E-Z seat

United States Patent Application 20070033721

This Electro-Mechanical device is comprised of two DC motors. One motor is connected to a solid shaft through two gears. One drive gear on motor shaft, meshing with the driven gear on said shaft. This shaft has two mounting hinges which attach to lid, driving it to the up or down position. Motor two is connected to a hollow shaft, surrounding the inner shaft through the drive gear and the driven gear on the shaft. This shaft has two mounting hinges fastened to the seat, driving it to the up or down position. The motors are independently controlled by two switches (push bottons) on either a hand control box mounted to the toilet tank or any easily accessible area near the toilet. The other option being a foot controller, mounted on the floor by toilet pedestal or under the toe kick plate on sink cabinets, out of the way but accessible.

Creswick, Lloyd Brandon (Sacramento, CA, US)
Parrish, Victoria Gwen (Sacramento, CA, US)

11/183606

02/15/2007

08/15/2005

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4/246.1

A47K13/10

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LE, HUYEN D

LLOYD BRANDON CRESWICK (NAMPA, ID, US)

1. An Electro-Mechanical device comprising of two DC motors secured to a mounting plate with a rounded cover. The cover has one hole on each end to allow the drive shafts to pass through, each shaft having it's own driven gear and the ends mounted in a bushing housing fastened to the toilet pedestal with plastic bolts and nuts. Each shaft has two mounting hinges, one per side to attach to one lid or seat respectively. Allowing the rotary action of each motor to drive the lid or seat to the full upright position or the full down position resting on the toilet bowl rim. Each motor is separately controlled by it's own switch and is pre-set to stop at the down (home) position or at the full up position where the lid is resting on the tank.

2. The electro-mechanical device of claim 1 wherein the motors are DC stepper motors.

3. The electro-mechanical device of claim 1 wherein the motors have a pre-set operating range from φ degrees radius at the down position to just over −90 degrees radius at the up position limit.

4. The electro-mechanical device of claim 1 wherein the individual control switches are the push button type mounted in a box.

5. The electro-mechanical device of claim 4 wherein the control box is a hand operated control mountable to the tank, or any easily accessible area near the toilet.

6. The electro-mechanical device of claim 4 wherein the control box is a foot operated control mounted on the floor in any easily accessible area near the toilet.

7. The electro-mechanical device of claim 1 wherein the two motors and the controller is powered by 120 volt AC outlet, through a step-down transformer.

8. The electro-mechanical device of claim 7 wherein the power from the transformer is a DC current and will provide power to the two motors through the said control switches.

9. The electro-mechanical device of claim 1 wherein both the drive shafts will rotate on bushings at either end of the shafts.

10. The electro-mechanical device of claim 9 wherein the bushings will be at a minimum one bushing on each end between the shaft end housing and the outer shaft, allowing rotation of said shaft.

11. The electro-mechanical device of claim 9 wherein there will be at least one bushing on each end between the outer hollow shaft and the inner solid shaft allowing rotation of both shafts independent of one another.

12. Upon further research and development place bushings as needed for support next to each driven gear.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The E-Z Seat device will allow a person to use the toilet in a more sanitary manner. The user will not need to touch the toilet lid or seat in order to raise or lower them for use. This will be accomplished by and electric motor controlled by either a hand operated push button switch or a foot controller on the floor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

Page 1 FIGURE A

This is the hinge unit that mounts to the toilet pedestal through the standard mounting holes provided. It includes the gears on the shaft, bushings and hinge to fasten the lid and seat of the assembly, which rotates to raise or lower the lid or seat independently.

• 1) Bushings—For rotation of shafts. There is an inner shaft driving the seat hinge and an outer hollow shaft which rotates around the inner shaft to lift the lid.
• 2) Hinge—To be attached to the seat.
• 3) Gear—Driven by motor M1 rotating inner shaft and the seat portion of the assembly.
• 4) Shaft—Inner shaft rotates by motor M1 through driven gear to raise and lower seat.
• 5) Gear—Driven by motor M2 rotating outer shaft and the lid portion of the assembly.
• 6) Hinge—To be attached to lid.
• 7) Mount—Plastic bolt with bottom nut to fasten the whole unit to toilet pedestal.
• 8A) Shaft—Outer shaft rotates around inner shaft (FIG. 4) through driven gear to raise and lower lid.

Page 1 FIGURE B

This is the two motors with one driving gear each to rotate the lid and seat independent of one another.

• 8B) Gear—Driving gear meshes with gear (FIG. 3) thereby raising and lowering the seat.
• 9) Gear—Driving gear meshes with gear (FIG. 5) thereby raising and lowering the lid.
• 10B) Motors—Motors M1 and M2 are DC Stepper motors that will rotate at a pre-set determined amount of degrees from home position (down φ degrees) to approximately 92 degrees to raised, upright position with lid resting against the water tank of toilet. The same as manually operated lid and seat assemblies.

Page 1 FIGURE C

This is the top view of the base and end view of the top cover of the motor and gear housing. Made of injection moulded plastic it will be smooth with rounded edges for easy cleaning and will be colored to match the toilet seat and lids as well as the toilet.

• 10) Base—Top view has flat bottom to rest directly on flat portion of the pedestal between the mounting bolts and end assembly.

This will serve to keep motors from rotating with the shaft.

• 11) Motor mounts—Threaded holes to accept motor mounting screws, molded to fit motor contour and shafts that will pass through the unit.
• 12) Housing—End view including top cover will be of injection moulded plastic with a smooth, rounded look. Top will snap together to the base unit internally to keep a smooth surface easy to clean.
• 13) Opening—To allow shafts of the hinge unit to pass through.

Page 2 FIGURE D

• 14) Transformer—The power supply for the two DC motors mounted on the hinge unit.

Page 2 FIGURE E

• 15) Hand Controller—This option can be mounted on toilet tank or by the sink. The cord will be long enough for several mounting locations.

Page 2 FIGURE F

• 16) Foot Controller—This option can be mounted to floor by toilet or under kick plate of sink, out of the way but accessible by toilet.