GB2281864A - Female urinal - Google Patents

Abstract

A portable hand-held urinal for use by a female in a squatting position is disclosed. The urinal comprises a cup 1 with a rear ridge 4 and a discharge tube 2. In use, the discharge tube depends upwardly with respect to the cup. This means that a smaller access opening in clothing is required for the introduction of the urinal and that the flow of urine can be observed by the user. The rear ridge prevents possible overflow of urine during use due to backflow. The urinal is intended for use by females in remote environments, eg when skiing. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO URINAL DEVICES The invention relates to a portable hand-held urinal for use by a female particularly, but not exclusively, in a squatting position.

A number of urinal devices have been developed for use by females in the past.

Many of these devices are ideally suited for use in a hospital environment and comprise specially adapted apparatus designed to be positioned within the labial folds of the user and typically in contact with the vestibula tissue adjacent the urethra. Apparatus of this type are illustrated in the following patent documents, GB 2 171 314, GB 2 171 315, WO 88/06874 and US 3,864,759. Apparatus - fashioned for use immediately adjacent the urethra require careful handling and positioning if they are to be effective. Such apparatus are therefore not appropriate for quick and convenient use in the instance, for example, where a female may be participating in exercise or an event out of doors and also some distance from a convenient toilet.

Other devices which are more convenient to use have been developed which devices are fashioned so that they can simply be placed in the general area of the urethra. Such devices typically include a cup or container such as disclosed in US 4,764,991 or US 4,771,484. Further, in one instance, it has been suggested that such a cup or container can be strapped to a wearer as disclosed in DE 3032792 Al. In all these instances, the cup or container is connected to, or includes, a flexible tube which may lead to a urinal collection chamber or which may merely be open-ended so that urine can be drained to a selected location. In all these devices the flexible tubing or discharge duct is provided towards the lower most region of the cup or container and so, in use, immediately below the urethra.

Thus, urine existing from the urinal flows downwardly under gravity away from the user.

However, the above more convenient arrangements have proved disadvantageous because, as a result of their shape, they are difficult to use by a clothed female.

In a remote environment a female wishing to urinate and so wishing to use a portable hand-held urinal prefers to remove the minimum of clothing. For example, a skier would prefer to simply unzip the lower part of her clothing and conveniently insert a urinal into position. This is facilitated if the longitudinal axis of the urinal, in use, is perpendicular to the opening provided by the zip. Thus, in this way the urinal can be inserted rearwardly through the opening and into a suitable position. In the instance where the longitudinal axis of the urinal is parallel to the opening provided by the zip a greater sized opening is required to accommodate the urinal. This can be not only inconvenient but uncomfortable and unpleasant. A further disadvantage associated with the aforementioned prior art devices concerns the angle at which urine exists the urinal. Typically, in the prior art devices, the urine falls downwardly under gravity away from the user. This means that a user cannot observe the progress of urine flow and so satisfy herself that leakages or blockages have not occurred.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a portable hand-held urinal which is convenient and efficient to use and which further allows a user to observe the progress of urine flow.

According to the invention there is therefore provided a portable hand-held urinal for use by a female in a squatting position comprising: a receptacle sized and shaped so as to sealingly engage with the labia majora of a user, the receptacle also having an upper rim, at least a portion of which, is provided with an inwardly extending ridge member so as to safeguard against overflow of the receptacle during use, and the receptacle further includes, in use, a generally upwardly depending discharge tube and further wherein; said ridge member and said discharge tube are provided on different sides of the receptacle whereby, in use, said ridge member is positioned towards the rear of the receptacle and said discharge tube is positioned towards the front of the receptacle.

It follows from the above that a urinal fashioned in accordance with the invention is provided with a rearward ridge member which safeguards against overflow of the receptacle as a result of backflow of urine during use. Further, the urinal of the invention when used by a female in a forwardly squatting position is so configured that the generally upwardly depending discharge tube adopts a forward and downward depending position so ensuring that a user can observe successful use of the urinal.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the discharge tube is provided with a finger operated pump or valve, or alternatively, an Archimedean-type screw so as to ensure that the receptacle is emptied during use.

Preferably further still the urinal of the invention includes a raised edge means provided at the juncture of the upper most part of the receptacle and discharge tube so as to ensure that spillage does not occur and that urine is projected forwardly into the discharge tube.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying Figures wherein; Figure 1 shows a side sectional view of a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a side sectional view of a second embodiment of the invention; and Figure 3 shows a plan view of the embodiments shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2.

Figure 4 shows a side view of an alternative embodiment of the invention.

Figure 5 shows a plan view of the embodiment shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 shows an end view of the embodiment shown in Figure 4.

Referring to the Figures and firstly to Figure 1, there is illustrated a portable hand-held urinal for use by females ideally in the squatting position. The urinal is ideally made of a plastics material and comprises a cup member 1 connected to, or integral with, a discharge tube 2. Both cup 1 and tube 2 are hollow. Cup 1 is sized and shaped so as to sealingly engage with the labia majora of a user. This can best be observed by reference to Figure 3 where the upper rim la of cup member 1 is shown in greater detail.

As can be seen from Figure 1 and Figure 2, discharge tube 2 depends upwardly from cup member 1 and is provided adjacent a portion of upper rim la of cup member 1. This is in contrast to the prior art wherein a discharge tube would normally be provided in the region indicated by dotted line A. At the junction between discharge tube 2 and rim la there is provided a raised edge means 3.

This edge means 3 ensures that urine does not overflow the cup member 1 at the site where the discharge tube contacts same.

At least a portion of upper rim la is provided with inwardly depending ridge members 4. The size and shape of the ridge members 4 may vary according to their position about rim la as illustrated more clearly in Figure 3 where it can be seen that ridge members 4 towards the rear most part of the urinal are larger that ridge members 4a towards the front most part of the urinal. The ridge members in total form a shelf which safeguards against overflow from the cup member when the urinal is in use. Typically this overflow would occur as a result of backflow of the urine.

Although the embodiment has been described with reference to a plurality of adjacent and adjoining ridge members 4, it is within the scope of the invention to provide a single ridge means shaped and configured so as to cover at least the rear most part of the cup member 1. Further, it will be understood that a plurality of ridge members 4 or a single ridge member may be provided so as to cover a substantial area of rim la and in one embodiment the inner most edges of the ridge members or ridge would terminate at a pre-determined distance from the outer rim la so as to provide an aperture through which urine could pass.

Figure 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the embodiment of the invention wherein a single hollow ridge member is provided about at least the rearward most portion of rim la.

As mentioned, discharge tube 2 depends generally upwardly and outwardly with respect to cup member 1. The outer most end of discharge tube 2 depends downwardly so as to provide a curved outer exit member 5. The length of tube 2 may be varied according to requirements. Further, in some embodiments, a further tube member may be provided (not shown) which tube member can be releasably connected to end 5 of discharge tube 2. Ideally, this further tube is made of flexible material.

As will be apparent from reference to Figure 1 and Figure 2 the urinal can be manoeuvred through an opening in a wearer's clothing by firstly inserting the rearward most end 6 of the urinal through the opening and then guiding the urinal rearwardly into position. In this way, an opening of a size represented by the dotted line B is all that is required to insert and position the urinal for use. This is because discharge tube 2 of the urinal is generally perpendicular to the axis represented by dotted line B which in turn represents the opening provided in a garment.

An alternative embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6.

In this embodiment the portable hand-held urinal similarly comprises a cup member 1 connected to, or integral with, a discharge tube 2. Both cup 1 and tube 2 are hollow. Cup 1 is sized and shaped so as to sealingly engage with the labia majora of a user.

In contrast to the embodiment described in Figures 1, 2 and 3, discharge tube 2 does not depend upwardly, to the same extent, with respect to cup 1. Rather, discharge tube 2 and the outer lower most side 1b of cup member 1 trace the form of a shallow curve. However, in use, discharge tube 2 will, relatively, be positioned upwardly and forwardly of a user.

It is also of note that the embodiment shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6 comprises a discharge tube which is essentially straight; there is no curved outer exit portion 5 as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

However, the embodiment shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6 does include a ridge member 4 which is provided rearwardly of the device and so opposite the discharge tube 2. This ridge member safeguards against overflow from the cup member when the urinal is in use. The size and shape of ridge member 4 may be varied according to the users' preference.

When this embodiment of the invention is used, an opening of a size represented by the dotted line C of Figure 4, is all that is required to insert and position the urinal for use. This is because discharge tube 2 of the urinal is generally angled to the axis represented by dotted line C which in turn represents the opening provided in a garment.

It will be apparent from the above that a urinal in accordance with the invention is convenient and efficient to use and further, it will also be apparent from the above that a female using such a urinal can monitor and observe successful usage of same because urine in the urinal will flow generally forwardly into a viewable position.

Claims (10)

1. A portable hand-held urinal for use by a female in a squatting position comprising: a receptacle sized and shaped so as to sealingly engage with the labia majora of a user, the receptacle also having an upper rim, at least a portion of which, is provided with an inwardly extending ridge member so as to safeguard against overflow of the receptacle during use, and the receptacle further includes, in use, a generally upwardly dependingly discharge tube and further wherein; said ridge member and said discharge tube are provided on different sides of the receptacle whereby, in use, said ridge member is positioned towards the rear of the receptacle and said discharge tube is positioned towards the front of the receptacle.

2. A portable hand-held urinal according to Claim 1 wherein said discharge tube is relatively rigid.

3. A portable hand-held urinal according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the longitudinal axis of said discharge tube is generally perpendicular to the widest part of the urinal.

4. A portable hand-held urinal according to any preceding Claim wherein in said ridge member is widest towards the rear of the receptacle.

5. A portable hand-held urinal according to Claim 4 wherein said ridge member is symmetrical about its widest part and thus tapers evenly on either side of its widest part to provide a symmetrical curved rear ledge means.

6. A portable hand-held urinal according to any preceding Claim wherein a raised edge means is provided at the juncture of the upper most part of the receptacle and said discharge tube.

7. A portable hand-held urinal according to any preceding Claim wherein said urinal is provided with pump or valve means so as to ensure that the receptacle is emptied during use.

8. A portable hand-held urinal according Claim 7 wherein said pump or valve means is based on an archimedium-type principle.

9. A portable hand-held urinal according to Claim 7 or Claim 8 wherein said pump or valve means is manually operated.

10. A portable hand-held urinal has substantially herein described and/or with reference to the accompanying figures.