Patent Publication Number: US-2004045084-A1

Title: Skirt for emergency toilets

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION  
       [0001] The present invention is concerned with specific modifications of skirts or curtains that surround a toilet. The toilets of the present invention may be specifically designed for emergency use. Other uses would be for ordinary toilets, used in emergency situations, when there is no water available to flush that toilet. In other instances, the skirts could be used with buckets or pails for toilets for construction sites and remote camp sites, as well as refugee situations. These skirts have special features for this function.  
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
       [0002] Skirts that surround ordinary toilets for decorative and protection purposes are of interest to the present invention. For example, Valentin D No. 439,315 S a design patent for a skirt the fits around an ordinary toilet for decorative purposes. Hammond U.S. Pat. No. 3,408,661 teaches various means of attaching a skirt to an ordinary toilet.  
       [0003] Skirts designed with pockets to fit around pails and buckets are established art. It is the purpose of such skirts to have pockets to carry tools or other articles. Two such examples are D No. 290,064 and D No. 354,596. Representative utility patent for inserts that aid tool carrying are U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,551 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,992. Other such skirts are available in commerce.  
       [0004] The present invention reflects both toilet and non-toilet art. It is to be noted that Davidson U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,516 teaches a pail with a handle which pail has a plastic bag held in place by annular rings of a cap. That cap has an opening with a plug or bung that can be removed so that the bucket can be used as a toilet. Pederson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,847 describes a trash bag dispenser that stores the bags in a bottom dispenser.  
       [0005] The present invention is concerned with a specific kind of skirt. This skirt would fit around toilets or buckets and have pockets in the outer circumference for items useful for a toilet. This is a generally cylindrical skirt with an open top. The top edge of the skirt of the present invention is attached over its circumference to a central downwardly concave receptacle section. This receptacle section has a holder of flexible material attached to its under surface. An opening connects the holder to the open upper surface of the receptacle section, and the opening cooperates with the holder to make a dispenser for human waste bags. Around the outer circumference of the present skirt is one or more pockets for the storage of toilet articles. This skirt is adapted to fit over an ordinary toilet in emergencies when there is no water available, or around buckets which are adapted to become emergency toilets for emergencies or temporary outdoor use. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION  
     [0006]FIG. 1 shows the exploded view of the invention.  
     [0007]FIG. 2 is a cutaway view of the bucket of the assembled invention.  
     [0008]FIG. 3 is one embodiment of the present invention in use in an ordinary household toilet.  
     [0009]FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the skirt for use on an ordinary toilet.  
     [0010]FIG. 5 is a variant on the skirt without the special storage area of the plastic bags. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION  
     [0011]FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of the invention. A bucket  13  has a strengthened rings  251  with an handle  252 . Bucket  13  has an inner space  253 . Concave receptacle section  24  is connected to supply skirt  20  and fits into inner space  253  of bucket  13 . Supply skirt  20  has top edge  22  and a bottom edge  23 . Concave receptacle section  24  is attached to the inward circumference of top edge  22 . Receptacle  24  has a top surface  24  A and a bottom surface  24  B. An opening  27  is at the depth  25  of the concave receptacle section  24 . Opening  27  allows the holder  28  to be accessed. Holder  28  is attached to the bottom surface  24  B of the receptacle  24 . Holder  28  retains an ordered array of plastic bags (shown in outline).  
     [0012] Attached from the outer circumference of top edge  22  is the supply skirt  21  with an skirt inner aspect  21  A and an outer aspect  21 B. Along the outer aspect  21 A is a series of pockets  29 A and  29 B These pockets have protective flap(s)  222  to protect the toilet articles stored in the pockets  29 A and  29 B.  
     [0013] A plastic bag  31  with a bottom seal  32  is removed from the ordered array of plastic bags. The open part  35  of bag  31  folds to create fold  33 . Fold  33  is held in place by large O-ring  40 . Cover  51  which has a lip  52  to retain the cover  51  on bucket  13 . Lip  52  extends around cover  51  and cooperates to close bucket  13 . Cover  51  has a cut  54  which will allow a waste opening  53 . A bung piece  55  will be placed over the waste opening  53 .  
     [0014]FIG. 2 shows the skirt in an assembled cutaway bucket  13 . Partially filling bucket interspace  253  is concave receptacle section  24 . Concave receptacle section  24  is attached to the inward aspect of the circumference of top edge  22  of supply skirt  20 .  
     [0015] Attached from the outer circumference of top edge  22  is the supply skirt  20 . The invention is held in place with the cover  51  Along the outer aspect  21 A is a series of pockets  29 A and  29 B. These pockets have protective flap(s)  222  to protect the toilet articles stored in the pockets  29 A and  29 B. Bung piece  55  in shown in place.  
     [0016]FIG. 3 shows the supply skirt in an ordinary household toilet  330 . Concave receptacle section  24  is attached to the inward aspect of the circumference of top edge  22  of supply skirt  21 . Attached from the circumference of top edge  22  is the supply skirt  21 . Along the outer aspect  21 A is a series of pockets  29 A and  29 B These pockets have protective flap(s)  222  to protect the toilet articles stored in the pockets  29 A and  29 B.  
     [0017]FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of the invention used in an ordinary toilet  330 . Concave receptacle section  24  is connected to supply skirt  20  and fits into inner space  255  of toilet  330 . Supply skirt  20  has top edge  22  and a bottom edge  23 . Receptacle  24  is attached to the inward aspect of the circumference of top edge  22 . Receptacle  24  has a top surface  24  A and a bottom surface  24  B. An opening  27  is at the depth of the concave receptacle section  24 . Opening  27  allows the holder  28  to be accessed. Holder  28  is attached to the bottom surface  24  B of the receptacle  24 . Holder  28  retains an ordered array of plastic bags (not shown).  
     [0018] Attached from the circumference of top edge  22  is the supply skirt  21  with its outer aspect  21 A. Along the outer aspect  21 A is a series of pockets  29 A and  29 B These pockets have protective flap(s)  222  to protect the toilet articles stored in the pockets  29 A and  29 B.  
     [0019] A plastic bag  31  with a bottom seal  32  is removed from the ordered array of plastic bags. The open part  35  of bag  31  folds to create fold  33 . Fold  33  is held in place by large O-ring  40 .  
     [0020]FIG. 5 shows a variant  441  of the invention useful both for buckets and ordinary toilets. Concave receptacle section  24  is attached to the inward aspect of the circumference of top edge  22  of supply skirt  21 . Attached from the circumference of top edge  22  is the supply skirt  21 . Along the outer aspect  21 A is a series of pockets  29 A and  29 B These pockets have protective flap(s)  222  to protect the toilet articles stored in the pockets  29 A and  29 B.  
     [0021] Concave receptacle section  24  is connected to supply skirt  20  and fits into inner space toilet. The invention of FIG. 5 is essentially that as in the previous figures except there is no special storage area for the rolled (ordered array) of plastic bags  31  The roll of plastic bags  31  are stored in the concave receptacle section  24 .  
     SUMMERY OF INVENTION  
     [0022] The invention is a supply skirt for emergency toilets made of a generally cylindrical skirt of flexible material. The skirt has a top edge and a bottom edge, and an inner aspect and an outer aspect. The skirt is affixed over its inner circumference by a generally concave receptacle section of flexible material. This receptacle section has a top surface and a bottom surface. Attached to the bottom surface is a holder of flexible material. An opening connects the holder and the top surface. The holder in cooperation with the opening is a dispenser for human waste bags. Around the outer aspect of the skirt is one or more pockets for the storage of toilet articles. The pockets of the skirt for emergency toilets has protective flaps.  
     [0023] The skirt is adapted to fit over a toilet. This toilet can be either a normal household toilet or a bucket toilet.  
     [0024] One embodiment of the invention does not have a holder under the concave receptacle section