Self-lifting toilet seat

Abstract

A self-lifting toilet seat system includes a toilet seat configured to be sat upon by a user. The system has a hinge configured to rotatably couple the toilet seat and a toilet bowl. The hinge is configured so that the toilet seat is transitionable from an up position to a down position. A lifting system is configured to raise the toilet seat towards the up position. A sealed hinge housing has at least a portion of a delay system therein. The delay system is configured to cause a time delay before the lifting system causes the toilet seat to self-lift towards the up position. The delay system is configured so that the time delay begins after removal of a threshold downward force on the toilet seat.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A self-lifting toilet seat system comprising:
 a hinge configured to rotatably couple a toilet seat and a toilet bowl, the hinge configured so that the toilet seat is transitionable from an up position to a down position;   a lifting system configured to raise the toilet seat towards the up position;   a housing having therein a delay system configured to cause a time delay before the lifting system causes the toilet seat to self-lift towards the up position, the housing having an opening configured to receive a force transmission member, the delay system being substantially sealed;   the force transmission member configured to transfer seat motion into the substantially sealed delay system.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein motion of the force transmission member is configured to actuate the time delay of the delay system. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the time delay is reset and/or paused upon application of the threshold downward force on the toilet seat. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hinge housing has two axially side-facing openings configured to allow transfer of rotary motion from the seat to the delay system, wherein the connection between the force transmission member and housing is substantially sealed. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the connection between the force transmission member and housing is substantially sealed. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the delay system comprises a suction cup and an attachment surface, wherein temporary adhesion of the cup to the attachment surface prevents the toilet seat from self-lifting to the up position. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the substantially sealed delay system includes a controlled leakage channel configured to trap or block contaminates. 
     
     
         8 . A self-lifting toilet seat system comprising:
 a hinge at least partially positioned with a hinge housing, the hinge configured to rotatably couple a toilet seat and a toilet bowl, the hinge configured so that the toilet seat is transitionable from an up position to a down position;   a lifting system configured to raise the toilet seat towards the up position;   a substantially sealed delay system configured to cause a time delay before the lifting system causes the toilet seat to self-lift towards the up position, the hinge housing having a controlled leakage channel configured to allow for pressure equalization of the inside of the housing and the ambient environment, the controlled leakage channel further configured to trap or block contaminates.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the delay system is positioned within the hinge housing. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the delay system comprises a suction cup and an attachment surface, wherein the temporary adhesion of the cup to the attachment surface prevents the toilet seat from self-lifting to the up position. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the suction cup is coupled with the toilet seat through a linkage. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the attachment surface includes one or more controlled leakage channels having an opening spanned by a porous film that restricts fluid flow through the one or more controlled leakage channels. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the suction cup is configured to overlap with at least a portion of the controlled leakage channel when the user lowers the toilet seat to the down position. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more controlled leakage channels are configured to be positioned to be under the suction cup when the suction cup is adhered to the attachment surface. 
     
     
         15 . A self-lifting toilet seat system comprising:
 a hinge configured to rotatably couple a toilet seat and a toilet bowl, the hinge configured so that the toilet seat is transitionable from an up position to a down position;   a lifting system configured to raise the toilet seat towards the up position, the lifting system coupled with a delay system configured to cause a time delay before the lifting system causes the toilet seat to self-lift towards the up position,   wherein the delay system is configured to compress a suction cup onto a contact surface,   the system configured so that a rotational motion of lowering the toilet seat towards the down position causes a substantially linear motion of the suction cup onto the contact surface.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  where the suction cup comprises an elastomer that is fluid permeable, and the rate of influx of fluid while the suction cup is adhered to the attachment surface determines the time delay. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the contact surface comprises one or more controlled leakage channels having an opening spanned by a porous film that restricts fluid flow through the one or more controlled leakage channels. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15  where the contact surface is fluid permeable, and the time delay is a function of a rate of fluid influx. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the delay mechanism is substantially sealed in a housing of the hinge. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the substantially perpendicular compression of the suction cup onto the contact surface is actuated via a linkage having a single degree of freedom.