Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Seat – Superposed
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-29
2002-11-05
Phillips, Charles E. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Seat
Superposed
Reexamination Certificate
active
06473911
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to a child-size toilet seat cover. More particularly, a toilet seat cover that provides a sturdy, protective, barrier between a child and a toilet seat. The toilet seat cover's distinctive properties include portability, compactness and the disposability of the product.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In today's world of heightened health concerns, the need for protection from a potentially unsanitary toilet and/or toilet seat is of public concern. The typical protection offered is tissue-type paper, cut in the shape of a standard-sized toilet seat. However, this protection is often inadequate. It is especially inadequate for a child. Moreover, since standard-sized toilet seats in most public places and homes contain too large of an opening for most children, children often need to hold themselves up by placing their hands on the toilet seat, thereby increasing their contact with potentially unsanitary toilet seats.
While there are some toilet seat protection products commercially available, most often they are either portable or disposable, but not both. Moreover, some products are designed to be portable and disposable, but are not compact enough, in size, flatness, or both, to carry in the usual-size baby bag or nap-sack. Because of the lack of convenience, whether due to a lack of portability, disposability, or compactness, often these toilet seats or toilet seat covers are not used. Additionally, some do not readily sit atop a standard-sized toilet seat but instead must be attached to the toilet seat somehow. In that case, the toilet seat is typically only used in one's own home.
The prior art describes some toilet seat covers, including some designed for children. However, none sufficiently describe a toilet seat cover that solves all of the problems identified above. For instance, toilet seats, even some intended for a small child are described, but they require some way of attaching the seat to a standard toilet seat in order to provide stability (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 2,548, 238). Others do not provide any protection from the back portion of a toilet (e.g., U. S. Pat. No. 2,825,070) or do not cover the entire top portion of a toilet seat, but rather follow the exact shape (i.e., U or C shaped) of a standard toilet seat (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,223). Still others do not provide protection from the inside or outside of the front portion of a toilet bowl itself or do not provide a seat cover with a larger seating area that can be compact enough such that it is easily carried in a nap-sack, standard baby-bag, or the like (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,825,070 and 5,005,223).
Consequently, there is a need to provide a sturdy, stable and disposable toilet seat cover that is compact and portable so that it can be easily transported from place to place in a variety of situations in the usual-size baby bag, nap-sack, stroller, or car for use at restaurants, amusement parks, and other public and private places where additional protection from a potentially unsanitary toilet and/or toilet seat is desired. Moreover, there is a further need for a toilet seat cover as described which is specifically adapted for use by a child or small adult.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A portable, disposable toilet seat cover is provided which contains a seat portion, an up-flap along the rear of the seat which extends upward from the seat, a down-flap along the front of the seat which extends downward from the seat, side flaps along the rear sides of the seat extending upward from the seat, and side flaps on the front sides of the that seat extend downward from the seat.
It is an object of this invention to provide a toilet seat cover that has a smaller than standard toilet bowl opening in the seat such that a child or small adult has a larger seating area. Moreover, the toilet seat cover has flaps on either side and in the front portion of the seat cover which can be set, sturdily, on a standard toilet seat with minimal movement in all directions of the horizontal plane with respect to the toilet seat. Thus, the present invention provides a disposable toilet seat cover that is compact, portable and easy to assemble that can provide sturdy and stable seating.
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patent: 3316560 (1967-05-01), Montaldo
patent: 5005223 (1991-04-01), Greenwood
Phillips Charles E.
Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP
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