Sanitary Toilet Kit

Abstract

A sanitary toilet kit includes flushable, pre-moistened wipes, a disposable toilet seat cover, and a predetermined amount of bactericide. Alternatively, the kit may include other components such as toilet paper, hand sanitizer, or gloves. The kit provides a sanitary solution for unhygienic conditions in restrooms and helps prevent the spread of disease to the user and other individuals by isolating the user from any contaminants and pathogens on both the seat and bowl of a toilet. The sanitary kit is preferably small and compact enough to be stored in a wallet, a purse, a desk, a drawer, a glove box of a car, and many other discrete locations. The kit can also be dispensed—optionally for payment—at public restroom facilities.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/633,539, filed on Feb. 13, 2012, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to toilet kits for use in public restrooms and methods for using such kits, and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to toilet kits comprising a unique combination of elements providing sanitary protection for both a toilet seat and toilet bowl and methods for using such toilet kits.

2. Background of the Invention

Restrooms located outside the home are a necessity of life. People who venture away from their home for any appreciable amount of time find themselves using restrooms at work, at hospitals, at sporting events, at cultural events, at rest stops, and many other locations. For many, using a restroom outside one's home is an undesirable or even traumatic event. The problem can be especially traumatic for females or anyone who must sit on public toilets. Public toilets are typically used by numerous people, and it is impossible to ascertain how unhygienic the toilet currently is or even know the last time the toilet was cleaned.

Although the recent trend toward automation of hand-washing and hand-drying has led to significantly less interaction with the physical environment of the bathroom, it is often impossible to avoid physical contact with a toilet within the restroom.

Toilet bowls and seats are notoriously unhygienic and can be covered in fecal bacteria from many different genera, including Escherichia, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Citrobacter, and Clostridium. Any one of these genera can cause disease in an individual, including diarrhea and other intestinal diseases. Indeed, a recent study suggested that flushing a toilet without the lid down disburses numerous droplets of water containing pathogenic bacteria into the environment (Best et al., “Potential for Aerosolization of Clostridium difficile After Flushing Toilets: the Role of Toilet Lids in Reducing Environmental Contamination Risk,” J. Hosp. Infect., 80(1):1-5 (January 2012)). These disbursed droplets of contaminated water can then be inadvertently picked up by the next individual who uses the flushed toilet.

There have been previous attempts to provide sanitary solutions for toilet seats. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,247,360, issued to Bester and Beaty, discloses a disposable toilet seat cover with an attached wipe. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 7,774,869, issued to Massey, discloses a protective toilet seat cover with a toiletry such as a disinfectant wipe. However, the prior art fails to offer a solution that provides for cleanliness of both a toilet seat and a toilet bowl. Moreover, the prior art fails to provide a compact sanitary restroom kit with a flushable toilet seat cover, flushable wipe, and a bactericide for preventing the dissemination of harmful contaminants such as fecal bacteria onto the individual or into the environment.

Accordingly, there is a need for portable and compact sanitary toilet kits that provide a sanitary solution for both a toilet seat and toilet bowl to protect individuals from unsanitary bathroom environments.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object and advantage of the present invention to provide a sanitary toilet kit that overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art.

It is another object and advantage of the present invention to provide a miniaturized and compact sanitary toilet kit.

It is another object and advantage of the present invention to provide a sanitary compact toilet kit comprising a flushable toilet seat cover, a flushable wipe, and a bactericide.

It is yet another object and advantage of the present invention to provide a method for the use of a sanitary compact toilet kit comprising a flushable toilet seat cover, a flushable wipe, and a bactericide.

Embodiments of the present invention comprise methods and kits for sanitary toilet use. According to one embodiment, a sanitary toilet kit comprises: (i) a first package; (ii) a flushable wipe, which may be contained within a second package, the second package contained within the first package; (iii) a disposable toilet seat cover, which may be contained within a third package, the third package contained within the first package; and (iv) a bactericide, which may be contained within a fourth package, the fourth package contained within the first package. Optionally, the sanitary toilet kit further comprises a hand sanitizer, which may be contained within a fifth package, the fifth package contained within the first package.

According to another embodiment, a sanitary toilet kit comprises: (i) an outer package comprising a zipper lock; (ii) a pre-moistened flushable wipe, which may be contained within a second package, the second package contained within the first package; (iii) a flushable toilet seat cover, which may be contained within a third package, the flushable toilet seat cover comprising an adhesive to adhere the seat cover to a toilet seat, the third package contained within the first package; and (iv) a bactericide comprising sodium dichloro-s-trinzinetrine, which may be contained within a fourth package, the fourth package contained within the first package. Optionally, the sanitary toilet kit further comprises an odorant and/or a hand sanitizer, which may be contained within a one or more packages contained within the first package.

According to a further embodiment, a method for deploying a sanitary toilet kit while using a toilet, the method comprising the steps of: (i) obtaining a sanitary toilet kit, the kit comprising: (a) a first package; (b) a flushable wipe, which may be contained within a second package, the second package contained within the first package; (c) a disposable toilet seat cover, which may be contained within a third package, the third package contained within the first package; and (d) a bactericide, which may be contained within a fourth package, the fourth package contained within the first package; (ii) pouring the bactericide into the toilet bowl; (iii) placing the disposable toilet seat cover onto the seat of the toilet; (iv) using the flushable wipe; and (v) disposing of the flushable wipe into the toilet. Optionally, the sanitary toilet kit further comprises a hand sanitizer, which may be contained within a fifth package, the fifth package contained within the first package, and the method further comprising the step of opening using the hand sanitizer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The present invention may be more fully understood and appreciated by reading the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for using a sanitary toilet kit in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of a sanitary toilet kit in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a reverse view of a sanitary toilet kit in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a front view of various components of a sanitary toilet kit in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout, there is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 a sanitary toilet kit 200 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The kit comprises a package 240 which may be clear or translucent. To maintain secrecy or discreteness, the package can be opaque. The package 240 is preferably made of a plastic such as polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride, among many other varieties. In an alternative embodiment, the package 240 is made of a disposable paper material that, along with other components of kit 200, can be disposed within the toilet bowl after the kit has been used.

Package 240 further comprises an opening 210 through which the other components of the kit can be inserted and removed. In one embodiment, opening 210 and/or package 240 is further equipped with a closing mechanism that can be opened and closed multiple times. For example, the package can comprise a “zipper closure” similar to that used with bags sold under the trademark Ziploc®. Other closure mechanisms, such as adhesive, hook and loop, snaps, clips, and rubber bands, are possible. Alternatively, the opening can be sealed closed such that it is intended to be opened only once during use.

Package 240 can also comprise labels, including a front label 220 and a reverse label 230. The front label may comprise a description of the product, a brand name or trademark, a logo, company information, contact information, or any of a wide variety of information known in the art. Similarly, the reverse label may comprise a wide variety of information known in the art, including but not limited to directions of use and a list of components and/or ingredients found within kit 200.

Inside package 240, kit 200 comprises several different components, including but not limited to wipes packaging 400 containing one or more disposable wipes 410, toilet seat packaging 420 containing one or more disposable toilet seat covers 430, and bactericide packaging 440 containing an amount of bactericide 450, as shown in FIG. 4. Similar to package 240, packaging 400, 420, and 440 are preferably made of a plastic such as polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride, among many other varieties, although according to one embodiment the packaging is made of a disposable paper material that can be disposed within the toilet bowl after the kit has been used. Each of packaging 400, 420, and 440 may be clear, translucent, or opaque, and can comprise a closing mechanism that can be opened and closed multiple times, including any one or more of the closing devices described above, or a package can be sealed closed for one-time use. Further, the packaging can optionally comprise writing or one or more labels to identify or characterize the contents.

Disposable wipe(s) 410 can be any wipes suitable to clean one or more surfaces of the toilet and/or the human body and suitable to be disposed of after use. One method of disposing includes placing the used wipes in the toilet bowl and flushing them. In one embodiment, wipes packaging 400 comprises 1 to 5 moist flushable wipes. The wipes preferably comprise recycled materials and can be pre-moistened with any liquid, including water and/or an antiseptic.

Disposable toilet seat cover(s) 430 can be any toilet seat cover capable of providing a sanitary barrier between the user and the toilet seat. Many different types and varieties of disposable toilet seat covers are known in the art. In one embodiment, toilet seat packaging 420 comprises 1 to 2 disposable toilet seat covers. The disposable toilet seat cover preferably comprises recycled materials. The disposable toilet seat cover can further comprise an adhesive to promote adherence to the toilet seat during use, thereby preventing undesired movement of the cover.

Bactericide packaging 440 preferably comprises a predetermined amount (in weight or volume) of bactericide 450, where the predetermined amount is equal or greater than the amount required to disinfect the water within the toilet bowl before and/or after use of the toilet by the individual. For example, in one embodiment, the predetermined amount is approximately 1 teaspoon of bactericide 450, although a wide range of amounts are possible. The bactericide can be any material capable of trapping, incapacitating, and/or killing, including but not limited to a disinfectant, an antiseptic, an antibiotic, or a combination thereof. Examples of bacterial disinfectants include, but are not limited to chlorine, peroxides, iodine, alcohols, and heavy metals. In one embodiment, bactericide 450 comprises sodium dichloro-S-Trinzinetrine with an available chlorine content of approximately 56%. However, bactericide 450 other forms and concentrations of chlorine disinfectants, including trichlors (with approximately 90% or more available chlorine content) and anhydrous dichlor (with approximately 62% available chlorine content. In yet another embodiment, bactericide 450 further comprises an odorant or a deodorant to mask odors.

The bactericide 450 can take many forms. For example, the bactericide can be granular. One advantage of granular bactericide is that it has a large surface area for rapid dissolution in liquid. The bactericide can also be in tablet form, either one large tablet or several small tablets, such that the tablet(s) dissolves when placed in liquid. The granules or tablets can further comprise one or more additives to encourage rapid and efficient dissolution in water. For example, they can comprise citric acid and/or sodium bicarbonate, which react when dropped in water to cause quick dissolution. Kit 200 can further comprise toilet paper. According to one embodiment the kit preferably comprises a predetermined amount of toilet paper, where the predetermined amount is an amount sufficient for the average consumer to cleanse a body area after using a restroom. For example, in one embodiment. the kit comprises six perforated pieces of toilet paper. The toilet paper is preferably folded compactly into a small package that fits inside the kit. A kit with toilet paper offers several advantages. For example, restrooms and/or specific stalls within the restroom are frequently out of toilet paper, and supplying one's own toilet paper alleviates this issue. Additionally, toilet paper in public restrooms can be unsanitary or an inexpensive and therefore undesirable brand.

Kit 200 can further comprise one or more additional items, including but not limited to gloves. The gloves, not shown, can be of the one-size-fits-all type and can be made of polyethylene as is typically worn in food handling. While the gloves may also be latex as are worn by health care professionals, these gloves can be more difficult to place on the hand. Kit 200 may also optionally comprise a disposal bag, not shown, which can be used to hold one or more of the used components of the kit. In one embodiment, the disposal bag is capable of being effectively sealed shut so that its contents are retained within the bag in a sanitary and odor-free manner.

As yet another component, kit 200 can comprise a one-time use packaging containing a predetermined amount of hand sanitizer. For example, instant hand sanitizers comprising ethyl alcohol, and which do not require the addition of water, are popular in situations where water is not immediately available or accessible. These hand sanitizer solutions kill germs without requiring water. Some of these hand sanitizers further comprise a moisturizer to avoid drying the hands with too much alcohol.

FIG. 1 depicts a flowchart of an exemplary process for using a sanitary toilet kit in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. At step 100, the user retrieves the sanitary toilet kit 200. The kit is preferably small and compact enough to be stored in a wallet, a purse, a desk, a drawer, a glove box of a car, and many other discrete locations. The kit can also be dispensed—optionally for payment—at public restroom facilities. If the kit has instructions, the user may read them to gain an understanding of how to use the kit. The user then opens package 240 of kit 200 and can access each of the components inside.

At step 110, the user identifies and opens bactericide packaging 440 and pours bactericide 450 into the water sitting in the toilet bowl. Once the bactericide contacts the water, it instantly begins any kill the pathogenic bacteria residing within the water. Yet another benefit of a bactericide disposed throughout the toilet bowl water is that any water that inadvertently splashes during use of the toilet will be sterilized prior to splashing.

At step 120, the user identifies and opens toilet seat packaging 420 to remove a disposable toilet seat cover 430. The user can then place disposable toilet seat cover 430 on the toilet seat. If disposable toilet seat cover 430 comprises adhesive, the user can remove any adhesive covering prior to adhering the seat cover to the toilet seat.

At step 130, the toilet is used by the individual. This can include liquid waste, solid waste, or a combination thereof. After the individual has completed sitting on the toilet, the individual can remove the toilet seat cover and place it within the toilet bowl.

At step 140 of the exemplary method depicted in FIG. 1, the user identifies and opens wipes packaging 400 and removes one or more disposable wipes 410. The wipes can be used to clean, disinfect, and/or soothe the hands or other parts of the body, depending on the needs of the user. After use, the individual can dispose of the wipes by placing them into the toilet bowl. In an alternative embodiment, the user places the toilet seat cover and the wipes within a sealable bag or container for disposal within a garbage receptacle.

At step 160 of the method, the user safely and hygienically flushes the toilet. This will dispose of the human waste as well as one or more components of kit 200, including but not limited to the disposable wipes, the toilet seat cover, and any of the packaging that is flushable.

In addition to the steps described above, if kit 200 comprises any additional components, use of those components may comprise a further step. For example, if kit 200 comprises a hand sanitizer, the hand sanitizer can be used by the individual after he or she has completely finished the other steps. The user opens the package and squeezes or dispenses sanitizer onto their hands and rubs their hands together to disperse the alcohol-containing solution (although, notably, some hand sanitizers work without alcohol).

It can be seen that use of the sanitary toilet kit described herein provides a sanitary solution for both the seat and bowl of a toilet and helps prevent the spread of disease to the toilet user and to any other individuals that might result from the use of the toilet by isolating the toilet user from the contaminated and pathogenic toilet. This is accomplished in a convenient and efficient manner using the sanitary toilet kit described herein. The sanitary toilet kit and method also provides a convenient and compact packaging for transporting and storing the kit.

In addition to providing a healthier, more sanitary restroom experience, the sanitary toilet kit and method described herein may also provide a faster restroom experience by providing and organizing all the necessary components for the individual, literally at their fingertips.

The sanitary toilet kit described herein is also sufficiently compact and miniaturized to allow ease of carrying the kit to a restroom. For example, the kit can fit comfortably in a pocket, purse, briefcase, backpack, or other articles that are commonly carried to or used at locations containing restrooms. This is especially advantageous considering the fact that items such as purses have been increasingly smaller in recent years, and therefore have less storage space. Thus, not only can the kit be carried easily and efficiently, but it can also be used, carried or stored privately and discretely.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with various embodiments, it should be understood that modifications, alterations, and additions can be made to the invention without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A sanitary toilet kit comprising:

a first package;

a flushable wipe contained within said first package;

a disposable toilet seat contained within said first package; and

a bactericide for use in a toilet bowl, said bactericide contained within said first package.

2. The sanitary toilet kit of claim 1, further comprising:

a hand sanitizer contained within said first package.

3. The sanitary toilet kit of claim 1, further comprising toilet paper.

4. The sanitary toilet kit of claim 1, wherein said bactericide comprises chlorine.

5. The sanitary toilet kit of claim 4, wherein said bactericide comprises sodium dichloro-s-trinzinetrine.

6. The sanitary toilet kit of claim 1, further comprising:

a pair of disposable gloves contained within said first package.

7. The sanitary toilet kit of claim 1, wherein the disposable toilet seat cover comprises an adhesive.

8. The sanitary toilet kit of claim 1, wherein the first package is re-sealable.

9. The sanitary toilet kit of claim 1, wherein the flushable wipe is pre-moistened.

10. The sanitary toilet kit of claim 1, wherein the disposable toilet seat cover is flushable.

11. A sanitary toilet kit comprising:

a first package comprising re-sealable means;

a pre-moistened flushable wipe contained within said first package;

a flushable toilet seat cover comprising an adhesive to adhere the seat cover to a toilet seat, said flushable toilet seat cover contained within said first package;

a bactericide for use in a toilet bowl, said bactericide comprising dichloro-s-trinzinetrine and contained within said first package;

toilet paper contained within said first package; and

a hand sanitizer contained within said first package.

12. The sanitary toilet kit of claim 11, wherein said kit further comprises an odorant.

13. The sanitary toilet kit of claim 11, further comprising:

a pair of disposable gloves located within said first package.

14. A method for deploying a sanitary toilet kit while using a toilet, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining a sanitary toilet kit, the kit comprising: (i) a first package; (ii) a flushable wipe contained within said first package; (iii) a disposable toilet seat cover contained within said first package; and (iv) a bactericide located contained within said first package;

pouring said bactericide into a toilet;

placing said disposable toilet seat cover onto a seat of said toilet;

using said flushable wipe; and

disposing of said flushable wipe into the toilet.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the sanitary toilet kit further comprises a hand sanitizer contained within said first package, and the method further comprising the step of:

using the hand sanitizer.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the sanitary toilet kit further comprises a pair of disposable gloves located within said first package, and the method further comprising the steps of:

donning the disposable gloves from the sanitary toilet kit; and

removing the disposable gloves.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the disposable toilet seat cover comprises an adhesive, and wherein the step of placing said disposable toilet seat cover onto the seat of said toilet comprises the step of aligning the adhesive with the toilet seat.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the flushable wipe is pre-moistened.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the disposable toilet seat cover is flushable.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

discarding the remainder of the sanitary toilet kit.