Toilet safety apparatus, systems, and methods

• US 7,958,575 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2010
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Correlated Magnetics Research, LLC
• Original Assignee: Cedar Ridge Research LLC
• Inventors: Richards, James L., Fullerton, Larry W., Roberts, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrera; Ramon M
• Application Number:
  US12/896,424
• Publication Number:
  US 20110018660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 256 Days
• Field of Search: 335/285, 335302-306, 243/03, 423/4, 424/21
• US Class Current: 4/242.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 13/003 Methods and devices for magnetising permanent magnets permanent magnets H01F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0242 Magnetic drives, magnetic coupling devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0284 using a trimmable or adjustable magnetic circuit, e.g. for a symmetric dipole or quadrupole magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 49/10 of the permanent-magnet type

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention provides a correlated magnet toilet seat cover lock which may include a first correlated magnetic field structure securely attachable to a toilet bowl, a second correlated magnetic field structure that is complementary to the first correlated magnetic field structure and securely attachable to a toilet seat cover, and wherein the first correlated magnetic field structure associated with the toilet bowl is capable of being aligned with the second correlated magnetic field structure attachable to the toilet seat cover such that the toilet bowl and the toilet seat cover produce an attractive force that secures the toilet seat cover to the toilet seat bowl.

Claims

1. A correlated magnet toilet seat cover lock, comprising:

a first correlated magnetic field structure securely attachable to a toilet bowl;

a second correlated magnetic field structure that is complementary to said first correlated magnetic field structure and securely attachable to a toilet seat cover; and

wherein said first correlated magnetic field structure attachable to said toilet bowl is capable of being aligned with the second correlated magnetic field structure attachable to said toilet seat cover such that said toilet bowl and said toilet seat cover produce an attractive force that secures said toilet seat cover to said toilet seat bowl, said attractive force being a peak spatial force of a spatial force function, said spatial force function corresponding to a code modulo defined by a code, said code modulo defining said peak spatial force and a plurality of off peak spatial forces, said plurality of off peak spatial forces having a largest off peak spatial force, said largest off peak spatial force being less than half of the peak spatial force.

2. The correlated magnet toilet lock of claim 1, further comprising a turning mechanism adapted to be applied to said first or said second correlated magnetic field structure to decorrelate said first or said second correlated magnetic structures enabling said toilet seat cover to be lifted and unlatched from said toilet bowl.

3. The correlated magnet toilet seat cover lock of claim 1, wherein said first and second correlated magnetic field structures are attachable to said toilet bowl and/or toilet seat cover with an adhesive.

4. The correlated magnet toilet seat cover lock of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first or second correlated magnetic field structures are integrated into at least one of said toilet bowl or said toilet seat cover.

5. The correlated magnet toilet seat lock of claim 1, further comprising a third correlated magnetic field structure complementary to said first correlated magnetic field structure and securely attachable to a toilet seat, wherein said first correlated magnetic field structure associated with said toilet bowl is alignable with said second correlated magnetic field structure attached to said toilet seat cover and said third correlated magnetic field structure is alignable with the correlated magnetic structure attachable to toilet bowl to produce an attractive force that secures said toilet seat cover to said toilet seat and further to said toilet seat bowl.

6. The correlated magnet toilet seat lock of claim 5, further comprising a turning mechanism adapted to be applied to said first or said second or said third correlated magnetic field structure to decorrelate said first or said second or said third correlated magnetic structures enabling said toilet seat cover to be lifted and unlatched from said toilet seat and said toilet bowl.

7. A method of locking a seat cover to a toilet bowl using correlated magnets, comprising:

securing a first correlated magnetic field structure to said toilet bowl;

securing a second correlated magnetic field structure that is complementary to said first correlated magnetic field structure to said toilet seat cover; and

aligning said first correlated magnetic field structure associated with said toilet bowl with the second correlated magnetic field structure attached to said toilet seat cover such that said toilet bowl and said toilet seat cover produce an attractive force that secures said toilet seat cover to said toilet seat bowl, said attractive force being a peak spatial force of a spatial force function, said spatial force function corresponding to a code modulo defined by a code, said code modulo defining said peak spatial force and a plurality of off peak spatial forces, said plurality of off peak spatial forces having a largest off peak spatial force, said largest off peak spatial force being less than half of the peak spatial force.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising applying a turning mechanism to said first or said second correlated magnetic field structure to decorrelate said first or said second correlated magnetic structures enabling said toilet seat cover to be lifted and unlatched from said toilet bowl.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising attaching said first and second correlated magnetic field structures to said toilet bowl and toilet seat cover with an adhesive.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising integrating said first and second correlated magnetic field structures into said toilet bowl and said toilet seat cover.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising securing a third correlated magnetic field structure complementary to said first and said second correlated magnetic field structures to a toilet seat, wherein said first correlated magnetic field structure associated with said toilet bowl is aligned with the second correlated magnetic field structure attached to said toilet seat cover and said third correlated magnetic field structure is aligned with the correlated magnetic structures attached to both said toilet bowl and said toilet seat cover to produce an attractive force that secures said toilet seat cover to said toilet seat and further to said toilet seat bowl.

12. A correlated magnet toilet seat cover lock, comprising:

a first correlated magnetic field structure securely attached to a toilet bowl;

a second correlated magnetic field structure that is complementary to said first correlated magnetic field structure and integrated with an elongated member adapted to protrude over a toilet seat cover associated with said toilet bowl and to secure said toilet seat cover to said toilet bowl via a toilet seat; and

wherein said first correlated magnetic field structure associated with said toilet bowl is aligned with the second correlated magnetic field structure attached to said elongated member such that said toilet bowl and said elongated member toilet seat cover produce an attractive force that secures said toilet seat cover to said toilet seat bowl, said attractive force being a peak spatial force of a spatial force function, said spatial force function corresponding to a code modulo defined by a code, said code modulo defining said peak spatial force and a plurality of off peak spatial forces, said plurality of off peak spatial forces having a largest off peak spatial force, said largest off peak spatial force being less than half of the peak spatial force.

13. The correlated magnet toilet seat cover lock of claim 12, further comprising a turning mechanism adapted to be applied to said first or said second correlated magnetic field structure to decorrelate said first or said second correlated magnetic structures enabling said toilet seat cover to be lifted and unlatched from said toilet bowl.

14. The correlated magnet toilet seat cover lock of claim 13, wherein said elongated member is adapted to rotate such that said second correlated magnetic field structure decorrelates from said first correlated magnetic structure enabling said toilet seat cover to be lifted from said toilet bowl.

15. The correlated magnet toilet seat cover lock of claim 12, wherein said first correlated magnetic field structures is attached to said toilet bowl with an adhesive or is integrated into said toilet bowl.

16. The correlated magnet toilet seat cover lock of claim 12, wherein said elongated member fully detaches from said first correlated magnetic field structure securely attached to said toilet bowl upon rotation and decorrelation of said second correlated magnetic field structure from said first correlated magnetic field structure.

17. A child proof toilet system, comprising:

a toilet bowl with a first correlated magnetic field structure associated therewith;

a toilet seat cover with a second correlated magnetic field structure that is complementary to said first correlated magnetic field structure associated therewith; and

wherein

said first correlated magnetic field structure associated with said toilet bowl is alignable with said second correlated magnetic field structure associated with said toilet seat cover such that said toilet bowl and said toilet seat cover produce an attractive force that secures said toilet seat cover to said toilet seat bowl, and

said attractive force being a peak spatial force of a spatial force function, said spatial force function corresponding to a code modulo defined by a code, said code modulo defining said peak spatial force and a plurality of off peak spatial forces, said plurality of off peak spatial forces having a largest off peak spatial force, said largest off peak spatial force being less than half of the peak spatial force.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a turning mechanism adapted to be applied to said first or said second correlated magnetic field structure to decorrelate said first or said second correlated magnetic structures enabling said toilet seat cover to be lifted and unlatched from said toilet bowl.

19. A correlated magnet toilet seat cover lock, comprising:

a flexible strap with a first end attachable to a toilet bowl and a second end including a first correlated magnetic field structure;

a second correlated magnetic field structure that is complementary to said first correlated magnetic field structure and securely attachable to a toilet seat cover; and

wherein;

said first correlated magnetic field structure associated with said flexible strap is capable of being aligned with the second correlated magnetic field structure attachable to said toilet seat cover such that said toilet bowl and said toilet seat cover produce an attractive force that secures said toilet seat cover to said toilet seat bowl, and

said attractive force being a peak spatial force of a spatial force function, said spatial force function corresponding to a code modulo defined by a code, said code modulo defining said peak spatial force and a plurality of off peak spatial forces, said plurality of off peak spatial forces having a largest off peak spatial force, said largest off peak spatial force being less than half of the peak spatial force.

20. The correlated magnet toilet seat cover lock of claim 19, further comprising a turning mechanism adapted to be applied to said first or said second correlated magnetic field structure to decorrelate said first or said second correlated magnetic structures enabling said toilet seat cover to be lifted and unlatched from said toilet bowl.

21. The correlated magnet toilet seat cover lock of claim 19, wherein said first end of said flexible strap includes a third correlated magnetic field structure and said toilet bowl includes a fourth correlated magnetic field structure that is complementary to said third correlated magnetic field structure;

and

wherein said third correlated magnetic field structure associated with said first end of said flexible strap is capable of being aligned with said fourth correlated magnetic field structure associated with said toilet bowl such that said toilet bowl and said flexible strap produce an attractive force that secures said flexible strap to said toilet bowl.