Toilet seat lifter

Abstract

A toilet seat lifter is arranged for pivotally moving a toilet seat with respect to a toilet bowl. The toilet seat lifter includes an actuator having a coupling portion adapted for outwardly extending from an outer peripheral edge of the toilet seat and a hand gripping portion extending from the coupling portion at a position away from a peripheral edge of the toilet seat. The hand gripping portion of the actuator is adapted for being held to pivotally lift up the toilet seat from the toilet bowl at an upright unfolded position and to pivotally drop down to the toilet bowl at a lay flat folded position without directly contacting with the toilet seat by a hand of a user for sanitary purpose.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A toilet seat lifter for a toilet seat pivotally coupling with a toilet bowl, comprising an actuator having a coupling portion adapted for extending outwardly from an outer peripheral edge of said toilet seat and a hand gripping portion extending from said coupling portion at a position away from said peripheral edge of said toilet seat in such a manner that said hand gripping portion of said actuator is adapted for being held to pivotally lift up said toilet seat from said toilet bowl at an upright unfolded position and to pivotally drop down to said toilet bowl at a lay flat folded position without directly contacting with said toilet seat by a hand of a user. 
     
     
         2 . The toilet seat lifter, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a base member, having a holder slot, adapted for coupling at an underside of said toilet seat, wherein said coupling portion of said actuator is pivotally coupled with said base member at said holder slot for extending from said outer peripheral edge to enable said hand gripping portion of said actuator being pivotally swung with respect to said toilet seat between said unfolded position and said folded position. 
     
     
         3 . The toilet seat lifter, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said hand gripping portion of said actuator is angularly extended from said coupling portion thereof such that said hand gripping portion of said actuator is naturally and vertically dropped down by its own weight when said toilet seat is pivotally folded at both unfolded and folded positions. 
     
     
         4 . The toilet seat lifter, as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said actuator further has an enlarged gripper head formed at a free end of said hand gripping portion of said actuator. 
     
     
         5 . The toilet seat lifter, as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said actuator further comprises one or more retention wings outwardly extended from said coupling portion of said actuator at a free end portion thereof for preventing said coupling portion of said actuator from being slid out of said holder slot of said base member. 
     
     
         6 . The toilet seat lifter, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said base member has a top adhesive side adapted for coupling at said underside of said toilet seat, and a bottom impact absorbing side for contacting with a top rim surface of said toilet bowl, such that said base member forms a seat spacer for spacing between said underside of said toilet seat and said top rim surface of said toilet bowl. 
     
     
         7 . The toilet seat lifter, as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said base member has a top adhesive side adapted for coupling at said underside of said toilet seat, and a bottom impact absorbing side for contacting with a top rim surface of said toilet bowl, such that said base member forms a seat spacer for spacing between said underside of said toilet seat and said top rim surface of said toilet bowl. 
     
     
         8 . The toilet seat lifter, as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said base member has a top adhesive side adapted for coupling at said underside of said toilet seat, and a bottom impact absorbing side for contacting with a top rim surface of said toilet bowl, such that said base member forms a seat spacer for spacing between said underside of said toilet seat and said top rim surface of said toilet bowl. 
     
     
         9 . The toilet seat lifter, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said coupling portion of said actuator is detachably and slidably coupled with said base member at said holder slot. 
     
     
         10 . The toilet seat lifter, as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said actuator is made of disposable and recyclable material. 
     
     
         11 . The toilet seat lifter, as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said base member has a top adhesive side adapted for coupling at said underside of said toilet seat, and a bottom impact absorbing side for contacting with a top rim surface of said toilet bowl, such that said base member forms a seat spacer for spacing between said underside of said toilet seat and said top rim surface of said toilet bowl. 
     
     
         12 . The toilet seat lifter, as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising a releasable locker for releasably locking said coupling portion of said actuator at said holder slot of said base member, wherein said releasable locker has two locker slots formed at two sidewalls of said holder slot respectively and comprises two resilient lockers sidewardly and movably provided at two side edges of said coupling portion of said actuator to releasably engage with said locker slots respectively when said coupling portion of said actuator is slidably inserted into said holder slot of said base member. 
     
     
         13 . The toilet seat lifter, as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising a releasable locker for releasably locking said coupling portion of said actuator at said holder slot of said base member, wherein said releasable locker has two locker slots formed at two sidewalls of said holder slot respectively and comprises two resilient lockers sidewardly and movably provided at two side edges of said coupling portion of said actuator to releasably engage with said locker slots respectively when said coupling portion of said actuator is slidably inserted into said holder slot of said base member. 
     
     
         14 . The toile seat lifter, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said coupling portion of said actuator has a top adhesive side adapted for coupling at said underside of said toilet seat. 
     
     
         15 . A method of pivotally folding a toilet seat between an upright unfolded position and a lay flat folded position, comprising the steps of:
 (a) coupling an actuator, having a L-shape, with said toilet seat at a position that a coupling portion of said actuator is pivotally and outwardly extended from an outer peripheral edge of said toilet seat and a hand gripping portion of said actuator is outwardly extended from said peripheral edge of said toilet seat and is naturally and vertically dropped down;   (b) pivotally lifting up said hand gripping portion of said actuator;   (c) applying an upward lifting force at said hand gripping portion of said actuator to pivotally lift up said toilet seat from said folded position to said unfolded position; and   (d) releasing said upward lifting force at said hand gripping portion of said actuator such that said hand gripping portion of said actuator is naturally and vertically dropped down when said toilet seat is moved at said unfolded position.   
     
     
         16 . The method, as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising the steps of:
 (d) pivotally lifting up said hand gripping portion of said actuator when said toilet seat is moved at said unfolded position;   (e) applying an upward holding force at said hand gripping portion of said actuator to pivotally drop down said toilet seat from said unfolded position to said folded position; and   (f) releasing said upward holding force at said hand gripping portion of said actuator such that said hand gripping portion of said actuator is naturally and vertically dropped down when said toilet seat is moved at said folded position.   
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 16  wherein, in the steps (c) and (e), said hand gripping portion of said actuator is maintained at an upward vertical orientation. 
     
     
         18 . The method, as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the step (a) further comprises the steps of:
 (a.1) coupling a base member at an underside of said toilet seat for extending from said outer peripheral edge outwardly, wherein said base member has a holder slot radially projected from said toilet seat; and   (a.2) slidably inserting said coupling portion of said actuator into said holder slot of said base member to enable said hand gripping portion of said actuator being pivotally moved with respect to said toilet seat.   
     
     
         19 . The method, as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the step (a) further comprises the steps of:
 (a.1) coupling a base member at said underside of said toilet seat for extending from said outer peripheral edge outwardly, wherein said base member has a holder slot radially projected from said toilet seat; and   (a.2) slidably inserting said coupling portion of said actuator into said holder slot of said base member to enable said hand gripping portion of said actuator being pivotally moved with respect to said toilet seat.   
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 18  wherein, in the step (a.1), said base member is adhered to said underside of said toilet seat. 
     
     
         21 . The method as recited in  claim 19  wherein, in the step (a.1), said base member is adhered to said underside of said toilet seat. 
     
     
         22 . The method as recited in  claim 20  wherein, in the step (a.1), said base member has a bottom impact absorbing side for contacting with a top rim surface of a toilet bowl, such that said base member forms a seat spacer for spacing between said underside of said toilet seat and said top rim surface of said toilet bowl. 
     
     
         23 . The method as recited in  claim 21  wherein, in the step (a.1), said base member has a bottom impact absorbing side for contacting with a top rim surface of a toilet bowl, such that said base member forms a seat spacer for spacing between said underside of said toilet seat and said top rim surface of said toilet bowl.