US20180070781A9

US20180070781A9 - Go Anywhere Bidet

Info

Publication number: US20180070781A9
Application number: US14/800,129
Authority: US
Inventors: Steven Edwards Culton, SR.
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-07-16
Filing date: 2015-07-15
Publication date: 2018-03-15
Also published as: US20170127888A1

Abstract

This device is a portable, self-contained, manually operated, personal toilet hygiene device to be used externally as a portable bidet for anal and genital water-spray hygiene completion after toileting. It is a substantial modification of a two liter, plastic, manually filled and hand-pressure-pumped garden weed sprayer. Where weed sprayers are designed to spray toxic liquids AWAY from the user, this device has been modified to direct non-toxic liquids TOWARD the user; specifically, toward the anal and genital area after toileting. This device consists of a two liter, heavy walled, plastic cylindrical reservoir, a removable center-mount hand-pump, a nylon reinforced plastic hose, a hand-held hose handle with a control release lever, a plastic wand extension with 135 degree modified bend at the tip and an adjustable spray nozzle.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a portable hand-held, manually operated/pressurized liquid delivery, personal toilet hygiene device to be personally placed between the legs of the user while sitting on a toilet and used externally as a bidet to accomplish the successful completion of thorough, more complete toilet hygiene in lieu of paper toilet hygiene.
The use of bidet hygiene is broadly recognized more in some cultures than others. Ancient cultures (Romans, Incans, Mayans) deployed significant resources to channel mountain streams into their communities for personal uses of fresh water, irrigate local crops, ornament fountains, facilitate the removal of sewage and enable their bidets. Their use in Europe and the Middle East is common to this day. In Europe, private homes, hostels and hotels are commonly equipped with bidets often as a separate toilet bowl typically next to the primary use toilet. As the western hemisphere was discovered and developed, water ability technology and interest in improved bidet hygiene was slow to develop. The first new world bidet was developed parallel with the patent for a flushing toilet which was issued to Alexander Cummings in 1775, in London, England.
2. Anal-genital pressure washing as opposed to hand-finger-paper wiping as a sanitary issue, has socially defined hygiene, cultures and religions. Absent or poor hand washing after toileting is a known means of spreading diseases which has been legislated by health safety codes and regulations internationally. For the disabled and handicapped, efficient, thorough hand-assist paper post-toileting is often compromised due to orthopedic, arthritic or neurological inability to stretch, grasp and reach. Disease and body tissue injuries/complications of inefficient toilet paper hygiene are common in this group.
3. As a technical issue, a multitude of bidets have been developed, patented, presented and marketed parallel with the available science of the time. As technology has developed to the present day, most bidets have become powered electrically, tapped into the residential or commercial water supply, heated through secondary water heating apparatus all of which eliminate the possibility of their portability requiring the user to stay close to home dependent upon their bidet for thorough toileting hygiene. (U.S. Pat. No. 8,281,423 B2 Michael C. Taylor) Many of the “portable” devices remain affixed to the toilet bowl or wall with limited water volume and poor pressure spray delivery capability. (US 2006/0150311 A1 Sung Shan Chang Chien) Wash water directional selection or control application ability require the user to physically move about and adapt to the direction of the water spray. Portability is limited to the length of the fixed hose connection to the water supply. Their use in a commercial toilet stall is not possible without changing and adapting the in-house plumbing. Hand-held bidets have limited volumes which typically require hand-held directional control while simultaneously hand-compressing the reservoir. (U.S. Pat. No. 8,007,478 B2 Sung-Seng Lu) Once the volume is depleted, wash hygiene capability is exhausted until it can be refilled.
4. Seniors are frequently self-sequestered due to their toilet inabilities and insecurities. Effects of aging, arthritic changes, joint complications, rotator-cuff failures, spinal pain, obesity, range-of-motion debilities all compromise normal physical activities and habits of daily living ultimately requiring consideration and adaptation. Senior assist devices are available; canes, wheelchairs, walkers, grasping devices, etc. all of which improve that individuals' quality of life and mobility. As the adult population becomes older, physical assistance has become a matter of usability, portability and profitability.
5. Although there are stationary bidets plumbing fixtures, the user is obligated to remain in proximity to that device. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,754 Bader) Hotels and travel destinations are often asked regarding their toilet assist abilities. Where handicapped assist rooms may be available, bidet assist devices usually are not. Where disabled persons may successfully mount the commode and effect bowel emptying, they are often not able to provide efficient, thorough hygiene to complete the task. It becomes a deeply personal issue, best avoided by self-limiting outside travel and remaining “close-to-home”. That is, provided there is acceptable toilet hygiene ability at home. Those same physical complications which limit the user in outside-the-home applications exist inside-the-home as well. The “Go Anywhere Bidet” as a portable device, was invented to efficiently and conveniently address both of these problems.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This design presented is an individual, personal use, portable, self-contained, refillable, reusable, manually pressurized, perineal-anal-genital washing device designed to replace “paper/hand” wiping. The water reservoir is hand-pumped to the desired water pressure level application by the user. While sitting on the toilet, the wand/nozzle applicator is placed over the top of the toilet seat and down between the thighs underneath the buttocks in proximity to the perineum-anal-genital area. The generous length and flexibility of the water hose allows the user to place the washing nozzle exactly where hygiene is desired. The “Go Anywhere Bidet” is unique because the nozzle is constructed at 135 degrees in-line with the water release trigger-lever so the user is aware of the nozzle angle and spray direction without actually seeing it, prior to releasing pressurized water. The wand-nozzle tip may be turned clockwise or counter-clockwise to adjust the intensity of the flow from gentle misting to direct flow. Warm-tepid water or any soothing hygienic liquid may be used for thorough, precise hygienic spray-wash application and cleansing. Bending and stretching associated with paper wiping is eliminated Use of the “Go Anywhere Bidet” assures thorough hygiene by providing direct water pressure anal-genital wash after toileting.
2. The “Go Anywhere Bidet” began as a new-in the-box, 13 in. high×5 in. wide, 2 liter liquid volume, hard-plastic, hand-pump-pressurized, lawn and garden weed sprayer. The main component is the central 2 liter vertical reservoir secured at the top by the hand-air-pump interior pressure apparatus which also serves as a screw-in-water/air tight lid. There is a 32 in. nylon-impregnated flexible plastic hose exiting near the top of the reservoir the other end of which terminates at the control-discharge lever grip assembly. Thence, there is a 13 in. extension-wand and adjustable-spray nozzle assembly. As a new in-the-box weed sprayer, the extension-wand and adjustable spray nozzle assembly is provided as a straight, in-line part for direct point-and-spray application of liquids toward the ground, away from the user.
3. This extension-wand adjustable spray-nozzle assembly has been modified from a straight, in-line direct point-and-spray device by re-shaping the nozzle tip-end to a 135 degree bend in-line with the control activator lever. The 135 degree bend re-directs the pressurized liquid flow upward, TOWARD the user, such that the device can now be deployed as a peri-anal-genital cleansing device with the control lever directly in front of the user while sitting on a toilet. Although there are weed sprayers with bent and/or adjustable nozzle tips, their bend/adjustment ability does not/cannot exceed 45 degrees without risk of toxic liquids being sprayed toward the user. Weed sprayers are designed to direct typically toxic liquids or plant poisons toward the ground and away from the user. The “Go Anywhere bidet” is designed such that water may be directed upward, toward the perianal area of the user.
Although there are similar bidet nozzle-tips of various angles, (U.S. Pat. No. 8,281,423 B2 October 2012 Taylor) they are attached to stationary (US 2006/0150311 Sung Shan Chang Chien) non-portable devices and therefore cannot be used to teach the mobile portability as that of the present device.
There is a removable, twenty inch nylon cord, as a lariat, looped around the upper collar of the fluid reservoir which allows the user to suspend the device in a toilet stall on the door latch or coat hook thus avoiding having to place the device on the (public use toilet) floor. The suspension lariat does not affect the portability of the device and is meant to be left in place, intact. The lariat may be removed at the users discretion as different toileting environments change.
As a modification of a garden weed sprayer, this device is meant to be universally transported into any environment, filled with warm water, manually pressurized and deployed directly as a toileting hygiene device entirely exclusive of municipal water pressure, electricity or temperature controls.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

1. Figure one is a representation of any garden weed sprayer revealing a (a.) fluid containing reservoir, (b.) hand pump attached, (c.) hose, (d.) control lever, (e.) straight wand applicator and (f.) adjustable spray tip, (h.) removable suspension cord-loop lariat.
2. Figure two reveals the entire device as seen in figure one with the (g.) 135 degree bend modification to the distant end of the wand applicator.
3. Figure three represents a single view of the (a.) 135 degree modification of the applicator wand and (b.) adjustable spray tip.
4. Figure four is a silhouette representation of positioning and individual use.
5. Figure five is a copy of the commercial silhouette depicting individual use.

Claims

1. This is a utility toileting hygiene devise singularly unique in its volume portability, independence of usability and utility which represents a significant change in use from a garden weed sprayer due to the modification providing 135 degree re-angulation of spray toward the user and therefore it is unique and cannot be used to teach the use of a garden weed sprayer.

2. The removable cord loop lariat adds a unique feature by facilitating suspension of the device providing its use in contaminated public toileting environments which further establishes its unique application and use-ability as a toileting hygiene devise.

3. The portable, two litre volume and manual free-standing pressure delivery ability substantially differentiates this devise from all other utilities and designs in the bidet hygiene field.