US20080005829A1

US20080005829A1 - Toilet

Info

Publication number: US20080005829A1
Application number: US11/428,564
Authority: US
Inventors: Chau-Lung Chen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-07-04
Filing date: 2006-07-04
Publication date: 2008-01-10

Abstract

A toilet having the toilet seat thereof supported on the rim of the toilet bowl in a downwardly forwards extending sloping position for supporting the user in a half-squatting position such that the muscles of the abdomen and the anus and the muscles around the bottom side of the pelvis are relaxed, and the user can easily apply a pressure to force waste matters out of the rectum and the anus to the inside of the toilet bowl.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to toilets and more particularly to such a toilet of which the toilet seat defines with the horizontal line a 5°˜70° angle (preferably 7°˜12°) so that the user is sitting on the toilet seat at a half-squatting manner to facilitate discharging of waste matters from the bowels.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
According to researches, the rectum is empty most of the time. Because there is a functional constrictor of low tension in the junction between the rectum and the sigmoid colon, the muscles of the rectum are induced to make a reactive contraction and the sphincter muscle of the anus is relaxed during the motion of the digestive system to force waste matters out of the bowels into the rectum. Because consciousness controls the contraction of the internal and external sphincter muscles of the anus, waste matters do not leak out of the anus.
The action of discharging waste matters out of the bowels is a reactive action induced by the local intestine plexus. This reactive action is the so-called “Internal Reaction”, i.e., the plexus in the rectum wall is stretched to excite when waste matters enter the rectum, causing the descending colon, the sigmoid colon and the rectum to crawl and to push waste matters to the anus. When the crawling waves reach the anus, the intestine plexus gives a signal to the anus to relax the internal sphincter muscle of the anus, thereby discharging waste matters out of the anus.
Therefore, when conscious of discharging waste matters, the external sphincter muscle of the anus must be relaxed so that the muscles of the abdomen can apply a pressure to the rectum to force waste matters out of the anus. However, regular toilets include two types, i.e., a first type having a toilet seat and a second type without toilet seat. When using a toilet without a toilet seat, the user must sit on the heels or with the legs drawn up closely beneath the body when using a toilet without a toilet seat. Using a toilet without a toilet seat is uncomfortable. People may be unable to keep the body in a squatted position for long. An old person may be unable to stand up from a squatted position.
When using a toilet with a toilet seat, the user can sit on the toilet seat. Therefore, it is more comfortable to use a toilet having a toilet seat. When sitting on the toilet seat 110 of a toilet 100, as shown in FIG. 8, the muscles of the abdomen are in a contracted status, and the user is difficult to apply a pressure to the muscles of the abdomen to squeeze waste matters out of the rectum into the anus. Because the toilet seat 110 is kept in horizontal, the user can sit on the toilet seat 110 comfortably, however, the user would have difficulty applying a pressure to the muscles of the abdomen.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. According to one aspect of the present invention, the toilet comprises a toilet bowl and a toilet seat hinged to the toilet bowl and supported on the rim. The toilet seat is supported on the rim in a downwardly forwards extending sloping position at a sloping angle about 5°˜70° for supporting the user in a half-squatting position such that the muscles of the abdomen and the anus and the muscles around the bottom side of the pelvis are relaxed, and the user can easily apply a pressure to force waste matters out of the rectum and the anus to the inside of the toilet bowl.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the rim of the toilet bowl slopes downwardly forwards at a sloping angle about 5°˜70°, thereby supporting the toilet seat in the downwardly forwards extending sloping position. In another embodiment of the present invention, the rim of the toilet bowl extends horizontally, and the toilet seat has a horizontal bottom wall supported on the rim and a downwardly forwards extending sloping top wall for a person to sit on.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, a toilet support is used with the toilet. The toilet support has a seat disposed above the elevation of the rim of the toilet bowl and sloping downwardly forwards at a sloping angle about 5°˜70°. The seat of the toilet support has a horizontally extending bottom wall and a downwardly forwards extending sloping top wall for a person to sit on.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, the toilet support has a plurality of vertical legs respectively fastened to the horizontally extending bottom wall bottom wall of the seat for positioning on the floor to support the seat above the elevation of the rim of the toilet bowl.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, the toilet support can be made in the form of a drop-arm commode, which has the seat thereof set in a downwardly forwards extending sloping position.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, the downwardly forwards extending sloping position of the toilet seat is preferably at a sloping angle about 7°˜12°.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, the toilet seat has a smoothly curved top surface fitting the shape of the hips of a person.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing showing a status of use of a toilet constructed according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing showing a status of use of another form of the toilet according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing showing a status of use of a toilet support according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing showing a status of use of an alternate form of the toilet support according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing showing a status of use of still another form of the toilet according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing showing a status of use of still another form of the toilet according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing showing a status of use of still another form of the toilet according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic drawing showing a status of use of a conventional toilet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the following described various embodiments of the present invention, the user keeps the body in a half-squatting position when sitting on the toilet seat, and the angle defined between the femur and the tibia is greater than 90-degrees. At this time, the muscles of the abdomen and the anus and the muscles around the bottom side of the pelvis are relaxed, and the user can easily apply a pressure to force waste matters out of the rectum and the anus to the outside of the body.
Referring to FIG. 1, the toilet, referenced by 300, comprises a toilet bowl 310, a tank 330 at the rear side above the toilet bowl 310, a toilet seat 350 hinged to the toilet bowl 310 and rested on the rim 311 of the toilet bowl 310, and a lid cover 370 hinged to the rear side of the toilet seat 350. The tank 330 may be formed integral with a part of the toilet bowl 310. Alternatively, the tank 330 may be separately installed. The tank 330 is adapted to hold water and to discharge water into the toilet bowl 310 to clean the toilet bowl 310 with a sudden rush of water. The rim 311 of the toilet bowl 310 slopes downwardly forwards at an angle about 5°˜70°, preferably at about 7°˜12°. Because the toilet seat 350 is supported on the rim 311, it is held in a sloping position. When sitting on the toilet seat 350, the user's body is kept in a half-squatting position, and the angle defined between the femur and the tibia is greater than 90°.
Further, the front edge a of the rim 311 of the toilet bowl 310 is spaced above the floor 390 at a distance greater than the length of the calf of an adult. To an adult, the length of the calf between the foot and the knee is about 0.285 of the body height. The average length of the calves of human beings is about 45 cm. Therefore, it is preferably to keep the front edge a of the rim 311 of the toilet bowl 310 spaced above the floor 390 at about 45 cm. Thus, when an adult is sitting on the toilet seat 350 of the toilet 300 above the rim 311 of the toilet bowl 310, the body is kept in a half-squatting position. At this time, the muscles of the abdomen and the anus and the muscles around the bottom side of the pelvis are relaxed, and the user can easily apply a pressure to force waste matters out of the rectum and the anus to the inside of the toilet bowl 310.
Further, the toilet seat 350 has a curved top surface 351 that fits the shape of the hips, allowing the user to sit comfortably. The lid cover 370 is hinged to the rear side of the toilet seat 350. When the lid cover 370 is closed on the toilet seat 350, the toilet seat 350 and the lid cover 370 block the top opening (not shown) of the toilet bowl 310, preventing external matters from falling into the toilet bowl 310.
FIG. 2 shows another form of the present invention. According to this embodiment, the toilet seat 710 is supported on the horizontal rim of the toilet bowl of the toilet 700, having a sloping top wall 711 for allowing the user to sit on. The sloping top wall 711 slopes downwardly forwards at an angle about 5°˜70°, preferably at about 7°˜12°. Further, the sloping top wall 711 has a smoothly curved surface that supports the user's hips comfortably. When sitting on the sloping top wall 711 of the toilet seat 710, the body of the user is kept in a half-squatting position. At this time, the muscles of the abdomen and the anus and the muscles around the bottom side of the pelvis of the user are relaxed, therefore the user can easily apply a pressure to force waste matters out of the rectum and the anus to the inside of the toilet bowl of the toilet 700. According to this embodiment, the toilet seat 710 has a horizontal bottom wall fitting the horizontally extending rim of the toilet bowl of the toilet 700. Alternatively, the toilet seat can be made having bottom pegs that support the toilet seat on the rim of the toilet bowl of the toilet in a sloping position.
FIG. 3 shows a toilet support 510 for use with a toilet 500 according to the present invention. The toilet support 510 has a horizontal bottom wall 511 attached to or facing the rim 501 of the toilet 500, and a sloping top wall 513 sloping downwardly forwards for the user to sit on. The sloping top wall 513 defines with the horizontal bottom wall 511 an angle about 5°˜70°, preferably about 7°˜12°. Further, the sloping top wall 513 has a curved surface fitting the shape of the hips of a human being. The toilet support 510 further has a plurality of legs 515 perpendicularly downwardly extended from the horizontal bottom wall 511 for supporting the toilet support 510 on the floor above the rim 501 of the toilet bowl of the toilet 500.
Referring to FIG. 4, the toilet support 510 a has short front legs 515 b and long rear legs 515 a, and a seat 513 a supported on the short front legs 515 b and the long rear legs 515 a in a downwardly forwards sloping position. The sloping angle of the seat 513 a is designed to be at about 5°˜70°, preferably about 7°˜12°. Further, the legs of the toilet support may be made retractable and extendable.
FIGS. 5-7 show different forms of toilet according to the present invention. These toilets 300, 700 and 500 have different shape designs, holding the respective toilet seats 311, 711 and 513 at different sloping angles. When sitting on the toilet seat 311, 711 or 513, the user keeps the body in a half-squatting position. In this half-squatting position, the vertical distance between the front edge a of the toilet seat 311, 711 or 513 and the floor is greater than the length of the calf.
A prototype of toilet has been constructed with the features of FIGS. 1-7. The toilet functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier.
Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A toilet comprising a toilet bowl, said toilet bowl having a rim, and a toilet seat hinged to said toilet bowl and supported on said rim in a downwardly forwards extending sloping position, wherein said toilet seat slopes at an angle from 5° to 70°, inclusive.

2. The toilet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rim of said toilet bowl slopes downwardly forwards at a substantially same angle as said toilet seat, thereby supporting said toilet seat in said downwardly forwards extending sloping position.

3. The toilet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said toilet seat slopes at an angle from 7° to 12°, inclusive.

4. The toilet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said toilet seat has a smoothly curved top surface fitting the shape of the hips of a person.

5. A toilet comprising a toilet bowl, said toilet bowl having a rim extending horizontally, and a toilet seat having a horizontal bottom wall supported on said rim and a downwardly forwards extending sloping top wall for a person to sit on, wherein said top wall slopes at an angle from 5° to 70°, inclusive.

6. The toilet as claimed in claim 5, wherein said top wall slopes at an angle from 7° to 12°, inclusive.

7. The toilet as claimed in claim 5, wherein said toilet seat has a smoothly curved top surface fitting the shape of the hips of a person.

8. A toilet comprising a toilet bowl, said toilet bowl having a rim, and a toilet support, said toilet support having a seat disposed above the elevation of said rim of said toilet bowl, wherein said seat has a top wall sloping downwardly forwards at an angle from 5° to 70°, inclusive.

9. The toilet as claimed in claim 8, wherein the seat of said toilet support has a horizontally extending bottom wall.

10. The toilet as claimed in claim 8, wherein said toilet support has a plurality of vertical legs respectively fastened to a bottom wall of the seat of said toilet support for positioning on the floor.

11. The toilet as claimed in claim 8, wherein said toilet support has short front legs and long rear legs respectively fastened to the bottom wall of the seat of said toilet support for positioning on the floor.

12. The toilet as claimed in claim 8, wherein the top wall of said seat slopes at an angle from 7° to 12°, inclusive.

13. The toilet as claimed in claim 8, wherein said seat of said toilet support has a smoothly curved top surface fitting the shape of the hips of a person.