TOILET SEAT STABILIZER ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A toilet seat stabilizer assembly includes a bumper fabricated from a thermoplastic polymer, which is softenable in response to heat and moldable while in a malleable condition to a desired configuration; and attachment means for attaching the bumper to a toilet seat. Also provided herein is a method for stabilizing a toilet seat using said assembly and a kit for containing the assembly.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an attachment for a toilet seat, and more particularly to a device attachable to the underside of the toilet seat to provide for lateral slide prevention of the toilet seat relative to, and interactive with, the rim of the toilet bowl.

2. Background of the Art

Conventional toilet seats hinged to a toilet bowl are supported in their lowered positions on the rim of the toilet bowl by at least two bumpers secured to the underside of the toilet seat or integrated therewith as part of the underside of the seat. Such bumpers are not effective, however, to prevent horizontal shift of the toilet seat under load from its position in alignment with the toilet bowl opening.

Various devices have been employed to address this problem. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,191,193 to Bogenberger is directed to a toilet seat attachment and discloses, inter alia, a device comprising a shallow fitting receivable within the space between the seat and the bowl and extending transversely beneath a portion of the seat. The fitting is connected to the seat by means of hood portions.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,167 to Adams is directed to a non-shiftable toilet seat assembly and discloses, inter alia, impact-absorbing bumpers contoured to be seated on the supporting surfaces of toilet bowl rims.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,536,732 to Dunlap is directed to a toilet seat shock absorption and slide prevention device and discloses, inter alia, a device removably attachable to the underside of the toilet seat for preventing the toilet seat from sliding back and forth and for providing shock absorption.

U.S. Publication No. 2012/0017947 to Hobbs is directed to a toilet seat stabilizer and discloses, inter alia, a laterally extending frat structure and an extended structure configured as a vertical downward protrusion.

There yet remains a problem in that the stabilizer device needs to conform to any of a variety of toilet bowl seat and rim configurations. The prior art devices have a predetermined shape and do not provide a device with lateral shift prevention adapted to conform itself to the shape and dimensions of a variety of toilet bowls.

Accordingly, provided herein is a toilet seat stabilizer assembly comprising a bumper fabricated from a thermoplastic polymer that is softenable in response to heat and moldable to a desired configuration while in a malleable condition; and means for attaching the bumper to a toilet seat.

The invention provides a stabilizer that can be accommodated to any commercial toilet bowl configuration and provides lateral stability.

SUMMARY

A toilet seat stabilizer assembly is provided herein which comprises: (a) a bumper fabricated from a thermoplastic polymer which is softenable in response to heat and moldable while in a malleable condition to a desired configuration; and (b) attachment means for attaching the bumper to a toilet seat.

Also provided herein is a method for stabilizing a toilet seat using said assembly and a kit for containing the assembly. The kit including a container configured to heat soften the bumpers, at least two bumpers fabricated from a thermoplastic polymer which is softenable in response to heat and moldable while in a malleable state to a desired configuration, wherein the thermoplastic polymer has a softening point below 100 degrees Celsius and an attachment means for attaching the bumpers to a toilet seat. Other components can also be included in the kit.

Also provided is a method for stabilizing a toilet seat comprising the following steps, a) providing a toilet seat stabilizer assembly which includes a bumper fabricated from a thermoplastic polymer which is softenable in response to heat and moldable while in a malleable condition to a described configuration, and an attachment means for attaching the bumper to a toilet seat, wherein the thermoplastic polymer has a softening point below 100 degrees Celsius; b) heating the thermoplastic polymer to a temperature above its softening point; c) attaching the bumper to a bottom surface of the toilet seat; d) pressing the toilet seat door onto a rim of a toilet bowl with a force sufficient to conform the shape of the bumper to the rim of the toilet bowl; and, e) permitting the bumper to cool to a temperature below the softening point of the thermoplastic.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various embodiments are described below with reference to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the toilet seat stabilizer assembly mounted to the bottom surface of a toilet seat;

FIG. 2 is sectional elevational view of the toilet seat stabilizer assembly mounted to a toilet seat by adhesive;

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevational view of an alternative embodiment of the toilet seat stabilizer assembly mounted to a toilet seat by a screw fastener;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the bumper of the toilet seat stabilizer assembly with attached adhesive tape;

FIG. 5 is a sectional elevational view of another embodiment of the toilet seat stabilizer assembly attachable by hook and loop type fasteners to the bottom of a toilet seat;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the toilet seat stabilizer including a rigid frame; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a kit containing the toilet seat stabilizer assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

The toilet seat stabilizer of the present invention is adapted to retrofit to any typical commercially available toilet bowl for home or institutional use. Toilet bowl rims have various dimensions, but the toilet seat stabilizer of the invention includes a bumper that conforms to the rim of the toilet bowl to prevent lateral sliding.

The present disclosure may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of the disclosure taken in connection with the accompanying drawing figures, which form a part of this disclosure. It is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the specific devices, methods, conditions or parameters described and/or shown herein, and that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments by way of example only and is not intended to be limiting of the claimed disclosure. Also, as used in the specification and including the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural, and reference to a particular numerical value includes at least that particular value, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” or “approximately” one particular value and/or to “about” or “approximately” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment. It is also understood that all spatial references, such as, for example, horizontal, vertical, top, upper, lower, bottom, left and right, are for illustrative purposes only and can be varied within the scope of the disclosure. For example, the references “upper” and “lower” are relative and used only in the context to the other, and are not necessarily “superior” and “inferior”.

The following discussion includes a description of a system, mechanism and related methods of employing the system and mechanism in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. Alternate embodiments are also disclosed. Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, which are illustrated in the accompanying figures. Turning now to FIGS. 1-5, there are illustrated components of a toilet seat stabilizer assembly in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates the combination 100 of the toilet bowl 101 and hingedly attached toilet seat 103 with toilet seat stabilizers 110 attached to the bottom surface 104 of the toilet seat. As shown in FIG. 2, each bumper 111 is attached to the bottom 104 of the toilet seat by means of layer 116 of an adhesive applied to the top surface 114 of the bumper 111. Adhesives suitable for use in the invention are well known and commercially available, such as epoxy adhesives, silicones, methacrylates, cyanoacrylates, urethanes, pressure sensitive adhesives and the like. In another embodiment as shown in FIG. 3, the bumper 111 is attached to the bottom 104 of the toilet seat by means of a fastener, e.g., screw fastener 120 which is disposed through an aperture 117 in the bumper 111, said aperture 117 being aligned with a corresponding aperture 105 in the toilet seat. Preferably, a washer 121 is disposed between the head of the screw 120 and the bumper 111.

In an alternative embodiment as shown in FIG. 4, the toilet seat stabilizer can include a double sided adhesive tape 116 which includes a release liner on each side. The release liner on one side is removed for attachment of the tape to the top surface 114 of the bumper 111. Then the release liner 118 of the opposite side of the adhesive tape is removed for attachment of the bumper 111 to the toilet seat by means of the adhesive tape 116.

In yet another embodiment as shown in FIG. 5, the means for attaching the bumper to the toilet seat can include a hook and loop type fastener system (e.g., Velcro® type fastener) with one layer 131 (hook or loop) attached to the bottom 104 of seat 103 by contact adhesive 132 and the corresponding layer 133 attached to the top 114 of the bumper 111 by contact adhesive 134.

In an embodiment the bumper 111 is fabricated from a thermoplastic polymer that has a relatively low softening point such that it can be softened by exposure to heat of less than the boiling point of water. Such softenable thermoplastic polymers are known and typically employed for use as reformable mouth guards for athletes and those likely to sustain injuries to the teeth from various activities.

For example, a thermoplastic polymer suitable for use in the present invention is an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) commercially available from DuPont under the designation Elvax®. Also, the softenable material suitable for use in the present invention can comprise a blend of EVA and polycaprolactone. A suitable polycaprolactone is TONE® from Union Carbide Corporation, Danbury, Conn. However, the softenable material may consist of the polycaprolactone alone as the possibility of EVA alone may also be utilized.

Another embodiment of the softenable material may be a blend of polycaprolactone and polyolefin elastomer such as a copolymer of ethylene and octene-1. A suitable copolymer is available as ENGAGE® from Dupont Canada, Inc., Mississauga, Ontario L5M 2H3.

In an embodiment the softenable material can comprise a blend of EVA, polyvinyl acetate and polycaprolactone.

Various softenable material compositions are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,530,355, 6,987,140, 6,508,251 and 5,051,476, both of which are incorporated by reference herein. The thermoplastic polymer has a softening point of under 100 degrees Celsius, preferably under 80 degrees Celsius and more preferably under 70 degrees Celsius.

Typically, the thermoplastic polymer is softened by immersion in hot or boiling water until it is sufficiently softened. Alternatively, the thermoplastic polymer can be softened by directing a stream of hot air onto it, for example, by means of a portable hair dryer or heat gun. The softened bumper is then attached to the bottom surface 104 of the toilet seat 103 and the toilet seat is then pressed down upon the rim 102 of the toilet bowl 101. With sufficient pressure, the bumper 111 will then reform to the configuration of the toilet bowl rim 102, and then stiffen when cooled to ambient temperature. As shown in FIG. 2, the bumper 111 will form leg-like projections 112 separated by a recess 113 to form a generally U-shaped configuration, which engages the toilet bowl rim 102 such that the projections 112 abut the sides of the rim 102 in close engagement when the seat is down to prevent the seat from sliding laterally. The thermoplastic polymer is sufficiently resilient to serve as a shock absorber when the toilet seat 103 is dropped.

Referring to FIG. 6, in an embodiment the toilet seat stabilizer 110 can include a rigid frame 150. In the embodiment, frame 150 is generally U-shaped having a back wall 151 and depending sides 152 which are spaced apart so as to define an inner channel 153. The bumper 111 having the softenable material is disposed within the channel 113. The frame 150 can be fabricated from any suitable material such as metal (stainless steel, aluminum, etc.), wood, or preferably, engineering plastics such as for example, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonates (PC), polyamides (PA), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyphenylene oxide (PPO), Polysulphone (PSU), polyetherketone (PEK), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyimides, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), and polyoxymethylene plastic (POM). The width of the channel 113 is selected so as to exceed the standard widths of conventional toilet bowl rims. The bumper 111 can be secured in the frame 150 by, for example, adhesive or any other suitable means. The frame 150 can be secured to the toilet seat by affixing the back wall 151 to the underside of the toilet seat by any suitable method as described above. The toilet seat stabilizer is heated before or after the frame is affixed to the toilet seat by any of the methods described above and pressed down onto the toilet bowl rim. The frame 150 advantageously provides additional lateral support to prevent sliding of the toilet bowl seat.

Referring to FIG. 6, in an embodiment the present invention can be included in a kit 140 which includes a container 141, which can be a box, bag, or bubble pack, a package 142 of at least two bumpers, and a package 143 containing the attachment means such as, adhesive, screw fasteners, double sided adhesive tape and/or hook and loop type fasteners. In use the consumer removes the components of the kit. The bumper is then softened by immersion in a hot liquid, then attached to the bottom of the toilet seat, and then the seat is pressed down upon the rim of the toilet bowl while the bumper is still soft until the bumper cools and is stiffened. Alternatively, the bumper can first be attached to the toilet seat, and then softened by a hair dryer or heat gun, and then the seat is pressed down onto the rim of the toilet bowl. At least one bumper is attached to each side of the toilet seat.

The toilet seat stabilizer of the invention, when using the screw fasteners or hook and loop type fasteners, is advantageously removable and replaceable. The thermoplastic polymer can be clear, opaque, white, or colored and can include filler for reinforcement such as inorganic filler (glass fiber, carbon fiber, etc.), polymeric fiber, and/or particulates such as silica, alumina, talc, or titanium oxide, for example.

Also, the softenable thermoplastic polymer can include germicidal and/or deodorant additives such as phenol; substituted phenols such as cresols, meta-cresylacetate, creosote, quaiacol, resorcinol, hexylresorcinol, pyrogallol, thymol, thymol iodide, picric acid; chlorinated phenols such as dichlorophene, hexachlorophene; tars; formaldehyde, methenamine; boric acid, salicylic acid, mandelic acid, fungicidal fatty acids; iodine, iodoform, sodium hypochlorite, chlorinated lime, chloramines; sodium perborate, potassium permanganate, zinc permanganate, potassium chlorate; silver, silver nitrate, silver lactate, silver picrate, silver proteins, silver halides, zinc oxide, zinc stearate, copper, copper sulfate; benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, cetyl pyridinium chloride, sodium tetradecyl sulfate, sichlorobenzalkonium chloride, methylbenzethonium chloride, cetyl dimethyl ethyl ammonium bromide. furan derivatives, nitrofurantoin, sulfur, sulfur dioxide, ichthamol, chrysarobin, anthralin, betanaphthol, balsams, volatile oils, chlorophyl.

Also, the softenable thermoplastic material can optionally include scents such as anise oil, cinnamon oil, clove oil, eucalyptol, eucalyptus oil, eugenol, menthol, methyl salicylate, peppermint oil and spearmint oil to name only a few.

While the above description contains many specifics, these specifics should not be construed as limitations of the invention, but merely as exemplifications of preferred embodiments thereof. Those skilled in the art will envision many other embodiments within the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. A toilet seat stabilizer assembly which comprises

a) a bumper fabricated from a thermoplastic polymer which is softenable in response to heat and moldable while in a malleable condition to a desired configuration; and

b) attachment means for attaching the bumper to a toilet seat.

2. The toilet seat stabilizer assembly of claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic polymer has a softening point below 100 degrees Celsius.

3. The toilet seat stabilizer assembly of claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic polymer has a softening point of not more than 70 degrees Celsius.

4. The toilet seat stabilizer assembly of claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic polymer comprises an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer.

5. The toilet seat stabilizer assembly of claim 1, wherein the means for attaching the bumper comprises an adhesive.

6. The toilet seat stabilizer assembly of claim 5, wherein the adhesive is a contact adhesive.

7. The toilet seat stabilizer assembly of claim 6, wherein the contact adhesive is in a double sided adhesive tape.

8. The toilet seat assembly of claim 6 further comprising a release liner removably attached to the contact adhesive.

9. The toilet seat stabilizer assembly of claim 1, wherein the means for attachment comprises a screw fastener.

10. The toilet seat stabilizer assembly of claim 1 wherein the attachment means comprises a hook and loop type fastener.

11. A method for stabilizing a toilet seat comprising

a) providing a toilet seat stabilizer assembly which includes a bumper fabricated from a thermoplastic polymer which is softenable in response to heat and moldable while in a malleable condition to a described configuration, and an attachment means for attaching the bumper to a toilet seat, wherein the thermoplastic polymer has a softening point below 100 degrees Celsius;

b) heating the thermoplastic polymer to a temperature above its softening point;

c) attaching the bumper to a bottom surface of the toilet seat;

d) pressing the toilet seat door onto a rim of a toilet bowl with a force sufficient to conform the shape of the bumper to the rim of the toilet bowl; and,

e) permitting the bumper to cool to a temperature below the softening point of the thermoplastic.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of heating the thermoplastic polymer comprises immersing the bumper in a fluid at a temperature above the softening point.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of heating the thermoplastic polymer comprises directing a stream of hot air into contact with the thermoplastic polymer.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the toilet seat stabilizer includes a layer of double sided adhesive tape, and the step of attaching the bumper to the toilet seat comprise attaching a bottom surface of the adhesive tape to a top surface of the bumper and contacting an upper surface of the adhesive tape to the bottom surface of the toilet seat.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the toilet seat stabilizer includes a hook and loop type fastener system and the step of attaching the bumper to the toilet seat comprises attaching one layer of the hook and loop type fastener system to the bumper and the corresponding layer of the hook and loop type fastener system to the bottom surface of the toilet seat, and then joining the layers of the hook and loop type fastener system.

16. A toilet seat stabilizer kit which comprises

a) a container

b) a package containing at least two bumpers fabricated from a thermoplastic polymer which is softenable in response to heat and moldable while in a malleable state to a desired configuration, wherein the thermoplastic polymer has a softening point below 100 degrees Celsius;

c) a package containing attachment means for attaching the bumpers to a toilet seat.

17. The toilet seat stabilizer kit of claim 16 wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer.

18. The toilet seat stabilizer kit of claim 16, wherein the attachment means comprises at least one screw fastener.

19. The toilet seat stabilizer kit of claim 16, wherein the attachment means comprises a double sided adhesive tape.

20. The toilet seat stabilizer kit of claim 16, wherein the attachment means comprises a hook and loop type fastener system.