EP0471897A1

EP0471897A1 - Toilet pots

Info

Publication number: EP0471897A1
Application number: EP90309152A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jane Grimes
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-02-21
Filing date: 1990-08-21
Publication date: 1992-02-26
Also published as: GB8903893D0; GB2228407A

Abstract

A toilet or chamber pot comprises a structure including a plurality of rigid or semi-rigid upright walls (1,2,3,4) defining a cavity, the upright walls (1,2,3,4) being pivotably connected together whereby the structure may be folded into a "flat" configuration for carrying. A removable fluid impermeable lining bag 17 is provided for insertion within the cavity defined by the upright walls (1,2,3,4).

Description

This invention relates to toilet pots and more especially to toilet or chamber pots for children, although it is also applicable to toilet pots for adults, such as invalids or disabled persons.
With the steadily increasing mobility of families and mothers, such as the ever expanding experience of leisure travel by motor cars or public transportation, it has of necessity become common practice for mothers and families with young children to cater for the childs toilet needs by travelling with an appropriate toilet or chamber pot.
Although such chamber pots can sometimes be easily and conveniently carried, say in the boot of a car, they can at other times, when in the passenger compartment of the car or when being transported during walking or on public transport for example, be considerably inconvenient in their bulkiness, as well as being of such an unsightly nature that they are often carried within a bulky plastic bag, for example.
US Patent 3,579,655 discloses a portable toilet structure in which sides are connectable and disconnectable, so that assembly and disassambly is relatively slow and cumbersome, and parts can readily be lost.
UK Patent 920,358 discloses a collapsible baby pot which is collapsible by simply bending the outer wall, with an assembly for holding a waste bag within the collapsed pot. Such an arrangement is cumbersome in use and intrinsically uncertain in its stability, as well as collapsing to what must remain a substantial bulk.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome or at least substantially reduce the above mentioned problems.
In accordance with the invention there is provided a toilet pot comprising a structure including a plurality of rigid or semi-rigid upright walls defining a cavity, the upright walls being pivotably connected together whereby the structure may be folded into a "flat" configuration for carrying. A removable fluid impermeable lining bag is provided for insertion within the cavity defined by the upright walls.
By the expression "flat" as used herein is meant a folded configuration of the pot in which the walls lie closely together and approximately parallel to one another.
In one embodiment, two side walls and a front wall and a rear wall are provided, defining a generally rectangular cavity.
In this embodiment two opposed walls may be formed of at least two vertically separated panels hingedly connected together, so that the structure may be folded to its "flat" configuration by folding the panels together and inwardly, so that when collapsed the multi-panelled walls lie between the other two walls.
In one arrangement the multi-panelled walls hingedly connected together may comprise the front and rear walls. In this case the side walls may, at their upper parts, be shaped to provide a comfortable firm seating for a child.
The fluid impermeable lining bag is preferrably of a disposable nature and may be provided with included upper securing and sealing means. It may additionally be provided with an internal fluid absorbent lining or padding.
The chamber pot may be provided with a base, which may be in the form of a flexible material, or may be of rigid material. In the latter case it preferrably is of a multi-panel construction hingedly connected together, and also hingedly connected to at least two of the walls, so that upon collapsing the walls to a "flat" configuration of the structure, the base panels will fold together and downwardly from the hinge connections with the walls, therefore also adopting a "flattened" configuration.
Alternatively the chamber pot may be provided with no separate base member at all.
The chamber pot may be formed of a suitable semi-rigid plastics material and may be provided with appropriate snap action hinges. The lining bag may be formed of a suitable flexible plastics material.
In order that the invention may be more readily understood, one embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 shows a toilet or chamber pot in accordance with the invention in its folded condition;
Figure 2 shows the chamber pot of Figure 1 in its open position;
Figure 3 shows the chamber pot of Figure 2 with a disposable lining bag in position; and
Figure 4 shows the disposable lining bag in course of removal.

Referring now to the drawings it will be seen that the toilet or chamber pot structure comprises two side walls 1, 2 having shaped and turned over upper edges 3, 4 to provide a comfortable seat for a child, and back and front walls 5, 6 each in the form of two vertically divided panels 7, 8, 9, 10, connected together by snap action hinges 11, 12, and similarly connected by snap action hinges 13, 14, 15, 16, at their ends to the ends of the side walls. The snap action hinges may be designed to "lock", i.e. resist movement from their open dispositions. No base is usually needed or provided, although a rigid base hingedly connected to side walls 1 and 2 is shown at 23 in Figure 1. This side and end walls are of semi-rigid plastics material.
As can be seen in Figure 1, the front and rear walls 5, 6 readily fold inwardly so as to provide a generally flat configuration of the pot for carrying and stowing when not in use. Padding 20 may be secured to the upper edges 34 of side wals 1,2 for extra comfort, the securement being detachable for cleaning purposes and being by means of "Velcro" interengaging fibre fasteners, for example.
Alternatively, as can be seen in Figure 2, an attachable seat 22 may be provided for safety and comfort of the user.
To ensure the retention of the open nature of the pot when open, means may be provided to hold the walls open. A form of such means is shown at 21 in Figure 2 and comprises a hinged locking bar, storable against and mounted on side wall 2 when not in use but latchable across wall 5 to prevent this wall folding inwardly.
In Figure 3, a disposable lining bag 17 of flexible fluid impermeable plastic having a fluid absorbent pad incorporated internally (not shown) has been fitted over the seat portions 3, 4 of the side walls 1, 2 so as to lie within the rectangular space defined by the structure. The top portion of the liner may be padded where it overlies edges 3,4 of the walls 1,2.
After use, the disposable lining bag 17 can be sealed by means of integral sealing strips 18 (of any convenient known kind) for disposal (see Figure 4), whereafter the chamber pot can again be folded into its generally flat configuration as shown in Figure 1.
By means of the invention there is provided a chamber pot for a child which is of safe and easy use, and is simply and easily foldable to a useful configuration for carrying and stowing in transport.
It is to be understood that the foregoing is merely exemplary of chamber pots in accordance with the invention and that modifications can readily be made thereto without departing from the true scope of the invention. Thus, for example, it is to be noted that the invention can be equally well applied to portable chamber pots for invalids or elderly people.

Claims

1. A toilet pot comprising a structure including a plurality of rigid or semi-rigid upright walls (1,2,3,4) defining a cavity, the upright walls (1,2,3,4) being pivotably connected together whereby the structure may be folded into a "flat" configuration for carrying, a removable fluid impermeable lining bag being provided for insertion within the cavity defined by the upright walls.

2. A toilet pot as claimed in Claim 1 incorporating two side walls (1,2), a front wall (6) and a rear wall (5) defining a generally rectangular cavity.

3. A toilet pot as claimed in Claim 2 wherein two opposed walls are formed of at least two vertically separated panels (7,8,9,10) hingedly connected together for folding inwardly.

4. A toilet pot as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the hinges are snap action hinges.

5. A toilet pot as claimed in Claim 3 or 4 wherein the front and rear walls are formed of vertically separated panels hingedly connected together.

6. A toilet pot as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the side walls (1,2) are shaped at their upper parts (3,4) to provide a seating portion for a user.

7. A toilet pot as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the upper parts (3,4) of the side walls (1,2) are provided with comfort paddding (20).

8. A toilet pot as claimed in in any one of the preceding claims incorporating a base member (23).

9. A toilet pot as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the fluid impermeable lining bag (17) is provided with upper securing and sealing means (18).

10. A toilet pot as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the fluid impermeable lining bag (17) is provided with internal fluid absorbent lining.

11. A toilet pot as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein locking means (2) are provided for retaining open the upright walls (1,2,3,4).

12. A toilet pot as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including, additionally, a seat member (22) for the pot.