GB2470356A

GB2470356A - Handle assembly for a toilet seat

Info

Publication number: GB2470356A
Application number: GB0908496A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Miller; Garry Eugene Lewis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-05-18
Filing date: 2009-05-18
Publication date: 2010-11-24
Also published as: GB0908496D0

Abstract

A handle assembly for a toilet seat comprises a base member 1 securable to the underside of a toilet seat, for example by adhesive or screws, and a handle 4 having a mounting member 7 projecting therefrom. The mounting member is engageable with holding means 6 on the base member, the mounting member and holding means co-operating to hold the handle in position during normal use, but permitting separation one from the other when sufficient force is applied to the handle. This enables the handle to be readily removed and replaced, either for cleaning purposes or to permit a new handle to replace the original one. The handle may release a small amount of an anti-bacterial or air freshening composition on to the surface. The surface layer of the handle may be porous or the handle is configured with a small pump which is realeases the composition when the seat is lifted or lowered.

Description

HANDLE ASSEMBLY FOR TOILET SEAT

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a handle assembly for a toilet seat, permitting lifting and lowering of the seat without the need to touch the surface of the seat.

Background to the Invention

The hygiene advantages of avoiding direct contact with a toilet seat when raising and lowering the seat have been long recognised. For example, US-A- 1999555, published on 30 April 1935, proposes a handle which can be screwed to the underside of the seat and which projects out to the side of the seat.

Other examples are disclosed in US-A-2758315, US-A-3191193, US-A- 371 7884 and US-A-3935601, while US-A-4512046 discloses a handle for the seat lid, positioned to prevent access to the flushing handle and thus ensure that the lid is always lowered after use. In US-A-3783455, the handle is com-bined with a vapour-emitting wick to protect the hands of the user against germs. US-A-4805246 discloses a handle which is attached to the underside of the seat by means of a self-adhesive strip, and which has a deodorant cake mountable on it so as to hang in the toilet bowl. A removable sanitary cover or sleeve may be inserted over the handle.

Handles may be presented in decorative form, for example representing characters designed to appeal to children, to encourage children into the habit of raising and lowering the toilet seat as appropriate, and to ensure that they do not touch the surface of the seat when doing so. Such handles are typically mounted to the underside of the seat by means of adhesive. As children grow, it may be desirable to change the handle, for example to a decorative form ap-pealing to older children, but this can lead to a problem, because if the adhesive is strong enough to hold the handle in place during normal use, it may be diffi-cult to remove the handle when it is desired to change it, while if the adhesive is such as to permit ready replacement, the bond may fail during normal lifting and lowering of the seat. The present invention seeks to overcome these difficul-ties, and to permit greater flexibility in use.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention, there is provided a handle assembly for a toilet seat, comprising a base member securable to the underside of a toi-let seat, and a handle having a mounting member projecting therefrom, the mounting member being engageable with holding means on the base member, the mounting member and holding means co-operating to hold the handle in position during normal use, but permitting separation one from the other when a pre-determined force is applied to the handle.

For example, the holding means may comprise an elastically-deformable clip into which the mounting member is pressed to engage it. Alternatively the holding means may comprise a socket into which the mounting member is slidably mountable, latching means on the holding means locking the two parts together during normal use, but releasing the mounting member when it is pulled firmly from the base member. It will be apparent that other configurations will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

The mounting member is preferably non-circular in cross-section to pre-vent rotation of the handle relative to the seat, in use, permitting the handle to be shaped ergonomically or decoratively for a particular orientation. Alterna-tively, two mounting members may be used side-by-side.

Removal of the handle will enable it more readily to be cleaned and treated to kill bacteria. It also permits ready replacement when, for example, it is desired to adopt a different styling, for example to conform with redecoration of the bathroom or to replace a design which appeals to younger children with one appealing to older children.

Alternatively, the handle may be arranged to release a small amount of an anti-bacterial composition on to the surface thereof with each use. For ex-ample, the handle may be formed of a porous material, at least at the surface thereof, into which the anti-bacterial composition is infused. Alternatively, the handle may be configured with a small pump which is actuated when the user lifts or lowers the seat to spray or otherwise release the anti-bacterial composi-tion.

Similarly, the action of lifting and lowering the seat by means of the han-dle may be used to trigger the release of an air-freshening, air-perfuming and/or anti-bacterial composition, into or adjacent to the toilet bowl.

By permitting the ready replacement of the handle, the activity of the anti-bacterial and other components can be maintained by regular replacement of the handle.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In the drawings, which illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the inven-tion: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a toilet bowl and seat, with the seat raised to show the attached handle assembly; Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of the handle assembly shown in Fig-ure 1, with the handle separated from the base member; and Figure 3 is a sectional view on line A-A in Figure 2, but with the handle partially inserted into the mounting on the base member.

Detailed Description of the Illustrated Embodiment

Referring to the drawings, the assembly comprises a base member 1 which is secured to the underside of a toilet seat 2 which is in turn mounted on a toilet bowl 3 in conventional manner, and a detachable handle 4. The base member 1 is suitably formed as a plastics moulding, and has a rectangular re-cess 5 in the face thereof, provided with three retaining members 6 spaced along each side thereof (it will be understood that the precise number of such members is not critical, provided that adequate support for the handle is af-forded). Each of the retaining members consists of a semi-cylindrical post 6a, upstanding from the base member 1 and projecting into the recess 5, and a cap 6b on the top of the post, the cap extending inwardly over the recess from the post. The base member 1 may be secured to the toilet seat by means of self-adhesive pads, or other adhesive means, or by screws, particularly in the case of wooden seats.

The handle 4 has a flat rectangular section shaft 7 conforming with the recess 5 and forming a close sliding fit therein beneath the caps 6b, and is pro-vided with three part-circular notches 8 along each side thereof, positioned to coincide with the positions of the posts 6a when the shaft is fully located in the recess; the partially-inserted position is illustrated in Figure 3.

Because the base member 1 is moulded from a resilient plastics mate- rial, the posts 6a are distorted outwardly when the shaft is inserted into the re-cess 5, allowing the shaft to be pushed to its final position contacting the end of the recess, at which the posts 6a are engaged in the notches 8, holding the shaft in position. In normal use, the handle remains held in place by the co-operation of the posts with the notches, but when it is desired to remove and replace the handle, a firm pull on the handle will cause outward distortion of the posts, permitting the shaft to move. It will be understood that other methods of temporary engagement of the handle with the base member may be employed in accordance with the invention.

The handle 4 may be made in any desired shape, including decorative shapes, for example representing characters or articles appealing to children. It may be made or recyclable plastics or other materials, and may incorporate an air freshening and/or anti-bacterial composition, for example impregnated into the material from which the handle is formed, or into a surface layer on the han-dle. The handle may incorporate a luminescent material to facilitate its use in the dark. Alternatively, or additionally, it could incorporate a battery-operated light, for example actuated by the action of lifting or lowering the seat. An audio device may be incorporated to play a music or voice recording when the seat is raised or lowered, for example to encourage use of the handle by children. The surface of the handle could carry an advertising or other message or logo for promotional purposes.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A handle assembly for a toilet seat, comprising a base member securable to the underside of a toilet seat, and a handle having a mounting member projecting therefrom, the mounting member being engageable with holding means on the base member, the mounting member and holding means co-operating to hold the handle in position during normal use, but permitting separation one from the other when a pre-determined force is applied to the handle.
2. A handle assembly according to Claim 1, wherein the holding means comprises an elastically-deformable clip into which the mounting mem-ber is pressed to engage it.
3. A handle assembly according to Claim 1, wherein the holding means comprises a socket into which the mounting member is slidably mount-able, latching means on the holding means locking the two parts together during normal use, but releasing the mounting member when it is pulled firmly from the base member.
4. A handle assembly according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the mounting member is non-circular in cross-section to prevent rotation of the han-dle relative to the seat.
5. A handle assembly according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein two mounting members are used side-by-side.
6. A handle assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the handle is arranged to release a small amount of an anti-bacterial and/or air-freshening composition on to the surface thereof with each use.
7. A handle assembly according to Claim 5, wherein at least a sur-face layer of the handle is porous and the composition is infused into said layer.
8. A handle assembly according to Claim 5, wherein the handle is configured with a small pump which is actuated when the user lifts or lowers the seat to spray or otherwise release the composition.
9. A handle assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the handle is configured such that the action of lifting or lowering the seat triggers release of an air-freshening and/or antibacterial composition into or adjacent to the toilet bowl.
10. A handle assembly for a toilet seat, substantially as described with reference to, and/or as shown in, the drawings.