Abstract:
This invention generally relates to bed pans. More specifically, this invention relates a novel slipper style bed pan design that dramatically reduces the pain and discomfort involved in its use.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention generally relates to bed pans. More specifically, this invention relates a novel slipper style bed pan design that dramatically reduces the pain and discomfort involved in its use. 
   2. Prior Art 
   Design Patents D246055 Mills 1977, D246382 Parker, III 1977, D253304 Nakao 1979, D270018 Knight 1983, &amp; D450840 Edmonds 2001 all show different shapes and contours for the upper surface of a bed pan. Only Nakao is of the slipper style and its narrow top surface rails can cause significant discomfort when repeatedly forced against sensitive skin as required for a long term bedridden patients or forced against a patient who may have suffered from a pelvic or back injury. Also, its pistol grip handle does not provide sufficient stability to prevent accidental spills. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 3,464,066 Marks 1969 discloses a conventionally shaped bedpan but its sidewalls are inflatable so it can be stored flat and slid under the patient flat and inflated to elevate the patient for use. It doesn&#39;t mention getting out from under the patient. U.S. Pat No. 3,605,128 Oden 1971 takes the inflatable ring pan one step further having it mounted on a flat sheet that after use is lifted up around the pan making it into a sack which is then wholly disposable, eliminating costly cleaning and sterilization and is relatively economical to produce. U.S. Pat. No. 5,079,788 Raupp 1992 attempts to minimize the pain for users by its low lying configuration and providing contoured, padded surfaces that match the body contours of the user. It, however still requires lifting or rolling a patient on to it with the potential pain and strain. U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,733 Church 1992 add a seat of a flexible material wide enough to support the full width of the buttocks to more evenly distribute the user&#39;s weight as opposed to the relatively narrow top surface for the conventional pan but it still requires lifting or rolling the patient into position on top of the device for use. U.S. Pat. No.6,532,604 Moser 2003 seems more focused on improving the collecting function and the ease of cleaning than on the comfort of the user. 
   SUMMARY 
   An object of this invention is to provide a bedpan for use by bedridden patients dramatically reducing the pain and discomfort found in the use of prior art designs. Patients with spinal and pelvic injuries find it very painful if not impossible to be rolled on their side, a hard walled pan placed against their backside and then rolled back onto the bedpan. In accordance with the present invention, a bed pan apparatus is comprised of a slipper style bedpan, flat on the bottom, with a top surface sloping downward toward the patient. The top surface has an opening for receiving the bodily wastes from the patient. The top surface is significantly wider and longer than the bedpan underneath and is formed from a relatively flexible material. This additional width and length is the key to eliminating the pain of use as these wings deflect toward the bed surface as the apparatus is slid into functioning position without, rolling, pinching or abrading the sensitive local skin areas and with minimized lifting of the patients lower back required 

   
     DRAWINGS 
     In order that the invention may be more fully understood it will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a top view of a bedpan apparatus. 
       FIG. 2  is a sectional front view of a bedpan apparatus. 
       FIG. 3  is a front view of a bedpan apparatus with its support wings flexed. 
       FIG. 4  is a left side view of a bedpan apparatus. 
       FIG. 5  is a right side view of a bedpan apparatus. 
       FIG. 6  is a left side view of a bedpan apparatus with its support wings flexed. 
   

   REFERENCE NUMERALS 
   
       
       
         
             10 -Bedpan Apparatus 
             12 -top surface 
             14 -thumb grip 
             16 -finger groove 
             18 -leading edge 
             20 -bottom surface 
             22 -front wing 
             24 -side wing 
             26 -overhang 
             28 -side wall 
             30 -pan 
             32 -front wall 
             34 -back wall 
             36 -opening 
             38 -chamfer 
         
       
     
  
   DESCRIPTION 
   In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  4  and  5  illustrate a bed pan apparatus in its not-in-use state.  FIGS. 3 and 6  illustrate the bed pan apparatus with its top surface flexed down to the bed surface, shown in phantom lines, as it would appear when pressed against the patient&#39;s buttocks ready for use. 
   Turning to  FIG. 1 , a top view of bedpan apparatus  10  shows top surface  12 , which is a rectangular sheet approximately 18 in. wide by×15 in. long× 3/32 in. thick, preferably of an engineering thermoplastic material suitable for repeated sterilizations. It also could be fabricated from metal and fastened to pan  30  below at sidewall  28 . Top surface  12  slopes downward toward leading edge  18  as the depth of pan  30  is approximately 2 inches at its front wall  32  and approximately 5 inches at back wall  34 . Top surface  12  includes opening  36  to receive the bodily waste from a bedridden patient.  FIG. 1  also illustrates details for handling bedpan apparatus  10  including thumb grip  14  notched into top surface  12  at the top of back wall  34  and the four finger grooves  16  indented into bottom surface  20  starting at the bottom of back wall  34 . 
     FIG. 2  is a sectional front view of bedpan apparatus  10 . This section view illustrates top surface  12  with its overhang  26  extending out over pan  30  allowing the working depth for liquid retention to be greater than the shallow end of pan  30  and also providing a splash shield.  FIG. 2  also shows opening  36  for receiving the bodily wastes and chamfer  38  blending back wall  34  to top surface  12  with no sharp corners to scrape on patient&#39;s skin. It also shows bottom surface  20  of pan  30  which sets flat on the bed (not shown) or on a table prior to waste disposal.  FIG. 2  also shows four finger grip grooves  16  indented into the bottom of bottom surface  20  and the opposing thumb grip groove 14  in the back center of top surface  12  and back wall  34 . These grooves make handling of bed pan apparatus  10  easy to manage with one hand allowing the caretaker the other hand free to assist in raising the bedridden patient slightly while working bedpan apparatus  10  into position for use. 
     FIG. 3  is a front view of a bedpan apparatus with its support wings  22  and  24  flexed. In this view, leading edge  18  is forced down against the bed surface, shown in phantom lines, under bedpan apparatus  10  by contact with the patient&#39;s buttocks and forward pressure by the caretaker. This flexing by leading edge  18  combined with large corner radii on top surface  12  allow the insertion of bedpan apparatus  10  into functional location with a dramatic reduction in patient discomfort, especially those with extended stays or back or pelvic injuries. 
     FIG. 4  is a left side view of bedpan apparatus  10 . This view shows the sloping attitude of top surface  12  and its waste receiving opening  36  that has chamfer  38  blending top surface  12  into side walls  28  and back wall  34  leaving no sharp edges to scrape patient&#39;s skin. 
     FIG. 5  is a right side view of a bedpan apparatus that illustrates thumb grip  14  dipping from top surface  12  into the top center of back wall  34  and four finger grooves  16  indenting into bottom surface  20  at the bottom of back wall  34 .  FIG. 5  also shows 
     FIG. 6  is a left side view of a bedpan apparatus with its support wings flexed illustrating the shape of bedpan apparatus  10  after it has been positioned for use. In this view, leading edge  18  has been deflected down to the bed surface, shown in phantom lines, by movement towards patient&#39;s buttocks which causes front wing  22  to bow downward from the top of front wall  32 . Side wings  24  also deflect downward as the weight of the patient&#39;s legs rest on top surface  12 . 
   The preceding descriptions are for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of this invention. The scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims rather than by the specific examples given.