Patent Application
20210022569
The present disclosure relates generally to a toilet seat cover. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a toilet seat cover for children.
Teaching a young child to use a toilet is an important step in the child's development. A child can gain a sense of independence, accomplishment, and self-confidence by mastering toilet use and growing out of the need for diapers. Due to the expense, inconvenience, and unpleasantness of changing wet or soiled diapers, parents and caretakers of small children are motivated to toilet train those children as young as possible.
However, due to a child's small size, using a regular-sized toilet can be intimidating and unsanitary. The size of the toilet opening means that the child is at risk of falling into the toilet water. To brace themselves from such an outcome, many children grab whatever surfaces are available to them, which usually means they are touching germ-covered areas on the toilet sides or seat.
To aid children with these problems, there exists many miniature “potty-training” toilet devices. Some such training toilets are stand-alone devices that have an internal reservoir that the caretaker empties after each use. Other training toilets are seats that rest upon a standard toilet seat but provide a smaller seating surface appropriate for the young child's smaller physical makeup. Either of these types of potty-training devices, and others, can help a child feel less scared and more willing to learn to use the toilet.
However, these potty-training devices are cumbersome and therefore difficult to bring to other locations outside the home. Thus, when venturing out in public with a child being potty-trained, many caretakers are not inclined to bring with them their potty-training device. As a result, when a young child needs to relieve herself at a location with public restrooms, the unfamiliarity of the toilets there only amplify her fears of, and difficulties in, using the toilet. Moreover, public restrooms may be (or at least are perceived to be) less sanitary than a private or residential restroom. These factors may result in an unpleasant experience for both child and caretaker.
In one embodiment, a toilet seat cover is disclosed. The toilet seat cover includes a top sheet, an adhesive coating, a removal tab, and a backing sheet. The top sheet has a void defined therethrough. The adhesive coating is on a back surface of the top sheet. The removal tab is at a first edge of the top sheet. The removal tab is defined by a portion of the top sheet that has a nonadhesive back surface. The backing sheet is temporarily adhered to the adhesive coating.
In another embodiment, a method for using a toilet is disclosed. The method includes providing a toilet seat cover. The toilet seat cover includes a top sheet having a void defined therethrough, an adhesive coating on a back surface of the top sheet, a backing sheet temporarily adhered to the adhesive coating, and a removal tab defined by a portion of the toilet seat cover having a nonadhesive back surface. The method further includes separating the backing sheet from the top sheet, placing the top sheet onto a toilet seat of the toilet, thereby temporarily adhering said top sheet to the toilet seat by the adhesive coating, and following urination or defecation into the toilet, removing the toilet seat cover by pulling the removal tab.
In another embodiment, a toilet seat cover is disclosed. The toilet seat cover includes a top sheet, an adhesive coating, and a removal tab. The top sheet has a void defined therethrough. The adhesive coating is on a back surface of the top sheet. The removal tab is defined by a portion of the toilet seat cover having a nonadhesive back surface.
The present disclosure will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are intended to be read in conjunction with both this summary, the detailed description, and any preferred or particular embodiments specifically discussed or otherwise disclosed. This disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of illustration only so that this disclosure will be thorough, and fully convey the full scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present disclosure are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified.
Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present disclosure are described with reference to the following figures.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present disclosure. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present disclosure.
In the following description, reference is made to exemplary embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the concepts disclosed herein, and it is to be understood that modifications to the various disclosed embodiments may be made, and other embodiments may be utilized, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “one example,” or “an example” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” “one example,” or “an example” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable combinations and/or sub-combinations in one or more embodiments or examples.
Embodiments of the present disclosure include a toilet seat cover and methods for use of the same. Such embodiments may include a disposable, single-use toilet seat cover. In embodiments, the toilet seat cover comprises a flexible, essentially flat sheet with a void therethrough. Embodiments include a back surface coating of nonpermanent adhesive for temporarily adhering the toilet seat cover to a toilet seat. One embodiment of the present disclosure can be folded into a small packet prior to use and/or after use.
Referring to
In embodiments, toilet seat cover 100 has several different configurations, whereas a user or caretaker may transition toilet seat cover 100 from one configuration to another. In particular, one configuration of toilet seat cover 100, depicted in
Embodiments of toilet seat cover 100 include a top sheet 110. According to various embodiments, top sheet 110 of toilet seat cover 100 has a material thickness sufficient to impart sufficient tensile strength and durability as may be expected according to the purposes of toilet seat cover 100 described herein. In particular, top sheet 110 may have tensile strength sufficient to hold the weight of a child sitting upon a portion of toilet seat cover 100 that is suspended between the opposing sides of a toilet seat. It may be desirable that toilet seat cover 100 be made of a material that is resistant to stretching or other deformation while under such conditions. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, materials are used that exhibit limited or reduced stretching. As would be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure, numerous different formulations of plastics and other materials may satisfy the foregoing criteria for the toilet seat cover 100 material(s) of manufacture.
In one embodiment, top sheet 110 comprises a plastic sheet having a thickness of approximately 3 millimeters. In another embodiment, top sheet 110 comprises a plastic sheet having a thickness between 3 millimeters and 4 millimeters. In another embodiment, top sheet 110 comprises a plastic sheet having a thickness of approximately 4 millimeters. In another embodiment, top sheet 110 comprises a plastic sheet having a thickness between 4 millimeters and 5 millimeters. In another embodiment, top sheet 110 comprises a plastic sheet having a thickness of approximately 5 millimeters. In another embodiment, top sheet 110 comprises a plastic sheet having a thickness between 5 millimeters and 6 millimeters. In another embodiment, top sheet 110 comprises a plastic sheet having a thickness of approximately 6 millimeters. In another embodiment, top sheet 110 comprises a plastic sheet having a thickness of greater than 6 millimeters. In another embodiment, top sheet 110 comprises a plastic sheet having a thickness of less than 3 millimeters. In various embodiments, top sheet 110 comprises a transparent, translucent, and/or an opaque sheet.
In the present disclosure, the terms “approximate,” “approximately,” and other like terms mean a quantity with a reasonably ascertainable precision to the stated dimension. In one example, “approximately” means within one-half of the stated dimensional unit. For example, “approximately 4 millimeters” can be understood to mean between and including 3.5 and 4.5 millimeters. In another example, “approximately” means within one of the stated dimensional unit. For example, “approximately 4 millimeters” can be understood to mean between and including 3 and 5 millimeters. In another example, “approximately” means within ten percent of the stated dimension. For example, “approximately 4 millimeters” can be understood to mean between and including 3.6 and 4.4 millimeters. In another example, “approximately” means within twenty percent of the stated dimension. It is to be understood that other thicknesses of top sheet 110 may fall within the scope of this disclosure.
In various embodiments, top sheet 110 has a nonpermanent adhesive layer on its bottom surface. Said adhesive layer may be deposed across the bottom surface in sufficient thickness and composition so as to impart reasonable adhesion to a toilet seat when toilet seat cover 100 is deployed and temporarily adhered to the toilet seat as will be described herein.
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Embodiments of the present disclosure comprise a connecting strip or connecting seam 170. Located at the respective bottom edges of top sheet 110 and backing sheet 130, connecting strip 170 joins said respective bottom edges of top sheet 110 and of backing sheet 130 together, such that while toilet seat cover 100 is deployed and top sheet 110 and backing sheet 130 are pulled apart, connecting strip 170 maintains top sheet 110 and backing sheet 130 fixed to each other along their respective bottom edges. In embodiments, connecting strip 170 comprises a permanent or semi-permanent adhesive that fastens top sheet 110 and backing sheet 130. In one embodiment, top sheet 110 and backing sheet 130 are joined at connecting strip 170 by an adhesive tape folded over their respective bottom edges. In another embodiment, top sheet 110 and backing sheet 130 are treated with elevated temperatures to form a joining seam within connecting strip 170. In various embodiments, top sheet 110 and backing sheet 130 are joined at connecting strip 170 by other means.
Embodiments of toilet seat cover 100 comprise side flaps 180, 182 at each lateral side. In embodiments, side flaps are adapted to overhang the edges of a toilet seat to which toilet seat cover 100 is adhered while deployed. In such a configuration, side flaps 180, 182 may act to provide sanitary shields for the child using the toilet by preventing contact of the child's hands with the toilet seat or toilet side surfaces.
In one embodiment of the present disclosure, side flaps 180, 182 have no adhesives disposed thereon, such that they may freely hang downward while toilet seat cover 100 is deployed, but do not adhere to surfaces of a toilet seat or toilet. Alternatively, side flaps 180, 182 have adhesive coatings on back surfaces, but backing substrates adhered thereto are discontinuous to the backing sheet 130 such that side flap backing substrates may remain thereon even after removal of the backing sheet 130 from the top sheet 110. In other words, it may be stated that the side flaps 180, 182 have nonadhesive back surfaces. In another embodiment, side flaps 180, 182 have nonpermanent adhesive on their underside surfaces, such that they may adhere to surfaces of a toilet seat or toilet while toilet seat cover 100 is deployed. In such an embodiment, adhesion of side flaps 180, 182 may increase the weight-bearing capacity of toilet seat cover 100 by providing additional surface area for adhesion between the toilet and/or toilet seat and toilet seat cover 100.
In various embodiments, toilet seat cover 100 comprises top sheet removal tabs 150, 152 on either side of installation tab 140 at or near top edge of toilet seat cover 100. In various embodiments, removal tabs 150, 152 have backing substrate discontinuous from both backing sheet 130 and backing strip 145, such that removal of backing sheet 130 and/or backing strip 145 does not cause the backing substrate of removal tabs 150, 152 to separate from removal tabs 150, 152. In one embodiment, removal tabs 150, 152 each have a respective backing substrate affixed thereto with a nonremovable or permanent adhesive, or an adhesive that is stronger than a nonpermanent and/or temporary adhesive. In another embodiment, removal tabs 150, 152 includes no adhesive substance. In other words, it may be stated that the removal tabs 150, 152 have nonadhesive back surfaces. In either of the foregoing embodiments, during the deployment process of toilet seat cover 100, removal tabs 150, 152 do not adhere to any surface of the toilet seat or toilet. As a result, removal tabs 150, 152 provide grabbable strips for removing a deployed toilet seat cover 100 from a toilet seat. Embodiments of removal tabs 150, 152 are situated so that one may peel a deployed toilet seat cover 100 from a toilet seat by pulling on removal tabs 150, 152 in a direction up and away from said toilet seat. In one embodiment, removal tabs 150, 152 are integral to the substrate of top sheet 110. In another embodiment, removal tabs 150, 152 are affixed to top sheet 110 with sufficient tensile strength to resist separation that may result from pulling removal tabs 150, 152 away from a toilet seat. In one embodiment, removal tabs 150, 152 have a substrate material different from the material of which top sheet 110 is composed.
In the present disclosure, description is made of nonpermanent adhesives or adhesive layers on toilet seat cover 100 or parts thereof. Reference to said adhesives or adhesive layers may include various adhesive types and may be known in the art by various names including, but not limited to, removable adhesive, repositional adhesive, non-structural adhesive, temporary adhesive, and tacky adhesive. In some embodiments, different types and/or compositions of adhesives may be applied to different areas of top sheet 110 or other sections of toilet seat cover 100 as may befit the particular function and/or anticipated use of each particular section. In some embodiments, it may be desirable to use an adhesive that has a high degree of adherence to top sheet 110 and to ceramic, plastic, and/or other typical toilet seat materials so that while deployed and thus suspended between opposing sides of a toilet seat, toilet seat cover 100 can support the weight of a child thereon without significant drooping or shear slippage. At the same time, it may further be desirable to use an adhesive that has a sufficiently low adherence to ceramic, plastic, and/or other typical toilet seat materials so that little or no residual adhesive matter remains on the toilet seat and/or toilet following removal of toilet seat cover 100 therefrom.
Some embodiments of the present disclosure comprise top sheet structural reinforcements to enhance the tensile strength of the top sheet 110 and prevent or mitigate undesirable stretching and/or sagging. Said structural reinforcements may have the effective result of increasing the weight bearing capacity of the toilet seat cover 100. In various embodiments, reinforcements comprise additional plastic or other material affixed to or joined with the top sheet 100 at select locations such as anticipated stress points. In other embodiments, reinforcements comprise thicker and/or stronger top sheet 100 material at select locations. In some embodiments, reinforcements comprise additional adhesive coatings at select locations.
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According to one embodiment, a folded pre-deployed toilet seat cover 100 may be folded by first creating multiple roll folds in the longitudinal L direction, with the crease of each roll fold parallel to the width W of toilet seat cover 100, and then tri-folding the toilet seat cover 100 with folds perpendicular to the roll folds. The term “roll fold” may also be known as a spiral fold or barrel fold. In this embodiment, the first roll fold is created by folding the bottom edge of toilet seat cover 100, where connecting strip 170 is located, up and toward the top edge of toilet seat cover 100, where installation tab 140 is located, thereby forming the first folded panel. Each roll fold may be repeated thusly until the folded panels meet the top edge. The longitudinal size of the folded panels (in other words, the distance between each roll fold crease) may be selected according to a desired folded size. Upon completing the roll folds, the left and right sides may each be folded inward in a tri-fold fashion to result in the folded pre-deployed configuration. It is to be understood that the scope of the present disclosure encompasses other folding methods, any of which may result in a folded pre-deployed configuration. For example, accordion folds may be made instead of roll folds. In some embodiments, various combinations of roll folds, accordion folds, or other fold types may be utilized to result in a folded pre-deployed toilet seat cover 100.
In operation, a toilet seat cover 100 as disclosed and described herein may aid a child or other user to use a standard-sized toilet comfortably and sanitarily. In various embodiments, a parent or other caretaker may assist the child by deploying and/or removing the toilet seat cover 100 onto and/or from the toilet seat, by lifting the child on and/or off the toilet seat, or by accomplishing other helpful duties on the child's behalf. In some cases, a user may be able to deploy toilet seat cover 100, use the toilet, and remove the toilet seat cover 100 from the toilet seat without assistance from another person.
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Due to the location of the hanging backing sheet 130, the child's legs may be shielded from unsanitary surfaces on the front of the toilet. Further, side flaps 180, 182 may prevent the child from touching unsanitary surfaces on each side of the toilet seat 600 and/or toilet. As may be understood by parents and other caretakers, children may have a propensity to support their weight over a toilet by putting their hands on the sides of a toilet seat and grasping the toilet seat. In various embodiments of the present disclosure, side flaps 180, 182 may allow a child to grasp the sides of a toilet seat or other nearby surfaces while shielding the child from unsanitary contact.
Following completion of use of the toilet, toilet seat cover 100 may be removed from toilet seat 600 by grasping removal tabs 150, 152 and pulling them away from toilet seat 600 as shown in
In embodiments described throughout the present disclosure, reference has been made to deployment of toilet seat covers onto a toilet seat. However, under some circumstances, a toilet may not have a toilet seat or a toilet seat may, in the judgment of a caretake and/or child, be too soiled or otherwise unsuitable for deployment of a toilet seat cover. In these cases and/or under other circumstances, a toilet seat cover as described herein may be deployed by adhering directly to the rim of a toilet bowl by following steps similar to those disclosed above. In such cases, the toilet seat cover may yet provide sanitary and comfort-related benefits to its user.
Although the present disclosure is described in terms of certain preferred embodiments, other embodiments will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, given the benefit of this disclosure, including embodiments that do not provide all of the benefits and features set forth herein, which are also within the scope of this disclosure. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
