US20170138035A1

US20170138035A1 - Urinal for both sexes

Info

Publication number: US20170138035A1
Application number: US14/940,332
Authority: US
Inventors: Chun-Ting Chen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-11-13
Filing date: 2015-11-13
Publication date: 2017-05-18

Abstract

A urinal for both sexes includes a first vessel for receiving urine and a second vessel. The first vessel includes a first end fixed to a fixed object and hanging in air. The first vessel further includes a second end distant to the first end. The second vessel extends from the second end of the first vessel and has an upwardly facing opening. The second vessel intercommunicates with an interior of the first vessel. The second vessel is an extension having an elongated shape for aligning with a female urethral orifice. Since the second vessel is elongated, a male or female user intending to urinate can stand or semi-squat with both of the legs on opposite sides of the second vessel, providing wider application in use.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a urinal and, more particularly, to a urinal for both sexes.
Due to the inherent differences in the physical structure between men and women and due to the failure of public sanitary facilities in meeting the female demands, men and women obtain different easiness in using toilets, particularly in urination in which a man can easily urinate whereas a woman might have to wait her turn in a long queue. The main reason is that the sanitary facility for urination for female users is the same as the sanitary facility for defecation, which is usually a sitting toilet in a closed space. Before and after use of the sitting toilet, a user intending to urinate has to lift the lid, wipe the seat, and covers the lid. In a public place, even if every person takes one or two minutes to do so, a long queue is formed when there are many users. The health of females holding back the urine is adversely affected.
Squatting toilets are provided in some public places for users unwilling to sit on sitting toilets. The squatting toilets are partially embedded under the ground by plastering, leading to troublesome and difficult procedures, such that the squatting toilets cannot be installed in limited places. Furthermore, the squatting toilets are inconvenient to users simply want to urinate and are, thus, a waste in this regard. Furthermore, a male user may occasionally be unable to aim at the squatting toilet such that the urine could splash to the outside of the squatting toilet.
Thus, a need exists for a novel urinal for both sexes to provide use convenience.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A urinal for both sexes includes a first vessel for receiving urine and a second vessel. The first vessel includes a first end adapted to be fixed to a fixed object and hang in air. The first vessel further includes a second end distant to the first end. The second vessel extends from the second end of the first vessel and has an upwardly facing opening. The second vessel intercommunicates with an interior of the first vessel. The second vessel is an extension having an elongated shape adapted to align with a female urethral orifice.
Since the second vessel is elongated, a female user intending to urinate can stand or semi-squat with both of her legs on opposite sides of the second vessel, permitting easy urination of the female user. A male user can also use the urinal with a standing posture and with both of his legs on opposite sides of the second vessel. Thus, the urinal according to the present invention provides a wider application and is suitable for both sexes.
In an example, a transition is formed between an outer periphery of the first vessel and an outer periphery of the second vessel to provide a height difference.
In another example, each of the first vessel and the second vessel has a flat top face. The flat top faces of the first vessel and the second vessel are connected to and flush with each other.
The second vessel can have a length not smaller than 22 cm and a width not larger than 18 cm.
The present invention will become clearer in light of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments of this invention described in connection with the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a urinal for both sexes of a first example according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the urinal of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view illustrating use of the urinal of FIG. 1 by a female user.

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view illustrating use of the urinal of FIG. 1 by a male user.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a urinal for both sexes of a second example according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view illustrating use of the urinal of FIG. 5 by a female user.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating use of the urinal of FIG. 5 by a male user.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a urinal for both sexes according to the present invention includes a first vessel 1 and a second vessel 2. The first vessel I can receive urine. The first vessel 1 includes a first end 11 adapted to be fixed to a fixed object (such as a wall) and hang in air. The first vessel 1 further includes a second end 12 distant to the first end 11. The second vessel 2 extends from the second end 12 of the first vessel 1 and has an upwardly facing opening. The second vessel 2 is an extension having an elongated shape adapted to align with a female urethral orifice. The second vessel 2 intercommunicates with an interior of the first vessel 1.
In the first example shown in FIGS. 1-4, a transition is formed between an outer periphery of the first vessel 1 and an outer periphery of the second vessel 2 to provide a height difference. A female user intending to urinate can act like a male without using a sitting toilet. Specifically, the female user can simply stand or semi-squat with both of her legs on opposite sides of the second vessel 2, avoiding troublesome operations before and after urination (FIG. 3). As shown in FIG. 4, a male user can also use the urinal with a standing posture and with both of his legs on opposite sides of the second vessel 2. To permit the male or female user to easily stand with both of the legs on opposite sides of the second vessel 2, the second vessel 2 has a length not smaller than 22 cm and a width not larger than 18 cm.
In a second example shown in FIGS. 5-7, each of the first vessel 1 and the second vessel 2 has a flat top face. The flat top faces of the first vessel I and the second vessel 2 are connected to and flush with each other. This example also permits a female user to urinate with a standing posture or a semi-squatting posture and permits a male user to urinate with a standing posture aiming at an opening of the first vessel 1.
Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications and variations are still possible without departing from the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is limited by the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A urinal for both sexes, comprising a first vessel for receiving urine and a second vessel, with the first vessel including a first end adapted to be fixed to a fixed object and hang in air, with the first vessel further including a second end distant to the first end, with the second vessel extending from the second end of the first vessel and having an upwardly facing opening, with the second vessel intercommunicating with an interior of the first vessel, and with the second vessel being an extension having an elongated shape adapted to align with a female urethral orifice.

2. The urinal for both sexes as claimed in claim 1, wherein a transition is formed between an outer periphery of the first vessel and an outer periphery of the second vessel to provide a height difference.

3. The urinal for both sexes as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the first vessel and the second vessel has a flat top face, and wherein the flat top faces of the first vessel and the second vessel are connected to and flush with each other.

4. The urinal for both sexes as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second vessel has a length not smaller than 22 cm and a width not larger than 18 cm.