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A manipulation tool
[Category : - Tools- Bathroom]
[Viewed 86 times]
Toilet seats and seat lids are moved between their raised and lowered positions in order to use the toilet in its different ways. However, toilet seats and seat lids come into contact with human waste, by virtue of their close vicinity to the toilet bowl. In the vast majority of cases toilet seats and seat lids can only be moved manually, which means the user's hands can come into contact with germs and bacteria associated with human waste. A user may not consider this too great an issue in their own homes, but the situation is different in public toilets, in particular those which experience heavy traffic.
It is generally accepted that it is beneficial to health to avoid contact with germs and bacteria, but to date there has been little consideration given to the fact that toilet seats and seat lids are manually operated, and therefore bring users into direct contact with potentially harmful germs and bacteria.
The present invention is intended to overcome some of the above described problems.
Therefore, according to the present invention a manipulation tool comprises an elongate handle and a head portion, in which said head portion comprises a pair of arms which extend from a first end of said elongate handle in a plane substantially normal to an axis of said handle, and in which said arms are spaced apart in said plane to define an interface area between them.
Thus, in its most basic form the present invention provides a manipulation tool which has a pair of arms at one end which are arranged to locate around an item to be manipulated. When the item is in the interface area it can be acted upon by one or both arms in order to move it.
It will be appreciated that the tool of the invention can therefore be used to manipulate any item. However, because the arms extend in a plane substantially normal to the axis of the handle, the tool finds particular application for manipulating items which extend in generally the same direction as the elongate handle in use. This is the case with the lateral-most portion of an annular toilet seat when a user is standing before the toilet. It will be appreciated that as toilet seats are generally annular the tool also works if a user is standing to one side of the toilet, as they can use the tool to manipulate the portion of the seat which is lateral-most from the centre of the toilet from their standing positon. In other words, the portion of the toilet seat which is generally in line with the axis of the handle. The user simply manipulates the tool until the toilet seat is located in the interface area between the arms, and then rotates and/or moves the tool in order to lift or lower the toilet seat about its hinge into the desired position.
Toilets are commonly provided with a seat and a seat lid, which can be lifted and lowered independently or in combination with one another. The tool of the invention can be used to move the seat or the seat lid, or both of them together. The seat lid, or the combination of the seat and seat lid, can only be manipulated from the radially external side as the seat lid has no central aperture. However, the seat on its own can be manipulated in the same way from its radially internal side, from within the central aperture. In all these cases the manipulation method is essentially the same. A portion of the seat and/or seat lid is located in the interface area, and the tool rotated and/or lifted to move the seat and/or seat lid.
Given its shape, the tool of the invention can also be used in other ways. For example, because the arms extend from the first end of the handle in a plane normal to the axis of the handle, from opposite sides thereof the tool has an "L" shape. This means it can be used to simply lift items by placing the arms underneath them, or to draw items by placing the arms behind them. Both of these actions can be performed to toilet seats and/or seat lids. When a toilet seat or seat lid is down the arms can be placed underneath it to lift it, and when a toilet seat or seat lid is up the arms can be placed behind it to draw it down. In fact, a user can combine such actions with the placement of a portion of the toilet seat and/or seat lid in the interface area. For example, they can place the arms under the toilet seat and/or seat lid to lift it initially, and they can then twist and/or rotate the tool to capture a portion of the toilet seat and/or seat lid in the interface area for further manipulation thereof.
Each of the arms can be any shape. For example, the arms can be straight, so together they form a "V" shape with a triangular interface area between them. They can also comprise a number of straight sections which are angularly displaced from one another in the plane, so together they can form a square, diamond or other more complex geometric shape with a corresponding interface area between them. It is also not necessary for the arms to both have the same shape. Therefore one can be longer than the other. However, in a preferred construction each of the arms is curved. A curved shape is ergonomic, and it also facilitates a smooth interface with the item to be manipulated. This is particularly the case if the orientation of the item changes as it is being manipulated, which is the case when a user lifts or lowers a toilet seat and/or seat lid, because they rotates about their hinge, and therefore the portion in the interface area will also rotate and/or travel in and out of the interface area. With curved arms the frictional contact interface between the head portion and the item being manipulated is minimised, which leads to a more efficient and easy manner of use.
In a preferred construction the arms can combine to form a substantially semicircular interface portion. This is the most effective shape to perform the above described manipulations, because the item being manipulated can move smoothly around the semi-circular interface area without undue restriction. In particular, when the head portion is introduced to a portion of a toilet seat and/or seat lid, initially one of the arms will make contact, but as the toilet seat and/or seat lid is rotated the contact area may move between the arms. With the smooth semi-circular surface of the interface portion the portion of the toilet seat and/or seat lid can freely move between them.
The interface portion can comprise rounded ends. Again, this eliminates any shapes which could prevent the smooth interaction with the item to be manipulated. In particular, the rounded ends may make first contact with the item, and the portion of the rounded ends which is adjacent to the interface area will urge the item therein.
It will be appreciated that the interface portion can be flat in the direction of the axis. In other words, the interface portion can be shaped as a part of a disc. However, preferably the interface portion can have a regular circular cross-section, and the ends can be hemispherical. In other words, the interface portion can be shaped like half of a toroid, with hemispherical ends. Once again, this shape is the most ergonomic and leads to a smooth interface with the item being manipulated. This is particularly the case if the orientation of the item changes as it is being manipulated, which is the case when a user lifts or lowers a toilet seat and/or seat lid, as described above. The initial three dimensional angular relationship between the tool and the portion of the seat and/or lid to be manipulated can vary considerably, as can the three dimensional angular relationship as the seat and/or lid is then moved. Initially it can be something like 45 degrees down and anywhere up to about the same laterally if the seat and/or lid is lowered, or 20 or 30 degrees down and anywhere up to 45 degrees laterally if the seat and/or lid is lifted, depending on the height of the user and their position in relation to the toilet. This means that any part of a wide area of the internal rounded surface of the interface portion which faces into the interface area can come into contact with the toilet seat and/or lid first. As the seat and/or lid is rotated about its hinge, and therefore the portion inside the interface area rotates and/or travels in and out of the interface area, the frictional contact interface between the interface portion and the toilet seat and/or lid can move circumferentially around the interface area as well as circumferentially around the annular cross-section of the interface portion. With smooth round curvatures in both the circumferential direction of the interface area as well as the cross-sectional direction of the interface portion, the moving interface between the interface portion and the seat and/or lid is unrestricted, which leads to a smooth operation.
Preferably the head portion can comprise a base part arranged on the axis, and the interface portion can extend from the base part such that it is spaced from the axis. It has been found that this makes the tool easier to use, because a lateral clearance is provided between the handle and the head part.
The base part can taper towards the axis. This is an ergonomic shape because the rounded surface of the interface portion which faces away from the interface area transitions smoothly into the base part.
The elongate handle can comprise a handgrip portion and a stem portion extending from the handgrip portion to the head portion. The handgrip portion gives the user something convenient to grasp the tool with. The hand grip portion can be normal to the stem. However, preferably the hand grip portion is axially aligned with the stem.
The present invention can be performed in various ways, but one embodiment will now be described by way of example, and with reference to the accompany drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a manipulation tool according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the manipulation tool as shown in Figure 1 and, Figure 3 is an end view of the manipulation tool as shown in Figure 1.
As shown in the Figures, a manipulation tool 1 comprises an elongate handle 2 and a head portion 3. The head portion 3 comprises a pair of arms 4 and 5 which extend from a first end 6 of the elongate handle 2 in a plane B substantially normal to an axis A-A of the handle 2. The arms 4 and 5 are spaced apart in the plane B to define an interface area 7 between them (which is shown in hashed lines in Figure 3).
As is clear from the Figures, the arms 4 and 5 are curved. In fact, each one is curved through 90 degrees, and the two arms 4 and 5 combine to form a semicircular interface portion 8. The interface portion 8 has a regular circular cross-section along its length, and it has hemispherical ends 9 and 10. As such, the interface portion 8 is shaped like half a toroid with hemispherical ends.
The head portion 3 comprises a base part 11 arranged on the axis A-A, and the interface portion 8 extends from the base part 11 such that it is spaced from the axis A-A. The base part 11 tapers towards the axis A-A, so the external rounded surface 12 of the interface portion 8 which faces away from the interface area 7 transitions smoothly into the base part 11.
The elongate handle 2 comprises a handgrip portion 13 and a stem portion 14 extending from the handgrip portion 13 to the head portion 3. The handgrip portion 13 is axially aligned with the stem portion 14 on the axis A-A. Both the handgrip portion 13 and the stem portion 14 are cylindrical in shape. The handgrip portion 13 comprises an aperture 15, which is to facilitate storage and/or to provide a mounting for a wrist strap (not shown).
The tool 1 is manufactured from a plastics material and is a single integrated item. It is appropriately sized for an adult user to use to manipulate a toilet seat and/or seat lid. It can be provided with any suitable container for transportation or storage. For example, it can be provided with a cylindrical container adapted to stand on one end, into which the tool 1 can be placed when not in use, in a similar manner to toilet brush containers.
The manipulation tool 1 can be used to manipulate any item which can physically influenced by the interface portion 8. However, it is intended to be used to manipulate a toilet seat and/or seat lid (not shown). If so, it operates as follows. The user grasps the handgrip portion 13 in their hand, and holds the tool 1 out in front of them. They approach the toilet and introduce the head portion 3 to the toilet seat and/or seat lid they wish to move. They can do this in a number of ways, depending on the initial orientation of the toilet seat and/or seat lid.
If the seat and/or lid is in the lowered position the interface portion 8 is introduced to the a portion of the seat and/or lid which is generally parallel with the axis A-A. Where this portion is located on the seat and/or lid will depend on the position of the user, who could be in front of the toilet, or to one or other side. The initial angular relationship between the tool 1 and the portion of the seat and/or lid will initially be something like 45 degrees down and anywhere up to about the same laterally, depending on the height of the user and their position in relation to the toilet. This means that any part of a wide area of internal rounded surface 16 of the interface portion 8 may come into contact with the seat and/or lid first. However, this is not a problem because the rounded shaped of the interface portion 8, both in terms of its semi-circular shape in the plane B, and its circular cross section, mean that the angular offset between the surface of the seat and/or lid and the internal rounded surface 16 is about the same regardless of the angular position of the tool 1 in relation to the portion of the seat and/or lid. As such, the action of introducing of the tool 1 to the seat and/or lid is similar regardless of the height and position of the user.
The space between the toilet seat and the rim of the toilet bowl, or between the seat lid and the seat, may be less than the diameter of the cross-sectional shape of the interface portion 8. However, this is also not a problem, because the hemispherical end 9 or 10 in question can be driven towards the seat and/or lid and its rounded shape will urge the seat and/or lid into the interface area 7. This will involve the seat and/or lid rotating on its hinge slightly.
Once the portion of the seat and/or lid is located in the interface area 7 the user then rotates and/or moves the tool 1 upwards in order to lift the seat and/or lid about its hinge into the raised position. When this movement occurs the orientation and position of the portion of the seat and/or lid in the interface area 7 changes. When this happens the frictional contact area between the interface portion 8 and the seat and/or lid will change, but this is not a problem because the rounded shaped of the interface portion 8, both in terms of its semi-circular shape in the plane B, and its circular cross section, mean that such changes in orientation and position are smoothly accommodated without undue restriction. The portion of the seat and/or lid in contact with the interface portion 8 can freely move circumferentially around the interface area 7 as well as circumferentially around the annular cross-section of the interface portion 8.
The above described action is easiest if the tool 1 is applied to the radially external side of the seat and/or lid. This is also the only possible way to manipulate the lid as it has no central aperture. However, the seat on its own can be manipulated in the same way from its radially internal side, from within the central aperture. The manipulation method is essentially the same as described above, although it may not be convenient because the stem 14 may clash with the seat as it is rotated up into its raised position. This may not happen if the seat has an opening at the front, which some do.
If the seat and/or lid is in the raised position and the user wants to move the seat and/or lid into the lowered position, the reverse of the above described operation is performed. The user introduces the interface portion 8 to the seat and/or lid, and manipulates it down into the lowered position. Again, the contact area between the portion of the seat and/or lid in contact with the interface portion 8 will change as the seat and/or lid is lowered, but due to the shape of the interface portion 8 there is no restriction to this movement.
Given its shape, the tool 1 can also be used like an "L" shaped bracket. When the seat and/or lid is in the lower position the whole of the interface portion 8 can be placed underneath in order to lift the seat or lid. Likewise, when the seat and/or lid is in the raised position the whole of the interface portion 8 can be placed behind in order to draw the lift of seat down. A user can also combine such actions with those described above. For example, they can place the interface portion under the seat and/or lid to lift it initially, and they can then twist and/or rotate the tool 1 to capture a portion of the seat and/or lid in the interface area 7 for further manipulation thereof.
The above described embodiment can be altered without departing from the scope of claim 1. For example, in an alternative embodiment (not shown) the arms are straight rather than curved so together they form a "V" shape with a triangular interface area between them. In other alternative embodiments (not shown) the arms comprise a number of straight sections which are angularly displaced from one another in the plane, so together they can form a square, diamond or other more complex geometric shapes with corresponding interface areas between them. In another alternative embodiment (not shown) one arm is longer than the other.
In one further alternative embodiment (not shown) the interface portion is flat in the direction of the axis, so it is shaped as a part of a disc.
Therefore, the present invention provides a tool for easily and smoothly lifting and lowering toilet seats and/or seat lids. This prevents the need for the user to make any physical contact with the toilet seat and/or seat lid, thereby preventing the spread of germs and bacteria which may be detrimental to health.
Patent publications:
GB 2574825
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