Patent Publication Number: US-6708350-B2

Title: Deflector arrangements

Description:
The present invention relates to deflector arrangements and particularly but not exclusively to deflector arrangements for deflecting a stream of urine in to a toilet. 
     When males sit on a toilet for use, which is often a necessity for elderly, infirm or disabled males, occasionally urine is accidentally directed over the front of the toilet. This soils the area around the toilet presenting problems of hygiene and moreover a cause for embarrassment to the male concerned. 
     According to the present invention there is provided a deflector arrangement comprising a deflector and means to attach the deflector to a toilet and enable the deflector to be selectively moved to and from an operable position in which the deflector can deflect urine into the toilet. 
     Preferably the means enables the deflector to be moved between said operable position and one or more further position(s) in which the deflector presents no or substantially no obstacle to a user of the toilet, particularly when the user is getting on and off the toilet. 
     Preferably the deflector is located generally at the front of the toilet when in the operable position, and desirably generally centrally whereby to locate between the legs of a person sitting on the toilet. 
     Preferably the deflector is located generally beneath the seating area of a toilet, and preferably is on the outside of the toilet when in the said further position(s). 
     The deflector preferably comprises a concave surface which when in the operative position generally faces a person sitting on the toilet, whereby to direct urine impinging thereon into the toilet. The deflector may extend, in part, into the toilet whereby to facilitate direction of urine therein. 
     Preferably the said means comprises a first part attachable to a toilet and a second part operable to enable movement, desirably pivotal movement, of the deflector on the first part. The second part may be articulated, and preferably comprises a series of pivotal joints along a length connecting the first part to the deflector. Some or all of the joints may be of the form of ball and socket joints or similar to provide multi-axial pivotal movement. 
     The first part may be removably attachable to a toilet, for example by way of a releasable adhesive and/or fixings such as threaded fixings. Alternatively the first part may be substantially permanently attached to the toilet. 
     The arrangement may be attachable to the main body or bowl of the toilet, or alternatively to a seat member of a toilet. 
     Still further according to the present invention there is provided a toilet comprising a deflector arrangement as described in any of the preceding paragraphs. 
     The invention also provides a toilet seat comprising a deflector arrangement as described in any of the preceding paragraphs. 
    
    
     An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, partially disassembled, side view of a deflector arrangement according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of the arrangement of FIG. 1 in use on a toilet; 
     FIG. 3 is a view in the direction of arrow III in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a view of one side of a first part of the arrangement of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a view of the other side of the part of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is an end view of the part of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 7 is a view from above, in the direction of arrow VII of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a section of a second part of the arrangement of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 9 is a view in the direction IX of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 10 is a view in the direction X of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 11 is a view in the direction XI of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 12 is a side view of a second section of the second part of the arrangement of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 13 is a view in the direction of arrow XIII of FIG. 12; 
     FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional side view of a third section of a second part of the arrangement of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 15 is a view in the direction of arrow XV of FIG. 14; 
     FIG. 16 is a view in the direction of line XVI of FIG. 14; 
     FIG. 17 is a view in the direction of XVII of FIG. 14; 
     FIG. 18 is a side view of a deflector of the arrangement of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 19 is a view in the direction XIX of FIG. 18; 
     FIG. 20 is a view in the direction of arrow XX of FIG. 18; 
     FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view of the deflector of FIG. 18 with the third section of the second part attached thereto for use for use; and 
     FIG. 22 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the attachment of the said section and deflector of FIG.  21 . 
    
    
     Referring to the drawings there is provided a deflector arrangement  10  comprising a deflector  12  and means  14  to attach the deflector  12  to a toilet T and enable the deflector  12  to be selectively moved to and from an operable position in which the deflector  12  can deflect urine into the toilet T. 
     In more detail, the means  14  to attach the deflector comprises a first part  16  (FIGS. 4 to  7 ) in the general form of a base plate  18 . The base plate  18  is generally curved to locate around the usual curvature of a toilet T to which the arrangement  10  is to be attached (see FIG.  7 ). A series of apertures  20  is provided in the base plate  18  through which securing means (not shown), such as screws or bolts can be used to securely fix the first part  16  to a toilet. Alternatively, the apertures may not be completely formed in the plate, but outlined, for example by way of perforations, to be formed if necessary or desired. 
     The face  22  of the plate  18  which in use locates against a toilet T is generally smooth. The face  24  of the other side  26  of the plate  18  comprises an elongate locating formation  28  of generally “T” shaped cross-section and which extends in use generally downward. Two generally parallel locating recesses  30  are provided to be generally symmetrically disposed in spaced configuration on either side of the locating formation  28 . A further locating recess  32  is also formed in the base plate  18  to extend generally perpendicularly between the recesses  30 , and just below in use the formation  28 . A lobe  34  extends generally downward from one side of the recess, which lobe  34  may bear trade mark or other matter. 
     An adhesive pad  36  (FIG. 1) is provided to attach the first part  16  to a toilet T, as will be described. 
     The attachment means  14  further comprises a first section in the form of a mounting joint  38  (FIGS. 8 to  11 ). 
     The mounting joint  38  comprises a mounting body  40  which defines a recess  42  between a front section  44  and an upstanding wall section  46  comprised of two generally parallel sections  48  connected at one end thereof by a further section  50 . The configuration of the upstanding wall  46  is such that when the mounting joint  38  is located in position on the base plate  18 , as will be described, the parallel wall sections  48  locate in the recesses  30 , as will be explained. 
     Extending from the section  50  generally centrally between and parallel to the sections  48  is a further section  52  which defines a generally T-shaped channel  54 . The chapel  54  is operable to slidingly receive the locating formation  28  in use, as will be explained. 
     A joint projection  56  extends generally centrally from between the front section  44  and the section  50 , at an angle of approximately 45°. The projection comprises a ball or part ball formation  58  on the free end thereof in which is provided a recess  60  which enables the ball section  58  to be compressed to locate in a corresponding socket to form a joint as will be explained. 
     The attachment means  14  further comprises a second section  62  as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. The second section  62  comprises a socket formation  64  located on one end of a curved body  66  and a part ball shaped joint formation  68  on the other end of said curved body  66 . 
     The attachment means  14  comprises a third section  70  as shown in FIGS. 14 to  17 . The section  70  comprises a curved body  72  on one end of which is a socket formation  74  similar to the socket formation  64  described above. The socket formation  74  is operable to receive ball or part ball formations otherwise comprised in the attachment means  14  as will be described. 
     A locating plate  76  is located on the other end of the curved body  72 . The locating plate is generally in the form of a disc having two curved cut-outs  78  formed in the edge thereof to be generally opposing. 
     The deflector  12  (FIGS. 18 to  20 ) comprise an upper, concave portion  80  and a generally planar portion  82  extending from the in-use lower edge thereof. The inner concave surface  84  of the portion  80  is operable to deflect fluid impinging thereon, as will be explained. The portion  82  acts to guide fluid running from the concave surface  84 , again as will be described. 
     On the in-use front  86  of the deflector  12  is a sleeve or socket  88  (FIG. 20) in which the locating plate  76  of a the section  70  is locatable to attach the deflector  12  to the attachment means  14 . The sleeve  18  is configured to slidingly receive the locating plate  76  for a snap-fit location of small lugs  90  in the cut-outs  78 . Attachment of the section  70  to the deflector  12  is illustrated in FIGS. 21 to  22 . 
     In use, the arrangement  10  is mountable to the front of a toilet T and in this embodiment is intended for mounting on a front surface of the bowl of a toilet T as shown in FIG.  2 . 
     It is to be appreciated however that it is within the scope of the present invention for the arrangement to be mountable to a seat of the toilet. 
     To mount the arrangement  10 , the base plate  18  is first secured to the front surface of the bowl of the toilet T 1  to be generally central such that when the deflector  12  is in the operative position it is located generally between the legs of a person sitting on the toilet T. It will be appreciated however that the base plate  18  could be mounted in other positions on the toilet. 
     To mount the base plate  18 , an adhesive pad  36  is used, and if necessary further retaining means, such as bolts (not shown) can be used to locate through the apertures  20  and corresponding apertures formed in the toilet T. 
     It has been found useful to assemble the rest of the arrangement  10  before attachment thereof to the base plate  18 , and to this end, the locating plate  76  of the third section  70  is slid into the sleeve  88  on the deflector  12  to securely locate therein with the lugs  90  located in the cut-outs  78 . 
     A second section  62  is then attached to the further section  70  by locating the ball formation  68  into the socket  74 . The resilience of the ball formation  68  and also the socket  74  enables the ball formation  68  to be pushed into the socket  70  effectively to form a snap-fit. The ball formation  68  and socket  74  thereby form a pivotal ball joint. A further second section  62  is then attached to the other end of the first section  62  in similar manner. 
     The mounting joint  38  is then connected to the socket  64  of the further section again by way of a snap-fit location of the ball formation  58  in the socket  64 . 
     This part assembly of the arrangement  14  is then mounted on the base plate  18  by offering the mounting joint  38  up to the base plate  18 , such that the locating formation  28  is at the entrance to the “T” shaped channel  54  and the parallel sections  48  of the wall  46  are located at the upper ends of the recesses  30 . The mounting joint  38  is then slid down over the locating formation  28  until the locating formation is located within the channel  54 , whereby the arrangement  10  is securely attached to a toilet T. 
     The ball and socket joints provided between the respective sections provide for versatile movement of the deflector  12  on the toilet, enabling the deflector  12  to be moved to and from the operative position. 
     In the operative position, a deflector  12  locates generally between the legs of a person sitting on the toilet T. Ideally the concave portion  18  is located to generally rest on the front of the toilet or toilet seat with the portion  82  extending downward into the toilet. 
     If a male user of the toilet when in the seated position accidentally directs urine out of the front of the toilet, this would be deflected back into the toilet by the deflector  12  with the planar portion  82  further facilitating redirection of the urine into the toilet, thereby preventing or reducing the spoiling of the area outside the toilet. 
     When the arrangement  10  is no longer required for use, the deflector  12  can be simply and easily moved away from the operative position to a stowage position at the front of the toilet. 
     Various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. For example, the arrangement  10  may be attached to a toilet using any suitable means, and may be reversibly or irreversibly attached. Any number of pivotal joints may be provided in the arrangement. The arrangement may be integrally formed within a toilet, and particularly in a toilet seat, such as a raised toilet seat. 
     Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.