Toilet seat stabilizer assembly

Abstract

A toilet seat stabilizer assembly includes a bumper fabricated from a thermoplastic polymer, which is softenable in response to heat and moldable while in a malleable condition to a desired configuration; and attachment means for attaching the bumper to a toilet seat. Also provided herein is a method for stabilizing a toilet seat using said assembly and a kit for containing the assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A toilet seat stabilizer assembly which comprises
 a) a bumper fabricated from a thermoplastic polymer which is softenable in response to heat and moldable while in a malleable condition to a desired configuration; and   b) attachment means for attaching the bumper to a toilet seat.   
     
     
         2 . The toilet seat stabilizer assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said thermoplastic polymer has a softening point below 100 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         3 . The toilet seat stabilizer assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said thermoplastic polymer has a softening point of not more than 70 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         4 . The toilet seat stabilizer assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said thermoplastic polymer comprises an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer. 
     
     
         5 . The toilet seat stabilizer assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the means for attaching the bumper comprises an adhesive. 
     
     
         6 . The toilet seat stabilizer assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the adhesive is a contact adhesive. 
     
     
         7 . The toilet seat stabilizer assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the contact adhesive is in a double sided adhesive tape. 
     
     
         8 . The toilet seat assembly of  claim 6  further comprising a release liner removably attached to the contact adhesive. 
     
     
         9 . The toilet seat stabilizer assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the means for attachment comprises a screw fastener. 
     
     
         10 . The toilet seat stabilizer assembly of  claim 1  wherein the attachment means comprises a hook and loop type fastener. 
     
     
         11 . A method for stabilizing a toilet seat comprising
 a) providing a toilet seat stabilizer assembly which includes a bumper fabricated from a thermoplastic polymer which is softenable in response to heat and moldable while in a malleable condition to a described configuration, and an attachment means for attaching the bumper to a toilet seat, wherein the thermoplastic polymer has a softening point below 100 degrees Celsius;   b) heating the thermoplastic polymer to a temperature above its softening point;   c) attaching the bumper to a bottom surface of the toilet seat;   d) pressing the toilet seat door onto a rim of a toilet bowl with a force sufficient to conform the shape of the bumper to the rim of the toilet bowl; and,   e) permitting the bumper to cool to a temperature below the softening point of the thermoplastic.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of heating the thermoplastic polymer comprises immersing the bumper in a fluid at a temperature above the softening point. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of heating the thermoplastic polymer comprises directing a stream of hot air into contact with the thermoplastic polymer. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the toilet seat stabilizer includes a layer of double sided adhesive tape, and the step of attaching the bumper to the toilet seat comprise attaching a bottom surface of the adhesive tape to a top surface of the bumper and contacting an upper surface of the adhesive tape to the bottom surface of the toilet seat. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the toilet seat stabilizer includes a hook and loop type fastener system and the step of attaching the bumper to the toilet seat comprises attaching one layer of the hook and loop type fastener system to the bumper and the corresponding layer of the hook and loop type fastener system to the bottom surface of the toilet seat, and then joining the layers of the hook and loop type fastener system. 
     
     
         16 . A toilet seat stabilizer kit which comprises
 a) a container   b) a package containing at least two bumpers fabricated from a thermoplastic polymer which is softenable in response to heat and moldable while in a malleable state to a desired configuration, wherein the thermoplastic polymer has a softening point below 100 degrees Celsius;   c) a package containing attachment means for attaching the bumpers to a toilet seat.   
     
     
         17 . The toilet seat stabilizer kit of  claim 16  wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer. 
     
     
         18 . The toilet seat stabilizer kit of  claim 16 , wherein the attachment means comprises at least one screw fastener. 
     
     
         19 . The toilet seat stabilizer kit of  claim 16 , wherein the attachment means comprises a double sided adhesive tape. 
     
     
         20 . The toilet seat stabilizer kit of  claim 16 , wherein the attachment means comprises a hook and loop type fastener system.