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CROSS-REFERENCE CITED | |||
U.S. Pat. No. | Filing Date | Inventor Name | U.S. Class |
6,510,562 B1 | Oct. 10, 2000 | Kyong Sup Bae | 4/246.1 |
6,289,526 B1 | Sep. 18, 2001 | Chin-Chuan Chang | 4/233 |
5,813,057 | Sep. 17, 1997 | Jacques Descent | 4/233 |
5,806,105 | Sep. 12, 1997 | Yi Chieh Yu | 4/233 |
4,819,276 | Mar. 26, 1987 | Robert Stevens | 4/233 |
4,536,899 | Mar. 05, 1984 | Erika Schnyder | 4/233 |
3,599,246 | Oct. 01, 1968 | Angelo Bramati | 4/233 |
2,458,019 | Oct. 26, 1943 | Harold H. Niles | 4/233 |
2,440,231 | Oct. 05, 1944 | Lloyd H. Davidson | 4/233 |
2,332,111 | Jul. 18, 1942 | Thomas Porter | 4/233 |
2,273,449 | Jun. 19, 1940 | Herbert Plishker | 4/233 |
1,520,789 | Jul. 12, 1924 | Robert Weill | 4/233 |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to sterilization of a toilet seat and surrounding areas, by mean of a U.V. lamp with germicidal light, which irradiates the toilet seat, thereby killing germs and bacteria that cause diseases, which are generally on the surface of the seat.
This invention also consists of a means of isolating the toilet seat from the rest of the toilet when not in use as a toilet seat, placing to the seat in a cabinet next to toilet.
This invention not only sterilizes the toilet seat to achieve a clean and hygienic effect but places the seat in a new position that will avoid contact with urine.
This invention consists of a mechanical system that positions and repositions the seat, placing it after each use within the cabinet, where it will be sterilized by a U.V. lamp. This system has a mechanical timer that raises the seat of toilet after its use, for example while the user is refastening clothing after use.
The requirements for keeping clean the surfaces associated with a toilet are demanding, and ultraviolet lamps prevent propagation of infection diseases. Studies show that the behavior of microorganisms are affected by radiation lights, like ultraviolet type B (UV-B) germicidal light that is 253.7 nm wide. A short exposure time to the UV-B light can destroy major microorganism including virus and fungus.
2. The Prior Art
Several arts are involves in this new invention, automatic hinge are know in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 6,510,562 to Kyong Sup Bae; ultraviolet sterilizer are know in the art; U.S. Pat. No. 2,332,111 to Thomas R. Porter and Alfred Laidig, assigned to Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, relate an apparatus for sterilizing and maintaining sterile the seat and bowl; U.S. Pat. No. 2,273,449 to Herbert E. Plishker, assigned to Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, relate a portable sterilizer with UV lamps; U.S. Pat. No. 2,440,231 to Lloyd H. Davidson, assigned to Avco Manufacturing Corp. relate a mechanism for shifting the toilet between a position in sterilizing cabinet and its usable position, working with an electric motor for shifting the toilet seat and provide automatic return to sterilize position; U.S. Pat. No. 2,458,019 to H. H. Niles, relate a sterilization method with ultraviolet lamps and their germicidal energy; U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,276 to Robert Stevens, relate to the disinfection or sterilization of the toilet seat by means of germicidal ultraviolet radiation, produce by a tubular lamp mount in rear of the toilet, this invention show the effective use of ultraviolet lamps for killer a major diseases transmitter germens; U.S. Pat. No. 6,289,256 B1 to Chin-Chuan Chang, relate to automatic cleaner for a toilet seat, which include a cleaner and toilet seat, wherein the seat turn around the device and is cleaned with some disinfectant liquid and dry with a blower.
Several inventions for sterilization have been developed before, but none propose to change the seat position. A few inventions relate to use of germicidal lamps for sterilization and others to lifting the seat automatically with some mechanism, but this invention combines the benefits and provide an improved, new system for keep sterile a toilet seat.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a device to keep clean and sterile the toilet seat in public facilities. This device is composed of a cabinet to isolate the seat of the toilet, a UV lamp for sterilization of the seat, a mechanical lifting device which raises up the seat after a previously defined time, a special hinge with a telescopic axle, a recovery system for pulling the seat into the cabinet and a handle for pull the seat out of the cabinet.
The system works in the following way: the user arrives at a public restroom and grab the handle of an attachment to the seat and pulls the handle to remove the seat from the cabinet; the seat moves on a mobile set of slides on a rail until arriving at the top position, at which time the hinge of the seat slides a little more, because it has an telescopic axle. When fully extended the user must turn the seat counter-clockwise, 90 degrees, so that the mobile mechanism will be secured by a lock in the solid part of the seat. The user is now ready to lower the seat. The user must lower the seat until reaches a horizontal position on the toilet bowl. At this moment a system is activated that has a gears that are jioined to the hinge of the seat and prepares it so that when the user rises, the system begins a count down of time and then raises the seat after the time has expired, while the user, for example, is refastening his or her clothing. The system will raise the seat slowly to avoid injuring the user, and when it is in a vertical position, the lock will be released and an internal release system for the cabinet door will be activated, consisting of a wire that is coiled in a small tube, pulling the seat inside the cabinet, where it will be sterilized and prepared for the next user.
As a further object of the invention, the light of the U.V. lamp will ionizes the atmosphere and radiate heat, thus warming the seat slightly in the winter.
The accomplishment of this and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description and its accompanying drawing of which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the location of the preferred embodiment and the whole toilet.
FIG. 2 is upper view (plans view) related with FIG. 1, show the situation between the toilet and preferred embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the position two, when the preferred embodiment is totally open out.
FIG. 4 is a upper view displaying the position three, when the seat rotate on mechanism and is ready to put over the toilet.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of recovery system located inside the cabinet
FIG. 6 is a perspective view explode of FIG. 5
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of hinge and telescopic axle.
FIG. 8 is an upper view of another preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a perspective showing the whole mechanical mechanism of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
The accomplishment of this and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description and its accompanying drawing of which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective showing the location of the preferred embodiment and the whole toilet system, as similarly depicted in FIG. 2. this show the components of the invention, including a cabinet 1, lamp holder 2, lamp 3, glass 4, handle 5, seat 6, hinge 7, recovery system 8, mobile support mechanism 9, mobile mechanism 10, toilet 11 and a rail 51 for displacement.
FIG. 3 is a perspective showing the second position, when the preferred embodiment is totally opened for use, this view show the seat 6, displaying the mobile support mechanism 9, the mobile mechanism 10, the hinge 7 and the telescopic axle 71 totally extended, the seat 6 when pulled out with all its pieces running over the rail 51, and the wire 29 extension for the recovery system 8.
FIG. 4 is a perspective showing the seat 6 turning counterclockwise with arrows to the mobile mechanism 10.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the mechanism to recover the seat 6, and the hole 28 where the wire 29 comes from.
FIG. 6 this a specific view showing the recovery mechanism, including the inside of the recovery system 8 and a hole 28 from which the wire 29 will extend, which wire 29 is connected to the mobile support mechanism 9 and slide on a tube 31. Inside the tube 31 is a spring coil 30 that forces the recovery and rolls up the wire 29 over the tube 31 and pulls the system inside the cabinet 1.
FIG. 7 this is a perspective view of the hinge 7, with specific view of the mechanism inside the body of the hinge 7, showing the rotor part 72 and the telescopic axle 71, that is necessary to extend the seat 6 to the center of the toilet 11.
FIG. 8 is view showing the mobile support mechanism 9 and the mobile mechanism 10, the close up shows how the base of the mobile mechanism 10 turns, showing the axle 104 of the mobile mechanism and showing the locking system 101 whereby the mobile mechanism 10 is locked when reaching the position.
FIG. 9 this view is a front view of the mobile support mechanism 9 and the mobile mechanism 10, which show the main gear 13 and releasing gear 14. It also shows the lock hole 114 for the lock system 101 and show the mobile support mechanism hole 128 in which the cable 29 will be linked to a piece of the recovery system 8.
Many changes and modifications in the above described embodiments of the inventions can, of course, be carried out without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, to promote the progress in science and the useful arts, the invention is disclosed an is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.