Patent Application
20190021560
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for toilet training and for use as a step stool.
Toilet training is a gradual process that takes place in several steps. At first, a child may learn to emulate proper toilet technique on a trainer toilet that has a smaller body and orifice than a normal toilet, as the normal toilet may be too high for the child to reach. As the child becomes more comfortable using the toilet and grows taller, the child may begin to transition to using the adult toilet. However, the adult toilet may still be higher than the child can reach, in which case an accessible stool or other boosting device is necessary to allow the child to continue with their toilet training. Additionally, the orifice of the adult toilet may still be too large for the child to use, and thus a smaller seat may be necessary. This document describes an improved toilet training seat that may also function as a step stool.
Embodiments of the present invention can provide a combination toilet trainer, comprising a base comprising two handles, an underside, a backside, and an open side; a removable seat comprising a backed ring and a hinged ring connected by a hinge point, each having an inner opening; and an internal bowl having an internal bowl lip; wherein the removable seat is configured to be removably mounted atop the open side of the base; and wherein the internal bowl is configured to be removably attachable to the removable seat at the inner opening by the internal bowl lip being secured between the backed ring and the hinged ring.
Embodiments can further provide a combination toilet trainer wherein the underside of the base further comprises one or more layers of non-slip material alternated with one or more layers of rough material; and the open side of the base further comprises a strip of non-slip material secured around a circumference of the open side.
Embodiments can further provide a combination toilet trainer wherein the base further comprises a dispenser opening located on the backside of the base; the dispenser opening further comprising one or more flexible tabs.
Embodiments can further provide a combination toilet trainer wherein the dispenser opening is configured to be closed using a dispenser cap attached to the dispenser opening through a dispenser cap connector.
Embodiments can further provide a combination toilet trainer wherein the base further comprises a dispenser configured to dispense a dispensed material from an inside of the base to an outside through the dispenser opening.
Embodiments can further provide a combination toilet trainer wherein the dispenser further comprises one or more tabbed tongs configured to secure a roll of dispensed material.
Embodiments can further provide a combination toilet trainer wherein the base further comprises a dispenser material holding area configured to hold one or more rolls of dispensed material.
Embodiments can further provide a combination toilet trainer wherein the dispenser material holding area further comprises one or more holding area tabs configured to secure the one or more rolls of dispensed material.
Embodiments can further provide a combination toilet trainer wherein the internal bowl further comprises a finger ring and a finger ring curve located on a front of the internal bowl; the hinged ring further comprising a flange located on an underside of the hinged ring; wherein the flange is configured to fit within the finger ring curve when the internal bowl is secured between the backed ring and the hinged ring.
Embodiments can further provide a combination toilet trainer wherein the internal bowl is scented.
Embodiments can further provide a combination toilet trainer wherein the removable seat further comprises one or more toilet attachment hooks located on an underside of the backed ring, the toilet attachment hooks configured to attach the removable seat to an adult toilet when detached from the base.
Embodiments can further provide a combination toilet trainer wherein the removable seat further comprises one or more strips of sealant material secured to an underside of the backed ring.
Embodiments can further provide a combination toilet further comprising a spring piece placed within the hinge point configured to provide an outward spring force against an underside of the internal bowl lip when the hinged ring is hinged open from the backed ring.
Embodiments can further provide a removable seat for use in toilet training, comprising a backed ring and a hinged ring connected by a hinge point, each having an inner opening; and an internal bowl having an internal bowl lip; wherein the internal bowl is configured to be removably attachable to the removable seat at the inner opening by the internal bowl lip being secured between the backed ring and the hinged ring.
Embodiments can further provide a removable seat wherein the removable seat further comprises one or more toilet attachment hooks located on an underside of the backed ring, the toilet attachment hooks configured to attach the removable seat to an adult toilet.
Embodiments can further provide a removable seat wherein the internal bowl further comprises a finger ring and a finger ring curve located on a front of the internal bowl; the hinged ring further comprising a flange located on an underside of the hinged ring; wherein the flange is configured to fit within the finger ring curve when the internal bowl is secured between the backed ring and the hinged ring.
Embodiments can further provide a removable seat further comprising a base comprising two handles, an underside, a backside, and an open side; wherein the removable seat is configured to be removably mounted atop the open side of the base.
Embodiments can further provide a removable seat wherein the underside of the base further comprises one or more layers of non-slip material alternated with one or more layers of rough material; and the open side of the base further comprises a strip of non-slip material secured around a circumference of the open side.
Embodiments can further provide a removable seat wherein the base further comprises a dispenser configured to dispense a dispensed material from an inside of the base to an outside through a dispenser opening.
Embodiments can further provide a method of converting a combination toilet trainer into a removable seat and a step stool, the method comprising opening a hinged ring against a backed ring; removing an internal bowl; disconnecting the backed ring from a base; rotating the base 180 degrees along a single axis; placing the base on the ground to form the step stool; placing the backed ring atop a bowl of an open adult toilet; applying downward pressure until one or more toilet attachment hooks located on the underside of the backed ring engage with the bowl of the open adult toilet; and closing the hinged ring against the backed ring to reform the removable seat.
The foregoing and other aspects of the present invention are best understood from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings embodiments that are presently preferred, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific instrumentalities disclosed. Included in the drawings are the following Figures:
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a combination toilet training seat and a step stool (“combination toilet trainer”). The combination toilet trainer can have three main components: a hollow base that, when inverted, can have sufficient strength to act as a step stool, a removable and hingeable seat that can be used either in conjunction with the base to act as a trainer toilet or can be removed and secured to an adult toilet for use as a training toilet seat, and an easily removable internal bowl that can be used as a waste repository for the child being trained. In addition, the combination toilet trainer can have the ability to dispense sanitary plastic bags to cover the bowl, and can have antiseptic and easy-clean properties.
Embodiments can provide a double injection molded, multi-functional toilet trainer which can transform from floor toilet with removable scented and antimicrobial bowl, to detachable contour toilet ring which sits securely on top of any size toilet seat (standard or elongated), to a nonslip step stool with integrated contoured handles for easy carrying, which can include a liner system. Discretely stored below the bowl within the step stool base, an integrated cartridge can hold two reserve custom scented liner rolls with an integrated dispenser for an active liner roll that can feed through a child-proof dispenser protected by a locking lid. The child-proof dispenser can allow parents to draw a new liner every time a child needs to toilet train.
The scented liner can protect the removable bowl securely by fitting in the locking channel. The removable bowl can be removed by the stay clean lift tab. The upper secondary locking ring traps the liner and bowl can secure in place to avoid disruption by the child. Once child has finished toilet training, a push button locking mechanism can release the upper secondary ring to allow access to the liner, allowing parent to remove and dispose of liner. The combination toilet training seat and step stool can be used with or without liner system.
The base 101 can have a dispenser opening 201 that can be located on the back of the base 101. The dispenser opening 201 can be accessible by opening a dispenser cap 202 that can be attached to the dispenser opening 201 by a dispenser cap connector. In an embodiment, a user of the combination toilet trainer can use the dispenser opening 201 to dispense wipes, paper towels, toilet paper, or disposable liners for use in lining the internal bowl.
In an embodiment, the hinge point 109 connecting the backed ring 102 with the hinged ring can be an open hinge, such that the hinged ring can be hinged open on the back component 102, but can also be removed for easy cleaning. As described above, the backed ring 102 can have a lipped portion 203 that overlaps with the base 101 such that the removable seat can fit securely on the base 101 when loaded.
The removable seat 107 can have one or more toilet attachment hooks 701 for use in attaching the removable seat 107 to an adult toilet, which can be connected to the underside of the backed ring 102. The removable seat 107 can be secured to the base 101 and sealed using the strip of non-slip material 502 that rings the base 101. In an alternate embodiment, the underside of the backed ring 102 can also contain one or more strips of sealant material, such as foamed padding, which can be used to seal the removable seat 107 against the base 101 or adult toilet, whichever it is attached to.
To convert the assembled combination toilet trainer 100 into a removable seat 107 and a step stool, the combination toilet trainer 100 can be disassembled in the following manner: the hinged ring 103 can be opened through the use of the hinged ring lip 702, which can be pulled to hinge the hinged ring 103 upwards at a point of rotation centered at the hinge point 109. If desired, the hinged ring 103 can be detached from the backed ring 102. In an embodiment, a spring piece 1001 can be placed within the hinge point 109 to provide an outward spring force that facilitates the opening of the hinged ring 103 against the backed ring 102, and can additionally provide a spring force under the internal bowl lip 802 such that the internal bowl is lifted upwards when the hinged ring 103 is opened. The spring piece 1001 can be a spring or a piece of resistant material, including thermoplastic rubber, plastic, or metal. The internal bowl 104 can be lifted out of the backed ring 102 by finger pressure applied to the internal bowl ring 801. If the internal bowl 104 contains waste, the lining material (if present) can be disposed of and/or the internal bowl 104 can be cleaned. The backed ring 102 can then be disconnected from the base by applying opposing force to the backed ring 102 and the base 101. Once separated, the base can be rotated 180 degrees on any single axis and placed on the ground to act as a step stool. The backed ring 102 (with or without the hinged ring 103 attached) can be secured to an open adult toilet by placing the backed ring 102 atop the open adult toilet and applying pressure on the backed ring 102 towards the ground until the toilet attachment hooks engage. If the hinged ring 103 is not attached, the hinged ring 103 can then be attached to the backed ring 102 and closed by hinging downward on the hinge point 109. To remove the removable seat 107 from the adult toilet, upwards pressure can be applied until the toilet attachment hooks disengage.
The various components of the combination toilet training seat and step stool 100 may be made from any suitable plastic and/or rubber material. In an embodiment, many of the components of the combination toilet trainer 100 can be made with a thermoplastic rubber and/or an antimicrobial plastic material. Although the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous changes and modifications may be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention and that such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the true spirit of the invention. It is therefore intended that the appended claims be construed to cover all such equivalent variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
