GB1600786A

GB1600786A - Toilet seat protectors

Info

Publication number: GB1600786A
Application number: GB1091978A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-05-30
Filing date: 1978-05-30
Publication date: 1981-10-21

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENT RELATING TO TOILET SEAT PROTECTORS (71) I, HORACE PHILLIP BURROWED, 8 Smith Lane, Bradford, West Yorkshire, of British nationality, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to toilets, otherwise known as water-closets or lavatories, particularly those provided in public or semipublic places and to a portable article for use in connection with them.

The provision of such public conveniences is widespread in cities, towns and public buildings, as well as in places of work, of entertainment and of public gathering, also in railway stations and trains, airports and aeroplanes etc. Such toilets are fitted with permanent seats to facilitate their use. However, because they are used indiscriminately, there is a danger of contamination of the seat surface, possibly giving rise to a risk of transfer of infection through contact with the skin, as well as leading to objections to their use on general aesthetic grounds.

It has been known for some time to provide a protector for a toilet seat which protector is readily removable and can be disposed of by flushing down the toilet itself. A material which has been suggested for this purpose is paper, eg 'hard' toilet paper, tissue paper or crepe paper. Paper, however, is a material made from compacted fibres and on its own provides little protection because it absorbs and transmits moisture through the capillary channels of the fibrous structure, posing a risk of infection by contact of the contaminant with the skin. The paper can be dressed with a bactericidal preparation, but, whatever the efficiency of this means of bacteria removal may be under practical conditions, the aesthetic objection to the transmission of moisture-based contaminants remains.Alternatively, the paper can be treated with a water-repellent, but the more efficient the water-repellent is, the more it will interfere with the ease of disposal of the protector in the sewage system, and the greater the risk of blockages.

The problem of moisture transmission can be overcome if the protector is made from a continuous film which does not contain the capillary channels present in paper. Films manufactured from a plastic material such as cellulose acetate have been proposed from time to time for this purpose. However, although these materials provide very good protection during use, they are particularly unsuited to disposal by flushing (being neither soluble in, nor dispersed by, water) and disposal by this means is not recommended. The same applies to paper coated with a plastic film of this kind.

The apparently incompatible requirements of water-impermeability in use, but watersolubility or dispersibility after usey can be met by employing a protective material which is impervious to water (and any accompanying water-borne bacteria) over a relatively short interval of time, but which is ultimately solubilized or dispersed in water after prolonged contact with it, eg after flushing. I have found that this can be accomplished by manufacturing the protector from a sheet of material which incorporates a polymer in continuous film form, without perforations or microscopic interstices, which film is soluble or dispersible in water after prolonged contact with it. Such a film will be referred to as a continuous film as hereinbefore described.An example of a suitable film is one composed of polyvinyl alcohol. (The term 'polyvinyl alcohol') is defined herein as including substances commercially available under this description, which may contain a certain proportion of acetate as well as hydroxyl groups). Polyvinyl alcohol prevents water permeation over a short time interval, but being essentially water-soluble, should give no flushing problems, or blockage of the sewage system.

The protective material may also incorporate one or more layers of another substance e.g. paper. It may also incorporate more than one layer of the continuous watersoluble film if desired.

The protector may be designed to be conveniently carried in folded or rolled fashion, to be used once, and then disposed of by flushing down the toilet itself. It is preferably shaped so that its exterior dimension effectively overlaps the exterior of the toilet seat, and preferably has an interior profile which overlaps the interior of the seat.

Constructional embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein: Fig. 1 is diagrammatic view of a toilet seat protector in accordance with the invention, and Fig. 2 shows a modification of the protector shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1, a toilet seat protector 1 has an interior profile 2, already cut out, the protector being manufactured from protective material which incorporates at least one layer of the continuous film as hereinbefore described. It has been found that polyvinyl alcohol, as hereinbefore defined is a suitable material for the film. In the figures, the exterior profile has been shown as elliptical, but other convenient shapes may also be used, e.g. rectangular or polygonal. The protector 1 may also include a layer or layers of other suitable material, e.g. paper, provided that it can be conveniently disposed of by flushing, being soluble or dispersible in water. The protector should have a minimum thickness sufficient to provide enough mechanical strength for its proposed use. Its maximum thickness will be governed by the need to keep flexibility and cost within limits.

The protector is impervious to the passage of waterborne bacteria during use because of the incorporation in at least one of its layers of the film as hereinbefore described. For example in a two-layered structure the layer next to the user's skin could be manufactured from soft paper, and the other layer made from the film as hereinbefore described, or a sandwich structure could be used in which the exterior layers are both made from soft paper and the inside layer is made from the film as hereinbefore described.

Pressure-sensitive adhesive pads 6 may be provided on the side of the protector which comes into contact with the toilet seat to hold the protector in place during use. Sellotape (Trade Mark) 'Sticky Fixers' of size 12mm x 25mm x 1-6 mm have been found to be suitable for this purpose, but other means can be employed if desired. After use the protector should, of course, be easily detachable from the seat by gently peeling.

According to Fig. 2, the interior profile 3 may be obtained by removing an interior portion 5 immediately before use. Such removal may be facilitated by providing perforations around the line of the profile 3.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A toilet seat protector, shaped to fit onto the surface of a toilet seat, comprising a sheet of protective material which incorporates a polymer in continuous film form, without perforations or microscopic interstices, which film is water-soluble or waterdispersible.

2. A toilet seat protector as claimed in claim 1 comprising a single layer of the said film.

3. A toilet seat protector as claimed in claim 1 comprising two or more layers of the said film.

4. A toilet seat protector as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the said film comprises polyvinyl alcohol as hereinbefore defined.

5. A toilet seat protector as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 comprising one or more external layers of paper.

6. A toilet seat protector as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 wherein the exterior dimensions of the protector are such that it overlaps the exterior edge of the toilet seat.

7. A toilet seat protector as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 wherein the protector has an interior profile which overlaps the interior edge of the toilet seat.

8. Atoilet seat protector as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7 provided with adhesive pads to hold it in place on the toilet seat.

9. A toilet seat protector as claimed in claim 8 wherein the adhesive is a pressuresensitive adhesive.

10. A toilet seat protector as claimed in claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described.

11. A toilet seat protector substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. shaped so that its exterior dimension effectively overlaps the exterior of the toilet seat, and preferably has an interior profile which overlaps the interior of the seat. Constructional embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein: Fig. 1 is diagrammatic view of a toilet seat protector in accordance with the invention, and Fig. 2 shows a modification of the protector shown in Fig. 1. Referring to Fig. 1, a toilet seat protector 1 has an interior profile 2, already cut out, the protector being manufactured from protective material which incorporates at least one layer of the continuous film as hereinbefore described. It has been found that polyvinyl alcohol, as hereinbefore defined is a suitable material for the film. In the figures, the exterior profile has been shown as elliptical, but other convenient shapes may also be used, e.g. rectangular or polygonal. The protector 1 may also include a layer or layers of other suitable material, e.g. paper, provided that it can be conveniently disposed of by flushing, being soluble or dispersible in water. The protector should have a minimum thickness sufficient to provide enough mechanical strength for its proposed use. Its maximum thickness will be governed by the need to keep flexibility and cost within limits. The protector is impervious to the passage of waterborne bacteria during use because of the incorporation in at least one of its layers of the film as hereinbefore described. For example in a two-layered structure the layer next to the user's skin could be manufactured from soft paper, and the other layer made from the film as hereinbefore described, or a sandwich structure could be used in which the exterior layers are both made from soft paper and the inside layer is made from the film as hereinbefore described. Pressure-sensitive adhesive pads 6 may be provided on the side of the protector which comes into contact with the toilet seat to hold the protector in place during use. Sellotape (Trade Mark) 'Sticky Fixers' of size 12mm x 25mm x 1-6 mm have been found to be suitable for this purpose, but other means can be employed if desired. After use the protector should, of course, be easily detachable from the seat by gently peeling. According to Fig. 2, the interior profile 3 may be obtained by removing an interior portion 5 immediately before use. Such removal may be facilitated by providing perforations around the line of the profile 3. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A toilet seat protector, shaped to fit onto the surface of a toilet seat, comprising a sheet of protective material which incorporates a polymer in continuous film form, without perforations or microscopic interstices, which film is water-soluble or waterdispersible.