Lowering Mechanism

Torsion Springs Reverse Cam Hydraulic Piston Clock Spring Padded Free Fall String

Torsion Springs

+ Easily made as bolt-on

- Weight may cause need for more resistance

- Torsion springs need to be very strong

Reverse Cam

+ Smooth motion+ Easily manufactured- Requires significant force- Will generate much wear

Hydraulic Piston

+ Easily regulates closing speed

- Not simple to “bolt-on”- Obtrusive and large- Possibly expensive

Clock Spring

+ Easily reset+ Easily incorporated

into seat design- Damping may be

difficult- Design by trial & error

Padded Free Fall

+ Seat stops with no noise or damage

+ Low cost / simple- Uninteresting

StringUP DOWN

String attached to back of toilet and seat String goes taught

stopping the fall

+ Inexpensive- Easy to

break- may still slam- Uninteresting

Timing Mechanism

Falling Piston Ball Maze Kitchen Timer Falling Liquid/Sand Falling Weights

Falling Piston

+ Reset is feasible- Cost may be high- May be too large &

obtrusive

Ball Maze

+ Very neat and fun+ Visually pleasing (if

Plexiglas idea is used- May be loud- Reset may be a

problem with manual override

- Seat may be too thick

Kitchen Timer

+ Accurate+ Adjustable- Difficult to attach- Difficult to reset

Falling liquid/sand

Locking Pin

Pivot

Liquid Holding Tanks

+ Self contained- Seat may be too thick- May be difficult to

reset quickly- Locking pin may

complicate manual override

Falling Weights

+ Release and timing are integrated already

- May be obtrusive- Two different

orientations may cause problems

Locking Mechanism

Spring/Ball Bearing Lock Spring-loaded Pin Lever attached to seat Divot in Reverse Cam None (Equilibrium)

Spring/Ball Bearing Lock

+ Very easy for manual override

- May not last long- May get dirty inside

Spring-loaded Pin

+ Very simple & self contained- Too difficult to manually override

Lever

+ Very simple & self contained- May cause problems with manual override

Divot in Reverse Cam

+ Smooth locking+ Easily overcome by

human means- Not easily overcome

mechanically

None (Equilibrium)

+ Very simple+ Looks like regular toilet seat- Trigger from timer is less predictable seat to seat