Abstract:
A support device selectively disposed between a floor surface and a lower surface of distal end of a cantilever toilet in which a base defines a surface oriented at an oblique angle relative to a horizontal plane and with a guide rail attached to an upper portion of the base substantially parallel to the upper surface. A traveler operatively engaged to the guide member moves on the upper surface for selective positioning to bear against a lower surface of a cantilever toilet. A method of supporting a cantilever toilet is disclosed.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present invention relates to supports for cantilever toilet bowls. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus and methods for selectively supporting cantilever mounted toilet bowls during high mass load usage. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Recent years have seen increasing numbers of bariatric patients who suffer from obesity or weight significantly in excess of typical weights for individuals. For example, persons having a body mass index of 40 or greater (or often more than one hundred pounds over conventionally recommended body weight), may be considered morbidly obese. Special surgeries are available for such individuals, and hospitals handling this medical condition typically have facilities equipped for providing physical support and assistance to such individuals for accomplishing typical and ordinary physical functions. Additional supports are needed because the increased mass imposes higher than normal loadings on commonly used devices such as toilet bowls, chairs, beds, and the like. 
   Additional supports are particularly needed to assist the bariatric patient with using bathroom devices such as toilet bowls. Many facilities use cantilever mounted toilet bowls, whereby one end of the toilet bowl connects to a support in the wall. Cantilever toilets facilitate cleaning and mopping of the floor. The other support devices include rails mounted above the toilet bowl to facilitate grasping by the bariatric patient in order to assist use of the toilet bowl. However, such entrance and egress supports do not provide support to the cantilever toilet bowl, and the full weight of the bariatric patient on the toilet bowl can lead to failure and collapse of the toilet bowl. 
   While facilities especially designed for treating bariatric patients include floor-supported toilets, medical facilities are finding an increasing number of bariatric patients admitted for other reasons. Typical hospital rooms are configured for bathroom devices supporting patients of average weights, and particularly cantilever toilet bowls. Yet these fail to adequately provide reliable support to a heavily loaded toilet bowl, such as may be necessary for a bariatric patient. 
   Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a device for selectively and conveniently providing support to cantilever toilet bowls that are subject periodically to high mass loading. It is to such that the present invention is directed. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention meets the need in the industry by providing a support for being disposed between a floor surface and a lower surface of a distal end of a cantilever toilet attached at one end to a wall and extending therefrom, in which a base defines a surface oriented at an oblique angle relative to a horizontal plane and with a guide rail attached to an upper portion of the base member substantially parallel to the upper surface. A traveler operatively engaged to the guide member is movable on the upper surface for selective positioning to bear against a lower surface of a cantilever toilet for support thereof during use of the toilet. 
   Features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the claims and the appended drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded pictorial view of a toilet support device according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating features of a bottom of a traveler used with the toilet support device illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective broken-away view of the toilet support device illustrated in  FIG. 1  in use for supporting a cantilever toilet bowl. 
       FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the toilet bowl support installed under a distal edge of a cantilever toilet bowl in accordance with the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring now in more detail to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views,  FIG. 1  illustrates in exploded perspective view a toilet support device  10  according to the present invention. The support device  10  includes a base  12  having a bottom surface  14  that seats on a floor. An opposing traveler surface  16  is oriented at an oblique angle relative to a horizontal plane such as the floor on which the base rests. A pin  18  extends upwardly from the traveler surface  16  generally medial the opposing lateral sides and opposing distal ends, for a purpose discussed below. A pair of elongate slots  20  are defined in opposing sides of the base  12 . The slots  20  are parallel to the traveler surface  16  and spaced therefrom. A handle  22  attaches to a front face of the base  12  for convenience in carrying and positioning the support device  10  for use. The base  12  defines spaced-apart transverse through openings  23  between the slot  20  and the traveler surface  16 . 
   A traveler  24  seats on the traveler surface  16  for longitudinal movement of the traveler relative to the traveler surface  16  of the base  12 . The traveler  24  includes a traveler surface  26  oriented at an oblique angle to horizontal for conforming contact with the traveler surface  16  of the base  12 . The traveler surface  26  in an alternate embodiment can also have a slight oblique angle laterally. The traveler  24  defines opposing slots  27  spaced apart from the traveler surface  26  and parallel to the longitudinal angled orientation of the traveler surface  26 . A positioning hole  30  extends transverse through the traveler  24  between the slots  27  and the traveler surface  26 . In the illustrated embodiment, four positioning holes  30  are provided in spaced apart relation. While the positioning holes  30  may be equally spaced, in the illustrated embodiment, the spacing is non-uniform. Positioning holes  30  and  30   a  are spaced 1.5 inches apart, positioning holes  30   a  and  30   b  are spaced 1.25 inches apart; and positioning holes  30   b  and  30   c  are spaced 0.75 inches apart. The non-uniform spacing facilitates selective positioning of the traveler  24  relative to the base  12  as discussed below. A resilient pad  31  attaches such as with adhesive to an opposing surface of the traveler  24 . The pad  31  provides a bearing surface to contact a lower surface of a cantilever toilet bowl. 
   A pair of opposing guiderails  32  interconnect the base  12  and the traveler  24 . The guiderails  32  define a U-shaped channel in cross-sectional view having a pair of opposing legs  34  and a transverse bridge  36  between the legs. The bridge  36  defines openings  37  that align with the openings  23  in the base  12 . The legs  34  are received in the respective slots  20 ,  27  on opposing sides of the support device  10 . Fasteners  38  extend through the openings  23  in the base  12  and the aligned openings  37  in the guiderails  32  to secure the guiderails to the base. The traveler  24  seats for longitudinal movement on the traveler surface  16  of the base  12 . The guiderails  32  hold the base  12  and the traveler  24  together. 
   The guiderail  32  further defines a plurality of spaced apart openings  40 . The openings  40  are positioned to align selectively with one of the openings  30 . In the illustrated embodiment, the openings  40  are 9/32 inches in diameter and are spaced apart on one inch centers. Other spacings for the openings  40  and  30  are readily used. The position holes  30  selectively align with one of the openings  40  in the guiderail  32  as the traveler  24  is selectively moved relative to the base  12 . A pin  42  connects to a handle  44  and extends through one of the openings  40  and one of the aligned openings  30  in order to secure the traveler  24  in a selected position. A connector  46  extends between the handle  44  and the handle  22 . 
   With reference to  FIG. 2 , the traveler surface  26  of the traveler  24  defines an elongate slot  48  having opposing distal ends  50 . The pin  18  extends from the traveler surface  16  into the slot  48  when the traveler  24  seats on the base  12 . The distal ends  50  act as stops when the traveler  24  moves longitudinally relative to the base  12 . 
     FIG. 3  illustrates in perspective broken-away view a cantilever toilet bowl  54  attached conventionally to supports in a wall with a distal end  56  supported by the toilet bowl support  10 .  FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the toilet bowl support  10  installed under an edge portion of the distal end  56  of the cantilever toilet bowl  54  in accordance with the present invention. The handle  22  facilitates carrying the support  10  to the room for installation as well as positioning the base  12  beneath the toilet bowl  54 . 
   The base  12  seats with the bottom surface  14  on the floor below an edge of the distal portion  56  of the toilet bowl  54 . The pin  42  is removed from the guiderail  32  releasing the traveler  24  for longitudinal movement relative to the base  12 . The traveler  24  is moved longitudinally to position the resilient pad  31  in contact with a lower surface of the toilet bowl  54 . The pin  18  (see  FIG. 1 ) contacts the stop ends  50  (see  FIG. 2 ) to prevent the traveler  24  from moving longitudinally off of the base  12 . With the upper surface of the pad  31  positioned in contact with the toilet bowl  54 , the pin  42  is then reinserted through one of the openings  40  and into one of the holes  30  aligned with the openings. The pin  42  secures the traveler  24  to the base  14  and restricts longitudinal movement of the traveler. The resilient pad  31  in bearing contact with the lower surface of the toilet bowl  54  communicates loading through the traveler  24  and the base  12  to the floor. In the embodiment in which the traveler  24  includes a transverse angled orientation, the pad  31  leans laterally towards the toilet bowl. 
   The spacings of the openings  30 ,  30   a ,  30   b , and  30   c  facilitate positioning the traveler  24  such that one of the openings  40  aligns with one of the openings  30 ,  30   a ,  30   b , or  30   c , for selective receiving of the pin  42  to hold the traveler  24  fixed to the base  12 . 
   In an alternate embodiment, a jack screw attached to supports in the base and the traveler enable the traveler to move longitudinally relative to the base. 
   Accordingly, the present invention provides a support device  10  readily and conveniently used for providing additional loading support to toilet bowls, and particularly cantilever mounted toilet bowls, for use by bariatric patients. Thus, a hospital with toilets lacking suitable supports for a bariatric patient can readily and conveniently install the support  10  in a hospital room occupied by such patient on short notice and remove this support upon departure of the patient. 
   The present invention accordingly provides a device for supporting cantilever toilets conveniently and readily, without the need to remove and reinstall the cantilever toilet, to meet timely the need for supporting such device with significantly less labor, time, and coordination. The principles, preferred embodiments, and modes of operation of the present invention have been described in the foregoing specification. The invention is not to be construed as limited to the particular forms disclosed because these are regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Moreover, variations and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departure from the spirit of the invention as described by the following claims.