Disposable sanitary cover for a toilet and related methods of use
Inactive Publication Date: 2009-07-23
SSS VENTURES INT CORP
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- Abstract
- Description
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Benefits of technology
[0014]The continuous single sheet may dissolve sufficiently within about 15 to about 30 seconds of being placed in the water-based liquid, to permit the entire continuous single sheet to be deformed in response to flushing of the toilet such that the entire continuous single sheet may be flushed down the toilet without clogging the toilet.
[0032]The entire sheet may dissolve sufficiently within about 15 to about 30 seconds of being placed in the water-based liquid, to permit the sheet to be deformed in response to flushing of the toilet such that the entire the sheet may be flushed down the toilet without clogging the toilet.
[0034]In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of securing a disposable sanitary cover to a toilet. The method involves covering a seat of the toilet with a continuous single sheet of material dimensioned to cover the seat, the sheet comprising a front portion, first and second side portions, and a rear portion, all surrounding a generally central opening of the sheet aligned to register with an opening in the seat, the first and second side portions including respective first and second side overhanging portions dimensioned to hang over respective first and second side portions of the seat. The method also involves tucking the first and second side overhanging portions under respective first and second side portions of the seat such that the first and second side overhanging portions are held between bottom surface portions of the seat and corresponding top surface portions of an underlying toilet bowl of the toilet, to cause the sheet to be secured to the toilet.
[0038]Some portions of the sheet may be disposed adjacent the at least one protrusion so as to be interposed between a user and the toilet to protect the user from accidental contact with the toilet in the vicinity of the at least one protrusion when the user reaches to grasp the at least one protrusion.
[0048]The entire sheet may dissolve sufficiently within about 15 to about 30 seconds of being placed in the water-based liquid, to permit the sheet to be deformed in response to flushing of the toilet such that the entire sheet may be flushed down the toilet without clogging the toilet.
Problems solved by technology
Many public toilet facilities are dirty and offensive.
Moreover, it is well known that physical contact with such toilet facilities can be hazardous to one's health.
Unfortunately, prior art sanitary covers are typically deficient in a number of respects.
Prior art sanitary covers offer only partial protection if they cover only the toilet seat itself, but do not protect the user from inadvertent contact with the front, side or inside portions of the toilet bowl, which may also be contaminated.
While a few larger covers have been made available, they too do not necessarily protect the user, since they tend to cling to the user, and may slip and slide on the top of the toilet seat during use, thereby creating a risk of unwanted contact with the toilet facility.
However, this often causes adhesive residue to be left behind on the top of the toilet seat.
In some cases, the cover may be torn if the adhesive does not properly release from the toilet seat during removal, leaving an unsanitary mess for someone to scrape off the toilet seat.
In any event, using adhesive adds to the cost and complexity of manufacturing and packaging the sanitary cover.
However, the act of removing the toilet seat cover also incurs the risk of unwanted contact with the toilet since most toilet seat covers do not include any provisions to facilitate removal of the cover.
Although some toilet seat covers have provided flaps which may be grasped during removal, these flaps may be unsanitary if they have been in direct contact with the toilet facility or with effluent.
Moreover, existing flaps are often disposed at locations that expose the user to the risk of unwanted contact with the toilet facility as he or she reaches for the flap.
If the sanitary cover has been left on the toilet by a previous user, then the user is faced with the additional problem of finding a portion of the toilet seat cover which has not touched the previous user.
The paper and plastic-based covers of the prior art are typically unsuitable for disposal in the toilet itself because they comprise material which cannot readily disintegrate or dissolve in water.
Despite this, in their desire to quickly and conveniently dispose of used sanitary covers, users often throw the covers into the toilet, thereby causing clogging and overflow of the toilet when it is flushed.
While it is expected that the sub-pieces will be further disintegrated or dissolved by the higher-temperature water and waste-treatment action of an effluent treatment plant, it will be appreciated that the cover may nonetheless cause plumbing problems enroute if the sub-pieces are relatively large.
Also, sanitary cover designs which use multiple parts, layers, or materials, are more complex and costly to manufacture.
Covers made from material akin to toilet tissue may disintegrate into small pieces in water, but they also tend to be porous and lack structural integrity, therefore they fail to provide adequate protection.
Therefore, the prior art has not adequately addressed the need to quickly and conveniently dispose of used sanitary toilet covers without clogging the toilet.
Method used
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[0069]Referring to FIGS. 1 and 7, a disposable sanitary cover for a toilet is shown generally at 20. The cover 20 comprises a continuous single sheet 24 dimensioned to cover a seat 26 of a standard toilet 22 when deployed thereon. The sheet 24 includes a front portion 28, first and second side portions 30 and 32, and a rear portion 34, all surrounding a generally central opening 36 of the sheet 24. The central opening 36 is operable to be registered with an opening 38 in the seat 26 when the sheet 24 is deployed and suitably aligned on the toilet 22, as shown in FIGS. 7, 10 and 13. In this embodiment, the sheet 24 may include an inner flap portion 25 operable to be hung down inside the toilet bowl adjacent the front of the toilet 22 to protect male users from contact therewith, although in some embodiments this feature may be omitted. Generally, the sheet 24 has a top surface 76 for contacting a user and a bottom surface 78 for contacting the toilet 22 and forms a sanitary physical ...
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Abstract
A disposable sanitary cover for a toilet and methods of using the cover. The cover includes a continuous single sheet dimensioned to cover a seat of the toilet and has a front portion, first and second side portions, and a rear portion, all surrounding a generally central opening of the sheet. The sheet may comprise a material which substantially dissolves in response to being placed in a water-based liquid having a temperature within a pre-selected temperature range. The cover may be secured to the seat by means of first and second side overhanging portions of the sheet which are operable to be tucked underneath the seat. The sheet may have a front overhanging portion enveloping front portions of the seat and toilet and connected to the first and second side overhanging portions to form a pocket. The sheet may have at least one protrusion oriented to protrude in a direction away from the toilet, and operable to be used as a sanitary grip to facilitate removal of the sheet from the toilet seat.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of Invention[0002]This invention relates generally to sanitation and the protection of health, and more particularly, to a disposable sanitary cover for a toilet and to methods of using the cover.[0003]2. Description of Related Art[0004]Many public toilet facilities are dirty and offensive. Moreover, it is well known that physical contact with such toilet facilities can be hazardous to one's health. Germs and viruses have been spread in the past through contaminated public toilet facilities. For example, some researchers believe that SARS, the West Nile virus, and the Norwalk virus have been spread at least in part by shared toilet facilities. Therefore, many companies produce sanitary covers, most often made from paper, for use as a physical barrier to protect the user from inadvertent contact with contaminated toilet facilities. Typical sanitary covers are called “toilet seat covers” since they are intended to cover only the toilet seat it...
Claims
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Login to View More IPC IPC(8): A47K13/14
CPCA47K13/16
InventorSTEWART MARGARITA EGLE (ROSLIN)
OwnerSSS VENTURES INT CORP