GB2478551A

GB2478551A - Urination fixture accessory

Info

Publication number: GB2478551A
Application number: GB1003882A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alexander Hirschowitz
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-03-09
Filing date: 2010-03-09
Publication date: 2011-09-14
Also published as: GB201003882D0

Abstract

An accessory suitable for a urination fixture, where the accessory includes a footstop 20 which is mounted on a floor directly in front of the urination fixture 12, the footstop being mounted at a distance d from the urination fixture which inhibits a user from standing where the footstop is mounted, and urges the man to place one foot on each side of the urination fixture as demonstrated in Figs 4A and 4B. The accessory can be used with a toilet (32, Fig 3) or an urinal 12. The accessory may comprise a step with an edge 30 which defines a raised floor portion 28 at least partially around and in front of the urination fixture. The footstop may comprise a pipe, a railing, a bar, a low wall, or plurality of columns. A method for forming a floor of a water closet is also defined, which comprises a footstop provided on the floor directly in front of a urination fixture. Also disclosed is an urination fixture which comprises a bowl defining a long and narrow front portion for straddling by a user as shown in Figures 13-15.

Description

ACCESSORY FOR A URINATION FIXTURE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to building accessories, in general, and in particular, to an accessory for a urination fixture, i.e., toilets and urinals.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is a well-known fact of everyday life that men typically urinate from a standing position in water closets in private homes and in public buildings, as well as into urinals in public buildings.

In spite of the fact that this is an everyday activity, it is not uncommon for some urine to drip or spill onto the floor in front of the toilet bowl rather than going into the toilet bowl or urinal basin. There are a number of reasons why this may occur. Towards the end of a session, the urine stream weakens and/or users may try to shake out a few extra drops to more fully empty their bladders. Certain categories of users, such as boys who may have problems aiming properly or men suffering from urinary system problems, are more prone to spill as a matter of course. A large percentage of the population of middle aged and elderly men suffers from urine flow disturbances caused by various medical conditions, one of which is BPH (prostate enlargement). The symptoms of BPH include the dripping or spillage of urine before, during or immediately after urination, and/or the stopping and starting of the stream of urine during urination so that some of the urine is likely to spill onto the floor at the restart of the stream. Other causes of dripping or spilling include the person standing too far from the toilet or urinal and inadvertent carelessness.

Urine on the floor creates conditions that are dirty, unsanitary, and odorous, as well as being repulsive, unpleasant, and uncomfortable for subsequent users of the urinal or toilet. The situation is distressing both in private homes and in public places but, in respect of the latter, with high traffic, frequent cleaning at high cost may be required to maintain conditions acceptable to the public.

The primary reason that urine drips onto the floor is that men habitually stand directly in front of the toilet bowl, but a short distance from it (as they wish to avoid touching it) when urinating. Fig. 1A shows a man 10 urinating into a conventional urination fixture 12, here illustrated as a wall hung urinal. It can be seen that user 10 stands in front of urinal 12, a small distance away from the forward edge 14 of the urinal. This standing position leaves a space on the floor between the forward edge of the bowl and the body of the man into which the urine can drop. In actual fact, almost all the urine dripped is dripped into this space, which can be called a spill area' 19. Fig. 1A shows the urine stream 16 and some dripping of urine 18.

A top view of this scenario is shown in FIG. lB. This figure shows urinal 12, an outline of a pair of shoes 11 that indicates the foot position of user 10, and a section of the floor designated as the "spill area" 19, which receives the spilled urine.

Accordingly, Figures 1A and lB show that, when a user stands in front of a urinal or toilet bowl, urine will likely fall onto the floor and lead to the unsanitary and unpleasant conditions described above. This position may be designated as an "incorrect" standing position due to the likelihood that it will frequently lead to at least some urine falling or spilling onto the floor. It will be appreciated that the same applies whether the man is urinating into a toilet or a urinal.

A secondary reason why urine drips on the floor is that the design of prior art toilet and urinal bowls does not take sufficiently into account the exigencies of the male urine stream or make the necessary provision for them. Thus, although the streams typically are focused laterally, they have different arcs, leading to different distances from the user to the point where the urine enters the bowl. Conventional toilet and urinal bowls typically are substantially rounded or oblong or oval, but not sufficiently long to collect all the urine of all the users standing in front of the bowls.

While a number of changes in men's urinals and toilet bowls have occurred in the past, including the introduction of different shapes, free standing vs. wall hung, addition of partitions to give privacy, the use of non-flush or waterless urinals, solutions to the problem of the spill area have been few. One attempt to resolve this problem is to place special mats or pads in front of the urinals or toilets. The mats are often chemically treated to absorb odour, and are disposable so they can be discarded and replaced at periodic intervals, depending on the traffic at the location.

One example of such a mat is shown in US 2009/0158512 to Stickler et al. Use of the mats, however, imposes an additional and recurring cost to restroom maintenance.

Another approach to this problem is to install a grate and drain system in the restroom floor. However, this adds greatly to construction costs, and the grates can be uncomfortable for users to stand on. They are also widely perceived to be unaesthetic and unattractive, and as a result can have a "cheapening effect" that makes them inappropriate for many institutions.

US patent application publication 2008/00.86802 to Thomas, et al., describes a toilet-floor shield, which is a thin sheet of steel, like a bath mat, for placing on the floor around a toilet to collect any drips and spills.

There are shown in USP 6,119,282 to Serbin and in USP 5,625,905 to Woods, among others, toilet drip and splash guards including an annular sheet arranged to be positioned on a toilet seat to protect the rim and seat of the toilet.

However, none of these proposed solutions acts to prevent spills in the first place.

USP 5,282,283 to Atkin discloses a urination station with a pair of foot mats affixed in position on the floor straddling a urinal basin. Each mat accommodates a foot at a height from the floor which discourages the user from stepping partially on a mat and partially on the floor. This invention provides a suggested urination position, but does not require it or prevent the user from standing directly in front of the urinal, as in the past. In addition, it is not suitable or comfortable for boys or men of different heights and lengths of legs.

Accordingly, there is a long felt need for a means for preventing spills in front of a toilet or urinal, and it would be desirable if the means were suitable for use by men and boys of substantially all ages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device called a footstop that is, in effect, an obstacle that hinders a man from standing directly in front of a urination fixture, simply because there is not enough space in front of the urination fixture to stand there. A user wanting to urinate will be urged to step over the footstop, which is easily done, and, in so doing, place one foot on each side of the toilet. This positions the user in the optimal position for urination, with his body over the bowl, so that all the urine, including the drips or spills, will fall directly into the toilet bowl and not onto the floor.

Thus, there is provided, according to the present invention, an accessory for a urination fixture, the accessory including a footstop mounted on a floor directly in front of the urination fixture, the footstop being mounted at a distance from the urination fixture for inhibiting a man from standing where the footstop is mounted and urging the man to place one foot on each side of the urination fixture.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the footstop includes a step having an edge and defining a raised floor portion at least partially around and in front of the urinal.

According to another embodiment, the footstop includes an obstacle coupled to the floor in front of the urinal.

There is also provided, according to the invention, a method for forming a floor for a water closet having a urination fixture, the method including providing a footstop and mounting the footstop on the water closet floor directly in front of the urination fixture at a distance from the urinal for inhibiting a man from standing where the footstop is mounted, the footstop urging the man to place one foot on each side of the urination fixture.

There is further provided, according to the invention, a urination fixture including a bowl defining a long and narrow front portion for straddling by a user.

According to preferred embodiments, the bowl has a length of between about 450 mm and about 575 mm, and a width of the front portion of about 120 mm to about 220 mm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be further understood and appreciated from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: Figures 1A and lB are side and top views, respectively, showing use of a

urinal of the prior art;

Figure 2 is a side view of a footstop, constructed and operative in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, installed adjacent to a urinal; Figure 3 is an isometric view of a footstop constructed and operative in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, installed adjacent to a toilet; Figures 4A and 4B are side and top views, respectively, showing use of a footstop constructed and operative in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 is a top view of a row of urinals having a footstop in the form of a raised floor portion, constructed and operative in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 is a top view of a single urinal having a footstop in the form of a recess in a water closet floor, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 is a top view of a urinal having a first footstop and an additional footstop, constructed and operative in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 is an isometric view of a row of urinals having a first footstop and an additional footstop, constructed and operative in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9A is a top view of a single urinal having an installed footstop, constructed and operative in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9B is a top view of the urinal of FIG. 9A with a double footstop, constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figures 1OA to 1OF are schematic illustrations of several embodiments of footstops having the general form of a pipe or railing, constructed and operative in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention; Figure 11 is a side view of a footstop having the general form of a pipe or railing, showing how the extended barrier can be detached, attached and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figures 12A to 12D are schematic illustrations of footstops having the general form of columns or other shapes, constructed and operative in accordance with alternative embodiments of the present invention; Figures 13A to 13F are isometric views of several urinals, constructed and operative in accordance with several embodiments of the present invention; and Figures 14 and 15 are plan views of a toilet bowl constructed and operative in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an accessory for a urination fixture, provided in the floor adjacent to the urination fixture (i.e., a toilet or a urinal), herein called a footstop, which facilitates use of a urination fixture bowl for urination so as to substantially prevent dripping or spilling on the floor in front of the urination fixture bowl. The footstop is, in effect, a low obstacle or the edge of a raised platform that inhibits a man from standing directly in front of a urination fixture, because there is not enough space in front of the urination fixture to stand comfortably. A man or boy wanting to urinate, on seeing the footstop, will naturally, easily and comfortably step over it and, in so doing, place a foot to each side of the urination fixture with his body over the bowl so that all the urine, including the drips or spills, will fall directly into the bowl and not onto the floor. Thus, the footstop urges users of all sizes to assume an optimal position for urinating into the urination fixture. The man will not stand on the footstop itself because it is not comfortable to do so. He will not stand behind the footstop because that would be too far away from the urination fixture bowl.

In some embodiments of the invention, the footstop includes a low railing, bar, column, wall or other barrier mounted on, above or in the floor in front of the urination fixture. These embodiments are particularly suitable for water closets (w.c.'s) in homes, offices and public places having a small number of regular users.

In other embodiments of the invention, the footstop is the edge of a raised or lowered floor portion, platform or step, which achieves the same result by providing insufficient standing space directly in front of the bowl without balancing on the edge, thus obliging the user to stand in the "correct position". This embodiment is particularly suited for urination fixtures in public places. This raised or lowered floor portion substantially surrounds the front and sides of the urination fixture and achieves the same purpose of positioning the user aside the urination fixture, so that all the urine will fall directly into the bowl. In this case, a raised floor portion can be built on existing w.c. floors, for retrofitting the invention in existing w.c.s On the other hand, it will be appreciated that the builder of a new water closet can build the floor in two levels, and need not build a conventional floor first and then add a second, raised portion on top of it.

An alternative embodiment is a raised floor over part of the water closet, on, or over, which the urination fixture is installed, with an additional footstop in front of it. The additional footstop may be attached to or above the floor or may be an integral part thereof.

Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown a side view of a footstop 20, constructed and operative in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

Footstop 20 is installed on the floor underneath a wall hung urinal 12. The urinal is mounted on a wall 24, as is common in public restrooms. In this embodiment, as shown, accessory 20 is a footstop in the form of a step or edge 30 of a raised floor portion having a top or standing surface 28 that is fiat. Footstop 20 extends from forward edge 30, located at a distance "d" from a forward edge 26 on the rim of urinal 12, to the wall 24 on which the urinal is mounted. Distance "d" is selected to be approximately one half the length of a typical user's shoes. In this way, if he were to stand in the "incorrect" position, the user would find himself balancing on the edge of the step. Thus, the user is encouraged to move closer to and straddle the urinal, so that his feet remain on standing surface 28. It will be appreciated that footstop 20 may extend around the urinal or from wall to wall.

Figure 3 shows another embodiment of a footstop 20', installed on the floor surrounding, or under a urination fixture bowl 32. In this embodiment, footstop 20' is again a footstop in the form of a step or raised floor or platform, here shaped as an "island" around the bowl 32. Footstop 20' has a forward edge 30' located a distance "d" past forward edge 26' of bowl 32. Footstop 20' has a substantially flat top or standing surface 28'. It can be seen that at the sides of bowl 32, top surface 28' of footstop 20' has a width "w" that is designed to permit the user to stand on the surface comfortably, and is greater than forward distance "d".

Figures 4A and 4B are schematic illustrations of a man urinating in a "correct" position into the urinal 12 of Figure 2 having an associated footstop 20.

Figure 4A shows user 10 standing on the raised floor and partially straddling urinal 12. It may be seen, particularly in comparison with the prior art situation of FIG. la, that in this case user 10 stands much closer to urinal 12, so that the user's upper body is over the urinal or bowl. In this position, urine dripping along path 18 will fall into urinal 12 instead of on the floor. This position of the user, which is encouraged by the present invention, may accordingly be designated as a "correct" standing position.

In the corresponding top view shown in FIG. 4B, it can be seen that the man's feet 11 straddle, or are on the sides of, urinal 12, rather than in front of urinal 12. It can also be seen that distance "d" is relatively short in comparison to the length of the man's shoes 11, so that it would be difficult or uncomfortable for the man to stand directly in front of the urinal, due to the location of the edge of the step. Accordingly, the natural and more comfortable foot position is astride the urinal, which, as noted, has a width "w" that is designed to comfortably accommodate feet 11. Accordingly, all or substantially all of the urine that drops or spills along path 18 falls into spill area 22, which is now contained within the urination fixture, rather than on the floor.

It will be appreciated that, if it is a wall hung urinal with space underneath the urinal, a man could, in theory, stand on urination fixture accessory 20 directly in front of the urinal, but then his body would touch the urinal. However, in this event, the objective of eliminating the spill area on the toilet floor will still have been achieved and the urine would still fall into the urinal.

Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the footstop, according to some embodiments of the invention, is an elevated or raised surface on a floor underneath and/or adjacent to a urination fixture bowl, which defines an area in which a user may stand so that substantially all the urine, including in particular urine that falls or drips, falls into the urinal rather than onto the floor. Alternatively, the urination fixture accessory may be a lowered or recessed portion of the floor. Here, too, the edge of the step serves as the barrier to comfortable standing.

The specific dimensions of the urination fixture accessory may vary. In some embodiments, a raised floor height of about 5-6 cm, and distance "d" of about 15- 18cm, with a width "w" of at least 25 -35 cm has been found to be satisfactory. With respect to the distance "d" in front of the leading edge of the urinal, 15-18 cm is approximately half the length, on average, of a man's shoe. It will be appreciated that a platform having "d" of this size will have an edge on which it is uncomfortable or difficult to stand. The front section of this urination fixture accessory, accordingly, provides a continuous edge or step that acts as a block or obstacle to a person who wishes to stand in front of urinal in the incorrect standing position.

With respect to the width "w", the raised floor should protrude from the sides of the bowl by a sufficient amount to afford a comfortable standing place for the user. Width "w" should be sufficient to comfortably support or accommodate a man's shoe on either side of the urination fixture while leaving enough space so that the man does not touch the sides of the bowl when standing there. It will also be appreciated that width "w" does not need to be uniform, but may vary in size along the side of the urinal. More particularly, the standing surface should be sized and shaped so that users spanning a range of body types, heights, and shoe sizes can adjust their stance and/or foot orientation to obtain greater personal comfort and to avoid the feeling of being cramped onto a narrow step.

The footstop of the present invention can be made in a range of materials or combinations of materials as is required by the architect or designer or product manufacturer taking into account durability, effectiveness, fashion, design considerations, and price. Such materials may include, but are not limited to ceramic tiles, porcelain tiles, stone, wood, hardwood, vinyl, laminated products, epoxy, rubber or plastic. The raised floor may be a concrete, wood or any other strong, stable structure covered with other materials such as ceramic tiles, porcelain tiles, mosaics, rubber, glass, metal, vinyl, linoleum, or carpeting, for example, and may be provided with a non-slip or rough standing surface.

Figures 5 and 6 show other embodiments of footstops, according to the present invention. Figure 5 shows a top view of a series of urinals 52 arranged in a row, in which the urinals share a common raised platform or urination fixture accessory 50. It will be appreciated that this arrangement is less costly to construct and easier to keep clean, and may be more aesthetic, than an arrangement in which each urinal in the row has its own urination fixture accessory, e.g., in the shape of an island.

Figure 6 shows a single urination fixture bowl 62 with a footstop 60 in the form of a recess, defining a standing surface 64 that extends on each side of urinal 62 to an adjacent wall of the stall. Accordingly, this embodiment may be somewhat more comfortable for the user, since he has more freedom in positioning his feet on standing surface 64. In another embodiment (not shown), the standing surface may extend to an adjacent wall on one side only, and maintain a lesser width "w" on the other side of the urinal.

The footstops of the embodiments of Figs.2, 3, 5 and 6 may be fitted to the specific model of urination fixture. For free-standing urinals or toilets, a raised floor may be attached to part of the water closet floor and extend alongside and around the urination fixture. Alternatively, the footstop can be attached to the urination fixture or can be made by the urination fixture manufacturer as a integral part of the urination fixture. For wall hanging urinals, the raised floor preferably also extends under the urinal. For urinals in a row, there may be one raised floor portion extending underneath all the urinals, for example as shown in FIG. 5, or there may be individual raised floor portions for each urinal, depending on the design of the architect or designer. As noted above, the raised floor portions can either extend to the walls at the side of the toilet or cubicle, or form "islands" around each urination fixture.

In some cases, there may be users who still choose to stand in front of the urination fixture and behind the footstop, rather than in the correct position by the sides of the urination fixture. In order to discourage this behavior and provide greater protection for the floor in front of the urination fixture bowl, an additional footstop may also be used in some embodiments of the present invention. Such an additional footstop would be a obstacle that makes it uncomfortable to stand directly in front of the urination fixture at a distance close to the footstop. One embodiment of such an additional footstop 70 is shown schematically in FIG. 7, a top view of a single urinal 72 having a raised floor 74. Additional footstop 70 is located at a distance d1 from the forward edge 76 of floor 74, which is also preferably less that the length of a typical shoe. Another embodiment is shown in FIG. 8, an isometric view showing a row of urinals 82 having a common footstop 80, in the form of a raised floor portion, and a common additional footstop 84.

As shown in Figures 7 and 8, additional footstops 70 and 84 are relatively low, narrow, barriers or obstacles that are uncomfortable to stand on. According to a preferred embodiment, the height of the additional footstop is about 5-6 cms, and the width about 1-3 cms. Additional footstops 70 and 84 may be connected permanently to the floor but preferably can be raised or moved in order to clean around or under them. Additional footstops 70 and 84 are positioned at a distance "d1" from footstops 74 and 80. The distance "d1" in some embodiments is approximately the same as distance "d", about half the length of a man's shoe, or 15-18 cm. Accordingly, when additional footstops 70 or 84 are installed, it is even more difficult or uncomfortable to stand directly in front of, but far from urinal 72 or 82, behind footstop 74 or 80, and more users will be encouraged to stand on the standing surfaces of the footstops 74 and 80.

Additional footstops 70 and 84 may be constructed from any material that is durable and strong enough to resist being bent, deformed, or broken if repeatedly kicked or stepped on by users of the restroom. Some examples of suitable materials include reinforced plastic, ceramic, metal, wood, stone, or brick.

It will be appreciated that there are locations where a single bar-type footstop provides a sufficient obstacle to encourage users to stand in the "correct" position.

Figures 9A and 9B show alternate embodiments of the invention in which only a low footstop 90 is provided, and no raised platform. As shown, footstop 90 is positioned at a distance "d" in front of urinal 92, so that it would not be comfortable or possible to stand on the footstop immediately in front of urinal 92. Accordingly, as with the raised floor embodiment, a user would be encouraged to stand with his feet straddling the sides of urinal 92, with foot positions 94 substantially as shown in the figure. In this embodiment, the user would stand on the w.c. floor rather than on a raised floor or platform, but with his feet still in the correct position.

Figure 9B illustrates the use of two substantially concentric footstops 90 and 96. Footstop 90 acts as an obstacle to urge the user to straddle the bowl, while additional footstop 96, at a distance "d1" behind footstop 90, serves to prevent the user from standing immediately behind footstop 90. The two footstops may, in an alternative embodiment be joined, and thus form one unit serving as a double footstop. Furthermore, a bar-type footstop can be coupled to and/or sold together with a raised floor portion footstop, if desired.

The footstops can be made in a wide variety of shapes or designs, as preferred by the architect or product manufacturer or designer, so as to allow for style, design and decoration considerations. In some embodiments, footstop 100 may be in the form of a pipe or railing, as shown in FIGS. 1OA to 1OF, and in other embodiments footstops 102 may be in the form of a plurality of columns or other forms, as shown in FIGS. 12A to 12D or in the form of a low wall (not shown). These figures show a variety of embodiments, i.e. shapes of pipes or configurations of columns, which are suitable for use as footstops. It will be appreciated that the shapes and configurations shown are by way of example only, and that many other embodiments are also comprehended by the present invention as long as they fulfill the function of preventing or discouraging a user from standing in the incorrect position for urinating.

It is advantageous if the footstop is removable or otherwise movable from its installed position, to facilitate cleaning of the w.c. Figure 11 shows an embodiment of footstop 110, in the form of a pipe or railing, that is removable from the floor. As shown, footstop 110 has two ends 104 that can be locked with a key into corresponding mounting units 106 that are permanently or semi-permanently connected to the floor. Upon unlocking the device, footstop 110 can be lifted out and moved aside. Alternatively, one side of footstop 110 may be mounted to the floor in such a way as to permit pivoting from its barrier position for cleaning.

As stated above, where new buildings or water closets are being built, the builder can simply build a raised or recessed floor, with or without an additional footstop, or can build a footstop as an integral part of the floor, in front of and to the sides of the urination fixture. The urination fixtures may be installed on or above the raised floor portion so that the end of the raised floor will be about 15 to 18 cms from the line of the front rim of the urination fixture bowl. For greater effect, an additional footstop may be installed 15 to 18 cms from the end of the raised floor.

Where it is desired to install a raised floor in an existing restroom, ready made raised floors specially shaped to fit urination fixtures on the market are comprehended by the present invention. These raised floors may be purchased and then installed by fitting around or under the existing urination fixture. Again, for greater effect, an additional footstop may be installed about 15 to 18 cms from the end of the raised floor.

Alternatively, to save costs, in both new and existing buildings, a footstop can be installed without a raised floor, and optionally a second footstop can be installed as well, as described above.

It will be appreciated that, in addition to providing a floor accessory, it is possible to provide a urination fixture bowl having a design more suited to preventing spillage or dripping of urine. In particular, urination fixture bowls having an elongated and narrower shape are more comfortable for straddling and provide a longer catch basin area for urine flows of different lengths and strengths and for the drips. Similarly, urinals with long narrow front sections would be more effective, as would urination fixture bowls having a front section that is long and narrow, protruding from a rounded bowl. These newly shaped urination fixture bowls complement the aim of ensuring that all the urine, including the spills and drips, falls into the bowl and not onto the floor. Furthermore, the smaller overall size of the urinals reduces the amount of water required for flushing. The bowl should be long enough to accommodate both strong and healthy streams (concentrated in direction), as well as weak, inconsistent streams, which tend to drip. It should also be long enough, and at least the front section of it should be narrow enough, to be comfortable for the man standing astride it.

The length of the urinal bowl is the most important factor, because the strength and consistency of the urine flow varies among men (depending on their age and health). Therefore, in order to avoid dripping in front of the bowl or, if the stream is strong, splashing off the end of the urinal (or of the fear of splashing), the bowl should be considerably elongated. The lengths of the currently produced urinals vary, with most being about 300 to 400 mm long. The widths also vary considerably, with the average being about 350 mm to 450 mm. The preferred dimensions of the new bowls are: overall length -about 450 mm to 575 mm, width near the front -about 120 mm to 220 mm. Preferably, the bowl includes an elongate protrusion at the front Figures 13A to 13E show alternate exemplary designs of urinals which provide protection for the floor, and which may be used together with the footstops of the present invention. The urinals shown have bowls which are elongated and narrow in comparison with conventional urinals or which have narrow, elongate protrusions. Preferably, these urinals are about 450 to about 575 mm in length.

Advantages of the new designs include that they meet all requirements for an effective catchment area, drips and dribbles fall into the bowl and not onto the floor, they are comfortable to stand astride, they save water by having a smaller capacity, and they are aesthetic with modern designs.

Alternative embodiments can have a wide mouthed, cylindrical, pipe-like form, or be shaped like a trough. An advantage of such a urinal is that it need not have a bowl in which the urine collects within view of the user and is particularly suitable for a non-flush urinal. Rather, such a urination fixture could extend straight into the drainage pipe or through the wall in which it is mounted. Two such examples are shown in Figs. 13C and 13D. Since users would urinate directly into the pipe, all the urine, including any drips, will fall directly into the urinal bowl and not onto the floor.

Urination fixtures according to these alternate designs can be combined with the footstops of the present invention to provide a complete solution to the problem of spills and drips.

Figures 14 and 15 show designs of a toilet bowl which may be used with a footstop of the present invention. Conventional elongated toilet bowls are oval or circular in shape, and are on average 460-480 mm in length and 375 to 500 mm in width. One embodiment of an alternate design toilet bowl is pear shaped, or elongated and tapering to the front. Preferably, the bowl has a protrusion in the front that is long and narrow. According to some embodiments of the invention, the bowl is about 550 to about 575 mm in length. Alternatively, the toilet may consist of a circular or oval bowl with a narrow front protrusion of about 50 mm to about 100 mm in length and about 150 mm to about 200mm in width. Due to the elongated shape and front protrusion, the alternate design toilet bowl is easier for a user to straddle when urinating than conventional shaped bowls.

While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, it will be appreciated that many variations, modifications and other applications of the invention may be made. It will further be appreciated that the invention is not limited to what has been described hereinabove merely by way of example. Rather, the invention is limited solely by the claims which follow.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An accessory for a urination fixture, the accessory comprising: a footstop mounted on a floor directly in front of the urination fixture, said footstop being mounted at a distance from the urination fixture for inhibiting a man from standing where said footstop is mounted and urging the man to place one foot on each side of the urination fixture.
2. The accessory according to claim 1, wherein said footstop comprises a step having an edge and defining a raised floor portion at least partially around and in front of the urinal.
3. The accessory according to claim 1, wherein said footstop comprises an obstacle coupled to the floor in front of the urinal.
4. The accessory according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said urination fixture is selected from the group including a toilet and a urinal.
5. The accessory according to claim 3, wherein said obstacle is selected from the group including a pipe, a railing, a bar, a low wall, and a plurality of columns.
6. The accessory according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said obstacle is movable for cleaning.
7. The accessory according to claim 1, wherein said footstop comprises a step having an edge and defining a recessed floor portion at least partially around and in front of the urinal.
8. The accessory according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the urination fixture includes a bowl defining a long and narrow front portion for straddling by a user, and said distance where said footstop is mounted is a distance from an edge of said front portion.
9. A method for forming a floor for a water closet having a urination fixture, the method comprising: providing a footstop; and mounting said footstop on the water closet floor directly in front of the urination fixture at a distance from the urinal for inhibiting a man from standing where said footstop is mounted, said footstop urging the man to place one foot on each side of the urination fixture.
10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the urinal is a toilet and said step of mounting includes mounting said footstop on the water closet floor directly in front of said toilet.
11. The method according to claim 9 or claim 10, wherein: said step of providing a footstop includes building a raised floor portion; and said method of mounting includes affixing said raised floor portion to the water closet at least directly in front of the urination fixture.
12. The method according to any of claims 9 to 11, wherein the urination fixture includes a bowl defining a long and narrow front portion for straddling by a user, and said distance where said footstop is mounted is a distance from an edge of said front portion.
13. A urination fixture comprising: a bowl defining a long and narrow front portion for straddling by a user.
14. The urination fixture according to claim 13, wherein said long and narrow front portion is a portion protruding from a substantially rounded bowl.
15. The urination fixture according to claim 13 or claim 14, wherein said bowl has a length of between about 450 mm and about 575 mm, and a width of said front portion of about 120 mm to about 220 mm.