Urinal anti-splash-back apparatus and associated methods

• US 6,055,681 A
• Filed: 09/09/1998
• Issued: 05/02/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James P. Lyons
• Original Assignee: James P. Lyons
• Inventors: Lyons, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Charles E.
• Application Number:
  US09/150,254
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 4/300.3, 4/309, 4/310, 4/661, 4/902
• US Class Current: 4/300.3
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 9/00 Sanitary or other accessories for lavatories hand tools for cleaning the toilet bowl A47K11/10; seats or covers for closets A47K13/00; body supports, other than seats for closets A47K17/02; devices for preventing contamination of drinking-water pipes E03C1/10 ; Devices for cleaning or disinfecting the toilet room or the toilet bowl; Devices for eliminating smells cleaning, disinfecting or deodorising the seat A47K13/30

Abstract

A urinal anti-splash-back apparatus and associated methods are provided which preferably include a frame, a urine anti-splash-back filtering device mounted to the frame for filtering urine so that major portions of urine being deposited against an outer surface thereof are prevented from splashing back toward the urine depositor, and a urinal frame mount connected to the frame and positioned to be mounted to an inner back wall of a urinal for readily mounting the frame to the inner back wall of the urinal. The urine anti-splash-back filtering device preferably includes a urine filter material which absorbs urine and is preferably formed of a fibrous material, such as a fabric fibrous material. A method of reducing splash-back in a urinal is provided which preferably includes attaching a urine absorbing and filtering material to an inner back wall of a urinal.

Claims

1. A urinal anti-splash-back apparatus comprising:

a urinal including an inner back wall;

a frame;

urine anti-splash-back absorbing and filtering means mounted to said frame for absorbing and filtering urine so that major portions of urine being deposited against an outer surface thereof are prevented from splashing back toward a urine depositor; and

urinal frame mounting means connected to said frame and mounted to the inner back wall of said urinal for readily mounting said frame to the inner back wall of said urinal.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said urine anti-splash-back absorbing and filtering means includes a urine filter material formed of a fibrous material.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame includes at least a pair of retainers for retaining said urine anti-splash-back absorbing and filtering means when mounted to said frame.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame includes a plurality of mounting sockets, and wherein said urinal frame mounting means includes a plurality of leg members each interfacing with a corresponding one of said plurality of mounting sockets.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein each of said plurality of leg members of said urinal frame mounting means includes a member for interfacing with and adhesively adhering to an inner back wall of said urinal.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said plurality of leg members include a pair of upper leg members and a pair of lower leg members, and wherein said plurality of mounting sockets include a pair of upper mounting sockets and a pair of lower mounting sockets.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said plurality of lower leg members of said urinal frame mounting means comprises a first plurality of lower leg members each having a first predetermined length, and wherein said urinal frame mounting means further includes a second plurality of lower leg members each having a second predetermined length.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said frame further includes socket pivot positioning means connected to said plurality of upper mounting sockets and to said frame for pivotally positioning said plurality of upper mounting sockets to in one of a plurality of pivot positions so that said frame can readily be adjusted to a desired mounting position.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising rinsing means positioned adjacent said urinal anti-splash-back absorbing and filtering means for rinsing said urinal anti-splash-back absorbing and filtering means.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said rinsing means includes a rinsing tube positioned to collect liquid from an upper portion of said urinal and release liquid onto said urinal anti-splash-back absorbing and filtering means.

11. A urinal anti-splash-back apparatus comprising:

urine anti-splash-back absorbing and filtering means for absorbing and filtering urine so that major portions of urine being deposited against an outer surface thereof are prevented from splashing back toward a urine depositor; and

urinal mounting means associated with said urine anti-splash-back absorbing and filtering means and positioned to be mounted to an inner back wall of a urinal for readily mounting said urine anti-splash-back absorbing and filtering means to the inner back wall of the urinal.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, further comprising a frame, and wherein said urine anti-splash-back absorbing and filtering means is mounted to said frame and includes a urine filter material which absorbs urine.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said urine filter material is formed of a fabric fibrous material.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said frame includes at least a pair of retainers for retaining said urine anti-splash-back absorbing and filtering means when mounted to said frame.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said frame includes a plurality of mounting sockets, and wherein said urinal frame mounting means includes a plurality of leg members each interfacing with a corresponding one of said plurality of mounting sockets.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein each of said plurality of leg members of said urinal frame mounting means includes a member for interfacing with and adhesively adhering to an inner back wall of said urinal.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein said plurality of leg members include a pair of upper leg members and a pair of lower leg members, and wherein said plurality of mounting sockets include a pair of upper mounting sockets and a pair of lower mounting sockets.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein said plurality of lower leg members of said urinal frame mounting means comprises a first plurality of lower leg members each having a first predetermined length, and wherein said urinal frame mounting means further includes a second plurality of lower leg members each having a second predetermined length.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein said frame further includes socket pivot positioning means connected to said plurality of upper mounting sockets and to said frame for pivotally positioning said plurality of upper mounting sockets to in one of a plurality of pivot positions so that said frame can readily be adjusted to a desired mounting position.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 19, further comprising rinsing means positioned adjacent said urinal anti-splash-back absorbing and filtering means for rinsing said urinal anti-splash-back absorbing and filtering means.

21. An apparatus as defined in claim 20, wherein said rinsing means includes a rinsing tube positioned to collect liquid from an upper portion of said urinal and release liquid onto said urinal anti-splash-back absorbing and filtering means.

22. An anti-splash-back apparatus comprising:

a frame including a plurality of mounting sockets and at least a pair of retainers;

anti-splash-back absorbing and filtering means mounted to said frame for absorbing and filtering fluid so that major portions of fluid being deposited against an outer surface thereof are prevented from splashing back toward a fluid depositor, said anti-splash-back absorbing and filtering means including a fluid absorbing material positioned to be retained by the at least a pair of retainers of said frame for absorbing fluid deposited against the outer face thereof, said fluid absorbing material being formed of a fabric fibrous material; and

frame mounting means connected to said frame and positioned to be mounted to a surface for readily mounting said frame to the surface, said frame mounting means including a plurality of leg members each interfacing with a corresponding one of said plurality of mounting sockets of said frame.

23. An apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein each of said plurality of leg members of said frame mounting means includes a member for interfacing with and adhesively adhering to the surface.

24. An apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein said plurality of leg members include a pair of upper leg members and a pair of lower leg members, and wherein said plurality of mounting sockets include a pair of upper mounting sockets and a pair of lower mounting sockets.

25. An apparatus as defined in claim 23, wherein said plurality of lower leg members of said frame mounting means comprises a first plurality of lower leg members each having a first predetermined length, and wherein said urinal frame mounting means further includes a second plurality of lower leg members each having a second predetermined length.

26. An apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein said frame further includes socket pivot positioning means connected to said plurality of upper mounting sockets and to said frame for pivotally positioning said plurality of upper mounting sockets to in one of a plurality of pivot positions so that said frame can readily be adjusted to a desired mounting position.

27. An apparatus as defined in claim 22, further comprising rinsing means positioned adjacent said anti-splash-back absorbing and filtering means for rinsing said anti-splash-back absorbing and filtering means.

28. An apparatus as defined in claim 27, wherein said rinsing means includes a rinsing tube positioned to collect liquid from a liquid source and release liquid onto said anti-splash-back absorbing and filtering means.

29. A method of reducing urine splash-back, the method comprising mounting a urine absorbing and filtering material formed of a fibrous material to a frame, mounting the frame to a lavatory fixture, and positioning the lower portions of the frame outwardly from an inner wall of the lavatory fixture a greater distance than the upper portions of the frame so that lower portions of the urine absorbing material are positioned closer to a urine depositor than upper portions of the urine absorbing material.

30. A method as defined in claim 29, further comprising periodically rinsing the urine absorbing and filtering material with liquid to thereby clean the urine absorbing material.

31. An anti-splash-back apparatus comprising:

a frame;

anti-splash-back absorbing and filtering means mounted to said frame for absorbing and filtering fluid so that major portions of fluid being deposited against an outer surface thereof are prevented from splashing back toward a fluid depositor, said anti-splash-back absorbing and filtering means including a fluid absorbing material for absorbing fluid deposited against the outer face thereof; and

frame mounting means connected to said frame and positioned to be mounted to a surface for readily mounting said frame to the surface; and

rinsing means positioned adjacent to said anti-splash-back absorbing and filtering means for rinsing said anti-splash-back absorbing and filtering means, said rinsing means includes a rinsing tube positioned to collect liquid from a liquid source and release liquid onto said anti-splash-back absorbing and filtering means.

32. A urinal anti-splash-back kit comprising:

a frame having a plurality of mounting sockets connected thereto;

at least one urine absorbing and filtering device; and

a plurality of mounting legs for detachably connecting to the plurality of mounting sockets, the plurality of mounting legs including at least two different predetermined lengths.