Toilet paper moistener
A toilet moistener having a body capable of placement in proximity to a toilet. The toilet has a bowl to retain water. A spray head associated with the body is positioned outside the bowl and directed to cause fluid to flow through the spray head in a direction other than in the bowl. The moistener also has a valve capable of restricting the flow of fluid to the spray head, a biasing component associated with the valve, and an actuator associated with the valve. Fluid is supplied to the spray head through the valve, and the biasing component biases the valve to restrict the flow of fluid to the spray head. When the actuator is activated, the valve open against the bias to reduce the restriction of the flow of fluid to the spray head for dispensing a desired amount of fluid onto a cleansing material.
Not Applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTNot Applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONTo cleanse the rectal and genital area immediately after moving the bowels or urinating, we utilize the personal hygiene product known as toilet paper. However, when using ordinary dry toilet paper, it is very uncomfortable and ineffective in cleaning fecal matter or urine completely from the region. Furthermore, for those who suffer with hemorrhoids or similar rectal tissue irritations, using dry toilet paper can be very painful.
Utilizing a “wet” cleansing method, versus dry toilet paper alone, is a much more sanitary, comfortable, and effective means of cleansing the rectal and genital area. Therefore, it should be easily understood that a “wet” cleansing method is an advantageous alternative to conventional “dry” methods for cleansing after moving the bowels or urinating, not only for those with medical problems, but also for the public at large.
The use of water for rectal and genital cleansing has been commonplace in Europe for years, primarily in the form of a bidet. In the United States, the use of wet wipes, or similar cleansing materials, has become common in recent years. The use of the traditional bidet has not been well accepted in this country, largely because a separate fixture is required, which is not readily accommodated in traditional bathroom structures, and it substantially increases the cost of a bathroom. In recent years, inventors have created several bidets that reside inside the toilet bowl—U.S. Pat. No. 4,197,594 (1980) & U.S. Pat. No. 4,205,402 (1980). These types of bidets eliminate the need for a separate fixture, but present a significant problem with maintaining sanitary conditions. Since the bidet resides inside the toilet bowl, whether or not it is retracted to a storage position therein, it is subject to contamination by the fecal matter or urine present in the toilet bowl. This contamination may cause infection and/or irritation to the user. For example, the patents referenced above provide bidets that are installed within the confines of the toilet bowl. Both of these inventions pose the risk of potential infection and/or irritation to the user.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGSIllustrative embodiments of the present invention are shown in the following drawings which form a part of the specification:
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION In an illustrative embodiment of the present invention (
The first bore 52, which is larger in diameter than the bores 53 and 54, has a closed end 56 at the base of the valve body 46, and extends approximately one third the length of the valve body 46 to its other end 58 where the first bore 52 opens into the second bore 53. The second bore 53 extends from the end 58 of the third bore 54 to its other end 60 where the second bore 53 opens into the third bore 54. The third bore 54 extends from the end 60 of the third bore 54 to an open end 62 at the top of the valve body 46. The plunger 48 has a central shaft 64 that is rounded at a first end 66 and has a cylindrical piston 68 at the other end. The piston 68 is sized to fit coaxially within the bores 52, 53, and 54, such that the piston 68 is restrained from non-axial movements but may move with little resistance along the axis x inside the first bore 52, and the central shaft 64 is restrained from non-axial movements but may move with little resistance along the axis x inside the bores 53 and 54. Similarly, the central shaft 64 of the plunger 48 has a diameter that is slightly less than the diameter of the third bore 54, such that the plunger 48 may move freely along the axis x within the bores 53 and 54. The diameter of the third bore 54 and the diameter of the central shaft 64 of the plunger 48 are nearly identical such that the plunger 48 may move along the axis x, while the interface between the central shaft 64 and the third bore 54 forms a seal that prevents the seepage of fluid through the third bore 54.
A lip 70 is formed along the length of the plunger 48 where the central shaft 64 meets the piston 68. The lip 70 extends radially from the perimeter of the shaft 64 to the perimeter of the piston 68. The lip 70 seats on and seals against a shoulder 72 formed where the first bore 52 meets the second bore 53. The shoulder 72 extends radially from the perimeter of the second bore 53 to the perimeter of the first bore 52.
The spring 50 is positioned coaxially along the axis x within the first bore 52 in a partially compressed condition, such that one end of the spring 50 is pressed against the closed end 56 of the first bore 52 and the other end of the spring 50 is pressed against the base of the piston 68 within the first bore 52. The spring 50 therefore applies constant pressure against the plunger 48 to urge the plunger away from the closed end 56 of the valve body base 46, and toward the lip 70. The bores 52 and 53, and the piston 68 are sized such that the lip 70 forms a complete seal against the shoulder 72 when the piston 68 is pressed against the shoulder 72.
A series of bores 74 extend diagonally from the side of the second bore 53 through the spray head 34, such that fluid may pass from the second bore 53 through the bores 74 and out of the spray head 34. Yet another bore 76 extends radially from the side of the first bore 52 through a nipple 78. The nipple 78 has ribs or threads 80 formed about its perimeter, and protrudes from the base of the valve body 46 between the spray head 34 and the base 44 of the moistener A. The feed line 36, which is formed of a flexible plastic tube, is attached to the nipple 78 by stretching the line 36 over the ribs or threads 80. The mating of the feed line 36 and the ribs or threads 80 will both hold the feed line 36 to the valve 32 and also form a fluid-tight seal between the feed line and valve 32, to prevent the leakage of fluid from the moistener A.
The feed line 36 exits the body 30 of the moistener A through a port 82 in the base 44. Outside of the body 30, the feed line 36 is attached to a plastic line clamp 84. (
The actuator 42 of the body 30 has a perimeter ridge-lined lip 90 that mates with the housing 40. (
The actuator 42 further has an aperture in the shape of a generally concave recess 94 located in the lower central portion of the actuator. (
From the foregoing it can be readily understood that when toilet paper P is placed along the perimeter of the recess 94 of the actuator 42 (
Moreover, the recess 94, the port 96 and the spray head 34 are all positioned with respect to one another such that when toilet paper P, or some other material used to cleanse the body, is placed generally over and along the perimeter of the recess 94, a desired amount of fluid will be ejected from the spray head 34 to moisten the toilet paper P. Adjustable nozzles, replaceable nozzles of differing shapes and sizes, and other such readily available components can be used to make the spray head 34 adjustable to accommodate variations in water pressure, water hardness and other such variables that may impact the amount of moisture desired to be applied to the toilet paper P. An adjustable nozzle can be used, for example, to controllably adjust the dispensing of fluid from the moistener A from a stream of fluid, to a course spray, to a fine mist. An adjustable nozzle may also be used to controllably adjust the angle at which the fluid is dispensed.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the moistener A has an infrared sensor 100 and an electronic switch 102 (
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the moistener A has a reservoir 110 having a feed nipple 112 at the base of the reservoir and a lid 114 at the top. (
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the moistener A has a mechanical timer 120 fixedly attached within the body 30 aside the spring valve 32 (
While the above description contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of a preferred embodiment thereof. Many other variations are possible. For example, the moistener A may have more than one spray head 34. In some applications it may only be desirable to use a single spray head 34 (as in the embodiment described above), while in other applications two or more spray heads 34 may provide a desirable spray characteristic based upon the water pressure and other considerations of the specific application. The moistener A may include a heating element to warm the fluid prior to being dispensed through the moistener. Further, other methods of attaching the moistener A to the toilet T may be used. Such other methods include but are not limited to glues, rivets, bolts, bands, hooks and clamps, as well as other methods that would be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. Further, it may not be necessary in all applications to attach the moistener A to the bowl 10. The moistener A may instead be attached to the tank 12 or to a wall or other fixture near to the toilet T. The moistener A may also be formed in a variety of shapes, such as for example oval, round, trapezoidal, triangular, hexagonal or polygonal, etc., and may be thinner or thicker, so long as the moistener A is capable of producing a moistening spray as required by the claims of this invention.
Of course, sealing components such as O-rings may be used to minimize leakage within the spring valve 32. As such, O-rings may be employed, for example, about the piston 68, at the base of the spring valve 32, or on the shoulder 72 where the shoulder 72 meets the lip 70. Sealing components such as O-rings may also be employed along one or more of the bores 52, 53 or 54, or in the spray head 34, to prevent leakage through said components.
Moreover, the moistener A may be connected to a water source using a wide variety of well-recognized methods, such as “T” or “Y” pipe couplings, valves, or other clamps, etc. Where the moistener A is integral to the toilet T, the toilet T may be configured to provide the water source to operate the moistener. For example, a flow channel may be formed through the toilet T that opens to a fluid input or port for the moistener A. Further, the spring 50, which applies a bias against to the valve plunger, can be substituted with any object that provides similar bias. For example, an elastic plug may be used instead of the spring 50, a tension spring may be used instead of the compression spring 50 if the spring valve 32 is reconfigured to accommodate the tension spring and “pull” on the plunger 48 instead of “push”. The moistener A can be configured with multiple spring valves and feed lines to control and apply more than one liquid to the toilet paper P, such as medication, fragrance, or other liquid. The actuator 42 can interface with the body 30 in a number of different configurations so long as the actuator 42 is adequately held in place about the spray head 34 and is capable of applying a force against the plunger 48 to release fluid through the spring valve 32. For example, the actuator 42 may be attached to the body 30 in a hinged state, such as by a living hinge or a piano hinge, for example.
Further, the components of the moistener A may be constructed of a variety of materials, including but not limited to various metals, plastics, ceramics, wood, or any other suitable material that will provide sufficient structural integrity for the each component to perform its desired function as stated herein. Each dimension of the moistener A, and thereby all of its components, may be of varying sizes. Of course, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that structural members may be added to strategic positions on or in the moistener A to allow the use of a variety of materials.
The detailed description above illustrates the invention by way of example and not by way of limitation. This description clearly enables one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives and uses of the invention, including what I presently believe is the best mode of carrying out the invention. As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
Claims
1. A toilet moistener comprising:
- a. a body capable of placement adjacent to a toilet, the toilet having a bowl to retain water;
- b. a spray head associated with the body, the spray head being positioned outside the bowl and directed to cause fluid to flow through the spray head in a direction other than in the bowl;
- c. a valve capable of restricting the flow of fluid to the spray head;
- d. a biasing component associated with the valve;
- e. an actuator associated with the valve;
- wherein fluid is supplied to the spray head through the valve; the biasing component biases the valve to restrict the flow of fluid to the spray head; and wherein activation of the actuator opens the valve against the bias to reduce the restriction of the flow of fluid to the spray head for dispensing a desired amount of fluid onto a cleansing material.
2. The moistener of claim 1, wherein the valve is capable of being movement between an open and a closed position.
3. The moistener of claim 2, wherein the valve is held in a closed position by the biasing component.
4. The moistener of claim 1, wherein the body is fixedly attached to the toilet.
5. The moistener of claim 1, wherein the body is fixedly attached to the toilet bowl.
6. The moistener of claim 1, wherein the biasing component comprises a spring and the valve comprises a plunger in contact with the actuator, wherein the spring biases the plunger and the actuator opens the valve by applying pressure to the plunger.
7. The moistener of claim 1, wherein the fluid is water.
8. The moistener of claim 7, wherein the toilet comprises a pressurized water line and the water is supplied to the moistener from the pressurized line.
9. The moistener of claim 1, further comprising a reservoir to hold the fluid.
10. The moistener of claim 9, wherein the reservoir is pressurized.
11. The moistener of claim 1, wherein the body is configured with an aperture through which the fluid is dispensed by the spray head, the aperture being placed a predetermined distance from the spray head to facilitate the proper dispensing of the fluid on the cleansing material when the material is placed against the aperture.
12. The moistener of claim 11, wherein the aperture is formed in the shape of a generally circular recess in the surface of the actuator.
13. The moistener of claim 1, further comprising a drip channel to collect excess moisture.
14. The moistener of claim 1, further comprising a sensor and a switch, the switch being actuated by the sensor and controlling the restricting action of the valve, wherein the switch causes the valve to reduce the restriction of fluid flow through the valve when the sensor detects the presence of a foreign object within a predetermined distance of the sensor.
15. The moistener of claim 14, wherein the foreign object is a human hand.
16. The moistener of claim 14, wherein the sensor comprises an infrared detector.
17. The moistener of claim 14, wherein the sensor comprises a motion detector.
18. The moistener of claim 1, further comprising a heating component, the heating component being capable of warming the fluid prior to being dispensed through the moistener.
19. The moistener of claim 1, further comprising a cooling component, the cooling component being capable of cooling the fluid prior to being dispensed through the moistener.
20. A toilet moistener comprising:
- a. a body fixedly attached to a toilet, the toilet having a bowl to retain water;
- b. a spray head associated with the body, the spray head being positioned outside the bowl and directed to cause fluid to flow through the spray head in a direction other than in the bowl;
- c. a valve capable of restricting the flow of fluid to the spray head;
- d. a biasing component associated with the valve;
- e. a sensor;
- f. a switch capable of being actuated by the sensor, the switch controlling the restricting action of the valve;
- wherein fluid is supplied to the spray head through the valve; the biasing component biases the valve to restrict the flow of fluid to the spray head; and the switch causes the valve to reduce the restriction of fluid flow to the spray head against the bias, for dispensing a desired amount of fluid onto a cleansing material when the sensor detects the presence of a foreign object within a predetermined distance of the sensor.
21. A toilet moistener comprising:
- a. a body capable of placement adjacent to a toilet, the toilet having a bowl to retain water;
- b. a spray head associated with the body, the spray head being positioned outside the bowl and directed to cause fluid to flow through the spray head in a direction other than in the bowl;
- c. a valve capable of restricting the flow of fluid to the spray head;
- d. a biasing component associated with the valve;
- e. an actuator associated with the valve;
- f. a reservoir to hold fluid;
- wherein fluid is directed from the reservoir to the spray head through the valve; the biasing component biases the valve to restrict the flow of fluid to the spray head; and wherein activation of the actuator opens the valve against the bias to reduce the restriction of the flow of fluid to the spray head for dispensing a desired amount of fluid onto a cleansing material.
22. A toilet moistener comprising:
- a. a body fixedly attached to a toilet, the toilet having a bowl to retain water;
- b. a spray head associated with the body, the spray head being positioned outside the bowl and directed to cause fluid to flow through the spray head in a direction other than in the bowl;
- c. a valve capable of restricting the flow of fluid to the spray head;
- d. a biasing component associated with the valve;
- e. an actuator associated with the valve;
- wherein fluid is supplied to the spray head through the valve; the biasing component biases the valve to restrict the flow of fluid to the spray head; and wherein activation of the actuator opens the valve against the bias to reduce the restriction of the flow of fluid to the spray head for dispensing a desired amount of fluid onto a cleansing material.
23. A toilet moistener comprising:
- a. a body capable of placement adjacent to a toilet, the toilet having a bowl to retain water;
- b. a spray head associated with the body, the spray head being positioned outside the bowl and directed to cause fluid to flow through the spray head in a direction other than in the bowl;
- c. a valve capable of restricting the flow of fluid to the spray head;
- d. a biasing component associated with the valve;
- e. an actuator associated with the valve;
- g. a timer capable of being actuated by the actuator, the timer controlling the restricting action of the valve;
- wherein fluid is supplied to the spray head through the valve; the biasing component biases the valve to restrict the flow of fluid to the spray head; and wherein activation of the actuator actuates the timer and opens the valve against the bias to reduce the restriction of the flow of fluid to the spray head for dispensing a desired amount of fluid onto a cleansing material for a predetermined period of time.
24. In combination with a toilet having and a bowl that holds water, a moistener comprising:
- a. a body fixedly attached to the toilet;
- b. a spray head associated with the body, the spray head being positioned outside the bowl and directed to cause fluid to flow through the spray head in a direction other than in the bowl;
- c. a valve capable of restricting the flow of fluid to the spray head;
- d. a biasing component associated with the valve;
- e. an actuator associated with the valve;
- wherein fluid is supplied to the spray head through the valve; the biasing component biases the valve to restrict the flow of fluid to the spray head; and wherein activation of the actuator opens the valve against the bias to reduce the restriction of the flow of fluid to the spray head for dispensing a desired amount of fluid onto a cleansing material.
25. A method of moistening cleansing material, the method comprising the steps of:
- a. placing the cleansing material in proximity to an actuator of a moistening device, said moistening device comprising a body capable of placement in proximity to a toilet, the toilet having a bowl to retain water; a spray head associated with the body, the spray head being positioned outside the bowl and directed to cause fluid to flow through the spray head in a direction other than in the bowl; a valve capable of restricting the flow of fluid to the spray head; a biasing component associated with the valve; an actuator associated with the valve; wherein fluid is supplied to the spray head through the valve, the biasing component biases the valve to restrict the flow of fluid to the spray head, and activation of the actuator opens the valve against the bias to reduce the restriction of the flow of fluid to the spray head.
- b. Activating the actuator to dispense a desired amount of fluid through the spray head onto a cleansing material.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 12, 2005
Publication Date: Jul 13, 2006
Inventor: Kip Harm (Columbia, IL)
Application Number: 11/034,157
International Classification: A47K 1/00 (20060101); E03C 1/00 (20060101);