US3657745A

US3657745A - Child{40 s toilet pot

Info

Publication number: US3657745A
Application number: US50185A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ronald P Hickman
Original assignee: Ronald P Hickman
Current assignee: Tekron Licensing BV
Priority date: 1969-06-27
Filing date: 1970-06-26
Publication date: 1972-04-25
Anticipated expiration: 1989-04-25
Also published as: GB1304372A; DE2031933A1; BE809036A; DE2031933B2; FR2051365A5; NL7009427A

Abstract

A toilet pot, particularly for children and produced by a moulding process, has a receptacle with an integral foot rest. This enables a child to exert a stabilizing downward load during movement onto and off the pot. The foot rest is provided with ''footprint'' recesses. A splashguard has a pair of recesses forming a carrying handle.

Description

United States Patent Hickman [4 1 Apr. 25, 1972 1 CHILD'S TOILET POT 2,602,166 7/ 1952 2,730,726 1/1956 [72] inventor: Ronald P. Hickman, Badgers," Middle 3 33 ,3 5 5 19 3 Street, Nazeing, Waltham Abbey, England 3,401,408 9/ 1968 221 Filed: June 26, 1970 3,435,464 W969 [211 Appl.No.: 50,185 Primary Examiner-Henry K. Artis Attorney-Watson, Cole, Grindle & Watson [30] Foreign Application Priority Data v ABSTRACT June 27, 1969 Great Britain ..32,666/69 v A toilet p particularly for children and produced y a moulding process, has a receptacle with an integral foot rest. This enables a child to exert a stabilizing downward load dur- [58] Field g l H 134 1 l0 1 I I t 41 142 ing movement onto and off the pot. The foot rest is provided l with footprint recesses. A splashguard has a pair of recesses forming a carrying handle. References Cited 8 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures "min-Ems m2 gsins INVENTOR Roam-b Him; "ICKMAN BY Mafia; 54 Win52 AT ORNEY CHILD'S TOILET POT This invention relates to of a toilet pot construction. At the present time most childrens toilet pots are manufactured from light plastics material but a major problem which occurs with all of them is that a young child finds difficulty in readily seating itself in the correct position, particularly where the construction includes a rising splash-guard. Equally the child finds difficulty when attempting to rise from the normal haunched or semi-squatting position without danger of the toilet pot being upset due to sticking or suction. Furthermore trailing clothes tend to get caught on parts of the toilet pot and also give rise to the danger of upsetting.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a simple construction which overcomes or alleviates some of these disadvantages and moreover, it is believed will give the child a better sense of security, and also confidence that he or she will be able to be correctly positioned without looking backwards or of catching on any splash-guard which is provided.

According to the present invention a toilet pot has an integral footrest and for example comprises a receptacle having a seat rim, and a foot rest or integrally formed with the receptacle and so shaped and positioned to permit a stabilizing downward load to be applied to the toilet pot as a whole by one or both feet during movement to end from the normal haunched or semi-squatting position on the seat rim.

The foot rest may conveniently be provided with foot locating ribs and/or recesses in its upper surface in order to ensure that the child can readily seat itself without looking backwards as soon as its feet are correctly positioned. These may conveniently be in the form of recessed footprints the heels of which are located as closely as possible to the lower front part of the receptacle.

In order to allow ready approach to the toilet pot, with the least risk of it being displaced, the foot rest may have outwardly and downwardly sloping peripheral edges.

Where a rising splash-guard is provided this will be located at the region of the seat rim adjacent the foot rest and conveniently the outer face of the splash-guard may be formed with a gripping handle, for example by a pair of vertical slots or recesses.

The invention may be carried into practice in various ways but one form of childs toilet pot according to the present invention is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is an isometric view from above and one side, and

FIG. 2 is a cross section on the line A-A of FIG. 1.

The toilet pot illustrated includes a receptacle of fairly standard dimensions, for example having an internal diameter of approximately 6 inches,-with a seat rim 11 about 1 inch wide and an outer supporting skirt or base 12 arranged to place the seat rim 11 at about 4 to 4% inches from the floor.

Adjacent what will be termed the forward side of the receptacle 10 is an upstanding splash-guard 15 of outwardly and downwardly sloping configuration. The lower end of the splash-guard l5 merges into a generally horizontal foot rest 16 which is formed integrally with the remainder of the toilet pot as a plastics injection moulding.

The upper surface of the foot rest 16 is formed with a pair of recesses 22 of footprint form separated by a ridge 2] and suitably positioned to ensure that a child, once standing on them, can confidently sit down to the normal haunched or semi-squatting position without risk of being incorrectly positioned either laterally, forwardly or backwardly, or rotationally, or of catching on the splash-guard.

As shown in the drawing the forward face of the splashguard is formed with a pair of slots 23 which together form a lifting handle.

The provision of the foot rest and its associated footprint recesses 22 extending forward of the receptacle allows the child when using the toilet pot to approach it with confidence and readily and visually place first one and progressively both feet confidently on the footrest in thecorrect position automatically when approaching backwards to sit down. is in contrast to a normal pot which is often as not invisible behind the child. As soon as the first heel or foot has been placed on the foot rest, the childs weight holds the entire toilet pot firmly downwards and even if a second foot is moved sharply against any part of the toilet pot it will not tend to be moved backwards, sideways or rotationally. It will be appreciated that the position of the footprint recesses (or of any equivalent marks or locating ribs) is quite important if correct positioning is to be obtained. The usual position for the feet is with the heels tucked in close to the receptacle base and therefore, assuming the seat rim has a diameter of approximately 6 inches, (although it need not of course be strictly circular), the position of the rear of the heels of the recesses should he say 4 to 5% inches from the nominal centre of the receptacle when viewed in plan. It is found that these dimensional limitations apply to a wide age range.

The foot rest should extend forwardly to a distance at least 7 inches and preferably about 10 inches from the nominal center of the receptacle 10. The upper surface of the foot rest 16 is of the configuration shown in FIG. 2. Thus it'has outwardly and downwardly sloping peripheral edges 17 at its sides and a similar outwardly and downwardly sloping surface 18 at its forward edge. This ensures that there are no upward protrusions over which the child may trip. The underside of the foot rest, and, if desired, the remainder of the toilet pot may be provided with a number of vertical reinforcing ribs 20 as shown in FIG. 2.

When rising after use, the toilet pot is firmly held in place by the downward load applied by the feet on the foot rest and then it cannot tilt, lift or revolve, so eliminating a constant worry of upsetting. .This also enables the child to have its hands free to cope with loose clothing. 1

Modifications may include friction pads or other gripping means such as lateral ribs under the foot platform. The construction may incorporate a strap to hold the child in place which may be of particular use with retarded children.

The construction may be made such that it is stackable. Alternatively or in addition it may be provided with a suitable aperture for hanging up. Moreover although over-shooting is thought to be unlikely the foot rest may, if desired, be formed 7 as an extra catchment area.

The foot rest may be quite adequate if provided just at the front of the receptacle but if desired it may extend partially to one side or if desired all round.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A toilet pot comprising a receptacle including side walls having upper and lower regions, the upper regions affording a seat rim, and the lower regions having a foot rest integrally formed therewith and extending forwardly of the receptacle, the foot rest being so shaped and positioned as to permit a stabilizing downward load to be applied to the toilet pot as a whole by one or both feet during movement to and from the normal haunched or semi-squatting position on the seat rim.

2. A toilet pot as claimed in claim 1 in which the foot rest is provided with foot locating means in its upper surface.

3. A toilet pot as claimed in claim 2 in which the foot locating means comprise recessed footprints the heels of which are located adjacent a front lower region of the receptacle.

4. A toilet pot as claimed in claim 1 in which the foot rest has outwardly and downwardly sloping peripheral edges.

5. A toilet pot as claimed in claim 1 including a rising splash-quard located at an upper region of the receptacle adjacent the foot rest.

6. A toilet pot as claimed in claim 5 in which the splashguard has an outer face formed with a gripping handle.

7. A toilet pot as claimed in claim 6 in which the handle is formed by a pair of vertical recesses.

8. A toilet pot as claimed in claim 1 produced as an integral plastics moulding.

Claims

1. A toilet pot comprising a receptacle including side walls having upper and lower regions, the upper regions affording a seat rim, and the lower regions hAving a foot rest integrally formed therewith and extending forwardly of the receptacle, the foot rest being so shaped and positioned as to permit a stabilizing downward load to be applied to the toilet pot as a whole by one or both feet during movement to and from the normal haunched or semi-squatting position on the seat rim.

3. A toilet pot as claimed in claim 2 in which the foot locating means comprise recessed footprints the ''heels'' of which are located adjacent a front lower region of the receptacle.

6. A toilet pot as claimed in claim 5 in which the splash-guard has an outer face formed with a gripping handle.