US3117435A

US3117435A - Diaper flushing device

Info

Publication number: US3117435A
Application number: US282923A
Authority: US
Inventors: Clerc John T Le; Lester F Alexander
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-05-24
Filing date: 1963-05-24
Publication date: 1964-01-14
Anticipated expiration: 1981-01-14

Description

1964 J. T. LE CLERC ETAL 3,117,435

' DIAPER FLUSHING DEVICE Filed May 24, 1963 Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2 9 7 INVENTORS.

Jo/m' 1.- may: 55743? 1-.- 446141092 M MI United States Patent 3,117,435 DIAPER FLUSHENG DEVECE .lohn T. Le Clerc, 8925 Morrow Circle, Detroit, Mich, Lester F. Alexander, 13285 Sycamore, Southgate, icn.

Filed May 24, 1963, Ser. No. 282,923 Claims. (1. 63-181) The present invention relates to a diaper flushing device, and more particularly to a tubular hollow body mountable upon a wall with provision for hanging a soiled diaper upon its interior, together with means for supplying washing water into the body and drainage therefrom.

This invention has been devised to achieve a better and more efiicient means of cleaning soiled diapers other than the almost unbelievable unsanitary methods employed by millions of parents every year. The present need is obvious due to the fact that there were over three million babies born last year. These new parents deserve and should have the present diaper flushing device.

When the infants diaper is dirtied by solids, or otherwise, it is customary to employ a rough washing out duty at the time of occurrence, then to store the diaper in a conventional diaper pail or similar substitute.

It is the object of this invention to provide a flushing device primarily designed for the rough washing out duty of soiled diapers.

It is another object to provide a diaper washing device that is efiicient in use, practical of installation, portable for convenience in travel and easily connectable to a conventional faucet. Another sanitary advantage is that this device is divorced from the toilet bowl since it is mounted on the wall with the aid of suction cups or other support, and in a suitable area desirable to the user.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specification and claims in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the present diaper flushing device as mounted upon a wall fragmentarily shown and indicating the connection of the water supply and drainage tubes.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section of the diaper flushing device shown in FIG. 1 on an increased scale with the tubes removed.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary section taken in the direction of arrows 33 of FLG. 2, on an increased scale.

FIG. 4 is a section taken in the direction of arrows 44 of FIG. 2, on an increased scale.

FIG. 5 is a. section taken in the direction of arrows 55 of FIG. 2, on an increased scale.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational View of the upper cover portion of the body shown in FIG. 2 illustrating the bayonet type of locking means.

FIG. 7 is a section on an increased scale taken in the direction of arrows 7-7 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2 with a slightly different form of Water inlet tube.

FIG. 9 is a section taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 8.

It will be understood that the above drawings illustrate merely a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the claims hereafter set forth.

Referring to the drawings, the diaper flushing device is generally designated at 11, FIG. 1, employing suitable mounting means such as suction cups 12 with respect to wall W, fragmentarily shown. Flexible hose 13 is made of plastic or rubber, and includes a suitable fitting 14 for attachment to faucet 15 of the bathroom fixture or sink 16 also mounted upon wall W, fragmentarily shown. The other end of tube 13 includes fitting 4t 3,l l7,435 Patented Jan. l i, l il l Z suitably secured to threaded fitting 3%, FIG. 2, on upright water supply tube 38 upon the interior of the hollow preferably plastic body 23.

It is essential to use full Water pressure in the operation of the present flushing device. Therefore, it is necessary to use the type of connection which will not leak. The conventional snap-on metal type of connection is most desirable; however, the all rubber slip-on type connection as at 14 will provide sufficient water pressure for delivery to body 23.

The drain or outlet conduit 17 is also constructed of plastic or rubber and at its lower end has a hook shaped outlet 18, preferably a hard or rigid section of plastic tubing, which is pre-shaped to the contour of toilet bowl 2% of toilet 21 so that it hooks into position as shown in FIG. 1. Outlet 18 is so arranged as to project under hinge 19 of toilet seat 22 so as to be completely out of the way and not interfere with normal operation of the seat, and to be inconspicuous.

The outer shell or body 23 is preferably constructed of a plastic material, such as polyethylene or polystyrene or the like, and may be transparent or translucent; and can be produced in various colors to harmonize with room color patterns. Base 2d of said body is funnel shaped, FIG. 2, and terminates in the threaded drain outlet 25 to which is connected a drain tube or conduit 17 above described.

Removable flanged cover 27 may be of plastic material with a suitable handle 28 and may be screwed upon or otherwise locked or sealed over the upper open end of body 23. The cover flange includes a pair of inwardly directed pins 29 which lockingly nest within the opposed bayonet slots B o -31 formed in said body, FIG. 6.

A diaper suspension clamp assembly is provided within the upper portion of the body suspended from cover 27, and includes disc 32 axially journaled by headed pin 34 which is threaded or otherwise secured centrally to cover 27 as at 35 so that said disc extends transversely across the upper end portion of the body. Depending from disc 32 are a series of spaced radially extended vanes 33. The U shaped clip 36 depends from a central portion of disc 32 and mounts the spring biased hand clamp 37 adapted to normally grasp a free end portion of a soiled diaper D schematically shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 upon the interior of body 23.

An upri ht water supply or inlet tube 33 is shown upon the interior of body 23 adjacent one wall thereon. Said tube extends toward the upper open end of said body and includes intermediate its ends a series of inwardly directed water jet outlets 41 and at its upper end terminates in the circular transversely arranged spray head 42 of general spiral form. This spray head upon its undersurface has a series of longitudinally spaced fluid outlets 43, and terminates in the upwardly inclined water pressure jet outlet 44. The latter extends angularly with respect to vanes 33 to provide for impingement of pressure fluid thereagainst for effecting rotary movement of the diaper suspension clamp assembly.

The circular or spiral shaped spray head 42 extends around the interior of body 23 adjacent the wall thereof. The outlet openings 43 are tiny, similar to that of a conventional shower head, so that the water showers down through the larger tube and impinges upon diaper D suspended therein. While disc 32 with vanes 33 has been shown as one means for elfecting rotation of the suspended diaper, it is contemplated that any other similar device could be employed for spinning the diaper such as is used in lawn sprinklers, for illustration.

Since the diaper suspending clamp assembly is permanently attached to cover 27, for insertion or removal of diaper D from the body 23 the cover is removed to provide access to the clamp 37 suspended therefrom.

With the lock-on feature or" the cover 27 with respect to the body, the handle 28 may be employed for convenience in the portability of the present flushing device and to facilitate loading and unloading.

While rubber suction cups 12 have been shown as an easy and practical means of installation, other methods may be employed such as suitable brackets similar to those employed in mounting fire extinguishers upon a wall.

Dynamic Washing Action-Operation Due to the heavy downfall of water from shower head 42, the upper two to three inches of water has a remarkable flushing action on the diaper. Thousands of tiny aerated bubbles are concentrated in this area, FIG. 2. As the Water level rises in body 23, this remarkable action continues upwards to clean the diaper, spot at a time, until it finally reaches the top of the diaper. Meanwhile, in addition to the flushing action caused by the shower head, the diaper is also spinning, deriving its power from waterwheel 33.

This spinning of the diaper helps give a double action effect. As an additional aid to the spinning and flushing action, there are preferably three jet outlets 41 in tube 38, FIG. 2. These holes are directed approximately to the center of the diaper (and angled off to the side for spinning purpose) that is normally the soiled area to be cleaned. These spray holes also tend to clean and saturate this soiled area while the water level is slowly working its way up with the flushing action. When the water level reaches the top of the tube, the diaper tends to twist into a knot effect that help wring out the diaper. The water supply is then turned oil, causing the water in body 23 to empty out quite rapidly leaving the knotted diaper to unwind to its starting position, where it can then be removed or left to drip-dry till the'next soiled diaper arrives.

A- slightly different construction of flushing device is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 corresponding to FIG. 2 and wherein instead of an elongated upright water inlet tube 38 inlet tube 38 is reasonably short. It issuitably sealed through base 24 at 46 and has an arcuate upwardly inclined outlet 44'. Said outlet 4-4 conforms to and is closely'adiacent the inner wall of body-23, so that inward movement of the water causes a rotative swirling action upon the interior of the body and will thus affect rotation of the diaper suspended from clamp assembly 3637, such as shown in FIG. 2.

The primary difference, however, is that in FIG. 8 the flushing device is simplified in that tube'SS does not 3: extend to the upper end as shown in FIG. 2 terminating in the spiral element or head-42 with the inclined outlet 44. Furthermore, the spinner assembly 323334 is omitted.

Having described our invention, reference should now be had to the following claims.

No claim:

1. A diaper flushing device comprising an elongated upright hollow body mounted upon a wall and having a fluid outlet at its lower end adapted for connection to a drain;

a removable cover upon the upper end of the body;

a diaper suspension clamp assembly axially depending from the cover;

an upright water supply tube within the body adjacent its wall, the lower end of the tube extending through the bottom of thebody adapted for connectionto a source of water under pressure, and an arcuate upwardly inclined outlet on the upper end of said water supply tube, said inclined outlet being closely adjacent the wall of the body to provide a rotary swirling action.

2. in the diaper flushing device of claim 1, and a support means on the body for removably securing said body upon a wall.

3. In the diaper flushing device of claim 1, said diaper clamp assembly including a disc-extending transversely of the body and loosely journaled upon" said cover, and a hand clamp axially suspended from the disc.

4. in a diaper flushing device of claim '1, said body having a conical bottom wall which terminates in said first named outlet, and a flexible tube at one end removably connected to said first named outlet and at'its other end having a hook shaped outlet'adapted to fit over'a toilet bowl under the seat without interference with normal usage thereof.

5. in the diaperflushing device of claim 1, the lower end of said tube on the exterior of thebody having a fitting, and a flexible tube at one end joined to said fitting and at its other end having a fitting adapted for snug connection to a water faucet.

ReferencestCited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,697,341 Thomas Dec. 21, 1954 2,972,878 Dickey "Feb. 28, 1961 3,018,488 Snead Jan..3 1952 3,081,613 Konrad Mar. 19, 1963

Claims

1. A DIAPER FLUSHING DEVICE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED UPRIGHT HOLLOW BODY MOUNTED UPON A WALL AND HAVING A FLUID OUTLET AT ITS LOWER END ADAPTED FOR CONNECTION TO A DRAIN; A REMOVABLE COVER UPON THE UPPER END OF THE BODY; A DIAPER SUSPENSION CLAMP ASSEMBLY AXIALLY DEPENDING FROM THE COVER;