Expandable toilet seat

Abstract

The present invention relates to an expandable toilet seat. One embodiment of the toilet seat includes a seat platform that is movably coupled to a support member via two seat guides. The support member is coupled to a basin in a manner to allow traditional rotation of the seat platform with respect to the basin. The movable coupling between the seat platform and the support member allows the seat platform to expand in response to weight being displaced onto the top of the seat platform. This expansion of the seat platform automatically spreads the left and right buttocks of a user and comfortably accommodates the dimensions of a user's buttocks.

1 . A toilet system comprising: 
 a basin coupled to a septic system;    an expandable toilet seat further including: 
 a seat platform rotatably coupled to the basin such that the seat platform is able to rotate with respect to the basin;  
 a support member coupled to the basin; and  
 at least one seat guide coupled to the seat platform and movably coupled to the support member thereby allowing the expansion of the seat platform with respect to the basin.  
   
   
   
       2 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the basin includes an ovally shaped conical hole coupled to the septic system.  
   
   
       3 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the basin is a western style above ground basin.  
   
   
       4 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the basin is an eastern style integrated basin.  
   
   
       5 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the seat platform includes a separation point, and wherein the at least one seat guide includes two seat guides, and wherein the two seat guides are disposed on either side of the separation point on the seat platform.  
   
   
       6 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the seat platform is substantially U-shaped with a gap disposed on a front portion of the seat platform.  
   
   
       7 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the seat platform includes an expansion resistance member.  
   
   
       8 . The toilet system of  claim 7 , wherein the expansion resistance member is disposed at a front portion of the seat platform.  
   
   
       9 . The toilet system of  claim 7 , wherein the expansion resistance member is a portion of the seat platform configured to provide expansion resistance.  
   
   
       10 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the seat platform includes two substantially C-shape seat platform halves coupled on one end with an expansion resistance member.  
   
   
       11 . The toilet system of  claim 10 , wherein the expansion resistance member is disposed at a rear portion of the seat platform.  
   
   
       12 . The toilet system of  claim 10 , wherein the expansion resistance member is a spring.  
   
   
       13 . The toilet system of  claim 10 , wherein the expansion resistance member is disposed on approximately the same side of the seat platform as the at least one seat guide.  
   
   
       14 . The toilet system of  claim 10 , wherein the expansion resistance member is disposed on approximately the opposite side of the seat platform as the at least one seat guide.  
   
   
       15 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the seat platform includes a particular inward curvature.  
   
   
       16 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the support member is disposed on approximately the same side of the seat platform as the at least one seat guide.  
   
   
       17 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the support member includes a right support member and a left support member and wherein the right and left support members are independently coupled to the basin.  
   
   
       18 . The toilet system of  claim 17 , wherein the right and left support members are angled down, when the seat platform is in a down configuration, to facilitate a smooth expansion motion of the seat platform.  
   
   
       19 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the support member includes outer ends that are capped to prevent the at least one seat guide and the seat platform from over expanding and releasing from the support member.  
   
   
       20 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the support member includes outer ends that are angled down, when the seat platform is in a down configuration, to facilitate a smooth expansion motion.  
   
   
       21 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the support member includes a substantially square shaped section to minimize unwanted movement during expansion.  
   
   
       22 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the support member includes a basin coupler that is fixably coupled to the basin, and wherein the remainder of the support member is rotatable with respect to the basin coupler.  
   
   
       23 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one seat guide is configured to pivot with respect to the seat platform to facilitate a smooth expansion of the seat platform.  
   
   
       24 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one seat guide includes channels shaped to conform to the shape of the support member.  
   
   
       25 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the seat platform is expandable in a manner such that either side of the seat platform rotates out about a pivot point disposed adjacent to the front of the toilet system.  
   
   
       26 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the seat platform is expandable in a manner such that either side of the seat platform rotates out about a pivot point disposed adjacent to the back of the toilet system.  
   
   
       27 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the seat platform is expandable in a manner such that either side of the seat platform translates out.  
   
   
       28 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable coupling between the seat platform and the basin is adjacent to the movable coupling between the at least one seat guide and the support member.  
   
   
       29 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one seat guide is rotatable with respect to the seat platform.  
   
   
       30 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the toilet system further includes a lid that is rotatably coupled to the basin and disposed to be above the expandable toilet seat when both the expandable toilet seat and the lid are in a closed position.  
   
   
       31 . An expandable toilet seat comprising: 
 a seat platform configured to rotatably couple to a basin;    a support member configured for coupling to a basin; and    at least one seat guide coupled to the seat platform and movably coupled to the support member thereby allowing the expansion of the seat platform with respect to the support member.    
   
   
       32 . The expandable toilet seat of  claim 31 , wherein the seat platform includes a separation point, and wherein the at least one seat guide includes two seat guides, and wherein the two seat guides are disposed on either side of the separation point on the seat platform.  
   
   
       33 . The expandable toilet seat of  claim 31 , wherein the seat platform is substantially U-shaped with a gap disposed on a front portion of the seat platform.  
   
   
       34 . The expandable toilet seat of  claim 31 , wherein the seat platform includes an expansion resistance member.  
   
   
       35 . The expandable toilet seat of  claim 34 , wherein the expansion resistance member is disposed at a front portion of the seat platform.  
   
   
       36 . The expandable toilet seat of  claim 34 , wherein the expansion resistance member is a portion of the seat platform configured to provide expansion resistance.  
   
   
       37 . The expandable toilet seat of  claim 31 , wherein the seat platform includes two substantially C-shape seat platform halves coupled on one end with an expansion resistance member.  
   
   
       38 . The expandable toilet seat of  claim 37 , wherein the expansion resistance member is a spring.  
   
   
       39 . The expandable toilet seat of  claim 37 , wherein the expansion resistance member is disposed at a rear portion of the seat platform.  
   
   
       40 . The expandable toilet seat of  claim 37 , wherein the expansion resistance member is disposed on approximately the same side of the seat platform as the at least one seat guide.  
   
   
       41 . The expandable toilet seat of  claim 37 , wherein the expansion resistance member is disposed on approximately the opposite side of the seat platform as the at least one seat guide.  
   
   
       42 . The expandable toilet seat of  claim 31 , wherein the seat platform includes a particular inward curvature.  
   
   
       43 . The expandable toilet seat of  claim 31 , wherein the support member is disposed on approximately the same side of the seat platform as the at least one seat guide.  
   
   
       44 . The expandable toilet seat of  claim 31 , wherein the support member includes a right support member and a left support member and wherein the right and left support members are independently configured for coupling to a basin.  
   
   
       45 . The expandable toilet seat of  claim 44 , wherein the right and left support members are angled down, when the seat platform is in a down configuration, to facilitate a smooth expansion motion of the seat platform.  
   
   
       46 . The expandable toilet seat of  claim 31 , wherein the support member includes outer ends that are capped to prevent the at least one seat guide and the seat platform from over expanding and releasing from the support member.  
   
   
       47 . The expandable toilet seat of  claim 31 , wherein the support member includes outer ends that are angled down, when the seat platform is in a down configuration, to facilitate a smooth expansion motion.  
   
   
       48 . The toilet system of  claim 31 , wherein the support member includes a substantially square shaped section to minimize unwanted movement during expansion.  
   
   
       49 . The toilet system of  claim 31 , wherein the support member includes a basin coupler that is configured to fixably couple to a basin, and wherein the remainder of the support member is rotatable with respect to the basin coupler.  
   
   
       50 . The expandable toilet seat of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one seat guide is configured to pivot with respect to the seat platform to facilitate a smooth expansion of the seat platform.  
   
   
       51 . The expandable toilet seat of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one seat guide includes channels shaped to conform to the shape of the support member.  
   
   
       52 . The expandable toilet seat of  claim 31 , wherein the seat platform is expandable in a manner such that either side of the seat platform rotates out about a pivot point disposed adjacent to a front portion of the expandable toilet seat.  
   
   
       53 . The expandable toilet seat of  claim 31 , wherein the seat platform is expandable in a manner such that either side of the seat platform rotates out about a pivot point disposed adjacent to the back of the toilet system.  
   
   
       54 . The expandable toilet seat of  claim 31 , wherein the seat platform is expandable in a manner such that either side of the seat platform translates out.  
   
   
       55 . The expandable toilet seat of  claim 31 , wherein the rotatable coupling capability between the seat platform and a basin is adjacent to the movable coupling between the at least one seat guide and the support member.  
   
   
       56 . The expandable toilet seat of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one seat guide is rotatable with respect to the seat platform.  
   
   
       57 . A method of using a toilet seat comprising the acts of: 
 providing an expandable toilet seat including a seat platform that is expandable;    lowering the buttocks onto the seat platform, thereby distributing weight onto the seat platform; and    expanding the seat platform automatically in response to the weight, wherein the expansion of the seat platform simultaneously causes the right and left buttocks to expand away from one another.    
   
   
       58 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the seat platform includes a left side and a right side and wherein the left and right buttocks are lowered onto the corresponding left and right sides of the seat platform, and wherein the left and right sides of the seat platform are configured to expand in a manner that includes expansion away from one another.  
   
   
       59 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the expansion of the left and right sides of the seat platform include rotation away from one another about a pivot point.  
   
   
       60 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the pivot point is located substantially adjacent to a front portion of the toilet seat.  
   
   
       61 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the pivot point is located substantially adjacent to a rear portion of the toilet seat.  
   
   
       62 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the expansion of the seat platform causes the right and left buttocks to expand away from one another due to the friction between the buttocks and the seat platform.  
   
   
       63 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the expansion of the seat platform further causes the seat platform to comfortably accommodate the dimensions of the buttocks.