Toilet seat lifting apparatus

Abstract

The invention relates to a toilet seat lifting apparatus for promoting hygiene and cleanliness in public and/or domestic environments. It apparatus uses a first member for attachment to a toilet bowl rim and an energy storage member in the form of a conical spring. The spring is connected between the first member and the underside of a toilet seat in order to supply a continuous lifting force to urge a toilet seat upwards away from the toilet bowl and the first member. When fully compressed the three-dimensional spatial volume occupied by the conical spring will be minimised to allow a toilet seat to adopt its intended horizontal orientation upon a toilet bowl during use.

1 . - 18 . (Cancelled) 
     
     
         19 . A toilet seat lifting apparatus comprising:
 a first member for attachment to a toilet bowl rim; and   an energy storage member comprising a helical spring;   wherein the helical spring has a variable internal or external diameter along its length between its opposite distal ends, and is connected between the first member and an underside of a toilet seat in order to urge the toilet seat away from the first member.   
     
     
         20 . A toilet seat lifting apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein a second member is provided for attachment to the underside of a toilet seat, and for connection to the energy storage member. 
     
     
         21 . A toilet seat lifting apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the helical spring is a conical spring. 
     
     
         22 . A toilet seat lifting apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein the conical spring is telescopically compressible into a planar spiral. 
     
     
         23 . A toilet seat lifting apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the helical spring has a continuously curving central longitudinal axis which does not trace an arc of a circle. 
     
     
         24 . A toilet seat lifting apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the first member comprises a generally C-shaped bracket to facilitate its attachment to a rear part of a toilet bowl rim. 
     
     
         25 . A toilet seat lifting apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein at least a lowermost part of the C-shaped bracket is adjustable and/or inclined to enable it to grip to toilet bowl rims of differing shapes and/or depth and/or thickness dimensions. 
     
     
         26 . A toilet seat lifting apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the lowermost part of the C-shaped bracket includes two spaced apart gripping surfaces for securing it in position within a recess on a rimless or non-conventional toilet bowl structure. 
     
     
         27 . A toilet seat lifting apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the second member comprises an elongate load-spreading bar for attachment across a lower part of the underside of a toilet seat. 
     
     
         28 . A toilet seat lifting apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the elongate load- spreading bar includes one or more securing members for securing it in position on the underside of a toilet seat. 
     
     
         29 . A toilet seat lifting apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein opposite distal ends of a conical spring are secured to the C-shaped bracket and an elongate load-spreading bar, respectively. 
     
     
         30 . A toilet seat lifting apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein the conical spring is provided with a flexible sleeve or cover. 
     
     
         31 . A toilet seat lifting apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein a widest distal end of the conical spring is secured to the C-shaped bracket, and a narrowest distal end of the conical spring is secured to the elongate load-spreading bar. 
     
     
         32 . A toilet seat lifting apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein a narrowest distal end of the conical spring is secured to the C-shaped bracket, and a widest distal end of the conical spring is secured to the elongate load-spreading bar. 
     
     
         33 . A method of retrofitting a toilet seat lifting apparatus, according to  claim 19  , to a toilet, comprising:
 securing a first member to a bowl rim of the toilet; and 
 connecting an energy storage member between the first member and the underside of a seat of the toilet. 
 
     
     
         34 . A toilet comprising a toilet seat lifting apparatus according to  claim 19 . 
     
     
         35 . A toilet comprising a toilet seat lifting apparatus according to  claim 19 , comprising a toilet bowl rim, wherein the energy storage member is connected between the first member, which is integrally connected to the toilet bowl rim, and a seat of the toilet in order to urge the toilet seat away from the toilet bowl. 
     
     
         36 . A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions adapted to cause a 3D printer to print components of a toilet seat lifting apparatus according to  claim 19 .