EP0795291A1

EP0795291A1 - Auxiliary toilet seat

Info

Publication number: EP0795291A1
Application number: EP97301579A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Gerald Dale
Original assignee: Nottingham Rehab Ltd
Current assignee: Nottingham Rehab Ltd
Priority date: 1996-03-13
Filing date: 1997-03-10
Publication date: 1997-09-17
Also published as: GB9605303D0; GB2311080A; GB2311080B; GB9704895D0

Abstract

An auxiliary toilet seat (21) defines a seating rim (22) and support means (25,30) by which the auxiliary toilet seat (21) may be mounted on the upper surface of a standard toilet seat (11), the seating rim (22) being spaced therefrom, the seating rim (22) defining a central aperture (26) and downwardly and outwardly projecting formations (28,39,31) on the auxiliary toilet seat (21) extend through a central aperture in the standard toilet seat (11) to resiliently engage the underside of the standard toilet seat (11).

Description

The invention relates to an auxiliary toilet seat and in particular though not exclusively to an auxiliary toilet seat for use in conjunction with a standard toilet seat to raise the seating level above the normal height. A standard toilet seat has a seating rim and a central aperture. Invalids and disabled people and their carers can find such raised toilet seats more convenient than standard height toilet seats.
Important attributes for such auxiliary toilet seats are that they can be put in position and removed easily but that they are secured sufficiently firmly to avoid accidental dislodgement during use even with a clumsy user. Easy cleanability of the auxiliary seat itself and of the complete seat assembly is also important. Thus it is desirable that the auxiliary seat interferes to a minimum extent with the normal hinged raising facility of a standard toilet seat.
An object of the invention is to provide an improved auxiliary toilet seat complying substantially with some or all of the above mentioned attributes.
According to the invention there is provided an auxiliary toilet seat defining a seating rim with a central aperture and support means by which the auxiliary toilet seat may be supported with respect to a toilet pan, so that the central aperture of the seating rim is disposed above and radially inwardly of the inner periphery of the toilet pan; characterised in that the auxiliary toilet seat is provided with downwardly and outwardly projecting formations, said formations being adapted to resiliently engage corresponding formations associated with the toilet pan at a position inwardly of the inner periphery of the toilet pan.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention the auxiliary toilet seat is adapted to be mounted so that the support means abuts the upper surface of a standard toilet seat. The downwardly and outwardly projecting formations extend through a central aperture of the standard toilet seat and resiliently engage the underside of the standard toilet seat.
The auxiliary toilet seat of the present invention may however alternatively be mounted directly on the rim of the toilet pan, the downwardly and outwardly projecting formations extending down into the toilet pan and resiliently engaging an inner rim thereof.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention a gap is provided in the seating rim, preferably at the rear of the auxiliary seat. Such a gap can help the combined seat to clear plumbing between a cistern and the toilet when the combined seat is pivotally raised in the conventional manner.
Preferably the rim has a depression in its upper surface in the front central region of the seat. The depression may slope in a downward and rearward direction. The depression can help to provide the required flexibility in the seat rim as a whole. A downward and rearward depression also helps to ensure that urine inadvertently directed at the depression drains down into the toilet. The depression can also help to provide access to relevant parts of a user sitting on the seat for hygiene purposes.
Preferably the seat is constituted by a single moulding including the projections. The projections may be in the form of a continuous downward flange and individual outwardly projecting parts.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of an auxiliary seat according to the invention secured to a standard seat in a partially raised position;
Figure 2 is a plan view of the auxiliary toilet seat;
Figure 3 is an under-plan view corresponding to Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a view from the front of the auxiliary toilet seat; and
Figure 5 is a diagramatic sectional elevation of an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 1 shows a standard toilet seat 11 with an auxiliary toilet seat 21 in accordance with the invention attached to it and with both seats in the partially raised condition. The standard toilet seat 11 comprises a generally oval or elliptical seating rim 12 slightly truncated at the rear at 13 to provide for standard hinges 14 by which the seat is mounted through a pivot pin and mounting brackets (not shown) to a toilet bowl which is also not shown. The standard seat 11 also has standard buffers 15 for engagement with the rim of the toilet bowl.
The auxiliary seat 21 has a seating rim 22 effectively divided in right and left hand halves by a rear gap 23 and a front depression 24. Buffers 25 on the under side of the seating rim engage directly on the seating surface of the standard seat 11 when the auxiliary seat is mounted on the standard seat as shown in Figure 1. The seating rim 22 surrounds and defines a central aperture 26. A downwardly directed flange 27 on the auxiliary seat around the aperture 26 is arranged to engage within the aperture of the standard seat 11 as shown in Figure 1 to constrain the auxiliary seat against horizontal movement (with the seat lowered) in any direction with respect to the standard seat. Three outward projections 28, 29 and 31 from the flange 27 engage under the standard seat to secure the auxiliary seat against lifting away from the standard seat as shown in Figures 1 and 3. Projections 28 and 29 are arranged one each side of the auxiliary seat and slightly towards the rear while projection 31 is arranged centrally at the front of the auxiliary seat. A part of the flange 27 adjacent to each projection 28, 29 and 31 in conjunction with its associated projection in effect forms a downward and outward projection arranged within the aperture of and under the standard seat to secure the auxiliary seat to the standard seat.
Depression 24 is inclined downwardly and rearwardly and generally is of part circular or U-shaped configuration in cross section. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the width of the seat in a generally radial direction from the central aperture is less in the region of the depression 24 than around other parts of the rim.
The complete auxiliary seat is formed as a deep one piece moulding with stiffening flanges 30 typically in white durable plastics material such as polyethylene. Even the flange 27 and projections 28, 29 and 31 are part of this moulding. The buffers 25 are separate components of softer material secured to the flanges 30. The shape of the upper surface moulding is generally smooth with rounded edges to provide comfort and ease of cleaning. The wall thickness of the moulding is typically of the order of 3mm to provide a product with satisfactory strength. The material and wall thickness are also selected to provide a degrees of resilient flexibility for a purpose to be described below.
In order to instal the auxiliary seat with respect to a standard seat, the front projection can be engaged under the front of the rim of the standard seat but then the projections 28 and 29 need to be deflected inward to enable them to pass through and engage under the rim of the standard seat. Facility for this deflection is provided by the gap 23 in conjunction with the resilient flexibility of the seat. This flexibility is assisted by the existence of depression 24 and the associated reduction in the radial dimension of the seat in the region of the depression. The partially vertical walls of the depression tend to add to the flexibility in that region. Thus, to mount or dismount the seat, the front projection 31 is engaged under the rim of the standard seat as shown in Figure 1 while the auxiliary seat is gripped on both sides near its rear and the rear edges are forced inward to close the gap 23. This also moves projections 29 and 31 inward so that they can pass through the aperture in the standard seat. On release, the seat springs back to the position shown in Figure 1. The auxiliary seat is removed in a similar way. The gap 23 can provide an additional useful purpose in installations where a flush discharge pipe from a high mounted cistern runs down to the bowl close to the seat. In such a situation, the gap 23 can provide clearance to allow the seat to be raised as shown in Figure 1 without interference with the plumbing.
Typically the depth of the auxiliary seat is such as to raise the surface on which a user sits by approximately 75mm compared with the corresponding surface of the standard seat but other dimensions could be employed.
In the alternative embodiment illustrated in Figure 5 the auxiliary toilet seat 21 is mounted directly on the rim 41 of a toilet pan 40, the projections 28, 29 and 31 resiliently engaging an inner rim 42 of the toilet pan 40, the inner rim 42 being disposed below the rim 41 of the toilet pan 40.

Claims

An auxiliary toilet seat (21) defining a seating rim (22) with a central aperture (26) and support means (25,30) by which the auxiliary toilet seat (21) may be supported with respect to a toilet pan, so that the central aperture (26) of the seating rim (22) is disposed above and radially inwardly of the inner periphery of the toilet pan; characterised in that the auxiliary toilet seat (21) is provided with downwardly and outwardly projecting formations (28,29,31), said formations (28,29,31) being adapted to resiliently engage corresponding formations (11) associated with the toilet pan at a position inwardly of the inner periphery of the toilet pan.
An auxiliary toilet seat (21) according to claim 1 characterised in that the support means (25,30) is adapted to abut the upper surface of a standard toilet seat (11), said formations (28,29,31) being adapted to extend through a central aperture in the standard toilet seat (11) and resiliently engaged the underside of the standard toilet seat (11).
An auxiliary toilet seat (21) according to claim 1 characterised in that the support means (25,30) is adapted to abut the upper rim of the toilet pan, said formations (28,29,31) being adapted to extend into the toilet pan and engage an inner rim disposed below the rim of the toilet pan.
An auxiliary toilet seat (21) according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterised in that the downwardly and outwardly projecting formations (28,29,31) extend from a periphery of the seating rim (22) defining the central aperture (26).
An auxiliary toilet seat (21) according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that three formations (28,29,31) are provided, one formation (31) being positioned centrally at the front of the auxiliary toilet seat (21), the other two formations (28,29) being positioned symmetrically, one on either side of the auxiliary toilet seat (21) towards the rear.
An auxiliary toilet seat (21) according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that a gap (23) is provided in the seating rim (22).
An auxiliary toilet seat (21) according to claim 6 characterised in that the gap (23) is at the rear of the seating rim (22).
An auxiliary toilet seat (21) according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that a flange formation (27) extends downwardly from the periphery of the seating rim (22) defining the aperture (26), outwardly extending projections (28,29,31) being provided on the flange formation (27) for engagement of corresponding formations (11) associated with the toilet pan.
An auxiliary toilet seat (21) according to claim 7 characterised in that the flange formation (27) extends through the aperture of a standard toilet seat and conforms closely with the periphery of the aperture of the standard toilet seat (11).
An auxiliary toilet seat (21) according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that a depression (24) is provided at the front of the seating rim (22).
An auxiliary toilet seat (21) according to claim 10 characterised in that the depression (24) is inclined downwardly and rearwardly.
An auxiliary toilet seat (21) according to any one of the preceding claims in which the seating rim (22) is positioned of the order of 75mm above the surface abutted by the support means (25,30).
An auxiliary toilet seat (21) according to any one of the preceding claims in which the support means (25,30) includes resilient buffers (25) for engagement of the surface abutted thereby.