DRIBBLE DRAIN INHIBITOR ADAPTOR FOR URINALS

Abstract

A dribble drain inhibitor adaptor for use with a urinal includes a basin adapted to readily drain urine or other liquids directed at the adaptor into the urinal, a splash guard approximately at the periphery of the basin and largely co-terminus with or extending outwardly a predetermined distance from the outer rim of the urinal to inhibit the urine or other liquids from spilling or splashing out of the urinal, means for maintaining the height and angle of the basin in a desired manner, and means for secure placement in or attachment of the adaptor to the urinal. Methods of inhibiting unwanted spillage and drainage and of enhancing sanitation using the adaptor are also included.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The subject matter described herein relates generally to adaptors to inhibit the dribbling of urine from public and other urinals, especially in high use locations such as restaurants, sporting venues and airports. More generally, it relates to apparatuses and their use which ameliorate unsanitary conditions in such places.

Public urinals provide for rapid disposal of urine by men at sporting venues, restaurants and other public gathering spots. However, the appearance of unsanitary and unsightly urine spillage and dribbling, at the foot of such urinals is a common eyesore and provides for situations where patrons are essentially forced to walk through spillage in order to relieve themselves. Moreover, standing urine can be the repository for a variety of health risks, including among them the bacterial progenitors of diphtheria and hepatitis (Coryneform), bronchial pneumonia (Streptoccoccaceae), urinary tract infections (Psudomonadaceae), and various kidney infections (Enterobacteriaceae), not to mention the common cold, E. coli, and hepatitis A.

While the need has been in existence for millennia, the presence of an strategically formed, easily attached, detached and cleaned drainage adaptor to address the dribbling and spillage problems endemic to urinal usage has escaped us. Accordingly, such an inexpensive, yet highly salutary device has simply not been available.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, applicant has discovered that there is a need to address the issue of unsanitary urinals and urinal dribbling and spillage and have devised a dribble drain inhibitor adaptor to address these concerns.

Thus, a dribble drain inhibitor adaptor is provided which includes a basin adapted to readily drain urine or other liquids directed at the adaptor into the urinal, and a splash guard approximately at the periphery of the basin and largely co-terminus with the outer rim of the urinal or extending outwardly a predetermined distance therefrom to inhibit the urine or other liquids from spilling or splashing out of the urinal. The adaptor also includes means for maintaining the height and angle of the basin in a desired manner, and means for secure placement in, or attachment of the adaptor to, the urinal. Methods of inhibiting unwanted spillage and drainage and of enhancing sanitation using the adaptor are also included.

The method involves providing a dribble drain inhibitor adaptor having the features as outlined herein for use in public or other urinals and permitting its use in such settings and during such occasions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The presently disclosed subject matter will be better understood from reading the following description of non-limiting embodiments, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein below:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the dribble drain inhibitor adaptor in accordance showing an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the dribble drain inhibitor adaptor shown in FIG. 1 showing the underside of the dribble drain inhibitor adaptor of FIG. 1, including the urinal rim grips built into the bottom of the adaptor's basin.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the dribble drain inhibitor adaptor shown in FIG. 1 showing the dribble drain inhibitor adaptor in place upon a standard urinal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of certain embodiments will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. As used herein, an element or step recited in the singular and preceded with the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding the plural of said elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly stated. Furthermore, references to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Moreover, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments “comprising” or “having” an element or a plurality of elements having a particular property may include additional such elements not having that property.

Various embodiments as described and shown herein provide a dribble drain inhibitor adaptor which helps ameliorate the concern noted above wherein poorly aimed relieving of urine at urinals results in highly unsanitary conditions in a wide variety of venues. The dribble drain inhibitor adaptor of the invention greatly reduces the amount of unintended and unsanitary runoff of urine onto the floor where it is trod upon or otherwise comes into unhealthy contact with patrons of public toilets.

The urinal adaptors of the present invention offer improved sanitation and cleanliness which significantly address these previously largely ignored issues.

Referring to the drawings, in one embodiment of the invention, a dribble drain inhibitor adaptor 100 may be seen in FIGS. 1-2.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the adaptor 100 includes a splash guard 10 including left 10a and right 10b sections when viewed facing the urinal. Optionally, the adaptor 100 includes a dip or depression 12 to enhance a man or boy's ability to relieve himself using the urinal aided by the adaptor. In the depicted embodiment, the depression 12 in the splash guard 10 retains a shorter rim 12a than the height of the splash guard(s) above the basin 14 of the adaptor 100 which functions to assist in funneling urine, water or other liquids into the bowl of the urinal to which the adaptor 100 is attached. As depicted, the basin 14 of the adaptor 100 has a slight to significant slant downward toward the urinal's bowl to incline the urine and other liquids into the bowl and to further inhibit its spillage onto the floor surrounding the urinal. The incline can be 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% or greater, as desired and depending on such factors as the level of usage of the urinal. To provide the appropriate height adjustment, the adaptor 100 in the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 has an end-piece 16 with a first end 16a sharply curved down from the level of the adaptor basin 14 to a second end 16b which can serve to place the downward slope of the adaptor's basin 14 at a predetermined angle such as custom made for a particular brand or style of urinal.

As depicted in FIG. 2, the adaptor 100 in this embodiment has means of attachment, in this instance consisting of a left 18a and right 18b gripping unit, incorporated into or attached to the bottom side of the adaptor's basin 14. These grips 18a, 18b, etc. can be formed to slip over and grip the rim of a standard urinal (or otherwise can be form-fitted to securely attach). Alternatively, the adaptor 100 may be formed to fit snugly just within the urinal's outer rim, or to use another means of attachment, such as standard nuts and bolts, straps or other secure connections.

FIG. 3 shows the dribble drain inhibitor adaptor 100 of FIG. 1 as actually installed and ready for use on a standard public urinal. As depicted, the built-in splash and slope protections of the adaptor 100 inhibit, and actually essentially eliminate, unwanted urine runoff or spillage, greatly improving the sanitation and overall health profile for the public utilizing them in connection with a bathroom containing urinals.

The urinal adaptor may be fabricated of one or more of various sturdy, preferably flexible materials that are generally impermeable to pathogens and to noxious chemicals of the type encountered at a public urinal. These may include, but are not limited to plastics, silicones, and latex. In some embodiments, the adaptor may be made using an injection molded process, and may be of one piece construction with no detachable components. Methods of construction by injection molding and otherwise are generally known to those skilled in the art. Various embodiments may be cleaned with industrial detergents and/or hot water and soap, alcohol or other disinfectant as needed, and reused over any appropriate and/or desirable time frame.

Among the characteristics which materials used for the urinal adaptors of the invention may advantageously possess, include castability, superior physical properties such as sturdiness, but ideally with some degree of flexibility, and impermeability to pathogens such as anti-biotic resistant germs, bacteria (as mentioned above), viruses, fungi and prions. Suitable materials may include one of, or combinations of, silicone and fluorosilicone rubbers, such as Silastic, propylenes and tetra-fluoroethylenes, polyurethane rubbers such as Adiprene, Estane and Genthane, polysulphide rubbers such as Thiokol, chloroprene rubbers and nitrile rubbers. Other materials known to those skilled in the art may be substituted in place of the above, provided they meet the requirements for flexibility, performance and resistance as described herein.

The urinal adaptors of the invention may optionally be impregnated or otherwise treated with one or more anti-pathogenic agents to enhance their protective properties and to assist in removal of germs and/or other pathogens on urinals, the adaptors and other surfaces. In this embodiment of the adaptor of the invention, the anti-bacterial agents may provide additional protection by killing pathogens at any contact points (or that would become airborne) thus further inhibiting the spread of pathogens to any unprotected patrons during their next visit to the bathroom.

It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments and/or aspects thereof may be used in combination with each other. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the various embodiments of the invention without departing from their scope. While any dimensions and types of materials described herein are intended to define the parameters of the various embodiments of the invention, the embodiments are by no means limiting and are exemplary embodiments. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the various embodiments of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the following claims, any terms such as “first,” or “second,” “left” or “right” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical or strict dimensional requirements or limitations on their objects unless so required by functional needs.

This written description uses drawings and examples of components to disclose the various embodiments of the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various embodiments of the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the various embodiments of the invention may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art based on the principles explained herein. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims and description if the examples have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims and above description, or if the examples include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.

Claims

1. A dribble drain inhibitor adaptor for use with a urinal comprising:

A basin adapted to drain urine or other liquids directed at the adaptor into the urinal, a splash guard approximately at the periphery of the basin largely co-terminus with the outer rim of the urinal or extending outwardly a predetermined distance therefrom to inhibit the urine or other liquids from spilling or splashing out of the urinal, means for maintaining the height and angle of the basin in a desired manner, and means for secure placement in or attachment of the adaptor to the urinal.

2. The urinal adaptor of claim 1 wherein the means for maintaining the height and angle of the basin comprises a curved end-piece which extends at one end of and downwardly from the basin and is located generally opposite the side of the basin to which the splash guard is located.

3. The urinal adaptor of claim 1 wherein the means for secure placement in or attachment of the adaptor to the urinal comprises one or more form-fitting grips which securely fasten to the rim of the urinal.

4. The urinal adaptor of claim 1 wherein the basin is relatively flat and inclines at a 10° incline or more from the normal toward the bowl of the urinal.

5. The urinal adaptor of claim 1 wherein the splash guard further comprises a mid-area depression to assist in access to the bowl of the urinal.

6. The urinal adaptor of claim 5 wherein the depression further comprises a rim area to inhibit spillage from the urinal adaptor at the mid-area depression.

7. The urinal adaptor of claim 1 wherein the adaptor further comprises a material wherein an antibiotic has been incorporated.

8. A method of inhibiting drainage or spillage of urine or other liquids from a urinal comprising the steps of securing the adaptor of claim 1 to the urinal and thereby inhibiting drainage or spillage when the urinal is in use at times when users of the urinal otherwise are disposed to miss the bowl or splash urine forward therefrom.

9. A method of enhancing sanitation in and around urinals comprising the steps of placing the adaptor of claim 1 within or upon the urinal to inhibit urine runoff or spillage and permitting users to use the urinal.

10. The method of enhancing sanitation of claim 9 wherein the method further comprises using the adaptor of claim 1 in which an antibiotic which kills disease-causing biotics incorporated into the material of the adaptor.