Foldable privacy screen and portable toilet combination

• US 6,378,142 B1
• Filed: 12/13/2000
• Issued: 04/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jean E. Gray
• Original Assignee: Jean E. Gray
• Inventors: Gray, Jean E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Charles E.
• Application Number:
  US09/736,482
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 444/9, 446/0, 448/4, 459/9, 135/119, 135/121, 135/143
• US Class Current: 4/449
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 11/02 Dry closets, e.g. incinerator closets
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 1/1216 Public W.C.s
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/30 Against vector-borne diseases, e.g. mosquito-borne, fly-borne, tick-borne or waterborne diseases whose impact is exacerbated by climate change

Abstract

A portable, private toilet is provided having a frame type covered in canvas around three sides of a folding frame supporting a toilet seat. A disposable plastic bag is used under the toilet seat, thus allowing easy cleanup after bathroom duties. The frame is held shut by the use of hook and loop fasteners such as Velcro®. The frame folds flat and is provided with a handle for ease of carrying, storage and transport.

Claims

1. A privacy screen and portable toilet combination comprising:

a partition frame formed of tubular perimeter frame poles;

a screen cover forming a generally rectangular planar surface having an outer planar surface opposite an inner planar surface and further having a cover attachment seam circumscribing its perimeter, said cover attachment seam designed to envelop said tubular perimeter frame poles;

attachment means for securing said attachment seam; and

a toilet seat supported at a horizontal plane by a seat support frame affixed to said partition frame, wherein said seat support frame is formed of a first seat support cross connected near its center by a second seat support linked securely by a safety lock, and having a seat pivotally affixed to the top of the second seat support such as to allow the seat to pivot upwards and flat for storage.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said first seat support is pivotally affixed to the bottom of said support frame such as to allow the seat support frame to collapse vertically.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein said cover seam attachment means comprise a series of linearly aligned hook fastener elements lining one side of the seam opposite to a series of linearly aligned loop fastener elements lining the opposite side of the seam for removably secure the seam to the frame.

4. The combination of claim 2, wherein said outer planar surface supports an aesthetic design.

5. The combination of claim 2, wherein said outer planar surface forms a vent orifice covered with a breathable, mesh material on either side of the outer planar surface such as to allow for fluid communication of air about the screen.

6. The combination of claim 2, wherein said inner planar surface supports inside surface a pair of receiving pouches.

7. The combination of claim 2, wherein said partition frame comprises three main frame elements forming a structural portion of said partition frame, each having an elongated rectangular configuration.

8. The combination of claim 7, wherein said main frame element include a first side element frame mounted opposite a second side element frame, each side element frame surrounding a rear frame, each frame element being having the same sized overall outer perimeter.

9. The combination of claim 8, wherein said rear frame, said first side element frame and said second side element frame are pivoted inward on the articulating hinges such as to form a collapsed, flat generally rectangular and compressed frame.

10. The combination of claim 9, wherein said collapsed frame can be wrapped by said screen cover in a manner such as to allow alignment of a first slide fastener with a second slide fastener, allowing the slide fasteners to be zippered together and thereby forming an integral carrying container.

11. The combination of claim 2, further comprising ballast securing means capable of straddling the lower horizontal frame elements for providing additional weight to the bottom of the unit for stability.

12. The combination of claim 11, wherein said ballast securing means comprise molded plastic container.