Disposable potty for children

Abstract

A disposable potty (1), for children, transportable and dispensable in a compact configuration, folded with reduced size and expandable into a configuration for use, comprises a hollow body (2 ) formed starting with a planar strip (3), of a sheet material (21), which is provided with pre-formed fold lines (4 ) and is closed in a ring shape in such a way as to constitute the lateral surface of a geometric solid (5); and a crown ( 6), open and at the top of the hollow body (2 ). The hollow body (2 ) and the top crown ( 6) are monolithically integrated in a single body (2 ) with each other, already starting with said planar strip (3).

Description

[0001] DISPOSABLE POTTY FOR CHILDREN

[0002] Technical field

[0003] This invention relates to a disposable potty for children, dispensable in the reduced size folded state and openable into a configurat ion forming a seat and support for the child; and which can be disposed of as recyclable waste after separation and select ive sort ing of its component materials .

[0004] Background art

[0005] The prior art for the sector already covers disposable potties , made of cardboard which have a supporting body stiff and strong enough to be able to support the weight of a child, several years old, on top of a seat surface shaped with anatomical profile suitable for offering a stable , secure support , which is also comfortable .

[0006] The body of the potty has a substantially hollow shape which is provided with a plurality of pre-formed folds which, appropriately distributed along the outline of the potty, give the above-mentioned body a basically mult i-s ided structure capable of offering quite good overall st iffness and adequate resistance to crushing under the weight of a child who is several years old .

[0007] On top of the hollow body there is a seat surface which, made in a shape autonomous and separate from the hollow body, is then glued to the latter in such a way as to become monolithic with it .

[0008] The potty, which is disposable , is dispensed in a minimum size folded configuration, suitable for being housed and easily transported inside a conventional bag, then able to be configured in an expanded arrangement when needed, and finally disposed of together with municipal waste .

[0009] Such a potty fulfils its function in quite a satisfactory way, however , it has some important disadvantages .

[0010] A first major disadvantage is a particularly high unit cost considering that it is a disposable product .

[0011] In fact , it s quite complex geometric shape is challenging to make at industrial scale , as an alternative to the great amount of manual work otherwise necessary : both ways have a negative impact on the cost of the end product .

[0012] Another disadvantage is the fact that - after use - the material of which the potty is made - being contaminated - is all lost , since it cannot be put into a waste separat ing and recycling path which are inalienable requirement s for a modern and environmentally friendly industrial economy . Disclosure of invention

[0013] The main aim of this invention is therefore to overcome such disadvantages by supplying a product which has a shape such that - cons idering all of the functionalities intrinsic in its use - is easy to produce at industrial scale and can be made with reduced unit costs , which are acceptable for a very large potent ial group of users with a wide range of available funds .

[0014] Another aim of the invention is that of supplying a product structured in such a way that it can be put in a waste collection station for selectively separated parts and with the pos sibility of recycling most of the component materials . All of that while protecting the environment and benefiting what is justifiably called a circular economy.

[0015] Accordingly the invention fulfils the aims indicated above with a potty whose technical features are defined in the appended claims .

[0016] Brief description of drawings

[0017] Features and advantages of the invention will be apparent in the following description of an example, non-limiting embodiment of the invention, with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings in which:

[0018] - Figures 1 and 2 are three-dimensional perspective views of the invention seen from two different viewpoints ;

[0019] - Figures 3, 4 and 5 are respectively an elevation view, a side view and a plan view of the invention of Figures 1 and 2;

[0020] - Figure 6 is a plan view of a semi-finished product from which the invention is obtained;

[0021] - Figure 7 is a view of the invention illustrated in a flat, reduced size configuration in which it can be dispensed and transported in such a way as to be available when needed.

[0022] Preferred embodiments of the invention

[0023] With reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings, in Figures 1 and 2, the numeral 1 denotes in its entirety a disposable potty (1) , for children, dispensable and transportable in a compact configuration, folded with reduced size, and expandable into a configuration suitable for its use.

[0024] The potty (1) basically comprises a hollow body (2) formed starting with a planar strip (3) , of a sheet material (21) (visible in Figure 6) , which is provided with pre-formed fold lines (4) . The strip (3) is closed on itself in a ring shape and glued at its opposite ends, so as to constitute: a lateral surface of a geometric solid (5) which comprises a crown (6) , open and at the top relative to the hollow body (2 ) .

[0025] The hollow body (2) and the top crown (6) are monolithically integrated in a single body with each other, and are both obtained from a same planar strip (3) which is appropriately cut out for example by die cutting .

[0026] The top crown (6) has a geometric shape like a kind of small "saddle" in which stiffness and resistance to crushing are synergically combined.

[0027] More specifically, the shape of the crown (6) is such that if it is ideally intersected with two crosssection planes (l-l;t-t) , meridians, orthogonal to each other, that is to say, a longitudinal plane (1-1) and a transversal plane (t-t) , in the two meridian planes two corresponding pairs of profiles are generated which delimit interposed concavities in opposite directions to each other. Figure 3 provides evidence of that description .

[0028] The profiles of the top surface of a first pair subtend in combination with each other an overall anatomical seat surface (7) for the child, which is formed by the combination of two flaps (8) side by side and spaced apart from each other.

[0029] The profiles of the second pair in contrast subtending two side panels (9) , transversal to the seat surface (7) , which, in each side panel (9) , converge towards a vertex segment (10) which is raised compared with the seat surface (7) . Therefore, those side panels (9) form stiff "gables", which are quite resistant, both to compression, and to lateral slipping under load, due to the weight of the child.

[0030] The side by side flaps (8) of the seat surfaces (7) are formed by the top edges (11) , folded over, of longitudinal side panels (12) of the hollow body (2) , which are substantially positioned according to a funicular profile subtended by the vertex segments (10) of the transversal side panels (9) . The edges (11) - as a consequence of the shape of the potty (1) - tend to unburden the part of the body (2) of the potty (1) below them of the compression action caused by the weight of the child, favouring stability - against crushing - of the body (2) of the potty (1)

[0031] In Figures 3 to 6 it can be seen in particular that the longitudinal side panels (12) of a pair comprise curved multi-sided surfaces, concave towards the inside of the hollow body (2) .

[0032] The transversal side panels (9) , with length shorter than the longitudinal side panels (12) , in contrast comprise flat surfaces converging, as already said, towards a vertex segment (10) higher than the seat surface (7) , also having a reduced angle of obliquity which significantly contributes to the overall stiffness of the hollow body (2) .

[0033] Preferably, the seat surface (7) is shaped like a cylindrical segment oriented longitudinally to the hollow body (2) , which closely approximates the design of a funicular profile.

[0034] It should be considered that other profile shapes are possible to use for such purposes; also including those traceable to the parabolic profile or even to the hyperbolic profile.

[0035] The longitudinal and transversal side panels (12,9) combine to define a basic outline of the body (2) which, preferably, is a mixtilinear quadrilateral. Pointed cuts (13) are provided which pass through the top of the transversal side panels (9) .

[0036] The sheet material (21) is biodegradable, preferably cellulose, for example made of corrugated cardboard with suitable thickness and internal structure.

[0037] The potty (1) also comprises a waterproof cover (14) similar to a bag with a closed bottom and a mouth (15) open upwards .

[0038] The mouth (15) is removably anchorable to the top surface of the crown (6) by simply engaging, by pushing, forcing it through the top cuts (13) of the transversal side panels ( 9) .

[0039] Therefore, the pointed shape allows the cover (14) to pass through, when pushed, ensuring stable constraining of the bag to the hollow body (2) ; in contrast the pointed shape is suitable for opposing backward movement spontaneously releasing the bag since the point jams in the material of which the bag is made.

[0040] Preferably, the cover (14) is made of biodegradable material obtained for example by means of known processes for plasticization of grains and / or other plant-based materials of the same type.

[0041] Finally, the potty (1) includes an elastic ring (16) suitable for wrapping around the potty (1) in a flat configuration and for keeping it clamped shut on itself in the reduced size compact condition.

[0042] The potty (1) described above is obtainable with a manufacturing method which substantially comprises the following sequence of steps :

[0043] - cutting, for example by means of die cutting, an appropriately shaped planar strip (3) from a sheet material (21) , for example made of corrugated cardboard;

[0044] - pre-defining a series of facilitated fold lines (4) on said strip (3) ; - making pointed cuts (13) , passing through the strip (3) , at appropriate locations, at which to establish the anchoring between the hollow body and the cover (14) ;

[0045] - closing the strip (3) in a ring shape by bending it and gluing the ends of the strip (3) ;

[0046] - inserting a cover (14) inside the cavity of the hollow body (2) anchoring it with geometric interference in the pointed cuts (13) ; and

[0047] - flattening the potty (1) on itself and clamping it shut in the reduced size condition by means of a ring (16) made of elastic material wrapped around the potty (1) •

[0048] Regarding the system for constraining the cover (14) to the transversal side panels (9t) it can be inferred - from Figure 7 - that if the cover (14) , or rather the bag, is pushed through the pointed cuts (13) from the outside to the inside of the hollow body (2) with simultaneous turning around the vertex segment (10) , the dual effect is achieved of having: on one hand, maximum intensity of the retaining action for the bag with the relative contents; and on the other hand, the possibility of quick release of the bag, without any contamination, when the used potty (1) has to be disassembled into all of its component parts and be put in municipal waste for separate collection.

[0049] In conclusion, the invention as described fulfils the aims for which it was devised and also advantageously allows the basic criteria to be met synergically, that is to say, both criteria of the circular economy, and protection and preservation of the integrity of the environment .

Claims

CLAIMS1. Disposable potty (1) , for children, transportable and dispensable in a compact configuration, folded with reduced size, and expandable into a configuration for use, comprising a hollow body (2) formed starting with a planar strip (3) , of a sheet material (21) , said strip (3) being provided with pre-formed fold lines (4) and being closed in a ring shape in such a way as to constitute the lateral surface of a geometric solid (5) ; and an open crown (6) , at the top of the hollow body (2) , as well as monolithically integrated in a single body with said hollow body (2) ; said potty (1) being characterised in that said top crown (6) has its own geometric shape such that, if said crown (6) is intersected with two cross-section planes (l-l;t-t) , meridians and orthogonal to each other, in the two meridian planes two corresponding pairs of profiles are generated which delimit interposed, relative, opposite direction concavities, the profiles of said top surface of a first pair subtending in combination with each other an overall seat surface (7) for the child formed by the combination of two flaps (8) side by side and spaced apart from each other, the profiles of the second pair subtending at least two side panels (9) , transversal to the seat surface (7) , equipped with raised vertices (10) compared with said seat surface (7) .

2. Potty (1) , according to claim 1, characterised in that said side by side flaps (8) are formed by the top edges (11) , folded over, of longitudinal side panels3. Potty (1) , according to claim 1, characterised in that at least one pair of said longitudinal side panels (12) comprise curved surfaces, concave towards the inside of the hollow body (2) .

4. Potty (1) , according to claim 1, characterised in that said transversal side panels (9) comprise flat surfaces converging towards a vertex (10) higher than the seat surface (7) .

5. Potty (1) , according to claim 1 or 4, characterised in that said seat surface (7) is similar to a funicular profile, oriented longitudinally to the hollow body (2) .

6. Potty (1) , according to claim 1, characterised in that said longitudinal and transversal side panels (12,9) define a basic outline of the body (2) that is a mixtilinear quadrilateral.

7. Potty (1) , according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises pointed cuts (13) which pass through the top of said transversal side panels ( 9) .

8. Potty (1) , according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said sheet material (21) is biodegradable.

9. Potty (1) , according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said sheet material (21) contains cellulose.

10. Potty (1) , according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said sheet material (21) is cardboard.

11. Potty (1) , according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises a waterproof cover (14) similar to a bag with closed bottom and open mouth (15) , said mouth (15) being removably anchorable to the top surface of the crown (6) and being engageablewith the top surface of the crown (6) with geometric interference with the top cuts (13) of the transversal side panels ( 9) .

12. Potty (1) , according to claim 11, characterised in that said cover (14) is made of naturally biodegradable material.

13. Potty (1) , according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises an elastic ring (16) suitable for wrapping around the potty (1) in a flat configuration and for keeping it clamped shut on itself in the reduced size compact condition.

14. Method for making a potty (1) according to the preceding claims characterised in that it comprises the steps of- cutting an appropriately shaped planar strip (3) from a sheet material (21) ;- pre-defining a series of facilitated fold lines (4) on said strip (3) ;- making pointed cuts (13) , passing through said strip (3) at appropriate locations;- closing the strip (3) in a ring shape by bending it and gluing the ends of the strip (3) ;- inserting a cover (14) inside the cavity of the hollow body (2) anchoring it with geometric interference in the pointed cuts (13) ; and- flattening the potty (1) on itself and clamping it shut in the reduced size condition by means of a ring (16) made of elastic material wrapped around the potty (1) •

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