US20020020006A1

US20020020006A1 - Urinal for boys

Info

Publication number: US20020020006A1
Application number: US09/737,585
Authority: US
Inventors: Willard Mason; Darrielle Mason
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-12-22
Filing date: 2000-12-18
Publication date: 2002-02-21

Abstract

A portable urinal device for potty training young boys made of lightweight and durable thermoplastic material that can easily be attached to a wall or some other stationary object using hook and loop fasteners. The device is proportionately sized for young boys of potty training age and introduces the concept of what a urinal is and how it is used. A second embodiment utilizes a removable bowl that can be conveniently used to empty accumulated urine from the device.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/171,507, filed Dec. 22, 1999.[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a portable urinal. More specifically, the present invention is a portable urinal device for toilet training young boys.

2. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

Toilet training is always a difficult time for both parents and young children. Children are typically tentative when starting their toilet training and gradually ease into using a smaller version of a commode as opposed to using an adult sized commode. As if it weren't difficult enough, boys have to learn how to use two types of bathroom facilities, a commode and a urinal, as opposed to girls who simply have to learn how to use a commode.

The related art addresses a number of devices that assist parents in toilet training young children. Two portable toilet training devices are outlined in U.S. Pat. No. 2,592,040 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,719,305, both issued to LaHue. The training device outlined in U.S. Pat. No. 2,592,040 is used in combination with a portable toilet pot and has a backshield to allow a child to urinate against the backshield into the toilet pot. U.S. Pat. No. 2,719,305 outlines a portable commode with a removable pan for easy disposal.

The related art also addresses a number of devices that are used in combination with a standard adult commode toilet. U.S. Pat. No. 3,071,778 issued to Renshaw, U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,840 issued to Masters et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,553 issued to Jermann, U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,431 issued to Wertz and U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,851 issued to Perry describe a number of splash shields, attachments and channeling apparatuses that are used in combination with a standard adult commode toilet.

Unfortunately, these devices are cumbersome and can even be confusing to a young child. They are also not directed towards toilet training young males, which is specifically addressed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,020 issued to Lewandowski et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,431 issued to Wertz. The patent issued to Wertz, however, cannot be used to clarify to a young toilet training boy what a urinal is and how it is used. The patent issued to Lewandowski et al. clarifies to a young boy what a urinal is and what it looks like, but it is situated too high for a young boy to use.

What is needed is a urinal device (as opposed to a commode-type device) that is portable, recognizable and that can physically be used by a young toilet training boy. Such a device can be used to eliminate the current confusion that toilet training boys encounter when using a urinal.

None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a portable urinal device for potty training young boys. The invention is made of lightweight and durable thermoplastic material that can easily be attached to a wall or some other stationary object using hook and loop fasteners. The device is proportionately sized for young boys of potty training age and introduces the concept of what a urinal is and how it is used. A second embodiment utilizes a removable bowl that is used in conjunction with the device that can be conveniently used to empty accumulated urine from the device.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to introduce the concept of what a urinal is and how it is used to young boys during toilet training.

It is another object of the invention to eliminate confusion that young boys of toilet training age can experience when utilizing a urinal.

It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.

These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of a portable urinal for young boys according to the present invention. [0016]
FIG. 2 is a perspective front view of a portable urinal for young boys according to the present invention. [0017]
FIG. 3 is a perspective side view of a portable urinal for young boys according to the present invention. [0018]
FIG. 4A is a perspective exploded view of the second embodiment of a portable urinal for young boys with a removable bowl. [0019]
FIG. 4B is a perspective view of a portable urinal for young boys used in combination with a portable commode potty chair. [0020]
Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. [0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is a portable [0022] urinal device 10 for potty training young boys, as depicted in FIG. 1.
The preferred embodiment of the [0023] device 10 comprises a vertical backwall 20 integral with a base 30 extending from the backwall 20 and having a pair of opposing arcuate sidewalls 40 curving downward from the top of the backwall 20 to the base 30, as shown in FIG. 2. The base 30 has a cavity 50 defined therein and against the backside 20. Most of the front side of the backwall 60 is also hollowed out, from approximately 1″ from the top of the backwall 20 down to the cavity 50.
Although the [0024] device 10 is self-supporting, a securing means for securing the device 10 to a vertical support, such as a wall 80 or a stationary object, like a portable commode potty 90, is provided, as shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B. The securing means is a plurality of strips of hook and loop fastening material 70 fixedly attached to the backwall 20 of the device 10, the plurality of strips 70 being adapted for releasable attachment to mating strips of hook and loop material 70 attached to the wall 80.
The strips of hook and [0025] loop material 70 are attached to the wall 80 and the backwall 20 of the device 10 using common adhesives that are applied to the backing of the strips of hook and loop material 70. Both the common adhesives and the use of hook and loop fasteners are well-known to those skilled in the related art and are not points of novelty of this invention.
The [0026] device 10 is made of thermoplastic material and is hollow throughout, to keep the device 10 at a more manageable weight for easy transport. The device 10 is also water resistant and durable, and is not easily punctured. The thermoplastic material is also well-known to those skilled in the related art.
A second embodiment of the [0027] device 10 is illustrated in FIG. 4B. The second embodiment utilizes a bowl 100, removably housed in the cavity 50 defined in the base 30. The bowl 100 is easily removed from the cavity 50 to dispose of accumulated urine. The bowl 100 is then emptied and returned to the cavity 50 in the base 30. This is an improvement over the first embodiment, which must be clumsily tilted upside down to dispose of any accumulated urine. There are no other differences between the first embodiment and the second embodiment of the device 10.
The [0028] device 10 is 2.5′ high and 12″ across the width of the device 10. The cavity 50 is 8″ high from the bottom of the base 30 and is 4″ deep. The base 30 is 12″ deep from the front of the base 30 to the back. The removable bowl 100 is 10″×4″ and is 4″ deep and the width of the sidewalls 40 are 1″ each.
The operation of the [0029] device 10 is straightforward. A child of toilet training age (2-4 years old) simply approaches and urinates into the device 10. An adult then simply disposes of the urine either utilizing the first or second embodiment of the device and simply returns the device 10 back to a reusable position for the children.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims. [0030]

Claims

We claim:

1. A portable urinal device for potty training young boys, comprising:

a vertical backwall integral with a base extending from the backwall and having a pair of opposing arcuate sidewalls curving downward from the top of the backwall to the base;

said base having a cavity defined therein against the backwall; and

a securing means for securing the urinal device to a vertical support.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said securing means is a plurality of strips of hook and loop fastening material fixedly attached to said vertical backwall, said plurality of strips being adapted for releasable attachment to mating strips of hook and loop material attached to a vertical support.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said device is made of thermoplastic material.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein said vertical support is an outside wall.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein said vertical support is an adjacent portable toilet.

6. A portable urinal device for potty training young boys, comprising:

said base having a cavity defined therein against the backwall; and

a securing means for securing the urinal device to a vertical support.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein said securing means is a plurality of strips of hook and loop fastening material fixedly attached to said vertical backwall, said plurality of strips being adapted for releasable attachment to mating strips of hook and loop material attached to a vertical support.

8. The device according to claim 6, wherein said device is made of thermoplastic material.

9. The device according to claim 6, wherein said vertical support is an outside wall.

10. The device according to claim 6, wherein said vertical support is an adjacent portable toilet.

11. The device according to claim 6, wherein said device further comprising a bowl removably housed in the cavity defined in said base.