Potty Training Urinal

A potty training urinal 10 comprises a basin 12, a drainage hole 14 in the basin 12, a stand 16, and a removable containment vessel 18. Preferably the stand 16 is a height adjustable stand, and may have at least one viewing gap 54 to view a fill level of the removable containment vessel 18.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a training urinal10, comprising a basin12; a drainage hole14in the basin12; a stand16; and a removable containment vessel18.

The basin12, as with any urinal, is used to receive urine and is preferably substantially oval in shape. Preferably the basin12, as with the urinal as a whole, is of lightweight, preferably plastics, materials, although it may be of any material.

As shown inFIG. 4, the basin12may have an interactive game element(s)20, which is an element or elements in the basin configured and intended to promote urination. In a case ofFIG. 4, the interactive game element20comprises a urine input hole22and three urine output holes24, there being a channel or channels that link the urine input hole to the three urine output holes so that urine urinated into the urine input hole22is ejected out of one or any of the three urine output holes24. This may promote urination by a boy and may help a boy concentrate and direct urine so as not to create a mess during urination. This is just one example of an interactive game element20to help and promote urination (and/or promote well-directed urination) by a boy. An interactive game element20may be any element in the basin12that a boy interacts with via urinating.

There is a drainage hole14in the basin12so that urine can drain out of the basin12for collection in the removable containment vessel18. The drainage hole14may have a fittable odorizing cap, or other odourising element(s) to prevent odour, which cap may be removable.

There is provided a stand16, which is preferably a height adjustable stand. This is best shown inFIG. 3, where there is shown an adjustment ring26to facilitate adjusting height of the stand16(and thus the urinal10), there being shown outer circular adjustment grooves28on the stand16.

The adjustment ring26is shown in more detail inFIG. 5, where it is shown the adjustment ring26has inner circular grooves30that correspond to the outer circular grooves28of the stand16. There is also shown a rotatable adjustment knob32, which can be turned manually, thus, via the inner circular grooves30of the adjustment ring26and the outer circular grooves28of the stand16, adjusting height of the urinal10.

A back view of the urinal is shown inFIG. 6, where the rotatable adjustment knob32is clearly visible on the adjustment ring26at a back of the invention10. Thus by turning the rotatable adjustment knob32, height of the urinal10can be adjusted. This is just one method of adjusting height of the urinal. Many other methods are feasible, which will be obvious to those with skill in the art.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention10as shown inFIG. 3,FIG. 6,FIG. 7, andFIG. 8, the stand16preferably has two parts, a top portion34, and a base portion36. The basin12is preferably attachable to the top portion34.

Preferably there is provided a stabilising base38to ensure the urinal10stands securely on a floor and is not prone to tip over. In the preferred embodiment ofFIG. 3,FIG. 6,FIG. 7, andFIG. 8, the stabilising base38is provided by way of a wide curved base, whereby the stand16curves outwardly towards its base, thus generating added stability for the invention10. This is best shown inFIG. 6, where it is clearly shown the stand16has outward curves40towards its base, increasing stability.

In the basic embodiment ofFIG. 1,FIG. 2,FIG. 4, the stabilising base38is provided by way of a base plate42, which may be separately attachable to the stand16.

The stabilising base may be provided by other means, such as, for example, but not limited to, stabilising legs, etc.

In terms of how urine passes from the hole14in the basin12into the containment vessel18, as shown inFIG. 1, there is preferably provided a tube44, (which typically comprises a rubber cylinder and a flow channel within the rubber through which urine can flow and pass into the containment vessel18). It is feasible a flow channel for flow of urine from the basin12into the containment vessel18is built/manufactured into the stand16, in which can, a tube44may not be required. In a preferred embodiment, a tube44is provided.

The tube44may be tight-fitted to the hole14in the basin12via top fitting46located by the hole14in the basin12. Similarly, the tube may be tight-fitted to the removable containment vessel via vessel fitting48. It is also feasible the tube44(as indicated inFIG. 1) may simply rest inside the containment vessel18, not requiring a vessel fitting48. The tube44may or may not be partially, or wholly, removable.

Preferably the containment vessel18, as shown inFIG. 1andFIG. 3and suggested in various Figures, is located at a base of the stand16, internally to the stand16.

It may be beneficial (particularly in embodiments where the removable containment vessel18in not closed-topped or tight-fitted) that there be provided means of securing positioning of the vessel18, substantially securing the vessel18to prevent tipping. Thus there is shown inFIG. 1andFIG. 2a vessel securing element50at a base of the stand16to secure positioning of the vessel18and avoid tipping and/or spillage.

As shown inFIG. 2, the stand may have an open back so that the vessel18can be easily removed. However, it may be beneficial for the stand16to be (substantially) fully enclosed. In such a case, there are various ways of providing a means of removal (and thus replacement) of the vessel18, such as, for example, the base of the stand16being open (not enclosed). So, for example, it may be possible for the urinal as shown inFIG. 3to simply be lifted off a ground, thus revealing the vessel18, which is left behind if the urinal10is lifted, since the invention10has an open base.

In alternate embodiments, there may be provided an openable and closable aperture52(doorway) in the stand16so that the aperture52can be opened to remove the vessel18, the vessel18then being replaceable in the stand16with the aperture52being closable to enclose the vessel18within the stand16. This is best shown inFIG. 4, where an aperture52on a side of the stand16is shown (shown in dashed lines).

Such an openable and closable door/aperture52may be located anywhere on the stand16, such as a side of the stand16, base/bottom of the stand16, back of the stand16, etc. The aperture/door52may have a lock system, such as a latch, or key, etc, which may prevent a child from being able to open the door/aperture52.

The removable containment vessel18may have a handle and the like to facilitate easy removal by a user.

It may be beneficial to be able to see fill level of the vessel18so that it is obvious when to remove, empty, and replace the vessel18. Thus there may be provided at least one viewing gap54in the stand (best shown inFIG. 3). A viewing gap54may simply be an aperture/hole in the stand16. The at least one viewing gap54may have a covering element55(shownFIG. 7), such as transparent plastic, glass, plexiglass, etc. If the containment vessel18is transparent, the covering element may feasibly be coloured to mask colour of the urine in the vessel18. It is also feasible that the vessel18itself is colouredly transparent, so that fill level can be seen in the vessel (and through a viewing gap54if a viewing gap54is provided), thus masking colour of the urine, which is deemed by some to be unpleasant. Thus the vessel18may, for example, by a substantially transparent blue colour. The vessel18may be made of any material, and may, for example, be plastic.

In an advanced embodiment, there may be provided a measuring element so that a viewer can see fill level of the removable containment vessel18. A measuring element may, for example, simply be measurement or a fill level etched/printed etc on the stand16next to a viewing gap54, so that it is clear to a viewer how full the removable containment vessel18is.

In an advanced embodiment of a measurement system56as shown inFIG. 4, there may be provided a viewing gap54, and a floating element58which floats on the fluid contained in the containment vessel18, thus showing fill level of the vessel18through the viewing gap54, which may have a covering element such as plastic, plexiglass, etc. A measuring element is any part or element that facilitates display and/or demonstration of fill level of the removable containment vessel18.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is shown inFIG. 8a potty training urinal training and alert system11, comprising: a basin12, a surface for standing on60, a sensor system for sensing the surface for standing on has been stood on (preferably provided by at least one pressure element62), a wireless transmitter64, and a separate receiving unit66for receiving a signal from the wireless transmitter64. Preferably the urinal has a stand16and various other modifications as described with reference to the first aspect of the invention, such as a removable containment vessel, height adjustable stand, etc.

Intent of the system in that a guardian (for example a parent) may be alerted when a user (boy) is using the urinal via receiving of a signal on the receiver unit66, which may light up, beep, or use any other method of denoting that a user (boy) is using the urinal, which signal is received from the wireless transmitter64when the at least one pressure element62is stood upon.

The sensor system is preferably (as shown) provided by at least one pressure element62for standing on, but may feasibly be provided by other means. For example, a sensor system may be provided by way of a light sensor that triggers a signal from the wireless transmitter when the surface for standing on in stood upon, thus sending a signal to the receiver unit66and alerting a guardian when a user (boy) is using the training urinal. Such an embodiment of a light sensor may trigger a signal when a light beam encounters a foot of a user, thus blocking the light beam. Thus the sensor system is not limited to having a pressure element and may be provided in many ways, which will be obvious to those with skill in the art.

Preferably the surface for standing on60is provided by way of a separate matt68, although the surface may be, for example, incorporated as part of a base plate42in various embodiments, such as the base plate42as shown inFIG. 1,FIG. 2,FIG. 4.

Preferably there is provided a left guide footprint70L and a right guide footprint70R to help a user stand in the right and/or desired place when using the urinal training and alert system11.

Preferably there is provided a central blocking element72to further promote stepping on the at least one pressure element62by a user when using the urinal.

An example embodiment of the preferred embodiment of the surface for standing60, (when it is provided by way of a separate matt68), is shown in an exploded view inFIG. 9. There is shown the matt68, a left guide footprint element70L, a right guide footprint element70R. There is shown a left pressure pad74L for the left guide footprint element70L, and a right pressure pad74R for the right guide footprint70R. Such pressure pads74may be made out of sponge and the like or any material.

It is feasible there is provided circuitry configured so that the wireless transmitter is only triggered when both a first pressure element within the left footprint guide70L and a second pressure element within the right footprint guide70R are both pressured.

There is shown a central raised blocking element72on the matt68, which in a preferred embodiment has a secondary benefit of housing the wireless transmitter64. The wireless transmitter is not shown inFIG. 9and is only shown representationally inFIG. 8. The wireless transmitter64may be provided by any method, shape, or form for transmitting.

There is shown a wireless transmitter cover76, and a wireless transmitter sealing78.

There is shown a left tact switch80L and a right tact switch80R, a left switch cover82L, right switch cover82R, a left switch sealing84L and a right switch sealing84R. Thus internal elements of a preferred embodiment of the surface for standing on and pressure element(s)62are shown. The pressure pads74may act as buttons.

The separate receiving unit66preferably contains a receiver (which may be or include a receiver chip and the like), so that a signal can be received from the wireless transmitter64when the pressure element(s)62are stood upon and thus pressured.

InFIG. 10a basic open view of the matt60,68is shown, where there are shown pressure elements62and the wireless transmitter cover76. Each of the pressure elements62are connecting to the wireless transmitter cover76via a connecting element86. It is feasible the connecting elements86play a role in triggering a signal from the wireless transmitter64.

The embodiments described above are provided by way of example only, and various other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.