GB2472377A

GB2472377A - Information carrying anti-splash mat for a urinal

Info

Publication number: GB2472377A
Application number: GB0909536A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sean Edward James Mccarroll
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-06-03
Filing date: 2009-06-03
Publication date: 2011-02-09
Also published as: GB0909536D0

Abstract

The invention relates to an informational liquid dispersion apparatus for use in a urinal and comprises a mat 100 that has a surface 102 arranged to carry information such as printed advertisements or health information. The mat 100 has a surface pattern 110 arranged to disperse the urine as it hits the surface of the mat. The surface pattern 110 is disposed so as to dominate the surface 102 of the mat 100. The surface pattern 110 may be an array of apertures (108 figure 1) or dimples 110. The apparatus may carry a deodorizing compound, a fragrance or a detergent. The printed information may fade over time after repeated contact with urine to reveal another layer carrying different information. A later embodiment relates to a method of forming the informational liquid dispersion apparatus.

Description

INFORMATIONAL LIQUID DISPERSION APPARATUS

AND METHOD OF FORMATION THEREOF

[0001] The present invention relates to an informational liquid dispersion apparatus of the type that, for example, is placed in an item of sanitary ware and is capable of preventing or mitigating splash back of a liquid incident thereupon. The present invention also relates to a method of forming an informational liquid dispersion apparatus, the method being of the type that, for example, comprises forming a mat capable of preventing or mitigating, when in use, splash back of a liquid incident thereupon.

[0002] In the field of sanitary ware, it is well-known to provide restroom facilities, for example for urination. In this respect, it is further known to provide urinals for male use, thereby providing increased convenience for men wishing to urinate in a relatively discrete manner.

[0003] A typical urinal comprises a receiving bowl having an inlet for receiving liquid for flushing purposes and an outlet for providing an exit for effluent being flushed. Another urinal-like format is the provision of a ground level drainage trough or gutter that lies at a bottom of a tiled wall portion. During the urination process, the attention of a man should be focussed upon delivering urine into the bowl or trough portion of the urinal, depending upon format of the urinal. However, the act of urination by a man is not simply a matter of aiming a stream of urine into the urinal with positional accuracy; urination also involves control of the pressure of the stream of urine. Nevertheless, depending upon the skill of the individual concerned, the process of urination does not require a man to bring all his powers of concentration to bear on ensuring accurate delivery of urine into the urinal and so the man is, typically, free to multi-task and concentrate on other matters.

[0004] However, due to the curvature of one of more surfaces of many urinals, it is necessary to take care to ensure that urine does not exit the urinal and become deposited upon the individual urinating. In this respect, it is known for urine to "splash back" on the individual, thereby leaving the individual with urine-stained clothing. As mentioned above, depending upon the skill of the individual, but also in some cases the degree of inebriation of the individual, urine coming into contact with articles of clothing can occur. Clearly, this is undesirable and should be avoided.

[0005] In order to minimise urine being re-directed back out of the urinal towards the individual urinating, a number of solutions have hitherto been proposed, including designing the shape of the urinal in order to minimise so-called "splash back". Other solutions include the provision of devices in the urinal in order to prevent or mitigate splash back. In this respect, it is known to place urinal mats in urinals in order to prevent urine, entering the urinal bowl, from being deflected out of the urinal bowl back to the individual urinating.

[0006] The provision of such devices or urinal designs does afford the individual with an ability to devote greater amounts of concentration to matters other than urination. Notwithstanding the available concentration capacity, good manners and etiquette, require the individual to look at the urinal, directly ahead and/or the wall directly above the urinal at eye-level and not at anything else peripheral to the user of the urinal, for example users of other urinals.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an informational liquid dispersion apparatus comprising a mat having a surface arranged to carry information; and the mat comprises a surface pattern arranged to disperse a stream of liquid incident upon the surface; wherein the surface pattern is disposed so as to dominate the surface of the mat.

[0008] The surface pattern may be an array.

[0009] The mat may comprise a plurality of apertures therein so as to provide the surface pattern.

[0010] The surface of the mat may comprise a plurality of recessed portions so as to provide the surface pattern. The recessed portions may be dimples.

[0011] The surface of the mat may be arranged to carry printed matter.

[0012] The surface of the mat may be profiled to define the information.

[0013] The information is an advertisement and/or the information may be health information.

[0014] The mat may be arranged to carry a deodorising compound and/or the mat may be arranged to carry a fragrance.

[0015] The mat may be arranged to carry a detergent.

[0016] The surface may be arranged to carry the information in a non-permanent manner so as to fade upon repeated contact with a liquid. The liquid may be urine.

[0017] The surface may be arranged to carry multiple layers of different information; a first of the multiple layers of information may be arranged to be removed upon repeated contact with a liquid so as to reveal a second of the multiple layers of information disposed therebeneath.

[0018] The first of the multiple layers of information may be non-permanently disposed and arranged to be removed upon repeated contact with a liquid.

[0019] The second of the multiple layers of information may be non-permanently disposed and arranged to be removed upon repeated contact with another liquid, the another liquid being chemically different from the liquid.

[0020] The second of the multiple layers may be thicker than the first of the multiple layers.

[0021] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sanitary ware apparatus comprising the informational liquid dispersion apparatus as set forth above in relation to the first aspect of the invention.

[0022] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a urinal apparatus comprising the informational liquid dispersion apparatus as set forth above in relation to the second aspect of the invention.

[0023] The mat may be arranged to lie against an internal surface of the urinal under gravity.

[0024] The urinal apparatus may further comprise: an outlet for escape of effluent; wherein the mat may be arranged to be located substantially over or adjacent the outlet.

[0025] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of forming an informational liquid dispersion apparatus, the method comprising: forming a mat; providing content on a surface the mat; modifying the surface of the mat so as to be capable of dispersing a stream of liquid when incident thereupon.

[0026] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an informational liquid dispersion apparatus comprising a mat having a surface arranged to carry information; and the mat comprises a surface pattern arranged to disperse a stream of liquid incident upon the surface.

[0027] It is thus possible to provide an informational liquid dispersion apparatus and a method of formation thereof capable of dispersing a stream of liquid incident thereupon so as to avoid so-called "splash back" and hence splattering an individual providing the stream of liquid with liquid rebounding from a target location where the apparatus is disposed. The apparatus also provides a source of information and can be disposed in an item of sanitary ware, for example a urinal.

[0028] At least one embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an informational liquid dispersion apparatus constituting an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of another informational liquid dispersion apparatus constituting another embodiment of the invention; and Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a urinal comprising the informational liquid dispersion apparatus of Figure 1 or Figure 2.

[0029] Referring to Figure 1, an informational liquid dispersion apparatus 100, for example a mat for a urinal, comprises a first surface 102 and a second surface 104. The first surface 102 is formed from a material capable of carrying print 106 or is treated in such a way as to carry print 106. Hence, the first surface 102 is arranged to carry printed matter.

[0030] In this example, the printed matter is pictorial. However, the content of the printed matter can be any other desired content, including a mixture of textual and pictorial matter, for example an advertisement. Additionally or alternatively, the information carried by the first surface 102 of the mat 100 can be health-related information. In this respect, the printed matter is themed as opposed to being simply indicative of origin of the mat 100, for example the printed matter is not a trade mark associated with the mat 100 or other self-promotional matter associated with manufacture of the mat 100. The printed matter is arranged to occupy a substantial portion of the first surface 102 of the mat 100. For example, at least 50% of the surface area of the first surface 102, such as at least 60% or at least 75% of the surface area of the first surface, thereby dominating the first surface 102. Furthermore, the printed matter is substantially centrally disposed on the first surface 102.

[0031] The mat 100 is formed with a plurality of apertures 108 therein to provide a surface pattern, the apertures extending between the first and second surfaces 102, 104. In this example, the apertures 108 are uniformly disposed, for example as an array. However, the surface pattern need not be uniformly distributed and can be distributed in a non-uniform manner.

[0032] In another embodiment, in addition or as an alternative to carrying surface decoration, the first surface 102 of the mat 100 can be profiled so as to define at least part of the information. In this respect, the surface can comprise raised portions that contribute to a visual effect, for example one or more ridges or other protuberances, such as one or more bosses.

[0033] The mat 100 can be manufactured by forming a mat, which is suitable for sanitary purposes, according to any technique known in the art. The mat 100, if not already done during formation of the mat 100, is provided with print constituting the information. If required, the first surface 102 can be prepared to carry print, for example using corona discharge treatment if appropriate.

Thereafter, the apertures 108 are formed in the mat 100 by any suitable perforation tool. Hence, the first surface 102 of the mat 100 has been modified so as to be capable of dispersing a stream of liquid.

[0034] In use, the apertures 108 serve to prevent so-called "splash back" caused by a stream of liquid, for example urine, incident upon the first surface 102 of the mat 100.

[0035] In another embodiment (Figure 2), instead of providing the apertures 108 through the mat 100, the first surface 102 of the mat 100 is provided with recesses constituting the surface pattern. The advantage of the recesses 110 over the apertures 108 is that the information carried by the first surface 102 is not obscured.

[0036] Manufacture of the mat 100 is similar to the manner of manufacture described above for the apertured mat. However, the mat 100 is formed from a suitably permanently deformable material, it simply being necessary for the mat to be able to deform in an axis transverse to the plane of the mat 100, i.e. in a direction into the surfaces of the mat 100. Additionally, instead of forming the apertures 108 in the mat 100, the mat 100 is subjected to a deformation tool (not shown), capable of applying pressure to localised areas of the first surface 102 of the mat 100, thereby forming the recesses 110. If desired, the formation of the recesses can include the application of heat in order to cause the recesses 110 to be permanently formed in the mat 100 in a like arrangement for the apertures 108 described above. Hence, a plurality of recessed portions can be formed in the mat 100. In this example, the plurality of recesses is a plurality of dimples formed in the mat 100. The first surface 102 of the mat 100 is thus modified so as to be capable of dispersing a stream of liquid.

[0037] In use, the recesses 110 serve to prevent so-called "splash back" caused by a stream of liquid, for example urine, incident upon the first surface 102 of the mat 100.

[0038] In any of the above embodiments, the mat 100 can be formed so as to comprise a deodorising compound. Optionally, the deodorising compound can be arranged in the mat 100 so as to be released in response to a stream of liquid, for example urine, being incident upon a surface of the mat 100, for example in response to pressure applied to the first surface 102 of the mat 100 by the stream of liquid, i.e. by deformation of the mat 100 in a direction transverse to the plane of the mat 100, and/or by hydration of the mat 100 by the liquid. In respect of hydration of the mat 100, the deodorising compound can be of a slow release type. If desired, the deodorising compound can include a fragrance.

[0039] In addition to the deodorising compound, or as an alternative thereto, the mat 100 can carry a detergent that is released in any like manner to those described above in relation to the deodorising compound.

[0040] In any of the above embodiments, the information can be provided on the first surface 102 of the mat 100 using an ink or other like compound that slowly fades or is otherwise removable from the first surface 102 of the mat 100 in response to the presence of a liquid, for example a chemically specific liquid, such as urea, on the first surface 102 of the mat 100. With repeated applications of the liquid on the first surface 102 of the mat 100, the information eventually fades. In this respect, the ink or like compound can be formed in such a manner to have a desired approximate rate of fading. Where fading or other removal is in response to a chemically specific liquid, it is possible to discriminate between exposures of the print to chemically different liquids, for example water and urea, thereby preventing excessively quick removal of the information from the first surface 102.

[0041] In another embodiment, one or more layers of removable print can be provided on the first surface 102 of the mat 100. In this respect, the layers of print are disposed over one another. In one example, the ink of each layer of print is removable in response to a chemically specific liquid as described above. It is also possible to discriminate between exposures of the print to chemically different liquids, for example water and urea, thereby preventing excessively quick removal of the information from the first surface 102. For example, the different layers of print can respond to different liquids, such as in an alternating manner. In another example, each layer of print can, additionally or alternatively, be of increasingly greater thickness in order to avoid premature localised removal of multiple layers of print.

[0042] Referring to Figure 3, any of the above-described types of informational liquid dispersion apparatus can be provided in an item of sanitary ware, for example an item of sanitary ware arranged to receive a stream of urine, such as a urinal 112.

[0043] In this example, the urinal 112 comprises a bowl portion 114 for receiving and substantially containing a stream of liquid, such as urine. The urinal 112 comprises an inlet port 116 for connection to a supply 118 of substantially clean water for flushing purposes. The urinal 112 also comprises an outlet port 120 for egress of effluent therethrough to a drain and eventually a sewage system.

[0044] The mat 100 is substantially disposed against an internal surface 122 of the urinal 112 and lies against the internal surface 122 substantially under the influence of gravity. Maintenance of the mat 100 in position against the internal surface 122 of the urinal 112 does not rely upon surface tension, although surface tension provided by liquid between the internal surface 122 and the second surface 104 of the mat 100 may exist.

[0045] In this example, the mat 100 is arranged to be located substantially over or adjacent the outlet port 120.

[0046] Although the above embodiment has been described in the context of a bowl-type urinal, the skilled person should understand that the mat 100 can be deployed in relation to other urinal formats, for example, the floor-based gutter type of urinal having a tiled wall portion that extends downwards to a gutter having a drain disposed therein.

[0047] The skilled person should appreciate that although the above-described embodiments refer to a mat per se, the mat can be a so-called back-guard or drain cover. Additionally or alternatively, although the above embodiments are described in the context of the mat 100 having apertures or dimples or the like, the use of such formations can be obviated by selection of another material from which to form the mat 100, for example a mat comprising fused synthetic fibres.

Claims

Claims: 1. An informational liquid dispersion apparatus comprising a mat having a surface arranged to carry information; and the mat comprises a surface pattern arranged to disperse a stream of liquid incident upon the surface; wherein the surface pattern is disposed so as to dominate the surface of the mat.
2. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the surface pattern is an array.
3. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the mat comprises a plurality of apertures therein so as to provide the surface pattern.
4. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the surface of the mat comprises a plurality of recessed portions so as to provide the surface pattern.
5. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the recessed portions are dimples.
6. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the surface of the mat is arranged to carry printed matter.
7. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the surface of the mat is profiled to define the information.
8. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the information is an advertisement.
9. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the information is health information.
10. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mat is arranged to carry a deodorising compound.
11. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mat is arranged to carry a fragrance.
12. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mat is arranged to carry a detergent.
13. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the surface is arranged to carry the information in a non-permanent manner so as to fade upon repeated contact with a liquid.
14. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 13, wherein the liquid is urine.
15. An apparatus as claimed in any one of Claim 1 to 12, wherein the surface is arranged to carry multiple layers of different information, a first of the multiple layers of information being arranged to be removed upon repeated contact with a liquid so as to reveal a second of the multiple layers of information disposed therebeneath.
16. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 15, wherein the first of the multiple layers of information is non-permanently disposed and arranged to be removed upon repeated contact with a liquid.
17. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 16, wherein the second of the multiple layers of information is non-permanently disposed and arranged to be removed upon repeated contact with another liquid, the another liquid being chemically different from the liquid.
18. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 15 or Claim 17, wherein the second of the multiple layers is thicker than the first of the multiple layers.
19. A sanitary ware apparatus comprising the informational liquid dispersion apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.
20. A urinal apparatus comprising the informational liquid dispersion apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 18.
21. A urinal apparatus as claimed in Claim 20, wherein the mat is arranged to lie against an internal surface of the urinal under gravity.
22. A urinal apparatus as claimed in Claim 21, further comprising: an outlet for escape of effluent; wherein the mat is arranged to be located substantially over or adjacent the outlet.
23. A method of forming an informational liquid dispersion apparatus, the method comprising: forming a mat; providing content on a surface the mat; modifying the surface of the mat so as to be capable of dispersing a stream of liquid when incident thereupon.
24. An informational liquid dispersion apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
25. A urinal substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.