilet seat handle of claim 1, further comprising spacers disposed between the toilet seat and the base.

10. The toilet seat handle of claim 1, wherein the handle comprises a sloped section near the base.