GB2193235A

GB2193235A - Disposable toilet seat cover

Info

Publication number: GB2193235A
Application number: GB08618671A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Keith Charles Baldwin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-07-31
Filing date: 1986-07-31
Publication date: 1988-02-03
Also published as: GB8618671D0

Abstract

A toilet seat cover of flexible, degradable paper material has an O- ring portion 1a and distance D is somewhat wider than the corresponding distance in a toilet seat ring (not shown). The front of the ring portion 1a has a slot S formed by paper strip 1c so that the cover can be applied to the seat ring by the front part of the seat ring entering the slot, thereby temporarily retaining the cover to the seat ring. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Sanitary ware This invention relates to improvements in or relating to sanitary ware and in particular in or relating to water closets.

Although general standards in public conveniences may have improved over the decades, for example in the installation of disposable toothbrush dispensers, there would still appear to be considerable scope for further improvements in hygiene more particularly associated with the water closet itself and in particular with the toilet seat ring. Clearly, hygiene of this nature is most important where a convenience is open to the general public and it may be that standards, particularly as aforesaid, are not high enough for general demand, and certainly may not come up to the general expectation of this modern society.

It is an object of the present invention to at least alleviate the aforementioned problem.

According to the present invention there is provided a disposable, apertured, cover for a toilet seat ring, said cover being suitably shaped to fit over the seat ring whilst the ring is attached to the basin of the water closet.

By the present invention a relatively simple means may be employed to increase hygiene standards by employing a seat ring cover to act as a barrier and thus avoid direct skin contact with the seat ring itself, which cover may be disposed of immediately after use.

Preferably, the cover is of a material which is suitable for entering the sewerage network so that it may be flushed away after use without causing a drain blockage. Consequently, the cover is, preferably, made of any suitable degradable (preferably biodegradable) material or any material which breaks up sufficiently in water. For example, the material of the cover may be paper or plastics based.

Also, preferably, at least one side of the cover is made at least relatively impervious to water (for example perhaps by being silicon lacquered) for at least a short time spell in order to at least reduce the risk of skin contact with any wet ar damp soil deposits on the seat ring itself.

Additionally, the cover itself is, preferably treated with any number of agents (e.g. disinfectant) to reduce the risk of infection by transmission of germs or viruses and accordingly the cover may be medicated or treated with a germicide, fungicide, virucide and/or other disinfectant material or materials.

The precise shape and form of the cover may be varied to suit. Usually, it will comprise a complete general O-ring portion to fit over the seat ring and may be originally supplied in a folded or rolled up state. The degree of flexibility of the cover may be varied to suit and indeed part or all of the O-ring portion may be stiff. In some instances all or part of the cover material may be elastic so that at least part of the cover can be stretched over the seat ring and retained thereon at least to some extent by the cover being pulled taut on the seat ring.

Preferably, some means such as a flap or front pocket or slot is provided to temporarily retain the cover to the seat ring and means (for example, tabs, or an inner, circular or part circular lip extending from the aperture of the cover may be provided to self centre the cover on the ring. Where a pocket/slot is provided as aforesaid the cover may be attached to the seat ring by introducing the front part of the seat ring into the pocket/slot.

It is envisaged that the seat ring cover will be relatively cheap to produce and may be such as to be conveniently available from wall dispensers, possibly in packs. Therefore, whatever material is chosen for the seat ring cover it should be strong enough to do the job it is designed for and it will, preferably, have a good storage or shelf life.

It is believed that the present invention provides a very simple, neat and inexpensive way of most significantly improving standards in hygiene and additionally may reduce the attention required by attendants to the water closet itself.

An embodiment of a toilet seat ring cover in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: FIGURE 1 shows a plan view of the seat ring cover; FIGURE 2 shows a front view of the cover, and FIGURE 3 shows a side view of the cover.

Referring to the FIGURES in the drawings, a toilet seat ring cover has a general O-ring portion la and a substantially central aperture 1b.

The O-ring portion is substantially planar (at least before introduction onto a seat ring) and the distance D between the radially inner and outer dimensions of the cover is such as to be somewhat wider than the corresponding distance in the seat ring (not shown).

The cover 1 in the present example is applied to the seat ring whilst it is attached to the basin of a water closet C (not shown), is of flexible paper material and is designed to be disposable. The cover may be of any suitable material which may be conveniently degradable within the sewerage network so that it can be flushed away after use. Also, it may be treated with any protective, and/or water repellent and/or disinfectant materials. In some instances the cover may not necessarily be degradable in the sewerage network since the cover may be designed to be disposed of in other ways for example by incineration in a conveniently placed incinerator.

As shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the front of the ring portion 1a is provided with means to retain the cover to the seat, in the form of a slot S, which slot is open at the back and front and formed by a paper strip 1c glued to the underneath of the cover at 1d and 1e. As the cover 1 is introduced onto the seat ring the front part of the ring will enter the slot S and thereby the cover will be temporarily retained to the ring.

As will be appreciated, the precise configuration of the cover may be varied considerably, for example the slot may be replaced by a pocket (not shown) which is closed at the front and which may be opened out on introduction of the cover onto the front of the seat ring so that the pocket tapers from front to back of the seat ring. The cover may be folded up or rolled up into a compact form convenient for dispensing from, for example, a coin or token operated dispenser.

The retaining means may alternatively or additionally comprise one or more (preferably integral) tabs or flaps conveniently located to tuck underneath the seat. The or each tab or flap may be defined by perforations.

In one embodiment of the present invention the aperture 1 b may be provided with a downwardly depending skirt or tabs which tuck inside the seat ring aperture to self centre the cover on the seat. The skirt or tabs may be of stiffer material than the remainder of the cover. It will not be difficult to envisage many other variants of the present invention, for example, tabs or a skirt could be provided on the outer contour of the cover and again these could be arranged to'tuck up under the seat ring and a number of pockets or slots could be provided around the seat cover rather than merely at the front as herein described. It may be that the cover may be stretched or shaped as it is applied to the seat ring and/or may be textured to help grip onto the surface of the seat ring.The cover may be pre-shaped so that ring portion 1a is not merely flat but is contoured at least to some extent to match the curvature of the seat ring.

Additionally, some embodiments of the present invention may provide certain softening and/or cushioning characteristics; it might be possible in some instances to produce the cover in a closed cell foam plastics. It is be lieved that the particular configuration and relative dimensions of the cover as shown are particularly advantageous.

It is to be understood that the scope of the present invention is not to be unduly limited by the particular choice of terminology and that a specific term may be replaced by any equivalent or generic term where sensible. Further it is to be understood that individual features, method or functions related to the toilet seat ring cover or combinations thereof might be individually patentably inventive.

Claims

1. A disposable, apertured, cover for a toilet seat ring, said cover being suitably shaped to fit over the seat ring whilst the ring is attached to the basin of the water closet.

2. A cover as claimed in claim 1 which is of a degradable material or any material which breaks up water.

3. A cover as claimed in claim 2 which is biodegradable.

4. A cover as claimed in any one of the preceding claims which is of paper or plastics.

5. A cover as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which at least one side of the cover is made at least relatively impervious to water.

6. A cover as claimed in claim 5 which is silicon lacquered.

7. A cover as claimed in any one of the preceding claims which is treated with one or more agents to reduce the risk of infection by transmission of germs or viruses.

8. A cover as claimed in claim 7 which is medicated or treated with a germicide, fungicide, virucide and/or other disinfectant material or materials.

9. A cover as claimed in any one of the preceding claims which comprises a complete general O-ring portion to fit over the seat ring.

10. A cover as claimed in claim 9 which is in a folded or rolled up state.

11. A cover as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10 in which part or all of the O-ring portion is stiff.

12. A cover as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which all or part of the cover material is elastic so that at least part of the cover can be stretched over the seat ring and retained thereon at least to some extent by the cover being pulled taut on the seat ring.

13. A cover as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which means is provided to temporarily retain the cover to the seat ring.

14. A cover as claimed in claim 13 in which said retaining means is a flap or pocket or slot.

15. A cover as claimed in claim 14 in which a pocket/slot is provided as said means for temporarily retaining the cover to the seat ring and the cover is attached to the seat ring by introducing the front part of the seat ring into the pocket/slot.

16. A cover as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which means is provided to self centre the cover on the ring.

17. A cover as claimed in claim 16 in which said self-centering means comprises tabs or an inner, circular lip extending from the aperture of the cover.

18. A toilet seat ring cover substantially as herein described and Ilustrated with reference to the FIGURES of the accompanying draw ings.

19. A pack of covers as claimed in any one of the preceding claims available for a dispenser.