Potty trainer

Abstract

The invention is an article suitable for collecting and disposing of waste from a child's potty. The article has a flexible plastic liner/bag, an absorbent pad, and a means for closing the flexible plastic liner/bag. The liner/bag is a waterproof receptacle that is substantially cylindrical in shape, and has a diameter that is comparable to the potty for which it is sized. The absorbent pad is substantially circular in shape, where the absorbent pad has a diameter that is comparable to the liner/bag for which it is sized. The absorbent pad has a plastic filmic bottom layer, a porous nonwoven top layer, and absorbent fibrous materials between the top and the bottom layer. The absorbent pad is adhered to a bottom of the flexible plastic liner/bag. The stiffness of the pad is sufficient to impart shape to the plastic liner/bag.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1) Field of the Invention

The invention relates to an article that is a portable waste disposal bag, and more particularly to an article that is suitable for collecting and disposing of waste from a child's potty.

2) Prior Art

G.B. 2196246A to Brenton Vann teaches a universal disposable body waste vessel liner/bag to contain, stabilize, and seal-in the superfluous body waste in a hygienic manner prior to disposal. The bag, when used in conjunction with a body waste vessel, (i.e. a chamber pot or potty) eliminates the need to wash and/or sterilize the vessel after each use. The liner/bag has an absorbent, which stabilizes any fluid in the liner/bag so that it may be sealed and safely stored prior to convenient disposal. The liner/bag can have a string tie or other closing means.

While the prior art teaches the use of a liner/bag for disposing of waste, to properly install the liner/bag in the vessel requires that the liner/bag be pushed down into the vessel (i.e. a chamber pot or potty). What is needed is a liner/bag for disposing of waste that has a shaping element, where the shaping element causes the liner to move to the bottom of the vessel and expand toward the wall of the vessel. Further, what is needed is a liner/bag for waste that can be refitted with an absorbent pad, where the absorbent pad partitions one deposit of waste from a second deposit, so that if it becomes necessary to add a second deposit to the disposable liner/bag then an additional absorbent pad can be added. The absorbent pad acts not only as an absorbent, but also as a hygienic partition that masks the first deposit from the second or subsequent deposit. Masking the first deposit makes the liner/bag much more acceptable to a user having a heightened sensory awareness. For children who are in the process of learning potty training, it is particularly important to have a disposable liner that can be refitted with another absorbent pad, because they often are unsure of when they have finished, and may require multiple trips to the potty before they are finished.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

A first object of the invention is an article that is suitable for collecting and disposing waste from a child's potty, where the article is a disposable and waterproof receptacle.

A further object of the invention is that the article fit into a child's training potty.

Another object of the invention is that the child's training potty liner be absorbent.

A further object is that the article be easily be closed or cinched.

A further object is that additional absorbent materials in the form of pads may be added to the child's training potty liner.

Another object of the invention is that it can be folded over the rim of a child's training potty.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is an article that is suitable for collecting and disposing of waste from a child's potty. The article is comprised of a flexible plastic liner/bag that is a waterproof receptacle that is substantially cylindrical in shape, and has a diameter that is comparable to the potty for which it is sized. The invention is further comprised of an absorbent pad that is substantially circular in shape, and has a diameter that is comparable to the liner/bag for which it is sized. Additionally, the invention has a means for closing the flexible plastic liner/bag. Examples of means for the flexible plastic liner/bag include a straw string at the mouth of the bag, zip lock seals, tails that tie, nylon cable clamps, cinch straps, and twist ties. Typically, the absorbent pad has a plastic filmic bottom layer, a porous nonwoven top layer, and absorbent fibrous materials between the top and the bottom layer. The absorbent pad can be adhered to the bottom of the flexible plastic liner/bag. The absorbent pad, having multiple layers, is relatively soft, but stiffer than the liner/bag, and the liner/bag extends around the perimeter of the absorbent pad. The bottom layer of the absorbent pad is substantially flush with the bottom of the bag, and the adhered pad imparts shape to the liner/bag. Preferably, with the absorbent pad positioned in the bottom of the bag, the bag is stiff enough to be free standing, but flexible enough to be easily closed. The article is preferably further comprised of at least one additional hygienic absorbent pad, which is not adhered to the bottom of the flexible plastic liner/bag. The additional absorbent pad can be added/refitted to the child potty training liner/bag as use dictates. The additional absorbent pad can be stacked like poker chips, creating a fresh bottom surface in the liner/bag each time one is added. If the surface isn't sufficiently fresh enough after one additional pad to mollify one's heightened sensory awareness, then add even another absorbent pad until the desired effect is achieved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other objects will become readily apparent by referring to the following detailed description and the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the article for collecting and disposing of waste from a child's potty. The article is comprised of a flexible plastic liner/bag that is a waterproof receptacle that is substantially cylindrical in shape, and has a diameter that is comparable to the potty for which it is sized. The receptacle is fitted with an absorbent pad, shown in dashed lines to indicate that the pad is contained with the receptacle;

FIG. 2a is a top view of the absorbent pad;

FIG. 2b is a side view of the absorbent pad, which illustrates that the pad is comprised of multiple layers;

FIG. 2c is a bottom view of the absorbent pad;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the article for collecting and disposing of waste illustrating that the article can be fitted with multiple absorbent pads, where each pad creates a fresh surface in the article;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the invented flexible plastic liner/bag fitted onto a child's potty. The potions of the potty covered by the flexible plastic liner/bag are shown as dashed lines; and

FIG. 5 is a side view of the invented flexible plastic liner/bag wherein the bag has been cinched closed using a drawstring.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention is an article that is suitable for collecting and disposing of waste from a child's potty. The article, as illustrated in FIG. 1, is comprised of a flexible plastic liner/bag that is a waterproof receptacle that is substantially cylindrical in shape, and has a diameter that is comparable to the potty for which it is sized. As illustrated in FIG. 2a-c, the invention is further comprised of an absorbent pad 20 that is substantially circular in shape, and has a diameter that is comparable to the liner/bag 12 for which it is sized. Additionally, the invention has a means for closing the flexible plastic liner/bag 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the means is a drawstring 14 threaded through a seam 16, which enables the mouth of the bag to be cinched shut, like a turnicate. Other examples of means for the flexible plastic liner/bag include a zip lock seal, tails that tie, nylon cable clamps, and twist ties. FIG. 5 illustrates the article 10 cinched closed. The absorbent pad 20 has a plastic filmic bottom layer 26, a porous nonwoven top layer 22, and absorbent fibrous materials 24 between the top and the bottom layer. Typically, the absorbent fibrous materials 24 are comprised of at least three layers. The absorbent pad 20 can be adhered to the bottom of the flexible plastic liner/bag 12. The absorbent pad 20, having multiple layers, is relatively soft, but stiffer than the liner/bag, and the liner/bag extends around the perimeter of the absorbent pad. The bottom layer 26 of the absorbent pad 20 is substantially flush with the bottom of the bag, and the adhered pad imparts shape to the liner/bag 12. Preferably, with the absorbent pad positioned in the bottom of the bag, the bag 12 is stiff enough to be free standing, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, but flexible enough to be easily closed. The article 10 can be further comprised of at least one additional hygienic absorbent pad 20, which is not adhered to the bottom of the flexible plastic liner/bag. FIG. 3 illustrates the invention with 3 absorbent pads, the pad on the bottom 20, a second pad 20′, and a third pad 20″. The additional absorbent pad can be added/refitted to the child potty training liner/bag 10 as use dictates. Additional absorbent pads can be stacked like poker chips, creating a fresh bottom surface in the liner/bag each time one is added. Not only do the bags create a substantially dry surface, but also various absorbent materials can be included in the pads to deodorize the article. If the surface isn't sufficiently fresh enough after one additional pad to mollify one's heightened sensory awareness, then add even another absorbent pad 20 until the desired effect is achieved. The level of need will be dictated by the history usage of the potty training article 10.

The article can be installed on a potty 30 by inserting the bottom of the invention 10 into the trainer, with the top of the bag folded over the rim 32 and the handle 34 of the potty 30. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the portions of the potty 30 covered by the bag 12 are shown in dashed lines. The absorbent pad 20 is situated in the bottom of the potty. If need be, an additional absorbent pad 20 can be added at any time. After removing the potty from the toilet trainer seat that holds the potty, the article is sealed, as shown in FIG. 5.

The descriptions above and the accompanying drawings should be interpreted in the illustrative and not the limited sense. While the invention has been disclosed in connection with the preferred embodiment or embodiments thereof, it should be understood that there may be other embodiments which fall within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims. Where a claim is expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function, it is intended that such claim be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof, including both structural equivalents and equivalent structures.

Claims

1. An article that is suitable for collecting and disposing waste from a child's potty, said article comprising:

a flexible plastic liner/bag, wherein said liner/bag is a waterproof receptacle that is substantially cylindrical in shape, where the receptacle has a diameter that is comparable to the potty for which it is sized;

an absorbent pad, wherein said absorbent pad is substantially circular in shape, where the absorbent pad has a diameter that is comparable to the liner/bag for which it is sized; and

means for closing the flexible plastic liner/bag.

2. The article, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said absorbent pad has a plastic filmic bottom layer, a porous nonwoven top layer, and absorbent fibrous materials between the top and the bottom layer.

3. The article, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for closing the flexible plastic liner/bag is a seam at the mouth of the bag, and a drawstring that runs through the seam and exits through an opening in the seam.

4. The article, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said absorbent pad is adhered to a bottom of the flexible plastic liner/bag.

5. The article, as claimed in claim 4, wherein said absorbent pad has a stiffness greater than the flexible plastic liner/bag, and the bag extends around the absorbent pad.

6. The article, as claimed in claim 4, wherein said article has at least one additional absorbent pad which is not adhered to the bottom of the flexible plastic liner/bag.