초록 ▼

A toilet seat repositioning device which is comprised of a handle flexibly attached to the toilet seat by various means and which extends beyond the periphery of said seat to provide relief from contact with the underside of said seat and/or bowl rim when repositioning of the toilet seat occurs. Res

A toilet seat repositioning device which is comprised of a handle flexibly attached to the toilet seat by various means and which extends beyond the periphery of said seat to provide relief from contact with the underside of said seat and/or bowl rim when repositioning of the toilet seat occurs. Restrictive features are utilized to constrain flexibility allowing handle to be load bearing.

대표청구항 ▼

I claim: 1. A toilet seat and toilet seat repositioning device comprising: a flexible shaft extending from connection with a toilet seat, said shaft having an axis extending substantially parallel to a bottom surface of said toilet seat; a handle extending from an end of said flexible shaft, wherei

I claim: 1. A toilet seat and toilet seat repositioning device comprising: a flexible shaft extending from connection with a toilet seat, said shaft having an axis extending substantially parallel to a bottom surface of said toilet seat; a handle extending from an end of said flexible shaft, wherein the flexibility of said flexible shaft is such that manipulation of said handle causes said flexible shaft to flex relative to said axis; and shaft limiting means for limiting the flexing of said flexible shaft in an intended direction off of said axis so that force applied to said flexible shaft to flex said flexible shaft in said intended direction is transferred to lift said toilet seat, and force applied to said flexible shaft in non-intended directions causes the deflection of said flexible shaft off said axis. 2. The toilet seat and toilet seat repositioning device of claim 1, wherein said shaft limiting means comprises: a flange extending upwardly from an end of said flexible shaft opposite said handle, said flange extending in close proximity to a side wall of said toilet seat; and a buttress extending from said flange in a direction away from said side wall, said handle having a contact end in close proximity to said butress, wherein force applied upwardly on said handle flexes said flexible shaft upwardly and said contact end of said handle contacts said buttress and said flange contacts said side wall of said toilet seat thereby limiting the flexing of said flexible shaft and transferring the upward force to said toilet seat to lift the same. 3. The toilet seat and toilet seat repositioning device of claim 2, wherein said flange includes a protuberance extending toward said side wall, said protuberance contacting said side wall during the application of upward force on said handle. 4. The toilet seat and toilet seat repositioning device of claim 1, wherein said shaft limiting means comprises: a flange extending upwardly from an end of said flexible shaft opposite said handle, said flange extending in close proximity to a side wall of said toilet seat; and an extension of said handle extending over said flexible shaft and ending at a contact end in close proximity to said flange, wherein force applied upwardly on said handle flexes said flexible shaft upwardly and said contact end of said handle contacts said flange, forcing said flange into said side wall of said toilet seat, thereby limiting the flexing of said flexible shaft and transferring the upward force to said toilet seat to lift the same. 5. The toilet seat and toilet seat repositioning device of claim 4, wherein said flange includes a protuberance extending toward said side wall, said protuberance contacting said side wall during the application of upward force on said handle. 6. The toilet seat and toilet seat repositioning device of claim 1, wherein said flexible shaft is secured underneath said toilet seat at an end of said flexible shaft opposite said handle, and said flexible shaft extends out from underneath said toilet to connection with said handle at a contact end of said handle, said contact end extending upwardly in close proximity to a side wall of said toilet, wherein force applied upwardly on said handle flexes said flexible shaft upwardly and said contact end of said handle contacts said side wall of said toilet seat, thereby limiting the flexing of said flexible shaft and transferring the upward force to said toilet seat to lift the same. 7. The toilet seat and toilet seat repositioning device of claim 6, wherein said flange includes a protuberance extending toward said side wall, said protuberance contacting said side wall during the application of upward force on said handle. 8. The toilet seat and toilet seat repositioning device of claim 1, further comprising: a mounting surface secured to said bottom surface of said toilet seat; a flange extending upwardly from said mounting surface in close proximity to said side wall of said toilet, wherein said flexible shaft extends between said flange and said handle; a lip extending downwardly from said mounting surface; a catch shaft extending from said handle beneath said flexible shaft, said catch shaft ending in a catch extending upwardly in registration with said lip such that force applied upwardly on said handle flexes said flexible shaft upwardly and brings said catch into contact with said lip, thereby limiting the upward flexing of said flexible shaft and transferring the upward force to said toilet seat to lift the same. 9. The toilet seat and toilet seat repositioning device of claim 1, wherein said handle extends from said flexible shaft along an axis substantially parallel to said axis of said flexible shaft and provides a contact surface that tapers from a wider diameter at the ends of said handle to a smaller diameter at the middle of said handle, such that, as said handle is manipulated and said flexible shaft flexes in said intended direction the taper of said handle maintains the contact surface of the handle in an orientation that accommodates continued manipulation in said intended direction. 10. A toilet seat and toilet seat repositioning device comprising: a flexible shaft extending from connection with a toilet seat, said shaft having an axis extending substantially parallel to a bottom surface of said toilet seat; a handle extending from said flexible shaft along an axis substantially parallel to said axis of said flexible shaft and providing a contact surface that tapers from a wider diameter at the ends of said handle to a smaller diameter at the middle of said handle, wherein the flexibility of said flexible shaft is such that manipulation of said handle in a direction off of its axis causes said flexible shaft to flex relative to its axis, and the taper of said handle maintains the contact surface of the handle in an orientation that accommodates continued manipulation in said direction; and shaft limiting means for limiting the flexing of said flexible shaft in an intended direction off of said axis so that force applied to said flexible shaft to flex said flexible shaft in said intended direction is transferred to said toilet seat to lift the same, and force applied to said flexible shaft in non-intended directions is transferred to flex said flexible shaft off said axis.