US Patent 7788741 Automatic toilet lid and seat

A touch free, automatic seat and lid actuating system for toilets includes at least one of an advantageous drive mechanism for raising and lowering the seat and lid, a clutch mechanism enabling manual operation of the seat and the lid, and an attachment system for removably attaching the seat and the lid. The drive mechanism includes a first drive for operating the seat and a second drive for operating the lid. The clutch mechanism includes a pin interfitting into a notch, and biased into the notch with a spring. The attachment mechanism allows the seat and/or lid to be locked on the toilet in a lowered position, and readily removable from the toilet in a raised position.