Automatic self-illuminating toilet lid

• US 6,003,160 A
• Filed: 04/19/1999
• Issued: 12/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James Seidle, Linda Seidle
• Original Assignee: James Seidle, Linda Seidle
• Inventors: Seidle, James, Seidle, Linda
• Primary Examiner(s): Eloshway, Charles R.
• Application Number:
  US09/294,626
• Time in Patent Office: 246 Days
• Field of Search: 4/234, 4/661, 4/242.1
• US Class Current: 4/234
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 13/24 Parts or details not covered in, or of interest apart from, groups A47K13/02 - A47K13/22, e.g. devices imparting a swinging or vibrating motion to the seats
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/004 Sanitary equipment, e.g. mirrors, showers, toilet seats or paper dispensers

Abstract

Mounted on a toilet lid is a lamp, a battery, a gravity switch and a light sensor, whereby the lamp is automatically lit in the absence of light when the toilet lid is raised, and is automatically extinguished when the light sensor senses light or when the toilet lid is lowered to rest on the toilet seat.

Claims

1. Automatic self-illuminating apparatus for use in covering the toilet seat of a toilet, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a toilet lid adapted to be hingedly mounted to said toilet and adapted to be rotated between a horizontal position covering said toilet seat and a vertical position uncovering said toilet seat, said toilet lid having a cavity, a bottom face adapted to rest on said toilet seat, and a top face opposite said bottom face,

(b) a lamp mounted to said toilet lid,

(c) a battery mounted to said toilet lid,

(d) a gravity switch mounted to said toilet lid,

(e) electrical circuitry connecting in series said lamp, said battery, and said gravity switch, said gravity switch opening said electrical circuitry when said toilet lid is in the horizontal position resting on said toilet seat, and closing said electrical circuitry when said toilet lid is raised from said horizontal position,

(f) light sensing means mounted to said toilet lid and incorporated in series in said electrical circuitry, said light sensing means opening said electrical circuitry when light is sensed and closing said electrical circuitry in the absence of light,

(g) said battery, said gravity switch, and said lamp being housed in said cavity, with said lamp being exposed through the bottom face of said toilet lid and said light sensing means being exposed through the top face of said toilet lid, whereby

when light is sensed by said light sensing means, said electrical circuitry is opened and said lamp will not be illuminated regardless of the position of the toilet lid, and when light is not sensed, said electrical circuitry is closed, such that said gravity switch is operable to close said electrical circuitry and illuminate said lamp when the toilet lid is raised from the horizontal position.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1, said gravity switch comprising:

(h) a tube having a longitudinal axis and mounted to said toilet lid with said longitudinal axis disposed at an angle to the horizontal when said toilet lid is resting horizontally on said toilet seat, said tube having a first end and a second end, said first end being elevated above said second end when said toilet lid is resting horizontally on said toilet seat,

(i) a pair of spaced electrical contact points incorporated in series in said electrical circuitry and extending into said first end of said tube,

(j) an electrically conductive connecting ball positioned in said tube and adapted to roll between said first and second ends of said tube,

(k) whereby, when said toilet lid is resting horizontally on said toilet seat, said connecting ball has rolled to a position adjacent said second end of said tube leaving said electrical circuitry in open position,

(l) and whereby, when said toilet lid is raised from horizontal position, said connecting ball rolls to said first end of said tube to engage said contact points to closed said electrical circuitry.

3. Automatic self-illuminating apparatus for use in covering the toilet seat of a toilet, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a toilet lid adapted to be hingedly mounted to said toilet and adapted to be rotated between a horizontal position covering said toilet seat and a vertical position uncovering said toilet seat, said toilet lid having a cavity, a bottom face adapted to rest on said toilet seat, and a top face opposite said bottom face,

(b) a lamp mounted to said toilet lid,

(c) a battery mounted to said toilet lid,

(d) electrical circuitry connecting in series said lamp, said battery, and a gravity switch mounted to said toilet lid, said gravity switch opening said electrical circuitry when said toilet lid is in the horizontal position resting on said toilet seat, and closing said electrical circuitry when said toilet lid is raised from said horizontal position, said gravity switch comprising;

(1) a tube having a longitudinal axis and mounted to said toilet lid with said longitudinal axis disposed at an angle to the horizontal when said toilet lid is resting horizontally on said toilet seat, said tube having a first end and a second end, said first end being elevated above said second end when said toilet lid is resting horizontally on said toilet seat,

(2) a pair of spaced electrical contact points incorporated in series in said electrical circuitry and extending into said first end of said tube,

(3) an electrically conductive connecting ball positioned in said tube and adapted to roll between said first and second ends of said tube, whereby when said toilet lid is resting horizontally on said toilet seat, said connecting ball has rolled to a position adjacent said second end of said tube leaving said electrical circuitry in the open position, and when said toilet lid is raised from the horizontal position, said connecting ball rolls to said first end of said tube to engage said contact points to close said electrical circuitry,

(f) light sensing means mounted to said toilet lid and incorporated in series in said electrical circuitry, said light sensing means opening said electrical circuitry when light is sensed and closing said electrical circuitry in the absence of light,

(g) said battery, said gravity switch, and said lamp being housed in said cavity, with said lamp being exposed through the bottom face of said toilet lid and said light sensing means being exposed through the top face of said toilet lid, whereby

when light is sensed by said light sensing means, said electrical circuitry is opened and said lamp will not be illuminated regardless of the position of the toilet lid, and when light is not sensed, said electrical circuitry is closed, such that said gravity switch is operable to close said electrical circuitry and illuminate said lamp when the toilet lid is raised from the horizontal position.