AU2008221598A1

AU2008221598A1 - Improvements relating to toilets

Info

Publication number: AU2008221598A1
Application number: AU2008221598A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Helen Joy Kelleher
Original assignee: HELEN KELLEHER
Current assignee: Kelleher Helen Joy Mrs
Priority date: 2007-09-20
Filing date: 2008-09-22
Publication date: 2009-04-09

Description

00

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 00

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE

SPECIFICATION

00 STANDARD

PATENT

Invnton ite: "IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO TOILETS" I n v e ntio n T itle The following statemen t is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing It known to me:- 00 2 5 IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO TOILETS (-i 00 This invention relates to a toilet of the type having a toilet bowl in which human body _wastes are flushed down a drain by water from a cistern or the like. In toilets of this type, a 10 toilet bowl is supported on the floor or from a wall and is usually provided with a toilet seat 00 which has two pivotally connected portions, viz. a fixed portion mounted on the upper surface (-i of the toilet bowl and a movable portion which may be pivoted from a generally horizontal or seating position to an upright or urinal position. Often, a pivoted lid is also provided.

Although in the past toilet bowls have been made in a variety of shapes and sizes, it has been a practice for many years to make toilet bowls of similar shapes and sizes so that one toilet bowl may be replaced by another and fittings such as toilet seats may be used with any toilet bowl.

In contemporary toilets, the upper rim of a toilet bowl is generally somewhat oval in plan with an extended portion at one end (the rear end when the bowl is mounted for use) with, for example, two vertical passages extending through the extended portion to receive bolts for securing the fixed portion of a toilet seat on the upper surface of the toilet bowl.

Generally, the height of a toilet bowl is approximately 40 cm above the floor. Although this is generally satisfactory for most persons, there are many other people, such as the aged, the disabled, the incapacitated and other handicapped people (herein collectively referred to as 00

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CK1 3 Shandicapped people) who find with a toilet of this height it is difficult and uncomfortable to lower themselves onto and/or raise themselves up from a toilet seat and to use the toilet.

00 ON 5 Handicapped people are usually generally unsteady, often with shaking limbs, poor balance and poor co-ordination. It is often difficult for a handicapped person to attempt to move a toilet seat 00 from an upright position to a horizontal position and vice versa and for a handicapped person to

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Ni prepare his or her dress to use the toilet and to avoid delay in getting into an appropriate position to use it. A significant proportion of handicapped people are also incontinent.

Incontinent people are usually in a hurry to visit a toilet and any delay may result in a person starting to urinate or to defecate before clothing is suitably adjusted and the person is properly positioned in relation to the toilet.

Over a period of, say, 100 years, there have been many proposals to assist people to use conventional toilets. For example, United States Patent No. 1,674,116 describes a device which may be positioned adjacent a toilet bowl. The device carries a foot board on which the feet of a toilet user may be rested when the user is seated on the toilet. The distance between the foot board and the toilet seat may be adjusted for persons of different sizes. This device would be suitable for few, if any, handicapped people who would regard the device as an obstacle barring access to the toilet and would not be able to make the required adjustments unaided.

United States Patent Nos. 1,739,001; 1,774,868; 2,221,991; 2,461,160 and 3,210,777 each describes a toilet bowl supporting two seats positioned one above the other. The lower one is 00 r'l 4 similar to the usual toilet seat and is for use by adults. The upper one may have a smaller c' opening for use by children.

00 United States Patent Nos. 2,732,566; 3,364,505; 3,594,831; 3,971,077; 4,214,323 and 4,477,932 each describe a different device which may be disposed on top of a toilet bowl. Each device 00 0 includes an elevated toilet seat which is intended for use by handicapped people. The devices may be erected on a toilet bowl and may be bolted, clamped or otherwise fitted thereto.

However, that is not a task for a handicapped person. Further, so that the device is securely held in position on a toilet bowl, there is required a degree of compatibility between the shape and dimensions of the device and the toilet bowl so that the device is suitable only for a toilet bowl of restricted shape and dimensions.

United States Patent Nos. 2,980,922; 3,670,441; 4,213,211 and 4,517,689 each describe a pivotally mounted toilet seat elevator to increase the height of the usual toilet seat above the rim of a toilet bowl for people unable to use a toilet seat of usual height. The usual pivotally mounted toilet seat is also provided. Two pivot axes are used to provide the necessary pivot mounts. The arrangements so described provide an additional pivoting member for a handicapped person to contend with.

An object of the invention is to provide a spacer which may be rigidly mounted on the top of a conventional toilet bowl to raise the height of the toilet seat.

00 CK1 SAnother object of the invention is to provide a simple one piece spacer which is inexpensive to manufacture and install.

00 A further object of the invention is to provide a spacer which is safe and has no moving parts.

0 Although a toilet with a spacer rigidly mounted on top of the toilet bowl is intended primarily

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"1 for use by handicapped people, it is also suitable for use by people who are not handicapped. In fact, it is particularly suitable for tall people who benefit from a higher toilet seat.

In accordance with the invention, for use with a toilet having a toilet bowl and a toilet seat mounted on the upper surface of the toilet bowl, a substantially rigid one piece spacer having a shape in plan similar to that of the upper surface of the toilet bowl, said spacer adapted to be rigidly mounted on the top surface of the toilet bowl beneath the toilet seat to increase the height of the toilet seat above the floor thus making it easier and more comfortable for handicapped people to lower themselves onto and raise themselves up from the toilet seat and to use the toilet.

In one form, the spacer comprises a one piece substantially rigid body in the form of a somewhat oval ring having an integral extended portion at one end. More precisely, in plan view, the shape and dimensions of the spacer are approximate to those of the upper surface of the bowl of a contemporary toilet. There are vertical passages in the extended portion of the spacer to mate with the bolt passages in the toilet bowl when the spacer is correctly positioned 00 c-i 6 Sthereon. Thus, only one set of bolts is needed to clamp the fixed portion of the seat and the spacer firmly on the upper rim of the toilet bowl. In this way, the spacer is rigidly mounted on the top surface of the toilet bowl.

00 ON\ The spacer may be fabricated from any of a variety of suitable materials. For example, it may be (-i 00 formed from wood or from layers of ply glued together and coated with a protective paint to

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N protect it from such substances as urine. Alternatively, it may be moulded from plastic material.

In the latter case, it is preferably made hollow. The spacer is made substantially rigid so that it retains its form and may be securely clamped between the fixed part of the toilet seat and the upper rim of the bowl. No other fastening should be needed. However, in some cases such as with older toilets, it may be desirable to provide means to lock the front part of the spacer to the toilet bowl.

The width of the lower surface of the spacer may be substantially the same as that of the upper surface of the toilet bowl or slightly greater. Preferably, the spacer slightly overlaps the inner lip of the upper surface of the toilet bowl and may also overlap the outer lip. By making the spacer of greater dimensions than those of the top surface of the bowl, the same spacer would also be suitable for toilet bowls of slightly different dimensions. In addition, the upper surface of the spacer is preferably covered by the seat when the latter is in a sitting position. Thus the spacer causes no obstruction to the normal use of the toilet.

00 C-i 7 The height of a spacer may be of the order of 5 cm. Preferably, a range of spacers of varying heights (eg. 4.5cm, 6.2cm and 8cm may be provided. If desired, more than one spacer may be employed. In this case, the spacers may then be provided with some interlocking means.

00 C 5 Preferably, resilient cushioning buttons are attached to the lower surface of a spacer near to the front thereof to rest on the upper surface of the toilet bowl to leave a gap between the spacer and 00 the toilet bowl for ventilation purposes.

To minimize the risk of body wastes entering into and collecting in the space between the lower surface of the spacer and the upper surface of the toilet bowl, a shield may be provided to protect the inner entrance to the space therebetween. For example, the spacer, when correctly positioned on the toilet bowl, may have adjacent its lower side a downwardly directed skirt projecting below the upper surface of the toilet bowl and spaced from the inner surface of the rim of the toilet bowl.

The accompanying drawing is a perspective view illustrating a preferred form of spacer. In this example, spacer 1 comprises a substantially rigid hollow body moulded from plastic material. It is in the form of a somewhat oval ring-like body 2 with an extended portion 3 at one end. In plan, the shape and dimensions of the spacer are similar to those of the upper surface of a contemporary toilet bowl. There are two vertical passages 4 in extended portion 3. Vertical passages 4 mate with the usual vertical passages in the rear portion of a toilet bowl when spacer 1 is correctly positioned thereon. A downwardly directed continuous skirt 5 is formed by 00 CK1 8 Sextending the inner wall 6 of spacer 1 downwardly around the inner circumference of the spacer, with suitable reinforcement if required. To eliminate the possibility of sharp edges, the edges of the body are preferably beveled as at 7.

00 In my Australian Patent No. 735 503, I have described a toilet grab rail support for a toilet of (Ni 0 the above described kind to assist handicapped persons using the toilet. That toilet grab rail support has a mounting portion which may be rigidly mounted between the toilet bowl and the seat and secured in position by the seat retaining bolts. Side rails, rigidly connected to the mounting portion, extend forwardly and upwardly and are configured to form hand pieces which can be gripped by persons lowering themselves onto and raising themselves up from the toilet seat. The mounting portion of the support and lugs connected to the side rails near the front thereof rest on the top surface of the toilet bowl.

The spacer described may be used in conjunction with a toilet grab rail support to further assist handicapped persons. The grab rail support may be positioned above the spacer. In this case, the spacer would rest on the mounting portion of the support and the lugs. Corresponding recesses 8 may be formed in the upper surface of the spacer to accommodate comfortably the mounting and lugs.

Furthermore, the spacer described may be used in association with a bidet, such as the Hyundai HDB bidet which is currently available for sale in Australia. A bidet of this kind has its own seat and lid which replace the usual toilet seat and lid. The bidet is mounted on the upper rim of 00 r'l 9 Sa toilet bowl and is fitted in place by the usual toilet seat retaining bolts. When a spacer is used, it is rigidly mounted on the toilet bowl between the bowl and bidet and is held in place by the same retaining bolts, 00 By the use of one or more spacers as described above, the height of a toilet seat may be selected (Ni 00 0 to meet the convenience of a handicapped person. The spacer may be other than oval-shaped in plan, being shaped to match the particular toilet involved. Other modifications within the scope of the invention will be readily apparent.

The invention provides a toilet with an unobtrusive addition. The toilet with the spacer described provides a higher toilet seat but leaves the toilet otherwise unchanged. The toilet seat and lid, if present, are mounted and pivot in the same way as was the case with a toilet with no spacer. Thus, a handicapped person has nothing different to contend with.

Claims

1. For use with a toilet having a toilet bowl and a toilet seat mounted on the upper surface of OO 00 the toilet bowl, a substantially rigid one piece spacer having a shape in plan similar to that of the r, upper surface of the toilet bowl, said spacer adapted to be rigidly mounted on the top surface of OO 0 the toilet bowl beneath the toilet seat to increase the height of the toilet seat above the floor thus making it easier and more comfortable for handicapped people to lower themselves onto and raise themselves up from the toilet seat and to use the toilet.

2. A spacer as claimed in claim I, wherein the spacer is in the form of a substantially oval ring- shaped member with an integral extended portion at one end having passages therethrough to mate with the seat retaining bolt passages in the toilet bowl whereby the spacer may be rigidly clamped between the toilet seat and the toilet bowl by the seat retaining bolts.

3. A spacer as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the spacer is a hollow, one piece moulding of plastic material.

4. A spacer as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the spacer is formed adjacent its lower surface with a downwardly directed continuous skirt by extending the inner wall of the spacer downwardly so that when mounted on the toilet bowl it would project below the upper surface of the toilet bowl to shield the space between the spacer and the top surface of the toilet bowl. 00 O O N 11 A spacer as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the width of the lower surface of the spacer is greater than the width of the upper surface of a conventional toilet bowl. 00

6. A spacer substantially as herein described and illustrated. 0 7. In combination with a toilet having a toilet bowl and a toilet seat mounted on the upper 1 surface of the toilet bowl, a substantially rigid one piece spacer having a shape in plan similar to that of the upper surface of the toilet bowl, said spacer being rigidly mounted on the top surface of the toilet bowl beneath the toilet seat to increase the height of the toilet seat above the floor thus making it easier and more comfortable for handicapped people to lower themselves onto and raise themselves up from the toilet seat and to use the toilet.

8. A combination as claimed in claim 7, wherein the toilet seat has a fixed portion bolted to the toilet bowl pivotally connected to a movable portion with the spacer rigidly mounted between the fixed portion of the seat and the toilet bowl.

9. A combination as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein the spacer is in the form of a substantially oval ring-shaped member with an integral extended portion at one end having passages therethrough to mate with the seat retaining bolt passages in the toilet bowl whereby the spacer may be rigidly clamped between the toilet seat and the toilet bowl by the seat retaining bolts. qI 00 C-I 12 A combination as claimed in claim 7, 8 or 9, wherein the spacer is a hollow, one piece moulding of plastic material. 00

11. A combination as claimed in one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the spacer is formed adjacent C, its lower surface with a downwardly directed continuous skirt by extending the inner wall of the 00 0 spacer downwardly so that it projects below the upper surface of the toilet bowl to shield the c, space between the spacer and the top surface of the toilet bowl.

12. A combination as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the width of the lower surface of the spacer is greater than the width of the upper surface of a conventional toilet bowl.

13. A combination as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 12, further including a grab rail support of the type described mounted between the spacer and the toilet seat.

14. A combination as herein described and illustrated. DATED this 20 t h day of SEPTEMBER 2008. HELEN JOY KELLEHER By her Patent Attorney PAUL F KILDEA.