GB2214536A

GB2214536A - Disposable toilet seat cover

Info

Publication number: GB2214536A
Application number: GB8801528A
Authority: GB
Inventors: George Ivor Hartman Stocks
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-01-23
Filing date: 1988-01-23
Publication date: 1989-09-06
Also published as: GB8801528D0

Abstract

A toilet seat cover (10) comprises a sheet of flexible material (11), such as paper which has an annular part (12) which is contoured to fit on a toilet seat, and a tongue (13) which extends radially inwardly from the annular part (12) and has its free end (14) located adjacent a region (15) of the annular part (12) which is diametrically opposed to a region (16) from which the tongue (13) extends. In use, the tongue (13) extends downwardly into the bowl (20) of a toilet (18), and this serves to locate the cover in position, and also, when the toilet is flushed, is entrained by the flushing water so that the entire cover (10) is then drawn downwardly into the bowl and then exits with the flushing water. In an embodiment, further tongues (24) may be provided, said further tongues extending inwardly from the annular part (12). <IMAGE>

Description

COVER This invention relates to covers, and in particular to covers for toilet seats.

It is known to cover toilet seats with a cover to prevent contamination of the seat and transmittal of infection from one person to the next user of the toilet.

However, the placing of a simple cover on the seat is not straightforward, the cover can easily be displaced from its correct position as the person sits on the seat unless complicated attachment means are provided for the cover, and disposal of the cover after use of the toilet can be both unhygenic and unpleasant. More sophisticated toilet seat covers are known, involving rolls of cover material located adjacent the seat which can, manually or automatically, be unrolled so that a new part of the roll lies over the seat after each use of the toilet.

However, such arrangements are complicated and hence relatively expensive. In addition, such devices are of no use to a person using a toilet not belonging to themselves on which no such device is fitted.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cover for a toilet seat which avoids at least to a substantial extent the abovementioned disadvantages.

The invention provides a cover comprising a sheet of a flexible material having a first part of an annular configuration and at least one second part in the form of a tongue extending radially inwardly from said annular first part.

Said tongue may extend substantially across a diameter of said annular part from a first region of said annular part whereby a free end of said tongue is adjacent a second region of said annular part opposed to said first region when said cover is in a plane, non-use, configuration.

Said sheet material may be paper, which may be treated so as to be substantially waterproof.

Alternatively, said sheet material may be a waterproof membrane. Said sheet material may be impregnated with a disinfectant.

Said cover may comprise a plurality of further tongues. Said further tongues may extend substantially radially inwardly from said annular part. Alternatively two further tongues may be provided extending inwardly from said annular part from regions thereof adjacent said second.region in a direction substantially parallel, but on opposed sides of, said tongue.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment in a plane, non-use configuration, Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the embodiment of Fig. 1 in use on a toilet, Figs. 3 and 4 are views corresponding with Fig. 1 of further embodiments.

Referring now to Fig. 1 there is shown a cover 10 which comprises a sheet of flexible material 11, such as paper. The sheet 11 may be impregnated with a disinfectant and may be treated so as to be substantially waterproof or be inherently waterproof, i.e. it may be a waterproof membrane or comprise a waterproof membrane bonded to a sheet of paper.

The cover 10 is formed having an annular part 12 and a tongue 13 which extends radially inwardly from the annular part 12. When the cover 10 is in the plane, non-use, configuration as shown in Fig. 1, the free end 14 of the tongue 13 is adjacent a region 15 of the annular part 12 which is diametrically opposed to a region 16 from which the tongue 13 extends.

Referring now to Fig. 2 the cover 10 is shown in its non-planar, in-use configuration on a seat 17 of a toilet 18. The cover 10 is placed with the annular part 12 on the seat 17 so that the region 15 is at the rear of the toilet 18 adjacent a toilet seat lid 19 and the region 16 is at the front of the toilet 18. Since the material of the sheet 11 is flexible, the tongue 13 extends into the bowl 20 of the toilet 18 and serves to assist in the location of the cover 10 and reduce the tendency for the cover 10 to become displaced when a person sits on the covered seat 17. By this means location of the cover 10 is simple and quick, and no complicated attachment means are required.

When the toilet 18 is flushed, the tongue 13 is entrained by the water 21 and/or jets of water (not shown) issuing from beneath the lip 22 of the toilet 18, so that the entire cover 10 is taken away down the waste pipe 23.

In this way no unhygenic or unpleasant removal of the cover 10 by the person using the toilet 18 is required.

Whilst the cover 10 prevents or lessens the risk of contact by the upper legs or lower body, of any person using the toilet 18, with the seat 17, an additional advantage of the cover 10 is provided in the case of male users of the toilet 18. The presence of the tongue 13 in the position shown in Fig. 2 at the front of the toilet 18 and extending into the bowl 20 prevents or lessens the risk of contact by the male person's penis with the seat 17 or bowl 20. In consequence, the risk of sexually transmitted diseases is avoided or substantially reduced.

Other embodiments of cover in accordance with the invention will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art. For example, further tongues 24 may be provided, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, extending inwardly from the annular part 12. In the Fig. 3 embodiment, two further tongues 24 are shown extending substantially radially inwardly from the annular part 12 so as to as-sist in locating the cover 10 when it is placed on a toilet seat 17. More than two such tongues 24 may be provided if desired. In the case of the Fig. 4 embodiment, two further tongues 24 are provided extending inwardly from regions of the annular part 12 adjacent region 15, substantially parallel with but on opposed sides of the tongue 13. These tongues 24 will assist both in locating the cover 10 on a toilet seat 17 and in entrainment of the cover 10 into the bowl 20 and waste pipe 23 when the toilet 18 is flushed.

Preferably the sheet 11 is of an inherently substantially slip-proof material. Alternatively the sheet 11 may be treated, i.e. embossed, or impregnated with a suitable material, so as to be substantially slip-proof.

Claims

1. A toilet seat cover of a flexible material having a first part of an annular configuration and at least one second part in the form of a tongue extending inwardly from said annular first part.

2. A cover according to Claim 1, in which the tongue extends radially inwardly from said annular first part.

3. A cover according to Claim 2, in which said tongue extends substantially across a diameter of said annular part from a first region of said annular part whereby a free end of said tongue is adjacent a second region of said annular part opposed to said first region when said cover is in a plane, non-use configuration.

4. A cover according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the sheet material is paper, which may be treated so as to be substantially waterproof.

5. A cover according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, in which the sheet material is a waterproof membrane.

6. A cover according to Claim 5, in which the sheet material is impregnated with a disinfectant.

7. A cover according to any one of the preceding claims, and comprising a plurality of further tongues.

8. A cover according to Claim 7, in which said further tongues extend substantially radially inwardly from said annular part.

9. A cover according to Claim 7, in which two further tongues are provided extending inwardly from said annular part from regions thereof adjacent said second region in a direction substantially parallel, but on opposed sides of said tongue.

10. A cover according to Claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in any of the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings.