Ancillary anti-splatter adjustable urinals and related methods

Abstract

Ancillary anti-splatter adjustable urinals and related methods are disclosed.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to urinals and, more particularly, to ancillary anti-splatter adjustable urinals and related methods.

BACKGROUND

Housewives, cleaning ladies and maids are often confronted with the distasteful job of cleaning male urinal splatter from water closets and areas surrounding the water closet. This problem is caused by males of all ages, but particularly by young boys and older men confronted with prostate issues. The distance to the urinal bowl from the release point contributes to the problem.

Prior to the present invention, the only solution to the male urinal splatter problem has been for the male user to sit down upon, not stand in front, of the water closet.

A solution to the above-mentioned splatter problem has been long awaited by males and females alike.

BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

In brief summary, the present invention alleviates the water closet splatter problem mentioned above. The present invention is directed to ancillary anti-splatter adjustable urinals and related methods.

With the foregoing in mind, it is a primary object of the invention to alleviate urine splatter outside the bowls of water closets and areas surrounding the water closets.

It is another paramount object to provide ancillary anti-splatter adjustable urinals and related methods.

Another important object is to conserve flush water.

These and other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from the detailed description taken with reference to accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective of one of several ancillary anti-splatter adjustable urinals according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross section taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3A is a cross section taken along lines 3A-3A of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3B is a cross section taken along lines 3B-3B of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross section taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross section taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a cross section taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective of a water valve by which flush water is introduced into the ancillary urinal bowl of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary elevation of another embodiment where flush water to and drainage from the ancillary urinal are separate from a water closet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

Reference is now made to the drawings wherein like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout. In respect to FIG. 1, a conventional water closet, generally designated 10, is shown in its installed location in a domestic bathroom, a public lavatory. The water closet 10 comprises a bowl 12 into which human waste is deposited and from thence to a sewage system through a conventional drain (not shown) at the bottom of the bowl. Typically, the bowl is secured in position by a plurality of anchor bolts 14. A toilet seat 16 and a cover 18 therefor are hingedly mounted at 20, to accommodate rotation between horizontal and vertical positions.

The water closet 10 further comprises a water closet reservoir or tank 22 for the storage of flush water, with a removable lid 24 covering the reservoir.

Influent water for the reservoir 22 is supplied under pressure from a household or commercial source via tubes 26, 28 and 30 and across shutoff valve 32, when open. More specifically, a T-fitting 34 is interposed between supply tubes 28 and 30 by which influent water under pressure is also delivered to water supplied tube 36, for purposes yet to be explained.

A waste drainage tube 38 is illustrated as extending under the seat 16 and into the bowl 12 so that the distal end 37 of tube 38 is positioned and directed such that the direction of liquid discharged from tube 38 into the bowl 12 is caused to be confined to the bowl 12.

FIG. 1 also illustrates an ancillary anti-splatter adjustable urinal assembly, generally designated 50. The assembly 50 comprises a urinal bowl 52, having a large pear-shaped influent opening 54 and a drainage site 56 to which previously mentioned drain tube 38 is connected at proximal end 58. The urinal bowl 52 may be formed of any suitable material, such as porcelain, synthetic resinous material, stainless steel, or composite material. Likewise, the exact shape may vary depending upon the intended application and within the judgment of those skilled in the art.

Flush water for bowl 52 is delivered through tube 36 across normally-closed, manually operable valve 60, which is conventional and comprises conventional components. Beneath the valve 60 is an L-shaped discharge tube 62, by which flush water is introduced from time-to-time into bowl 52, i.e., when the actuator 64 of the valve is moved from its normally closed position, as illustrated in FIG. 2, to an open position. Typically, this act takes place after the male user has caused urine to be deposited into bowl 52. The valve actuator 64 is left in the “on” position for only a short period of time so as to adequately flush the bowl and the tube 38, after which the actuator 64 is returned manually to its “off” position. An important consequence of this procedure is a substantial savings in water achieved by the controlled and limited discharge of flush water into the bowl 52.

The urinal bowl of this invention must be mounted in such a way as to accommodate both horizontal and vertical adjustments to meet the size and other needs of the user or users on an anti-splatter basis. The details as to how the urinal bowl 52 is mounted for such vertical and horizontal adjustments do not limit the scope of the invention, since any type of such mounting or support structure which is so adjustable can be utilized.

As shown in FIG. 1, the urinal bowl 52 is held in cantilevered relation by support structure 80. Support structure 80 comprises spaced wall-engaging anchors 82 rigidly secured in place in any suitable way. A vertical rod 86 extends into and is reliably secured to each of the anchors 82. Bar or rod 86, shown to be circular in cross section, passes into each anchor 82 and slidably passes through a clamp, generally designated 88.

When the set screw-type clamp 88 is loosened, the clamp 88 may be slidably displaced up or down along rod 86 so as to vertically adjust the location in space of the urinal bowl 52. One such vertically adjusted position is shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1, toward the top of rod 86.

With or without loosening the clamp 88, the clamp may be rotated horizontally, for example, from the solid line position of FIG. 1 to any other desired and available horizontal position, one such position being illustrated in dotted lines at the left in FIG. 1.

The clamp 88 functions as a T-fitting, from which a horizontal rod 90 extends. A clamp 92, comprising a thumb screw 94, is mounted to the distal end of tube 90. See FIG. 2. A second tube 96 comprises a proximal end 97 which extends into the clamp 92. Tube 96 further comprises a distal end 98 to which the bowl 52 is secured in rigid cantilevered relation, as explained in greater detail below. When the set screw 94 of clamp 92 is loosened, the proximal end 97 may be displaced telescopically along the hollow interior of clamp 92 and the interior of hollow rod or tube 90 as shown in FIG. 2. In this way, the horizontal distance which separates bowl 52 from clamp 88 may be adjusted to suit the size of the room in which the urinal assembly 50 is placed and to accommodate positioning of the urinal bowl 52 for reception of urine from a user so as to alleviate splatter.

Reference is made to FIG. 3A which illustrates the interior of clamp 88. The clamp 88 comprises a contoured housing 100, which at sites 102 and 104, snugly though slidably and rotatably engages rod 86 so as to allow both rotational movement and rectilinear translation of the rod 86. An elastomeric sleeve 106 is disposed within the central hollow interior 107 of the housing 100 so that the sleeve 106 contiguously engages the interior surface of the housing and the exterior surface of the rod 86. The housing 100 further defines a laterally-directed threaded bore 108 into which a threaded end 110 of set screw 112 is threadedly turned. By rotating the actuator or handle 112 in one direction, the force imparted by the threaded end 110 against the elastomeric sleeve 106 is reduced, thereby accommodating ease of rectilinear translation of the clamp 88 and the urinal bowl 52 in a vertical direction and horizontal rotation of the clamp 88 and the urinal bowl around an axis comprising rod 86. By reverse rotation of the actuator 112, the threads at end 110 are turned inwardly in threaded bore 108 to tighten the sleeve 106 against the rod 86 to better retain the urinal in a selected position.

In reference to FIG. 3B, clamp 88 comprises a horizontal boss 220 formed as one piece with the remainder of the housing 100. Boss 220 extends in a horizontal direction and is stepped at the distal end 222 thereof to form a groove 224, for purposes yet to be explained. On the outside of the boss 220 radially disposed adjacent to groove 224 are exposed threads 226. Horizontal support bar or tube 90 comprises a barb 228, which is force-fit into the groove 224 such that tube 90 is prevented from being removed therefrom, but allowed to rotate. A stepped nut 230 defines an aperture 232, the diameter of which is slightly greater than the diameter of tube 90, so that when nut 230 is slidably displaced along tube 90, the interior threads 234 of the nut engage threads 226. Utilizing a wrench or other tool at surface 236, the nut 230 is turned until it is tight.

FIG. 4 illustrates, in greater detail, the manner in which the drain 56 and the drain tube 38 are connected to accommodate drainage from the bowl 52. The drain 56 is illustrated in FIG. 4 as being frustro-conical so that the interior lateral size decreases in a downward direction. A fitting, generally designated 130 is threaded or force-fit into the opening 132 of the drain 56 at upwardly-directed threaded hollow projection 134. The fitting 130 comprises a central hollow annulus 138 comprising surface 136. Extending downward from the central annulus 138 of the fitting 130 is a hollow male projection 140 comprising external serrations 142, the collective outside diameter of which is slightly greater than the proximal end 144 of tube 38, allowing the proximal end 144 to be force-fit into the position illustrated in FIG. 4.

Reference is made to FIG. 5 which illustrates in detail the commercially available flush water supply valve 60 which is connected in liquid flow communication with water supply tube 36. An annular seal 150 is carried on the outside of the distal end 152 of drain tube 36 and is inserted between outwardly threaded stepped sleeve 154 and a ferret 156. When female cap fastener 158 is moved proximally along the tube 36, the interior threads thereof are turned against the exterior threads of stepped sleeve 54 so as to compress and deform the seal 150 between the sleeve 154 and the cap 158. This exerts a compressive force against the outside of proximal end 152 of the drain tube 36 and thence against the outside surface of the ferret 156 thereby holding the proximal end 152 of the drain tube 36 in place. The ferret 156 is hollow at 160 so that there is direct liquid communication with the hollow interior of the drain tube 36.

Valve housing 162 threadedly receives the stepped sleeve 154 at threaded bore 164, with O-ring 166 obviating leakage from the hollow interior 168 of sleeve 154 to the exterior of the valve. Housing 162 defines a second threaded bore 170 into which exterior threads of hollow sleeve 172 are turned so as to achieve the position of FIG. 5.

The housing 162 also comprises a stepped bore 176 into which a valve control shaft 178 extends. The valve control shaft 178 is connected non-rotatably to the manual knob or actuator 64, so that when the actuator 64 is rotated ninety degrees between open and close positions, shaft 78 also rotates. The on/off component 180 is non-rotatably secured to shaft 178, so that when shaft 178 is turned by actuator 64, the on/off component 180 is turned. Valve component 180 comprises a L-shaped passageway 182 which at all times is in communication with the hollow interior of fitting 112. When the actuator 64 is in the “on” position, the L-shaped passageway 182 communicates liquid under pressure from tube 36 through ferret 56, passageway 168, passageway 182 into a hollow interior of fitting 172. However, when the actuator 64 has been rotated by ninety degrees into the “off” position, the horizontal end of the L-shaped passageway is out of alignment with passageway 168 so that flush water under pressure contained in tube 36 is prevented from flowing through the valve 60 into the urinal bowl 52.

With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, hollow fitting 172 threadedly connects to L-shaped discharge tube 62 at internal threads 190. Fitting 62 is threaded into an opening 192 in the bowl 52. A hollow cap 194 is also secured to the distal threads 196 of the L-shaped fitting 62 providing controlled directions through ports 198 for the flush water, when the valve 60 is “on,” such that spillage is avoided while thorough cleansing of the bowl 52 is accommodated.

FIG. 7 further illustrates that rod 98 is bolt-secured at 200 to the exterior of the bowl 52.

Reference is now made to FIG. 8, which illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention, which may consist of the structure shown and described in conjunction with FIG. 1, modified as described below. Specifically, the auxiliary adjustable anti-splatter urinal assembly 50 is entirely constructed to be independent of the water closet 10. Thus, the water supply tube 36 is connected at hollow T-fitting 202 to an existing water supply tube 204 inside a wall 206 of a building. Flow of flush water through tube 36 to valve 60 occurs when valve 208 is open but does not occur when valve 208 is closed.

Similarly, liquid waste communicated to drainage tube 38 from the bowl 52 is caused to drain by force of gravity into a sewage drain pipe 210, also disposed behind wall 206, the tube 38 being connected in liquid communicating relation to drain pipe 210 through a T-fitting 212.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit of the central characteristics thereof. The present embodiments therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

Claims

1. An anti-splatter adjustable urinal assembly comprising:

a urine-receiving bowl comprising a top opening and a drain;

support structure to which the bowl is adjustably mounted, the support comprising a first element providing vertical adjustment by which the height of the bowl is changed by the user to suit the user's size and alleviate splatter and a second element providing horizontal adjustment by which the horizontal location of the bowl is changed by the user to suit the user's preference and alleviate splatter.

2. An anti-splatter adjustable urinal assembly according to claim 1 further comprising an influent water tube by which influent flush water is discharged into the bowl and an effluent drain tube by which flush water and urine are discharged to a sewage system.

3. An anti-splatter adjustable urinal assembly according to claim 2 further comprising a water supply valve associated with the influent water tube by which issuance of influent flush water into the bowl is selectively accommodated.

4. An anti-splatter adjustable urinal assembly according to claim 2 wherein the effluent drain tube comprises an effluent end in communication with a bowl of a conventional water closet.

5. An anti-splatter adjustable urinal assembly according to claim 2 wherein the influent water tube comprises an intake end connected to a source of portable water under pressure.

6. An anti-splatter adjustable urinal assembly according to claim 5 wherein the intake end receives potable water under pressure from the source through a valve from which portable water is also supplied to a tank of a conventional water closet.

7. An anti-splatter adjustable urinal assembly according to claim 1 further comprising a wall anchor to which the first element is connected, the first element comprising a manually operable clamp which when manually loosened allows vertical adjustment of the support and the urine-receiving bowl.

8. An anti-splatter adjustable urinal assembly according to claim 8 wherein the vertical adjustment is linear along the wall anchor and the horizontal adjustment is rotational around the wall anchor.

9. An anti-splatter adjustable urinal assembly according to claim 1 wherein the support comprises a T-shaped configuration including a clamp, the clamp accommodating linear vertical relocation of the clamp and at least part of the support and rotational horizontal rotation at the clamp, to thereby reposition the bowl vertically and horizontally.

10. An anti-splatter adjustable urinal assembly according to claim 1 wherein the support comprises a horizontal telescopic part connected to the urine-receiving bowl.

11. A combination comprising:

a water closet comprising a reservoir, a bowl flush by water from the reservoir, a drain from the bowl and a source of water for the reservoir comprising a water supply tube and a water supply control valve;

an adjustable anti-splatter urinal assembly comprising a bowl juxtaposed the water closet comprising support structure for selectively changing the position of the bowl in space in close proximity to a user to alleviate splatter.

12. A combination according to claim 11 wherein an additional tube delivers flush water from the water supply tube to the urinal bowl and wherein the urinal bowl comprises a drain tube comprising a discharge end disposed in the bowl of the water closet.

13. A method of alleviating urine splatter comprising the acts of:

operably placing an axillary anti-splatter urinal assembly comprise a bowl in a bath or restroom;

during periods of non-use pivoting the bowl to an out-of-the-way storage position;

preparatory to use, pivoting and adjusting the height of the bowl into a use position directly juxtaposed and in closely spaced relation to a user;

after use, returning the bowl to a storage position.

14. A method according to claim 13 comprising the acts of:

communicating flush water under pressure to the bowl when the bowl is in the use position;

delivering discharge from the bowl to a drainage system.

15. A method according to claim 13 comprising the acts of:

communicating flush water under pressure from a water closet supply tube to the bowl when the bowl is in the use position;

delivering discharge from the bowl to a drainage site of the water closet or wall drain.