CA2784164C - Outdoor support strap and associated method - Google Patents

Abstract

An outdoor support strap for holding a user in a squatted position above the ground surface while defecating includes an elongated, flexible body for positioning around a user's waist while being anchored to a support such as a tree. The body is formed from an elastic material such that it remains deformably resilient for providing a resistive force against the user's waist.
Thus, the user is able to lean away from the support and assume a squatted a position to thereby extend his or her legs forwardly of his or her buttocks. By using the support strap, the user's hands remain free to hold objects or cleanse the buttocks area.

Description

OUTDOOR SUPPORT STRAP AND ASSOCIATED METHOD
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates generally to support straps and, more particularly, to an outdoor support strap for holding a user in a squatted position above the ground surface while defecating.

[0002] Maintaining a sanitary condition has always been an inconvenience for outdoor enthusiasts. The lack of access to adequate sanitary facilities and clean water not only makes it burdensome for outdoor enthusiasts to defecate in a sanitary manner, it also forces such individuals to assume an uncomfortable position in order to defecate.

[0003] Accordingly, a need remains for an outdoor support strap to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a an outdoor support strap that is convenient and easy to use, lightweight yet durable in design, versatile in its applications, and designed for easily and conveniently holding a user in a squatted position above the ground surface while defecating.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0004] In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the invention to provide an outdoor support strap for holding a user in a squatted position above the ground surface while defecating. These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are provided by an outdoor support strap including a body formed from flexible and elastic material. Such a body is selectively deformed from a circular non-tensioned shape during non-use to an oval tensioned shape when the body is simultaneously positioned around a user waist and a tree. The body further includes a fastener having selectively mated male and female members attached to opposed ends of the body. First and second pads are adjustably attached to unique first and second longitudinal portions of the body, respectively. The body also includes a toilet paper roll holder adjustably mated to a unique third longitudinal portion of the body. In this manner, the first and second pads as well as the toilet paper roll holder are independently and freely displaced along the first, second and third longitudinal portions of body.

[0005] In accordance with other features of the invention, the first, second and third longitudinal extend along a major circumferential length of the body and are mutually exclusive and non-overlapping therealong. The toilet paper roll holder includes a lever pivotally engaged with an outer surface of the body and releasably locked between open and closed positions when the lever is respectively articulated away and towards the third longitudinal portion of the body. The body further includes flexible first and second rails attached to the outer surface of the third longitudinal portion.
In this manner, the lever is slidably engaged with the first and second rails such that the lever is reciprocated along an arcuate path defined along the third longitudinal portion of the body. The first pad extends beyond top and bottom edges of the first longitudinal portion of the body and thereby spans across an entire width of the first longitudinal portion transverse to the circumferential length of the body. The second pad covers an entire surface area of the second longitudinal portion and is diametrically opposed from the first pad. The lever is intermediately positioned between the first and second rails. Thus, the lever has a longitudinal length terminating prior to reaching proximal and distal ends of each of the first and second rails, respectively.

[0006] The present invention includes a method of utilizing the support strap for holding a user in a squatted position above a ground surface while the user defecates. Such a method includes a plurality of chronological steps. Initially a user obtains a body formed from flexible and elastic material wherein the body includes a fastener including selectively mated male and female members attached to opposed ends of the body, first and second pads adjustably attached to unique first and second longitudinal portions of the body respectively, and a toilet paper roll holder adjustably mated to a unique third longitudinal portion of the body. The first and second pads span across an interior side of the body while the toilet paper roll holder remains situated along an exterior side of the body.

[0007] The method further includes the chronological steps of:
selectively deforming the body from a circular non-tensioned shape during non-use to an oval tensioned shape by simultaneously positioning the body around a user waist and a tree; independently and freely displacing the first and second pads as well as the toilet paper roll holder along the first, second and third longitudinal portions of body; leaning back into a squatted position such that the body supports a user buttock region at an elevated position above the ground surface; defecating; leaning forward into an upright position and opening the fastener; and removing the body from the user waist and the tree.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a strap for holding a user above a ground surface while defecating, in accordance with the invention;

[0009] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the strap of Fig. 1 at an opened position;

[0010] FIG. 3 is a side view of the strap of Fig. 1 supporting a user above a ground surface while defecating; and

[0011] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the resilient characteristics of the strap of Fig. 1 wherein a toilet paper roll holder is adjustably positioned on an exterior side of the strap.

[0012] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the drawings are not drawn to any particular scale.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0013] Directional and/or relationary terms such as, but not limited to, left, right, nadir, apex, top, bottom, vertical, horizontal, back, front and lateral are relative to each other and are dependent on the specific orientation of an applicable element or article, and are used accordingly to aid in the description of the various embodiment(s) and are not necessarily intended to be construed as limiting.

[0014] The embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 includes an outdoor support strap 10 for holding a user 50 in a squatted position above the ground surface while defecating. It should be understood that the strap may be used to hold a male or female user in a squatted position above the ground surface while defecating or a female user while urinating (interchangeably referred to as defecating).

[0015] Referring to Figs. 1-4, the outdoor support strap 10 holds a user 50 in a squatted position above the ground surface while defecating. The strap 10 includes a body 20 formed from flexible and elastic material. The body 20 is selectively deformed from a circular non-tensioned shape during non-use (Figs. 1 and 2) to an oval tensioned shape when the body 20 is simultaneously positioned around a user's 50 waist and a tree 40 (Fig. 3). The strap 10 further includes a fastener 22 having selectively mated male 28 and female 27 members attached to opposed ends of the body 20. First and second pads 26 are adjustably attached to unique first and second longitudinal portions 41 and 42 of body 20, respectively.
The strap 10 also includes a toilet paper roll holder 30 adjustably mated to a unique third longitudinal portion 43 of body 20. In this manner, the first and second pads 24 and 26 as well as the toilet paper roll holder 30 are independently and freely displaced along the first, second and third longitudinal portions 41,42 and 43 of body 20.

[0016] The first, second and third longitudinal portions 41, 42 and 43 extend along a major circumferential length of body 20 and are mutually exclusive and non-overlapping.

[0017] The toilet paper roll holder 30 includes a lever 34 pivotally engaged with an outer surface of body 20 and releasably locked between open and closed positions when the lever 34 is respectively articulated away and towards the third longitudinal portion 43 of body 20.
Thus, the user 50 can freely detach a leading edge of the toilet paper roll 33 while a remaining portion of the toilet paper roll 33 is rotatably anchored to lever 34.

[0018] The body 20 further includes flexible first and second rails 31 and 32 attached to the outer surface of the third longitudinal portion 43. In this manner, the lever 34 is slidably engaged with the first and second rails 31 and 32 such that the lever 34 is reciprocated along an arcuate path defined along the third longitudinal portion 43 of body 20.

[0019] The first pad 24 extends beyond top and bottom edges 45 and 46 of the first longitudinal portion 41 of body 20 and thereby spans across an entire width of the first longitudinal portion 41 transverse to the circumferential length of body 20.

[0020] The second pad 26 covers an entire surface area of the second longitudinal portion 42 and is diametrically opposed to the first pad 24.

[0021] The lever 34 is intermediately positioned between the first and second rails 31 and 32 and thus, has a length less than that of each of the rails 31 and 32.

[0022] The method of the present invention includes a plurality of steps.
Initially a user 50 obtains a body 20 formed from flexible and elastic material wherein body 20 includes a fastener 22 including selectively mated male 28 and female 27 members attached to opposed ends of body 20, first and second pads 24 and 26 adjustably attached to first and second longitudinal portions 41 and 42 of body 20, and a toilet paper roll holder 30 adjustably mated to a third longitudinal portion 43 of body 20. The first and second pads 24 and 26 span across an interior side of body 20 while the toilet paper roll holder 30 is situated along an exterior side of body 20.

[0023] The method further includes the steps of selectively deforming body 20 from a circular non-tensioned shape during non-use to an oval tensioned shape by simultaneously positioning body 20 around a user's waist 50 and a tree 40; independently and freely displacing the first and second pads 24 and 26 as well as the toilet paper roll holder 30 along the first, second and third longitudinal portions 41, 42 and 43 of body 20; leaning back into a squatted position such that body 20 supports a user's buttock region at an elevated position above the ground surface; defecating; leaning forward into an upright position and opening the fastener 22; and removing body 20 from the user's waist and the tree 40.

[0024] The flexible and elongated body is preferably formed from an elastic material such that it remains deformably resilient for providing a resistive force against the user's waist. In this manner, the user 50 is able to lean away from the support surface and assume a squatted a position to thereby extend his or her legs forwardly of his or her buttocks. Such a support strap 10 alleviates the strain and energy required to maintain a squatted position for an extended period of time. By using the support strap 10, the user's hands remain free to hold objects or cleanse the buttocks area with toilet paper.

[0025] A buckle (fastener 22) permits the user 50 to selectively adjust an overall length of body 20. A cushioned first pad 24 is attached to the inner wall of body 20. The first pad 24 extends beyond the top and bottom edges 45 and 46 of body 20 and thereby remains directed abutted against the backside of the user 50. The cushioned pad may be provided with a sleeve that is slidably biased against the circumference of body 20 for allowing the user 50 to selectively displace the cushioned pad as needed. A
second pad 26 maybe formed about body 20 as well. Such a second pad 26 is diametrically opposed from first pad 24 and is directly engaged about an outer surface of a tree 40 or other support structure. The second pad 26 maintains a frictional contact with a tree 40 and thereby minimizes the undesirable likelihood of sliding during the defecating process.

[0026] The outdoor support strap 10 is simple and straightforward to use.
First, the user 50 would place body 20 around a tree 40 or another support structure. Next, the user 50 would snap on the fastener 22 such that the user's waist is contained within body 20. Thus, the user's waist engages the first pad 24 while the second pad 26 engages the outer edge of tree 40 or other support structure. Next, the user 50 would slightly lean back into a squatted position while being held by body 20. Next, the user 50 would defecate or urinate as desired. Next, the user 50 would lean forward into an upright position, unbuckle the fastener 22 and remove the body 20 from around his or her own waist and from around the tree 40. The support strap 10 can now be stored away in the user's backpack or pocket for future use.

Claims

CLAIM:

1. A method of utilizing an outdoor support strap for holding a user in a squatted position above a ground surface while the user defecates, said method comprising the chronological steps:
obtaining an outdoor support strap having a longitudinally extending body with an interior face and an exterior face, said body formed of flexible and elastic material, said body including:
a fastener including selectively mated male and female members attached to opposed ends of said body, first and second pads, on the interior face, adjustably attached to unique first and second longitudinal portions of said body respectively, and a toilet paper roll holder, on the exterior face, adjustably mated to a unique third longitudinal portion of said body;
selectively deforming said body from a circular non-tensioned shape during non-use to an oval tensioned shape by simultaneously positioning said body around said user's waist and a tree;
independently and freely displacing said first and second pads along said interior face of said longitudinally extending body and independently and freely displacing said toilet paper roll holder along said exterior face of said longitudinally extending body, such that said first pad can directly contact an outer surface of the tree and said second pad can directly contact a user's waist;
leaning back into a squatted position such that said body supports said user's buttock region at an elevated position above the ground surface while said user's feet remain on the ground surface;
defecating;
leaning forward into an upright position and opening said fastener; and removing said body from the user's waist and the tree.