WO2020198858A1

WO2020198858A1 - Toilet seat unit with integrated, deployable urinal

Info

Publication number: WO2020198858A1
Application number: PCT/CA2020/050419
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sylvain PAQUETTE
Original assignee: Paquette Sylvain
Priority date: 2019-04-02
Filing date: 2020-03-31
Publication date: 2020-10-08

Abstract

A toilet seat unit that has an integrated urinal, a cover, a seat and a middle section. When the toilet seat unit is in a closed configuration, the urinal, which is made of flexible material, is stowed, folded between the cover and the middle section/seat. When the toilet seat unit is in the open configuration, the cover and the urinal extend beyond the front portion of the toilet and overhang over a surface below. The open configuration allows men to stand with their member above the urinal and to urinate in the urinal, thereby preventing urine to splash on the seat or on the outer surface of the toilet bowl.

Description

TOILET SEAT UNIT WITH INTEGRATED. DEPLOYABLE URINAL

FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to toilet seats. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to toilet seat units that include deployable urinals.

BACKGROUND

[0002] When men urinate into a toilet while standing, splashing on the toilet seat and/or the toilet bowl is known to occur. Toilet seats that include built-in, deployable urinals do exist. However, these can be unsatisfactory in the sense that when deployed, the urinals are at too great a distance from the user, which does not adequately prevent splashing on the toilet seat and/or the toilet bowl.

[0003] Therefore, improvements in toilets seats with deployable urinals are desirable.

SUMMARY

[0004] In a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a toilet seat unit that has an integrated, deployable urinal. The toilet seat unit is configured to be installed on a toilet bowl. The toilet bowl has a front portion and, the toilet seat unit comprises: a seat; a cover coupled to the seat; and a urinal made of flexible material. The urinal has a trough coupled to the cover. The trough is configured to collect urine. The urinal also has a drain configured to drain the urine collected at the trough in the toilet bowl. The toilet seat unit has an open configuration and a closed configuration in the open configuration and when the toilet seat unit is installed on the toilet bowl: the cover and the trough extend beyond the front portion of the toilet bowl, and the urinal extends upward from the drain toward the trough. In the closed configuration, the cover covers the seat and the urinal is folded onto itself, between the cover and the seat.

[0005] In a second aspect, the present disclosure provides a toilet seat mechanism that is configured to be installed on a toilet bowl. The toilet bowl has a front portion. The toilet seat mechanism comprises: a seat; a cover; and a middle section having a middle section front portion and a middle section back portion. The middle section front portion is hinge coupled to the cover. The middle section back portion is hinge coupled to the seat. The cover, the middle section and the seat define a z-fold structure. The toilet seat mechanism is configured to have a flexible urinal secured thereto. The toilet seat mechanism has an open configuration and a closed configuration. In the open configuration and when the toilet seat unit is installed on the toilet bowl, the cover extends beyond the front portion of the toilet bowl. In the closed configuration, the cover covers the seat.

[0006] In a third aspect, the present disclosure provides a flexible urinal that is configured to be coupled to the toilet mechanism of the second aspect of the present disclosure. The flexible urinal has a trough configured to collect urine and a drain connected to the trough. When the flexible urinal is secured to the toilet seat mechanism, when the toilet seat is installed on the toilet bowl, and when the toilet seat mechanism is in the open configuration, the through is coupled to the cover, the drain is configured to drain the urine collected at the through into the toilet bowl, the cover and the trough extend beyond the front portion of the toilet bowl, and the urinal extends upward from the drain toward the trough. When the flexible urinal is secured to the toilet seat mechanism and when the toilet seat mechanism is in the closed configuration, the cover and the middle section cover the seat and the urinal is folded onto itself, between the cover and the middle section.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached Figures.

[0008] Fig. 1 shows a side view of an embodiment of a toilet seat assembly, installed on a toilet, in a closed configuration, in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0009] Fig. 2A shows a top view of the toilet seat assembly of Fig. 1.

[0010] Fig. 2B shows a side view of the toilet seat assembly of Fig. 1.

[0011] Fig. 3A shows a top view of the toilet seat assembly of Fig. 1 with the cover and the middle section in the upright position and the seat in the lowered position.

[0012] Fig. 3B shows a side view of the toilet seat assembly shown at Fig. 3A.

[0013] Fig. 4A shows a top view of the toilet seat assembly of Fig. 1 in an open configuration, with the seat and the middle section lowered, with the cover pivoted away from the middle section, and with a deployed urinal in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0014] Fig. 4B shows a side view of the toilet seat assembly shown at Fig. 4A.

[0015] Fig. 4C shows a bottom view of the seat of the toilet seat assembly of Figs. 4A and 4B. [0016] Fig. 4D shows an end view of the seat back portion of the seat shown in Fig.

4C.

[0017] Fig. 4E shows a lateral view of a dispensing tube of a urinal in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0018] Fig. 4F shows a side view of the toilet seat assembly is between the closed configuration shown at Fig. 2B and the open configuration shown at Fig. 4B.

[0019] Fig. 4G shows a side view of the toilet seat assembly of Fig. 4B when the middle section and the cover are a vertical position.

[0020] Fig. 5 shows a top view of the embodiment of the urinal shown at Figs. 4A and 4B, with fold lines.

[0021] Fig. 6 shows a side view of the toilet seat assembly of Fig. 4B installed on a toilet and in the open configuration.

[0022] Fig. 7 shows a side view of a toilet seat mechanism in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The present disclosure relates to a toilet seat assembly that includes a typical pivoting toilet seat (pivoting on the rear side of the toilet bowl), but further comprises a stowable/foldable/deployable urinal, which attaches to the cover. That is, the urinal is stowed when the toilet seat is closed shut or when the cover portion to which the urinal is coupled is closed. The urinal may have fold lines formed therein to ensure the urinal folds at the fold line every time the toilet seat is closed. The urinal is deployed when, starting from the closed position, the cover if lifted. The pivot axis of the cover is located at the front of the toilet bowl. In the stowed position, all of the seat, cover, and foldable urinal member are in a stacked position.

[0024] In a second position, the cover and "back" portions can be leaving the seat in place for use of the toilet in the sitting position. In a third position, the cover is lifted, pivoting on the hinge at the front of the bowl. In this position, the foldable urinal member is deployed. This includes an attachment at the non-hinged end of the cover, and the foldable urinal member then is extended between the front and rear of the toilet bowl. The urinal includes a funnel portion to receive urine and an outlet portion which directs the received urine around the back of the seat and into the toilet bowl. [0025] The toilet seat assembly has three interconnected members and a foldable urinal. The three members are a seat, a middle section and a cover. The seat is configured for being pivotally secured to the back portion of a toilet bowl. The middle section is pivotally secured to the seat. In the installed position, when the toilet seat assembly is lowered, the pivot axis of the cover is located at the front portion of the toilet bowl.

[0026] In contrast to existing toilet seats that include a deployable urinal,

embodiments of the urinal of the toilet seat assembly of the present disclosure, may, when deployed, extend beyond the front portion of the toilet, under the source of urine, which prevents splashing/dripping on the toilet seat and/or the toilet bowl.

[0027] Fig. 1 shows a side view of an embodiment of a toilet seat assembly 20, in accordance with the present disclosure, installed on a toilet bowl 21 of a toilet 22. The toilet seat assembly 20 can also be referred to as a toilet seat unit. The toilet seat assembly 20 can be secured to the toilet bowl through any suitable mechanism, such as, for example, a hinge bolt mechanism 19. In order to not overcrowd the drawings, the hinge bolt mechanism 19 is omitted in most of the figures.

[0028] Figs. 2A and 2B show the toilet seat assembly 20 of Fig. 1 when the toilet assembly 20 is in a closed configuration. Fig. 2A shows a top view of the toilet seat assembly 20 of Fig. 1 and, Fig. 2B shows a side view of the toilet seat assembly 20 of Fig. 1. As shown in Figs. 2A and 2B, the toilet seat assembly 20 has a cover 24 and a dispensing tube 42. The dispensing tube 42 can also be referred to as a drain. As will be described below, the dispensing tube 42 is connected to, and/or is a part of, a deployable urinal and is configured to dispense urine collected at the urinal into the toilet bowl to which the toilet seat assembly 20 is secured. That is, the drain (the dispensing tube 42) is configured to drain the urine collected at the urinal, into the toilet bowl 21 (shown at Fig. 1). As shown at Fig. 2B, the toilet seat assembly 20 also has a seat 26 and, between the cover 24 and the seat 26, a middle section 28. A middle section back portion 31 is pivotally connected to the seat 26, at a seat back portion 30 of the seat 26. The cover 24 has a cover front portion 35 pivotally connected to the middle section 28, at a middle section front portion 32. As will be shown below, the aforementioned urinal is be located between the middle section 28 and the cover 24 when the toilet seat assembly is in the closed configuration.

[0029] The pivot connection between the seat back portion 30 and the middle section back portion 31 can also be referred to as a hinge connection. Similarly, the pivot connection between the middle section front portion 32 and the cover front portion can also be referred to as a hinge connection. In the embodiment of Figs. 2A and 2B, the hinge connection between the seat back portion 30 and the middle section back portion 31 is achieved by a pin and knuckle arrangement, where a knuckle 37 defined by the seat back portion 30 holds a pin 39, with the pin 39 being connected to the middle section back portion 31. The

connection of the pin 39 to the middle section back portion 31 may be such that the pin 39 is integrally formed in the middle section back portion 31 or, the pin 39 may be a standalone pin that connects a knuckle formed in the middle section back portion to the knuckle 37 of the seat back portion 30. Similarly, the middle section front portion 32 of Fig. 2B has a knuckle 41 that connects to the cover front portion 35 with a pin 43. As will be understood by the skilled worker, any other suitable pivot mechanism between the seat back portion 30 and the middle section back portion 31 are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure. Also, any other suitable pivot mechanism between the middle section front portion 32 and the cover front portion 35 are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0030] The toilet seat assembly 20 can be installed on a toilet bowl 22 (Fig. 1) and secured to the toilet bowl 22 through any suitable toilet seat hinge bolts mechanism. In other embodiments, the toilet seat may be integrally formed with the toilet bowl.

[0031] Fig. 3A shows a top view of the toilet seat assembly 20 of Fig. 1 with the cover

24 and the middle section 28 in the upright position and the seat 26 in the lowered position. Fig. 3B shows a side view of the toilet seat assembly shown at Fig. 3A. The front portion of the seat 26 of the present embodiment has a curved edge 33. However, this need not be the case. The front portion of the seat 26 can have any suitable shape (e.g., rounded edge, linear edge, etc.). In other embodiments, the seat can be an open front seat (i.e. a seat that defines a gap a the seat front portion).

[0032] Fig. 4A show a top view of the toilet seat assembly 20 of Fig. 1 in an open configuration, where the seat 26 and the middle section 28 lowered, and where the cover 24 is pivoted away from the middle section 28. Fig. 4B shows a side view of the toilet seat assembly 20 of Fig. 4A. In Fig. 4B, a lip 18 of the dispensing tube 42 is shown protruding from the underside (bottom) of the seat 26. As will be described below, the lip 18 interferes with an aperture defined at the bottom of the seat 26, to secure the dispensing tube 42 to the seat 26. Additionally, Figs. 4A and 4B shows a urinal 34 secured to the cover back portion also be referred to a distal portion of the cover 24. Fig. 4A shows snap fasteners 80 used to secure the trough 38 of the urinal 34 to the cover back portion 36. In this embodiment, one half each snap fastener is disposed in the trough 38 and the other half of each snap fastener is secured to the cover back portion 36. This allows easily securing/removing of the trough 38 of the urinal 34 to/from the cover back portion 36. Any other suitable coupling

arrangement configured to couple the cover back portion 36 to the trough 38 of the urinal 34 may be considered as being within the scope of the present disclosure. That is, any suitable coupling arrangement that has a first coupling structure at the cover (cover front portion 36) and a second coupling structure at the trough, where the first coupling structure and the second coupling structure are configured to cooperate with each other to couple the trough to the cover, is considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure. Non limiting examples include snap button arrangements, push-to-release fastener arrangements, quarter turn fastener arrangements, hook and loop fastener arrangements, hook and eye fastener arrangements and adhesive arrangements.

[0033] Any suitable securing means for securing the urinal 34 to the back portion of the seat or the back portion of the middle selection is to be considered as being within the scope of the present disclosure. Figs. 4C, 4D and 4E show exemplary features of the toilet seat assembly 20 that may be used to secure the urinal 34 to the seat 26. Fig. 4C shows a bottom view (underside view) of the seat 26, with standoffs 11 that are designed to rest on the top of the toilet bowl 21 , a channel 13 that is defined by the toilet seat 26, and an aperture 15 through which the dispensing tube 42 drains the urine collected at the trough 38. Fig. 4D shows a rear view of the back end 16 of toilet seat 26. The channel 13 is configured to have the dispensing tube 42 (drain) inserted therein. Fig. 4E shows a back view of the dispensing tube 42 and a lip 18 formed at a free end 45 of the dispensing tube 42. The aperture 15 is configured to receive and hold the lip 18 formed at the free end 45.

[0034] To secure the dispensing tube 42 to the seat 26, the dispensing tube 42 is inserted into the channel 13 and towards the aperture 15. The dispensing tube 42 is inserted (pushed) into the channel 13 up to the point where the lip 18 of the dispensing tube 42 and the aperture 15 are aligned with each other. Then, the lip 18 can be pulled out of the aperture 15. The dimensions of the lip 18 and the aperture 15 are selected to provide sufficient interference between the lip 18 and the aperture 15 to maintain the dispensing tube 42 in the channel 13 and the lip 18 protruding out of the aperture 15, without collapsing the dispensing tube 42 onto itself. For example, the lip 18 may overlap the perimeter of the aperture 15 by one eight of an inch (approximately 3.2 mm). The depth of the channel 13 may be 2 inches (approximately 5.1 cm). The width of the channel 13 and of the aperture 15 may be 2.5 inches (approximately 6.4 cm). The height of the channel 13 and of the aperture 15 may be 0.5 inch (approximately 1.3 cm). The length of the urinal 34, from the end of the trough 38 to the end of the dispensing tube may 29.5 inches (approximately 70 cm). The width of the trough at cover back portion may be 8 inches (approximately 20.3 cm). Width of the trough at the funnel portion may be 6 inches (approximately 15.2 cm). As will be understood by the skilled worker, any other suitable dimensions are to be considered within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0035] In another example, the thickness of the dispensing tube 42 (drain) can be such that when the toilet seat assembly 20 is installed on the toilet bowl and secured into place, the dispensing tube is squeezed between the toilet seat 26 and the toilet bowl. The dispensing tube 42 is configured such that it is squeezed sufficiently to prevent the dispensing tube from moving, but not enough to collapse the dispensing tube 42 onto itself.

[0036] In addition to the trough 38 (which can also be referred to as a receiving section), the urinal 34 has a funnel section 40, which is connected to the dispensing tube 42. Urine received or collected at the trough 38 flows downward along the trough 38 of the urinal 34, collects at the funnel section 40 and flows through the dispensing tube 42 into the toilet bowl.

[0037] The urinal 34 may be made of flexible and/or resilient material. The material of which the urinal is made of may by hydrophobic and/or treated to be hydrophobic and/or to prevent growth of urine scale. Any suitable flexible and/or resilient material may be used. Such materials include, for example, elastomer materials, silicone materials, plastic materials, rubber materials, silicone rubber materials, textile fabrics, etc., or any suitable combination thereof. These materials may be hydrophobic or may be treated with any suitable hydrophobic substance and/or coating to render the treated materials hydrophobic.

In some embodiments, the materials can be treated with any suitable urine scale inhibitor product to prevent the formation of urine scale and odors associated therewith. [0038] The urinal 34 may be manufactured using any suitable process such as, for example, molding or, in the case of fabric, any suitable manufacturing process for transforming fabrics.

[0039] The toilet seat assembly 20 may be configured for periodic replacement of the urinal 34.

[0040] In some embodiments, the urinal 34 may have folds or fold lines preformed thereon in order to cause the urinal 34 to fold at the preformed folds. Fig. 4A shows such a preformed fold 100 (preformed fold line). The fold line 100 may be formed by any suitable means such as, for example, forming the fold line by a stamping process or by molding.

[0041] When the toilet seat assembly 20 is in the configuration shown at Figs. 3A and

3B, i.e. when the cover 24 and the middle section 28 are upright, having a urinal 34 made of hydrophobic material prevents the accumulation of urine thereon, which avoids dripping of urine off the trough 38 of the urinal 34 onto the toilet to which the toilet seat assembly 20 is secured.

[0042] Fig. 4F shows a side view of the toilet seat assembly 20 of Figs. 4A and 4B, when between the open configuration of Fig. 4B and the closed configuration shown in Fig. 2B. As shown in Fig. 4F, the urinal 34 fold onto itself at the fold line 100. Having the urinal 34 made of a flexible and/or resilient material allows the urinal 40 to be squeezed between the cover 24 and the middle section 28. In some embodiments, the toilet seat assembly can be fitted with a closure to maintain the cover 24 closed over the middle section 28, as shown in Fig. 4F. An example of such a closure is shown at Fig. 4G, where the closure 82 defines a groove 84 against the inside of which the cover back portion 36 abuts when the cover 24 and the middle section 28 are vertically positioned. The closure 82 maintains the cover 24 closed against the middle section 28.

[0043] Fig. 5 shows a top view of the urinal 34 of Figs. 4A and 4B. I addition to the fold line 100, Fig. 5 shows 3 additional fold lines 102, formed in the dispensing tube 42 (drain). The fold lines 102 allow the dispensing tube 42 to be folded around the middle section back portion to allow insertion of the dispensing tube 42 into the channel 13 (Fig.

4C). Any suitable number of additional fold lines can be present. In other embodiments, there can be no additional fold lines 102 present. The fold lines 102 can be formed by the same process as the fold line 100, or by a different process. The lip 18, mentioned in the context of Fig. 4E is also shown in Fig. 5. The lip 18 can be formed using any suitable process such as, for example, molding, etc.

[0044] Fig. 6 shows a side view of the toilet seat assembly 20 of Fig. 4B installed on the toilet 22 and in the open configuration. The toilet bowl 21 has a front portion 51. As shown in Fig. 6, the cover 24 and the trough 38 extend beyond the front portion 51 of the toilet bowl 21. As such, the cover 24 and the receiving section 38 overhang above the floor 200 to which the toilet bowl is secured. This is advantageous in that a male user of the urinal 34 can position himself with his member above the urinal 34 to urinate in the urinal 34, thus avoiding dripping urine elsewhere that in the urinal. As shown in this figure, the urinal extends upward, from the dispensing tube 42 to the trough 38.

[0045] Fig. 7 shows a side view of an embodiment of a toilet seat mechanism 300 in accordance with the present disclosure. The toilet seat mechanism 300 is similar to the toilet seat assembly of Fig. 2B but without the urinal 34 attached thereto. The side view shown in Fig. 7 is from the opposite side to the side view shown in Fig. 2B. As shown in Fig. 7, the seat 26, the middle section 28 and the cover 24 are in a z-fold structure or z-fold

configuration, which can also be referred to as an accordion structure or an accordion configuration.

[0046] In the preceding description, for purposes of explanation, numerous details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that these specific details are not required.

[0047] The above-described embodiments are intended to be examples only.

Alterations, modifications and variations can be effected to the particular embodiments by those of skill in the art. The scope of the claims should not be limited by the particular embodiments set forth herein, but should be construed in a manner consistent with the specification as a whole.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A toilet seat unit configured to be installed on a toilet bowl, the toilet bowl having a front portion, the toilet seat unit comprising:

a seat;

a cover coupled to the seat; and

a urinal made of flexible material, the urinal having

a trough coupled to the cover, the trough configured to collect urine, and a drain configured to drain the urine collected at the trough in the toilet bowl, the toilet seat unit having an open configuration and a closed configuration, in the open configuration and when the toilet seat unit is installed on the toilet bowl:

the cover and the trough extend beyond the front portion of the toilet bowl, and

the urinal extends upward from the drain toward the trough, in the closed configuration, the cover covers the seat and the urinal is

folded onto itself, between the cover and the seat.

2. The toilet seat unit of claim 1 , wherein:

the cover has a first coupling structure,

the trough has a second coupling structure, and

the first coupling structure and the second coupling structure are configured to

cooperate with each other to couple the trough to the cover.

3. The toilet seat unit of claim 2, wherein:

the first coupling structure is a first snap fastener element coupled to the cover, the second coupling structure is a second snap fastener element coupled to the trough, and

the first snap fastener element and the second snap fastener are configured to snap fasten to each other to couple the trough to the cover.

4. The toilet seat unit of claim 3, wherein the first snap fastener element and the second snap fastener element define a snap button.

5. The toilet seat unit of claim 2, wherein the first coupling structure and the second coupling structure define a push-to-release fastener.

6. The toilet seat unit of claim 2, wherein the first coupling structure and the second coupling structure define a quarter turn fastener.

7. The toilet seat unit of claim 2, wherein the first coupling structure and the second coupling structure define a hook and loop fastener.

8. The toilet seat unit of claim 2, wherein the first coupling structure and the second coupling structure define a hook and eye fastener.

9. The toilet seat unit of claim 8, wherein the hook and eye fastener includes a hook defined by the seat and an eye defined by the trough.

10. The toilet seat unit of claim 1 , wherein:

drain has a free end,

the free end defines a lip,

the seat has an underside and a back portion,

the back portion defines a channel configured to have the drain inserted therein, and the underside defines an aperture configured to receive and hold the lip, thereby coupling the drain to the seat.

11. The toilet seat unit of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the urinal defines a funnel portion connecting the trough to the drain.

12. The toilet seat unit of any one of claims 1 to 11 , wherein the urinal defines a fold line at which the urinal folds when the toilet seat unit is reconfigured from the open configuration to the closed configuration.

13. The toilet seat unit of any one of claims 1 to 12, further comprising a middle section, the middle section coupling the cover to seat, wherein the cover, the middle section and the seat define a z-fold structure.

14. The toilet seat unit of claim 13, wherein:

the toilet bowl has a toilet bowl back portion opposite the toilet bowl front portion, the seat has a seat back portion and a seat front portion,

the middle section has a middle section front portion and a middle section back portion, the cover has a cover front portion and a cover back portion, and

when the toilet seat unit is installed on the toilet bowl:

the seat back portion is pivotally connected to the toilet bowl back portion, the middle section back portion is pivotally connected to the seat back portion, and

the cover front portion is pivotally connected to the middle section front portion.

15. The toilet seat unit of claim 14, wherein when the toilet seat unit is installed on the toilet bowl and when the toilet seat is in the closed configuration:

the cover back portion is above the middle section back portion,

the middle section back portion is above the seat back portion,

the seat back portion is above the toilet bowl back portion,

the cover front portion is above the middle section front portion,

the middle section front portion is above the seat front portion, and

the seat front portion is above the toilet bowl front portion.

16. The toilet seat unit of any one of claims 13 to 15, further comprising a closure configured to maintain the cover closed against the middle section.

17. The toilet seat unit of any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the flexible material includes at least one of an elastomer material, a silicone material, a plastic material, a rubber material, a silicone rubber materials, a fabric, a hydrophobic material, and a urine scale inhibitor.

18. A toilet seat mechanism configured to be installed on a toilet bowl, the toilet bowl having a front portion, the toilet seat mechanism comprising:

a seat;

a cover; and

a middle section having a middle section front portion and a middle section back

portion,

the middle section front portion being hinge coupled to the cover,

the middle section back portion being hinge coupled to the seat,

the cover, the middle section and the seat defining a z-fold structure, the toilet seat mechanism being configured to have a flexible urinal secured

thereto,

the toilet seat mechanism having an open configuration and a closed configuration,

in the open configuration and when the toilet seat unit is installed on the toilet bowl, the cover extends beyond the front portion of the toilet bowl, and in the closed configuration, the cover covers the seat.

19. A flexible urinal configured to be secured on the toilet seat mechanism defined in claim 18, the flexible urinal comprising:

a trough configured to collect urine; and

a drain connected to the trough,

wherein:

when the flexible urinal is secured to the toilet seat mechanism, when the toilet seat is installed on the toilet bowl, and when the toilet seat mechanism is in the open configuration,

the through is coupled to the cover,

the drain is configured to drain the urine collected at the through into the toilet bowl,

the cover and the trough extend beyond the front portion of the toilet bowl, and the urinal extends upward from the drain toward the trough,

when the flexible urinal is secured to the toilet seat mechanism and when the toilet seat mechanism is in the closed configuration, the cover and the middle section cover the seat and the urinal is folded onto itself, between the cover and the middle section.

20. The flexible urinal as defined in the claim 19, wherein the flexible urinal defines a fold line at which the urinal folds when the toilet seat mechanism is reconfigured from the open configuration to the closed configuration.

21. The flexible urinal as defined in claim 19 or claim 20, wherein the flexible material includes at least one of an elastomer material, a silicone material, a plastic material, a rubber material, a silicone rubber materials, a fabric, a hydrophobic material, and a urine scale inhibitor.

22. A toilet seat assembly comprising:

a seat having a seat back portion configured for being pivotally connected to a toilet, the toilet having a toilet bowl;

a middle section having a middle section front portion and a middle section back portion, the middle section back portion being pivotally connected to the seat back portion;

a cover having a cover front portion and a cover back portion, the cover front portion being pivotally connected to the middle section front portion; and

a urinal made of a flexible material, the urinal having a first end secured to the cover back portion and a second end secured to at least one of the middle section back portion and the seat back portion of the seat, the urinal configured to collect urine and to drain the urine in the toilet bowl,

the toilet seat assembly having a first configuration where the cover is pivoted against the middle section and the flexible urinal is stowed, folded between the cover and the middle section,

the toilet seat assembly having a second configuration where the middle section is pivoted against the seat, the cover is pivoted away from the middle section and the urinal is deployed and extended between the cover back portion and at least one of the middle section back portion and the seat back portion, wherein, when the toilet seat assembly is installed on the toilet with the seat back portion pivotally connected to the toilet, and when the toilet seat assembly is in the second configuration, the cover and the first end of the urinal extend beyond the toilet and overhangs a surface below.

23. The toilet seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flexible urinal is made of hydrophobic material.

24. The toilet seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flexible material includes at least one of an elastomer material, a silicone material, a plastic material, a rubber material, a silicone rubber materials, a fabric, a hydrophobic material, and a urine scale inhibitor.