Automated hygienic toilet seat with guide shield

Abstract

Sanitary toilet seat assemblies including automated cover material dispensers and a guide shield secured to a base member of the toilet seat assembly. The guide shield can have a top portion extending into a region lying between a first tangential plane and a second tangential plane, extending parallel to the base member and tangentially from opposing points along the outer circumference of the counter shaft projections.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The invention relates generally to sanitary toilet seat assemblies and more specifically to sanitary toilet seat assemblies including automated cover material dispensers.[0003]2. Description of the Related Art[0004]Toilet seats having a device for hygienic covering by a tubular film are known. For example, expired U.S. Pat. No. 4,213,212 to Hefty et al. teaches an arrangement for fitting and changing a tubular cover made of plastic film on a horseshoe shaped toilet seat. Generally, a roll of tubular toilet seat cover material extends from a supply reel, around the seat, to a take-up reel. The tubular cover is advanced one seat length between uses. The supply and take-up reels are contained, along with a motor, electric power source and pulley / gear arrangement, in a housing. In operation, the user actuates the motor by pressing a button, pulling a lever, or waiving a hand over an infrared sensor wired, thereby advancing ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This patent describes an improved cover for a sanitary toilet seat assembly that uses tubular plastic to clean itself. The cover is driven by a motor and has a concave interior with an open bottom. The cover has openings for the plastic to pass through while in use. The cover also has a pressure plate that helps direct the plastic and engages with it to prevent it from leaking out of the cover. The cover is designed to cover the dispenser shaft, the take-up shaft, and the motor, which is located on the toilet seat assembly base. To prevent the cover from getting stuck or misfed, the cover has guide shields that help guide it properly.

Problems solved by technology

For instance, the known device does not include a means for detecting resistance changes during advancement of the tubular covering.

Consequently, in instances where the cover material is torn or snared, the motor and gear assembly will continue to operate despite the lack of advancement of cover material around the seat.

Furthermore, the quantity of covering material advanced may be insufficient due to slipping of tubing on the take up reel.

Other limitations include extensive reliance on mechanical parts, such as gears, pulleys and belts, which are susceptible to failure.

In the event of a misfeeding, mechanisms for detecting the amount of tubular toilet seat cover material that has been dispensed can fail to operate properly, thereby wasting the cover material, or leaving a portion of the seat covered with an unhygienic portion of cover material.

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