US3914988A

US3914988A - Implement for rinsing and squeezing diapers

Info

Publication number: US3914988A
Application number: US515907A
Authority: US
Inventors: Donald R Avoy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1974-10-18
Filing date: 1974-10-18
Publication date: 1975-10-28
Anticipated expiration: 1992-10-28

Abstract

To remove soil from diapers without the hands coming in contact therewith, the distal end of a handle has a pair of grippers actuated by a manual control at the proximal end. The diaper is thus gripped and the soil may be removed by dousing in a toilet bowl (e.g.). A pair of hinged, perforated plates are used to squeeze the diaper. One plate has a hook so that it may be suspended from the bowl rim. The other plate has a socket to receive the lower end of the handle. The plates, and the diaper therebetween, are squeezed together by manipulation of the handle.

Description

1 Oct. 28, 1975 IMPLEMENT FOR RlNSlNG AND SQUEEZING DIAPERS [76] Inventor: Donald R. Avoy, 8 Hollywood Ave.,

Los Gatos, Calif. 95030 22 Filed: Oct. 18,1974

21 Appl. No.: 515,907

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1957 Schif 68/213 X 2/1958 Lamping..... 5/1962 Hellwig 68/235 D X 3,610,003 10/1971 Perrin et a1. 68/235 D X Primary Examiner-Harvey C. Hornsby Assistant ExaminerPhilip R. Coe

[ 5 7 ABSTRACT To remove soil from diapers without the hands coming in contact therewith, the distal end of a handle has a pair of grippers actuated by a manual control at the proximal end. The diaper is thus gripped and the soil may be removed by dousing in a toilet bowl (e.g.). A pair of hinged, perforated plates are used to squeeze the diaper. One plate has a hook so that it may be suspended from the bowl rim. The other plate has a socket to receive the lower end of the handle. The plates, and the diaper therebetween, are squeezed together by manipulation of the handle.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Oct. 28, 1975 IMPLEMENT FOR RINSING AND SQUEEZING DIAPERS.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a new and improved implement for rinsing and squeezing soiled diapers. Heretofore, these operations have been performed by hand, a task which is unpleasant and unsanitary. Various disposable diapers and diaper liners have been provided but the cost thereof is excessive and disposal is many times inconvenient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a handle of convenient length having a pair of grippers at its lower end, at least one of the grippers being pivotable under the control of a finger grip adjacent the upper end of the handle. The pads of the grips are brought together to hold a portion of the soiled diaper and thereby the diaper soil may be removed by dousing the same in the water in a toilet bowl, etc. The lower of the two plates may be used to scrub off any residual material in the manner of a washboard. In order to squeeze the diaper partially dry, a pair of hinged plates is provided and suspended in the toilet bowl or other container by means of a hook attached to one of the plates. The other plate has a socket to receive the lower end of the handle. By using the handle as a lever to bring the hinged plates together, the diaper placed therebetween is squeezed. After the diaper is squeezed dry, the handle may be used to grip the diaper and place it in a container.

It is, therefore, a principal purpose of the invention to provide means whereby a diaper may be cleaned and squeezed dry with only a minimum of handling, thereby eliminating the unpleasantness and unsanitary handling of the diaper.

Another feature of the invention is the fact that it is conveniently installed in a conventional toilet and need not be removed, but may be maintained in a closed position in the toilet. In this position it does not interfere with or prevent the normal use of the toilet.

Another feature of the invention is the fact that the diaper squeezing device is suspended above the water line of the toilet bowl and hence is not contaminated by the soil.

Other features of the invention are its simplicity of use, low cost, ease of storage and the absence of parts which are likely to break.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAW'ING Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference represent corresponding parts in each of the several views.

In the drawings:

FIG. I is a side elevation of the gripper/lever portion of the device partly broken away to conserve space and partly broken away to reveal internal construction showing the handle gripping a diaper.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of a portion of the structure of FIG. ll showing the movable grip in a retracted position in dot-and-dash lines and in gripping position in solid lines.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the diaper squeezer.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the squeezer suspended in a toilet bowl.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The implement which is the subject of this invention has two parts, a diaper holder 10 and a diaper squeezer 30. Diaper holder 10 has a handle 11 of convenient length formed with an angular offset 12 at its upper end provided with a hand grip 13 preferably formed with corrugations 14 to facilitate holding and manipulating the handle. Adjacent, but spaced upwardly from the lower end of handle 11, are a fixed gripper 16 having a pad 17 and a pivoted gripper I8 likewise having a pad 19. The

pads

17, 19 may be pinched together with a comer or edge of the diaper therebetween. One means for actuating the

grippers

16, 18 is illustrated. Gripper I8 is pivoted to handle 11 by pin 21. Inside the lower end of handle 11 is a longitudinally slidable plug 22 having a pin 23 extending out through slot 24 in the handle 11 and fitting through an elongated slot 20 in gripper 18. An elongated rod 26 extends up the hollow handle from plug 22 to a position adjacent offset 12 where there is a second sliding plug 25 having a finger grip 27 projecting through slot 28 to the exterior. By gripping finger grip 27 with one finger and pulling toward hand grip 13 the rod 26 is pulled upward causing the pivoted gripper 18 to swing toward the fixed gripper 16. Spring 29 or other suitable means returns the grippers to a spread position when the finger grip 27 is released.

The diaper squeezer 30 preferably consists of a first rectangular plate 31 having hooks 32 at its upper edge to suspend the squeezer in a container such as the toilet bowl 46. It can alternatively be affixed semipermanently to the inner surface of the bowl by waterresistant glue. The hooks 32 fit over the rim 47, but do not interfere with the normal down position of seat 48 when the device is not in use. The lower edge of plate 31 carries one of the leaves of hinge 34. Second plate 36 is also attached to hinge 34. Plate 36 is preferably formed with a plurality of perforations 37 for drainage. It also has on its unopposed surface a socket 38 shaped to receive the lower end 41 of handle 11. Guide ridges 39 extend along the back of plate 36 in alignment with socket 38. Thus, when handle end 41 is inserted in socket 38, the lower end of handle l l is received between the ridges 39 and held in alignment. It also has raised protuberances 33 on its opposed surface which permits it to be used as a scrubbing surface.

Thus when a diaper is placed between the spread plates and the handle is installed in socket 38 and swung toward plate 311, the wet diaper is squeezed between the plates, and the liquid therein drains into the bowl 46. When the diaper is sufficiently dry, the handle of the gripper It is removed from squeezer 30 and used to remove the diaper from between the plates and place it in a suitable container.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the grippers l6 and I8 are spread by the spring 29. It is intended, however, that the reverse arrangement may be used if desired. That is, the parts of the mechanism including the spring 29 may be arranged to close the grippers l6 and I8, requiring finger pressure to open them as necessary.

Other modifications and arrangements will undoubtedly occur to those skilled in the art which are within the spirit and scope of the present invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. An implement for gripping and squeezing diapers comprising a handle, a pair of grippers at the distal end of said handle, at least one said gripper being pivoted to said handle for movement toward and away from the other said gripper, actuating means to pivot said grippers between spread apart position and gripping position, said grippers shaped to secure a portion of a diaper when brought together, and a squeezer, said squeezer having first and second plates, hinge means hinging said plates together, suspension means for suspending said first plate from the lip of a liquid receiving vessel, and a socket on said second plate, said handle being positioned in said socket such that said handle may be used as a lever to pivot said plates toward each other and squeeze a diaper placed between said plates and may be removed from said socket to place or remove a diaper from said squeezer by using said grippers.

2. An implement according to claim 1 in which said grippers are offset relative to the lower end of said handle so that said handle may be inserted in said socket without interference from said grippers.

3. An implement according to claim 2 in which said grippers are curved and have opposed pads which are parallel when said pads are brought together.

4. An implement according to claim 1 in which said actuating means comprises a finger grip adjacent the proximal end of said handle and articulation means connecting said finger grip to at least one said gripper to pivot said last-mentioned gripper toward the other said gripper.

5. An implementaccording to claim 1 in which one of said plates is formed with perforations and the other said plate is formed with protrusions which protrude toward said perforations when said plates are pivoted toward each other.

6. An implement according to claim 1 which further comprises guide ridges formed in said second plate aligned with said socket to hold said handle in said socket.

Claims

5. An implement according to claim 1 in which one of said plates is formed with perforations and the other said plate is formed with protrusions which protrude toward said perforations when said plates are pivoted toward each other.