A TOILET TRAINING DEVICE

Abstract: A toilet training device (1) for toilet training of children, embodied as an animal, such as a bear, having a lower torso (3) having anterior (5) and posterior (7) chambers with upper access ports (9), (33) for filling the anterior chamber (5) with water and the posterior chamber (7) with soft material. Upon sufficient pressure being applied to the anterior chamber (5), a lower valve (15) opens to allow the water to pass therethrough representing urine; and upon sufficient pressure being applied to the posterior chamber (7), a lower valve (39) opens to allow such soft material to pass therethrough representing stools.

Description: Description A Toilet Training Device Technical Field This invention relates to a toilet training device by means o which a child may be assisted in his toilet training. Background Art The prior art, U. S. Patent No. 2, 213, 270, discloses a man kin of the type known as a hospital doll designed for the teaching of various nursing and medical procedures involving catheteriza- tion, bladder irrigation, colonic irrigation, administration of enemas and administration of hypodermic injections. This hospi tal doll has vaginal and rectal tubes in the lower torso region tha are connected to tanks in the upper torso region. When this hos tal doll is on its left side, a rectal enema may be administered through the rectal tube by the injection of liquid which will flow into one of the tanks. When the hospital doll is on its back, the liquid will reverse flow frOm such tank and discharge into and ou of one of such rectal tubes . Such tank communicates with the atmosphere by means of a vent tube interconnected between such tank and vaginal tube. This hospital doll can not be employed for the toilet training of children because rectal discharge can only be accomplished by positioning the hospital doll on its back to effect gravity discharge from such tank after liquid has been in ¬ jected into such tank while the hospital doll is in the position of lying on its left side. Disclosure of Invention In the field of early childhood education and special education there is a need for a toilet training device which will assist par¬ ents, educators and others in the toilet training of children. One method which is used in teaching children is termed modeling. Modeling is essentially the process of showing a child how to do something by having him or her observe a "model" to do it. Whenever a child learns new behavioral responses as a result of watching a model emit that response, the modeling effect has occured. The toilet training device employed in this invention is any animal which duplicates the human function of eliminating urine and stools. This elimination by the animal is performed in a sanitary and disposable manner so that the child is able to wit¬ ness appropriate toileting procedures. The animal itself is asexual. That is, there are no identifi¬ able characteristics which are male or female. A specific exam¬ ple of- the educational device employed is a bear. Tap water is appropriately inserted or injected into an ante¬ rior chamber of the bear through an access port in such anterior chamber; and soft material is appropriately inserted or injected into a posterior chamber of such bear through an access port in such posterior chamber. The animal may then be appropriately manipulated by the toilet trainer (parent, educator, or other person) either to cause the water to pass from such anterior chamber through a lower valve into a training potty to represent the elimination of urine, or to cause the soft material to pass from such posterior cham- ber through a lower valve into such training potty to represent th elimination of stools. The animal is a symbolic model which children imitate in order to learn appropriate toileting responses. Behavior can and is learned through observation. While the toilet trainer shows th child how the animal or bear "goes into the bear toilet", such child observes the process and listens to the trainer's words. During this presentation, symbolic mediational processes occur within the child whereby the child incorporates visual images and verbal mediators into his or her thought patterns. These symbolic processes assist the child in learning new toileting skills . Another method whereby the toilet training device can be use is through play. The child is asked to help the bear go "poop and pee into the toilet". The trainer assists the child in appropriatel manipulating the bear. The element of play in toilet training has the potential for significantly reducing anxiety in the child and parents. This reduction in anxiety therefore indirectly lowers stress levels in the lives of young children and primary care- givers during a time when toilet training is a crucial developmen task to be mastered. The United States Department of Health and Human Services issued a report in 1981 on the severity and incidence of child abu and neglect in the United States. The report maintained that 74 percent of fatalities occurred in the age group from birth to six. Forty- nine percent of deaths happened to children from birth to two. Toilet training generally occurs around the age of two year It is hypothesized that this toilet training device, by assistin parents in the toilet training process, could reduce stress and therefore prevent a potentially abusive situation. Abusive behavior is incompatible with teaching or playing behavior. Consequently, when a caregiver is busy showing the appropriate toileting procedure to a child, there is no room for abusive behavior to occur. Furthermore, successful attainment of the toileting task by the child eliminates the caregiver's chang¬ ing responsibilities and ultimately increases the child 's self este Accordingly, the object of the invention is to contribute to th solution of toilet training of children by providing a toilet training device embodied in the form of a bear or other animal whose lowe torso has an anterior chamber and a posterior chamber. The ant rior chamber has an upper access port into which water can be inserted or injected and a lower valve from which such water re¬ presenting urine can be eliminated. The posterior chamber has a upper access port into which suitable soft material of the type co monly referred to as "play dough" can be inserted or injected and a lower valve from which such soft material representing stools can be eliminated. In accordance with the invention, there is provided a toy ani whose lower torso has an anterior chamber and a posterior cham C • The anterior chamber has an upper access port through which water can be inserted or injected to fill such anterior chamber, and a lower valve through which such water representing urine can be eliminated from such anterior chamber. Appropriate and sufficient manipulative pressure is applied upon the anterior chamber to result in sufficient interior pressure build-up within such anterior chamber to cause the lower valve to open to allow water representing urine to pass the therethrough from the ante¬ rior chamber. The pressure applied to such anterior chamber is similar to the pressure experienced in human urination. The posterior chamber has an upper access port through which suit¬ able soft material can be inserted or injected to fill such poste¬ rior chamber, and a lower valve through which such soft mate¬ rial representing stools can be eliminated from such posterior chamber. Appropriate and sufficient manipulative pressure is applied in the manner of squeezing pressure by both hands upon such posterior chamber in the buttocks region of the animal to result in sufficient interior pressure build-up within such poste¬ rior chamber to cause the lower valve to open to allow such soft material to pass therethrough from such posterior chamber. The squeezing pressure applied to such posterior chamber is similar to the pressure experienced in human defecation. Brief Description of Drawings This object and other objects of the invention should be dis- cerned and appreciated by reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to similar part throughout the several views, in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the lower torso of the invention; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the lower valve of the anterior chamber; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the lower valve of the poste¬ rior chamber. OMP Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention In Fig. 1 of the drawings, reference numeral 1 generally refers to the toilet training device, embodied as a bear, of suit¬ able plastic material and whose lower torso 3 has a waterproof anterior chamber 5 separated from a waterproof posterior cham ¬ ber 7, as shown. Anterior chamber 5 fixedly carries an upper access port 9 whose tapped port body 11 is removably engaged by a threaded plug 13. Threaded plug 13 is replaced after water is inserted or injected through port body 11 to fill the anterior chamber 5. A lower valve 15 is affixed to anterior chamber 5, as shown, by means of an externally threaded valve body 17 engaged by two flange nuts 19 and 2 1 between which are fixedly mounted plastic material of the anterior chamber 5. Valve body 17 has a valve port 23 closed by a ball 25 engaged therewith and biased into such closed engagement by a compression spring 27 interposed betwee such ball 25 and a threaded spacer element 29 engaged with a tapped hole 31 formed in valve body 17. Appropriate and sufficient manipulative pressure applied upon the anterior chamber 5 results in sufficient interior pres¬ sure build-up of the water within such anterior chamber 5 to cause the lower valve 15 to open to allow water representing urine to pass therethrough from the anterior chamber 5. Lower valve 15 opens upon sufficient force being transmitted from such water pressure build- up to move ball 25 away from its valve seat in valve port 23 and against the biasing and restoring force of compression spring 27. When manipulative pressure is no longer applied to anterior chamber 5 or when the applied manipulative pressure is no longer sufficient to overcome the restoring force of compression spring 27, ball 25 will be reseated in its valve seat in valve port 23 to thereby seal the anterior chamber 5. Posterior chamber 7 fixedly carries an upper access port 33 whose tapped port body 35 is removably engaged by a threaded plug 37. Threaded plug 37 is replaced after suitable soft mate- rial is inserted or injected through port body 35 to fill posterior chamber 7. Posterior chamber 7 fixedly carries a lower valve 39. Valve 39 has a tapped valve body 41 that is removably engaged by a threaded plug 43. Valve body 41 is closed on its end by a flexi ¬ ble membrane 45 having slits 47 therethrough. After the posterior chamber 7 has been filled with such suit¬ able soft material, the threaded plug 43 is removed from valve body 41. The radial slits 47 in flexible membrane 45 function and operate to close valve 39 when no pressure is applied to poste rior chamber 7 or when the pressure being applied to posterior chamber 7 is insufficient. Appropriate and sufficient pressure applied in the manner of squeezing pressure by both hands upon posterior chamber 7 in the buttocks region will cause some of the soft material to be eliminated through and exteriorly of the slits 47 in flexible membrane 45 by such radial slits 47 spread¬ ing open. When posterior chamber 7 is relieved of such pressure the radial slits 47 will close together. Hence, upon sufficient squeezing pressure being applied to posterior chamber 7 followed by relief from such pressure, a stool of such soft material will be passed through the radial slits 47. OM

Claims: Claims 1. A toilet training device for toilet training of children, said toilet training device having an anterior chamber and a poste rior chamber, said anterior chamber holding water and said posterior chamber holding soft material, said anterior cha ber having means to allow such water representing urine to pass from said anterior chamber upon sufficient pres sure being applied to said anterior chamber holding such water, and said posterior chamber having means to allow such soft material repres enting stools to pas s from said po sterior chamber upon sufficient pres sure being applied to said poste rior chamber. 2 . A toilet training device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said anterior chamber has an upper access port for filling s anterior chamber with water, and said posterior chamber ha an upper access port for filling said posterior chamber with soft material. 3. A toilet training device in accordance with claim 2 , wherein each of said upper access ports comprises a tapped port bod and a threaded plug , and wherein said threaded plug is re- movably engaged with said tapped port body. 4. A toilet training device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means to allow such water representing urine to pass from said anterior chamber upon sufficient pressure being applied to said anterior chamber holding such water compris a lower valve, wherein said valve comprises a valve port, b and compression spring, said spring biasing said ball into seating relationship with said valve port to close said valve, said valve opening to allow water to pas s therethrough by sai ball moving away from said valve port against the biasing force of said spring upon sufficient pressure being applied to said anterior chamber. 5. A toilet training device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means to allow such soft material representing stools to pass from said posterior chamber upon sufficient pressure being applied to said posterior chamber holding such soft material comprises a lower valve, wherein said lower valve comprises a valve body and flexible membrane, said valve body defining said flexible membrane and said membrane having radial slits, said radial slits spreading open to allow such soft material to pass therethrough upon sufficient pres¬ sure being applied to said posterior chamber. 6. A toilet training device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said toilet training device is embodied as an animal having a lower torso and wherein said lower torso has said anterior and posterior chambers. 7. A toilet training device in accordance with claim 4, wherein said anterior chamber has an upper access port for filling said anterior chamber with water, said posterior chamber has an upper access port for filling said posterior chamber with such soft material, each of said upper access ports comprising a tapped port body and a threaded plug, and said threaded plug being removably engaged with said tapped port body. 8. A toilet training device in accordance with claim 5, wherein said anterior chamber has an upper access port for filling said anterior chamber with water, said posterior chamber has an upper access port for filling said posterior chamber with such soft material, each of said upper acces s ports co prising a tapped port body and a threaded plug, and said threaded plug being removably engaged with said tapped port body. 9. A toilet training device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said toilet training device is embodied as an animal having a lower torso, and said lower torso having said anterior and posterior chambers ; wherein said anterior chamber has an upper access port for filling said anterior chamber with water, said posterior chamber having an upper access port for filling said posterior chamber with such soft material, each of said upper access ports comprising a tapped port body and a threaded plug, and said threaded plug being re¬ movably engaged with said tapped port body; wherein said 5 means to allow such water representing urine to pas s from said anterior chamber upon sufficient pressure being applied to said anterior chamber holding such water comprises a lower valve, wherein said valve comprises a valve port, ball and compression spring, said spring biasing said ball 10 into seating relationship with said valve port to close said valve, and said valve opening to allow water to pass there¬ through by said ball moving away from said valve port against the biasing force of said spring upon sufficient pres¬ sure being applied to said anterior chamber; and wherein 15 said means to allow such soft material representing stools to pass from said posterior chamber upon sufficient pres¬ sure being applied to said posterior chamber holding such soft material compris es a lower valve, wherein said lower valve comprises a valve body and flexible membrane, said 20 valve body defining said flexible membrane and said mem¬ brane having radial slits , said radial slits spreading open to allow such soft material to pass therethrough upon suffi¬ cient pressure being applied to said posterior chamber.

Inventors: MURPHY JUDITH K, MURPHY, JUDITH, K.
Applicants: MURPHY JUDITH K, MURPHY, JUDITH, K.
Application year: 1983
Main classification: G09B25
IPC codes: A63H3