GB2424173A

GB2424173A - Personal hygiene wiper

Info

Publication number: GB2424173A
Application number: GB0505120A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Simon John Buckingham
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-03-14
Filing date: 2005-03-14
Publication date: 2006-09-20
Also published as: GB0505120D0

Abstract

The invention relates to a personal hygiene wiper 1. Wiper 1 has a wiper shaft 2 having a handle at one end 3 and a support member 5 at the other end. A flexible sock 6 fits over the support member 5. Sock 6 has a wiping face 7 and an integral pocket 8 remote from the wiping face. Inverting means 12 is provided to invert the pocket. In use toilet paper can be placed over the sock wiping face 7 and the ends of the paper tucked into the pocket 8 to hold the paper on the sock and the paper used to clean a person. The paper can then be released into a toilet bowl for disposal by inverting the pocket using said inverting means so releasing the ends of the paper.

Description

Title: Personal Hygiene Wiper The present invention relates to a personal

hygiene wiper.

Many elderly and infirm persons find it difficult to clean themselves with toilet paper, especially those with arthritis in the hands. It has been known to provide a wiper with a handle and a head, with the head adapted to releasably support toilet paper. In use toilet paper is applied to the wiper head and the wiper used to wipe clean the body. After use the toilet paper is released into a toilet bowl for disposal. A difficulty with such known wipers is that they either require the user to remove soiled paper off the wiper by hand, or they have mechanical release mechanisms for the paper which fail if the paper becomes moist.

The invention seeks to provide an improved personal hygiene wiper.

According to the present invention there is provided a personal hygiene wiper comprising: a) a wiper shaft having a handle at one end and a support member at the other end, b) a flexible sock to fit over the support member, said sock having a wiping face and an integral pocket remote from the wiping face, and c) inverting means to invert the pocket, in use toilet paper can be placed over the sock wiping face and the ends of the paper tucked into the pocket to hold the paper on the sock and the paper used to clean a person, said paper being then released into a toilet bowl for disposal by inverting the pocket using said inverting means so releasing the ends of the paper.

Preferably the inverting means is operated from the wiper shaft handle. Preferably the inverting means is operated by compression of a shaft towards the support member.

The inverting means may be a length of plastics ribbon with fold lines at one end adjacent the sock, said ribbon when compressed forming a fold which presses against the pocket to invert the pocket. The ribbon may have one end fixed to the end of the support member, and the other end attached to a compression shaft which reciprocates in and out of the handle end of the shaft. The compression shaft may be spring biased away from the support member to normally keep the ribbon flat with no fold. Preferably the ribbon is guided down a pipe inside the shaft leading form the compression shaft to the end of the support member, said pipe having an elongate aperture to allow the ribbon to create a fold when compressed.

Preferably the wiper is generally spoon shaped.

In one embodiment the shaft is in the form of two components releasably hinged together whereby the wiper can fold to make it more compact for ease of transport.

The invention will now be described with re1rcncc to [he accompanying drawings in which: J:igurc IA ShOWS i perspective view ot the [op ofa wiper, Figure JR shows a perspective view of the bottom of a wiper.

l"igure 2 shows a cross section view ol the wiper otFigures IA and 113.

Figures 3A,313, and 3(' show cross SeCtion views of the pocket and inverting means in use of the wiper. and I igures 4A and 413 show side and cross section views of an alternative fiIding wiper.

Referring to Figures IA and JR. there is shown a personal hygiene wiper I which is generally spoon-shaped". Wiper I has a hollow wiper plastics shall 2 having a handle 3 at one end frmed from finger indentations 4, and a support member 5 (visible in Figure 2) at the other end.

A flexible sock 6 of rubber like material fits over the support member 5. Sock 6 has a wiping face 7 and an integral pocket 8 remote from and opposite the wiping face 7.

A compression shall 9 extends out of'the handle end of shall 2 and is sealed to the shati by a concertina rubber seal 10.

As mute Fully described with ref ërence to Figure 2, inverting means are provided to invert the sock pocket 8 by pressing the compression shall 9 towards the sock 7.

In use toilet paper can he placed over the sock wiping face and the ends of the paper tucked into the pocket to hold the paper on the sock and the area of the paper on the wiping face used to clean a person. lhe paper is then released into a toilet howl for disposal by inverting the pocket using the inverting means so releasing the ends of the paper.

RcIrring now to Figure 2, it will he seen that a pipe I I extends between the handle 3 and the end support member 5. A length of plastics ribbon 12 has one end connected to a grove 13 at the end ol the support member 5. and the other end connected to the compression shalt 9 by a pin 14.

Compression shalt 9 is spring biased away from the support member by a spring IS compressed between a flange 16 on the compression shall and a baffle 17 in the shalt 2. Compression shall 9 reciprocates in and out of the handle end of the shall 2. Pipe II has an elongate aperture I IA facing sock pocket 8. Ribbon 12 includes three Ibid lines l2A,1213.12C.

As shown in Figure 3A. compression shall may he spring biased away from the support member to normally keep the ribbon flat with no fold. As shown in Figures 3B and 3(.', when ribbon 12 is compressed by pushing in shall 9 towards the support member 5. a fold 13 is created which emerges through the aperture I IA ol pipe II and pushes against the pocket 8 to invert it.

Referring now to Figure 4A and 4B, there is shown a wiper 20 identical to wiper I and operates in the same manner except that the shaft is in the form of two components 21A,21B releasably hinged together by a hinge 22 and release catch 23, whereby the wiper can fold to make it more compact for ease of transport. It will be appreciated that in order for the wiper to fold, the ribbon needs to be pushed out of component 21A by compressing the compression shaft, and a lock may be provided (e.g. by a twisting action of the compression shaft) to hold the compression shaft in a compressed state.

The wiper of the invention may be sold on its own or with accessories. For example it could be provided with a floor stand, with a cover to cover at least the support member and sock, with a toilet roll holder including a stand for the wiper, and/or with a case for carrying the wiper.

The invention may take a form different to that specifically described.

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A personal hygiene wiper comprising: a) a wiper shaft having a handle at one end and a support member at the other end, b) a flexible sock to fit over the support member, said sock having a wiping face and an integral pocket remote from the wiping face, and c) inverting means to invert the pocket, in use toilet paper can be placed over the sock wiping face and the ends of the paper tucked into the pocket to hold the paper on the sock and the paper used to clean a person, said paper being then released into a toilet bowl for disposal by inverting the pocket using said inverting means so releasing the ends of the paper.

2. A wiper according to claim 1, wherein the inverting means is operated from the wiper shaft handle.

3. A wiper according to claim I or 2, wherein the inverting means is operated by compression of a shaft towards the support member.

4. A wiper according to any preceding claim, wherein the inverting means may be a length of plastics ribbon with fold lines at one end adjacent the sock, said ribbon when compressed forming a fold which presses against the pocket to invert the pocket.

5. A wiper according to claim 4, wherein the ribbon may have one end fixed to the end of the support member, and the other end attached to a compression shaft which reciprocates in and out of the handle end of the shaft.

6. A wiper according to claim 5, wherein the compression shaft may be spring biased away from the support member to normally keep the ribbon flat with no fold.

7. A wiper according to claim 4,5, or 6, wherein the ribbon is guided down a pipe inside the shaft leading from the compression shaft to the end of the support member, said pipe having an elongate aperture to allow the ribbon to create a fold when compressed.

8. A wiper according to any preceding claim, wherein the wiper is generally spoon shaped.

9. A wiper according to any preceding claim, wherein the shaft is in the form of two components releasably hinged together whereby the wiper can fold to make it more compact for ease of transport.

10. A personal hygiene wiper substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.