GB2356872A

GB2356872A - Toilet seat assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2356872A
Application number: GB9921754A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Scott Victor Latimer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-09-16
Filing date: 1999-09-16
Publication date: 2001-06-06
Anticipated expiration: 2019-09-16
Also published as: GB2356872B; GB9921754D0

Abstract

A toilet seat assembly 10 comprising a seat 12, a handle 16 and a gripping portion 18. The seat 12 can be pivotted about horizontal and vertical axes. A support portion 24 extends forwards laterally from the seat 12.

Description

2356812 Toilet Seat Assembly This invention concerns a toilet seat

assembly, and particularly but not exclusively a toilet set assembly usable by wheelchair bound persons.

Conventionally for wheelchair bound persons who cannot stand up, a transfer board is used to move from a wheelchair onto a toilet seat. Such a board is not particularly easly to use and will generally have to be carried by the wheelchair user.

According to the present invention there is provided a toilet seat assembly, the assembly including a toilet seat with an opening through which material can pass into a toilet, a seat portion surrounding the opening and upon which person can sit, and a support portion which is locatable under an upper leg or legs of a person seated adjacent the toilet seat to permit the person to move over to sit on the seat portion.

The support portion preferably extends laterally from the seat portion, and may also extend forwards from the seat portion.

The support portion preferably extends at an inclination of between 10 and 400, desirably between 15 and 250, and maybe substantially 200, to the forwards direction of the toilet seat.

The support portion preferably reduces in thickness away from the seat portion to ease location beneath the person's legs.

The support portion preferably has rounded edges and/or a rounded profile.

The assembly preferably comprises means for mounting the toilet seat on a toilet. The mounting means is preferably arranged to permit pivoting about a substantially vertical axis and/or about a substantially horizontal axis.

2 The mounting about a substantially horizontal aNis is preferably provided by a hinge arrangement to permit the toilet seat to be lifted in a conventional manner.

The hinge arrangement is preferably pivotally mounted about the substantially vertical aNis. The mounting means may comprise a base member mountable on the toilet, and a pair of spaced mounting holes may be provided through the base member to permit such mounting. The base member preferably pivotally mounts the hinge arrangement.

A recess may be provided on the underside of the toilet seat to receive the mounting means.

A handle may be provided on the toilet seat to facilitate pivotal movement thereof, and the handle may comprise a through opening in which a person's hand is engageable. The handle may be provided towards the front of the seat portion, and desirably on an opposite side to the support portion. The handle may be provided towards the perimeter of the seat portion. More than one handle may be provided on the toilet seat.

A formation may be provided on the toilet seat to facilitate gripping thereof, and the formation may comprise one or more upstanding projections.

The formation may be provided on the seat portion towards the rear thereof, and desirably on an opposite side to the support portion. More than one formation may be provided, and said formations may be spaced from each other.

The invention also provides a toilet arrangement, the arrangement comprising a toilet with a toilet seat assembly according to any of the preceding ten paragraphs mounted on the toilet.

Markings may be provided on the floor adjacent the toilet to indicate where a wheelchair should be positioned for a person to transfer therefrom 3 onto the toilet scat. The markings may comprise a plurality of spaced markings, and the markings may indicate where some or all of the wheels of the wheelchair should be located.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with referenc e to the accompanying drawings, in which:Fig. 1 is a plan view of a toilet seat assembly according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a view from below of a component of the assembly of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective side view of part of the component of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a perspective view from above and the rear of a further part of the component of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view through a still further part of the component of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a perspective view from above of further components of the assembly of Fig. 1; and Fig. 7 is a perspective of the assembly of Fig. 1 mounted on a toilet.

The drawings show a toilet seat assembly 10 suitable for use by a wheelchair bound person. The assembly 10 comprises a scat 12. The seat 12 comprises a generally conventionally shaped seat portion 14 but which is broader and thicker than most toilet seats, to provide better support for a person transferring thereonto. A handle 16 in the form of an oblong through opening is provided towards the front of the seat 12 and just on the left hand side thereof as shown in Fig. 1. A gripping portion 18 is provided towards the rear of the seat 12 on the upper surface thereof and on the left hand side as shown in Fig. 1. The portion 18 comprises a plurality of upstanding projections 4 20. A generally rectangular recess 22 is provided on the underside of the seat 12 at the rear thereof generally centrally of the seat 12.

A support portion 24 extends both forwards and laterally from the seat portion 14 at the front and towards the right hand side thereof as shown in Fig.

1. The support portion 24 like the rest of the seat 12 has rounded edges. The portion 24 is in the form of a rounded projection which reduces in thickness towards its edge as shown in Fig. 3. The portion 24 extends at an inclination of substantially 201 to the forwards direction of the seat 12.

Fig. 6 shows a mounting arrangement 26 for mounting the seat 12 on a toilet. The arrangement 26 comprises a base plate 28 with two spaced mounting holes 30. A short pin 32 extends upwardly from the plate 20 and rotatably mounts a hinge arrangement 34. The hinge arrangement 34 comprises two plates 36 pivotally connected by hinges 38. A one of the plates 36 is mountable to the seat 12 in the recess 22.

In use as shown in Fig. 7, the seat 12 is mounted on a toilet 40 by virtue of the arrangement 26. The arrangement 26 permits pivoting of the scat 12 about a vertical axis in the form of the pin 32, and also about a horizontal axis by virtue of the hinge arrangement 34. A person in a wheelchair can approach the toilet 40 fitted with the seat 12 and the wheelchair will be located alongside the right hand side of the toilet 40 as shown in Fig. 1, at an inclination thereto.

Dots 42 (Fig. 7) or other markings may be provided on the floor to indicate the correct location for the rear wheels of the wheelchair. To allow the wheelchair to be correctly located the seat 12 will probably be pivoted a little to the left as shown in Fig. 1 such that the support portion 24 does not obstruct the wheelchair.

Once the wheelchair is in position the respective arm rest and side of the wheelchair adjacent the toilet 40 is removed. The seat 12 will then be pivoted such that the seat 12 is normally aligned with the toilet 40. The wheelchair user will arrange their upper legs to extend on top of the support portion 24.

Using the support portion 24 the user will slide across from the wheelchair onto the seat 12 to use the toilet 40 in a usual manner. To return to the wheelchair the person can slide back across and then pivot the seat 12 away from the wheelchair to provide free access to move away from the toilet 40. The handle 16 can be used to pivot the seat 12. The gripping portion 18 can be used by for instance a person placing their hand thereon, to ease transfer to and from the seat 12.

There is thus described a toilet seat assembly which readily permits wheelchair users to transfer to and from a toilet without the requirement for carrying a transfer board or the like. The assembly is of relatively straightforward construction -and can thus be inexpensively and robustly manufactured. The mounting arrangement providing pivoting about horizontal and vertical axis, permits use of the toilet in a usual manner and also positioning of a person adjacent the toilet to use the assembly.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the support portion may take a different form or shape, and may be provided at a different inclination to the seat portion. A different handle or handles could be provided. A different gripping portion or portions could be used. A different mounting arrangement may be possible, and it may be that pivoting about a horizontal axis is not required.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

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Claims

1. A toilet seat assembly, the assembly including a toilet seat with an opening through which material can pass into a toilet, a seat portion surrounding the opening and upon which person can sit, and a support portion which is locatable under an upper leg or legs of a person seated adjacent the toilet seat to permit the person to move over to sit on the seat portion.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, in which the support portion preferably extends laterally from the seat portion.

3. An assembly according to claim 2, in which the support portion also extends forwards from the seat portion.

4. An assembly according to claim 3, in which the support portion extends at an inclination of between 10 and 40'1, to the forwards direction of the toilet seat.

5. An assembly according to claim 4, in which the support portion extends at an inclination of between 15 and 2Sc, to the forwards direction of the toilet seat.

6. An assembly according to claim 5, in which the support portion extends at an inclination of substantially 200, to the forwards direction of the toilet seat.

7. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, in which the support portion reduces in thickness away from the seat portion to ease location beneath the person's legs.

8. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, in which the support portion has rounded edges.

9. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, in which the support portion has a rounded profile.

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10. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, in which the assembly comprises means for mounting the toilet seat on a toilet.

11. An assembly according to claim 10, in which the mounting means is arranged to permit pivoting about a substantially vertical axis.

12. An assembly according to claims 10 or 11, in which the mounting means is arranged to permit pivoting about a substantially horizontal axis.

13. An assembly according to claim 12, in which the mounting about a substantially horizontal axis is provided by a hinge arrangement to permit the toilet seat to be lifted in a conventional manner.

14. An assembly according to claim 13 when dependent on claim 11, in which the hinge arrangement is pivotally mounted about the substantially vertical axis.

15. An assembly according to claim 14, in which the mounting means comprises a base member mountable on the toilet.

16. An assembly according to claim 15, in which a pair of spaced mounting holes is provided'through the base member to permit mounting thereof on the toilet.

17. An assembly according to claims 15 or 16, in which the base member pivotally mounts the hinge arrangement.

18. An assembly according to any of claims 10 to 17, in which a recess is provided on the underside of the toilet seat to receive the mounting means.

19. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, in which a handle is provided on the toilet seat to facilitate pivotal movement thereof.

20. An assembly according to claim 19, in which the handle comprises a 8 through opening in which a person's hand is engageable.

21. An assembly according to claims 19 or 20, in which the handle is provided towards the front of the seat portion.

22. An assembly according to claim 21, in which the handle is provided on an opposite side to the support portion.

23. An assembly according to any of claims 19 to 22, in which the handle is provided towards the perimeter of the seat portion.

24. An assembly according to any of claims 19 to 23, in which more than one handle is provided on the toilet seat.

25. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, in which a formation is provided on the toilet seat to facilitate gripping thereof.

26. An assembly according to claim 25, in which the formation comprises one or more upstanding projections.

27. An assembly according to claims 25 or 26, in which the formation is provided on the seat portion towards the rear thereof.

28. An assembly according to claim 27, in which the formation is provided on an opposite side to the support portion.

29. An assembly according to any of claims 25 to 29, in which more than one formation is provided.

30. An assembly according to claim 29, in which said formations are spaced from each other.

31. A toilet arrangement, the arrangement comprising a toilet with a toilet seat assembly according to any of the preceding claims mounted on the toilet.

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32. An arrangement according to claim 31, in which markings are provided on the floor adjacent the toilet to indicate where a wheelchair should be positioned for a person to transfer therefrom onto the toilet seat.

33. An arrangement according to claim 32, in which the markings comprise a plurality of spaced markings.

34. An arrangement according to claims 32 or 33, in which the markings indicate where some or all of the wheels of the wheelchair should be located.

35. A toilet seat assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

36. A toilet arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings..

37. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed herein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.