Abstract:
A toilet bowl protector for preventing soiling of a toilet bowl includes a rim having an opening, the rim being adapted to be received around a rim of a toilet bowl, and a shell portion, the shell portion extending from the rim, the shell portion being adapted to be disposed within a bowl of the toilet bowl to prevent soiling of the bowl.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a cover for a commode to prevent the soiling thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cover disposed about the rim and within the bowl of a commode to prevent the soiling of the bowl.  
         BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Public health concerns have resulted in many public toilet facilities in restaurants, shopping centers, businesses, and other similar places to provide tissue toilet seat covers. These tissue seat covers generally consist of a sheet of paper with a partially cut-out center section. When placed in use, the center section must be torn away or partially separated from the rest of the cover and the cover is then placed on the toilet seat. Conventional paper covers are inadequate in a number of respects in that they are often flimsy and will easily tear, interfering with their intended use. Also, since these prior art covers are simply placed over the seat, they are easily displaced and may slip from the toilet seat during use. Additionally, conventional covers leave the bowl exposed, therefore allowing the bowl to become soiled, and thus requiring frequent cleaning.  
           [0003]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,185 to Kohler teaches a toilet bowl protector which is disposed about the rim of the toilet bowl underneath the seat and forming a skirt around the toiled bowl to contain urine. The toilet bowl protector of Kohler does not teach providing a protector that is disposed within the bowl to prevent soiling thereof.  
           [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,237 to Hazar et al. provides a disposable sanitary protector cover for a toilet. As shown in Hazar et al., the protector is disposed about the seat of the toiled and does not extend down into the bowl of the toiled to prevent soiling of the bowl.  
           [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,412,360 to Levin illustrates yet another toilet bowl protector. As shown in Levin the toilet bowl protector is disposed about the seat of the toilet and does not extend into the bowl to prevent the soiling of the bowl.  
           [0006]    Therefore there is a need for a toilet bowl cover that will prevent the soiling of the bowl such that the bowl will remain clean after use.  
           [0007]    In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a toilet bowl protector for preventing soiling of a toilet bowl includes a rim having an opening, the rim being adapted to be received around a rim of a toilet bowl, and a shell portion, the shell portion extending from the rim, the shell portion being adapted to be disposed within a bowl of the toilet bowl to prevent soiling of the bowl.  
           [0008]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a toilet bowl protector for preventing soiling of a toilet bowl includes a rim, the rim having a first and second surface, the first surface being adapted to be disposed in contact with a rim of a toilet bowl and the second surface being adapted to be disposed in contact with and beneath a toilet seat, the rim defining an opening corresponding to a shape of the bowl of the toilet bowl. The toilet bowl protector also includes a shell extending from the rim and defining a bowl-shaped member adapted to be disposed within the bowl of the toilet bowl.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    Referring now to the Figures wherein like numbers have been utilized to denote the same or similar elements, there is shown:  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1. is an isometric plan view of a toilet bowl cover according to the present invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2. is a cross-sectional side view of the toilet bowl cover taken at section  2 - 2  of FIG. 1;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3. is an isometric plan view of the present invention as disposed within a toilet bowl;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4. is another embodiment of the toilet bowl protector according to the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5. is a cross-sectional side view of the alternative embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 is an isometric plan view of a rectangular or square cover according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0016]    A toilet bowl protector according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided to prevent soiling of a toilet bowl. The toilet bowl protector preferably comprises a round, oval, square, or rectangular shaped sheet, the sheet further including a depressed region formed therein. The protector according to the present invention provides a shield or cover disposed about the bowl of a toiled to prevent soiling to facilitate maintaining the toilet bowl in a clean and hygienic condition.  
         [0017]    Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown an exemplary embodiment of the toilet bowl protector according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the protector  100  comprises a rim  120  and a shell  130 . As shown in FIG. 3, the rim  120  is sufficiently sized to disposed about the rim of the bowl of a toilet, and the shell  130  is adapted to be disposed within the bowl of the toilet. Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a cross-sectional side view of the toilet bowl protector according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the shell  130  of the protector  100  extends from the rim  120 . Additionally, the shell  130  is offset from the edge of the rim  120  thereby forming flange  110 . The flange  110  is adapted to be disposed around the rim or edge of the bowl of the toilet bowl as shown in FIG. 3.  
         [0018]    As shown in FIG. 3, the toilet bowl protector  100  is adapted to be disposed within the entire bowl of a toilet  50  as shown. The shell  130  protects the bowl from becoming soiled. In use, the seat is initially disposed substantially perpendicular to the floor, the toilet bowl protector is then placed around and within the bowl of the toilet, wherein the shell lines the bowl and the rim  120  defined by the flange  110  is placed upon the rim of the toilet bowl. The seat is then lowed to an approximately horizontal position, wherein the seat retains the protector within the position as shown in FIG. 3. After use, the protector may be disposed of by raising the seat before flushing the toilet, so that the action of the water flowing down the drain after flushing pulls the protector into the bowl and down the drain. It may, preferably, be unnecessary to raise the seat prior to flushing in that the action of the water flowing into the drain may be sufficient to draw the protector into the bowl and down the drain therewith, although this may depend upon factors such as the type of material used to form the protector and the rate of water flow in the toilet.  
         [0019]    Referring now to FIG. 4 another embodiment of a toilet bowl protector  200  in accordance with the present invention is shown. The toilet bowl protector  200  comprises a discontinuous rim  220  and a shell portion  230  depending therefrom. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the rim  220  is discontinuous as compared with the continuous rim  120  shown in FIG. 1. The toilet bowl protector  200  is generally u-shaped when viewed from the front. As with the embodiment illustrated in FIGS.  1 - 3 , the shell  230  depends from the lower portion of the rim  220  and is adapted to be received within the bowl of the toilet to provide protection against soiling.  
         [0020]    Each of the embodiments shown herein may be fabricated in the manner and of the materials to be described below. As shown, the toilet bowl protector may be fabricated from a paper material, wherein the paper material has sufficient thickness to resist tearing but is sufficiently thin to allow the protector to be flushed into the sewer system or retaining tank. It is also preferred that the material utilized to fabricate the protectors herein is a non-absorbent material, thus when the shell portion is disposed within the bowl the water within the bowl will not immediately dissolve or break down the protector. Alternatively, the rim may be constructed of a material such as that described above, while the shell portion may be formed of an absorbent material wherein the two separate components would then be assembled to form the protector as shown.  
         [0021]    The rim and shell may be integrally formed as a unitary unit or alternatively may be formed of multiple pieces which may then be assembled to form a single unit as shown. Additionally, as shown, the protector may be formed without having a formed rim.  
         [0022]    Although the present invention is shown embodied in the form of a circle or partial circle or oval, it shall be understood that the present invention may be formed having any shape such as circles, squares, rectangles (FIG. 6), ovals or other possible shapes of commode. It is further contemplated that the present invention may be utilized with a conventionally available seat cover. That is the present invention may be disposed within the bowl to maintain sanitary and hygienic conditions therein, while the conventional seat cover may be placed over the seat to provide sanitary and hygienic conditions.  
         [0023]    Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in the foregoing detailed description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it shall be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed herein but is capable of numerous modifications and substitutions without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to encompass such modifications and substitution of parts or elements as fall within the scope of the invention.