Flexible toilet seat

Abstract

A toilet seat includes a seat including a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, an inner edge where the top surface and the bottom surface meet, an outer surface connecting an outer perimeter of the top surface and an outer perimeter of the bottom surface, and a cavity in the outer surface extending toward the inner edge. The toilet seat further includes a cushion disposed in the cavity. The top surface and the cushion may be configured to deform elastically and vertically in response to a load applied to the top surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A toilet seat assembly comprising:
 a seat including a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, an inner edge where the top surface and the bottom surface meet, an outer surface extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, and a cavity disposed in the outer surface of the seat and extending around an outer perimeter of the seat; and   a cushion disposed within the cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The toilet seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the seat and the cushion are configured to deform elastically in response to a load applied to the top surface. 
     
     
         3 . The toilet seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the cavity extends towards the inner edge. 
     
     
         4 . The toilet seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the cavity includes a cavity top surface and a cavity bottom surface. 
     
     
         5 . The toilet seat assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the cushion extends between the cavity top surface and the cavity bottom surface. 
     
     
         6 . The toilet seat of  claim 4 , wherein the cushion includes an outer wall extending between the cavity top surface and the cavity bottom surface. 
     
     
         7 . The toilet seat of  claim 6 , wherein the cushion includes an inner wall disposed radially inside the outer wall. 
     
     
         8 . The toilet seat of  claim 7 , wherein the cushion is configured to deform in a first stage in which the outer wall is compressed between the cavity top surface and the cavity bottom surface, and a second stage in which the outer wall and the inner wall are compressed between the cavity top surface and the cavity bottom surface. 
     
     
         9 . A toilet seat comprising:
 a top surface;   a bottom surface opposite the top surface;   an inner edge where the top surface and the bottom surface meet;   an outer surface extending between the top surface and the bottom surface;   a cavity disposed in the outer surface of the seat and extending along an outer perimeter of the seat; and   a cushion disposed in the cavity.   
     
     
         10 . The toilet seat of  claim 9 , wherein the cavity includes a cavity top surface and a cavity bottom surface. 
     
     
         11 . The toilet seat of  claim 10 , wherein the cushion extends between the cavity top surface and the cavity bottom surface and is configured to deform elastically between the cavity top surface and the cavity bottom surface in response to a load applied to the top surface. 
     
     
         12 . The toilet seat of  claim 9 , wherein the cushion includes an outer wall extending between a cavity top surface and a cavity bottom surface. 
     
     
         13 . The toilet seat of  claim 12 , wherein the cushion includes an inner wall, and a bridge extending between the outer wall and the inner wall. 
     
     
         14 . The toilet seat of  claim 13 , wherein the outer wall is taller than the inner wall. 
     
     
         15 . A toilet comprising:
 a bowl; and   a toilet seat coupled to the bowl, the seat comprising:
 a top surface; 
 a bottom surface opposite the top surface; 
 an inner edge where the top surface and the bottom surface meet; 
 an outer surface extending between the top surface and the bottom surface; 
 a cavity including a cavity top surface and a cavity bottom surface disposed in the outer surface of the seat and extending around an outer perimeter of the seat; and 
 a cushion disposed in the cavity. 
   
     
     
         16 . The toilet of  claim 15 , wherein the cushion is configured to deform elastically between the cavity top surface and the cavity bottom surface when a load is applied to the top surface. 
     
     
         17 . The toilet of  claim 15 , wherein the cushion includes an outer wall, an inner wall, and a bridge extending between the outer wall and the inner wall. 
     
     
         18 . The toilet of  claim 17 , wherein the cushion is configured to deform in a first stage in which the outer wall is compressed between the cavity top surface and the cavity bottom surface, and a second stage in which the outer wall and the inner wall are compressed between the cavity top surface and the cavity bottom surface. 
     
     
         19 . The toilet of  claim 17 , wherein the outer wall is taller than the inner wall. 
     
     
         20 . The toilet of  claim 19 , wherein the inner wall and the bridge are the same height.