Urine dispersing urinal insert device

• US 6,920,648 B1
• Filed: 10/27/2003
• Issued: 07/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael F. Suski, Michael R. Suski
• Original Assignee: Michael F. Suski, Michael R. Suski
• Inventors: Suski, Michael F., Suski, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huson, Gregory L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Prunner, Kathleen J.
• Application Number:
  US10/692,810
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 430/1, 430/03, 430/9, 422/2, 422/21, 4DI/G 5
• US Class Current: 4/309
• 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: Y10S 4/05 Urine guards

Abstract

A disposable, deodorant and splash proof urine dispersing device for placement in a urinal including a framework made of scented plastic material with a horizontal segmented supporting base and a central raised housing. The supporting base includes a plurality of perforated flexible segments and a central bottom frame with a central opening aligned with an outlet or drain in the urinal. The opening is surrounded by the multiple segments such that the device can flex and adapt to urinals of different sizes and designs. The central raised housing includes a horizontal or inclined top member and an upstanding peripheral wall connecting the top member with the central bottom frame in the supporting base. The peripheral wall includes flush relief openings and tapered for easy unit stacking. The top member includes a frame with a plurality of spaced parallel rods having a unique configuration for dispersing urine flow with reduced back splashing toward the user of the urinal.

Claims

1. A urine dispersing device for placement in a urinal comprising a framework made of a plastic material having a flexible segmented supporting base including a plurality of perforated segments and a central bottom frame having a central opening surrounded by said segments, and a central raised housing having a top member and an upstanding peripheral wall connecting said top member to said central bottom frame in said base, said peripheral wall including at least one opening, said top member including a top frame having a plurality of spaced parallel top member rods for dispersing urine flow while reducing splash back toward a user of the urinal.

2. The urine dispersing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said supporting base includes eight segments having substantially straight outer edges forming an octagon shape.

3. The urine dispersing device as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said segments includes a plurality of spaced base segment rods extending outwardly from the central bottom frame in a radial direction forming a plurality of openings in each said base segment.

4. The urine dispersing device as defined in claim 3, wherein each of said base segment rods includes a cut portion in a bottom surface thereof adjacent said central bottom frame to increase flexibility of each base segment rod thereby enabling said segments to conform to a bottom surface of said urinal.

5. The urine dispersing device as defined in claim 3, wherein each of said base segment rods progressively tapers outwardly from the central bottom frame to a smaller cross sectional area to increase flexibility of each segment.

6. The urine dispersing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said top member is in a generally arch shape.

7. The urine dispersing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said top member is generally horizontal.

8. The urine dispersing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said top member is inclined.

9. The urine dispersing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said upstanding peripheral wall tapers inwardly from said supporting base to permit stacking of multiple devices in a partially nested condition.

10. The urine dispersing device as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said top member rods includes a partial cylindrical upper surface and a V-shaped lower surface defining a narrow edge to facilitate dispersion of the urine flow.

11. The urine dispersing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said plastic material includes scented material incorporated therein having a scent life at least about 30 days.

12. The urine dispersing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said plastic material includes a scent additive of about 5 wt % to 10 wt % in composition.

13. The urine dispersing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said top member rods have a width approximately equal to an open spacing between said rods.

14. The urine dispersing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said plastic material includes a scent additive selected from a group including mint scents, citrus scents, bubble gum scents and cherry scents.

15. A deodorant urine dispersing device for placement in a urinal to reduce back splash of urine when using, said device comprising a framework made of plastic material containing at least one type of scent additive and having a horizontal segmented supporting base including a plurality of flexible perforated segments and a central bottom frame with a central opening surrounded by the segments, and a central raised housing having a top member and an inclined peripheral wall connecting said top member with said central bottom frame in said base, said inclined peripheral wall including at least one opening, said top member including a top frame having a plurality of spaced parallel rods defining a plurality of spaced parallel openings for dispersing urine flow while reducing splash back toward a user of said urinal.

16. The urine dispersing device as defined in claim 15, wherein each of said base segments includes a plurality of openings outwardly of the central bottom frame.

17. The urine dispersing device as defined in claim 15, wherein each of said rods in the top member includes a transversely curved upper surface and a lower surface defining a narrow edge to facilitate discharge of urine from said rods.

18. The urine dispersing device as defined in claim 16 wherein each of said base segment openings is defined by spaced radial rods forming slot openings, each of base segments extending rods progressively tapering to a smaller cross sectional area outwardly from said central bottom frame and a notch in a bottom surface adjacent to said central bottom frame to increase flexibility of said base segments.

19. A urine dispersing urinal insert comprising a flexible base member positioned in and conforming generally with the bottom surface of a urinal in overlying relation to a drain outlet in said bottom surface, said base member including an opening in alignment with said outlet, said opening being defined by a peripheral frame, a plurality of radially extending, flexible, perforated base segments connected to said frame to enable said base member to conform with and supportingly engage said bottom surface of said urinal, a plurality of spaced urine dispersing rods supported vertically above said frame in alignment with said opening and said outlet in said urinal, said dispersing rods being generally parallel and disposed in front to rear relation to said urinal and forming a urine target area with the spaces between said dispersing rods providing passage for urine directed toward the target area.

20. The urine dispersing insert as defined in claim 19 wherein said dispersing rods are supported from said frame by a support structure having flush water passages therein to enable flow of flush water from the urinal into said opening in the base member and into said urinal outlet.