Thermochromic urinal mat

• US 5,809,590 A
• Filed: 11/29/1996
• Issued: 09/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard C. Meyers, Theodore A. Williams
• Original Assignee: Richard C. Meyers, Theodore A. Williams
• Inventors: Meyers, Richard C., Williams, Theodore A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walczak, David J.
• Application Number:
  US08/758,549
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 4/661, 4/300.3, 4/222.1, 4/222, 374/162, 503/201, 503/215, 503/226
• US Class Current: 4/661
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 11/12 Urinals without flushing portable urinating aids A61F5/4556; urinals for bed-ridden persons A61G9/00
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 13/00 Urinals without flushing devices A47K11/00 ; Means for connecting the urinal to the flushing pipe and the wastepipe; Splashing shields for urinals
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 13/005 Accessories specially adapted for urinals
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 23/00 Advertising on or in specific articles, e.g. ashtrays, letter-boxes on or in vehicles G09F21/00

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.

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.

2. A urinal mat as set forth in claim 1 wherein said substrate includes means for preventing splashing and directing the flow of liquid contacting said mat in relation to the primary indicia.

3. A urinal mat as set forth in claim 2 wherein the mat includes a plurality of apertures.

4. A urinal mat as set forth in claim 2 wherein the first activation temperature is selected to match the temperature of urine, whereby the primary indicia becomes progressively visible upon washing the mat with urine.

5. A urinal mat as set forth in claim 1 wherein the activation temperature of the first thermochromic composition is selected to match the temperature of urine, wherein a second thermochromic composition, which is opaque at the ambient and first activation temperatures and changes to transparent at a second activation temperature different from the first activation temperature, is applied in association to said primary indicia and said first thermochromic composition, such that at least a portion of the primary indicia is visible at the ambient temperature, a second intelligible image is visible upon contact with urine at the first activation temperature and a third intelligible image is visible upon contact with a flush liquid at the second activation temperature.

6. A urinal mat as set forth in claim 5 wherein the opaque primary indicia and second thermochromic composition are applied in registry to each other to collectively form the second intelligible image.

7. A urinal mat as set forth in claim 1 including a plurality of apertures and protrusions which direct the washing of urine over the mat relative to the primary indicia and regions covered with said first thermochromic composition, whereby the primary indicia is interactively and selectively exposed during urination.

8. A urinal mat as set forth in claim 7 wherein a second thermochromic composition, which is opaque at the ambient and activation temperatures and changes to transparent at a second activation temperature different from the activation temperature, is applied in association to said primary indicia, such that at least a portion of the primary indicia is visible at the ambient temperature, a second intelligible image is visible upon contact with urine at the first activation temperature and a third image is visible upon contact with a flush liquid at the second activation temperature.

14. A urinal mat as set forth in claim 1 wherein said substrate includes scribe lines for fitting the mat to the urinal.

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.

10. A urinal mat as set forth in claim 9 wherein a second thermochromic composition, which is opaque at the ambient and first activation temperatures and chances to transparent at a second activation temperature different from the activation temperature, is applied in association to said primary indicia, such that at least a portion of the primary indicia is visible at the ambient temperature, a second intelligible image is visible upon contact with urine at the first activation temperature and a third intelligible image is visible upon contact with a flush liquid at the second activation temperature.

11. A urinal mat as set forth in claim 9 including means for directing the washing of urine over the urinal mat relative to the primary indicia and said first thermochromic composition, whereby the primary indicia becomes progressively visible upon washing the urinal mat with urine.

12. A method for displaying a printed image comprising:

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.

13. A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein said mat is coated with a second thermochromic composition having a second activation temperature different from the ambient and first activation temperatures and including the step of contacting the mat with a flushing liquid at the second activation temperature to selectively expose a third intelligible image.