Abstract:
The present invention is a commode which allows a caregiver easy access to a user for cleaning after the elimination of bodily wastes. The commode includes a secondary frame and mounting collar that hold a funnel and waste receptacle in place. Once a user has eliminated, they may remain seated on the commode while a caregiver removes the waste receptacle and cleans them.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to the field of commodes, and more particularly, to a commode with improved safety and convenience features. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    As the U.S. population ages, assistive devices become increasingly necessary for both ailing individuals and their caregivers. Urination and defecation are two sensitive bodily functions that must be accommodated efficiently and hygienically by assistive devices without compromising user comfort and safety. 
         [0003]    Numerous prior art devices attempt to accommodate these functions. Diapers and catheterization, while efficient and convenient, can cause pain and infections and are often seen as humiliating by the user. Bedpans and portable urinals are also convenient, but their small size may make them difficult for a user to utilize adequately and accurately. Conventional toilets are often located an unmanageable distance from the user, particularly if the user is bedridden or unable to move freely. Many toilets are located too low to the ground to use without significant assistance. 
         [0004]    Bedside commodes, including the popular 3-in-1 commodes, permit users to eliminate waste more conveniently, because these commodes do not require a plumbing connection and can be placed in close proximity to a user. The seat frame is high enough to permit easy seating and rising for the user and can also be used as a shower assistive device. The waste receptacle can be emptied and cleaned when the commode is not in use and no one is seated on the seat frame. The waste receptacle is removed by raising up the seat and lifting out the waste receptacle for emptying and cleaning. 
         [0005]    However, the bedside commode lacks functionality for dependent commode users who require a caregiver to perform cleaning after urination and defecation. Some examples of dependent users may include individuals who are elderly, post-operative, disabled, handicapped, ill, and/or hospice patients. Dependent commode users may have difficulty walking, standing or sitting, may be physically weak and may lack the dexterity and reach to wipe their own body. 
         [0006]    One problem with these commodes that is known in the art is that the waste receptacles prevent a caregiver from access to the user&#39;s body, requiring the user to stand for cleaning. For infirm users, this may require caregivers to awkwardly and dangerously support the user while the caregiver reaches around to clean them, often leading to inadequate cleaning or a dangerous fall. Due to the poor usability of most bedside commodes for dependent commode uses, both the user and caregiver are at risk of falling, injury and improper wiping that may lead to unhygienic conditions and infections. This wiping process can also create unpleasant feelings and emotions for the user and their caregiver. Loss of privacy, dignity, humiliation and embarrassment are common. 
         [0007]    Additionally, some models allow the caregiver to slide the waste receptacle into or out of the seat frame, which can pinch the penis and testicles of a seated male user. Some only allow the bucket to be removed from the front, resulting in the user&#39;s legs blocking waste receptacle removal. In other models, the slide rail is midway under the commode frame which makes difficult to engage the waste receptacle in the proper location, resulting in human waste splashing on the underside of the commode frame. Still other models lack a direct connection between the commode frame and waste receptacle; misalignment of the waste receptacle can result in waste leaking from the commode and creating unsanitary conditions. 
         [0008]    There is an unmet need in the art for a commode that allows a caregiver safe access to a user for cleaning. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The present invention is a commode which allows a caregiver easy access to a user for cleaning after the elimination of bodily wastes. The commode includes a secondary frame and mounting collar that hold a funnel and waste receptacle in place. Once a user has eliminated, they may remain seated on the commode while a caregiver removes the waste receptacle and cleans them. 
       GLOSSARY 
       [0010]    As used in this application, the terms “connect,” “connected,” “connecting,” and “connects” are defined to mean creating or having created a connection. 
         [0011]    As used in this application, the term “connection” is defined to mean a physical connection including, but not limited to adhesives, slides, tracks, contoured components, notches, projections, pins, rails, sliding components, interlocking components, bolts, screws, hook-and-loop fasteners, integration, welding, soldering or any other form of attachment or closure known in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1   a  illustrates a front perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the commode. 
           [0013]      FIG. 1   b  illustrates a top view of a secondary frame of another embodiment of the commode. 
           [0014]      FIG. 1   c  illustrates a front view of a section of another embodiment of the commode. 
           [0015]      FIG. 1   d  illustrates a side view of mounting collar of another embodiment of the commode. 
           [0016]      FIG. 1   e  illustrates a front view of a section of another embodiment of the commode. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  illustrates a back perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the commode. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  illustrates a back view of an exemplary embodiment of the commode. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  illustrates a side view of an exemplary embodiment of the commode. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
       [0020]    For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the present invention, references are made in the text to exemplary embodiments of a commode, only some of which are described herein. It should be understood that no limitations on the scope of the invention are intended by describing these exemplary embodiments. One of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that alternate but functionally equivalent parts may be used. The inclusion of additional elements may be deemed readily apparent and obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art. Specific elements disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one of ordinary skill in the art to employ the present invention. 
         [0021]    It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale. Instead, emphasis has been placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Like reference numerals in the various drawings refer to identical or nearly identical structural elements. 
         [0022]    Moreover, the terms “about,” “substantially” or “approximately” as used herein may be applied to modify any quantitative representation that could permissibly vary without resulting in a change in the basic function to which it is related. 
         [0023]      FIG. 1   a  illustrates a front perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the commode  100 . Commode  100  includes a support frame  10 , funnel  20  and a waste receptacle  30 . For clarity, funnel  20  is not shown in the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1   a.    
         [0024]    In the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 1   a , support frame  10  includes legs  11   a - 11   d , crosspieces  12   a  and  12   b , horizontal support bars  13   a  and  13   b , and secondary frame  14 . Legs  11   a - 11   d  extend vertically. Each leg connects to another leg via a horizontal crosspiece  12   a  or  12   b . Crosspieces  12   a  and  12   b  are likewise connected by horizontal support bars  13   a  and  13   b , forming an upper support plane. In alternate embodiments, the number of legs may range from two to eight, the number of crosspieces may range from two to eight and the number of support bars may range from two to eight. 
         [0025]    In the exemplary and alternate embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1   a - 1   e , secondary frame  14  includes at least one vertical support rail  16  and at least one angled rail  17  (see  FIGS. 1   a  and  1   d ). Depending on the embodiment, secondary frame  14  is mounted either above or below support bars  13   a  and  13   b  (see  FIGS. 1   c  and  1   e , respectively). Mounting collar  18  is an annular collar, including at least one projection  19  on its outer surface in an alternate embodiment (see  FIG. 1   d ). 
         [0026]    In the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1   a , mounting collar  18  is integrated with secondary frame  14  to form an integral component mounted above support bars  13   a  and  13   b . Secondary frame  14  operatively connects to at least one vertical rail  16 , which descends from secondary frame  14 . Vertical rail  16  in turn connects to at least one angled rail  17 . The exemplary embodiment includes two vertical rails  16   a  and  16   b  and two angled rails  17   a  and  17   b ; alternate embodiments may include between one and eight vertical rails and/or between one and eight angled rails. In still other embodiments, vertical rails  16   a  and  16   b  may be operatively connected to a mechanism to raise and lower the waste receptacle  30  below the funnel  20 . 
         [0027]    The measured height of vertical rails  16   a  and  16   b  of the exemplary embodiment may vary from one rail to another. In the exemplary embodiment, angled rail  17  includes two separate angled rails  17   a  and  17   b  that connect to secondary frame  14  via the vertical rails  16   a  and  16   b . In other embodiments, angled rail  17  may be u-shaped or circular. Angled rail  17  may form an angle of between approximately 0 and 89 degrees with a horizontal plane. 
         [0028]    As shown in  FIG. 1   b , another embodiment of secondary frame  14  is a square planar element with a central opening. In various other embodiments, secondary frame  14  is a planar element that is round, rectangular or u-shaped with a central opening. The perimeter of the opening optionally includes at least one notch  15  that interacts with at least one projection  19  to enable secondary frame  14  to connect to mounting collar  18 . The u-shaped embodiment of secondary frame  14  is slidably connectable to mounting collar  18 . The embodiment of  FIG. 1   b  includes four notches  15   a - 15   d . In alternate embodiments, notch  15  and projection  19  may be replaced by at least one other physical connection. 
         [0029]    In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1   c , mounting collar  18  and secondary frame  14  are connected and placed over support bars  13   a  and  13   b . A funnel  20  is then inserted through an aperture in mounting collar  18  and fills any gap between the horizontal support bars  13   a  and  13   b , and the top of waste receptacle  30 . In alternate embodiments, mounting collar  18  and funnel  20  are integrated into a single component. 
         [0030]    As shown in  FIG. 1   d , in other embodiments secondary frame  14  is mounted below support bars  13   a  and  13   b . Mounting collar  18  is placed over support bars  13   a  and  13   b  and connects to secondary frame  14  to keep secondary frame  14  in place. As above, mounting collar  18  connects to secondary frame  14  via interaction between the respective projection  19  and notch  15 . In alternate embodiments, notch  15  may be replaced by at least one other physical connection. 
         [0031]    In the embodiment of  FIG. 1   c , funnel  20  has the shape of a hollow, approximately conical section. In various other embodiments, funnel  20  may have a different shape such as, but not limited to a hollow, approximately pyramidal section; the aforementioned sections may have round, oval, square or rectangular cross-sections. Funnel  20  includes a top rim  22 , a first sidewall  24 , a second sidewall  26 , and a bottom rim  28 . In use, funnel  20  channels waste from top rim  22  into waste receptacle  30 , preventing waste from leaking out of commode  100 . 
         [0032]    First sidewall  24  and second sidewall  26  descend from top rim  22 . The measured height of the sidewalls can vary from one side to another. First sidewall  24  has a maximum height measurement equal to or less than the maximum height measurement of second sidewall  26 . Second sidewall  26  has a minimum height measurement equal to or greater than the minimum height measurement of second sidewall  26 . The transition from first sidewall  24  to second sidewall  26  is smooth. In certain embodiments, first sidewall  24  has a minimum height measurement of about two inches from top rim  22  to bottom rim  28  while second sidewall  26  has a maximum height measurement of about four to about six inches from top rim  22  to bottom rim  28 . 
         [0033]    In the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1   a  and  4 , vertical rail  16   a  has a minimum height measurement equal to or greater than first sidewall  24 , while vertical rail  16   b  has a minimum height equal to or greater than second sidewall  26 . 
         [0034]    In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1   c  and  4 , first sidewall  24  is located in the rear of funnel  20 , enabling a caregiver to clean a user while the user remains seated. In other contemplated embodiments, first sidewall  24  may be located at the front or side of funnel  20  to enable access from different directions. Still other contemplated embodiments may include more than one first sidewall  24  and/or more than one second sidewall  26 . 
         [0035]    Bottom rim  28  terminates both first sidewall  24  and second sidewall  26 . To prevent possible injury to a caregiver, bottom rim  28  has a smoothly rounded finish, which may include a flared portion or a flange. In one embodiment, due to the possible height difference between first sidewall  24  and second sidewall  26 , a plane formed by bottom rim  28  intersects a plane formed by top rim  22 . In an alternate embodiment with no height difference between first sidewall  24  and second sidewall  26 , a plane formed by bottom rim  28  is parallel to a plane formed by top rim  22 . 
         [0036]    In the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1   a , waste receptacle  30  is an open, approximately cylindrical container, similar to a bucket. In other embodiments, waste receptacle may have, but is not limited to an approximately conical or cuboid configuration. In still other embodiments, waste receptacle  30  is a disposable collection device similar to a bag. 
         [0037]    In the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1   a , waste receptacle  30  is held in place by angled rail  17 . A user inserts waste receptacle  30  into commode  100  at an angle and continues insertion until waste receptacle  30  is located atop angled rail  17  and directly below mounting collar  18  and funnel  20 . Reversing the process removes waste receptacle  30 . In alternate embodiments, waste receptacle  30  is inserted vertically by a user or simply placed on the floor below funnel  20 . In still other embodiments, waste receptacle  30  may be operatively connected to a separate holder below funnel  20  or raised and lowered by use of a mechanism. 
         [0038]    Support frame  10 , funnel  20  and waste receptacle  30  may be constructed out of a material that is impermeable to solid and liquid waste, such as metal, polymer, or any combination of both. This material may be biodegradable or otherwise disposable. In one contemplated embodiment, all parts of support frame  10 , funnel  20  and waste receptacle  30  are polymer. In another contemplated embodiment, support frame  10  is metal while funnel  20  and waste receptacle  30  are polymer. In still another contemplated embodiment, legs  11   a - 11   d , crosspieces  12   a ,  12   b  and support bars  13   a ,  13   b  are metal while mounting collar  18 , funnel  20  and waste receptacle  30  are made from a disposable polymer. 
         [0039]      FIG. 2  illustrates a back perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the commode  100 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 3  illustrates a back view of an exemplary embodiment of the commode  100 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 4  illustrates a side view of an exemplary embodiment of the commode  100  with a seated user.