Collapsible potty

• US 20080022445A1
• Filed: 07/26/2006
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Timothy L. Sell
• Original Assignee: Timothy L. Sell
• Inventors: Sell, Timothy L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,770,242 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 4/484
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 11/06 Chamber-pots bed pans or other sanitary devices for bed-ridden persons A61G9/00; Throw-away urinals for non-bedridden persons; Chamber-pots for children, also with signalling means, e.g. with a music box, or the like

Abstract

A collapsible potty comprises a one piece, rigid seat with a central hole through it. A pair of opposed tracks on the seat lower surface extend from front to rear. Left and right support panels are pivotally attached, by means of support hinge knuckles, to seat hinge knuckles on the seat left and right ends, respectively. Hinge pins engage hinge holes in the knuckles. The support panels are able to pivot from a folded position adjacent the seat lower surface, to an open position extending downward.

A flexible, sealable waste bag hangs beneath the seat to receive waste. A tray has a plurality of hooks, arrayed around a central hole, that engage holes in the waste bag. The tray slides into the seat tracks to position the tray central hole directly beneath the seat central hole. A zip-lock closure seals the waste bag.

A resilient locking arm on the seat hinge knuckle expands into a notch in the support hinge knuckle when the support panel is rotated into the open position, to hold the support panel open. A pushbutton release member moves the locking arm out of the notch to release the support panel for folding.

Claims

1. A collapsible potty comprising:

a seat extending between opposite front and rear edges and between opposite left and right ends, the seat having opposite upper and lower surfaces, the seat being one piece and rigid, the seat having a central hole therethrough;

a left support panel pivotally attached to the seat left end, the left support panel having an upper edge, the left support panel being able to pivot from a folded position adjacent the seat lower surface, to an open position extending downward from the seat, so as to support the seat left end;

a right support panel pivotally attached to the seat right end, the right support panel having an upper edge, the right support panel being able to pivot from a folded position adjacent the seat lower surface, to an open position extending downward from the seat, so as to support the seat right end, the left and right support panels substantially covering the seat lower surface in the folded position;

pivotal means for pivotal attachment of the left and right support panels to the seat left and right ends, respectively;

a waste bag adapted for hanging beneath the seat to receive waste, the waste bag having an upper edge;

attaching means for releasably attaching the waste bag beneath the seat; and

sealing means for sealing the waste bag.

2. The collapsible potty of claim 1, wherein the attaching means further comprises:

the seat lower surface having a pair of opposed tracks extending from adjacent the front edge to adjacent the rear edge;

the waste bag having a plurality of holes through the waste bag adjacent the upper edge; and

a tray having a central hole therethrough, the tray having a plurality of hooks arrayed around the central hole and adapted to engage the waste bag holes, the tray being adapted for sliding engagement with the seat tracks so as to dispose the tray central hole directly beneath the seat central hole.

3. The collapsible potty of claim 2, wherein the tray further comprises a lower surface, the hooks are disposed on the lower surface, and the hooks face inward.

4. The collapsible potty of claim 2, wherein the tray further comprises a lower surface, the hooks are disposed on the lower surface, and the hooks face outward.

5. The collapsible potty of claim 1, wherein the sealing means further comprises a zip-lock closure adjacent the waste bag upper edge.

6. The collapsible potty of claim 1, wherein the sealing means further comprises an adhesive strip adjacent the waste bag upper edge.

7. The collapsible potty of claim 1, wherein the pivotal means further comprises:

at least one left seat hinge knuckle on the seat left end, the left seat hinge knuckle having a left seat hinge hole with a longitudinal axis;

at least one left support hinge knuckle on the upper edge of the left support panel, the left support hinge knuckle having a left support hinge hole with a longitudinal axis, the left support hinge knuckle being juxtaposed with the left seat hinge knuckle, with the left seat hinge hole being in alignment with the left support hinge hole;

at least one left hinge pin engaging the left seat hinge hole and the left support hinge hole;

at least one right seat hinge knuckle on the seat right end, the right seat hinge knuckle having a right seat hinge hole with a longitudinal axis;

at least one right support hinge knuckle on the upper edge of the right support panel, the right support hinge knuckle having a right support hinge hole with a longitudinal axis, the right support hinge knuckle being juxtaposed with the right seat hinge knuckle, with the right seat hinge hole being in alignment with the right support hinge hole; and

at least one right hinge pin engaging the right seat hinge hole and the right support hinge hole.

8. A collapsible potty comprising:

a seat extending between opposite front and rear edges and between opposite left and right ends, the seat having opposite upper and lower surfaces, the seat being one piece and rigid, the seat having a central hole therethrough;

a left support panel pivotally attached to the seat left end, the left support panel having an upper edge, the left support panel being able to pivot from a folded position adjacent the seat lower surface, to an open position extending downward from the seat, so as to support the seat left end;

a right support panel pivotally attached to the seat right end, the right support panel having an upper edge, the right support panel being able to pivot from a folded position adjacent the seat lower surface, to an open position extending downward from the seat, so as to support the seat right end, the left and right support panels substantially covering the seat lower surface in the folded position;

at least one left seat hinge knuckle on the seat left end, the left seat hinge knuckle having a left seat hinge hole with a longitudinal axis;

at least one left support hinge knuckle on the upper edge of the left support panel, the left support hinge knuckle having a left support hinge hole with a longitudinal axis, the left support hinge knuckle being juxtaposed with the left seat hinge knuckle, with the left seat hinge hole being in alignment with the left support hinge hole;

at least one left hinge pin engaging the left seat hinge hole and the left support hinge hole;

at least one right seat hinge knuckle on the seat right end, the right seat hinge knuckle having a right seat hinge hole with a longitudinal axis;

at least one right support hinge knuckle on the upper edge of the right support panel, the right support hinge knuckle having a right support hinge hole with a longitudinal axis, the right support hinge knuckle being juxtaposed with the right seat hinge knuckle, with the right seat hinge hole being in alignment with the right support hinge hole;

at least one right hinge pin engaging the right seat hinge hole and the right support hinge hole;

a waste bag adapted for hanging beneath the seat to receive waste, the waste bag being flexible and sealable, the waste bag having an upper edge;

attaching means for releasably attaching the waste bag beneath the seat;

sealing means for sealing the waste bag; and

locking means for locking the left and right support panels in the open position, so as to preclude accidental folding of the left and right support panels and consequent injury.

9. The collapsible potty of claim 8, wherein the attaching means further comprises:

the seat lower surface having a pair of opposed tracks extending from adjacent the front edge to adjacent the rear edge;

the waste bag having a plurality of holes through the waste bag adjacent the upper edge; and

a tray having a central hole therethrough, the tray having a plurality of hooks arrayed around the central hole and adapted to engage the waste bag holes, the tray being adapted for sliding engagement with the seat tracks so as to dispose the tray central hole directly beneath the seat central hole.

10. The collapsible potty of claim 9, wherein the tray further comprises a lower surface, the hooks are disposed on the lower surface, and the hooks face inward.

11. The collapsible potty of claim 9, wherein the tray further comprises a lower surface, the hooks are disposed on the lower surface, and the hooks face outward.

12. The collapsible potty of claim 8, wherein the sealing means further comprises a zip-lock closure adjacent the waste bag upper edge.

13. The collapsible potty of claim 8, wherein the sealing means further comprises an adhesive strip adjacent the waste bag upper edge.

14. The collapsible potty of claim 8, wherein the locking means further comprises:

a left locking arm, the left locking arm being resilient and attached as a cantilever to one of the seat left end and the left support panel, the left locking arm being resiliently compressed and biased into the path of the opposing one of the seat left end and the left support panel when the left support panel is in the folded position, the opposing one of the seat left end and the left support panel having a left notch adapted to receive the left locking arm, the left locking arm expanding into the left notch when the left support panel is rotated into the open position so as to releasably retain the left support panel in the open position;

a left release member juxtaposed with the left notch, the left release member being adapted to move the left locking arm out of the left notch when the left release member is manually displaced, so as to release the left support panel for folding;

a right locking arm, the right locking arm being resilient and attached as a cantilever to one of the seat right end and the right support panel, the right locking arm being resiliently compressed and biased into the path of the opposing one of the seat right end and the right support panel when the right support panel is in the folded position, the opposing one of the seat right end and the right support panel having a right notch adapted to receive the right locking arm, the right locking arm expanding into the right notch when the right support panel is rotated into the open position so as to releasably retain the right support panel in the open position; and

a right release member juxtaposed with the right notch, the right release member being adapted to move the right locking arm out of the right notch when the right release member is manually displaced, so as to release the right support panel for folding.

15. A collapsible potty comprising:

a seat extending between opposite front and rear edges and between opposite left and right ends, the seat having opposite upper and lower surfaces, the seat being one piece and rigid, the seat having a central hole therethrough, the seat lower surface having a pair of opposed tracks extending from adjacent the front edge to adjacent the rear edge;

a left support panel pivotally attached to the seat left end, the left support panel having an upper edge, the left support panel being able to pivot from a folded position adjacent the seat lower surface, to an open position extending downward from the seat, so as to support the seat left end;

a right support panel pivotally attached to the seat right end, the right support panel having an upper edge, the right support panel being able to pivot from a folded position adjacent the seat lower surface, to an open position extending downward from the seat, so as to support the seat right end, the left and right support panels substantially covering the seat lower surface in the folded position;

at least one left seat hinge knuckle on the seat left end, the left seat hinge knuckle having a left seat hinge hole with a longitudinal axis;

at least one left support hinge knuckle on the upper edge of the left support panel, the left support hinge knuckle having a left support hinge hole with a longitudinal axis, the left support hinge knuckle being juxtaposed with the left seat hinge knuckle, with the left seat hinge hole being in alignment with the left support hinge hole;

at least one left hinge pin engaging the left seat hinge hole and the left support hinge hole;

at least one right seat hinge knuckle on the seat right end, the right seat hinge knuckle having a right seat hinge hole with a longitudinal axis;

at least one right support hinge knuckle on the upper edge of the right support panel, the right support hinge knuckle having a right support hinge hole with a longitudinal axis, the right support hinge knuckle being juxtaposed with the right seat hinge knuckle, with the right seat hinge hole being in alignment with the right support hinge hole;

at least one right hinge pin engaging the right seat hinge hole and the right support hinge hole;

a waste bag adapted for hanging beneath the seat to receive waste, the waste bag being flexible and sealable, the waste bag having an upper edge, the waste bag having a plurality of holes through the waste bag adjacent the upper edge;

a tray having a central hole therethrough, the tray having a plurality of hooks arrayed around the central hole and adapted to engage the waste bag holes, the tray being adapted for sliding engagement with the seat tracks so as to dispose the tray central hole directly beneath the seat central hole;

sealing means for sealing the waste bag; and

locking means for locking the left and right support panels in the open position, so as to preclude accidental folding of the left and right support panels and consequent injury.

16. The collapsible potty of claim 15, wherein the sealing means further comprises a zip-lock closure adjacent the waste bag upper edge.

17. The collapsible potty of claim 15, wherein the sealing means further comprises an adhesive strip adjacent the waste bag upper edge.

18. The collapsible potty of claim 15, wherein the locking means further comprises:

a left locking arm, the left locking arm being resilient and attached as a cantilever to one of the seat left end and the left support panel, the left locking arm being resiliently compressed and biased into the path of the opposing one of the seat left end and the left support panel when the left support panel is in the folded position, the opposing one of the seat left end and the left support panel having a left notch adapted to receive the left locking arm, the left locking arm expanding into the left notch when the left support panel is rotated into the open position so as to releasably retain the left support panel in the open position;

a left release member juxtaposed with the left notch, the left release member being adapted to move the left locking arm out of the left notch when the left release member is manually displaced, so as to release the left support panel for folding;

a right locking arm, the right locking arm being resilient and attached as a cantilever to one of the seat right end and the right support panel, the right locking arm being resiliently compressed and biased into the path of the opposing one of the seat right end and the right support panel when the right support panel is in the folded position, the opposing one of the seat right end and the right support panel having a right notch adapted to receive the right locking arm, the right locking arm expanding into the right notch when the right support panel is rotated into the open position so as to releasably retain the right support panel in the open position; and

a right release member juxtaposed with the right notch, the right release member being adapted to move the right locking arm out of the right notch when the right release member is manually displaced, so as to release the right support panel for folding.