WO1991010786A1

WO1991010786A1 - Means for preventing the unhygienic water splash caused by excrements falling into the water in a toilet bowl

Info

Publication number: WO1991010786A1
Application number: PCT/FI1991/000008
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kalevi Karmitsa
Original assignee: Kalevi Karmitsa
Priority date: 1990-01-09
Filing date: 1991-01-08
Publication date: 1991-07-25
Also published as: AU7054391A; FI900094A; FI900094A0; FI85169B; FI85169C

Abstract

The invention concerns a means (1) for preventing the unhygienic splash of water caused by excrements falling into the water in a toilet bowl. The means comprises a stop member (2) disposed in the excrement dropping area in the central area of the water space in the bowl under the water surface substantially in the vicinity of the surface and to fill only a substantially small part of the water space, and said means by preventing free submersion of the excrement falling into the water is arranged to prevent or damp the splash of water without preventing storage of the excrements in the water.

Description

MEANS FOR PREVENTING THE UNHYGIENIC WATER SPLASH CAUSED BY EXCREMENTS FALLING INTO THE WATER IN A TOILET BOWL

The invention concerns a means as defined in the preamble to Claim 1.

The splashing problem is generated as follows. When solid excrement matter plunges to complete submer¬ sion in the water in a toilet bowl, the excrement cre¬ ates after itself a wave pattern which shoots a water column straight upward. The water in a toilet basin is always a dilution of the previous users' excrements, urine, spittle, vomit and other excretions, potentially containing various disease germs and substances which are skin and mucosa irritants. Therefore splashing of water onto a person's bare buttocks, and in particular on a woman's bottom end organs, exposed through numer¬ ous apertures, constitutes a remarkable sanitary risk. Three devices are known in the art which aim at splash prevention (NO 35 105, GB 2 047 302 and GB 2 077 791). Splashing is prevented in them by means of various floating devices placed in the water or by means of water jets directed in a horizontal plane in the bowl.

Spreading of the means of prior art in common use is checked by the high price and the water wasting of the jetting device, and by the filthiness of the floating devices, which is due to the fact that excre¬ ments and toilet paper will stick to projecting parts of the device and to the wires holding it in place. Present practice is that splashing is not counteracted at all, or attempts are made to prevent it in a cumbersome way: by placing toilet paper on the water surface - which in its turn causes rather high consumption of toilet paper and may even cause drain stoppage. The splash problem is however generally rec¬ ognized, people suffer under it, but it is mostly hushed up as being an "embarrassing intimate thing" because no good enough way is known to eliminate the problem.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks mentioned above. It is a particular object of the invention to provide a means for splash prevention which is appro¬ priate to be mounted in any toilet bowl, whether in use or being manufactured.

It is furthermore an object of the invention to provide a means which is simple and hygienic and which furthers existing toilet culture, developing it in a more sanitary direction.

The means of the invention is characterized by that which is stated in Claim 1. As taught by the invention, the means compris¬ es a stop member which is disposed in the area where the excrement drops, in the central area of the water space of the bowl and under the water surface substan¬ tially in the vicinity of the surface and to fill a substantially small part of said water space, and said member being arranged, by preventing free submersion of the excrement, to prevent or to damp the splashing of water, without preventing the excrement from being stored in the water. In an embodiment of the means the means is an ancillary device separate in relation to the toilet bowl, and detachable and attachable.

In an embodiment of the means the means con¬ sists of one material integral with that of the toilet bowl.

In an embodiment of the means the stop member has been arranged to be tongue-like; the means compris¬ es a carrying arm carried on the top rim of the toilet bowl; the stop member is disposed fixedly on the lower end of the carrying arm; and the carrying arm is dis¬ posed to run on a substantial part of its length close to the inner surface of the toilet bowl, advantageously to rest thereagainst. A means resting on the top rim of the toilet bowl is easy to detach and remount. When the carrying arm is close to or in contact with the inner surface of the toilet bowl, it will be cleaned together with the bowl when the bowl is flushed.

In an embodiment of the means the carrying arm is adjustable of its length for positioning the stop member on proper height in toilet bowls of different dimensions. This length adjustment can for instance be implemented in that one bends the carrying arm, or in that the carrying arm is fashioned of two parts which are telescopically movable relative to each other and can be secured in a given position.

In an embodiment of the means the means com- prises a fixing member, fixedly disposed on the upper end of the carrying arm, for fixing the means to the rim of the toilet bowl.

In an embodiment of the means the fixing mem¬ ber comprises a first engagement member arranged to rest against the surface of the toilet bowl's front rim and to align the stop member to be substantially cen¬ tered in the toilet bowl; and a second engagement mem¬ ber disposed to rest between the top surface of the toilet bowl's top rim and the seat cover. In an embodiment of the means the means is made by cutting and bending, of one integral, plate- formed or ribbon-formed part.

In an embodiment of the means those surfaces of the means which come into contact with excrements, urine, paper and equivalent filth or wastes are formed to be substantially smooth and dirt-repellent, in order to prevent adherence.

In an embodiment of the means the stop member is a round-configurated, tongue-like ridge projecting with smooth curvature from the inside surface of the toilet bowl and. curving gently down under the water surface so that the free end of the ridge is located roughly at the centre of the water area.

The advantage gained with the invention is that unhygienic and unpleasant splashing of water on the defecating person's bare posterior is prevented. It is a further advantage of the invention that the means is fit for use in any toilet bowl what¬ soever that is in use or being manufactured.

Furthermore, owing to the invention, the means is simple. Furthermore, owing to the invention, there is no need to cram paper into the toilet bowl in order to prevent the splash, and less toilet paper is consumed than before.

In the following the invention is described in detail, referring to the attached drawing, wherein:-

Fig. 1 presents in elevational view a section through a toilet bowl in which an embodiment of the means of the invention has been installed; ri . 1 shows the toilet bowl of Fig. 1, seen from above;

Fig. 3 presents in elevational view and sec¬ tioned, part of a toilet bowl which has been provided with another embodiment of the means of the invention; Fig. 4 shows the section IV-IV of Fig. 3. In Figs 1 and 2, in the splash prevention means 1 the stop member 2 preventing free submersion of the excrement is located in the centre of the toilet bowl, in the normal excrement dropping area and so much under the water surface 9 that the stop member 2 stays wet and dirt-repellent at all times. The stop member 2 is located close enough to the water surface 9 that even after a small dropping the wave pattern of the water cannot close up freely and throw any water up¬ ward. The stop member 2 occupies only a small part of the water space in the bowl in order that the excre¬ ments might be stored in the water, instead of being left on the dry and creating ample odour detriment. The carrying arm 3 descending along the front wall of the bowl keeps the stop member 2 in place. In order that the stop member 2 could be positioned at correct height relative to the water surface 9 in toi- let bowls with different dimensions, the length of the carrying arm 3 can be adjusted. In the embodiment of Fig. 3, the carrying arm 3 can for instance be bent in under the front rim of the bowl.

The stop member 2 and carrying arm 3 are made of moisture-resistant and dirt-repellent materials, e.g. of bendable metal which has been plastic-coated. As to its design, the means 1 is streamlined in the direction towards the drain, in order that neither ex¬ crements nor toilet paper can stick to the means 1. The means 1 is fixed to the front rim of the bowl using a fixing member 4. The fixing member com¬ prises a first engagement member 5, consisting of guides 11 following the outer contour 10 of the bowl and directing the stop raeni cr 1 _^ ._^ .—.;..:(-. i „;.. bowl. Holding in place of the means is ensured by the toilet seat cover 8 which is lowered down upon the fix¬ ing member 4. The second engagement member 6 of the fixing member 4 hereby rests between the top surface 7 of the bowl's top rim and the cover 8. The means 1 is easily detached and lifted out of the bowl when the bowl or the means 1 is to be washed.

The splash prevention means 1 may equally be of the kind which is located completely under the water surface 9, either a tongue, ridge or equivalent forma- tion located in the excrement dropping area and fixed to the wall of the bowl, or one which is made part of the bowl at the manufacturing stage already. In Fig. 3 is presented, as an example, a splash prevention ridge and in Fig. 4, the same ridge in cross-section. The invention is not exclusively delimited to concern the embodiment examples presented in the fore¬ going: numerous modifications are feasible within the scope of the inventive idea defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A means (1) for preventing the unhygienic splash of water caused by excrements falling into the water in a toilet bowl, characterized in that the means comprises a stop member (2) disposed in the excrement dropping area in the central area of the water space in the bowl under the water surface substantially in the vicinity of the surface and to fill only a substantial- ly small part of the water space, and said means by preventing free submersion of the excrement falling into the water being arranged to prevent or damp the splash of water without preventing storage of the ex¬ crements in the water.

2, Means according to claim 1, characterized in that the means (1) is a detachable and reattachable ancillary means separate relative to the toilet bowl.

3. Means according to claim 1, characterized in that the means (1) is of one material integral with the material of the toilet bowl.

4. Means according to claim 1 or 3, charac¬ terized in that the stop member (2) is arranged to be tongue-like; that the means comprises a carrying arm

(3) which is carried on the top rim of the toilet bowl; that the stop member is fixedly disposed on the lower end of the carrying arm; and that the carrying arm is disposed over a substantial part of its length in the vicinity of the inner surface of the toilet bowl, advantageously to rest thereagainst.

5. Means according to claim 4, characterized in that the carrying arm (3) is adjustable as to its length for positioning the stop member (2) on proper height in toilet bowls with different dimensions.

6. Means according to claim 4 or 5, charac- terized in that the means (1) comprises a fixing member

(4) fixedly disposed on the upper end of the carrying arm for fixing the means to the rim of the toilet bowl.

7. Means according to claim 6, characterized in that the fixing member (4) comprises a first engage¬ ment member (5) disposed to rest on the surface of the front rim of the toilet bowl and to align the stop mem- ber (2) to be substantially centrally located in the toilet bowl; and a second engagement member (6) dis¬ posed to rest between the top surface (7) of the top rim of the toilet bowl and the seat cover (8).

8. Means according to any one of claims 4-7, characterized in that the means (1) is made, by cutting and bending, of one coherent plate-like or ribbon-like part.

9. Means according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that those surfaces of the means (1) which come into contact with excrements, urine, paper and equivalent filth and wastes have been formed to be substantially smooth and dirt-repellent, in order to prevent sticking.

10. Means according to claim 1, characterized in that the stop member (2) is a round-configurated, tongue-like ridge smoothly projecting, and curving, from the inner surface of the toilet bowl and curves gently downward under the water surface so that the free end of the ridge is located roughly at the centre of the water area.