Baby bidet for cleaning a baby

A baby bidet adapted to be placed on the top of the rim of a toilet bowl in order to facilitate cleaning a baby placed in the bidet, such as when changing a soiled diaper. The bidet is shaped so as to fit within and on the toilet bowl, and includes a sloping surface suitably sized to received the baby's bottom. The bidet also includes at least one rearwardly located ear that acts to engage the rim of the toilet bowl in its rear area and at least one forwardly located detent that acts to engage the rim of the toilet bowl in its front area so as to removably secure the baby bidet in place during use.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
The present invention relates in general to a bidet that is portable and 
can be used on a toilet, and more particularly to an improved bidet 
adapted to facilitate cleaning a baby, such as during changing a soiled 
diaper. 
BACKGROUND ART 
In the past, it has been known to use a portable vessel for converting a 
toilet into a bidet. Such portable units are usually adaptable to any type 
of toilet and permit considerable savings in space and installation costs, 
as compared to a bidet fixture. 
More particularly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,152,788 to Gomes shows a portable bidet 
adapted to be supported on a toilet bowl with the basin of the bidet 
extending downwardly into the toilet bowl, so that the user will straddle 
the bidet. A drain hole is provided in the bottom of the basin for 
emptying the basin into the toilet bowl, and a spray hose can be connected 
to a water faucet to supply water into the bidet. 
Also, of interest is the portable bidet shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,490,079 to 
Stolbach. The bidet is formed from rigid plastic and adapted to rest on a 
toilet bowl. The plastic container is formed so as to extend into and 
downwardly from the toilet bowl so that the user will straddle the bidet. 
Water or other suitable hygienic liquid is introduced into the bidet after 
it is secured in place on the toilet bowl. The bidet is formed with a 
drain hole in its vertical back wall and above the water line so that when 
the user is finished, the front end of the bidet can be raised and the 
liquid will flow through the hole and downwardly into the interior of the 
toilet bowl. 
Of background interest are the sitz bath devices shown in U.S. Pat. No. 
2,947,995 to Saulson; U.S. Pat. No. 3,034,137 to Glou; and U.S. Pat. No. 
3,039,117 to Hoskins. Each of the sitz bath devices is adapted to be 
supported on a toilet bowl and provided with a liquid flow from an 
associated hose that is connected to a nearby faucet, such as from a 
bathroom sink. 
However, none of the prior art has addressed the provision of a bidet 
adapted for cleaning a baby. 
SUMMARY AND OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
Therefore, the present invention provides a portable bidet for holding a 
baby when cleaning the baby and adapted to be mounted on a bowl of a 
toilet, the bowl having a rim with a front edge and a rear edge. The bidet 
comprises a basin shaped to fit within and on the bowl. The basin has a 
wall, a front end region, a rear end region, and a bottom area, with the 
bottom area including a hole adapted to receive liquid from the basin and 
discharge the liquid into the bowl. Also, the bottom area includes a 
generally flat frame-shaped portion and defines a generally medially 
disposed sloping surface. The sloping surface is inclined downwardly from 
the front end region to the rear end region. Additionally, the sloping 
surface is attached to the frame-shaped portion with an oblique portion. 
The bottom area incudes at least one ear adapted to removably attach the 
bidet to the rear edge of the rim of the bowl. In one embodiment, at least 
one of the flat frame shaped portion or the oblique portion includes the 
at least one ear. As a result, when the bidet is positioned on the bowl, 
the front end region is adjacent to and extending laterally over and 
outwardly from the front edge of the rim and the frame-shaped portion is 
generally horizontally disposed and the wall is generally vertically 
disposed. 
The present invention also provides a process for cleaning a baby. The 
process comprises providing a toilet having a bowl, the bowl having a rim 
with a front edge and a rear edge and providing a portable bidet as 
described in the paragraph above. Then, the bidet is positioned on the 
bowl, with (i) the ear removably attached to the rear edge of the rim of 
the bowl, (ii) the front end region adjacent to and extending laterally 
over and outwardly from the front edge of the rim, (iii) the frame-shaped 
portion generally horizontally disposed, and (iv) the wall generally 
vertically disposed. After positioning the bidet on the bowl, the baby is 
placed in the bidet and cleaned. 
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an easy and 
sanitary diaper change procedure and bidet therefor, resulting in less 
baby rash than conventional diaper changing procedures. 
Some of the objects of the invention having been stated above, other 
objects will become evident as the description proceeds, when taken in 
connection with the accompanying drawings as best described below.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
In FIGS. 1A, 2, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, and 7, a portable baby bidet 10 is 
illustrated comprising basin 14 including first and second side regions 
17A, 17B, front end region 17C, rear end region 17D, and bottom area 19. 
Bottom area 19 includes generally flat bottom portion 20, sloping surface 
22, oblique portion 24, drain hole 26 (having optional depression 27 
thereabout), at least one ear 28 and at least one detent 30. Detent 30 is 
shown in greater detail in FIG. 8. 
Toilets typically have one of four combinations of width and length 
(10.times.14 inches, 11.times.13 inches, 9.75.times.12.5 inches, or 
9.5.times.14.5 inches) for the opening of the toilet bowl, and as 
described in more detail below, basin 14 is suitably sized to fit on 
standard toilet T (shown in FIG. 7). Also, an associated hose may be 
provided together with bidet 10, for instance, hose H schematically shown 
in FIG. 7 removably connected to proximate water faucet WF, such as from a 
sink or a bathtub. 
More particularly, basin 14 has a peripheral wall which is generally 
vertically disposed when basin 14 is placed on toilet T, and which, in the 
embodiment of bidet 10 illustrated FIGS. 1A, 2, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, and 7, is 
generally square or rectangular in shape. Accordingly, bidet 10 includes 
first and second side walls 16A, disposed at respective first and second 
side regions 17A, 17B of bidet 10, front wall 16C disposed at front end 
region 17C of bidet 10, and rear wall 16D disposed at rear end region 17D 
of bidet 10. 
The bidet and thus the peripheral wall need not be square or rectangular in 
shape as shown in FIGS. 1A, 2, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, and 7, but may be of other 
shapes, such as trapezoidal, octagonal, hexagonal, round, and the like 
(not shown). For instance, shown in FIGS. 1B, 3B, 4B, 5B, and 6B is an 
alternative embodiment of bidet 10 that is generally the same as bidet 10 
except bidet 110 comprises a generally oval-shaped basin 114 including one 
continuous oval-shaped peripheral wall 116 (that is generally vertically 
disposed when bidet 110 is placed on a toilet). Thus, basin 114 includes 
first and second side regions 117A, 117B, front end region 117C, rear end 
region 117D, bottom area 119; and bottom area 119 includes generally flat 
bottom portion 120, sloping surface 122, oblique portion 124, drain hole 
126 (having optional depression 127 thereabout), at least one ear 128, and 
at least one detent 130. 
With reference again to bidet 10, bottom area 19 (see FIGS. 2 and 7) of 
bidet 10 includes portion 20, which is suitably frame-shaped and has a 
generally flat surface to rest upon rim R when basin 14 is placed on 
toilet T. When so placed, portion 20 is generally horizontally disposed. 
Also, bottom area 19 defines a medial sloping or inclined surface 22 that 
slopes downwardly from the region of front end 17C to the region of rear 
end 17D, and sloping surface 22 is joined to flat, frame-shaped bottom 
portion 20 by oblique portion 24. Oblique portion 24 should be curved or 
arced approximately to the same extent as rear edge RE of rim R of bowl B 
of toilet T for optimal securement of bidet 10 thereto, as further 
described below. Sloping surface 22 and oblique portion 24 are of a 
suitable size to hold a baby's bottom when a baby is placed in bidet 10 
(see FIG. 7). 
Furthermore, bottom area 19 is provided with drain hole 26, suitably 
disposed in sloping surface 22 and proximate to oblique portion 24, and 
adapted for draining water or other liquid and waste from bidet 10 into 
toilet T. Drain hole 26 should be provided with circumferential depression 
27 thereabout in order to aid in preventing liquid from standing on 
sloping surface 22 proximate to oblique portion 24, thereby aiding in 
removal of water and waste. Alternatively (not shown), drain hole 26 and 
optional circumferential depression 27 may be disposed in oblique portion 
24, suitably at the bottom of its center. Also (not shown), a plug or 
similar member may be provided as a closure for drain hole 26. 
As can be better seen with reference to FIG. 7, affixed to bottom area 19, 
preferably to oblique portion 24, is ear 28 that may be formed of 
substantially any desired size and shape as a matter of design choice and 
that is adapted for removably attaching bidet 10 securely in place to rear 
edge RE of rim R with toilet seat S in its raised position. Alternatively 
(not shown), ear 28 instead may be affixed to sloping surface 22 proximate 
to oblique portion 24. Optionally, two or more smaller ears 28 may be 
affixed to bottom area 19 as a matter of design choice. 
Furthermore, affixed to bottom area 19, preferably to sloping surface 22, 
is adjustable detent 30 (see FIG. 7 and also see enlargement in FIG. 8) 
that may be formed of substantially any desired size and shape as a matter 
of design choice. Detent 30 includes wedge 31 having first and second 
portions 31A and 31B, with depressible rubber hemisphere 32 attached, such 
as by screw SC, to second portion 31B, and is thereby adapted for 
removably attaching bidet 10 securely in place to front edge FE of rim R 
with toilet seat S in its raised position. 
More particularly, first portion 31A is affixed to sloping surface 22, and 
reciprocally engaging slots or teeth 33A, 33B are provided respectively on 
first portion 31A and second portion 31B. As a result, detent 30 is 
adjustable back and forth for about 3 inches in rearward RD direction 
toward oblique portion 24 or for about 3 inches in forward direction FD 
toward front wall 16C Specifically, the adjustment may be accomplished 
such as by spring SP being pulled downwards in order to lower second 
portion 31B of detent 30 and thus disengage teeth 33A, 33B. Then, second 
portion 31B can be moved back and forth in rearward direction RD or 
forward FD direction to accommodate most common sizes of bowl B (for 
instance, the above-noted sizes of 10.times.14 inches, 11.times.13 inches, 
9.75.times.12.5 inches, or 9.5.times.14.5 inches), and then teeth 33A, 33B 
are re-engaged by releasing spring SP so that second portion 31B secured 
in place after adjustment. Adjustment may also be accomplished with a 
screw and nut (not shown) instead of spring SP. 
Optionally, more than one detent 30 may be affixed to sloping surface 22. 
Nevertheless, in the preferred embodiment, when one ear 28 is present and 
one detent 30 is present, ear 28 preferably should be located at the 
center of oblique portion 24 and detent 30 should be located at the center 
of and toward the end of sloping surface 22, where sloping surface 22 
joins flat, frame-shaped bottom portion 20. 
Typically, there are about 20 holes (not shown) in the inside of rim R of a 
standard toilet T that allow water W to wash the inside of bowl B during 
flushing of toilet T. Accordingly, ear 28 (or 2 ears, or 3 ears, etc., not 
shown) and detent 30 (or 2 detents, or 3 detents, etc., not shown) should 
be positioned on bottom area 19 so as not to interfere with the down flow 
of water coming from rim R during flushing. 
When bidet 10 is placed on toilet T, flat, frame-shaped bottom portion 20 
rests on top of rim R. Also, part of flat, frame-shaped bottom portion 20 
by the region of front end 17C is adjacent to and extends laterally over 
and outwardly from front edge FE of rim R and sloping surface 22 projects 
downwardly and into bowl B. Ear 28 securely engages rear edge RE of rim R 
and detent 30 by way of depressible rubber hemisphere 32 securely engages 
front edge FE of rim R to stabilize bidet 10. Thus, in use, bidet 10 is 
secured via ear 28 to rear edge RE of rim R and via detent 30 to front 
edge FE of rim R so that a baby (see FIG. 7) may be placed in bidet 10 
with his/her head directed toward front end region 17C, i.e., proximate to 
front wall 16C, for cleaning the baby, such as during diaper changing 
after the soiled diaper has been removed from the baby. If desired, 
associated spray hose A may be attached to water faucet WF and utilized to 
cleanse the baby, such as to spray the baby with water to help remove any 
remaining urine or fecal matter from the baby. The rinse water flushes 
through hole 26 into bowl B. The result is an easy and sanitary diaper 
change procedure that results in less baby rash than conventional diaper 
changing procedures. 
For optimal securement of bidet 10 to rear edge RE and front edge FE of rim 
R, the following dimensions should be employed. 
Preferably, bidet 10 is about 22 inches long (in the direction from front 
end 17C to rear end 17D) and 15 inches wide (in the direction from side 
17A to side 17B). The height of peripheral walls 16A, 16B, 160, 16D is 
desirably about 4 inches to about 6 inches. 
Flat, frame shaped portion 20 should be about 60% to about 80% of bottom 
area 19. Sloping surface 22 should be about 20% to about 40% of bottom 
area 19 and about 12 inches long (in the direction from front end 17C to 
rear end 17D) and about 7.5 inches wide (in the direction from side 17A to 
side 17B). Sloping surface 22 should be at an angle less than about 20 
degrees with respect to flat, frame shaped portion 20 for optimal drainage 
of liquid through drain hole 26. The distance from where sloping surface 
22 joins flat, frame shaped portion 20 to front wall 16C should be about 
10 inches to about 15 inches. 
Oblique portion 24 at its tallest center part, should be about 2 inches in 
vertical height. The distance from the tallest center part of oblique 
portion 24 to rear wall 16D should be about 0.5 inch. 
Drain hole 26 should have a total depth (which includes the depth of 
depression 27) of about 1.0 inch and a diameter of about 1.5 inches. 
Depression 27 should have a depth of about 0.5 inch and a diameter of 
about 2.5 inches. 
The 2 inch vertical height of oblique portion 24 plus the 1 inch total 
depth of drain hole 26 are suitable so that with bidet 10 resting on 
toilet T, the bottom-most part of bidet 10 will be about 5 inches above 
the typical level of water W in bowl B, and when toilet T is flushed and 
the level of water W rises in bowl B during flushing, the bottom-most part 
of bidet be will be about 4 inches above the level of water W. Ear 28 
should be about 1 to about 1.5 inches in length and about 1.5 inches to 
about 6.5 inches in width. 
The portable baby bidet may be molded from re-enforced plastics materials 
so that it is light in weight, has adequate strength, and is easy to 
handle and store. Additionally, it can also be formed by laminating layers 
of similar materials that are adapted to the specific use for which the 
bidet is employed. It can also be formed of a thin metal sheet. 
It will be understood that various details of the invention may be changed 
without departing from the scope of the invention. Furthermore, the 
foregoing description is for the purpose of illustration only, and not for 
the purpose of limitation--the invention being defined by the claims.