Potty Training Urinal

Abstract

A potty training urinal 10 comprises a basin 12, a drainage hole 14 in the basin 12, a stand 16, and a removable containment vessel 18. Preferably the stand 16 is a height adjustable stand, and may have at least one viewing gap 54 to view a fill level of the removable containment vessel 18.

Description

The present invention relates to a training urinal for young boys.

Potty training urinals are designed to help young boys learn to urinate in an adult fashion into a urinal basin.

There is prior art disclosing potty training urinals that have a stand and urinal basin, so that the urinal can stand upright. However, there is presently no elegant means by which urine can be stored, and disposed of, when required.

One prior art example discloses a removable drawer; urine drains from a hole in the basin into the drawer, whereby the drawer can be removed, the drawer then cleaned and replaced. However, there are significant problems with such a design; the drawer, for example, may be pulled out with too much force, which may lead to splashing of urine either within, or outside, the urinal, with obvious unhygienic results.

If this leads to urine splashing inside the urinal, this may lead to odour and further hygiene issues. Furthermore a drawer is a naturally unwieldy object to remove and clean as it is of significant size. It would be desirable if a more elegant and compact means of storage were provided, less likely to lead to unhygienic splashing, and easy to remove, and replace. Thus the present invention does not endorse a removable drawer for containment and storage of urine.

Furthermore, prior art in the field of the present invention lacks interesting innovations, such as means by which urine level can be displayed, etc, and means by which the activity or urination in the urinal may preferably be made more attractive to a user.

The present invention seeks to provide a solution to these problem(s) by providing: a potty training urinal, comprising: a basin; a drainage hole in the basin; a stand; and a removable containment vessel. Urine drains out of the drainage hole in the basin, into the removable containment vessel, which is preferably located at a base of the stand.

Preferably urine drains from the hole into the containment vessel via a flow channel, most preferably a tube.

Preferably there is provided an openable and closable aperture for removing and replacing the removable containment vessel when disposing of urine is desired or needed.

Preferably the stand is a height adjustable stand, so that the training urinal can be used for boys of differing heights.

Thus urine can elegantly flow into the removable containment vessel, be removed by a person, easily be cleaned (without the cleaning challenges or splashing likelihood of a drawer), and be replaced, within seconds or minutes.

In more advanced preferred embodiments, there may be provided means of displaying fill level of the removable containment vessel, which may include at least one viewing gap to view level of urine deposited inside the containment vessel. Such gaps may be covered by, for example, transparent plastics, which may be coloured to mask the colour of urine and be pleasing to a viewer. The containment vessel itself may be coloured and partially transparent.

There are significant advantages to such an invention in cleanliness, hygiene, and elegance, over prior art disclosing a removable drawer for urine.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a potty training urinal training and alert system, comprising a basin; a surface for standing on; a sensor system for sensing the surface for standing on has been stood on; a wireless transmitter; and a separate receiving unit for receiving a signal from the wireless transmitter.

Intent of the second aspect of the invention is that a guardian (such as a parent) can be alerted that a user (boy) is using the training urinal via a signal being sent to the receiver unit when the surface for standing on (which is preferably a matt) is stood upon. The invention according to a second aspect may or may not have a stand, and may simply include, for example, a portable basin, which may be, for example, hung on a lavatory, or any other place, for use.

Preferably the sensor system is provided by way of at least one pressure element, so that, when the at least one pressure element is stood upon by a user (boy), a signal is sent from the wireless transmitter to the receiver unit, thus alerting a guardian (for example, parent) that the user (boy) is using the training urinal.

The present invention will now be more particularly described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, by way of example only and in no way limiting the scope of the invention, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a basic embodiment of a training urinal, showing an inner removable containment vessel;

FIG. 2 is a perspective back view of the basic embodiment where a back of a stand of the training urinal is open;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention featuring an adjustable stand;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a basic embodiment of the invention featuring a game element in a basin of the urinal and a side aperture for removal of the containment vessel;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an adjustment ring for the training urinal;

FIG. 6 is a back view of a preferred embodiment of the training urinal with particular reference to the adjustment ring;

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view according to a second aspect of the invention;

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of a surface for standing on for a user when using the invention; and

FIG. 10 is an open view of a matt for standing on.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a training urinal 10, comprising a basin 12; a drainage hole 14 in the basin 12; a stand 16; and a removable containment vessel 18.

The basin 12, as with any urinal, is used to receive urine and is preferably substantially oval in shape. Preferably the basin 12, as with the urinal as a whole, is of lightweight, preferably plastics, materials, although it may be of any material.

As shown in FIG. 4, the basin 12 may have an interactive game element(s) 20, which is an element or elements in the basin configured and intended to promote urination. In a case of FIG. 4, the interactive game element 20 comprises a urine input hole 22 and three urine output holes 24, there being a channel or channels that link the urine input hole to the three urine output holes so that urine urinated into the urine input hole 22 is ejected out of one or any of the three urine output holes 24. This may promote urination by a boy and may help a boy concentrate and direct urine so as not to create a mess during urination. This is just one example of an interactive game element 20 to help and promote urination (and/or promote well-directed urination) by a boy. An interactive game element 20 may be any element in the basin 12 that a boy interacts with via urinating.

There is a drainage hole 14 in the basin 12 so that urine can drain out of the basin 12 for collection in the removable containment vessel 18. The drainage hole 14 may have a fittable odorizing cap, or other odourising element(s) to prevent odour, which cap may be removable.

There is provided a stand 16, which is preferably a height adjustable stand. This is best shown in FIG. 3, where there is shown an adjustment ring 26 to facilitate adjusting height of the stand 16 (and thus the urinal 10), there being shown outer circular adjustment grooves 28 on the stand 16.

The adjustment ring 26 is shown in more detail in FIG. 5, where it is shown the adjustment ring 26 has inner circular grooves 30 that correspond to the outer circular grooves 28 of the stand 16. There is also shown a rotatable adjustment knob 32, which can be turned manually, thus, via the inner circular grooves 30 of the adjustment ring 26 and the outer circular grooves 28 of the stand 16, adjusting height of the urinal 10.

A back view of the urinal is shown in FIG. 6, where the rotatable adjustment knob 32 is clearly visible on the adjustment ring 26 at a back of the invention 10. Thus by turning the rotatable adjustment knob 32, height of the urinal 10 can be adjusted. This is just one method of adjusting height of the urinal. Many other methods are feasible, which will be obvious to those with skill in the art.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention 10 as shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 6, FIG. 7, and FIG. 8, the stand 16 preferably has two parts, a top portion 34, and a base portion 36. The basin 12 is preferably attachable to the top portion 34.

Preferably there is provided a stabilising base 38 to ensure the urinal 10 stands securely on a floor and is not prone to tip over. In the preferred embodiment of FIG. 3, FIG. 6, FIG. 7, and FIG. 8, the stabilising base 38 is provided by way of a wide curved base, whereby the stand 16 curves outwardly towards its base, thus generating added stability for the invention 10. This is best shown in FIG. 6, where it is clearly shown the stand 16 has outward curves 40 towards its base, increasing stability.

In the basic embodiment of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 4, the stabilising base 38 is provided by way of a base plate 42, which may be separately attachable to the stand 16.

The stabilising base may be provided by other means, such as, for example, but not limited to, stabilising legs, etc.

In terms of how urine passes from the hole 14 in the basin 12 into the containment vessel 18, as shown in FIG. 1, there is preferably provided a tube 44, (which typically comprises a rubber cylinder and a flow channel within the rubber through which urine can flow and pass into the containment vessel 18). It is feasible a flow channel for flow of urine from the basin 12 into the containment vessel 18 is built/manufactured into the stand 16, in which can, a tube 44 may not be required. In a preferred embodiment, a tube 44 is provided.

The tube 44 may be tight-fitted to the hole 14 in the basin 12 via top fitting 46 located by the hole 14 in the basin 12. Similarly, the tube may be tight-fitted to the removable containment vessel via vessel fitting 48. It is also feasible the tube 44 (as indicated in FIG. 1) may simply rest inside the containment vessel 18, not requiring a vessel fitting 48. The tube 44 may or may not be partially, or wholly, removable.

Preferably the containment vessel 18, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 and suggested in various Figures, is located at a base of the stand 16, internally to the stand 16.

It may be beneficial (particularly in embodiments where the removable containment vessel 18 in not closed-topped or tight-fitted) that there be provided means of securing positioning of the vessel 18, substantially securing the vessel 18 to prevent tipping. Thus there is shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 a vessel securing element 50 at a base of the stand 16 to secure positioning of the vessel 18 and avoid tipping and/or spillage.

As shown in FIG. 2, the stand may have an open back so that the vessel 18 can be easily removed. However, it may be beneficial for the stand 16 to be (substantially) fully enclosed. In such a case, there are various ways of providing a means of removal (and thus replacement) of the vessel 18, such as, for example, the base of the stand 16 being open (not enclosed). So, for example, it may be possible for the urinal as shown in FIG. 3 to simply be lifted off a ground, thus revealing the vessel 18, which is left behind if the urinal 10 is lifted, since the invention 10 has an open base.

In alternate embodiments, there may be provided an openable and closable aperture 52 (doorway) in the stand 16 so that the aperture 52 can be opened to remove the vessel 18, the vessel 18 then being replaceable in the stand 16 with the aperture 52 being closable to enclose the vessel 18 within the stand 16. This is best shown in FIG. 4, where an aperture 52 on a side of the stand 16 is shown (shown in dashed lines).

Such an openable and closable door/aperture 52 may be located anywhere on the stand 16, such as a side of the stand 16, base/bottom of the stand 16, back of the stand 16, etc. The aperture/door 52 may have a lock system, such as a latch, or key, etc, which may prevent a child from being able to open the door/aperture 52.

The removable containment vessel 18 may have a handle and the like to facilitate easy removal by a user.

It may be beneficial to be able to see fill level of the vessel 18 so that it is obvious when to remove, empty, and replace the vessel 18. Thus there may be provided at least one viewing gap 54 in the stand (best shown in FIG. 3). A viewing gap 54 may simply be an aperture/hole in the stand 16. The at least one viewing gap 54 may have a covering element 55 (shown FIG. 7), such as transparent plastic, glass, plexiglass, etc. If the containment vessel 18 is transparent, the covering element may feasibly be coloured to mask colour of the urine in the vessel 18. It is also feasible that the vessel 18 itself is colouredly transparent, so that fill level can be seen in the vessel (and through a viewing gap 54 if a viewing gap 54 is provided), thus masking colour of the urine, which is deemed by some to be unpleasant. Thus the vessel 18 may, for example, by a substantially transparent blue colour. The vessel 18 may be made of any material, and may, for example, be plastic.

In an advanced embodiment, there may be provided a measuring element so that a viewer can see fill level of the removable containment vessel 18. A measuring element may, for example, simply be measurement or a fill level etched/printed etc on the stand 16 next to a viewing gap 54, so that it is clear to a viewer how full the removable containment vessel 18 is.

In an advanced embodiment of a measurement system 56 as shown in FIG. 4, there may be provided a viewing gap 54, and a floating element 58 which floats on the fluid contained in the containment vessel 18, thus showing fill level of the vessel 18 through the viewing gap 54, which may have a covering element such as plastic, plexiglass, etc. A measuring element is any part or element that facilitates display and/or demonstration of fill level of the removable containment vessel 18.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is shown in FIG. 8 a potty training urinal training and alert system 11, comprising: a basin 12, a surface for standing on 60, a sensor system for sensing the surface for standing on has been stood on (preferably provided by at least one pressure element 62), a wireless transmitter 64, and a separate receiving unit 66 for receiving a signal from the wireless transmitter 64. Preferably the urinal has a stand 16 and various other modifications as described with reference to the first aspect of the invention, such as a removable containment vessel, height adjustable stand, etc.

Intent of the system in that a guardian (for example a parent) may be alerted when a user (boy) is using the urinal via receiving of a signal on the receiver unit 66, which may light up, beep, or use any other method of denoting that a user (boy) is using the urinal, which signal is received from the wireless transmitter 64 when the at least one pressure element 62 is stood upon.

The sensor system is preferably (as shown) provided by at least one pressure element 62 for standing on, but may feasibly be provided by other means. For example, a sensor system may be provided by way of a light sensor that triggers a signal from the wireless transmitter when the surface for standing on in stood upon, thus sending a signal to the receiver unit 66 and alerting a guardian when a user (boy) is using the training urinal. Such an embodiment of a light sensor may trigger a signal when a light beam encounters a foot of a user, thus blocking the light beam. Thus the sensor system is not limited to having a pressure element and may be provided in many ways, which will be obvious to those with skill in the art.

Preferably the surface for standing on 60 is provided by way of a separate matt 68, although the surface may be, for example, incorporated as part of a base plate 42 in various embodiments, such as the base plate 42 as shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 4.

Preferably there is provided a left guide footprint 70L and a right guide footprint 70R to help a user stand in the right and/or desired place when using the urinal training and alert system 11.

Preferably there is provided a central blocking element 72 to further promote stepping on the at least one pressure element 62 by a user when using the urinal.

An example embodiment of the preferred embodiment of the surface for standing 60, (when it is provided by way of a separate matt 68), is shown in an exploded view in FIG. 9. There is shown the matt 68, a left guide footprint element 70L, a right guide footprint element 70R. There is shown a left pressure pad 74L for the left guide footprint element 70L, and a right pressure pad 74R for the right guide footprint 70R. Such pressure pads 74 may be made out of sponge and the like or any material.

It is feasible there is provided circuitry configured so that the wireless transmitter is only triggered when both a first pressure element within the left footprint guide 70L and a second pressure element within the right footprint guide 70R are both pressured.

There is shown a central raised blocking element 72 on the matt 68, which in a preferred embodiment has a secondary benefit of housing the wireless transmitter 64. The wireless transmitter is not shown in FIG. 9 and is only shown representationally in FIG. 8. The wireless transmitter 64 may be provided by any method, shape, or form for transmitting.

There is shown a wireless transmitter cover 76, and a wireless transmitter sealing 78.

There is shown a left tact switch 80L and a right tact switch 80R, a left switch cover 82L, right switch cover 82R, a left switch sealing 84L and a right switch sealing 84R. Thus internal elements of a preferred embodiment of the surface for standing on and pressure element(s) 62 are shown. The pressure pads 74 may act as buttons.

The separate receiving unit 66 preferably contains a receiver (which may be or include a receiver chip and the like), so that a signal can be received from the wireless transmitter 64 when the pressure element(s) 62 are stood upon and thus pressured.

In FIG. 10 a basic open view of the matt 60, 68 is shown, where there are shown pressure elements 62 and the wireless transmitter cover 76. Each of the pressure elements 62 are connecting to the wireless transmitter cover 76 via a connecting element 86. It is feasible the connecting elements 86 play a role in triggering a signal from the wireless transmitter 64.

The embodiments described above are provided by way of example only, and various other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A potty training urinal, comprising: a basin;a drainage hole in the basin;a stand;and a removable containment vessel.

2. A potty training urinal as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is provided a stabilising base.

3. A potty training urinal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the removable containment vessel is located at a base of the stand.

4. A potty training urinal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the removable containment vessel is located internally within the stand.

5. A potty training urinal as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is provided a vessel securing element to secure positioning of the removable containment vessel.

6. A potty training urinal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the removable containment vessel has a handle to facilitate easy removal by a user.

7. A potty training urinal as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is provided a flow channel to facilitate flow of urine from the basin into the removable containment vessel.

8. A potty training urinal as claimed in claim 7, wherein the flow channel is provided by way of a tube.

9. A potty training urinal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stand is a height adjustable stand.

10. A potty training urinal as claimed in claim 9, wherein there is provided an adjustment ring to facilitate height adjustment of the stand.

11. A potty training urinal as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is provided an openable and closable aperture for removing and replacing the removable containment vessel.

12. A potty training urinal as claimed in claim 11, wherein the openable and closable aperture is on an underside of the stand.

13. A potty training urinal as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is provided at least one viewing gap to view a fill level of urine deposited inside the containment vessel.

14. A potty training urinal as claimed in claim 13, wherein there is provided a covering element for the at least one viewing gap.

15. A potty training urinal as claimed in claim 14, wherein, in order to mask colour of fluid in the containment vessel, at least one of: the vessel is substantially transparent and coloured;the covering element is substantially transparent and coloured.

16. A potty training urinal as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is provided a measuring element to help a user gauge fill level of the removable containment vessel.

17. A potty training urinal as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is provided a game element in the basin to promote urination by a user.

18. A potty training urinal, comprising: a basin;a drainage hole in the basin;a height adjustable stand;a removable containment vessel;a tube to facilitate drainage of urine from the basin into the removable containment vessel; andat least one viewing gap.

19. A potty training urinal training and alert system, comprising: a basin;a surface for standing on;a sensor system for sensing the surface for standing on has been stood on;a wireless transmitter; anda separate receiving unit for receiving a signal from the wireless transmitter.

20. A potty training urinal training and alert system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the sensor system is provided by way of at least one pressure element.