Hands free toilet device

Abstract

A hands free toilet device 20 including mounting base 22; control assembly 30 for supplying a force for raising and lowering the standard seat 12; foot pressure actuator 50 for activating the control assembly 30; drive coupling 60; and lift assembly 70 for raising the standard seat 12 when the foot pressure actuator 50 is depressed and lowering the standard seat 12 when the foot pressure actuator 50 is released. A flush actuator 80 may be attached to the drive coupling 60 for automatically flushing the standard toilet 10 when the standard seat 12 is automatically lowered. A method for raising and lowering a standard seat 12 comprising the steps of stepping on the foot pressure actuator 50 to raise the standard seat 12; and releasing the foot from foot pressure actuator 50 to lower the standard seat 12 and flush the standard toilet 10.

1 . A hands free toilet device for raising and lowering a standard seat on a standard toilet, the hands free toilet device comprising: 
 a mounting base for mounting the hands free toilet device between the standard seat and the standard toilet;    a control assembly mounted on the mounting base for supplying a force for raising and lowering the standard seat, the control assembly comprising: 
 an electric gearmotor attached to the mounting base,  
 an electric gearmotor shaft attached to the electric gearmotor and extending through the mounting base,  
 at least one shaft positioning switch mounted by the gearmotor shaft to determine the position of the gearmotor shaft,  
 a foot switch attached to the mounting base, and  
 a power cord with one end of the power cord electrically connected to the control assembly and the other end of the power cord capable of being connected to electrical power;  
   a foot pressure actuator for activating the control assembly that is connected to the foot switch of the control assembly;    a drive coupling mounted on the mounting base and with one end of the drive coupling connected to the electric gearmotor shaft; and    a lift assembly attached to the second end of the drive coupling wherein the drive coupling transfers the lifting force from the control assembly to the lift assembly at one end of the lifting assembly and the second end of the lift assembly is positioned between the standard seat and the standard toilet for raising the standard seat when the foot pressure actuator is depressed and lowering the standard seat when the foot pressure actuator is released.    
   
   
       2 . A hands free toilet device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the electric gearmotor comprises a 110 volt AC gearmotor; and the control assembly further comprises a capacitor attached to the mounting base and electrically connected to the electric gearmotor.  
   
   
       3 . A hands free toilet device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the electric gearmotor comprises a 220 volt AC gearmotor; and the control assembly further comprises a capacitor attached to the mounting base and electrically connected to the electric gearmotor.  
   
   
       4 . A hands free toilet device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the electric gearmotor comprises a DC gearmotor.  
   
   
       5 . A hands free toilet device as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein 
 the control assembly further comprises: 
 a terminal block attached to the mounting base; and  
   the at least one shaft positioning switch further comprises: 
 at least one rotary switch cam attached to the electric gearmotor shaft, and  
 at least one snap action switch electrically attached to the electric gearmotor.  
   
   
   
       6 . A hands free toilet device as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the standard toilet includes a flush lever, the hands free toilet device further comprising: 
 a latching relay attached to the mounting base for controlling the gearmotor flushing action;    a flush actuator attached to the drive coupling for automatically flushing the standard toilet when the standard seat is automatically lowered; and    a flush actuator connector, an end of the flush actuator connector attached to the flush actuator and a second end of the flush actuator connector attached to the flush lever, with the flush actuator connector mechanically connecting the flush actuator and the flush lever.    
   
   
       7 . A method of raising and lowering a standard seat comprising a mounting base attached between a standard seat and a standard toilet, a control assembly mounted on the mounting base, a foot pressure actuator for activating the control assembly and a lift assembly attached to the mounting base and connected to the control assembly, the method comprising the steps of: 
 stepping on the foot pressure actuator to raise the standard seat; and    releasing the foot from foot pressure actuator to lower the standard seat.    
   
   
       8 . A method of raising and lowering a standard seat as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the step of releasing the foot from the foot pressure actuator further flushes the standard toilet.