CN112888350A - Seat ring lifter device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a lifter device configured to lift the height of a seat, such as a toilet seat. The invention also provides a kit comprising the lifter device of the invention and a seat arrangement, and provides for the use of the lifter device and kit to assist a physically handicapped subject in using the seat.

Description

Seat ring lifter device

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a lifter arrangement for a seat ring, the lifter being configured to lift the height of the seat ring. The invention also relates to a kit comprising a race arrangement and a lifter device, a race arrangement with such a lifter device and a use of such a lifter device. Particularly, but not exclusively, to a lifter device for a toilet or toilet seat.

Background

Conventionally, toilets comprise a base unit which can be fixed to a wall and/or floor surface and which comprises a toilet bowl surrounded by a rim and a toilet seat and lid hingedly mounted to the top of the base unit to provide a more comfortable and sanitary product than would be the case without the seat and lid. The toilet seat is moveable between a first position in which it forms a seat which, when seated on the toilet seat and resting generally on the rim of a toilet bowl, provides a support platform for the buttocks of a user; this second generally upright position extends in a direction transverse to the plane of the rim of the toilet seat, allowing a user to access the toilet bowl and rim without being obstructed by the seat. In such an arrangement, the toilet seat height is determined by the height of the toilet rim on which the toilet seat is supported when the seat is in the first position, which height is fixed for any given toilet. Thus, the seat height is understood to be the combined height of the toilet seat, the thickness of the toilet seat and the height of any one or more intermediate support members. In the absence of a toilet seat, as is customary in some countries, the seat height may be considered to be the height of the individual rim.

Various users (including elderly, infirm, injured or otherwise challenged mobility or health, such as arthritis, etc.) may have difficulty lowering themselves to sit on a conventional toilet and/or to stand from a seated position on the toilet. This may be due to the low seat height of conventional toilets, but such difficulties may also exist for furniture such as chairs and the like. Thus, such users may find themselves in need of assistance from another person or support object in order to enable them to use the existing toilet facilities. For many people, reliance on another person may be felt embarrassing, frustrating, inconvenient and/or face-dropping, while a support object (such as a booster seat or the like) may be unstable, degenerate, time-consuming and difficult to locate prior to use and/or difficult to remove after use, which is necessary for use of the toilet by non-elderly, infirm, injured or otherwise disabled users. Supports such as canes, crutches, gripping handrails, etc. may also be unhygienic, especially after use of the toilet, before the user may be given the opportunity to wash his hands. In addition, the use of such supports may require greater upper body or arm strength than the user may possess.

Accordingly, there is a need to provide a support that users can use to assist them in being able to easily and efficiently use a conventional toilet.

The following is also possible: embarrassment, uneasiness, or other discontents of medical devices and disability support equipment may often be felt by injured, elderly, and/or otherwise infirm or mobility or health challenged persons. In particular, the reluctance to use devices such as grasping handrails and traditional toilet booster seats may be required to be permanently affixed to a wall or toilet that protrudes from typical bathroom accessories and can be readily identified as a support device, marking a home as having a user, such as injured, elderly and/or otherwise infirm or having mobility or health challenges. Furthermore, the use of non-stationary devices (such as canes and the like) or such stationary grips may be dropped by the user after sitting down and may fall out of reach, thereby preventing the user from rising from the toilet.

Known devices (such as power-assisted seat type devices) may be placed on the toilet to raise the height of the toilet to reduce the height that the user must lower and raise himself to utilize the toilet. However, such devices are bulky, heavy devices, easily identified as medical devices, and are therefore not approved. Furthermore, such devices need to be removed by the toilet user who does not need to lift the toilet to height and then have to be stored, which may lead to hygiene issues and/or be an overly medical obstacle in the bathroom environment. Repeated removal and reinstallation of the equipment between different toilet users may also be impractical and time consuming. Further, depending on the disease affecting the user, the user may not be able to remove or secure the device from or to the toilet without assistance.

Alternatively, there are specialized toilets configured to be used by persons with mobility and/or health challenges. Such toilets may have motorized components, abrupt support rails and/or safety belts that enable them to be used by injured, elderly and/or otherwise infirm or mobility or health challenged persons. However, such devices are typically not retrofittable to existing toilets, cannot be removed between users (which may be desirable where a toilet is used by more than one person, e.g., in a home residence, hospital, nursing home, hotel, etc.), can be clearly identified as a medical or disability support device, and are too large and complex, and therefore expensive.

In view of the foregoing, the following has been devised.

Disclosure of Invention

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a seat ring lifter device for coupling to a seat ring arrangement, the seat ring lifter device comprising a lifter member rotatably coupled to a seat ring part and at an opposite end the lifter member comprising a coupling arrangement for rotatably coupling the lifter member to a support part.

The lifter member may take the form of a plate or other surface configured to extend across any width of the seat ring component. Preferably, the plate or surface may be configured to extend across the entire width of the race part or a substantial portion thereof. For example, the lifter member may extend across at least 50% of the width of the seat ring component, preferably at least 70% of the width of the seat ring component, and particularly preferably at least 95% of the width of the seat ring component. The plate or surface may be attached to the race member and configured to couple to the support member at one or more discrete points or along an extension of the plate or surface.

Alternatively, the lifter member may take the form of a rod or wand which is rotatably coupled at one end to the race part and which includes a coupling arrangement for rotatably coupling the lifter member at the other end to the support part. Alternatively, more than one such lifter member may be used. For example, two or three riser members may be used with a single race (preferably two). Providing multiple riser members may improve the reliability, stability, and/or robustness of the apparatus. Furthermore, the maximum load that a user can experience the device without causing equipment failure may be increased. Further, the use of multiple lifter members may result in improved aesthetics, for example by enabling the production of symmetrical devices. Providing one or more race lifters may enable simultaneous linear and rotational movement of the race member relative to the support member.

Optionally, one or more lifter members or any part or component may thus be provided with a cleanable lid for hygienic purposes, such as a wiping cleaning lid or the like. Such a cover may optionally be removable.

In some embodiments, the seat ring lifter apparatus further comprises a support member rotatably coupled to the lifter member. The support component may be coupled to the lifter member by a coupling arrangement. Any suitable coupling arrangement may be utilized including, but not limited to, the use of screws, nails, bolts, glue, welds, pins, clips, and the like.

In some embodiments, the seat lifter device may be configured for use with a toilet. In such a case, the seat lifter device may be a toilet seat, wherein the support member may form a lid of the toilet seat or a part thereof, and the seat member may form the toilet seat or a part thereof. Thus, the seat lifter arrangement may provide a liftable toilet seat. When mounted on a toilet, the one or more seat lifters may enable the seat member to move linearly away from the rim of the toilet while performing rotational movement relative to the support member. It will be understood by linearity that the motion can be resolved to have a linear component.

According to some embodiments, the riser member and/or the support component comprises one or more engagement portions configured to engage a portion of the race component. The engagement portion may utilize direct or indirect engagement means. Alternatively, one or more engagement means may form part of the first rotatable hinge part and/or the second rotatable hinge part.

In some embodiments, the one or more engagement portions may take the form of an additional rod and/or surface rotatably coupled at one end to the race part and comprising a coupling arrangement for rotatably coupling the engagement portion at an opposite end to the support part. Such an engagement portion may preferably be formed of a rigid, non-deformable material so as to maintain a maximum distance between the rear edge of the seat ring component and a portion of the support member.

According to some embodiments, the one or more engagement portions may comprise one or more grooves, protrusions, pins, or the like. However, any known engagement means may be used, for example, means utilizing magnets, flexible and/or stretchable materials, and the like.

According to some embodiments, the one or more engagement portions may be configured to prevent over-rotation of the race member relative to the support member. Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, the engagement portion may be configured to prevent displacement between edges of the race member that rotate closest to the support member during rotation from varying beyond a fixed parameter. Alternatively, one engagement element may function to prevent over-rotation and undesired displacement. However, in other options, multiple engagement elements may be utilized to perform both tasks separately.

Optionally, the displacement between the rear edges of the race parts (i.e. the edges closest to the support part rotation during rotation) is kept in the range from 0cm to 10cm over the available rotation angle. The angle of rotation that may be achieved may be limited by the installation of one or more engagement portions and/or devices in the vicinity of surfaces, walls, and/or other fixtures and fittings. Wherein the engagement portion comprises one or more rods and/or surfaces rotatably coupled at one end to the race part and a coupling arrangement for rotatably coupling the engagement portion at an opposite end to the support part, the maximum displacement may be defined by the length and/or surface of the rod measured between the two rotatable couplers.

Preferably, the change in displacement may be less than about 10cm, less than about 5cm, less than about 2cm, less than about 1cm, less than about 0.5cm, or less than about 0.1 cm. In particular, preferably, the engagement members may enable the edge of the race part rotating closest to the support part during rotation to remain at the same distance from the surface of the support part throughout the available rotation angle, within standard working tolerances of the manufacturing process and the materials used, e.g. within a tolerance of 0-3 mm. In some options, the rear edge may remain within 1cm, preferably within 0.5cm, of the support member at all times during the entire available angle of rotation. For example, the rear edge may remain in contact with the support member throughout the available angle of rotation. In this way, an optimum position of the race part is ensured when in the lowered position. For example, where the seat lifter device is configured for use with a toilet, the seat member may be optimally positioned directly on top of the toilet, but vertically displaced from the rim of the toilet.

By preventing over-rotation of the race member, one or more engagement portions may enable the race member to be positioned substantially horizontally. In this way, the user can be provided with a seat part that can sit stably thereon without risk of slipping due to gravity. In this context, "substantially horizontal" may be understood to encompass any slope from-5 degrees to +5 degrees calculated with respect to horizontal.

Alternatively and/or additionally, it may be desirable to secure the race component at an elevated height while maintaining a gradient from horizontal. For example, in situations where the user is difficult to move from a fully seated position to a standing position, and/or for low-profile users, it may be preferable to provide the seat member raised toward the rear of the seat member (i.e., toward the support member), with the front of the seat member sloping downward. In such embodiments, additional fixation points may be provided to stabilize the seat member at a desired angle prior to use and to prevent the lowered front portion of the seat member from continuing to rotate upon application of a user's force seated or resting thereon.

Such an embodiment may provide a seat member that is raised towards the rear of the seat member, thereby reducing the need for a user to lower himself completely to the height of a standard toilet, while maintaining access to users with a wide variety of heights and mobility.

The seat member may be releasably secured to the toilet rim in a single gradient. Any suitable fixation may be utilized including, but not limited to, the use of pins and/or protrusions configured to prevent over-rotation of the race member, spring, etc. Alternatively, the securing means may enable the user to select the desired angle. Alternatively, this may be achieved by using a plurality of such fixing points or by a ratchet type system.

Alternatively, the user can select a seat angle from +10 degrees to-30 degrees from the plane of the toilet rim. Preferably, the user is able to select one or more seat angles from 0 to-20 degrees from the plane of the toilet rim. For example, the user may be able to select one or more of the angles 0 °, 5 °, 10 °, 15 °, 20 °. Optionally, the one or more engagement portions may enable the race member to rotate through an angle of 0-90 degrees relative to the support member. Alternatively, one or more of the engagement portions may enable the race element to rotate relative to the support member by an angle greater than 90 degrees, for example by an angle of 0-100 degrees, 0-110 degrees or 0-120 degrees. Optionally, the maximum angle of rotation achieved by one or more of the engagement portions may be optimized for a particular toilet design. For example, a greater degree of rotation may be required when the seat lifter apparatus is configured for use with a toilet having a tank concealed within a wall, as compared to a toilet having a tank mounted on a wall.

The provision of one or more engagement portions configured to prevent over-rotation of the seat member relative to the support member may obviate the need for any further components to support the seat member in a lowered position when seated by a user.

According to some embodiments, the lifter member coupled to the seat ring component may be positioned away from an edge of the seat ring component configured to engage the one or more engagement portions.

By offsetting the point of rotation of the race element from its rear edge, the edge of the race member is not directly fixed to the support member and is therefore free to move linearly along the axis of the support member during rotation. The distance that the edge may travel during rotation is limited by the distance between the edge of the race part and the coupling arrangement coupled to the race part. Alternatively, the travel distance may be 1-30cm and the distance between the rear edge of the seat member and the second hinge element may be 1-20 cm. Preferably, the distance between the rear edge of the seat part and the second hinge element may be from 5cm to 10 cm.

According to some embodiments, the race lifter device comprises a second race part, wherein the second race part is coupled to the support part and/or the first race part by a single hinge mechanism configured to enable rotational movement of the second race part relative to the support part and/or the first race part without simultaneous linear movement.

Thus, when attached to a toilet, the user is provided with the option of using the device to sit on a toilet seat using the second seat part at a regular height above the toilet or the first seat part at an elevated height without having to remove the device.

The second seat member may be a conventional toilet seat. Furthermore, the second seat member may be rotatable towards the support member and/or the rim of the toilet seat cover away from the toilet. This can assist in maintaining hygiene. For example, the second seat member may be moved by a user in a conventional manner to access the toilet bowl to clean the toilet bowl or by a male user who is able to stand whilst urinating and therefore does not need to use any of the seat members.

According to some embodiments, the first race part comprises one or more movable support elements. When such a seat lifter device is attached to a toilet, one or more support elements may be configured to contact a rim of the toilet and/or a portion of the second seat member.

Providing one or more support elements may prevent over-rotation of the first race part relative to the support part and/or remove some strain from the double hinge and/or one or more engagement portions that occurs when a user sits on the raised first race part. In this way, the device may be more stable and/or more robust. Thus, providing one or more supports may enable the apparatus to be used by more heavy users and/or increase the usable life of the apparatus.

Alternatively, the movable support elements may be provided with means for varying their height. For example, the one or more movable support elements may include a resilient foot member or a retractable foot member. Providing a variable height moveable support element may facilitate maintaining the race component at a desired gradient. In particular, the provision of such a movable support element may enable the seat member to be maintained in a substantially horizontal position in which the rim of the toilet may not be horizontal, for example due to an uneven floor surface.

In such embodiments, it may also be advantageous to provide such a movable support element, in which embodiment the seat ring part is configured to be positioned with respect to a horizontal inclination or the inclination may be selected by the user.

The one or more support elements may have any suitable form. Further, they may be foldable or otherwise extendable and/or retractable from a portion of the seat ring lifter apparatus. In this way, one or more support elements may be accommodated in an unobtrusive and/or other practical position when not in use, and manipulated into a suitable position when desired.

Optionally, one or more support elements may be connected to the first race part such that rotation of the first race part relative to the support part, in conjunction with simultaneous linear movement of the first race part relative to the support part, also causes one or more support members to extend and/or position in readiness for supporting use. Alternatively or additionally, the user may be able to manipulate the position of one or more support members to deploy the first seat part from the support part of the toilet seat simultaneously. For example, unfolding or pulling one or more support elements in order to place them in a support position may simultaneously cause the first seat element to rotate away from the support member, whereby it may be easily positioned for use by a user.

According to some embodiments, the seat ring lifter arrangement comprises a further coupling means for releasably coupling a portion of the first seat ring part to the support part such that the support part and the seat ring part can rotate simultaneously without linear movement. In the case of a seat lifter device attached to a toilet, providing such a coupling may allow the first seat member and the support member (i.e. the lid) to be lifted simultaneously to open the toilet, thereby providing access to the bowl or the second seat member. Preferably, the second seat member may be non-similarly coupled to the first seat member and the cover.

Such an arrangement may enable a user to lift the lid of the toilet seat of the present invention in a manner similar to a conventional toilet and present a standard toilet seat positioned across the bowl ready for use. In this way, the presence of the other (first) seat member coupled to the lid may not be immediately noticeable to the user, thereby preventing over-medical treatment of the toilet as a whole.

According to some embodiments, the further coupling means may comprise one or more magnets. However, it should be understood that snaps, clips, and other known releasable coupling devices may also be used. Alternatively, the further coupling means may comprise an external clip, button or the like. In such embodiments, the user may be able to release the further coupling mechanism before or during lifting of the lid of the toilet seat in order to present the seat part in the raised position when the toilet lid is opened. This may eliminate the need for the user to perform additional actions to position the raised seat member for use.

Alternatively, the configuration of the one or more engagement portions may always maintain the seat ring member at an appropriate distance from the support member so as to enable the seat ring member to be lowered by rotation of the support member towards the second seat ring member, thereby folding the seat lifter device. This may enable the seat lifter means to be closed when the toilet lid is closed without the user first touching the seat member and/or performing any additional action. In such embodiments, folding of the seat ring lifter arrangement in this manner may result in re-tightening of the further coupling means.

Thus, the seat lifter device can be positioned for use and/or release with the simple act of opening and/or closing the toilet seat in a conventional manner. This provides a convenient, easy to use device. Further, by removing the need to access any component other than the cover, a sanitary device may be provided.

Optionally, the seat ring lifter device may include a damping mechanism configured to provide a "soft shut-off" to one or more aspects of the device. For example, where the seat lifter arrangement includes a support member (optionally in the form of a cover), the support member or cover may include a damping mechanism configured to resist rotation of the support element towards the seat member. This may enable the seat ring lifter to fold and/or stow in a controlled manner, which may reduce the risk of injury to the user. The use of such dampers may also reduce the volume of any sound associated with the folding of the seat member, particularly where the closing of the support member and/or cover may be accelerated by gravity. This may assist the user in being able to discretely use the device.

Where the race lifter device comprises a further second race part, the device may alternatively or additionally comprise a damping mechanism configured to hinder rotation of the support element and/or the first race part towards the second race part. This may provide similar safety and noise advantages.

Any suitable damping mechanism may be used, including automatic hinge closing mechanisms, spring dampers, viscous and/or oil-based dampers, and other conventional soft closing dampers.

According to some embodiments, the first race member may include a graspable element configured to enable a user to move the first race member relative to the support member. Such graspable elements may optionally form part of one or more support elements. Providing a graspable element may enable a user to pull the first race member from the support member against any releasable coupling means. Once the first race member is positioned for use, the graspable element may be positioned away from the interior of the race member. This may be particularly advantageous when the seat lifter device is configured for use with a toilet to reduce the risk of contamination of the graspable element with bodily fluids during use. Thus, providing such a graspable element may provide a hygienic means for manipulating the movement of the first seat member.

According to some embodiments, the support member may be configured to receive the first race member. For example, the support member may have a depth of greater than about 1cm, 2cm, 3cm, 4cm or 5cm to enable it to accommodate the first race member. Optionally, the support component may also house one or more other components, such as one or more support elements or a second race component. Alternatively, the support member may be configured to accommodate all but the support member itself of the seat ring lifter arrangement. Once received in the support member, the member received therein may not be visible to an external observer. In this way, when the seat lifter device is configured for use with a toilet, the cover may be of a suitable depth to accommodate the first seat member and optionally any additional members, so that the seat lifter device of the present invention may provide a discrete liftable toilet seat which may not be immediately noticeable when an observer is not in the lifted configuration.

The seat lifter device of the present invention may be used to lift the height of a seat arrangement (such as a conventional toilet or the like) to any desired height, i.e. the seat lifter device of the present invention may provide any suitable linear movement. Preferably, the maximum angle allowed by the rotation of the race part relative to the support part by the positioning of the race lifter means and/or the presence of any engagement may enable the first race element to be lifted to a height of from 5cm to 30 cm. Preferably, the height of the lift may be from 5-20cm, for example about 10 cm. In this context, the elevated height may be understood as the height of a surface of the first race part configured to sit above an alternative seating surface provided by the race arrangement. For example, the height of the toilet rim to which the toilet seat apparatus is attached, or where applicable, the height of the toilet rim to which the toilet seat apparatus is attached, plus the depth of the second seat member (including any feet or mountings thereof) on which the first seat member may rest.

Thus, in some embodiments, rotation of the first race part relative to the support part may result in a 5-30cm linear movement of the race part relative to the support part. Preferably, the linear movement may be 5-20cm, for example about 10 cm.

According to some embodiments, the support member comprises a back support element. The back support member may take any form and be formed of any material. The back support element may be positioned on a portion of the inner surface of the support component and may provide a support surface against which a user rests. Optionally, the support may be padded or cushioned. Alternatively, the back support may have a wiping cleaning surface for hygiene.

Such supports may be particularly beneficial to elderly, infirm, injured or otherwise mobility or health challenged users who may struggle to maintain themselves in an unsupported, upper right seated position.

It should be understood that the seat lifter apparatus of the present invention, or components thereof, may be formed of any suitable material, including materials used for conventional toilet seats, such as, but not limited to, metals, plastics, wood, ceramics, resins, and the like, as well as mixtures thereof, and the like, including, for example, but not limited to: polystyrene, polypropylene (polypropene), acrylic polymers, melamine, maple, birch, and bamboo. Preferably, at least a portion of the seat ring lifter arrangement may comprise melamine.

Alternatively, the race lifter device of the present invention may utilize one or more non-conventional materials, such as one or more elastically deformable materials (such as polymer gels, foams, etc.), and the like. Such materials may be used in particular in back supports (where they may provide improved comfort) and/or in first (and optionally second) seat ring parts (where they may provide a more comfortable seating experience). Preferably, such elastically deformable material, when present in the race part, may only be used in the first race part configured to provide the elevated seating position. Such materials may be particularly beneficial for users who are elderly, injured, infirm or otherwise challenged to mobility or health and who have joint pain (such as hip pain, etc.) while sitting. Furthermore, when provided as part of the first race part only, the resiliently deformable material may be inconspicuous to a user who does not utilize the seating surface.

Optionally, the race lifter device or a component thereof may be at least partially covered with a non-slip surface.

Preferably, regardless of the material used, the surface of the seat ring lifter device may be wipe cleaned. Alternatively, where the absorbent material forms part of the seat lifter device structure, the wiping cleaning surface may be applied to the seat lifter device components during manufacture of the seat lifter device. Wiping the cleaning surface may include non-absorbent plastics, metals, ceramics and resins, as well as varnishes and the like.

The seat lifter apparatus of the present invention may be attached to a conventional seat, such as a toilet, by any known means. Alternatively, the race lifter device may be integrally formed with the race arrangement.

In the case where the seat lifter device is configured for use with a toilet, the seat lifter device may be screwed onto a conventional toilet from above or below. Alternatively, the toilet seat may be attached by providing one or more adhesive pads, suction cups, clips, brackets, or the like.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a kit comprising a seat ring arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims and a seat ring lifter device.

According to some embodiments, the seat arrangement may comprise a toilet.

The toilet may be any toilet, including conventional 1-piece and 2-piece toilets (in which the tank is mounted against or integrally formed with the rear of the toilet bowl), wall-mounted toilets (in which the toilet may be mounted on a wall with the tank concealed within the wall), and any other known toilet.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a race arrangement comprising a race lifter device according to the first aspect of the invention.

According to some embodiments, the seat arrangement may comprise a toilet.

Again, the toilet may be any form of toilet, including conventional 1-piece and 2-piece toilets (in which the tank is mounted against or integrally formed with the rear of the toilet bowl), wall-mounted toilets (in which the toilet may be mounted on a wall with the tank concealed within the wall), and any other known toilet.

According to some embodiments, the seat lifter device is configured to be rotatable between a first position substantially parallel to the toilet rim and a second generally upright position transverse to the toilet rim.

It will be understood that the rim of a toilet is considered to be the rim of a toilet bowl of a conventional toilet, which is conventionally planar and horizontal. Thus, the present invention provides a toilet seat which may be horizontal to prevent a user from sliding off the toilet seat due to the presence of an undesirable gradient.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided use of a seat lifter apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention and/or use of a seat assembly (such as a toilet or the like) comprising such an apparatus.

For completeness, it should be noted that, unless specifically recited as "second race part," the term "race part" should be understood to refer to "first race part.

Drawings

One or more embodiments according to the present disclosure will now be described, by way of reference only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig. 1 is a diagram depicting a seat lifter apparatus configured for use with a toilet, wherein a support member and a first seat member have been simultaneously rotated away from a second seat member, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a diagram depicting the race lifter device of FIG. 1, wherein the first race member has been rotated away from the support member toward the second race member.

Fig. 3 is a diagram depicting the seat ring lifter apparatus of fig. 1 in a closed configuration.

Fig. 4 is a diagram depicting the seat lifter device of fig. 1 positioned in an arrangement for securing to a conventional toilet.

Fig. 5 is a diagram depicting the seat lifter apparatus of fig. 1-4 attached to a conventional toilet in a closed position.

FIG. 6 is a diagram depicting the seat lifter apparatus of FIG. 5, wherein the support member and the first seat member have been rotated simultaneously to open the toilet.

FIG. 7 is a diagram depicting an alternative embodiment of a seat lifter device utilizing a lever-based actuator, the seat lifter device configured for use with a toilet, wherein the seat member is positioned in a lifted state.

8A-8E are a series of side views depicting the seat ring lifter device of FIG. 7 moving from a closed position to an open position, wherein the seat ring component undergoes a linear lifting motion while the support member rotates to the open position. It will be appreciated that viewing these figures in reverse order may provide an illustration of stowing the same device after use.

FIG. 9 is an illustration depicting the race lifter apparatus of FIG. 7, wherein the first race member is mounted within a housing of a support member that has been rotated to an open position to expose the second race member.

Fig. 10 is a diagram depicting an embodiment of a seat ring lifter device utilizing a lever-based actuator and additionally including an actuator shroud.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 is an illustrative depiction of a seat lifter device 1 configured for use with a toilet in accordance with the present invention. The seat lifter device 1 comprises a support member (cover) 2, a first seat member 3 and a second seat member 4. However, it should be understood that alternative embodiments are envisaged in which the second race part 4 is omitted.

The first seat member 3 includes a graspable tab 5, the graspable tab 5 being configured to be grasped by a user to pull the first seat member 3 away from the cover 2. The first race part 3 further comprises two support elements 6. However, it is contemplated that alternative embodiments may have any number of support elements. The support element 6 is integrally formed with or connected to the graspable tab.

In use, a user can grasp the graspable tab 5 to pull the first race part 3 from the interior of the cover 2. This causes the first seat member 3 to rotate relative to the cover 2 to place the first seat member in a position for seating by a user, as shown in figure 2. During rotation, simultaneous linear movement of the seat member 3 relative to the cover 2 occurs, wherein when the cover 2 and seat member 3 rotate apart, the seat member 3 lifts upward (based on the depicted orientation), and when the cover 2 and seat member rotate toward each other, the seat member 3 moves downward.

Fig. 2 depicts a lifter member 7, the lifter member 7 forming a double hinge mechanism that enables the seat part 3 to move linearly relative to the lid while rotating away from the lid. The lifter member 7 comprises a first rotatable coupling arrangement 8 connected to a portion of the lid 2 and a second rotatable coupling arrangement 9 connected to a portion of the seat part 3. As shown in fig. 2, the first and second rotatable coupling arrangements are displaced relative to each other, wherein the rotatable coupling arrangement 8 is mounted at a distance further away from an edge 10 of the cover than the second rotatable coupling arrangement 9, the cover being configured to rotate around the edge 10 of the cover when the toilet seat is attached to the toilet. The second rotatable coupling arrangement 9 is connected to the seat member 3 at a distance displaced from an edge 11 of the seat member, the seat being configured to rotate about the edge 11 of the seat member when the seat member 3 is attached to a toilet. This edge is received within the cover 2 when the seat member 3 is rotated relative to the cover, but is depicted in the non-rotated view shown in fig. 1.

To move the seat ring lifter device from the first configuration depicted in fig. 1 to the second configuration depicted in fig. 2, a user may grasp the graspable tab 5, pulling in an outward and downward direction. This causes the lifter member 7 to start rotating, wherein the edge 11 is pulled upwards when the tab 5 is pulled downwards. There may be an engagement portion (not shown) to prevent the rim 11 from being pulled away from the lid and/or to prevent the rim 11 from travelling more than a desired amount. The support element 6 may also prevent the rim 11 from traveling beyond a desired amount by inhibiting further rotation of the race part 3 once the race part is in the desired position. As shown in fig. 2, in the desired position, the race part 3 is substantially parallel to the second race part 4 and is positioned directly on top of the second race part, but is removed vertically therefrom.

To retract the seat member within the cover, the user can simply push the seat member 3 back up towards the cover. Alternatively, the cover may be rotated downwardly towards the seat member 3. In doing so, the rotation causes simultaneous downward linear movement of the seat member 3 such that the seat member is once again received within the cover, as depicted in fig. 3. Optionally, the cover and/or seat member may include further coupling means (not shown), such as magnets or the like, so that when the cover is rotated away from the second seat member 4, the first seat member 3 rotates away from the second seat member 4 simultaneously with the cover 2. This may provide a simple way to enable a user to re-accommodate the first seat member 3 within the cover 2 without having to touch the first seat member 3, which may be unhygienic.

A seat lifter device 1 is provided in which the lifter member 7 includes two rotatable couplings 8 and 9 (i.e. a double hinge) so that the seat part can be raised from the rim of the toilet bowl in use but rotated downwardly relative to the lid 2 of the toilet bowl as the lid is rotated towards the seat part. In this way, the seat member 3 can be accommodated within the cover 2 without protruding from the cover 2, and there is no need for the cover 2 to be oversized relative to the geometry of the seat member 3, as is required to mount the seat member 3 to the cover 2 using conventional mounts (such as a single hinge or the like) as appropriate locations on the cover to provide a raised seating position.

As shown in fig. 4, the seat lifter device of the present invention is secured to the toilet using a standard connection 13. However, it is envisaged that alternative connection means may also be utilised.

Fig. 5 and 6 depict the toilet seat of the present invention attached to a toilet 14. As shown in figure 5, the first seat member 3 may not be visible to a user when mounted on the toilet 14 and in the closed position. Furthermore, as shown in figure 6, when deployed, the first seat member may be vertically on top of but displaced from the rim 12 of the toilet, with the displacement between the second seat member 4 and the first seat member 3 being about 8-15 cm.

Thus, the seat ring lifter device 1 according to the first aspect of the invention, and/or the kit or seat ring arrangement according to the second and/or third aspects of the invention, may provide a device that may be utilized by injured, elderly, infirm, and/or otherwise mobility or health challenged persons to assist them in being able to sit down and/or stand up from a seated position, optionally without the use of aids and/or other support aids, wherein the device may be discretely concealed when not in use. Advantageously, the seat ring arrangement may also be able to be used by other users without the use of a raised seat ring component, without the need to remove the apparatus from the seat ring arrangement.

In particular, where the seat lifter device is configured to be attached to a toilet, the toilet may be easily used with or without a raised seat position. This may be particularly beneficial for multi-person households where different users may wish to use the same toilet with and without support aids. It may also be particularly advantageous when a guest who does not need to use the support aid can use the toilet, and when seeing obvious medical or disability support devices, may be prompted to ask the home user for potentially awkward and/or embarrassing issues, which may lead to violations of the user's privacy. Furthermore, the seat lifting apparatus according to aspects of the present invention provides a support device that can be unobtrusively mounted on a toilet so that the toilet can be used routinely without first removing or repositioning the device, creating adverse concerns about its presence, as depicted in fig. 5.

It will be appreciated that any optional feature of any embodiment described herein may also be provided with one or more of any other embodiment described herein.

In various embodiments according to fig. 1-6, a user may be presented with a seat lifter device mounted on a toilet in a folded position as depicted in fig. 5. In use, a user may lift the lid 2 in a conventional manner by rotation about the rear edge 11. When lifted, the seat member 3 may be held in connection with the lid and thus rotated away from the toilet member and the second seat member 4 simultaneously. This is to expose the second seat member to the user for regular use of the toilet.

To deploy the seat ring lifter device, the user grasps the graspable tab 5 to pull the first seat ring component 3 from the interior of the cover 2. When the seat part is pulled away from the lid 2, the seat part pivots about its rear edge 11. By positioning the rotatable coupling arrangement 9 at a position displaced from the rear edge of the seat member 3, the movement of the rear edge of the seat member 3 necessarily includes a pad member, wherein the rear edge is displaced along a portion of the cover 2, thereby lifting the seat member away from the second seat member 4. Thus, in use, rotational movement of the seat member 3 relative to the cover 2 results in simultaneous linear movement of elements of the seat member 3 relative to the second seat member 4.

The graspable tab 5 is integrally formed with the support member 6. Thus, in use, when the graspable tab 5 is pulled away from the seat ring component 3, the support element 6 moves from a first position abutting and/or at least partially recessed into the underside or on the bottom surface of the seat ring component 3 to a second position configured to contact the second seat ring component 4 and support the first seat ring component 3 in a raised position, as shown in fig. 2. In use, the support member may prevent the raised seat part 3 from approaching the second seat part 4 without the need for simultaneous rotational movement of the cover 2 towards the first seat part 3, thereby preventing undesired folding of the seat parts.

Fig. 7 depicts an alternative embodiment of the seat ring lifter device 1, wherein the lifter member is a rod 27 forming a double hinge mechanism. The lifter member 27 comprises a first rotatable coupling arrangement 28 and a second rotatable coupling arrangement 29, the first rotatable coupling arrangement 28 being connected to a portion of the cover 22 serving as a support part, the second rotatable coupling arrangement 29 being connected to a portion of the seat part 23.

The illustrated embodiment comprises two units of the seat ring lifter arrangement, one unit mounted on each side of the seat ring around the central gap. However, it should be understood that a single device may be sufficient.

As shown in fig. 8A-8E, cover 22 receives seat member 23 when seat member is in a folded condition and cover 22 is closed. When the cover 22 is lifted, rotation of the lifter member 27 enables the seat part 23 to move rotationally away from the cover 22 while moving away from the second seat part 24 along a linear axis. Further, a portion 35 of the lifter member 27 extends through the race part 23 and is rotatably connected to the movable support element 26. This connection enables the simultaneous deployment of the mobile support element with the deployment of the seat ring part into its raised position. Thus, the seat lifter apparatus of fig. 7 may be deployed from the first configuration shown in fig. 8A to the second configuration shown in fig. 7 by lifting of the cover 22.

As depicted in fig. 8E, the cover 22 may be rotated away from the second seat member 24 by an angle greater than 90 ° to "lock" the engaged portion and prevent premature folding and/or further rotation of the seat. However, it should be understood that the maximum angle of rotation may vary depending on the geometry of the riser member 27, the engagement portion 32, and/or the movable race part 26, with alternative maximum angles being contemplated.

In some embodiments, there may be another coupling means (not shown) to releasably retain the seat member 23 within the cover 22 or in connection with the cover 22. The further coupling means may be a button or the like and may be accessible on the outer surface of the cover 22. When actuated, the further coupling mechanism may release the second seat member 23 from the cover 22 to enable the second seat member 23 to be deployed. In such an embodiment, failure to actuate a button or the like may enable the cover 22 to be opened without deploying the seat member 23 so that the second seat member 24 may alternatively be accessed by the user.

To retract seat member 23 within cover 22, the user may simply push seat member 23 back toward the cover. Alternatively, the cover may be rotated downwardly towards the seat member 23. In doing so, the movable support element 26 begins to fold and the seat member 23 is lowered until it is once again received within the cover 22, as depicted in fig. 8A. This may provide an easy way for a user to re-accommodate the first seat member 23 within the cover 22 or connect with the cover 22 without having to touch the first seat member 23, which may be unhygienic.

This may automatically reengage within the cover 22 or on the housing of the seat member 23 connected to the cover 22 when additional couplings are present to releasably maintain the seat member 23 within the cover 22 or in registry with the cover 22.

As shown in fig. 8A-8E, the race lifter arrangement includes an engagement portion 32. The engagement portion 32 is a double hinge rod rotatably coupled at one end 33 to the seat member 23 and at an opposite end 34 to the cover 22, which prevents the rear edge 31 of the seat member 23 from moving away from the cover 22 any distance greater than the distance between the two rotational coupling points and ensures optimal positioning of the seat member 23 when ready for use in the deployed state. Furthermore, the engagement portion 32 may prevent over-rotation of the lifter member by inhibiting further rotation as depicted in fig. 8E.

In addition, the engagement portion 32 maintains the seat member 23 at an optimum distance from the cover 22 so that when the cover 22 is rotated towards the second seat member, the seat member 23 can be lowered to recapture the seat member 23 within the cover 22.

As shown in fig. 9, the support member 26 is configured to fold when the race component 23 is not deployed. To accommodate the folded support, the underside of the seat 23 is provided with a channel configured to accommodate the folded support. As shown, the support member 26 forms a flat surface with the remainder of the underside of the seat ring component 23 when received. This may assist in achieving efficient and effective cleaning of the device for hygienic purposes. Additionally, the aesthetics of the device are improved by making the support and/or race member 23 less visible when the second race member 24 is used, while making the second race member more accessible and comfortable. However, it is contemplated that the support member 26 or portions thereof may not be flush with the underside of the seat ring component 23. For example, the support member or a portion thereof may be recessed and/or protrude from the seat ring 23 compared to the underside of the seat ring 23.

As shown in fig. 10, the cover portion 33 is used to cover the lifter element 27 when the first race part is in use. In addition to improving the aesthetics of the device, providing such a device can aid in maintaining a sanitary toilet by providing a smooth surface for cleaning. In other embodiments (not shown), the cover may extend over a width other than that shown. For example, two small shrouds may be provided, each shroud extending over a single lifter element.

In use according to the embodiment depicted in fig. 7-10, the user may initially be presented with the seat lifter device mounted on the toilet in a folded position with the cover (support) 22 in a closed position to block access to the toilet. The user may then choose to lift the cover 22 in a conventional manner to expose the second seat 24.

Alternatively, the user may deploy the first seat member simultaneously with opening the cover 22. This may be achieved by pressing a press release button (not shown) on the outer portion of the cover 22. When depressed, the seat member 23 is free to rotate independently of the cover 22. In use, as the cover 22 is rotated away from the released seat member 23, the rear edge of the seat member 23 traverses a geometric path relative to the portion of the cover 22 defined by the engagement portion 32, thereby lifting and supporting the rear edge of the seat member while preventing the seat member from moving in an undesired path.

At the same time, in use, when the lid 2 is lifted in a conventional manner with a rotary motion about the single hinge 36, the double hinge mechanism of the lifter member 27 simultaneously unfolds the hingedly connected support element 26, supporting the seat ring part 23 in its unfolded state. Thus, in use, the support member may prevent lifting the seat part 23 closer to the second seat part 24 without requiring simultaneous rotational movement of the cover 22 towards the first seat part 23, thereby preventing undesired folding of the seat parts. Further, as shown in figure 8E, the seat may become "locked" in use by over-rotating the seat member 23 relative to the support (cover) 22 by an angle of more than 90 degrees, thereby applying a downward force on the seat member 23 by the user biasing the cover away from the seat member 23.

In use, when the open cover 22 (as depicted in fig. 8D and 8E) is rotated back towards the seat member 23, the lifter member 27 is pulled towards the cover 22 to reduce the angle at the rotatable coupling 28 until the seat member 23 is flush with the cover 22, as depicted in fig. 8A. At the same time, rotation of the engagement portion 32 moves the rear edge of the seat ring part 23 along a set geometric path that draws the rear edge of the seat ring part 23 closer to the single hinge 36, while rotation at the coupling 29 causes the support element 26 to fold.

As used herein, any reference to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular element, feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The appearances of the phrase "in one embodiment" or the phrase "in an embodiment" in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, it should be understood that features described with respect to one embodiment may alternatively be used with an alternative embodiment or features thereof.

As used herein, the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," "including," "has," "having," or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Furthermore, unless expressly stated to the contrary, "or" means an inclusive or and not an exclusive or. For example, either of the following satisfies condition a or B: a is true (or present) and B is false (or not present), a is false (or not present) and B is true (or present), and both a and B are true (or present).

Furthermore, the use of "a" or "an" is used to describe elements and components of the invention. This is done merely for convenience and to give a general sense of the invention. This description should be read to include one or at least one and the singular also includes the plural unless it is obvious that it is meant otherwise.

In view of the foregoing description it will be evident to a person skilled in the art that various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention. For example, although embodiments have been described with reference to a toilet, one or more embodiments may be used with a chair or as part of a multiple seat arrangement such as a sofa, or the like.

The scope of the present disclosure includes any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein either explicitly or implicitly or any generalisation thereof, whether or not it relates to the claimed invention or mitigates any or all of the problems addressed by the present invention. The applicant hereby gives notice that new claims may be formulated to such features during the prosecution of the present application or of any such further application derived therefrom. In particular, with reference to the appended claims, features from dependent claims may be combined with those of the independent claims and features from respective independent claims may be combined in any appropriate manner and not merely in the specific combinations enumerated in the claims.

Claims (28)

1. A seat ring lifter arrangement for coupling to a seat ring arrangement, the seat ring lifter arrangement comprising a lifter member rotatably coupled to a seat ring component and at an opposite end, the lifter member comprising a coupling arrangement for rotatably coupling the lifter member to a support component.

2. The seat ring lifter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the seat ring lifter apparatus further comprises a support member rotatably coupled to the lifter member.

3. A seat lifter apparatus according to any preceding claim configured for use with a toilet.

4. A seat ring lifter apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the lifter member is provided by a hinged lever.

5. A seat ring lifter apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the apparatus comprises two lifter members.

6. The seat ring lifter apparatus of any of claims 2 to 5, wherein the support member includes one or more engagement portions configured to engage a portion of the seat ring member.

7. A seat ring lifter apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the lifter member includes one or more engagement portions configured to engage a portion of the seat ring component.

8. A seat ring lifter apparatus according to claim 6 or 7 wherein the one or more engagement portions comprise one or more grooves, projections and/or pins.

9. A seat ring lifter according to claim 6 or 7 wherein the one or more engagement portions comprise one or more rods rotatably coupled at one end to the seat ring member and the one or more rods comprise a coupling arrangement for rotatably coupling the engagement portions to the support member at the opposite end.

10. A race lifter apparatus according to any of claims 6 to 9, wherein the one or more engagement portions are configured to prevent over-rotation of the race part relative to the support part.

11. A seat ring lifter apparatus according to any of claims 6 to 10 wherein the one or more engagement portions prevent the edge of the seat ring member from being displaced from the support member beyond a maximum distance.

12. The seat ring lifter device of any preceding claim wherein the lifter member coupled to the seat ring component is located away from an edge of the seat ring component configured to engage the one or more engagement portions.

13. A seat ring lifter apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the seat ring lifter apparatus comprises a second seat ring component, wherein the second seat ring component is coupled to the support component and/or first seat ring component by a single hinge mechanism configured to enable rotational movement of the second seat ring relative to the support component and/or first seat ring component without simultaneous linear movement.

14. A seat ring lifter apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the first seat ring component comprises one or more moveable support elements.

15. A seat ring lifter apparatus according to any of claims 2 to 13 wherein the support member is configured to receive the first seat ring member.

16. A seat ring lifter apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 15 wherein the seat ring lifter apparatus includes further coupling means for releasably coupling a portion of the first seat ring member to the support member to enable the support member and the seat ring member to rotate simultaneously without linear movement.

17. The seat ring lifter apparatus of claim 15 wherein the further coupling means comprises one or more magnets.

18. The seat ring lifter apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the apparatus comprises an externally mounted release mechanism configured to release the further coupling to automatically deploy the seat ring component, preferably wherein the release mechanism comprises a button.

19. A seat ring lifter apparatus according to any of claims 2 to 18 wherein rotation of the first seat ring member relative to the support member causes linear movement of the seat ring member relative to the cover of 5-30 cm.

20. The seat ring lifter apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 19 wherein the first seat ring component includes a graspable element configured to enable a user to move the first seat ring component relative to the support member.

21. A seat ring lifter apparatus according to any of claims 2 to 20 wherein the support member comprises a back support element.

22. A race lifter apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the first race part comprises at least one portion formed from an elastically deformable material.

23. A kit comprising a seat ring arrangement and a seat ring lifter device according to any preceding claim.

24. The kit of claim 23, wherein the seat arrangement comprises a toilet.

25. A seat ring arrangement comprising a seat ring lifter device according to any of claims 1 to 22.

26. A seat arrangement according to claim 25, wherein the seat arrangement comprises a toilet.

27. The toilet of claim 26, wherein the seat lifter arrangement is configured to be rotatable between a first position substantially parallel to a rim of the toilet and a second generally upright position transverse to the rim of the toilet.

28. Use of a seat ring lifter arrangement according to any of claims 1 to 20.

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