Abstract:
A method and apparatus for enhanced ergonomic bowel-movement posture are presented. The objective of the method and apparatus is to prevent injury to due to incorrect posture during a bowel movement. One aspect of the invention comprises a garment for use during a bowel movement comprising ergonomic enhancements such as a rigid spine, and convenience and hygienic enhancements such as dispensers for such liquid, aerosol, and/or paper products as are commonly required during a bowel movement. The method and apparatus enable more efficient and hygienic bowel movements, thereby avoiding health risks associated with known bowel movement methods.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to a method and apparatus for enhancing a user&#39;s bowel movement posture. 
         [0002]    Public toilets are frequently found in an unsanitary condition. The seat of a public toilet is particularly vulnerable to careless or malicious users. A user of a public toilet may find visual evidence that a toilet seat has been abused by a prior user and, as a result, the user may be unwilling to allow the dirty toilet seat to contact his or her skin. Alternatively, there may be no visual evidence. Unsanitary conditions are not necessarily visually apparent. For example, urine may dry on the toilet seat, creating a bacteria-friendly environment, without any visible evidence that the bacteria-friendly environment is present on the toilet seat. As a result of this problem, many users take the precautionary measure of avoiding all skin contact with a public toilet seat regardless of any visual evidence of unsanitary conditions. Such users employ techniques to avoid contact with the toilet seat such as hovering, squatting, or nesting. 
         [0003]    The hovering technique involves bending the knees in imitation of the sitting position, without allowing the body weight to rest on the buttocks. A user employing the hovering technique supports his or her entire body weight primarily with the leg muscles. The user may optionally use a hand to steady himself or herself and/or support their body weight when the hand is not otherwise occupied removing toilet paper from a toilet paper roll and using the toilet paper. It is known in the art that the hovering technique requires considerable exertion of the legs and torso to support the user&#39;s body weight in the faux-seated position, even if the user adopts a standing rest position during phases of the bowel movement and cleaning process which permit standing. This exertion is undesirable in itself and, worse, interferes with the user&#39;s primary task of using of the public toilet. In particular, the exertion distorts the user&#39;s posture so as to stress the vertebral column and prevent optimal evacuation of the user&#39;s bowels. 
         [0004]    The squatting technique is an alternative to the hovering technique. It is similar, but less demanding on a user&#39;s leg muscles. The primary feature of the squat is that the user allows the knees to bend fully until the backs of the user&#39;s thighs rest against the backs of the user&#39;s calves. The squat technique is prevalent in countries such as Turkey and Iran, where it is the dominant technique for the movement of bowels. In such countries, toilets have been designed to accommodate the squat technique. Such toilets differ from a western toilet, which typically comprises a tank, a bowl, and a seat. In contrast, a squat toilet typically comprises a place on the floor for the user&#39;s left foot, a place on the floor for a user&#39;s right foot and bowl in the floor. As with a western toilet, the squat toilet is flushed after use to evacuate the bowel movement from the bowl. Contrary to popular belief, the western toilet is not incompatible with the squat technique. A user may squat on a western toilet by placing his or her left foot on the left part of the toilet seat, placing his or her right foot on the right part of the toilet seat, and squatting. Retrofit devices are also known in the art for providing areas for a user&#39;s feet which are more stable than seat of the toilet. The squat technique permits a user to relax his or her thighs during the bowel-movement and cleaning process, but nevertheless distorts the user&#39;s posture so as to stress the vertebral column and prevent optimal evacuation of the bowels. 
         [0005]    The nesting technique is an alternative to the hovering and squatting techniques. The nesting technique involves the use of toilet paper to create a buffer between the toilet seat and the user&#39;s skin. The buffer permits the user to rest his or her body weight on the toilet seat without exposing his or her buttocks and thighs to whatever bacteria and other germs are on the toilet seat. A user creates a nest by laying sections of toilet paper lengthwise along the top of the toilet seat. Due to the U-shape of a typical toilet seat, it is usually necessary to lay the toilet paper in at least three distinct sections: the left part of the “U”, the back part of the “U”, and the right part of the “U”. A single layer of toilet paper is sufficient to create a buffer, but a cautious user typically uses several layers, even if the toilet paper is multi-ply. The nest should be layered such that the top layer is completely dry even if liquid was present on the toilet seat prior to construction of the nest. A user may prefer nesting to hovering either because the user lacks the muscle strength and/or endurance to maintain the hover position until the bowel movement and cleaning process is complete, or because the user is in a social situation which does not permit him or her to return from the public toilet appearing as though he or she been exerting himself or herself. A user may also prefer nesting if he or she has great contempt for trees and/or paper products. While use of a nest buffers the user&#39;s skin from bacteria on the toilet seat, it nevertheless leaves the user sitting upright or bent slightly forward on the toilet. This sitting position is known in the art to prevent optimal evacuation of the user&#39;s bowels. 
         [0006]    It is apparent that there is no known technique or apparatus which permits a user to avoid skin contact with a toilet seat while keeping the posture necessary to achieve optimal evacuation of his or her bowels. 
         [0007]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for ensuring enhanced ergonomic bowel movement posture. It is a further object of the present invention to permit a user to avoid skin contact with a toilet seat and achieve optimal evacuation of his or her bowels by maintaining ergonomic bowel movement posture. It is still another aspect of the invention to provide these benefits in a discrete and user friendly and portable embodiment that can be comfortably worn under the clothing of a user, or fashionably worn over the clothing of a user. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    This and other objects of the invention are achieved through the use of an apparatus comprising a fabric garment, a spine, and a closing mechanism. 
         [0009]    A method is also provided for enhancing bowel movement posture of a user of the apparatus. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  depicts a view of the front of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  depicts a view of the back of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  depicts a view of the side of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  depicts a side view of a user wearing an illustrative embodiment of the present invention performing the hover technique. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  depicts a side view of a user wearing an illustrative embodiment of the present invention performing the squat technique. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart of a method of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0016]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , apparatus  100  is comprised of a fabric garment  101  with a closing mechanism  102 . In a preferred embodiment, fabric garment  101  is a vest. It will be appreciated that by having no collar above the neck opening, no arm sleeves, and having the vest of fairly short jacket length, fabric garment  101  can be worn over clothing. In a further embodiment, fabric garment  101  includes lining  112  made of a non-chafing material such as Egyptian cotton so that the user may comfortably wear it without any clothing underneath. Lining  112  may also be made from other materials, including, but not limited to merino or cashmere wool, synthetic material such as polyester, or poly-fleece, or a natural animal product such as silk, leather, or fur. The exterior of fabric garment  101  may also be made of various types of fabric in accordance with the style preferences of the user. Fabric in this sense should therefore be interpreted to include soft cloths such as cotton, terry, silk, and wool, but also other materials, including, but not limited to natural and synthetic leather, plastics, natural and synthetic animal fur, or other materials that are or become viable for use in conventional clothing. It should be noted that commercial applications of the present invention would include sufficient varieties such as to appeal to users with various dispositions, income levels, and tastes. Persons of skill in the art will appreciate that fabric garment  101  is not limited to a vest. Fabric garment  101  may be, for example, a jacket, or shirt. Fabric garment  101  may therefore take on any embodiment, as long as it encompasses the torso of the user. 
         [0017]    Fabric garment  101  is secured around the torso of the user with closing mechanism  102 . Closing mechanism  102  may be any closing mechanism as is commonly known in the fabric garment art. For example, closing mechanism  102  may be a zipper, a buckle, buttons, snaps, or Velcro. 
         [0018]    In another aspect of the present invention, apparatus  100  may include one or more fluid dispenser  103  for dispensing fluids such as hand sanitizer. In one embodiment of the present invention, dispenser  103  is a pocket sewn into fabric garment  101 . The pocket include flap  104  at the top with hole  105  in it to accommodate the pump top of a bottle of commercially-available hand sanitizer, such as Purell™. Flap  104  of dispenser  103  preferably includes a velcro closure. In another embodiment of the present invention, dispenser  103  is attached by unidirectional valve to liquid-tight pouches sewn into fabric-garment  101  with built-in dispensing valves. In this embodiment, dispenser  103  includes flap  104  at the top into which fluid may be poured and valve  106  at the bottom through which fluid is dispensed in response to a user-indicated desire to dispense fluid. Flap  104  of dispenser  103  preferably includes a velcro closure. 
         [0019]    Additional fluids suitable for dispensation include, but are not limited to water, or an electrolyte replacement drink such as Gatorade™. In embodiments in which apparatus  100  comprises multiple fluid dispensers, and in which at least one of the dispensed fluids is drinkable and at least one of the dispensed fluids is not drinkable, it will be appreciated that clear labeling of the fluid storage chambers is advisable to prevent cross-contamination. 
         [0020]    In another aspect of the present invention, apparatus  100  may include one or more sanitary cloth dispenser  107  for dispensing a sanitary cloth. A sanitary cloth may include, but is not limited to, toilet paper, a toilet seat cover, a disinfectant wipe, or a wet nap. Examples of wet naps known in the art are Baby Wipes™ and Wet Ones™. A person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that other cloths with sanitary properties may be dispensed with the present invention. In one embodiment, sanitary cloth dispenser  107  is comprised of a pocket sewn into fabric garment  101  with a Velcro closure  108  through which commercially-available sanitary cloths may be inserted and hole  109  through which a sanitary cloth may be dispensed in response to a user-indicated desire to dispense a sanitary cloth. 
         [0021]    In another aspect of the present invention, apparatus  100  may include one or more powder dispenser  110  for dispensing a powdered solid. A powdered solid may include, but is not limited to, baby powder, talcum powder, medicated powder such as Gold Bond™. A powder may also be a powdered gelatin substance that can be used to form a gelatinous layer on the surface of the water in a toilet bowl that would be resistant to splashing. This embodiment could dispense such a powder by shaking a dispensing stem  111 , as one might to with an ordinary shaker containing salt or other spice. In another embodiment, the powdered solid could be dispensed using a forced air mechanism to aerosolize the powdered solid such as to distribute it more evenly, and over a broader area of a portion of the body of the user or of the surface of the water in a toilet bowl. This embodiment provides additional hygienic enhancements that would be valuable to users who are prone either to developing rashes and other skin irritations, or to producing bowel-movements of sufficient size or possessing sufficient expulsion force or velocity such as to create a high risk of splash both within and emerging from a toilet bowl. 
         [0022]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , apparatus  100  includes spine  201 . In the preferred embodiment, spine  201  is positioned longitudinally along the rear of the fabric garment. Spine  201  prevents the user&#39;s vertebral column from arching undesirably while hovering, squatting, or nesting. Spine  201  may be made of any stiff material including, but not limited to, wood, metal, or composite. In a preferred embodiment, spine  103  is made of carbon fiber. In the preferred embodiment, fabric garment  101  includes sleeve  202  into which spine  201  fits. Spine  201  may be inserted into and removed from sleeve  202  in fabric garment  101 . Such flexibility allows users to select a spine of appropriate stiffness to achieve optimal bowel movement posture. Naturally, users with more mass will require a stiffer spine to maintain the proper posture, whereas users with less mass may find a more flexible spine sufficient to maintain proper posture without being overly rigid. 
         [0023]    In another aspect of the present invention, fabric garment  101  includes one or more weight pockets  203  and  204 . Weight pockets  203  and  204  are pockets sewn into fabric garment  101  into which weight inserts may be inserted. Weight inserts may be solid, such as a solid block of metal. Weight inserts may also be bags of heavy materials, such as sand, water, or balls of metal. In either embodiment, the metal is preferably a dense metal, such as lead. The addition of weight to fabric garment  101  may be desirable for weight training purposes, such as improving leg strength and/or endurance while using the apparatus. 
         [0024]    In the present invention, apparatus  100  may also include one or more utility pocket not depicted. Utility pocket can be used, for example, to transport reading material or entertainment devices for use during the bowel movement of the user, such as a daily newspaper or other periodical, paperback or small hardback book, mobile phone or portable music player such as an iPod™, iPhone™, Palm Pre™ or similar such device, or a conservatively sized computing device such as a “tablet PC”. Utility pocket could also be used to carry, for example, a snack or other nutrient or electrolyte replacement. Those of skill in the art will recognize that the potential contents of utility pocket are limited only by the size of the pocket, not by the scope of contents recited illustratively herein. 
         [0025]    In another aspect of the invention, fabric garment  101  includes illumination apparatus  205 . Illumination apparatus  205  projects a beam of light indicating the projected trajectory of the bowel movement. Illumination apparatus  205  is preferably a laser. By centering the beam of apparatus  205  over the toilet, a user minimizes unintentional spoliation of the toilet seat. Use of such a system will help to ensure, particularly for the novice user, that accuracy is maintained, thereby minimizing post-bowel-movement cleanup required by the user. 
         [0026]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , the preferred embodiment of fabric garment  101  is a vest including holes for the arms, such as armhole  301 . 
         [0027]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the apparatus of the present invention enables a user to perform the hover technique while maintaining optimal posture for his or her bowel movement. As shown, the user retains free range of movement of his or her head and arms. 
         [0028]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the apparatus of the present invention enables a user to perform the squat technique while maintaining optimal posture for his or her bowel movement. 
         [0029]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart depicting a method of the present invention. Step  601  is providing a fabric garment comprising a spine and a closing mechanism. Step  602  is supporting a vertebral column of a user. The method may optionally include step  604 , dispensing a fluid in response to a user-indicated desire to dispense a fluid. The method may also optionally include step  605 , dispensing a sanitary cloth in response to a user indicated desire to dispense a sanitary cloth. If the user indicates a desire to dispense a sanitary toilet seat cover, step  606  is performed. Finally, the method may optionally include step  607 , exercising at least the quadriceps of a user by providing weight in excess of the fabric garment inserted into at least one weight pocket of said fabric garment, which the user is required to lift when transitioning from a squat position to an upright position. 
         [0030]    It will be appreciated that while the preferred embodiment is a vest, the vest could have trousers detachably connected thereto. Further, although the apparatus is primarily intended for adults, it could be adapted for use by children. 
         [0031]    The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.