Patent Application
20230220657
The present invention relates generally to urinal screens that reduce splash, and, more particularly, relates to a urinal screen configured to allow the urinal screen to adapt to various urinal basin shapes.
A urinal, often installed for efficiency when compared to a general purpose toilet, is a sanitary plumbing fixture commonly located in male restrooms. The use of a urinal, in comparison to a general purpose toilet, is often more convenient for a user due to the absence of additional doors and locks. As an added convenience, urinals do not require a user to turn up a seat prior to use, which is both convenient and generally more sanitary than the toilet. Moreover, urinals occupy less space and consume less water per flush, or possibly no water at all, than a toilet which requires flushing.
Devices designed to be placed within urinals are well-known. For example, urinals found in public restrooms often have a plastic mesh guard to prevent large debris from entering the drain. Unfortunately, such plastic mesh guards fail to reduce or prevent the splashing of urine onto the user. In fact, such plastic mesh guards may actually increase the risk of the user being splashed by the urine as the urine ricochets from the plastic mesh guard. Moreover, these plastic mesh guards do not prevent the splashing of urine that is directed towards the back wall of the urinal.
Other known devices designed to be placed within urinals, often referred to as urinal screens or occasionally as urinal screens, are sized and shaped to cover either the urinal's back wall or the drain. Such urinal screens do not allow the user the option of covering both the back wall and the drain to prevent the urine from splashing onto the user from a maximum surface area of the urinal. Moreover, some urinal screens are made of a rigid material that may fail to conform to the various sizes and shapes of urinals.
Additional known devices designed for placement within a urinal often include protrusions that are densely compacted together, preventing a urine stream from flowing in a vertical direction toward the urinal screen. In this vein, such devices rely on the protrusions to break up the urine stream, leaving urine deposited on the protrusions, resulting in an unpleasant odor and the need for increased cleaning frequency of the device. Moreover, many urinal screens include urinal cakes or deodorizers which require costly and frequent replacement.
A particular problem with urinal design with respect to the design of mats or screens to prevent splashing in urinals is the variety of shapes in which urinals configured. For example, some urinals have rounded basins, while others have a narrower, more pointed basin. Accordingly, to optimize the anti-splash aspect of a urinal screen, it must fit properly in the basin. As a result, there are a similar variety of urinal screens provided for variously shaped urinal basins. However, this necessitates different molding tools to manufacture the different urinal screen shapes, it requires stocking the different urinal screen devices, and so on.
Another problem with urinal screens is that when they are configured for a particular basin shape, they can be moved out of position upon flushing of the urinal. The force of the water can move the screen, of course, but it is also common for a slow draining basin to fill to a point where the screen can float, and then be displaced upon the fully draining after a flush. As a result, some of the area intended to be covered by the screen may be exposed and subject to causing splash.
Therefore, a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art as discussed above.
In accordance with some embodiments of the inventive disclosure, there is provided a urinal screen that includes a body sheet including a perimeter defining a front, a rear, a first side, and a second side, a first axis defined from the front to the rear, a second axis defined from the first side to the second side, wherein the first axis and the second axis are at a right angle to each other. The urinal screen further includes an interior of the body sheet having a web of openings through the body sheet bounded by intersecting lines of material forming a plurality of nodes where lines of material intersect and a plurality of links between nodes along sides of openings. The urinal screen further includes a plurality of protrusions formed on the lines of material on a top side of the body sheet. The urinal screen additional has a suction cup support, on a bottom side of the body sheet opposite the top side of the body sheet, that is configured to support a suction cup.
In accordance with a further feature, the suction cup support includes a support wall that extends from the bottom side of the body sheet to a tab that extends away from the support wall in a direction towards the rear of the body sheet.
In accordance with a further feature, the suction cup support includes an integrally formed suction cup at the tab.
In accordance with a further feature, the tab includes an opening that is configured to receive a retaining head of a suction cup to retain the suction cup.
In accordance with a further feature, there is further included at least one longitudinal fold line formed parallel to the first axis wherein portions of the lines of material are broken along the at least one longitudinal fold line.
In accordance with a further feature, the at least one longitudinal fold line comprises two longitudinal fold lines include a first longitudinal fold line and second longitudinal fold line, wherein the first and second longitudinal fold lines are located on opposite sides of the first axis and are equidistant from the longitudinal axis.
In accordance with a further feature, the plurality of protrusions include a first plurality of protrusions wherein each protrusion of the first plurality of protrusions is located at a respective one of the plurality of nodes, and a second plurality of protrusions wherein each protrusion of the second plurality of protrusions is located at a respective one of the plurality of links.
In accordance with a further feature, the first plurality of protrusions have a first height, the second plurality of protrusions have a second height, and wherein the first height and the second height are different.
In accordance with a further feature, each of the openings has a regular rhombus shape and each of the openings are commonly oriented.
In accordance with a further feature, there is further included, on a bottom side of the body sheet, opposite the top side of the body sheet, at least one forward diverter wall that extends from the bottom side of the body sheet along the longitudinal fold line between the crosswise fold line and the front apex, and at least one rearward diverter wall that extends from the bottom side of the body sheet along the longitudinal fold line between the crosswise fold line and the rear apex
In accordance with a further feature, there is further includes at least two forward standoffs extending from the bottom side of the body sheet between the crosswise fold line and the front apex and on opposite sides of the first axis, and at least two rearward standoffs extending from the bottom side of the body sheet between the crosswise fold line and the rear of the body sheet and on opposite sides of the first axis, wherein the at least two rearward standoffs extend farther from the bottom side of the body sheet than the at least two forward standoffs.
In accordance with some embodiments of the inventive disclosure, there is provided a method that includes providing a urinal screen having a body sheet including a perimeter defining a front, a rear, a first side, and a second side, a first axis defined from the front to the rear, a second axis defined from the first side to the second side, wherein the first axis and the second axis are at a right angle to each other. The urinal screen is further provided with an interior of the body sheet having a web of openings through the body sheet bounded by intersecting lines of material forming a plurality of nodes where lines of material intersect and a plurality of links between nodes along sides of openings. The urinal screen is further provided with a plurality of protrusions formed on the lines of material on a top side of the body sheet, and a suction cup support, on a bottom side of the body sheet opposite the top side of the body sheet, that includes a suction cup. The method further includes placing the urinal screen in a basin of a urinal, and
affixing the suction cup to a surface of the basin.
In accordance with a further feature, providing the urinal screen further comprises providing the body sheet having a kite shape having at least one fold line along either the first axis of the second axis, wherein the fold line comprises break in the intersecting lines of material.
In accordance with a further feature, the suction cup support includes a support wall that extends from the bottom side of the body sheet to a tab that extends away from the support wall in a direction towards the rear of the body sheet.
In accordance with a further feature, the tab includes an opening through which a retaining head of the suction cup is mounted to retain the suction cup to the tab.
In accordance with some embodiments of the inventive disclosure, there is provided a urinal screen that includes a body sheet including a perimeter defining a front, a rear, a first side, and a second side, a first axis defined from the front to the rear, a second axis defined from the first side to the second side. The first axis and the second axis are at a right angle to each other. The body sheet also includes an interior having a web of openings through the body sheet bounded by intersecting lines of material forming a plurality of nodes where lines of material intersect and a plurality of links between nodes along sides of openings. The body sheet also includes a plurality of protrusions formed on the lines of material on a top side of the body sheet, at least one forward diverter wall that extends from a bottom side of the body sheet between the second axis and the front of the body sheet, and at least one rearward diverter wall that extends from the bottom side of the body sheet between the second axis and the rear of the body sheet.
In accordance with a further feature, there is further included a flat region that lacks protrusion and openings formed in the sheet body.
In accordance with a further feature, there is further included a suction cup support, on a bottom side of the body sheet opposite the top side of the body sheet, that includes a suction cup.
In accordance with a further feature, the suction cup is integrally formed with the suction cup support.
In accordance with a further feature, the suction cup is retained in the suction cup support.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a urinal screen, it is, nevertheless, not intended to be limited to the details shown because various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. Additionally, well-known elements of exemplary embodiments of the invention will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as not to obscure the relevant details of the invention.
Other features that are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims. As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one of ordinary skill in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting; but rather, to provide an understandable description of the invention. While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals are carried forward. The figures of the drawings are not drawn to scale.
Before the present invention is disclosed and described, it is to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. The terms “a” or “an,” as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. The term “plurality,” as used herein, is defined as two or more than two. The term “another,” as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms “including” and/or “having,” as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language). The term “coupled,” as used herein, is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically. The term “providing” is defined herein in its broadest sense, e.g., bringing/coming into physical existence, making available, and/or supplying to someone or something, in whole or in multiple parts at once or over a period of time.
“In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise specified, azimuth or positional relationships indicated by terms such as “up”, “down”, “left”, “right”, “inside”, “outside”, “front”, “back”, “head”, “tail” and so on, are azimuth or positional relationships based on the drawings, which are only to facilitate description of the embodiments of the present invention and simplify the description, but not to indicate or imply that the devices or components must have a specific azimuth, or be constructed or operated in the specific azimuth, which thus cannot be understood as a limitation to the embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, terms such as “first”, “second”, “third” and so on are only used for descriptive purposes, and cannot be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.
In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly defined and limited, terms such as “installed”, “coupled”, “connected” should be broadly interpreted, for example, it may be fixedly connected, or may be detachably connected, or integrally connected; it may be mechanically connected, or may be electrically connected; it may be directly connected, or may be indirectly connected via an intermediate medium. As used herein, the terms “about” or “approximately” apply to all numeric values, whether or not explicitly indicated. These terms generally refer to a range of numbers that one of skill in the art would consider equivalent to the recited values (i.e., having the same function or result). In many instances these terms may include numbers that are rounded to the nearest significant figure. In this document, the term “longitudinal” should be understood to mean in a direction corresponding to an elongated direction of the longitudinal axis. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of the above-mentioned terms in the embodiments of the present invention according to the specific circumstances.
The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views and which together with the detailed description below are incorporated in and form part of the specification, serve to further illustrate various embodiments and explain various principles and advantages all in accordance with the present invention.
While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals are carried forward. It is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which can be embodied in various forms.
In general, the body 102 is sheet-like, having a top side on one major surface, and the bottom side opposite the top side forming another major surface, wherein the body 102 has a perimeter that is bounded along the sides of the kite-shape. The body has a front, rear, and opposite sides. The front can be at the front apex, the rear at the rear apex, and so on. When placed into a urinal basin, the rear apex 104 is placed at the rear of the basin and the front apex is placed at the front of the basin, which will be closest to the user. That is, the front of the body 102 is intended to be located at the front of the basin, and the rear of the body 102 is intended to be at the rear of the basin of the urinal, or farthest from the user of the urinal. Although shown here with a crosswise fold line along the crosswise axis 114, the crosswise fold line can be parallel to, but offset from the crosswise axis in some embodiments, on the rear or front side of the crosswise axis (i.e. closer to the rear apex 104 or the front apex 106). Further, there can be more than one crosswise fold line. In some embodiments it is contemplated that there may be a single longitudinal fold line along the longitudinal axis 108.
The urinal screen 100 represents an abstraction to clearly show the major features of the urinal screen being disclosed in accordance with embodiments of the invention. In particular, the urinal screen 100 of the inventive disclosure includes a kite-shaped body 102, with at least one crosswise fold line and at least one longitudinal fold line. The kite shape is used for urinal screens that fit in urinals with kite- shaped basins. Other shapes may be more appropriate for urinal that have basins of other shapes. In addition to the fold line features, the urinal screen can include anti-splash protrusions that extend from the top side and are disposed around openings through the body 102 that allow fluid from a fluid stream incident on the urinal screen to pass through the body and reduce splashing of the fluid. The bottom side of the urinal screen (opposite that in view here) can include features intended to raise the body of the urinal screen off the surface of the urinal basin to allow fluid to flow under the urinal screen into the urinal drain. These and other features will be shown in the subsequent illustrations.
Returning now to
A crosswise fold line can be formed along the crosswise axis 220 by breaking the lines of material 202 at points along the crosswise axis to form extended openings 222, where the nodes 402 of material are removed at one or more intersection points on the crosswise axis 220. In the example shown, the extended openings are formed by breaking the intersecting points at two consecutive locations along the crosswise axis. As used here, “breaking” and “broken” means that there is an absence of material along a line of material that results in adjacent ones of the openings being joined to form an extended opening, which can be created by the shape of a mold used to form the urinal screen, and does not necessarily mean that a person, for example, uses to tool to break the connections. In other words, the lines of material are broken at the crosswise axis 220 at certain locations to create the extended openings 222. However, not all of the node points on the crosswise axis 220 are broken, thus there are a plurality of extended openings 222 alternating with joined sections of the intersecting lines 206.
Likewise, there are longitudinal fold lines 228, 230 that are parallel to the longitudinal axis 218, and offset from the longitudinal axis 218. The longitudinal fold lines 228, 230 are formed by broken section of the intersecting lines 206 that create extended openings 226, which can intersect with the crosswise extended openings 222 along the crosswise axis 220. As with the crosswise fold lines, the extended openings 226 have non-broken portions between them along the longitudinal fold lines 228, 230. Thus, both the crosswise fold lines and longitudinal fold lines 228, 230 facilitate bending or folding of the body 202 along these lines due to the lack of material along the fold lines relative to other portions of the body 202.
In some embodiments there can be a flat region 234 proximate to the rear apex 212 on which printing can be placed (i.e. branding). The flat region 234 lacks protrusions or openings on or through the body. The support wall 708 can extend from the flat region at the bottom side 702. The flat region 234 allows a logo, advertising, or other graphical elements to be printed or otherwise placed on the urinal screen.
In the present exemplary embodiment the body 902 includes two longitudinal fold lines 920, 922 and 924, 926 on each side of the longitudinal axis 908. As in the prior embodiments, the fold lines are created by omitting material between adjacent openings 918 along the fold lines to join the openings into extended openings in the longitudinal direction (to create longitudinal fold lines). In some embodiments every other link of material 916 is omitted between openings forming successive extended openings along the longitudinal fold lines 920, 922, 924, 926. In some embodiments there can be longitudinal fold lines 922, 924 that about one quarter of the distance between the longitudinal axis 908 and the respective side apexes 910, 912. These can be referred to as the inner longitudinal fold lines 922, 924. Outer longitudinal fold lines 920, 926 can be about two thirds of the distance from the longitudinal axis 908 to the respective apexes 910, 912. A crosswise fold line is similarly formed along the crosswise axis 914 by omitting some of the links of material on the crosswise axis 914 to join adjacent openings 916 into extended openings. Furthermore, a generally circular arrangement of extended openings is formed centered on the longitudinal axis 908 between the front apex 906 and the crosswise axis 914 by crosswise extended openings 930, longitudinal extended openings 932, and diagonal extended openings 928, 934. The pattern here can also be described as being octagonal, but it is generally regular polygon approximating a circle. These extended openings 928, 930, 932, 934 each join three adjacent openings in succession along a line. The diagonal extended openings 928, 934 can also be joined to a fourth opening from their central opening on the diagonal line. The generally circular pattern of extended opening 928, 930, 932, 934 allow relief in the center of the body 902 for features, either fixed or added, that may be found in the bottom of a urinal, such as a drain domed drain cover. In general, it has been found that the urinal screen 900 provides advantages in certain urinal designs over that of urinal screen 200, and vice versa. Further, the bottom side of the urinal screen 900 can be substantially similar to that shown in
A urinal screen has been disclosed that includes a body sheet that can have fold lines that pass parallel to a symmetric axis and which pass at a right angle to those. The symmetric axis is a longitudinal axis about which the urinal screen is symmetric. The fold lines are formed by extending a joining openings through the body in a line which allows the portions of the body to bend/fold relative to each other much easier than other portions of the body. The fold lines are placed in consideration of the designs of various urinal basins known to be used to allow the urinal screen to fit into urinal basins without unwanted movement that can occur with flushing.
The claims appended hereto are meant to cover all modifications and changes within the scope and spirit of the present invention. Docket No.
This application is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/573,359, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 17573359 | Jan 2022 | US |
| Child | 18076173 | US |
