GB2256206A - Lavatory seat cover - Google Patents

Abstract

A lavatory seat cover (1) includes a projecting portion (2) at the front which, in use, overhangs a lavatory seat (3) with which it is associated. In the projection (2) is a recess (5) in which a catch (6) is slidably received and retained. The catch (6) is arranged to retain the seat against the cover when it is closed, and it is biassed into the closed position by means of a spring (10). To this end, the catch (6) includes a lug (8) which, when the seat and the catch is closed, engages beneath the seat. (Figure 5). <IMAGE>

Description

LAVATORY SEAT COVER The invention relates to covers for lavatory seats of the type which comprise a generally flat member which is normally pivotally mounted on a lavatory bowl so as to be movable between a lowered position in which the lavatory and a seat thereon are covered and a raised position in which the lavatory bowl and/or seat are accessible for use.

It is a well established problem in this field that lavatory seats and the rims around lavatory bowls are prone to becoming soiled. This leads to the promotion of bacterial growth on the seat or rim and the possibility of disease being spread through human contact with these components. There is a general disinclination on behalf of people using lavatories to touch the seats or rims, not only because of the possibility of catching disease, but also due to a general sense of revulsion.

Simply by having a catch (with or without wording) will encourage the principle of "raising the seat before use". At present it is generally left down without a thought. The seat maybe down and the lid left up on some occasions.

This problem is particularly pronounced in lavatories which are available for use by the general public, e.g. in town centres and on aircraft etc., where the frequency of use is greater and where there is less tendency on behalf of users to exercise care.

Various ways of overcoming the above problems have been proposed. For example, aircraft lavatories commonly have a portion cut away from the front of the seat to prevent it being accidentally soiled. However, this means that the seat has to be made very strong to withstand the stresses produced at the hinge when the seat is lifted at one side. The seat is in consequence heavier than it would otherwise have to be; a disadvantage particularly in aeroplanes.

It has been proposed (in US3935601) to attach a handle to a lavatory seat by means of which the seat may be lifted without risk of touching the bowl. In this arrangement, however, there is still the risk of the handle becoming soiled, in which case users will be discouraged from touching it in order to lift the seat.

Another solution has been proposed in EP0306572 in which the seat and cover of a lavatory are liftable by means of an arrangement activated by the user's foot which is connected to the hinges of the seat/cover.

This arrangement is very complicated, however, and is likely to be expensive to produce as well as being a bulky and unsightly addition to a lavatory.

There is therefore a need for an arrangement whereby a lavatory seat may be lifted hygeinically and with minimum effort which is also light, simple, cheap and unobtrusive.

It is an object of the present invention to go at least part of the way towards meeting these and other needs.

According to the present invention a lavatory seat cover comprises a cover member adapted to be pivotally mounted on a lavatory to be movable between a lowered position substantially parallel to the top surface of the lavatory bowl and a stable raised position e.g.

substantially perpendicular to the said surface, the seat cover incorporating a catch, movable between open and closed positions, by means of which a lavatory seat may be retained against the seat cover when the catch is closed so as to be movable with the cover and released when it is open so as to enable the cover to be raised and lowered with the seat remaining stationary.

The seat may thus be raised by a user by manually engaging and lifting the cover when the catch is closed, thus lifting the seat with the cover. Since the cover does not normally become soiled, this procedure is hygienic. The catch can be very simple and cheap and may also be made unobtrusive.

It is preferred that the catch is biased into the closed position, so that when the seat and cover are both in a lowered position, lifting the cover will automatically result in the seat also being lifted. It is also preferred that the catch is located at the front of the cover, to enable it to be reached most easily and to give the most mechanical advantage when lifting the cover or the cover and seat.

This has the advantage of avoiding the need for left hand and right hand versions.

In a much preferred embodiment, the seat cover affords a peripherally outwardly projecting portion of which the catch forms at least part, and the catch is adapted for use as a handle for raising and lowering the seat cover or the seat cover together with a lavatory seat. In this arrangement, it is easier manually to engage the cover and lift it. Also, the part which is engaged by a user is, in use, spaced further from the seat and there is therefore less chance of accidentally touching the seat. When the projection is at the front of the cover, it lends itself to being readily incorporated into a symmetrical, flowing, elegant shape.

The catch is preferably received in a recess in the projecting portion so that the seat cover has no abrupt edges on which clothes might snag.

A preferred feature of the cover in combination with a lavatory seat is that the catch includes a portion which, when the catch is closed and the lavatory seat is adjacent the seat cover, projects beneath the underside of the lavatory seat thereby retaining the seat against the cover.

The projecting portion preferably smoothly extends the inwardly curving side edges of the cover so that there are no sharp angles and the front of the cover is a somewhat pointed version of the front of the seat.

Desirably, the projecting portion also droops down past the level of the seat itself so as completely to house the catch when it includes a portion adapted to project beneath the lavatory seat.

Preferably, the projection on the cover, when the cover and seat are engaged, extends down past the bottom face of the seat by an amount X which is about the same as the maximum thickness Y of the seat itself (in the direction perpendicular to the lower face of the seat). More broadly, the ratio of X to Y is preferably at least 0.1:1, e.g. 0.1:1 to 2:1 or 0.5:1 to 1.5:1, more preferably 0.8:1 to 1.3:1 or 0.9:1 to 1.2:1.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of one specific embodiment, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a lavatory seat cover in accordance with the invention, together with a lavatory seat; Figure 2 is a plan view from below of the cover and seat of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a front view of the cover and seat of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a rear view of the cover and seat of Figure 1; Figure 5 is an enlarged scale section taken on the line I-I in Figure 1, but showing the catch in the open position and also showing part of a lavatory bowl; and Figure 6 is an enlarged scale section taken on the line II-II in Figure 1, also showing part of a lavatory bowl.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 4, a lavatory seat cover 1 in accordance with the invention is pivotally mounted at its rear end on a mounting bracket 4, together with a lavatory seat 3 with which it is associated. The seat 3 and cover 1 are each independently pivotable on the mounting bracket 4 as is usual. The seat 3 has a conventional shape and the shape of the outer periphery of the cover 1 is similar to that of the seat apart from a projecting, or extended, portion 2 at the front of the cover. The extended portion 2 overhangs the seat 3 when the cover 1 is in a position adjacent the seat 3 as shown in the the figures.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6, in the front of the seat cover 1 is a parallel-sided recess 5 in which a correspondingly shaped catch 6 is received; that is, the sides of the catch are parallel whilst its upper, outer and lower faces conform to and continue the surface profile of the projection. The recess 5 has a groove 7 in each side wall, which extends from the inner side of the overhang of the extended portion 2 to a point just within the outer side of the overhang.

The catch 6 is a close tolerance fit in the recess 5 and has projections, or ridges, (not shown) on each side which engage in the grooves 7. The catch 6 is thus slidably received and retained in the recess 5. The catch may carry instructions e.g. "press" or "pull" and "Please raise the seat". A spring 10 is attached to the catch and also to the recess at a point in a depression 12 in the rear surface of the recess 5. The spring 10 is under tension even when the catch is closed, i.e. moved to its fullest extent into the recess. A hollow cylindrical spring sleeve 11 extends around the spring 10 and is mounted in the depression 12. The surface of the catch 6 is configured so as to be flush with the upper surface and front surface of the cover 1 when the catch is closed. The underneath surface of the catch 6 rises steeply back from the front face to form a handle portion 9.A lug 8 extends rearwardly of the catch and, when the catch is closed, extends rearwardly beyond the inner rim of the seat cover 1 and beneath the seat when the seat and cover are adjacent each other.

The ratio X:Y shown in Figure 5 is about 1.2:1 The upper portion of the lavatory bowl 13 associated with the seat and cover may also be seen in Figures 5 and 6. Contact pads 14, 15 are located on the underneath surface of the seat and cover respectively.

Just rearwardly of the contact pad 15 on the cover there is provided a drip ridge 17 to catch moisture and prevent it reaching the handle or locking mechanism.

The seat cover may be made from any suitable material, e.g. metal, moulded plastics material or wood.

In use, the mounting bracket 4 is secured to a lavatory bowl. The seat cover and seat are normally in the closed position i.e. with both seat and cover parallel with the upper surface of the lavatory bowl.

The spring 10 biasses the catch 6 into the recess 5 and the lug 8 extends beneath the seat 3 to retain it against the cover 1.

When it is required to raise the cover and the seat, it is only necessary manually to engage the handle portion 9 of the catch 6 and lift, since the cover and seat are held together by the catch 6. When it is required to raise only the seat cover 1, the catch 6 is first pulled outwardly against the influence of the spring 10 to disengage the lug 8 from underneath the seat 3. The cover may then be raised by pulling upwardly on the catch whilst maintaining an outward force on it to prevent the lug 8 from re-engaging beneath the seat.

In another embodiment (not shown) the catch mounted on the cover is arranged to engage the inside edge of the front of the seat rather than its outside edge.

The catch will again be operable from outside the cover e.g. by a pivot and lever arrangement.

It may readily be seen that these operations are extremely simple to perform and that the cover or the seat and cover may be raised without any risk of contacting the seat or the rim of the bowl.

Claims (10)

1. A lavatory seat cover comprising a cover member adapted to be pivotally mounted on a lavatory to be movable between a lowered position substantially parallel to the top surface of the lavatory bowl and a stable raised position, the seat cover incorporating a catch, movable between open and closed positions, by means of which a lavatory seat may be retained against the seat cover when the catch is closed so as to be movable with the cover and released when it is open so as to enable the cover to be raised and lowered with the seat remaining stationary.

2. A lavatory seat cover as claimed in claim 1 wherein the catch is biassed into the closed position.

3. A lavatory seat cover as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the catch is located at the front of the cover.

4. A lavatory seat cover as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising a peripherally outwardly projecting portion of which the catch forms at least part, and the catch is adapted for use as a handle for raising and lowering the seat cover or the seat cover together with a lavatory seat.

5. A lavatory seat cover as claimed in claim 4 wherein the catch is received in a recess in the projecting portion.

6. A lavatory seat cover as claimed in claim 5 wherein the recess is substantially parallel-sided, and the catch is slidably received therein.

7. A lavatory seat cover as claimed in claim 6 wherein the catch is retained in the recess by means of projections or grooves on the catch which engage with corresponding grooves or projections in the recess.

8. A lavatory seat cover as claimed in any of the preceding claims in combination with a lavatory seat, wherein the catch includes a portion which, when the catch is closed and the lavatory seat is adjacent the seat cover, projects beneath the underside of the lavatory seat thereby retaining the seat against the cover.

9. A combination as claimed in claim 8 and claim 4 or any claim when dependent thereon wherein the projecting portion extends beyond the periphery of the seat when the seat is adjacent the cover.

10. A lavatory seat cover substantially as specifically herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.