US20220240735A1

US20220240735A1 - System and method for a body positioning system on the toilet

Info

Publication number: US20220240735A1
Application number: US17/592,417
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph Richard Hardwick, JR.
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2021-02-03
Filing date: 2022-02-03
Publication date: 2022-08-04

Abstract

A system and method for a body positioning system for use with a toilet, whereby the body positioning system has an adjustable stool designed to align the user's colon in the squatting position and an improved toilet seat. The body positioning system results in the user being placed in a squatting position that may create an angle in the rectal canal that leads to less strain and less effort to empty the bowels, as compared to sitting. The body positioning system helps individuals reduce straining and decreasing pressure in the veins.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent No. 63/145,107, filed on Feb. 3, 2021.

FIELD OF DISCLOSURE

The overall field of this invention is a system and method for a body positioning system for use with a toilet and more particularly a body positioning system having a lifting mechanism and modified toilet seat to provide proper alignment of a user's colon when sitting on the toilet

BACKGROUND

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) reports that constipation is common among all ages and populations in the United States, with about 16 out of 100 adults having symptoms of constipation. Additionally, 33 out of 100 older adults (age 60 and older) have symptoms of constipation. The NIDDK reports that certain groups of people are more likely to become constipated, including women (especially those who are pregnant or after giving birth), older adults, non-Caucasians, people with too little fiber in their diets, individuals taking certain medications or dietary supplements, and people with certain health problems (including functional gastrointestinal disorders).
The meaning of being “regular” depends on the individual since everybody functions differently. The American Academy of Family Physicians defines regularity as having a bowel movement anywhere from three times per day to three times per week. In general, constipation is when you have less than three bowel movements per week, strain too much in the bathroom, have hard stool, feel as if one has not had complete bowel movements, or feel like one's rectum is blocked.
Constipation may be caused by changes to the diet or physical activity, medication, or not drinking enough water. In more serious cases, constipation can be a symptom of a health condition or the result of bowel blockage. During the past few years, a toilet accessory has gained a great deal of attention, which is THE SQUATTY POTTY™. THE SQUATTY POTTY™ is designed to assist an individual in having a better bowel movement when using the toilet. A downside of THE SQUATTY POTTY™ is that it forces individuals to squat over the toilet instead of sitting on the toilet.
According to a Japanese study, sitting with the feet flat on the floor creates an angle that makes it harder for the bowels to empty. Researchers found that squatting created an angle in the rectal canal that led to less strain. Medical professionals have noted that when the angle is increased, the rectum opens and facilitates having a bowel movement.
THE SQUATTY POTTY™ has its benefits, however, a problem with its design is that it is difficult for users to initially place their feet upon the platform. Thus, there is a need for a new and improved toilet platform lifting mechanism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described by way of exemplary embodiments, but not limitations, illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like references denote similar elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 depicts an illustration of the body positioning system on the toilet.

FIG. 2 depicts another illustration of the body positioning system on the toilet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the Summary above and in this Detailed Description, and the claims below, and in the accompanying drawings, reference is made to particular features of the invention. Where reference is made herein to a method comprising two or more defined steps, the defined steps can be carried out in any order or simultaneously (except where the context excludes that possibility), and the method can include one or more other steps which are carried out before any of the defined steps, between two of the defined steps, or after all the defined steps (except where the context excludes that possibility).
“Exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any aspect described in this document as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects
Throughout the drawings, like reference characters are used to designate like elements. As used herein, the term “coupled” or “coupling” may indicate a connection. The connection may be a direct or an indirect connection between one or more items. Further, the term “set” as used herein may denote one or more of any item, so a “set of items,” may indicate the presence of only one item, or may indicate more items. Thus, the term “set” may be equivalent to “one or more” as used herein.
In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the one or more embodiments described herein. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicating the description.
The present disclosure recognizes the unsolved need for a system and method for a body positioning system for use with a toilet, whereby the body positioning system has an adjustable stool designed to align the user's colon in the squatting position and an improved toilet seat. The body positioning system results in the user being placed in a squatting position that may create an angle in the rectal canal that leads to less strain and less effort to empty the bowels, as compared to sitting. The body positioning system helps individuals reduce straining and decreasing pressure in the veins.
The adjustable stool provides the user comfort and support by spreading the weight of the user along the back of the leg and the entirety of their posterior using a lift mechanism. The lift mechanism raises the feet of the user until the user has achieved a squatting position through which the bowels may be evacuated without a kink in the colon. This may result in the stool being fully and quickly released. The adjustable stool includes a platform upon which the user's feet would rest. The feet would be raised by a hydraulic gear box or battery-powered motor. This adjustable stool may be accompanied by an optional seat that may be included and designed to protect the seat as well as the user's tailbone.
FIG. 1 depicts a non-limiting embodiment of body positioning system 100. Body positioning system 100 in one or more embodiments of the present description, may include, without limitation, several components, such as an adjustable stool 200 and toilet seat 300.
Adjustable stool 200 may have a case body 210 with an interior space designed to hold the components and mechanisms of adjustable stool 200. Case body 210 may be U-shaped with a rectangular component and two prongs extending from the rectangular component such that case body 210 may fit around a conventional toilet. However this is non-limiting and case body 210 may be any shape to accommodate for different shaped toilet seats. Case body 210 may have a bottom element 211, whereby when placed on an underlying support surface, bottom element 211 comes into contact with the supporting surface. Case body 210 as a whole, is generally symmetric about a vertical axis passing through the middle of case body 210 perpendicular to bottom element 211 and a supporting surface. A sidewall portion 212 extends upward from an upper margin of bottom surface portion 211. Sidewall portion 212 then extends upward into a rectangular opening whereby one sidewall extends past the opposite sidewall such that the rectangular opening is positioned at angle. Case body 210 may have one or more braces or fasteners to secure case body 210 to toilet and/or floor.
In one or more non-limiting embodiments, lifting mechanism may be driven by a hydraulic transmission comprised of one or more linear actuators or hydraulic cylinders connected by a small channel through which hydraulic fluid is released when activated by a starting lever 270, pedal, or button. The extension of the linear actuator may then cause translational movement in a scissors component 240 moving between a contracted position and an expanded position whereby an attached platform 230 is moved at different elevations with respect to base element 211. In another embodiment, lifting mechanism may be driven by a pneumatic pump or mechanism using compressed air instead of hydraulic fluid. In other embodiments, the lifting mechanism may instead have rack and pinion mechanisms, screw drives, four-bar mechanisms, motorized jack, manual powered systems, or other mechanical systems known by those of ordinary skill in the art.
Platform 230 may be generally rectangular in shape to accommodate the feet of the user whereby platform 230 may be designed to be slightly smaller than the rectangular opening of case body 210 and comes out at an angle with relation to the floor such that the user may place their feet on platform 230 at an angle. This provides a streamlined design when scissors component 240 is expanded and compressed. A top surface of platform 230 may include texturing that increases friction on the platform 230 in order to help a user maintain increased stability while using adjustable stool 200. Though platform 230 is rectangular in shape, this is non-limiting and platform 230 may have a variety of alternative shapes, sizes, and densities depending on the need.
Scissors component 240 may be constituted by two legs arranged in a pantograph or crisscross by means of a rotatable scissor joint allowing the upper ends and the lower ends of the legs to move towards or away from each other to collapse and expand scissor component. To ensure that platform 230 is maintained parallel with bottom element 211, one end of the legs may be connected to bottom element 211 and platform 230 respectively through fixed rotatable joints. The second end of the legs may be connected to displaceable joints whereby bottom element 211 and platform 230 may have tracks to guide rollers at the bottom of the scissor legs. The displaceable joints allows the ends of the legs to be travel controlled back and forth while being guided by the track means. These rollers provide a strong base ensuring steady ascent and descent. In other embodiments, scissor component may be multiplied such as doubled, tripled or more by arranging one, two or more pairs of X-arranged legs between platform 230 and the two legs.
Linear actuator 250 at one end may be connected or mounted on one scissor leg or the bottom element 211 through a rotatable joint and the other end of linear actuator 250 may be attached to the other scissor arm on opposite sides of the scissor pivot point. Linear actuator 250 may be a hollow cylinder having a spring loaded piston inserted into the interior of the hollow cylinder. Linear actuator 250 may have a lower chamber with an opening allowing hydraulic fluid to enter into the cylinder to push the piston upward. Piston may fit slidably and displaceably within the cylinder whereby the piston may be coaxial with the cylinder and have relative motion within the cylinder. Piston may have one or more piston rings configured to create a seal between the outer circumference of the piston and the inner circumference of the cylinder to ensure that forces are prevented from escaping around the piston. Piston may be made of a cast aluminum alloy or other material exhibiting well-produced, lightweight thermal conductivity. However, this is non-limiting and the piston may be made of any suitable metal or composite. Piston may have a connecting rod that passes through an aperture at the head of the cylinder whereby connecting rod may have one or more rod connectors linked to scissor component 240 to extend and contract scissors component 240.
A reservoir actuator 260 may be in fluid communication with linear actuator 250 whereby hydraulic fluid from a reservoir in reservoir actuator 260 may be moved into the lower compartment of linear actuator 250. In other embodiments there may be a single actuator having two or more pistons. In further embodiments, reservoir piston may be in a hydraulic supply line that leads into the lower compartment of linear actuator 250. Reservoir actuator 260 may be a hollow cylinder having a spring-loaded reservoir piston inserted into the interior of the hollow cylinder with an opening leading to linear actuator 250. Reservoir piston may fit slidably and displaceably within the cylinder whereby the reservoir piston may be coaxial with cylinder and have relative motion within cylinder. Reservoir piston may have one or more piston rings configured to create a seal between the outer circumference of the reservoir piston and the inner circumference of the cylinder to ensure that forces are prevented from escaping around the piston.
Lever 270 may be positioned on the left or right sidewalls of case body 210. Lever 270 may be connected to the reservoir piston by a sliding crank mechanism that is positioned through an aperture in the sidewalls of case body 210. Lever 270 may be elongated in shape and dimensioned to be grasped by a user's hand when on the toilet. This allows the user to ergonomically hold lever 270 from a single position to prevent the user's hand from being displaced vertically past the length of lever 270.
Actuation of lever 270 by rotational motion causes a rotation in a crank connected to lever 270. The crank is connected to a connecting rod at a first end of the connecting rod whereby the connecting rod is connected to the reservoir piston inside of a cylinder at the second end of the connecting rod. This causes the reservoir piston inside of a cylinder to move whereby the hydraulic fluid under pressure stored in the reservoir enters the port opening into linear actuator 250 in the lower compartment behind the piston. This pressure results in a force on the bottom of the piston opposite to the force caused by the spring. When the hydraulic force is greater than the spring force, the piston begins to move upward, the spring compresses, moving the connecting rod out of the cylinder and expanding the length linear actuator 250 causing ascent of scissors component 240 and the platform 230.
When lever 270 is released, the spring-loaded reservoir piston in the reservoir cylinder slides back causing the hydraulic fluid to flow into the reservoir adjacent to linear actuator 250. When the pressure on the fluid is released, the hydraulic force becomes less than the spring force, the piston moves downward, moving the connecting rod downwards into the cylinder and decreasing the length of the linear actuator 250 causing a descent of scissors component 240 and platform 230. In some non-limiting embodiments, a hydraulic supply line may be connected to the lower chamber of the cylinder and allows hydraulic fluid to flow to and from the reservoir actuator 260 into the lower chamber of the linear actuator 250. Lift mechanism may have one or more control systems or valves that control the flow of hydraulic fluid when going to and from linear actuator 250 and reservoir actuator 260. This ensures the scissor lift does not descend too fast or rise too fast.
In other embodiments, lever 270 may be replaced by an actuator pedal acting as a push button assembly whereby a user may use any part of their body to activate the push button assembly. When pressed, the push button assembly may press upon a piston that applies pressure to hydraulic fluid in an attached fluid line. This fluid then travels into linear actuator 250 to press upon the piston in linear actuator 250 whereby piston begins to move upward, the spring compresses, moving the connecting rod out of the cylinder and expanding the length of linear actuator 250 causing ascent of the scissors component 240 and platform 230.
In other non-limiting embodiments, scissors component 240 may be attached to a frame plate and control bar which are responsive to the pivoting motion of lever 270. The control bar is connected at its rear end to a first pivot on lever 270 and at its forward end to two second pivots on scissors component 240. Movement of lever 270 causes lever 270 to pivot clockwise about the first pivot to move the control bar forwardly to extend scissors component 240. In some non-limiting embodiments, there may be a latch mechanism operable in relation to the control bar whereby the latch mechanism is used to selectively alter the extension of the control bar thereby adjusting the height of the system to accommodate for the varying distances.
In further embodiments, scissors component 240 may be controlled by a control system that operates to control the actuation of the other systems. Control system may have a series of computing devices. Control system may be in the form of a circuit board, a memory or other non-transient storage medium in which computer-readable coded instructions are stored and one or more processors configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory. Control system may have a wireless transmitter, a wireless receiver, and a related computer process executing on the processors whereby the adjustable stool 200 may be controlled by an external communication device such as a phone or tablet.
Computing devices of control system, may be any type of computing device that typically operates under the control of one or more operating systems, which control scheduling of tasks and access to system resources. Computing devices may be a phone, tablet, television, desktop computer, laptop computer, gaming system, wearable device electronic glasses, networked router, networked switch, networked, bridge, or any computing device capable of executing instructions with sufficient processor power and memory capacity to perform operations of control system. Control system may also include an internet connection, network connection, and/or other wired or wireless means of communication (e.g., LAN, etc.) to interact with other components. The connection allows a user to update, control, send/retrieve information, monitor or otherwise interact passively or actively with the control system.
Control system may include control circuitry and one or more microprocessors or controllers acting as a servo control mechanism capable of generating an output signal to the components. Control system may include circuitry to provide an actuable interface or touch screen for the user to interact with, including switches and indicators and accompanying circuitry for an electronic control panel or mechanical control panel. Such an actuable interface may present options to the user to select from that would allow the user to control actions related to raise and lower adjustable stool 200. Control system may be preprogrammed with any reference values, by any combination of hardwiring, software, firmware to implement various operational modes. The microprocessors in the control system may also monitor the current state of circuitry within the control system to determine the specific mode of operation chosen by the user. For instance, when “on”, the microprocessors may begin autonomously lifting and lowering when the user positions their feet on platform 230.
Accompanying remotely or connected adjustable stool 200 may be a toilet seat 300. Adjustable stool 200 may be connected to toilet seat 300 by one or more braces 320 including one in the back and one in the front so secure the system from moving. Toilet seat 300 may replace the existing toilet seat whereby toilet seat 300 may be connected to the bowl to overlie the upper face of the bowl. In other embodiments, toilet seat 300 may be retrofitted to existing toilet seats. Toilet seat 300 may be provided with a high curved front region 310, a diagonally decreasing curved intermediate or side region extending into a back supporting region connected to the bowl of the toilet. The high front section encourages the user to lean backward in the seat with the legs in a position resembling a squatting position. The inclination of the top surface of toilet seat 300 decreases when looking at cross-sections through the seat, progressing from the front section towards the back section of toilet seat 300. The tailbone of the toilet seat 300 may also have added protection for the user. Adjustable stool 200 and toilet seat 300 allow the user to be placed in a squatting position that may create an angle in the rectal canal of a user that leads to less strain and less effort to empty the bowels, as compared to sitting.
The foregoing description of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best use the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications suited to the use contemplated.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A body positioning system for a toilet comprising:

an adjustable stool that expands at a diagonal angle, wherein the body positioning system is configured to allow a user to be placed on a toilet in a squatting position that creates an angle in a rectal canal of the user.

2. The body positioning system of claim 1, wherein a toilet seat of the toilet has a higher front portion.

3. The body positioning system of claim 1, wherein the adjustable stool has a case body with an interior space designed to hold components of adjustable stool.

4. The body positioning system of claim 1, wherein the adjustable stool is U-shaped with a rectangular component and two prongs extend from the rectangular component, wherein the adjustable stool fits around a front edge of the toilet.

5. The body positioning system of claim 3, wherein the case body has an opening positioned at an angle.

6. The body positioning system of claim 5, wherein the case body includes a linear actuator and a scissors component configured to move from a contracted position to an expanded position.

7. The body positioning system of claim 6, wherein the case body includes a platform attached to the scissors component configured to move from a contracted position inside the case body to an expanded position outside the opening.

8. The body positioning system of claim 6, wherein the platform is rectangular in shape and smaller than the opening.

9. The body positioning system of claim 8, wherein the platform has a top surface with texturing that increases friction on the platform.

10. The body positioning system of claim 7, wherein the adjustable stool has a lever designed to raise and lower the platform.

11. The body positioning system of claim 7, wherein the lever is positioned on the a side of the case body.

12. The body positioning system of claim 7, wherein the lever is connected to a latch mechanism for securing the platform at different elevations.

13. The body positioning system of claim 7, wherein the adjustable stool has a foot pedal designed to raise and lower the platform.

14. A body positioning system for a toilet comprising:

an adjustable stool having a lever designed to raise and lower a platform, wherein the body positioning system is configured to allow a user to be placed on a toilet in a squatting position that creates an angle in a rectal canal of the user.

15. The body positioning system of claim 14, further comprising a toilet seat with a higher front portion.

16. The body positioning system of claim 15, wherein the toilet seat has a diagonally decreasing curved intermediate region extending into a back supporting region connected to the bowl of the toilet portion.

17. The body positioning system of claim 15, wherein the adjustable stool is connected to the toil seat by one or more braces.

18. The body positioning system of claim 17, wherein the adjustable stool has a case body with an interior space designed to hold components of adjustable stool, wherein the case body has an opening positioned at an angle.

19. The body positioning system of claim 18, wherein the case body includes a linear actuator and a scissors component, wherein the platform is attached to the scissors component and configured to move from a contracted position inside the case body to an expanded position outside the opening.

20. The body positioning system of claim 19, wherein the lever is connected to a latch mechanism for securing the platform at different elevations.