GB2254250A

GB2254250A - Portable toilet

Info

Publication number: GB2254250A
Application number: GB9207505A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Graeme Walter Jobling Metcalf; Diane Metcalf
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-04-06
Filing date: 1992-04-06
Publication date: 1992-10-07
Anticipated expiration: 2012-04-06
Also published as: GB2254250B; GB9107251D0; GB9207505D0

Abstract

A portable child's potty comprises two unitary parts (10, 14), one part (10) constituting a seat and the other (14) comprising a receiving unit. The two parts are connected by a hinge (20) so that they are relatively displaceable between a position for use in which the seat part (10) is disposed upon the receiving unit part (14) and a position for carrying/storage in which the seat part (10) is nested within the other part (14) so as to reduce the height of the potty to no more than the height of the receiving unit (14). <IMAGE>

Description

CHILD'S POTTY This invention relates to an improved child's potty.

Our published UK patent application serial number 2232079A describes a portable child's potty comprising a carrying case having a base portion and an openable and closable lid, a receptacle zone within the base portion, and a seat portion movable between a lowered position, for use, in which the seat portion overlies the base portion and a raised position which permits access to the interior of the base portion.

The incorporation of the potty into a carrying case gives improved portability and the unit also has good stability.

However, it has been found that a potty of this known type is relatively expensive to manufacture in terms of the cost of tooling. Also, if shelf space is limited at the point of sale, then problems can arise in terms of the size of the known article.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved child's potty which overcomes or at least substantially reduces these problems.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a portable child's potty comprising two unitary parts, one of said parts constituting a seat and the other of said parts comprising a receiving unit, wherein the two parts are connected but are relatively displaceable between a position for use in which the two parts are disposed one upon the other and a position for carrying/storage in which one part is housed within the other of said parts.

By means of this novel construction the potty in the storage/carrying condition is substantially half the size of the potty in the condition when ready for use.

The relative movement between the two parts of the article can be achieved by hinge or pivot means connecting the two parts to each other. In effect, one of the parts can be pivoted through substantially 3600 relative to the other part in moving between the two stated positions.

Preferably, the receiving unit part comprises a central bowl portion and a peripheral skirt dimensioned to fit over and around the seat part in the carrying/storage position, with the bowl portion being received in that position within an aperture in the seat part.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, one presently preferred embodiment of potty in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is an illustration of the potty in the carrying/storage position; Fig. 2 shows the potty with one part pivoted relative to the other part through approximately 900 from the position shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows the potty in the position ready for use; and Fig. 4 is a schematic illustration of the movement of the two parts.

As shown in the drawings, the potty comprises essentially two main parts. The first is a base unit 10 which in use constitutes the seat upon which the child sits. This base unit 10 is of moulded plastics material and has a central aperture 12. The other component is a top unit 14. It also is made of moulded plastics material and has a peripheral depending skirt 16 and a bowl area 18. The skirt 16 is dimensioned so that it will fit over and around the base unit 10 (as shown in Fig.l). In this position the bowl 18 is received within the aperture 12 in the base unit 10. Thus, the two parts 10 and 14 are nested one within the other. In this carrying/storage condition the potty has a depth which is no greater than that of the top unit 14.

The two parts 10 and 14 can be connected to each other by suitable hinges and/or straps indicated generally at 20 at one end of the potty. Any connecting means can be used which will permit the necessary pivotable movement of the parts relative to one another and enable the two parts to move in the manner shown in Fig. 4.

For use, the top unit 14 is raised from the storage position and is pivoted through substantially 3600 relative to the base unit 10 until it takes up the position shown in Fig.3 where it is positioned beneath the base unit 10, ready for use. The dimensions of the two parts are such that in this position the two units 10 and 14 have generally flush surfaces both on the outside and within the potty.

The potty is desirably used with a disposable liner bag. This is held in place between the contacting surfaces of the base unit 10 and top unit 14 as shown in Fig.3.

Also, as shown by a broken line in the top view of Fig. 4, a lid/cover 22 is provided over the bowl area of the top unit 14 in the carrying/storage condition, both in order to keep the potty clean and to enable a used liner bag to be carried therein for subsequent disposal. The lid/cover 22 can be fitted in place on the top unit 14 by the use of an appropriate lip seal fixing or any alternative method of securing the cover in place.

It will thus readily be appreciated that the potty of the present invention is effective in achieving the stated objects in that in the storage position it has a height of approximately half that which it has in use, by virtue of the two parts of the potty being housed one within the other in the manner described.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A portable child's potty comprising two unitary parts, one of said parts constituting a seat and the other of said parts comprising a receiving unit, wherein the two parts are connected but are relatively displaceable between a position for use in which the two parts are disposed one upon the other and a position for carrying/storage in which one of said parts is housed within the other of said parts.

2. A potty as claimed in claim 1, in which the overall height of the potty in the carrying/storage position is the height of the receiving unit part.

3. A potty as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the receiving unit part comprises a central bowl portion and a peripheral skirt dimensioned to fit over and around the seat part in the carrying/storage position, with the bowl portion being received in that position within an aperture in the seat part.

4. A potty as claimed in claim 3, which includes a lid or cover which is securable to the receiving unit part to cover the bowl portion in the carrying/storage position.

5. A potty as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the two parts are connected by hinge means or a strap or straps permitting pivotal movement of one part relative to the other through substantially 3600.

6. A potty as claimed in any preceding claim, in which a disposable liner bag is arranged to be gripped between facing contacting surfaces of the two parts in the position for use.

7. A potty as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the two parts are of moulded plastics material.

8. A portable child's potty substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.