Thermochromic urinal mat
First Claim
1. A urinal mat comprising a substrate formed to mount within a urinal and having an opaque primary indicia printed thereon, wherein at least a portion of the primary indicia is visible and intelligible at an ambient temperature, wherein a first thermochromic composition is selectively applied in association to said primary indicia, wherein said first thermochromic composition is opaque at the ambient temperature and changes to transparent at a first activation temperature, and means for waterproofing the coated substrate, whereby the entire primary indicia becomes visible upon contacting the mat with a liquid having a temperature equal to said first activation temperature.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A waterproof urinal mat which contains humorous or informational messages printed or coated over with thermochromic inks. The mat is formed to fit in a urinal, such that included text and artwork printed onto the mat with temperature sensitive, thermochromic inks display multiple images at an ambient temperature and upon being contacted with urine or flush water. In alternative arrangements, thermochromic inks of selected activation temperatures are variously printed onto the substrate in relation to an opaque image before coating the substrate with a waterproof covering or laminate. Two or more images are thereby visible upon contacting the mat with urine and flush water. Apertures and protrusions at the mat prevent splashing and direct liquid flow relative to the images.
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Citations
14 Claims
- 1. A urinal mat comprising a substrate formed to mount within a urinal and having an opaque primary indicia printed thereon, wherein at least a portion of the primary indicia is visible and intelligible at an ambient temperature, wherein a first thermochromic composition is selectively applied in association to said primary indicia, wherein said first thermochromic composition is opaque at the ambient temperature and changes to transparent at a first activation temperature, and means for waterproofing the coated substrate, whereby the entire primary indicia becomes visible upon contacting the mat with a liquid having a temperature equal to said first activation temperature.
- 9. A urinal mat comprising a substrate having an opaque primary indicia printed thereon, wherein at least a portion of the primary indicia is visible and intelligible at an ambient temperature, wherein a first thermochromic composition is selectively applied in association to said primary indicia, wherein said first thermochromic composition is opaque at the ambient temperature and chances to transparent at a first activation temperature matching urine, means for preventing splashing at said mat, and means for waterproofing the coated substrate, whereby at least a portion of the primary indicia is visible at the ambient temperature and the entire primary indicia becomes visible upon contacting the mat with urine.
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12. A method for displaying a printed image comprising:
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a) mounting in a urinal a mat containing an opaque primary indicia and in association to which primary indicia a first thermochromic composition is applied, which first thermochromic composition reverts from an opaque condition at an ambient temperature to a transparent condition at a first activation temperature, and wherein at least a portion of the primary indicia is visible and intelligible at the ambient temperature; and b) contacting the mat with urine at the first activation temperature to selectively expose the primary indicia, whereby the entire primary indicia can be selectively made visible during urination. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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Specification