Toy toilet training kit

A toy toilet training system utilizes a kit to teach children toilet skills. The kit includes a doll that receives a fluid, such as water, through a mouth opening and can discharge the fluid from an outlet to simulate urination. A toy toilet, sized in proportion to the doll, has a bowl portion to receive the discharged fluid, and a decorated sheet of dissolvable material is sized to be placed in the bowl portion. When the fluid is discharged onto the sheet, it disappears, thus making the simulated toilet event of greater interest to the child. The toy toilet preferably has a ledge in the bowl interior to support the sheet, and a drain opening with removable drain plug facilitates cleaning. The kit may also include toy training pants, with pull-ups loop tabs, a toy bottle for the fluid, and an instruction/storybook. Preferably, a plurality of dissolvable sheets are provided in the kit and are packaged in a matchbook style packet.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention broadly concerns children's toys, but more 
specifically concerns an educational toy and system to help teach a child 
to use a toilet. The invention particularly contemplates an interactive 
system wherein a child, by playing with the components of the toy, 
transfers the play training experience to his/her toilet activities. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Toilet training or potty training (potty and toilet shall hereinafter be 
considered reversible terms) has been a concern of parents since the 
beginning of time. Toilet training, of course, helps a child achieve 
control his/her excretory systems so that the child no longer needs as 
much care and attention during toilet activities, so that the child may 
eliminate the use of diapers and so that the child may have increased 
personal hygiene. However, the process of training a child in toilet 
activities often frustrates even the most patient of parents. A primary 
reason for this is that the concept of controlled toilet activities is a 
radical departure from the child's previous approach to extractatory 
functions. Frustration is further compounded by the child's limited verbal 
skills so that it is difficult for the parent to communicate to the child 
the toilet technique. 
In the past, a child was typically introduced to the idea of potty training 
by watching adults use the toilet. One system for training a child 
suggested that the child be placed on the toilet every fifteen minutes for 
a period of five minutes each. At such time that the child eliminates 
either feces or urine the parent praises the child in order to reinforce 
use of the toilet. Another system relies upon the parents observing 
warning signals of an intending bowel movement with such signals being 
grunting or straining by the child or the child turning red in the face. 
When such warning signals are observed, the parent places the child on the 
potty to complete the excretion. In either event, the child's toilet may 
be an adult toilet, a specially adapted seat to place on an adult toilet, 
or a special "child size" toilet. 
Few children toilet train in a matter of days or even weeks, and toilet 
training usually takes a period measured in months. The lengths of 
training period often has to do with a child's lack of interest in sitting 
on the potty, especially since sitting on the potty takes the child away 
from other toys and entertainment. To counteract this, some training 
systems encourage the parent to place one or more floatable toys in the 
toilet to entertain the child. These toys are both inconvenient and 
somewhat unsanitary since they come in contact with urine and fecal 
matter. This is especially unpleasant and unsanitary since the parent must 
remove the toys from the fouled water prior to flushing the toilet. 
To avoid some of the drawbacks of the previous systems and to make a toilet 
training experience more entertaining to a child, a new and useful toilet 
training system was developed as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,540, 
assigned to the assignee of the present invention and issued to Lawrence 
Putz on Feb. 15, 1994. In this toilet training system, decorated sheets 
which are fabricated from material that dissolves upon contact with urine 
are provided so that these sheets may be placed in a toilet in such a 
position that, when the child eliminates urine in the toilet, the sheet 
dissolves. A chart is provided for recording a child's use of the toilet 
for elimination, and instructions are provided first for positioning one 
of the dissolvable sheets and secondly for recording the child's 
elimination of urine on the chart. Accordingly, the child becomes more 
interested in using the toilet because the child causes the sheet to 
disappear by eliminating urine in the toilet. This, of course, is more 
exciting to the child and, with the use of the chart, makes the toilet 
experience a pleasing, interactive exercise with the parent. 
While the toilet training system described in the Putz U.S. Pat. No. '540 
has been recognized as an advantageous approach in teaching a child toilet 
techniques, there is still remains some communication barrier between the 
parent and child even with this system. Accordingly, there is still a need 
for potty training system which can be used alone or in combination with 
the toilet training system described in the Putz invention, which can help 
a parent communicate the concept of toilet activities to a child even 
absent comprehensive verbal skills. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and useful toilet 
training system to help teach children use of an adult toilet. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a toilet training kit 
having components with which the child interacts to help learn toilet 
training. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a toilet training kit 
which simulates a child's interest through parental roll playing and, in 
so doing, helps communicate the experience of toilet training to the child 
without relying on verbal communication. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a toilet training 
kit which is fun to play with for the child and wherein the child may 
subconscienciously transfer a toilet training experience to his/her own 
use. 
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a toilet 
training system and kit therefor wherein a parent may interact in a 
positive manner with the child in order to communicate use of the toilet 
with nonverbal communication techniques. 
According to the present invention, then, a toilet training kit is provided 
and is adapted to instruct children in the use of a standard-sized human 
toilet. In its broad form, the toilet training kit includes a doll that is 
operative to receive a fluid and is operative to selectively discharge the 
fluid in simulation of urination. A toy toilet is included with this 
toilet being sized and adapted to interface with the doll whereby the doll 
and the toilet are proportional in size to a human and the standard-sized 
human toilet. This toy toilet has a bowl portion with an interior into 
which a child may selectively cause the doll to discharge the fluid, with 
the bowl portion being operative to receive and retain the fluid discharge 
therein. Finally, the kit includes at leat one, but preferably a plurality 
of units of dissolvable material constructed to dissolve on contact with 
the fluid. Each unit is sized and adapted to be placed in the bowl portion 
of the toy toilet whereby a child may selectively cause the doll to 
discharge the fluid onto the unit of material in a simulated toilet 
activity and thereby observe the disappearance of the unit of dissolvable 
material. 
The doll used with this kit may either be a male doll or a female doll, but 
preferably is a unisex doll. The doll has a mouth opening adapted to 
receive the fluid and an outlet located in a genital region of the doll 
with this outlet being in fluid communication with the mouth opening. 
Thus, fluid may be introduced through the mouth opening and conveyed to 
the outlet to simulate urination. The doll may be resilient and 
squeezeable so that the child may squeeze the doll to discharge fluid from 
the outlet. Furthermore, a bottle, such as a toy baby's bottle, may be 
included. This bottle is operative to store the fluid and includes a 
nipple portion adapted to introduce the fluid into the doll, particularly 
through the mouth opening. Moreover, the doll has hands with at least one 
distinct digit on each hand thereof, and the kit may include a pair of toy 
training pants sized to fit on the doll, in the genital region. The toy 
training pants include a pair of oppositely disposed pull-tabs, in the 
form of loops, sized to be engaged by the digits of the doll's hand so 
that the doll may be manipulated to pull on the toy training pants. 
The toy toilet of the present invention also includes a chamber portion 
that defines a support sized and adapted to support and store a plurality 
of units of the dissolvable material. This chamber portion may be 
configured to simulate the tank of an standard toilet. A ledge portion may 
be formed in the interior of the bowl portion with this ledge operative to 
support a unit of the dissolvable material. Here, the ledge is preferably 
located at a forward region of the interior bowl portion and may be 
oriented in parallel to a base that is adapted to support the toilet on a 
support surface. A drain opening may be provide, for example, at the rear 
of the toilet bowl, with this drain opening being in fluid communication 
with the interior of the bowl portion. Thus fluid which is discharged into 
the interior can be drained through the drain opening. A plug is removably 
secured to selectively seal the drain opening. The toy toilet may also 
include an annular seat pivotally secured thereto. 
Preferably, the fluid used with the toilet training kit is water. 
Accordingly, the dissolvable material is a material which dissolves in 
water and, for example, may be of a composition not less than 50% 
carboxymethyl cellulose. Where a plurality of units are of the dissolvable 
material are provided, they may be joined together in a packet and may be 
individually removed from the packet for use. The packet may include a 
cover, and, in an exemplary embodiment, this cover is configured as a 
foldable "matchbook" style enclosure. Each unit of material then has a 
decorative design thereon, with the decorative design being formed out of 
a water soluble ink. 
Finally, the kit may include an instruction book which has instructions for 
an adult for assisting a child in use of the doll, the unit of material 
and the toy toilet. This instruction book may also include a narrative 
story having instructions for the child to follow in using the doll, the 
unit of material and the toy toilet. Where a plurality of units of the 
dissolvable material are included and are joined together in a packet, the 
packet may be mounted on the instruction book.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
The present invention is directed to a toy toilet training kit which is 
adapted for use in instructing children in the use of a standard-sized 
human toilet. This toy toilet training kit may include a plurality of 
components and, while a variety of components are described, it should be 
appreciated that certain components, while described with respect to the 
exemplary embodiment, are nonetheless secondary or optional. Broadly, the 
toy toilet training kit according to the present invention includes three 
primary components (1) a doll that is operative to receive a fluid and is 
operative to selectively discharge the fluid in simulation of urination; 
(2) a toy toilet sized and adapted to interface with the doll and which is 
in proportion relative to the doll as a person is to a standard-sized 
human toilet; and (3) at least one unit or sheet of dissolvable material 
that is composed to dissolve upon contact with fluid and which may be 
placed in a bowl portion of the toy toilet. The remaining components are 
useful for the overall toy toilet training kit, but may be deemed as more 
secondary or optional, auxiliary features. 
A toy toilet training kit including both the primary and secondary 
components is best shown in FIG. 1. Here, toy toilet training kit 10 is 
shown packaged in a box 12, although it should be understood that other 
types of packaging are within the scope of the present invention. Toy 
toilet training kit 10 includes a doll 20 which is wearing a pair of toy 
training pants 30. A fluid bottle 50 is also packaged in box 12 as part of 
toy toilet training kit 10, and the kit includes a toy toilet 60 described 
more thoroughly below. An instruction/storybook 80 is included as are two 
packets 90 of units of dissolvable material described more thoroughly 
below. As is shown in FIG. 1, one of the packets 90 is secured to 
instruction/storybook 80 while the other is not so secured. 
With reference to FIG. 2, doll 20 may be seen to include a head 21, arms 22 
and legs 23 extending from a pelvic or genital region 24. Arms 22 
terminate in hands 25 each having distinct digits in the form of fingers 
26 and thumbs 27. Head 21 includes a mouth opening 28 which is in fluid 
communication with an outlet 29 located in the genital region 24 of doll 
20. While doll 20 could be formed as a male or female doll, it is 
preferably a unisex doll. In any event, doll 20 is operative to receive a 
fluid, preferably water, through mouth opening 28 and is operative to 
selectively discharge this fluid out of outlet 29 in simulation of 
urination. Thus, the fluid is conveyed by tubing (not shown) from mouth 
opeing 28 to outlet 29, as is known in the art. Also as is known in the 
art, it is preferred that doll 20 be formed of a resilient material and be 
squeezeable to cause a discharge of fluid out of outlet 29 so that a child 
may selectively cause fluid to be discharged in simulation of urination. 
As is shown in FIG. 3, a pair of training pants 30 is provided with toy 
toilet training kit 10 and, in FIG. 1, it may be seen that training pants 
30 are positioned on doll 20 to cover the genital region 24. With 
reference to FIG. 3, though, it may be seen that training pants 30 
includes a front panel 32 and a rear panel 34 which are joined together to 
provide a pair of leg openings 36 and an annular waist band 38. A pair of 
pull-tabs 40 are disposed on waist band 38 and project oppositely from one 
another on the exterior of training pants 30. Each of pull-tabs 40 is 
mounted above a respective leg opening 36 and is sized to be engaged by 
one of the free digits (fingers 26 or thumbs 27) of doll 20. Here, 
pull-tabs 40 are formed as a strip of material that is looped and is sewn, 
for example, by stitching 42 to training pants 30 on waist band 38 
thereof. It should be appreciated that a child, with or without the 
assistance of an adult, as necessary, may engage pull-tabs 40 with the 
free digits on hands 25 of doll 20 and manipulate arms 22 to cause the 
doll to pull on toy training pants 30. To this end, doll 20 should be 
articulated, as is known in the art, to permit such manipulation. 
As noted above, doll 20 is operative to receive a fluid, such as water, in 
order to simulate drinking and urination. To introduce the fluid into the 
doll 20 through mouth opening 28, a toy baby's bottle 50 is provided, as 
is best shown in FIG. 4. Here, bottle 50 includes an enclosure 52 that is 
sealed by means of a removable cap 54 that has a nipple portion 56 
disposed thereon. Nipple portion 56 includes a port 58 to allow passage of 
fluid that is received and stored in enclosure 52. Moreover, nipple 56 is 
sized to be inserted into mouth opening 58 of doll 20, again, as is known 
in the art. 
Toy toilet training kit 10 includes, as a primary component thereof, a toy 
toilet 60, best shown in FIGS. 5-7. It should be noted in reference to 
FIG. 6 that toy toilet 60 and doll 20 are proportionalized so that they 
may be approximately the same in proportion to a human and a 
standard-sized human toilet. As is shown in these figures, toy toilet 60 
includes a bowl portion 62 having an interior 63 with bowl portion 62 
being supported by means of a base 61 on any convenient support surface. A 
chamber portion 64 is located rearwardly of bowl portion 62 and is 
positioned and configured to simulate the tank of a standard toilet. 
Chamber portion 64 has an interior 65 and defines a support that is sized 
and adapted to support and store a plurality of units of dissolvable 
material, especially when packaged as packet 90 shown in FIG. 5. Bowl 62 
terminates in annular upper rim 66, and an annular seat 67 may be 
pivotally mounted by brackets 68 disposed on rim 66. Here, for example, as 
is shown in FIG. 7, annular seat 68 includes a pair of oppositely 
projecting trunnion pins, such as pins 69, which are received in brackets 
68 so that seat 67 may be pivoted between the "down" position and the "up" 
position (shown in phantom). 
A ledge 70 is formed at a forward portion of bowl 62 and is disposed on the 
interior 63 thereof. Ledge 70 is preferably oriented parallel to base 61 
and is sized and adapted to support a unit or sheet 92 of the dissolvable 
material, as described more thoroughly below. When doll 20 is placed on 
toy toilet 60, as shown in FIG. 6, the discharge of fluid from outlet 29 
is thus directed toward ledge 70, and thus sheet 92 placed thereon, so 
that the fluid will contact sheet 92. In order to remove the fluid from 
interior 63 after such discharge, a drain opening 72 is formed rearwardly 
through bowl 62 of toy toilet 60 and is threaded to receive a threaded 
plug 74 so that plug 74 may be secured in drain opening 72 to seal 
interior 63 or, alternatively, can be removed from drain opening 72 to 
allow draining of fluid from interior 63 thereby facilitating cleaning of 
toy toilet 60. In order to facilitate insertion and removal of drain plug 
74, an enlarged flange 76 is provided that is easier for a child to grip 
with his/her fingers. Cavities 78 and 79 are provided, as is shown in FIG. 
7, to reduce the amount of material, such as molded plastic, out of which 
toy toilet 60 is fabricated. 
Toy toilet training kit 10 may also include an instruction/storybook 80, as 
noted above. With reference to FIG. 8, it may be seen that this 
representative instruction/storybook 80 includes a front cover 82 and a 
back cover 84 secured along a binding 86 in order to bind a plurality of 
leaves or pages 88 therebetween. Instruction book 80 preferably includes 
two types of instructions. First instructions are provided to instruct an 
adult in a teaching method for assisting a child in use of the doll 20, a 
unit of the dissolvable material and toy toilet 60. Also, it is preferred 
that the instruction/storybook 80 includes second instructions for the 
child to follow in using the doll, the dissolvable sheet of material and 
toy toilet 60. Here, it is preferred that the instructions for the child 
be in a narrative or "storybook" format which will allow the child to play 
act with doll 20 in order to teach doll 20 how to use toy toilet 60 and 
use the toy training pants 30. As is also shown in FIG. 8, 
instruction/storybook 80 may have a packet 90 of sheets or units 92 of 
dissolvable material disposed thereon. Packet 90 may be secured 
permanently to front cover 82 or may be releasably secured, for example, 
by a tacky, releasably and reusable adhesive. 
Whether secured to front cover 82 of instruction/storybook 80, as is shown 
in FIGS. 1 and 8, or simply contained loose in toy toilet training kit 10, 
a representative packet 90 of a disposable sheets of material are shown in 
FIGS. 9 and 10. In these figures, it can be seen that packet 90 includes a 
cover 94 which is a "matchbook" style cover which has a lip 96 that 
receives edge margin 98 of a plurality of sheets or units 92 of the 
dissolvable material. Margin 98 of units 92 may be fastened by means of 
staples 100 so that they are retained within cover 94. In FIG. 9, cover 94 
is closed but, as is shown in FIG. 10, it may be opened to allow access to 
units 92. Units 92 are shown to be printed with a decorative design, such 
as by means of a water soluble ink, with there being a design 102 in the 
form of "stars" shown in FIG. 10. Each individual unit 92 may be 
consecutively removed from packet 90 for use with toy toilet 60. 
Preferably, the design is printed in a water soluable ink, and units 92 
are coposed of a material that is at least fifty percent (50%) 
carboxymethyl cellulose. 
In use, then, a child is instructed to place toy toilet 60 on any suitable 
support surface. The child then removes a unit 92 of disposable material 
and places it on ledge 70 of toy toilet 60, as is shown in FIG. 7. Next, 
the child may "feed" doll 20 with fluid, such as water, by first filling 
bottle 50 with the fluid and then inserting nipple 56 in mouth opening 28 
discharging at least some of the fluid contents of bottle 50 into mouth 
opening 28. This fluid is then conveyed so that it may be discharged 
through outlet 29. Here, the child is instructed to place the doll in 
seated fashion, as is shown in FIG. 6, or, alternatively, to stand the 
doll immediately in front of bowl 62 facing rearwardly, that is, toward 
chamber portion 64. The child is then instructed to squeeze doll 20 
thereby causing doll 20 to discharge the fluid out of outlet 29 and onto 
the sheet 92 of dissolvable material placed on ledge 70. It should be 
appreciated that, at this time, plug 74 should be in position so that 
interior 63 collects the fluid which also causes unit 92 to dissolve. The 
child may see and be excited by the disappearance of unit 92. Either the 
child or preferably the child with assistance from the parent may then 
rinse interior 63 of toy toilet 60 and, to this end, plug 74 may be 
removed to facilitate the cleaning process. 
From the foregoing, it should be appreciated that, with this toy toilet 
training kit, the act of elimination of waste into a human toilet may be 
suggested. Indeed, through this interactive experience, a child may 
transfer his/her play time activity to his/her own use of a human toilet. 
This system, in conjunction with other toilet training systems, especially 
that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,540, will be more readily 
implemented by a child in his/her own toilet training. 
Accordingly, the present invention has been described with some degree of 
particularity directed to the exemplary embodiments of the present 
invention. It should be appreciated, though, that the present invention is 
defined by the following claims construed in light of the prior art so 
that modifications or changes may be made to the exemplary embodiment of 
the present invention without departing from the inventive concepts 
contained herein.