Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Drip catcher
Reexamination Certificate
1997-11-24
2001-10-02
Phillips, Charles E. (Department: 3757)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Drip catcher
Reexamination Certificate
active
06295658
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF USE
The present invention relates to a floor mat system for maintaining a portion of a floor in a clean and sanitary condition, and more particularly, a system for particularly useful in public restrooms for keeping the floor sanitary, preserving the floor from aging and cracking, and preventing offensive odors.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Public restrooms are too often unsanitary, unsightly, and contain odorous deposits of urine. In addition to the foul odors, people using the restrooms often walk through such matter, thereby contaminating their shoes and spreading such matter throughout the restroom and in nearby hallways and common areas. The problem is particularly acute in public restrooms having urinals for men, and in rest homes and hospitals where the elderly or others with physical disabilities use the restroom facilities. Also, the problem of maintaining sanitary conditions for household pets has never been satisfactorily resolved.
The following references are pertinent:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,057,162 (Richey) discloses a water-absorbent mat comprising a single ply of sheet material, and a moisture-proof backing, the mat having a semicircular opening to fit around a lavatory, and a pair of cords to secure the mat to the lavatory.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,187,676 (Biewen) discloses an absorbent floor mat rectangular in shape with a cut-out portion to fit about a toilet. The floor mat is made of an absorbent material and impregnated with a suitable deodorizing or disinfectant material.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,771,613 (Markiewicz) discloses a pear-shaped floor protecting mat made of a flexible absorbent material that is washable. The mat includes an opening disposed therein and fits tightly about the base of a toilet bowl.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,656 (Creamer) discloses an absorbent pad adapted to be formed into a U-shaped configuration and placed about the front side of a toilet base to absorb moisture gravitating downward. The pad is adjustable and suitable to fit about toilet bases of different configurations.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,075 (Nelson) discloses a sanitary commode mat comprising a mat cover designed to fit snugly around the base of a commode. The mat includes a hinged mat cover wherein an absorbent pad is placed. To replace the pad, one must lift the contaminated top grille of the mat, remove the pad and replace it with a clean pad, and close the cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,876,135 (McIntosh) discloses a floor mat with disposable absorbent cardboard pad for use in automobiles or as a door mat.
None of these configurations have found market acceptance. In addition, when absorbent materials are used that are flammable, what was an unsanitary condition has been converted into a dangerous one.
What is needed is a system for public, semi-private, and residential restrooms that will simplify and improve the sanitary maintenance of such restrooms. The system will include a disposable pad that is not only flame-retardant but also is biodegradable and not pose any danger to the environment. A system is needed that will enable businesses to maintain sanitary and attractive restroom facilities for their patrons, while not posing a fire hazard.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
However, while it is understood that the principles of the present invention have numerous other applications, the floor mat system will hereinafter be described with reference to urinals in men's public restrooms for purposes of illustration only.
The system of the present invention provides a sanitary and cost-effective solution to the aforementioned problems by absorbing the urine before it reaches the restroom floor, thereby preventing any accumulation of the matter on the restroom floor, and preventing the floor from becoming slippery causing a possible safety hazard. The system also prevents the spread of bacteria and odors associated with the urine throughout the restroom and beyond and onto the shoes of the patrons, and prevents damage to the floor and grouting about the commodes from the damaging and corrosive effects of the acid common in urine.
The preferred embodiment of the system of the present invention comprises a permanent base member, a disposable diaper-type pad, and means for retaining the disposable pad upon the upper surface of the permanent base member. The disposable diaper-type pad is positioned onto the base member in a restroom about a urinal used by men to protect the floor from the harmful, unsanitary, and corrosive effects of urine.
The permanent base member is disposed upon the floor of the restroom and adjacent to the commode. The base member has an upper surface that is generally horizontal.
The disposable pad includes a layer of liquid-absorbent material, and the layer of absorbent material is one of a plurality of layers. The pad is preferably made of a flame-retardant material, and is replaced on a regular or daily basis. When the pad is used with a urinal as commonly found in a restroom used by men, it is broader at one end and narrower at the other. The broader end abuts the wall beneath the urinal, and the narrower end opposes the broader end.
Since the materials listed above for the absorbent pad are biodegradable, it is highly desirable to make the waterproof coating also biodegradable, so that disposal of large quantities of the pads will not be a hazard to the environment.
The disposable pad is made of biodegradable materials. The waterproof bottom layer has either a paraffin-wax coating, or a “Scotchgard”™-type chemical may be applied to the underside of the pad, locked the moisture into the pad.
The means for retaining the disposable pad to the base member is tape disposed on the undersurface of the pad, and having an adhesive surface that adheres to the upper surface of the base member or directly onto the floor.
The disposable pad may be applied directly to the floor without the base member. The tape disposed on the back of the pad is applied directly to the floor abutting the wall underneath the commode.
For a more complete understanding of the floor mat system of the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings in which the presently preferred embodiments of the invention are shown by way of example. As the invention may be embodied in many forms without departing from spirit of essential characteristics thereof, it is expressly understood that the drawings are for purposes of illustration and description only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. Throughout the description, like reference numbers refer to the same component throughout the several views.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 134684 (1942-12-01), Samuels
patent: 1633951 (1927-06-01), O'Toole
patent: 1641029 (1927-08-01), Gaudet
patent: 2057162 (1936-10-01), Richey
patent: 2187676 (1940-01-01), Biewen
patent: 2771613 (1956-11-01), Markiewicz
patent: 4125656 (1978-11-01), Creamer
patent: 4285075 (1981-08-01), Nelson
patent: 4328275 (1982-05-01), Vargo
patent: 4609580 (1986-09-01), Rockett
patent: 4876135 (1989-10-01), McIntosh
Benefiel John R.
Phillips Charles E.
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