20060218716 | Hot tub assembly | October, 2006 | Prescott et al. |
20160037763 | INSECT-DISCOURAGING DRAIN DEVICE | February, 2016 | Sapara Jr. |
20080168596 | DRAIN STOPPER WITH DEODORIZER | July, 2008 | Findlay et al. |
20150101122 | TOUCH FREE AUTOMATIC TYPE WATER SUPPLY DEVICE AND SPARE PART SYSTEM THEREOF | April, 2015 | Chung |
20140310860 | Closet Carrier System | October, 2014 | Wroblewski et al. |
20090211021 | Housing to Facilitate the Alignment and Replacement of a Faucet Body of a Water Faucet | August, 2009 | Gabriele |
20070151016 | Traction system of mobile walls for swimming pools | July, 2007 | Colletto |
20060123531 | Compact toilet cleaning kit | June, 2006 | Karlicek |
20140250587 | TOILET AND SHOWER CHAIR FOR THE DISABLED | September, 2014 | Alsaffar |
20070130684 | Trailered mobile showering facility | June, 2007 | Watts |
20110197354 | Substructure element for placement beneath a shower base element | August, 2011 | Wedi |
[0001] The present invention relates to a cover for a commode to prevent the soiling thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cover disposed about the rim and within the bowl of a commode to prevent the soiling of the bowl.
[0002] Public health concerns have resulted in many public toilet facilities in restaurants, shopping centers, businesses, and other similar places to provide tissue toilet seat covers. These tissue seat covers generally consist of a sheet of paper with a partially cut-out center section. When placed in use, the center section must be torn away or partially separated from the rest of the cover and the cover is then placed on the toilet seat. Conventional paper covers are inadequate in a number of respects in that they are often flimsy and will easily tear, interfering with their intended use. Also, since these prior art covers are simply placed over the seat, they are easily displaced and may slip from the toilet seat during use. Additionally, conventional covers leave the bowl exposed, therefore allowing the bowl to become soiled, and thus requiring frequent cleaning.
[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,185 to Kohler teaches a toilet bowl protector which is disposed about the rim of the toilet bowl underneath the seat and forming a skirt around the toiled bowl to contain urine. The toilet bowl protector of Kohler does not teach providing a protector that is disposed within the bowl to prevent soiling thereof.
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,237 to Hazar et al. provides a disposable sanitary protector cover for a toilet. As shown in Hazar et al., the protector is disposed about the seat of the toiled and does not extend down into the bowl of the toiled to prevent soiling of the bowl.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 4,412,360 to Levin illustrates yet another toilet bowl protector. As shown in Levin the toilet bowl protector is disposed about the seat of the toilet and does not extend into the bowl to prevent the soiling of the bowl.
[0006] Therefore there is a need for a toilet bowl cover that will prevent the soiling of the bowl such that the bowl will remain clean after use.
[0007] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a toilet bowl protector for preventing soiling of a toilet bowl includes a rim having an opening, the rim being adapted to be received around a rim of a toilet bowl, and a shell portion, the shell portion extending from the rim, the shell portion being adapted to be disposed within a bowl of the toilet bowl to prevent soiling of the bowl.
[0008] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a toilet bowl protector for preventing soiling of a toilet bowl includes a rim, the rim having a first and second surface, the first surface being adapted to be disposed in contact with a rim of a toilet bowl and the second surface being adapted to be disposed in contact with and beneath a toilet seat, the rim defining an opening corresponding to a shape of the bowl of the toilet bowl. The toilet bowl protector also includes a shell extending from the rim and defining a bowl-shaped member adapted to be disposed within the bowl of the toilet bowl.
[0009] Referring now to the Figures wherein like numbers have been utilized to denote the same or similar elements, there is shown:
[0010]
[0011]
[0012]
[0013]
[0014]
[0015]
[0016] A toilet bowl protector according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided to prevent soiling of a toilet bowl. The toilet bowl protector preferably comprises a round, oval, square, or rectangular shaped sheet, the sheet further including a depressed region formed therein. The protector according to the present invention provides a shield or cover disposed about the bowl of a toiled to prevent soiling to facilitate maintaining the toilet bowl in a clean and hygienic condition.
[0017] Referring now to
[0018] As shown in
[0019] Referring now to
[0020] Each of the embodiments shown herein may be fabricated in the manner and of the materials to be described below. As shown, the toilet bowl protector may be fabricated from a paper material, wherein the paper material has sufficient thickness to resist tearing but is sufficiently thin to allow the protector to be flushed into the sewer system or retaining tank. It is also preferred that the material utilized to fabricate the protectors herein is a non-absorbent material, thus when the shell portion is disposed within the bowl the water within the bowl will not immediately dissolve or break down the protector. Alternatively, the rim may be constructed of a material such as that described above, while the shell portion may be formed of an absorbent material wherein the two separate components would then be assembled to form the protector as shown.
[0021] The rim and shell may be integrally formed as a unitary unit or alternatively may be formed of multiple pieces which may then be assembled to form a single unit as shown. Additionally, as shown, the protector may be formed without having a formed rim.
[0022] Although the present invention is shown embodied in the form of a circle or partial circle or oval, it shall be understood that the present invention may be formed having any shape such as circles, squares, rectangles (
[0023] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in the foregoing detailed description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it shall be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed herein but is capable of numerous modifications and substitutions without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to encompass such modifications and substitution of parts or elements as fall within the scope of the invention.