Hands-free toilet seat apparatus

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a hands-free toilet seat apparatus. Further, the hands-free toilet seat apparatus may include a toilet seat including a seat ring surrounding a central opening, a seat cover configured to be movably attached to a rear side of the toilet seat, an actuator operatively coupled to each of the toilet seat and the seat cover, and a sensor configured to capture environmental data in a vicinity of the hands-free toilet seat apparatus. Further, the hands-free toilet seat apparatus may include a processing device communicatively coupled to the sensor and the actuator. Further, the processing device may be configured for analyzing an environmental data, determining a user state and a gender of the user, and generating the control command. Further, the hands-free toilet seat apparatus may include a power source configured to supply power to the actuator, the sensor, and the processing device.

1 . A hands-free toilet seat apparatus comprising:
 a toilet seat comprising a seat ring surrounding a central opening, wherein the toilet seat is configured to be movably attached to a toilet bowl, wherein the toilet seat is movable between a seating position proximate to the toilet bowl and a non-seating position distal to the toilet bowl, wherein the toilet seat is configured to support a seating of a user on the toilet bowl in the seating position;   a seat cover configured to be movably attached to a rear side of the toilet seat, wherein the seat cover is movable between an open position proximate to the toilet seat and a closed position distal to the toilet seat, wherein the seat cover is configured to close the central opening in the closed position;   an actuator operatively coupled to each of the toilet seat and the seat cover, wherein the actuator is configured to transition the toilet seat between the seating position and the non-seating position based on a control command, wherein the actuator is further configured to transition the seat cover between the open position and the closed position based on the control command;   a sensor configured to capture environmental data in a vicinity of the hands-free toilet seat apparatus;   a processing device communicatively coupled to each of the sensor and the actuator, wherein the processing device is configured for:
 analyzing the environmental data; 
 determining a user state of the user, wherein the user state comprises at least one of an arrival and a departure in relation to the hands-free toilet seat apparatus based on the analyzing; 
 determining a gender of the user based on the analyzing; and 
 generating the control command based on each of the user state and the gender of the user; and 
   a power source configured to supply power to each of the actuator, the sensor and the processing device.   
     
     
         2 . The hands-free toilet seat apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a motion sensor and a proximity sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The hands-free toilet seat apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an image sensor configured to capture an image of the user. 
     
     
         4 . The hands-free toilet seat apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the image sensor is configured to capture a thermal image of the user. 
     
     
         5 . The hands-free toilet seat apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the analyzing comprises detecting a facial feature of the user, wherein the determining of the gender is based on the facial feature. 
     
     
         6 . The hands-free toilet seat apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the analyzing comprises detecting a gait feature of the user, wherein the determining of the gender is based on the gait feature. 
     
     
         7 . The hands-free toilet seat apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the analyzing comprises detecting a body feature of the user, wherein the determining of the gender is based on the body feature. 
     
     
         8 . The hands-free toilet seat apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the analyzing comprises detecting a clothing feature of the user, wherein the determining of the gender is based on the clothing feature. 
     
     
         9 . The hands-free toilet seat apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the analyzing comprises detecting an accessory feature of the user, wherein the determining of the gender is based on the accessory feature. 
     
     
         10 . The hands-free toilet seat apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a manually operable switch electrically coupled to the actuator, wherein the actuator is configured to transition the toilet seat between the seating position and the non-seating position based on a switch state associated with the manually operable switch, wherein the actuator is further configured to transition the seat cover between the open position and the closed position based on the switch state, wherein the switch state overrides the control command. 
     
     
         11 . The hands-free toilet seat apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is further configured to detect a gesture of the user, wherein the processing device is further configured for generating a modified control command based on the gesture, wherein the modified control command overrides the control command, wherein the actuator is configured to transition the toilet seat between the seating position and the non-seating position based on the modified control command, wherein the actuator is further configured to transition the seat cover between the open position and the closed position based on the modified control command. 
     
     
         12 . The hands-free toilet seat apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the power source comprises a power adaptor configured to be electrically connected to a power outlet. 
     
     
         13 . The hands-free toilet seat apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the power source comprises a rechargeable battery. 
     
     
         14 . The hands-free toilet seat apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a servo motor. 
     
     
         15 . The hands-free toilet seat apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein upon determining the gender of the user as male, the control command causes the actuator to transition the toilet seat from the seating position to the non-seating position, wherein the transitioning of the toilet seat from the seating position to the non-seating position causes transitioning of the seat cover from the closed position to the open position, wherein upon determining the gender of the user as female, the control command causes the actuator to transition the seat cover from the closed position to the open position. 
     
     
         16 . The hands-free toilet seat apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein upon determining the user state as arrival, the control command causes the actuator to transition the seat cover from the closed position to the open position, wherein upon determining the user state as departure, the control command causes the actuator to transition the seat cover from the open position to the closed position, wherein the transitioning of the seat cover from the open position to the closed position entails transitioning of the toilet seat from the non-seating position to the seating position. 
     
     
         17 . The hands-free toilet seat apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the sensor, the actuator, the processing device, and the power source are disposed within a water-proof enclosure. 
     
     
         18 . The hands-free toilet seat apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the water-proof enclosure is detachable from each of the toilet seat and the seat cover. 
     
     
         19 . A hands-free toilet seat apparatus comprising:
 a toilet seat comprising a seat ring surrounding a central opening, wherein the toilet seat is configured to be movably attached to a toilet bowl, wherein the toilet seat is movable between a seating position proximate to the toilet bowl and a non-seating position distal to the toilet bowl, wherein the toilet seat is configured to support a seating of a user on the toilet bowl in the seating position;   a seat cover configured to be movably attached to a rear side of the toilet seat, wherein the seat cover is movable between an open position proximate to the toilet seat and a closed position distal to the toilet seat, wherein the seat cover is configured to close the central opening in the closed position;   an actuator operatively coupled to each of the toilet seat and the seat cover, wherein the actuator is configured to transition the toilet seat between the seating position and the non-seating position based on a control command, wherein the actuator is further configured to transition the seat cover between the open position and the closed position based on the control command;   a sensor configured to capture environmental data in a vicinity of the hands-free toilet seat apparatus;   a processing device communicatively coupled to each of the sensor and the actuator, wherein the processing device is configured for:
 analyzing the environmental data; 
 determining a user state of the user, wherein the user state comprises at least one of an arrival and a departure in relation to the hands-free toilet seat apparatus based on the analyzing; 
 determining a gender of the user based on the analyzing; and 
 generating the control command based on each of the user state and the gender of the user; 
   a power source configured to supply power to each of the actuator, the sensor and the processing device; and   a manually operable switch electrically coupled to the actuator, wherein the actuator is further configured to transition the toilet seat between the seating position and the non-seating position based on a switch state associated with the manually operable switch, wherein the actuator is further configured to transition the seat cover between the open position and the closed position based on the switch state, wherein the switch state overrides the control command.   
     
     
         20 . A hands-free toilet seat apparatus comprising:
 a toilet seat comprising a seat ring surrounding a central opening, wherein the toilet seat is configured to be movably attached to a toilet bowl, wherein the toilet seat is movable between a seating position proximate to the toilet bowl and a non-seating position distal to the toilet bowl, wherein the toilet seat is configured to support a seating of a user on the toilet bowl in the seating position;   a seat cover configured to be movably attached to a rear side of the toilet seat, wherein the seat cover is movable between an open position proximate to the toilet seat and a closed position distal to the toilet seat, wherein the seat cover is configured to close the central opening in the closed position;   an actuator operatively coupled to each of the toilet seat and the seat cover, wherein the actuator is configured to transition the toilet seat between the seating position and the non-seating position based on a control command, wherein the actuator is further configured to transition the seat cover between the open position and the closed position based on the control command;   a sensor configured to capture environmental data in a vicinity of the hands-free toilet seat apparatus;   a processing device communicatively coupled to each of the sensor and the actuator, wherein the processing device is configured for:
 analyzing the environmental data; 
 determining a user state of the user, wherein the user state comprises at least one of an arrival and a departure in relation to the hands-free toilet seat apparatus based on the analyzing; 
 determining a gender of the user based on the analyzing; and 
 generating the control command based on each of the user state and the gender of the user; and 
   a power source configured to supply power to each of the actuator, the sensor and the processing device, wherein the power source comprises a rechargeable battery.