Toilet seat lifter

Abstract

A foot actuated toilet seat raising, lowering, and anti-slamming apparatus. Attaching to the wall behind the toilet is a base portion which is flexible so that it may be elevated enough to clean under. Fastened toward the front of the base portion is a decorative case having two sides which support two levers. The back end of the lower lever is pivotally coupled inside of the case while a foot pad is fastened to the front end of the lower lever. The lower lever arm is fastened with a flexible belt to one end of the upper lever arm so that downward force applied to the foot pedal is transferred to the upper lever arm thus causing the upper lever arm to rotate upward. The upper lever is pivotally coupled inside of the case and pivotally coupled to a push rod at the other end. The push rod is adjustable in length and attached at the upper end to a bracket. The bracket attaches to the toilet seat. A shock absorber is positioned inside of the case so that the upper lever will be cushioned in its downward rotation, thus keeping the toilet seat from slamming closed.

1 . A toilet seat lifting apparatus for elevating and lowering a toilet seat, comprising: 
 a. a base portion;    b. a supporting case, secured to said base portion;    c. a foot pad;    d. a lower lever arm, said lower lever arm of predetermined length with two ends, said first end attached to said foot pad, said second end pivotally coupled inside said supporting case;    e. a push rod, said push rod adjustable in length;    f. an upper lever arm, said upper lever arm of predetermined length with two ends, said first end pivotally coupled inside said supporting case, said second end pivotally coupled to said push rod;    g. means for transferring downward pressure on said lower lever arm to said upper lever arm so that downward pressure on said lower arm urges said upper lever arm to pivot upwards;    h. a bracket attachable to said toilet seat;    i. said push rod having two ends, said first end pivotally coupled to said upper lever arm, said second end pivotally coupled to said bracket; and    j. a shock absorber means for dampening the downward movement of said toilet seat;    k. whereby a user raises said toilet seat by applying foot pressure downward on said foot pad thus urging said lower lever arm to pivot downward thus urging said upper lever arm to pivot upward urging said push rod to elevate thus lifting said toilet seat, then after using the toilet the user releases the foot pressure, permitting said toilet seat to lower, said shock absorber cushioning the downward movement of said toilet seat.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said base portion is constructed of flexible material, so that said base portion may be elevated slightly so that a person may clean under said base portion even though said base portion is secured to the wall behind said toilet.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including a back plate, said back plate is attached to base portion, said back plate is secured to the wall behind said toilet.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said toilet seat is rotated less than 90 degrees with respect to a lowered position during elevating of said toilet seat for allowing said seat to remain at a slight angle which provides sufficient force from gravity to lower said seat when user removes foot pressure from said foot pad.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including a spring which assists in lowering motion of said toilet seat when user removes foot pressure from said foot pad.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said means for transferring downward pressure on said lower lever arm to said upper lever arm so that downward pressure on said lower arm urges said upper lever arm to pivot upwards is a flexible belt;  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said means for transferring downward pressure on said lower lever arm to said upper lever arm so that downward pressure on said lower arm urges said upper lever arm to pivot upwards is a set of gears;  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said means for transferring downward pressure on said lower lever arm to said upper lever arm so that downward pressure on said lower arm urges said upper lever arm to pivot upwards is a cable;  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said means for dampening the downward movement of said toilet seat is comprised of a hydraulic shock absorber which cushions the downward movement of said toilet seat.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said means for dampening the downward movement of said toilet seat is comprised of a pneumatic shock absorber which cushions the downward movement of said toilet seat.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said shock absorber does not travel through the entire motion of the raising and lowering toilet seat, but only cushions the lower few degrees of the downward movement of said toilet seat, thus allowing for a smaller, more simple shock absorber, thus allowing for the production of a toilet seat lifting device in a much more economical fashion than any other toilet seat lifting device which has a shock absorber traveling through the entire motion of the raising and lowering toilet seat.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said shock absorber does not travel through the entire motion of the raising and lowering toilet seat, but only cushions the lower few degrees of the downward movement of said toilet seat, thus allowing for a smaller, more simple shock absorber, thus allowing for the production of a toilet seat lifting device in a much more economical fashion than any other toilet seat lifting device which has a shock absorber traveling through the entire motion of the raising and lowering toilet seat.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said push rod having a first end, a second end and a middle portion, said middle portion coupled with a threaded rod allowing for said rod to be adjustable in length by rotating one end of said threaded rod.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said push rod having a first end, a second end, and a middle portion, said middle portion adjustable in length by sliding action which may be secured thus securing length of said push rod.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the two sides of said supporting case conceal internal parts, including said shock absorber, the pivoting end of said lower arm and the end of said upper arm which is pivotally coupled inside of said supporting case, said supporting case provides a decorative exterior.  
   
   
       16 . An apparatus for elevating and automatically lowering a toilet seat, comprising: 
 a. a base portion; said base portion having a top surface and a bottom surface for positioning on a floor surface adjacent to the toilet;    b. a plurality of securing means for securing said base portion to the wall behind the toilet; said plurality of securing means comprising a plurality of securing fasteners, each of said securing fasteners extending through said base portion and into wall behind the toilet, each of said securing means comprising a screw;    c. a supporting case, said supporting case secured to said base portion;    d. a foot pad;    e. a lower lever arm, said lower lever arm having two ends, said first end attached to said foot pad, said second end pivotally coupled inside said supporting case;    f. a push rod, said push rod adjustable in length;    g. an upper lever arm, said upper lever arm having two ends, said first end pivotally coupled inside said supporting case, said second end pivotally coupled to said push rod;    h. means for transferring downward pressure on said lower lever arm to said upper lever arm so that downward pressure on said lower arm urges said upper lever arm to pivot upwards;    i. a bracket, said bracket pivotally coupled to said push rod and attached to said toilet seat;    j. said push rod having two ends, said first end pivotally coupled to said upper lever arm, said second end pivotally coupled to said bracket; and    k. a means for dampening the downward movement of said toilet seat;    l. whereby a user raises said toilet seat by applying foot pressure downward on said foot pad thus urging said lower lever arm to pivot downward thus urging said upper lever arm to pivot upward urging said push rod to elevate thus lifting said toilet seat, then after using the toilet the user releases the foot pressure, permitting said toilet seat to lower without slamming closed.