Elevated toilet seat

Abstract

An improved elevated hinged toilet seat with lid of simple construction and ease of installation.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part application of the provisional patent application entitled “Elevated Toilet Seat”, filed Aug. 14, 2006 and assigned Ser. No. 60/837,134.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

2. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to toilet seats. In particular, it relates to an improved elevated hinged toilet seat of simple manufacture and ease of installation.

3. Description of Related Art

Various toilet seats are known in the art. Thom et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,838 issued Apr. 25, 2000 provides a toilet seat with raised hand arms to assist the infirm in rising there from. Ellis, U.S. Pat. No. 5,708,989 issued Jan. 20, 1998 discloses another toilet seat with raised barrel back arms to assist the infirm in rising there from. Both are designed for insertion into to hold onto the bowl of conventional toilets.

Jackson, U.S. Des. No. 390,931 issued Feb. 17, 1998 discloses an insertable raised toilet seat designed for insertion into and hold onto the bowl of conventional toilets. Hunt, U.S. Des. No. 489,438 issued May 4, 2004 discloses another insertable raised toilet seat designed for insertion into and hold onto the bowl of conventional toilets.

Harrison, U.S. Des. No. 291,348 issued Aug. 11, 1987 discloses a hinged elevated toilet seat with no lid.

Light, U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,338 issued Oct. 12, 1993 discloses a toilet height conversion apparatus including a mounting block and a pivotally-connected raisable elevator onto which a conventional toilet seat is attached. It employs a double hinged seat and elevator construction, which is affixed to a conventional toilet. Bemis, U.S. Pat. No. 4,213,211 issued Jul. 22, 1980 discloses another toilet seat elevator device including a mounting block and a pivotally-connected raisable elevator onto which a conventional toilet seat is attached. It also employs a double hinged seat and elevator construction, which is affixed to a conventional toilet. Locarno, U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,112 issued Apr. 6, 1993 discloses a raised superimposed toilet seat particularly of use for total hip arthroplasty patients. Locarno, U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,445 issued Jul. 2, 1991 discloses another raised superimposed toilet seat with a securing clamp. Smith et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,689 issued May 21, 1985 discloses a toilet seat usable for both handicapped and nonhandicapped users selectively raising either a conventional toilet seat or an elevated toilet seat, both hingedly attached to a toilet.

Cited for general interest is Francke, U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,660 issued Mar. 9, 1993 disclosing a device for attaching a toilet elevator to the bowl of a toilet.

None of the above references provides a hinged elevated toilet seat of simple construction with lid that can be attached to the bowl of a toilet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a hinged raised toilet seat that can be attached to the bowl of a toilet. The toilet seat has a plurality of spaced around pedestals, which raise the toilet seat approximately two inches, when mounted, to make it easier for sitting down and getting up. Preferable the pedestals and toilet seat are of unitary construction. The toilet seat is hingedly attached to the toilet bowl edge with an elevated hinge adapted to accommodate the lowered toilet seat to allow the seat to lie flush against the edge of the bowl. It also has a lid also hingedly attached, which can be raised for use of the toilet seat.

In one preferred embodiment, the toilet seat is injection molded out of nylon or plastic with eight 2 inch high pedestals molded as integral parts of the seat. The ends of the pedestals have rubber cushions on their bottoms to prevent slippage when in use.

The hinged raised seat is used in the similar manner of a conventional toilet seat. The hinge connecting the lid and toilet seat is first affixed to the toilet bowl edge via conventional fasteners. Then the hinged toilet seat and lid are either raised or lowered. The attached drawings and specification description provides more details of the device particularly adapted for use by the elderly.

The present invention is therefore particularly adapted to provide for the needs of the elderly who have trouble rising from a conventional toilet seat. It is inexpensive to make, is readily cleaned, and can be installed without special tools to raise the toilet seat height when attached to a conventional toilet bowl.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a preferred fastener.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

One preferred embodiment of the elevated toilet seat 10 is shown in the attached drawings FIG. 1 (top view), FIG. 2 (side view). It comprises a raised toilet seat system 10, which has the surface of a toilet seat 2 raised approximately two inches to make it easier for sitting down and getting up. The new device has a hinged lid 1 attached to a toilet seat 2 with eight integral two inch high pedestals 3 molded on its underside to contact a toilet bowl when lowered for use. The lid 1 has rubber cushions la on the underside structured to contact the seat 2 and minimize banging, when the lid 1 is accidentally dropped. The ends of the pedestals 3 have rubber cushions 3a on their bottoms to similarly cushion contact with the rim of a toilet bowl. The hinge 4 connecting the lid 1 and toilet seat 2 to the toilet bowl is raised and specially adapted to accommodate the raised toilet seat 2.

Use of pedestals 3 instead of other structures reduces the weight of the toilet seat 2 so that it can be lifted easily. The bottoms of the pedestal rubber cushions 3a are made of a rubber or cushioning material designed to grip the top of the toilet bowl to prevent slippage as well as cushion forces when the lid is accidentally dropped.

Toilet lid fasteners 5 secure the hinge 4 of the seat 2 to the toilet bowl. Preferred fasteners 5 are shown in more detail in FIG. 3. They are a 5/16 inch×2 inch steel slotted head bolts 6 installed with the slotted head 7 down on each side of the hinge 4. A 5/16 inch×1 inch flat washer 8 is placed between the bolt head 7 and bottom of the toilet bowl hole on each side of the hinge 4. A 5/16 inch×12 inch wedge rubber washer 9 centers the bolts 6, which are then secured with 5/16 inch nuts 11 for each side of hinge 4.

This elevated toilet seat system 10 is used in a similar manner as conventional toilet seats and avoids the need for separate seat elevator means. It readily adapts a conventional toilet for the needs of the infirm without expensive hardware. It also is lightweight and installed in the conventional manner without special tools.

Although the illustrations show a closed front round toilet seat 2, an open front style is also contemplated for either regular sized or elongated toilet bowls.

The above description and specification should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. The scope claims themselves recite those features deemed essential to the invention.

Claims

1. An elevated hinged toilet seat comprising:

a. a toilet seat with a bottom and center hole sized to fit on the rim of a toilet bowl

b. a plurality of pedestals affixed to the bottom of the toilet seat with cushions designed to grip the rim of the toilet bowl,

c. an elevated hinge affixed to the toilet seat structured to hingedly secure the toilet seat to the rim of the toilet bowl so that the toilet seat will raise and lower so that when the toilet seat is lowered, the pedestals form multiple contacts with the rim to elevate and support the toilet seat at an elevated height sufficient to make it easier for a user to sit down and get up, and

d. a lid with a top and underside sized to cover the toilet seat, when not in use, the lid affixed to the elevated hinge for raising and lowering.

2. An elevated hinged toilet seat according to claim 1, including rubber cushions on the underside of the lid structured to absorb contact with the seat to minimize banging when the lid is accidentally dropped.

3. An elevated hinged toilet seat according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of pedestals are symmetrically spaced about the bottom of the toilet seat.

4. An elevated hinged toilet seat according to claim 1, wherein the toilet seat has an open front.

5. An elevated hinged toilet seat according to claim 1, wherein the toilet seat and pedestals are molded out of one piece.

6. An elevated hinged toilet seat according to claim 5, wherein the pedestals are approximately 2 inches in height.

7. An elevated hinged toilet seat according to claim 1, including fasteners associated with the elevated hinge to secure the elevated hinge to the toilet bowl rim.

8. An elevated hinged toilet seat according to claim 7, wherein the fasteners comprise bolts with rubber washers for centering and screw nuts.

9. An elevated hinged toilet seat comprising:

a. a unibody toilet seat with a bottom and center hole sized to fit on the rim of a toilet bowl with a plurality of pedestals molded to the bottom of the toilet seat with cushion ends designed to grip the rim of the toilet bowl,

b. an elevated hinge affixed to the toilet seat structured to hingedly secure the toilet seat to the rim of the toilet bowl so that the toilet seat will raise and lower and the pedestals form multiple contacts with the rim when the toilet seat is lowered to elevate and support the toilet seat at an elevated height sufficient to make it easier for a user to sit down and get up, and

c. a lid with a top and underside sized to cover the toilet seat, when not in use, the lid affixed to the elevated hinge for raising and lowering and including rubber cushions on the underside of the toilet seat.