Abstract:
The present invention is a sanitation seat for assisting urinating and defecating outdoors. The sanitation seat has a top ring comprised of an outer rim around a vacuous region. The outer rim is comprised of at least one “T” coupler and a plurality of curved elements. A leg or legs are detachably connected to the “T” coupler or couplers. If the sanitation seat is to be attached to a tree at least nail passes through the top ring for embedding into a tree, and a tie rope, which beneficially includes a rope attachment, is used to attach the seat to a tree.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/667,265, filed on Nov. 2, 2012. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/667,265 is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The presently disclosed subject matter is directed towards outdoor equipment. More particularly, the principles of the present invention enable portable outdoor sanitation seats for urinating and defecating. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    America has hundreds of thousands of square miles of outdoor resources such as deserts, scrub land, woodland and forests that are anywhere from easily accessible to extremely difficult to get to. Such outdoor resources are widely used by hikers, campers, rock climbers, bird watchers, fisherman, trail riders, hunters, loggers, prospectors, and many others. Outdoor resource environments range from flat deserts to extremely steep snow and rock covered mountainous terrain. However, each environment offers its own challenges and pleasures to those who experience them. 
         [0004]    Often those who make use of America&#39;s outdoor resources must do so in ways such as hiking where portability is extremely important. When hiking, carrying excess weight can dramatically slow a hiker as well as quickly tire them out. Lightweight equipment such as backpacks, sleeping bags, clothing, food, utensils, and other necessities are required. 
         [0005]    Deciding what is necessary for a trip to the outdoors is not always easy. If you need something that you did not bring you could be in serious trouble. But, if you bring something you do not need you may end up carrying that item for days. Food, shelter, clothing, water, water purification systems, matches, a compass, and a map are acknowledged as being necessary items. However, no matter what else may happen, a person in the outdoors will eventually have to urinate and defecate. 
         [0006]    For males urinating is seldom a problem. But for females it can be. Furthermore defecating outdoors can be uncomfortable for either sex as a suitable sanitation seat is seldom if ever available. Therefore, a light weight portable sanitation seat for urinating and defecating outdoors would be useful. Even more useful would be a light weight portable sanitation seat for urinating and defecating outdoors that is usable in desert and scrub land locations as well as tree covered woodlands and forests. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The principles of the present invention provide for a lightweight portable sanitation seat for urinating and defecating outdoors. Even more useful would be a lightweight portable sanitation seat for urinating and defecating that is usable in desert and scrub land locations as well as tree covered woodlands and forests. 
         [0008]    According to a first embodiment of the present invention a sanitation seat has a top ring comprised of an outer rim around a vacuous region. The rim is defined by four equally spaced “T” couplers and four curved sections that are configured such that each “T” coupler connects two curved sections to two other “T” couplers. The first embodiment sanitation seat further includes four detachable legs for extending from the “T” couplers. Beneficially, the first embodiment sanitation seat is comprised of PVC tubing, aluminum, titanium, or thin walled steel. 
         [0009]    In an alternative embodiment a sanitation seat has a top ring comprised of an outer rim around a vacuous region. The outer rim is defined by a “T” coupler, two “J” shaped elements that extend from the “T” coupler, two “L” shaped couplers on ends of the “J” shaped elements; and a straight section connected between the two “L” shaped couplers. At least one nail passes through and extends from the straight section. A tie rope passes through the straight section and extends from the two “L” shaped couplers. The nail and tie rope are configured to attach the top ring to a tree. 
         [0010]    In different versions of the alternative embodiment front support for the sanitation seat is provided by either a front leg or by part of a walking stick, either of which are beneficially detachably connected to the “T” coupler. The front leg, if used can include a foot. A rope attachment can be included to assist tying of the tie rope to a tree. Preferably, the rope attachment forms a  FIG. 9 . The alternative sanitation seat can be comprised of PVC tubing, a carbon fiber composite, aluminum, titanium or thin walled steel tubing. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following detailed description and claims when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  a perspective view of an assembled first embodiment sanitation seat  10  for urinating and defecating outdoors; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  illustrates the components of the first embodiment sanitation seat  10  depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  illustrates the components of a second embodiment sanitation seat  200 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  illustrates the components of a third embodiment sanitation seat  300 ; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  illustrates a sanitation seat, such as the second embodiment sanitation seat  200  or the third embodiment sanitation seat  300 , connected to a tree  400 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    The present invention is depicted in  FIGS. 1 through 5 . However, the invention is not limited to the specifically described embodiment. A person skilled in the art will appreciate that many other embodiments of the invention are possible without deviating from the basic concept of the invention. Any such work around will also fall under the scope of this invention. 
         [0018]    The terms “a” and “an” as used herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items. In addition, unless otherwise denoted all directional signals such as in, out, up, down, left, and right are taken with reference to  FIG. 1 . 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  illustrates a first embodiment sanitation seat  10 . The first embodiment sanitation seat  10  is comprised of a top ring  12  and four (4) legs  14 , each of which ends in a leg cap  16 . The top ring  12  has an outer rim defined by four (4) equally spaced “T” couplers  18  and four (4) curved sections  20 . That rim surrounds a vacuous region  350 . Each “T” coupler  18  connects two (2) of the curved sections  20  to other T” couplers  18  and to one (1) leg  14  together so as to form the first embodiment sanitation seat  10 . Inside the outer rim the top ring  12  is void. 
         [0020]      FIG. 2  illustrates the various components of the first embodiment sanitation seat  10 . Beneficially the legs  14  with their leg caps  16  are removable from the top ring  12 . However, the top ring  12  forms an integral body comprised of the “T” couplers  18  and curved sections  20  and the vacuous region  350 . The sanitation seat  10  can form a stable sanitation seat for urinating or defecating. When not in use the legs  14  can be removed from the top ring  12  to assist carrying, packing, and storing. 
         [0021]    The sanitation seat  10  is beneficially very lightweight, preferably around 2 pounds or less. It can be comprised of PVC tubing, or for extra strength from a carbon fiber composite or from a strong lightweight metal such as aluminum T6061, a titanium alloy, or from thin-walled, structurally reinforced steel. 
         [0022]    While the first embodiment sanitation seat  10  is very useful, in forested or heavily treed locations a sanitation seat that attaches to a tree might prove more useful. Turn now to  FIG. 3  where the components of a second embodiment sanitation seat  200  are illustrated. The second embodiment sanitation seat  200  includes a top ring  201  that forms an outer rim around a vacuous region  350 . The outer rim is comprised of an angled “T” coupler  202 ; two “J” shaped curved elements  204  that extend from the “T” coupler  202 ; two “L” shaped couplers  206 ; and a straight section  208 . The two “L” shaped couplers  206  are used to connect the straight section  208  to the two “J” shaped curved elements  204 . The various elements are configured such that the ring  201  forms a continuous “U” shaped harness. 
         [0023]    In addition to the outer rim formed by the various components the second embodiment sanitation seat  200  includes two nails  210  that pass through the straight section  208  and a tie rope  212  that passes into the two “L” shaped couplers  206  and through the straight section  208 . The second embodiment sanitation seat  200  also includes a front leg  220  having a foot  223 . 
         [0024]    For ease of use the tie rope  212  beneficially includes a rope attachment  214 . Preferably that rope attachment  214  is a product produced by NITE IZE™ and is configured as a  FIG. 9  attachment. That rope attachment is highly useful as it enables simple tightening, tensioning, and securing of the second embodiment sanitation seat  200  to a tree  400  (see  FIG. 5 ) using the tie rope  212 . 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 5 , in use, the end of the front leg  220  opposite the foot  223  is inserted into an opening  224  of the “T” coupler  202 . The second embodiment sanitation seat  200  is then placed against a tree  400  such that the nails  210  enter the tree  400 . The tie rope  212  is then wrapped around the tree  400  and tightly cinched tight using the rope attachment  214 . The result is a seat with a vacuous region  350  as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0026]    While the second embodiment sanitation seat  200  is very useful in some areas it may not be optimal. For example, hikers in particular are very weight and bulk conscience. Furthermore, many hikers use a highly configurable walking stick.  FIG. 4  illustrates a third embodiment sanitation seat  300  having a top ring  301  that forms an outer rim around a vacuous region  350 . The outer rim is comprised of an angled “T” coupler  302 ; two “J” shaped curved elements  304  that extend from the “T” coupler  302 ; two “L” shaped couplers  306 ; and a straight section  308 . The two “L” shaped couplers  206  are used to connect the straight section  308  to the two “J” shaped curved elements  304 . The various elements are configured such that the ring  301  becomes a continuous “U” shaped harness that defines a vacuous region  350 . 
         [0027]    In addition, two fixed nails  310  pass through the straight section  308  and a tie rope  312  passes into the two “L” shaped couplers  306  and through the straight section  308 . Similar to the second embodiment sanitation seat  200  the tie rope  312  includes a rope attachment  314 , preferably the one produced by NITE IZE™ in a  FIG. 9  configuration. 
         [0028]    The third embodiment sanitation seat  300  uses a hiking stick  320  as a front leg. The hiking stick  320  is comprised of an outer top element  322  having handle  324  and an inner element  330  that includes an external pointed end  332 . The inner element  330  is retained inside the outer top element  322  by a locking system  336 . The locking system  336  can be loosened to allow the inner element  330  to separate from the outer top element  322 . 
         [0029]    Referring now to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , in use, the locking system  336  is loosened and the inner element  330  is separated from the outer top element  322 . The end of the inner element  330  opposite the external pointed end  332  is inserted into an opening  323  of the “T” coupler  302 . Referring now to  FIG. 5 , the third embodiment sanitation seat  300  is then placed against a tree  400  such that the nails  310  enter that tree  400 . The tie rope  312  is then wrapped around the tree  400  and cinched tight using the rope attachment  314 . The result is a seat having the vacuous region  350  as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0030]    Like the first embodiment sanitation seat  10 , the second sanitation seat  200  and the ring  301  of the third sanitation seat  300  are beneficially very lightweight, preferably 12 ounces or less, and are comprised of PVC tubing, a carbon fiber composite, an aluminum such as T6061, a titanium alloy, or of a thin-walled, structurally reinforced steel. 
         [0031]    It is to be understood that while the figures and the above description illustrate the present invention, they are exemplary only. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. Others who are skilled in the applicable arts will recognize numerous modifications and adaptations of the illustrated embodiments that remain within the principles of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is to be limited only by the appended claims.