Toilet Seat Covering Device And Method Of Use

Abstract

A toilet seat covering device for reducing viral transmission includes a sheet, which is shaped substantially complementarily to an upper face of a toilet seat. The sheet comprises resiliently flexible, substantially inelastic, elastomer. The sheet is positionable on the upper face of the toilet seat so the sheet to substantially covers the upper face. The sheet prevents direct contact of the upper face of the toilet seat with a user who is seated upon the toilet seat. The sheet may be one of a plurality of sheets, the sheets of which are sequentially extractable for use, after which they can be disposed of.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to covering devices and more particularly pertains to a new covering device for reducing viral transmission. The present invention discloses a covering device comprising elastomer, which reduces a risk of transmission of pathogens, such as viruses.

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The prior art relates to covering devices, which may comprise paper covers that are thin and flexible or somewhat rigid, rigid plastic covers, and multiuse flexible plastic covers that are adhesively attachable to toilet seats, and the like. What is lacking in the prior art is a covering device comprising a disposable sheet, which is made of elastomer and powdered on its opposed faces.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a sheet, which is shaped substantially complementarily to an upper face of a toilet seat. The sheet comprises resiliently flexible, substantially inelastic, elastomer. The sheet is configured to be positioned on, and to substantially cover, the upper face of the toilet seat, whereby the sheet prevents direct contact of the upper face of the toilet seat with a user who is seated upon the toilet seat. The sheet may be one of a plurality of sheets, the sheets of which are sequentially extractable for use, after which they can be disposed of.

Another embodiment of the disclosure include a method of covering a toilet seat. The method comprising a provision step, which entails providing toilet seat covering device according to the disclosure above, an extraction step wherein a respective sheet is extracted from the plurality of sheets, and deployment step, wherein the respective sheet is positioned on an upper face of a toilet seat.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric perspective view of a toilet seat covering device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is top view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is an in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram for a method utilizing an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new covering device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the toilet seat covering device 10 generally comprises a sheet 12, which is shaped substantially complementarily to an upper face 14 of a toilet seat 16. The sheet 12 comprises resiliently flexible, substantially inelastic, elastomer. The sheet 12 comprises nitrile rubber, polyisoprene, chloroprene, silicone rubber, or the like, and is anticipated to be used a single time. The sheet 12 is configured to be positioned on, and to substantially cover, the upper face 14 of the toilet seat 16, whereby the sheet 12 prevents direct contact of the upper face 14 of the toilet seat 16 with a user who is seated upon the toilet seat 16. The present invention is anticipated to be useful in limiting transmission of pathogens, such as viruses, between multiple users of a single toilet.

The sheet 12 has opposed faces 18, which are powdered with cornstarch, or the like. The cornstarch, being on both of the opposed faces 18, allows either opposed face 18 to be in contact with the toilet seat 16, while the other opposed face 18 will be in contact with the user. The cornstarch thus deters adhesion of the sheet 12 to the user.

The sheet 12 may be sized to overlay and to overhang the upper face 14 of the toilet seat 16 so that an inner rim 20 and an outer rim 22 of the toilet seat 16 are substantially covered by the sheet 12. The sheet 12 thus is configured to prevent direct contact of the inner rim 20 and the outer rim 22 of the toilet seat 16 with the user who is seated upon the toilet seat 16. The sheet 12 may be shaped complementarily to a toilet seat 16 of a campground toilet, which may be frequently used and infrequently serviced.

As shown in FIG. 4, the sheet 12 is one of a plurality of sheets 12. Each tab 24 of a plurality of tabs 24 is attached to and extends from an opposed end 26 of a respective sheet 12. The tab 24 is configured to be grasped in digits of a hand of the user, positioning the user to extract the respective sheet 12 from the plurality of sheets 12. It is envisioned that, after use, the respective sheet 12 would be disposed of. The sheets 12 of the plurality of sheets 12 may be stacked, nested, rolled, or the like, so as to be sequentially extractable. Such methods are well known to those skilled in the art of dispensing disposable covers.

In use, the toilet seat covering device 10 enables a method of covering a toilet seat 28, as shown in FIG. 5. The method 28 comprises a provision step 30, which entails providing toilet seat covering device 10 according to the specification above. An extraction step 32 of the method 28 entails grasping a tab 24 of a respective sheet 12 in digits of a hand of the user and extracting the respective sheet 12 from the plurality of sheets 12. A deployment step 34 of the method 28 entails positioning the respective sheet 12 on, and substantially covering, an upper face 14 of a toilet seat 16 so that direct contact of the upper face 14 of the toilet seat 16 with the user seated upon the toilet seat 16 is prevented.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.

Claims

1. A toilet seat covering device comprising a sheet shaped substantially complementarily to an upper face of a toilet seat, the sheet comprising resiliently flexible, substantially inelastic, elastomer, wherein the sheet is configured for positioning on, and substantially covering, the upper face of the toilet seat for preventing direct contact of the upper face of the toilet seat with a user seated upon the toilet seat.

2. The toilet seat covering device of claim 1, wherein the sheet comprises nitrile rubber.

3. The toilet seat covering device of claim 1, wherein opposed faces of the sheet are powdered with cornstarch.

4. The toilet seat covering device of claim 1, wherein the sheet is sized such that the sheet overlays and overhangs the upper face of the toilet seat, such that an inner rim and an outer rim of the toilet seat are substantially covered by the sheet, wherein the sheet is configured for preventing direct contact of the inner rim and the outer rim of the toilet seat with the user seated upon the toilet seat.

5. The toilet seat covering device of claim 1, wherein the sheet is shaped complementarily to a toilet seat of a campground toilet.

6. The toilet seat covering device of claim 1, further including:

the sheet being one of a plurality of sheets; and

a plurality of tabs, each tab being attached to and extending from an opposed end of a respective sheet, wherein the tab is configured for grasping in digits of a hand of the user, positioning the user for extracting the respective sheet from the plurality of sheets.

7. A toilet seat covering device comprising:

a sheet shaped substantially complementarily to an upper face of a toilet seat, the sheet comprising resiliently flexible, substantially inelastic, elastomer, wherein the sheet is configured for positioning on, and substantially covering, the upper face of the toilet seat for preventing direct contact of the upper face of the toilet seat with a user seated upon the toilet seat, the sheet comprising nitrile rubber, the sheet having opposed faces, the opposed faces being powdered with cornstarch, the sheet being sized such that the sheet overlays and overhangs the upper face of the toilet seat, such that an inner rim and an outer rim of the toilet seat are substantially covered by the sheet, wherein the sheet is configured for preventing direct contact of the inner rim and the outer rim of the toilet seat with the user seated upon the toilet seat, the sheet being shaped complementarily to a toilet seat of a campground toilet;

the sheet being one of a plurality of sheets; and

a plurality of tabs, each tab being attached to and extending from an opposed end of a respective sheet, wherein the tab is configured for grasping in digits of a hand of the user, positioning the user for extracting the respective sheet from the plurality of sheets.

8. A method of covering a toilet seat comprising the steps of:

providing a toilet seat covering device comprising a sheet shaped substantially complementarily to an upper face of a toilet seat, the sheet comprising resiliently flexible, substantially inelastic, elastomer; and

positioning the sheet on, and substantially covering, the upper face of the toilet seat, such that direct contact of the upper face of the toilet seat with a user seated upon the toilet seat is prevented.

9. The method of covering a toilet seat of claim 8, wherein the sheet comprises nitrile rubber.

10. The method of covering a toilet seat of claim 8, wherein opposed faces of the sheet are powdered with cornstarch.

11. The method of covering a toilet seat of claim 8, wherein the sheet is sized such that the sheet overlays and overhangs the upper face of the toilet seat, such that an inner rim and an outer rim of the toilet seat are substantially covered by the sheet, wherein the sheet is configured for preventing direct contact of the inner rim and the outer rim of the toilet seat with the user seated upon the toilet seat.

12. The method of covering a toilet seat of claim 8, wherein the sheet is shaped complementarily to a toilet seat of a campground toilet.

13. The method of covering a toilet seat of claim 8, further including:

the sheet being one of a plurality of sheets;

a plurality of tabs, each tab being attached to and extending from an opposed end of a respective sheet, wherein the tab is configured for grasping in digits of a hand of the user, positioning the user for extracting the respective sheet from the plurality of sheets; and

the method including an extracting step, wherein the user extracts a respective sheet from the plurality of sheets.