GB2474907A

GB2474907A - A toilet seat handle

Info

Publication number: GB2474907A
Application number: GB0919184A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Desmond Edward Morley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-10-30
Filing date: 2009-10-30
Publication date: 2011-05-04
Also published as: GB0919184D0

Abstract

A toilet seat handle 2 comprises a first part 4, an attaching means 6 for attaching the first part 4 in use to a toilet seat 8, and a second part 10 for being gripped by a person wishing to raise and lower the toilet seat 8. The first and second part may be integrally formed together, or they may be separable from each other. Preferably, the first part has a female formation (34, Fig 5) in the form of a slot, and the second part has a male formation (36, Fig 5) which has a cross section which cooperates with the slot of the female formation. The second part may be a disposable component which will degrade in the water when flushed down the toilet. The handle may include visual position indicating means to indicate raised and lowered positions of the toilet seat. The indicating means are preferably in the form of smiling and non-smiling faces (18, Fig 2).

Description

A TOILET SEAT HANDLE

This invention relates to a handle and, more especially, this invention relates to a toilet seat handle. The present invention also extends to a toilet seat when provided with the toilet seat handle.

Many people do not like touching toilet seats. Usually, the people are worried in case they catch an infection from the toilet seat. Even if the people do not catch an infection, they are worried that their hands may in some way be contaminated by contact with the toilet seat, for example by germs on the toilet seat.

It is an aim of the present invention to obviate or reduce the above mentioned problem.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided a toilet seat handle comprising a first part, attaching means for attaching the first part in use to a toilet seat, and a second part for being gripped by a person wishing to raise and lower the toilet seat. *.S*

.. : With the toilet seat handle of the present invention, only the toilet seat * .** handle needs to be gripped in order to raise and lower the toilet seat. People are able to avoid touching the actual toilet seat and the worry that this causes ** ** .* * Preferably, the toilet seat handle is one in which the first part is for * .* attaching to an underside part of the toilet seat. If desired, the first part may be for attaching elsewhere to the toilet seat, for example to an upperside part of the toilet seat.

The toilet seat handle may be one in which the second part extends outwardly from the toilet seat. In this case, the toilet seat may be one in which the second part extends outwardly away from the toilet seat and in a horizontal direction when the toilet seat is in a lowered position.

The first and the second parts may be permanently connected together so that the toilet seat handle is a one-piece unit. The first and the second parts may be integrally formed together. Alternatively, the first and the second parts may be separately formed and then permanently connected together.

The first and the second parts may alternatively be separable from each other so that the toilet seat handle is a two-piece unit.

When the first and the second parts are separable from each other, the toilet seat handle may be one in which the first part has a female formation, in which the second part has a male formation, and in which the male formation fits in the female formation to join the first and the second parts together. The female portion may be a slot, in which case the male formation may have a .. : cross section in the shape of the slot. The female formation may have any * .S* suitable and desired cross sectional shape, with the male portion usually having a complementary cross sectional shape.

***SS* * When the first and the second parts are separable from each other, the second part may be a disposable second part. The disposable second part may be a water-degradable second part for disposal by flushing down the toilet.

The attaching means may be an adhesive attaching means. Other * types of attaching means may be employed so that, for example, the attaching means may be screws or a clamp, depending upon the construction of the toilet seat handle.

The adhesive attaching means is preferably an adhesive pad. The adhesive attaching means, for example the adhesive pad, may have a protective peel-off layer which protects an adhesive surface of the adhesive attaching means prior to installation of the toilet seat handle on the toilet seat.

The protective peel-off layer may be a silicone-release sheet.

The toilet seat handle may include position-indicating means for indicating raised and lowered positions of the toilet seat.

The position-indicating means is preferably a visual position-indicating means. Alternatively or additionally, the position-indicating means may be an audio position-indicating means.

The visual position-indicating means may be a smiling face for indicating the lowered position of the toilet seat, and a non-smiling face for indicating the raised position of the toilet seat, the smiling face being on an * .* upper side of the toilet seat handle when the toilet seat is in a lowered position, and the non-smiling face being on an opposite side of the toilet seat * handle and viewable from the front of the toilet seat when the toilet seat is in * ** *I * the raised position. The non-smiling face may be one with a down-turned mouth.

The second part may have a knob formation for being gripped by the person raising and lowering the toilet seat. Other formations may be employed so that, for example, the second part may have a ring, a straight lever or curved lever for being gripped by the person raising and lowering the toilet seat.

The toilet seat handle is preferably attached to the toilet seat at a side portion of the toilet seat and nearer to the back of the toilet seat than to the front of the toilet seat. Other positions may be employed for attaching the toilet seat handle to the toilet seat.

The present invention also extends to a toilet seat when provided with the toilet seat handle.

The toilet seat may be one in which the handle is attached to an underside part of the toilet seat. If desired, the toilet seat may be one in which the toilet seat handle is attached to an upperside part of the toilet seat.

The toilet seat may comprise a seat portion and a lid. In this case, the handle may be on the seat portion, or it may be on the lid. If desired, there may be two of the handles, with one of the handles being on the seat portion and one of the handles being on the lid. Alternatively, the toilet seat may be : one in which the toilet seat is such that it only has a seat portion, it does not * *** have a lid, and in which the handle is on the seat portion.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of S...

* example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: S *S ** I S...

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a toilet seat having a first toilet seat handle, the toilet seat handle being on a seat portion of the toilet seat, and the seat portion being in a lowered position; Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the toilet seat handle as viewed in Figure 1 when the seat portion of the toilet seat is in a lowered position; Figure 3 is a view like Figure 2 and shows the reverse side of the toilet seat handle; Figure 4 shows the toilet seat of Figure 1 with the seat portion being in a raised position, the toilet seat handle being as shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 shows a second toilet seat handle; Figure 6 shows the toilet seat handle of Figure 5 in use on a seat portion of a toilet seat; Figure 7 is a top plan view of a toilet seat having a toilet seat handle attached to a lid of the toilet seat, the lid being in a raised position; and Figure 8 shows the toilet seat of Figure 7 but with the lid in a lowered position.

Referring to Figures 1 -4, there is shown a toilet seat handle 2 comprising a first part 4, attaching means 6 for attaching the first part 4 in use to a toilet seat 8. The toilet seat handle 2 also comprises a second part 10 for * .*S *** being gripped by a person wishing to raise and lower the toilet seat 8.

The first part 4 is attached to an underside 12 of a seat portion 11 of * the toilet seat 8. As can be seen from Figures 1 and 4, the second part 10 extends outwardly away from the toilet seat 8, and in a horizontal direction when the seat portion 11 of the toilet seat 8 is in the lowered position shown in Figure 1.

As can best be appreciated from Figures 2 and 3, the first and the second parts are permanently connected together so that the toilet seat handle is one-piece unit. The toilet seat handle 2 is formed as a one-piece moulding.

The attaching means 6 is an adhesive attaching means in the form of an adhesive pad. The adhesive pad has a protective peel-off layer 14 which protects an adhesive surface of the adhesive pad prior to installation of the toilet seat handle 2 on the toilet seat 8. As shown in Figure 2, the layer 14 may have a corner portion 16 which is easily liftable and which is identified by the words PEEL HERE. The attaching means 6 in the form of the adhesive pad is a double sided adhesive pad so that the side of the adhesive pad opposite the layer 14 is able to be stuck to the first part 4 of the toilet seat handle 2 during manufacture.

The toilet seat handle 2 includes position-indicating means 18 for indicating the raised and lowered positions of the toilet seat. The position-indicating means 18 is a visual position-indicating means 18 and it comprises a smiling face as shown in Figure 2 and a non-smiling face as shown in S...

Figure 3. The smiling face is for indicating the lowered position of the toilet seat, and the non-smiling face is for indicating the raised position of the toilet * seat. As shown in Figure 2, the smiling face is on an upper side 20 of the toilet seat handle 2 when the toilet seat 8 is in a lowered position. As shown in Figure 3, the non-smiling face is on an opposite side 22 of the toilet seat handle 2 and is viewable from the front of the toilet seat 8 when the toilet seat is in the raised position.

Figure 4 shows the toilet seat 8 in the raised position. Figure 4 also shows the toilet seat handle 2 as depicted in Figure 3.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6, there is shown a toilet seat handle 24 having a first part 26 and a second part 28. The first part 26 is provided with a protective peel-off layer 30 which is like the layer 14 and which has a corner portion 32 which is like the corner portion 16. The first and the second parts 26, 28 are separable from each other so that the toilet seat handle 24 is a two-piece unit. The first part 26 has a female formation 34. The second part 28 has a male formation 36. The male formation 36 fits in the female formation 34 to join the first and the second parts 26, 28 together. As shown in Figure 5, the female formation 34 is in the form of a slot, and the male formation 36 has a cross section in the shape of the slot.

As can best be appreciated from Figure 6, the toilet seat handle 24 is such that the first part 26 may be left permanently secured to a seat portion 37 of a toilet seat 38. Different persons using the toilet seat 38 are then able to have their own second part 28. The persons then simply have to insert their S..

: own second part 28 into the first part 26 in order to raise and lower the seat U..

portion 37 of the toilet seat 38.

The second part 28 is advantageously a disposable second part which 5.55 * is made of a water-degradable material. The water-degradable material may be a cellulose-type material such for example as water-degradable cardboard. The second part 28 can then be disposed of after use simply by flushing it down the toilet after use. With a such a disposable second part 28, the second part 28 could be available from a dispenser in the toilet, or people could arrive with their own second part 28, for example in a pocket or a bag.

As can be appreciated from Figures 5 and 6, the toilet seat handle 24 is provided with position-indicating means 40 which is the same as the position-indicating means 18 on the toilet seat handle seat 2.

As can be appreciated from Figures 1 and 4, the toilet seat 8 includes a lid 42 which is attached by hinges 44 to the remainder of the toilet seat 8.

Figure 6 shows the toilet seat 38 similarly provided with a lid 42 and hinges 44.

The toilet seat handles 2 and 24 enable their respective toilet seat portions 11 and 37 to be raised and lowered without a person having actually to touch the toilet seat portions 11 and 37. Hygiene is thus greatly improved and people do not have to worry about their hands being contaminated with germs from the toilet seat and/or catching infections from direct contact with the toilet seat.

Referring now to Figures 7 and 8, there is shown a toilet seat 52 on a toilet pan 54. The toilet seat 52 comprises a seat portion 56 and a lid 58. The

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lid 58 is hinged to the seat portion 56 by hinges 60, 62. An underside part 64 of the lid 58 is provided with a toilet seat handle 66. The toilet seat handle 66 is like the toilet seat handle 2 shown in detail in Figure 2. Similar parts have * been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding. The toilet seat handle 66 enables the lid 58 to be raised and lowered with respect to the seat portion 56 as can be appreciated from Figures 7 and 8.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described * above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the toilet seats 8, 38 and 52 may be of different shapes to those shown and they may be with or without lids 42, 58. The toilet seats 8, 38 and 52 are shown on toilet basins 46, 48 and 54 respectively and these toilet basins may be of any suitable and appropriate size and shape. The toilet seat handles 2, 24 and 66 have a knob formation 50 which is for being gripped by a person raising and lowering the toilet seats 8, 38 and 52. The knob formation 50 may be of another knob shape, or it can alternatively be of another hand-gripping formation such for example as a ring, a straight lever or a curved lever. The toilet seat handle and the toilet seat of the present invention can be made in any suitable and appropriate materials. Hypoallergenic plastics materials are presently preferred since they reduce further the risk of infections. The female formation 34 and the male formation 36 may be of different shapes to those shown. If desired, the toilet seat of the present invention may be provided with two of the toilet seat handles, with one of the handles being on the seat *S..

portion of the seat and the other handle being on the lid of the seat. The toilet seat handles may be on upperside parts of the toilet seats instead of underside parts as shown.

SI*.I* * * * ** * * * ****

Claims

CLAIMS1. A toilet seat handle comprising a first part, attaching means for attaching the first part in use to a toilet seat, and a second part for being gripped by a person wishing to raise and lower the toilet seat.
2. A toilet seat handle according to claim 1 in which the first part is for attaching to an underside part of the toilet seat.
3. A toilet seat handle according claim 1 or claim 2 in which the second part extends outwardly from the toilet seat.
4. A toilet seat handle according to claim 3 in which the second part extends outwardly away from the toilet seat, and in a horizontal direction when the toilet seat is in a lowered position.
5. A toilet seat handle according to any one of the preceding claims in which the first and the second parts are permanently connected together so that the toilet seat handle is one-piece unit. * * *
6. A toilet seat handle according to claim 5 in which the first and the second parts are integrally formed together.*....S * SS

S. *SSS * . * *S * I I *.SS
7. A toilet seat handle according to any one of claims 1 4 in which the first and the second parts are separable from each other so that the toilet seat handle is a two-piece unit.
8. A toilet seat handle according to claim 7 in which the first part has a female formation, in which the second part has a male formation, and in which the male formation fits in the female formation to join the first and the second parts together.
9. A toilet seat handle according to claim 8 in which the female formation is a slot, and in which the male formation has a cross section in the shape of the slot.
10. A toilet seat handle according to any one of claims 7 -9 in which the second part is a disposable second part.
11. A toilet seat handle according to claim 10 in which the disposable second part is a water-degradable second part for disposal by flushing down the toilet. S... * . . *
12. A toilet seat handle according to any one of the preceding claims in which the attaching means is an adhesive attaching means. S... * S * .* * S * SS*
13. A toilet seat handle according to claim 12 in which the adhesive attaching means is an adhesive pad.
14. A toilet seat handle according to claim 13 in which the adhesive pad has a protective peel-off layer which protects the adhesive surface of the adhesive pad prior to installation of the toilet seat handle on the toilet seat.
15. A toilet seat handle according to any one of the preceding claims and including position-indicating means for indicating raised and lowered positions of the toilet seat.
16, A toilet seat handle according to claim 15 in which the position-indicating means is a visual position-indicating means.
17. A toilet seat handle according to claim 16 in which the visual position-indicating means is a smiling face for indicating the lowered position of the toilet seat, and a non-smiling face for indicating the raised position of the toilet seat, the smiling face being on an upper side of the toilet seat handle when the toilet seat is in a lowered position, and the non-smiling face being on an opposite side of the toilet seat handle and viewable from the front of the toilet * .** seat when the toilet seat is in the raised position.

*.***I * * * * S S * * * ** * S * *5*5
18. A toilet seat handle according to any one of the preceding claims in which the second part has a knob formation for being gripped by the person raising and lowering the toilet seat.
19. A toilet seat handle substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
20. A toilet seat when provided with a toilet seat handle according to any one of the preceding claims.
21. A toilet seat according to claim 20 in which the toilet seat handle is attached to an underside part of the toilet seat.
22. A toilet seat according to claim 20 or claim 21 in which the toilet seat handle is attached to the toilet seat at a side portion of the toilet seat and nearer the back of the toilet seat than the front of the toilet seat.
23. A toilet seat according to any one of claims 20 -22, and in which the toilet seat comprises a seat portion and a lid. * * S *5 * *SSS
24. A toilet seat according to claim 23 in which the handle is on the seatS1.55.5 * portion.*....S * S * I.
25. A toilet seat according to claim 23 in which the handle is on the lid.
26. A toilet seat according to claim 23 in which there are two of the handles, with one of the handles being on the seat portion and one of the handles being on the lid.
27. A toilet seat according to any one of claims 20 -22 and in which the toilet seat is such that it only has a seat portion, it does not have a lid, and in which the handle is on the seat portion. *S.. * . . * * * S.. * S S...*5*5** * SS*S.S.. * S * ** * S S ****