US20160206158A1

US20160206158A1 - Toilet seat cover with foldable side flaps

Info

Publication number: US20160206158A1
Application number: US14/597,638
Authority: US
Inventors: Madeline Carol BOILLAT-MACON
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-01-15
Filing date: 2015-01-15
Publication date: 2016-07-21

Abstract

A toilet seat cover is provided. The toilet seat cover is a substantially flat paper material. The flat paper material includes a body having a perimeter with a front, a rear, a first side, and a second side. The body may include an inner rim forming an opening within the perimeter and aligning with an opening of a toilet seat. The flat paper material may further include a front flap, a first side flap, and a second side flap. The front flap extends from a substantial portion of the front of the body and is sized to fold over a front end of a toilet seat. The first side flap extends from a substantial portion of the first side of the body and is sized to fold over a side of a toilet seat. The second side flap extends from a substantial portion of the second side of the body and sized to fold over a side of a toilet seat.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a toilet seat cover and, more particularly, to a toilet seat cover with foldable side flaps.
A toilet-seat cover or toilet sheet is a disposable piece of paper shaped like the toilet seat itself that can be placed on the seat by its user. Its purpose is to protect the toilet's user from germs that may be resting on the seat by creating a protective barrier. Currently, when children use toilets and toilet seat covers, the children's legs may hang over and touch the front of the toilet seat. Further, young children may hold onto the toilet seat for support and therefore touch the sides of the toilet seat. Current toilet seat covers do not cover the front and sides of the toilet seat and therefore do not fully protect the child from germs.
As can be seen, there is a need for an improved toilet seat cover for protecting children from germs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a toilet seat cover comprises: a substantially flat paper material comprising: a body comprising a perimeter having a front, a rear, a first side, and a second side, an inner rim forming an opening within the perimeter and aligning with an opening of a toilet seat; a front flap extending from a substantial portion of the front of the body and sized to fold over a front end of a toilet seat; a first side flap extending from a substantial portion of the first side of the body and sized to fold over a side of a toilet seat; and a second side flap extending from a substantial portion of the second side of the body and sized to fold over a side of a toilet seat.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method of covering a toilet seat with a toilet seat cover comprises: providing a substantially flat paper material comprising: a body comprising a perimeter having a front, a rear, a first side, and a second side, an inner rim forming an opening within the perimeter; a front flap extending from a substantial portion of the front of the body; a first side flap extending from a substantial portion of the first side of the body; and a second side flap extending from a substantial portion of the second side of the body; placing the substantially flat paper material onto a toilet seat so that the opening of the body aligns with an opening of the toilet seat; folding the front flap over a front of the toilet seat; folding the first side flap over a first side of the toilet seat; and folding the second side flap over the second side of the toilet seat.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective top view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the toilet seat cover prior to being placed on an exemplary toilet seat; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the toilet seat cover of FIG. 5 covering the exemplary toilet seat.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.
The present invention includes a sanitized, disposable toilet seat cover and cleaner. The toilet seat cover may be made in a variety of sizes to accommodate different sized toilet seats, Kevlar helmets, kid's toilet seats, hospital portable toilets and the like. The present invention may be made of any biodegradable materials and papers. The present invention may be made in bulk and include a plurality of catchers attached to one another and removable from one another. The present invention includes a barrier to protect the toilet user from germs on a toilet seat and further providing protection on the sides of the seat. As mentioned above, children may place their hands on the seat to balance themselves on the toilet and the legs of the children may rest on the front of the seat. The present invention includes a plurality of flaps extending from the toilet seat cover, thereby covering the sides of the toilet seat and further protecting the children from germs.
The present invention may further include a debris catcher made of a flushable Polyvinyl Alcohol or SATM D6954 rated pouch with a funnel shape to guide excrement to the bottom of the debris catcher and weigh down the cover, ensuring its disposal when flushed. Therefore, the present invention prevents users from touching the seat cover after it has been used. The debris catcher may include a V-cone shape or upside down hat shape with an inverted liner approximately 10 inches deep. The debris catcher extends into the toilet bowl and covers the inner walls of the toilet. Since the inner walls of the toilet are covered, the present invention may keep the toilet clean from residual excrement and debris. A bladder tube may extend from the bottom of the debris catcher, preventing the debris catcher from overflowing.
Referring to FIGS. 1 through 6, the present invention includes a toilet seat cover. The toilet seat cover is a substantially flat paper material 10. The flat paper material 10 includes a body 22 having a perimeter with a front, a rear, a first side, and a second side. The body 22 may include an inner rim 30 forming an opening within the perimeter and aligning with an opening of a toilet seat 12. The flat paper material 10 may further include a front flap 18, a first side flap 14, and a second side flap 16. The front flap 18 extends from a substantial portion of the front of the body 22 and is sized to fold over a front end of a toilet seat 12. The first side flap 14 extends from a substantial portion of the first side of the body 22 and is sized to fold over a side of a toilet seat 12. The second side flap 16 extends from a substantial portion of the second side of the body 22 and sized to fold over a side of a toilet seat 12. In certain embodiments, the present invention may include a rear flap 20 extending from the rear of the body 22.
In certain embodiments, the flaps 14, 16, 18 of the toilet seat cover may only attach to the body 22 to easily fold relative to one another. In such embodiments, a first corner is formed at intersecting edges of the front flap 18 and the first side flap 14 and a second corner is formed at intersecting edges of the front flap 18 and the second side flap 16. The present invention may further include cutout portions at the first and second corners, so that the flaps 14, 16, 18 may easily fold over the entire edge of the toilet seat 12.
The present invention may further include a debris receptacle 24 for receiving excrement 26 of the user. The debris receptacle 24 is attached to the inner rim 30 of the body 22 and extends downwards from the substantially flat paper material 10. The debris receptacle 24 may protect the inside of the toilet from becoming dirty due to diarrhea or vomit. In certain embodiments, the debris receptacle 24 may be removable from the flat paper material 10. In such embodiments, the debris receptacle 24 may attach to the body 22 by a plurality of perforations. The debris receptacle 24 may be conical in shape to guide the excrement 26 down to the substantially flat bottom. In certain embodiments, the present invention may include a bladder tube 28. The bladder tube 28 may include a first end and a second end. The first end is attached to the substantially flat bottom and forms a first opening and the second end is outside of the receptacle and forms a second opening. The bladder tube 28 may drain the excrement 26 into the toilet.
A method of covering a toilet seat 12 with a toilet seat cover may include the following. The substantially flat paper material 10 with the debris catcher 26 mentioned above is provided. The substantially flat paper material 10 is placed over a toilet seat 12 so that the inner rim 30 aligns with the toilet seat opening and the debris catcher is inside of the toilet bowl. The front flap 18 is folded to cover the front of the toilet seat 12. The first side flap 14 is folded to cover the first side of the toilet seat 12. The second side flap 14 is folded to cover the second side of the toilet seat 12. A user, such as a child, may sit on the substantially flat paper material 10 and hold onto the sides of the toilet seat 12 without touching the toilet seat 12. Further, the child's legs may hang over the front of the toilet seat 12 without touching the toilet seat 12. A user who is sick may use the present invention, and diarrhea and vomit is contained within the debris catcher 26.
It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A toilet seat cover comprising:

a substantially flat paper material comprising:

a body comprising a perimeter having a front, a rear, a first side, and a second side, an inner rim forming an opening within the perimeter and aligning with an opening of a toilet seat;

a front flap extending from a substantial portion of the front of the body and sized to fold over a front end of a toilet seat;

a first side flap extending from a substantial portion of the first side of the body and sized to fold over a side of a toilet seat; and

a second side flap extending from a substantial portion of the second side of the body and sized to fold over a side of a toilet seat; and

a debris receptacle attached to the inner rim of the body and extending downwards from the substantially flat paper material and comprising a bladder tube comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is attached to a bottom of the debris receptacle and forms a first opening and the second end is outside of the receptacle and forms a second opening, wherein the debris receptacle is formed of a flushable biodegradable material.

2. The toilet seat cover of claim 1, wherein a first corner is formed at intersecting edges of the front flap and the first side flap and a second corner is formed at intersecting edges of the front flap and the second side flap.

3. The toilet seat cover of claim 2, wherein the body comprises cutout portions at the first corner and the second corner.

4. The toilet seat cover of claim 1, further comprising a rear flap extending from the rear of the body.

5. (canceled)

6. The toilet seat cover of claim 1, wherein the debris receptacle is attached to the inner rim by a plurality of perforations.

7. The toilet seat cover of claim 1, wherein the debris receptacle is conical in shape and comprises a substantially flat bottom.

8. (canceled)

9. A method of covering a toilet seat with a toilet seat cover comprising:

providing the toilet seat cover comprising:

a body comprising a perimeter having a front, a rear, a first side, and a second side, an inner rim forming an opening within the perimeter;

a front flap extending from a substantial portion of the front of the body;

a first side flap extending from a substantial portion of the first side of the body;

a second side flap extending from a substantial portion of the second side of the body; and

a debris receptacle attached to the inner rim of the body and extending downwards from the substantially flat paper material and comprising a bladder tube comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is attached to a bottom of the debris receptacle and forms a first opening and the second end is outside of the receptacle and forms a second opening, wherein the debris receptacle is formed of a flushable biodegradable material;

placing the substantially flat paper material onto a toilet seat so that the opening of the body aligns with an opening of the toilet seat;

folding the front flap over a front of the toilet seat;

folding the first side flap over a first side of the toilet seat; and

folding the second side flap over the second side of the toilet seat.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a first corner is formed at intersecting edges of the front flat and the first side flap and a second corner is formed at intersecting edges of the front flap and the second side flap.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the body comprises cutout portions at the first corner and the second corner.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising a rear flap extending from the rear of the body.

13. (canceled)

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the debris receptacle is attached to the inner rim by a plurality of perforations.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the debris receptacle is conical in shape and comprises a substantially flat bottom.

16. (canceled)

17. The toilet seat cover of claim 1, wherein the flushable biodegradable material is polyvinyl alcohol.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein the flushable biodegradable material is polyvinyl alcohol.