Retractable foot pedestal for toilet

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments describe a toilet that incorporates a retractable pedestal designed to position a user's feet in a location more conducive to emptying the user's bowels. Various embodiments are described including embodiments in which the pedestal moves between retracted and extended positions with the assistance of a motor and also manually.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A toilet comprising:
 a bowl configured to hold a predetermined amount of water; and   a retractable pedestal coupled to an exterior surface of the bowl and configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position.   
     
     
         2 . The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein the retractable pedestal comprises:
 a stationary portion; and   an extending portion.   
     
     
         3 . The toilet of  claim 2 , wherein the stationary portion is coupled directly to a lower portion of the bowl by a plurality of fasteners extending into openings defined by the bowl. 
     
     
         4 . The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein an exterior surface of the retractable pedestal is flush with an exterior surface of the bowl positioned immediately above the retractable pedestal when the pedestal is in the retracted position. 
     
     
         5 . The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein the retractable pedestal comprises one or more seals that engage proximate portions of the bowl to inhibit water ingress when the retractable pedestal is in the retracted position. 
     
     
         6 . The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein the retractable pedestal comprises a rail. 
     
     
         7 . The toilet of  claim 6 , wherein the rail is attached to the bowl. 
     
     
         8 . The toilet of  claim 7 , wherein the pedestal further defines a channel configured to engage the rail. 
     
     
         9 . The toilet of  claim 7 , wherein the rail is attached to the bowl with a fastener. 
     
     
         10 . The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein the pedestal comprises a wheel configured to engage a floor below the pedestal. 
     
     
         11 . The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein the pedestal defines an upward facing surface when the pedestal is in the extended position. 
     
     
         12 . The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein the pedestal comprises an upper extending portion and a lower extending portion, and wherein the lower extending portion is configured to move between the retracted position and the extended position independently of the upper extending portion. 
     
     
         13 . The toilet of  claim 1 , further comprising a motor configured to move the retractable pedestal between the retracted position and the extended position. 
     
     
         14 . The toilet of  claim 13 , further comprising an electronic device configured to operate the motor to move the pedestal between the retracted position and the extended position. 
     
     
         15 . The toilet of  claim 14 , wherein the electronic device comprises a wireless transceiver configured to receive wireless requests to operate the motor. 
     
     
         16 . The toilet of  claim 14 , wherein the electronic device comprises a sensor configured to detect a condition, and wherein the electronic device is further configured to move the pedestal from the retracted position to the extended position or from the extended position to the retracted position when the condition is detected by the sensor. 
     
     
         17 . A method of operating a pedestal of a toilet, the method comprising:
 moving the pedestal from a retracted position to an extended position relative to the bowl of the toilet, the pedestal attached to the bowl; and   moving the pedestal from the extended position to the retracted position.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein moving the pedestal from the retracted position to the extended position comprises operating a motor of the toilet. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the pedestal comprises an extending portion and a stationary portion, the stationary portion attached to the bowl of the toilet, and wherein moving the pedestal from the retracted position to the extended position comprises moving the extending portion away from the stationary portion. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the pedestal comprises an upper extending portion and a lower extending portion, and wherein moving the pedestal from the retracted position to the extended position comprises moving the lower extending portion away from the upper extending portion, the method further comprising moving the upper extending portion towards the lower extending portion when the lower extending portion is in the extended position.