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Flushable urination assisting device
US20070044213A1
United States
- Inventor
William Hall - Current Assignee
- Individual
Description
translated from
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[0001] This application claims the benefit of earlier priority based upon the filing of a provisional application on Aug. 23, 2005. This earlier provisional application was issued Ser. No. 60/596,004. -
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention -
[0003] This invention relates generally to a flushable urination device that assists the user in urinating from the standing position. -
[0004] 2. Background -
[0005] Public toilets are a source of many commutable diseases and infections. Many individuals attempt, with varying degrees of success, to use public toilets without actually allowing any portion of their bodies to touch the toilet seat itself. This is particularly problematic for women and small children. Some individuals will attempt to use toilet paper to cover the seat, others will use toilet seat covers when they are available. Such attempts to insulate the user from coming into contact with a toilet seat are clumsy, awkward and inadequate. -
[0006] In the past there have been several attempts to provide a device capable of assisting users to urinate from a standing position. These previous devices suffer from a number of inadequacies, including that they are not flushable, they are bulky and their short lengths result in back splash out of the toilet and onto the user or the user's clothing. Therefore, what is needed is a flushable urination assisting device that does not suffer from the aforementioned problems, and which assists users in urinating from a standing position. -
[0007] The present invention advantageously fills the aforementioned deficiencies by providing a flushable urination assisting device that assists users in urinating from a standing position. -
[0008] The present invention is flushable, compact and biodegradable. The present invention can fit into the users pocket or purse, and due to its length it also reduces backsplash from toilet water when used. Once the user is finished, the device can be thrown directly into the toilet bowl. The device will loose its rigidity, normally but not necessarily within 30 seconds, allowing it to be flushed without fear of plugging up the toilet or plumbing pipes. -
[0009] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device that assists users in urinating while standing so as to no have to sit on a public toilet to urinate. By using this device, women, in particular, will no longer subject themselves to using unsanitary public toilets. The device can also be used by children (both male and female), who when very small and learning to use a toilet often come into physical contact with the toilet bowl. Additionally, device can also be used by people with physical disabilities that may have difficulties urinating from a sitting or standing position. -
[0010] The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are intended to be read in conjunction with both this summary, the detailed description and any preferred and/or particular embodiments specifically discussed or otherwise disclosed. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of illustration only and so that this disclosure will be thorough, complete and will fully convey the full scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. -
[0011] FIG. 1 depicts the invention in an opened position ready for use. -
[0012] FIG. 2 depicts a side view of the invention. -
[0013] FIG. 3 depicts the invention in a partially folded position. -
[0014] FIG. 4 depicts the invention folded. -
[0015] FIG. 5 depicts a cross sectional view of the invention. -
[0016] FIG. 6 depicts the invention folded and being taken out of a bag. -
[0017] FIG. 7 depicts the invention being disposed after use. -
[0018] Thepresent invention 10 is directed to a flushable urination assisting device, which can be more fully understood by reference to the below detailed description. -
[0019] FIG. 1 depicts thepresent invention 10 in an opened position ready for use. The overall invention provides a funnel shaped, one time use,flushable urination device 12. Thedevice 12 need not always be funnel shaped, but a funnel shape is preferred. Thedevice 12 allows women and/or small child (male or female) to urinate from a standing position. Thedevice 12 allows the user to urinate without coming in physical contact with a toilet bowl. The user places the urination opening 20 directly in the path of the urine as it leaves the body. The urine is collected in thedevice 12 and funneled through the neck, which is elongated and narrowing in the preferred embodiment. After passing through the neck the urine ultimately exists thedevice 12 throughexit port 22. Thedevice 12 allows the user to direct the urine flow into a toilet bowl, or into other collection receptacles, such as a cup that might be given to a user by a medical professional for the purposes of collecting a urine sample. -
[0020] Thedevice 12 is biodegradable (preferably 100% biodegradable). The device is preferably but not necessarily foldable; for example thedevice 12 may be folded alongfold lines 24, which are preferably but not necessarily embedded into thedevice 12. Folding the device allows for easier portability and to make the device compact (i.e., so that it can fit into a pocket or purse). -
[0021] Thedevice 12 is constructed of a semi-rigid biodegradable material, which will decay once thrown into a toilet. Thedevice 12 has three bonded layers consisting oftissue paper layer 14 located on the outside surface, which can be used, among other things, as a sanitary wipe to clean the users genitalia; a water barrier layer 18 (preferably a semi-permanent water barrier layer) located on the inside surface, and which is a starch-based foam, preferably a poly lactate acid (PLA) film; and a biodegradable layer 16 (preferably a semi-rigid biodegradable layer, such as Green Cell Biodegradable foam), located between thetissue paper layer 14 andwater barrier layer 18, and which provides middle structural integrity. -
[0022] In the preferred embodiment thedevice 12 will not begin to decay during use. This is accomplished by the presence of asemi-waterproof barrier 16 on the inside surface. Thewater barrier layer 18 will eventually breakdown, thereby allowing the entire device to biodegrade, but thewater barrier layer 18 ensures that the biodegrading process does not start during routine usage. -
[0023] FIG. 2 depicts a side view of theinvention 10 and includes reference to thedevice 12 being 12 inches in length. The preferred embodiment of thedevice 12 is indeed 12 inches, but it should be appreciated by those of skill in the art that thedevice 12 need not be 12 inches in length. Indeed, it can be longer or shorter. -
[0024] FIG. 3 depicts thedevice 12 in a partially folded position, folded alongfold lines 24, which are optional. -
[0025] -
[0026] FIG. 5 depicts a cross sectional view of the neck of thedevice 12, and more clearly shows the three-ply nature of the construction, whereby thetissue layer 14 is on the outside, the semi-permanentwater barrier layer 18 is on the inside and thebiodegradable layer 16 is disposed in between. -
[0027] FIG. 6 depicts thedevice 12 folded and being taken out of abag 26. The bag. In this particular embodiment of thepresent invention 10 thedevice 12 collapses into a flat 4 inch by 3⅓inch bag 26, thereby easily fitting into a pocket or purse. Thisbag 26 is preferably also biodegradable (preferably being made of a PLA film) and flushable, but biodegradability is not a necessary requirement of the bag. Furthermore, the bag is not a necessary requirement of theinvention 10, but may be present and indeed is present in the preferred embodiment. -
[0028] When removed from thebag 26 and opened thedevice 12 expands to a 12 inch funnel. Although this particular embodiment is discussed in terms of specific measurements, thedevice 12 could certainly be made in different sizes, which among other things could make it more appropriate or even customized for users of different heights and/or body shapes. Additionally, thedevice 12 can also come with different funnel shapes. Thedevice 12 could also certainly be rolled instead of folded. -
[0029] -
[0030] While the present invention has been described above in terms of specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to mind of those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains, and which are intended to be and are covered by both this disclosure and the appended claims. It is indeed intended that the scope of the invention should be determined by proper interpretation and construction of the appended claims and their legal equivalents, as understood by those of skill in the art relying upon the disclosure in this specification and the attached drawings.