Patent Abstract:
A universal, attachable urinal. Urine is discharged into receptacle ( 2 ) that funnels to a waste-tube ( 11 ) that runs through a hollow arm ( 3 ) to a pre-existing waste receiver. The arm ( 3 ), mounted by the receptacle ( 2 ), pivots on a stationary leg ( 4 ) between an operational and a nonoperational position. The leg ( 4 ) is secured next to the toilet by foot ( 6   a ) and/or support arm ( 7 ), using the closet bolt ( 8 ), toilet seat bolt ( 9 ), or other nearby secured object. A water line runs from the toilet&#39;s water source to the receptacle ( 2 ) for rinsing it and the conjoined waste-tube ( 11 ). Embodiments vary between the waste-tube ( 11 ) leading to the toilet bowl ( 12 ) or sewer-line ( 39 ), the manual or semi-automatic upright return of the arm ( 3 ), methods for securing the leg ( 4 ), and methods for controlling water dispersion to and in the receptacle ( 2 ) for rinsing.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of Provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/291,506 filed Feb. 4, 2016, by the present inventor. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Prior Art 
     The following is a tabulation of some prior art that presently appears relevant: 
     
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 Kind 
                   
                   
               
               
                 Pat. No. 
                 Code 
                 Issue Date 
                 Patentee 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 U.S. Patents 
               
             
          
           
               
                 8,424,125 
                 B2 
                 Apr. 23, 2013 
                 A. M. Anderson 
               
               
                 4,137,579 
                   
                 Feb. 6, 1979 
                 P. S. Soler 
               
               
                 5,737,779 
                   
                 Apr. 14, 1998 
                 R. H. Haddock 
               
               
                 4,282,611 
                   
                 Aug. 11, 1981 
                 G. L. O&#39;Day 
               
               
                 5,153,947 
                   
                 Oct. 13, 1992 
                 E. C. Markles 
               
               
                 5,390,374 
                   
                 Feb. 21, 1995 
                 S. E. Hubrig, et al. 
               
               
                 6,079,057 
                   
                 Jun. 27, 2000 
                 P. M. Mette 
               
               
                 5,655,230 
                   
                 Aug. 12, 1997 
                 J. H. Corbin 
               
             
          
           
               
                 U.S. Pat. application Publications 
               
             
          
           
               
                 2012/0246816 
                 A1 
                 Oct, 4, 2012 
                 S. Jung 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 Nonpatent Literature Documents 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 Potty 
                 Weeman 
                 http://www.pottyscotty.com/mi-scotty-00032.html 
               
               
                 Scotty, 
                 Urinal, 
                   
               
               
                 Garvin, 
                 The Main 
                 http://www.themaindrain.com/ 
               
               
                 Dan, 
                 Drain, 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     The conventional toilet is a heavy porcelain receptacle that is bolted to the floor and designed to receive liquid and solid waste. The conventional toilet is comprised of a bowl, pivotable seat and cover, water-tank, internal J-water trap connecting the bowl to a sewer drain, and flushing mechanism to flush water and waste from the bowl to the sewer drain. When the seat and cover is lifted to an upright position, the toilet is commonly used as a urinal for males while standing. 
     Using the toilet as a urinal in this manner causes a few disadvantages such as the mess left behind, the seat being left upright and unready for the next user who wishes to sit, and the over-consumption of water. The mess left behind can be attributed to the distance between the discharging member of the male and the toilet-bowl and the design of the toilet. This distance allows more opportunity for the urine stream to miss the interior of the toilet bowl. Furthermore, once missed, the urine stream splashes against the rim and sides of the bowl creating a greater mess. Even if the urine stream makes it into the toilet, there is no sure prevention against splashing out the water sitting inside the bowl, and even minute traces of the urine stream can splash out when hitting against the interior of the bowl. This remaining mess causes grief and frustration to and between all users of the facility, relieved only by the constant cleaning of the toilet and surrounding area or by requiring all male users to sit uncomfortably for urination. 
     Although leaving the seat in the upright position is not considered revolting by most people, the courtesy of lowering the seat can be much appreciated in all homes. For homes that require the courtesy, the only solution is to train (with much frustration) all males to put the seat down every time or to force the males to sit uncomfortably for urination. 
     Contemporarily, manufacturers have determined that to effectively flush solid waste through the J-water trap an amount of 1.25 gallons and 1.65 gallons of water are needed per flush, and have designed their toilets accordingly. Water consumption of a gallon and a half may not seem like much, but multiply it for every time the toilet is used during the day, for every person, and the volume of water devoted to human waste becomes staggering. There are several toilet kits on the market that include a second lever and flushing mechanism to flush with less water for liquid waste, about 1 gallon, as a less forceful flush is required. In regions where drought is severe, most do not flush for liquid waste, as it does not create much unpleasant odor or staining. With this in consideration, a dilution of water would help to counter whatever odor or stains may occur. 
     Although an area is designated for toilets in all bathrooms, most are limited to a small area and do not permit the space for a second waste receptacle intended for male urination. Furthermore, the water pressure found in residential areas does not permit the installation of urinals with a flushometer, which are commonly found in commercial restrooms. 
     A urine receptacle that attaches to the conventional toilet is the solution to the aforementioned problems; it can minimize the distance between the discharging member of the male and the receptacle, it can make the lifting of the seat unnecessary, it can decrease the consumption of water, and it would not occupy much space. Currently, the only attachable urinals on the market are simple, waterless apparatuses such as the WeeMan Urinal, which is a simple plastic pouch gripping the rim, and the Main Drain as seen on Kickstarter, which is a receptacle with a semi-flexible tube gripping the rim of the toilet. U.S. Pat. No. 8,424,125 B2 of A. M. Anderson describes a urinal of this type, which is a receptacle with an extendable arm gripping the toilet seat. These simple apparatuses must be rinsed manually and are intrusive for people sitting on the toilet, unless removed prior to sitting. 
     Multiple rinsable urinals attachable to a toilet have been proposed, none of them reaching the current mainstream market. This may be attributed to several factors such as inconvenient operation, faulty designs, or difficult or costly manufacturing or installation procedures. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,579 of P. S. Soler and U.S. Pat. No. 5,737,779 of R. H. Haddock must be hand-held during use, and thus are inconvenient to use. 
     Proposals of faulty designs include U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,611 of G. L. O&#39;Day, which describes an attachable urinal that guides liquid waste into the bowl. In the nonoperational position, the attachable urinal is pivoted to the side where water or liquid waste remaining in the urinal can drip or pour out of the device and onto the floor, thus defeating its purpose. U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,947 of E. C. Markles describes an attachable urinal that pivots from brackets attached to the toilet seat bolts, There is nothing to prevent the urinal from pivoting below a 0° incline, which would allow remaining liquid waste or rinsing water to spill out. To prevent this, the user would be required to inconveniently hold the receptacle in place during use. Also, his only self-cleaning embodiment shows the receptacle and waste tubes are clean-rinsed only when the toilet is flushed, thus over-consuming water. Furthermore for this embodiment to work, the height of the receptacle cannot be adjusted to reach the heights of different users, as the low water-pressure of the toilet bowl&#39;s filling line would not be able to reach a receptacle much higher than the toilet tank, U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,374 of S. E. Hubrig, et al describes an attachable urinal with the receptacle attached to a flexible arm, a waste line leading from the receptacle, down the arm, into the toilet bowl, through the water trap, and leading to the sewer. The flexible member is unlikely dependable to release during operation, and the waste line obstructs solid waste in the water-trap. U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,057 of P. M. Mette describes a free-standing urinal with a reservoir to retain liquid waste when in operation. Since the waste reservoir allows the user of several of his embodiments to pivot below a 0° incline, the receptacle would have to be so designed that the underlip reaches upward to prevent the remaining liquid waste or rinsing water from spilling out. However, this design would make it difficult for a tall user to urinate into the receptacle. The installation of this free-standing urinal would require bolting to the walls or floors for security, thus defacing the walls or floors and lowering the value of the bathroom. Furthermore, the reservoir could cause problems such as mildew, foul odor, and difficulty in manipulating the urinal with a full reservoir. 
     Proposals that would require difficult or costly manufacturing or installation procedures include U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,230 of J. H. Corbin, which describes an auxiliary urinal retrofit, a self-supporting urinal with its own water-tank mounted to a base-plate that is secured by extending the base-plate under the toilet or attached to the wall. This design would require more space than what most bathrooms currently possess, and the installation would require the difficult removal of the toilet. U.S. Patent Application 2012/0246816 A1 of S. Jung describes a rotatable urinal that requires a new toilet with a design alteration of the conventional toilet to accept the attachable urinal, further increasing the cost to the consumer. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The objective of this invention is to provide a waste-line system that guides liquid waste from close proximity to a user&#39;s discharging member to a pre-existing waste-receiver without requiring the lifting of the toilet seat. This waste-line system is supported by a structure that securely attaches to a conventional toilet or other fastened object in the toilet&#39;s immediate vicinity, takes preventative measures to avoid water or waste spillage, and is unobtrusive for toilet-sitters when placed in the nonoperational position. Furthermore, this waste-line system has a controllable water-line system for dispersing water and clean-rinsing the waste-line system. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front-right perspective view of an embodiment of an adjustable urinal, which is attached to a conventional toilet in the first, upright, non-operational position. 
         FIG. 2  is a front-left perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , which is attached to a conventional toilet in the second, near-horizontal, operational position. 
         FIG. 3  is a front-right perspective view of a portion of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  with a cone-like shaped receptacle and a section-cut of an arm for a view of the arm&#39;s interior. 
         FIG. 4  is a top-rear perspective view of the receptacle portion of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  with a section-cut of the receptacle. 
         FIG. 5  is a left perspective view of the point of pivot portion of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  with a section-cut of the arm and a leg. 
         FIG. 6  is a rear perspective view of the leg and point of pivot portion of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  with a section-cut of the leg for a view of the leg&#39;s interior. 
         FIG. 7  is a rear perspective view of an alternate design of  FIG. 6  with a section-cut of the leg to reveal an alternate design of attaching the wire to the axle of the arm. 
         FIG. 8  is a right-bottom perspective view of a portion of the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2  with a support-arm and outlet end of a waste tube. 
         FIG. 9  is a rear perspective view of a portion of the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2  with a foot and bottom portion of the leg. 
         FIG. 10  is a right perspective view of an alternate version of the foot of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 11  is a rear perspective view of another alternate version of the foot of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 12  is a front-right perspective of another embodiment of an attachable, adjustable urinal. 
         FIG. 13  is a front-right perspective view of a portion of the embodiment of  FIG. 12  with a cone-like shaped receptacle and arm, the arm has a section-cut for a view of the arm&#39;s interior. 
         FIG. 14  is a top-rear perspective view of a portion of the embodiment of  FIG. 12  with a section-cut of the receptacle. 
         FIG. 15  is a rear perspective view of a portion of the embodiment of  FIG. 12  with the point of pivot where the bottom part of the arm meets the top portion of the leg, which has a section-cut for a view of the leg&#39;s interior. 
         FIG. 16  is a rear-right perspective view of the bottom of another embodiment of the urinal that features an alternate waste-expulsion design using a 3-way toilet-seal and toilet-base, and the bottom of the toilet, which is raised for demonstration. 
         FIG. 17  is a front perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 15  (toilet is not shown); a waste tube is separated and moved to the left to view the toilet-base. 
         FIG. 18  is a rear perspective view of a leg and foot of the embodiment of  FIG. 14 . 
         FIG. 19  is a front-left perspective view of an alternate foot design to  FIG. 16 , which attaches to the toilet base. 
         FIG. 20  is a right perspective view of a slightly altered embodiment of  FIG. 1  to show the bottom half of the arm with a counterweight. 
         FIG. 21  is a right-rear perspective view of an embodiment of an alternate rim. 
         FIG. 22  is a right-rear perspective view of a cross-section of the embodiment of the rim of  FIG. 21 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIGS.  1 - 6 ,  8 ,  9 —First Embodiment 
       FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of an adjustable, attachable urinal as it would be mounted on a toilet  1  in the first, non-operational, upright position. The major structure of this embodiment and others later described consists of a receptacle  2  joined to a hollow, rigid arm  3 , which is mounted at the top of a hollow, cylindrical leg  4  at a point of pivot  5 . The leg  4  is held in place by a foot  6   a  and a support-arm  7 , which are bolted to a closet bolt  8  and a toilet-seat bolt  9 , respectively. 
       FIG. 2  shows the embodiment of  FIG. 1  in the second, operational, near-horizontal position. In this position, a water-spray  10  is released inside the receptacle  2 . The receptacle  2  connects to a waste tube  11  that leads through the hollow arm  3  and exits the arm  3  at the point of pivot  5 . The waste tube  11  then turns toward the toilet  1 , passes between the rim of the toilet bowl  13  and the toilet seat  14 , and turns into the toilet bowl  12 . 
       FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9  show different portions of embodiment of  FIG. 1 . This embodiment includes a spring-powered mechanism for returning the arm  3  from the second position to the first position.  FIGS. 3 and 4  feature the receptacle  2  and arm  3 .  FIG. 3  is from a right perspective view with a cross-section of the arm  3  and  FIG. 4  is from a top-rear perspective view with a cross-section of the receptacle  2 . Both  FIGS. 3 and 4  show a water-inlet tube  15 , which is led through the arm  3 , along the receptacle  2  to water-sprayers  16  near the edge of the receptacle  2 , a rim  17  at the edge of the receptacle  2 , and a handle  18  joined to the receptacle  2 . A lever  44  is mounted to the handle  18 , which pulls on a wire  45  when pressed. The wire  45  and a wire-sleeve  46  leads through the arm  3  (the edge of the arm  3  is left out of the section-cut to demonstrate that the wire leads into the arm  3 ) to the point of pivot  5 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the waste tube  11  connects to the neck end of the receptacle  2  and runs through the hollow arm  3  alongside the water-inlet tube  15  and wire-sleeve  46 .  FIG. 3  demonstrates how the rim  17  and edge of the receptacle  2  is curved so that the lower portion is slightly more extruded than the top. 
       FIG. 5  shows a left-perspective view of a cross-section of the arm  3  and leg  4 , and  FIG. 6  shows a rear perspective view of the bottom part of the arm  3  and a cross-section of the leg  4 . Both  FIGS. 5 and 6  show that a ratchet wheel  47  is held loosely in place by an axle  49 , which is joined to the two sides of the arm  3  that runs through the leg  4  at elongated holes  50   a  and  50   b . A peg  47   a  protruding from the ratchet wheel  47  runs through the leg  4  at elongated hole  50   c . The wire  45  is connected to the pawl  48 , which is held loosely in place by a rod  51  with a torsion spring (not shown) turning the pawl  48  toward the ratchet wheel  47 , and where the rod  51  connects to the arm  3 . A latch  52  is held in place by a rod  53  in the same fashion as the pawl  48  is held by the rod  51  with the rod  53  being connected to the arm  3  with a torsion spring (not shown) turning the latch  52  toward the pawl  48 . The ratchet wheel  47  has a protrusion that extends vertically in the rear, which has a protrusion  47   b  that extends horizontally forward. 
     Furthermore,  FIGS. 5 and 6  show that the sides at the end of the arm  3  at the point of pivot  5  is shaped elliptically  3   b  and  3   c , the edges of which is resting on two wheels  54   a  and  54   b . The valve stem  20   a  attaches to one of these wheels  54   b . The other wheel  54   a  is loosely fitted to an axle  21   a , which is joined to both the leg  4  and valve  19   a .  FIG. 6  shows a compression spring  55  in which one end attaches to the base of the leg  4   a  and the other end attaches to a wire  56 , which leads up the leg  4 , past the valve  19   a  and valve stem  20   a , and fastens around the arm axle  49 . A pneumatic tube  57  is mounted to the two axles  49  (loosely) and  21   a.    
       FIG. 6  also shows a water-inlet tube  15  connected to the valve  19   a . The bottom side of the valve  19   a  connects to another water-inlet tube  22 . This inlet tube  22  has a threaded end  23  for receiving a braided compression tube  24  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ). 
       FIG. 8  shows an exploded, bottom-right view of the support-arm  7 , previously shown in  FIGS. 1, 2, and 6 . The support-arm  7  is mounted to the leg  4  ( FIG. 1 ) by a lever-tightening clamp  24  that is joined at one end of the support-arm  7 . The support-arm  7  is shaped like a hollow bar with the middle part of the top-side removed. An extender-bar  25  slides into support arm  7  and a bolt  28  runs through both elongated holes  26  and  27 , which tightens the two bars together by a wing-nut  29 . The end of the extender-bar  25  on the opposite end of the clamp  24  has a hole  30  for fitting a contemporary toilet seat bolt  9 . 
     Furthermore,  FIG. 8  shows that in the area where the waste tube  11  is about to end, the tube alters its shape  11   b  from a cylindrical-like tube  11   a  to a horizontal, rectangular-like tube  11   c , which leads between the toilet bowl rim  13  and toilet seat  14  ( FIG. 2 ), which is then bent downward and placed into the toilet bowl  12  ( FIG. 2 ). The bolt  28  holding the support-arm and extender-bar  25  together is affixed to the waste tube  11  between the shape alteration  11   b  and the rectangular tube  11   c.    
       FIG. 9  shows a right perspective view of the foot  6   a  and bottom portion of the leg  4 . The leg  4  is inserted at the top of the foot  6   a  by a lever-tightening clamp  31 . The foot  6   a  is curved and has a hole  32  for inserting the closet bolt  8  ( FIG. 1 ). A hole  33  in the foot  6   a  allows the leg  4  to slide through the bottom of the foot  6   a.    
     Operation 
     FIGS.  1 - 6 ,  8 ,  9 —First Embodiment 
     The embodiment of this adjustable, attachable urinal was designed to be installed on a variety of conventional toilets  1 , on either side. Installation is as follows: the foot  6   a  (detailed in  FIG. 9 ) is set to sit on the lower base of the toilet  1  with the foot&#39;s hole  32  on the pre-existing closet bolt  8 . The hole  30  of the extender-bar  25  (detailed in  FIG. 8 ) is placed on the toilet-seat bolt  9 , and the clamp  24  of the support-arm  7  is placed loosely around the leg  4 . The installer deposits leg  4  into the foot  6   a  and decides on the height of the overall urinal, including whether it should be lowered to slip through the hole  33  at the bottom of the foot  6   a . The installer then tightens the clamp  31  of the foot  6   a , decides whether the urinal should be placed further back or to the side by rotating the urinal, and then tightens the closet-bolt  8  to the foot  6   a . The installer then slides the support-arm  7  to a height so that it is flush with the extender-bar  25 . The installer then manipulates the end of the tube  11  so that the bolt  28  affixed to the tube  11  at the shape alteration  11   b  passes through both elongated holes of the support-arm  26  and the extender-bar  27 . The installer then tightens the wing-nut  29  onto the bolt  28 , tightens the toilet seat bolt  9 , and tightens the clamp  24  onto the leg  4 . To conclude, the installer fits a compression tube  24  from the pre-existing water outlet to the threads  23  of the water-inlet tube  22 . Should the owner ever decide to alter the overall height of the urinal, he would simply have to release the lever-clamp  24 , raise or lower the leg  4  to the desired height and retighten the lever-clamp  24 . 
     Once installed, there are two positions for the adjustable, attachable urinal. The first position is an upright, non-operational position as shown in  FIG. 1 , and the second position is a near-horizontal, operational position as shown in  FIG. 2 . In the first position, the arm  3  is upright, the valve  19  is closed, and no water flows into the receptacle  2 . As the operator maneuvers the arm  3  by pulling the handle  18  downward into the second position, the elliptical wheels  3   b  and  3   c  of the arm  3  turn and causes two events: the two wheels  54   a  and  54   b  to turn, and the arm  3  and all attached to rise. 
     As  FIG. 6  illustrates, while one wheel  54   b  regulates water flow, the other wheel  54   a  and corresponding axle  21   a  provides balance to the arm  3  and pivoting motion. The wheel  54   b  is joined to the valve stem  20  so that as the wheel  54   b  turns, so does the valve stem  20 , thus opening the valve  19  and releasing water from the water-inlet tube  22  into the water-inlet tube  15  to the water sprayers  16 , and into the receptacle  2  to rinse the interior (detailed in  FIGS. 3 and 5 ). From the receptacle  2 , the water and/or waste is then funneled into the waste-tube  11 , and as  FIG. 8  illustrates, the water is then funneled from the waste tube&#39;s cylindrical portion ha to the tube&#39;s alteration  11   b , and then to the rectangular tube  11   c , where it escapes into the toilet bowl  12 . The rectangular tube  11   c  is designed to be thin in order to reach the toilet bowl  12  with the toilet seat  14  down by passing between the toilet rim  13  and the toilet seat  14  without the seat resting on and pinching the tube  11   c.    
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , as the elliptical wheels  3   b  and  3   c  turn, the distance between the centers and thus the axles of the ellipses  49  and the wheels  20   a / 21   a  increase. The only allowance of this distance increase is for the axle of the ellipses  49  to rise in the elongated holes  50   a  and  50   b  of the leg  4 . As the axle  49  rises, so does the wire  56  wrapped around it, which in effect pulls on and stretches the compression spring  55 . If there is no resistance, the spring would pull the axle  49 , wire  56 , and arm  3  downward, causing the arm  3  to turn back to its upward position. However, the pawl  48  and ratchet wheel  47  offers such resistance. The ratchet wheel  47  is designed so that as it rises along with the arm  3  the wheel does not turn with the arm  3 : the ratchet wheel  47  is loosely fitted on the axle  49  and the peg  47   a  is inserted an elongated hole  50   c  of the leg  4 , thus preventing the ratchet wheel  47  from rotating. Also, as the arm  3  turns, the pawl  48  runs along the circumference of the ratchet wheel  47  to be caught in the lower teeth and catching the arm  3  along with it. 
     As the arm  3  turns to the second position, the operator may decide on the angle of the arm, and therefore the ultimate height of the receptacle  2  by deciding which tooth of the ratchet wheel  47  to catch on the pawl  48  (detailed in  FIGS. 5 and 6 ). However, the minimal height of the receptacle  2  is determined by two properties: the length of the elongated holes  50   a  and  50   b , which would prevent any further distance between the axles  49  and  20   a / 21   a , thus preventing any further turning of the ellipses  3   b  and  3   c  and arm  3 , and the length of the extrusion of the arm  3   a , which would collide with the leg  4 . The angle determining this minimal height is not to exceed below a 5° incline to prevent water spillage. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2  and detailed in the exploded views of  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the rim  17  prevents water from spilling straight down from the water-sprayers  16  and offers some protection from water spraying or spilling backward. The rim&#39;s  17  curvature offers an operator a view and an access for manipulation. 
     To return this embodiment to the first position, the operator simply squeezes the lever  44  (detailed in  FIG. 3 ), The lever  44  pulls the wire  45 , which pulls one end of the pawl  48  (detailed in  FIGS. 5 and 6 ) in order to rotate away from the ratchet wheel  47 . This allows the compression spring  55  to compress since the previously mentioned resistance is now eliminated, now causing the arm  3  to return to its first position. To keep the pawl  48  away from the ratchet wheel  47  during the position change, the pawl  48  hooks onto the latch  52  when it is rotated from the lever  44  squeeze. Once the arm  3  is back in the first position, the latch  52  is pushed on the opposite side by the ratchet wheel&#39;s forward protrusion  47   b , causing the latch  52  to rotate and release the pawl  48  while ready to be caught on the ratchet wheel  47 , once again. The wire  45  is covered by a sleeve  46  to guide the wire  45  and prevent the sleeve  46  from catching. The pneumatic tube  57  mounted to the two axles  49  (loosely) and  21   a  slows the distance between them, thus hindering acceleration and the rapid or jerky movement of the arm  3  in its rotation, and consequently acts as a cushioning for said arm, preventing any potential damage to or shifting of the urinal. 
     Detailed Description 
     FIGS.  8 , 9 ,  12 - 15 —Second Embodiment 
       FIGS. 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, and 15  show another embodiment of the attachment urinal.  FIG. 12  shows a full, right perspective view of this embodiment. The second embodiment is similar to the first as the second replicates the designs of the parts of  FIGS. 8 and 9 , differing by altering the design of the water-inlet system somewhat and excluding the spring-return mechanism, which comprises of: the elliptical wheels  3   b  and  3   c , the wheels  54   a  and  54   b  and their respective axles  49 ,  21   a  and  21   b , the spring  55  and attached wire  56 , the pneumatic tube  57 , and the elongated holes of the leg  4 - 50   a ,  50   b , and  50   c.    
     As seen in both  FIGS. 13 and 14  ( FIG. 13  is a front-right perspective view,  FIG. 14  is a top-rear perspective view) and compared to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the lever  44  is eliminated. In  FIG. 13  (when compared to  FIG. 3 ), the wire  45  and wire-sleeve  46  is eliminated so that only the waste-tube  11  and water-inlet  15  travel inside the hollow of the arm  3 . 
       FIG. 15  is a rear perspective view featuring the point of pivot  5 , which is a lower portion of the arm  3  and a cross-section of the top portion of the leg  4 . Compared to  FIG. 6 , the parts of the spring-return mechanism (mentioned previously) have all been eliminated. Instead, the arm  3  is joined to a valve stem  20  and loosely attached to an axle  21 . The valve stem  20  goes through a hole in the top of the leg  4  and enters a valve  19 . The axle  21  is joined to the leg  4  on the opposite end. The valve  19  is held in place by the leg  4 . The water-inlet tube  22  connects to the valve  19  from the bottom and the water-inlet tube  15  connects to the valve  19  from the top and continues through the arm  3  as it does in the first embodiment. 
     Operation 
     FIGS.  16 - 18 —Second Embodiment 
     The installation of the second embodiment is exactly the same as the first. The operation is similar with these few exceptions: When an operator pulls the arm  3  down by the handle  18  from the first position to the second, the arm  3  directly turns the valve stem  20  with an axle  21  on the opposite side to provide balance and support. The arm  3  is then either held in place or dropped to the minimal height as determined by the arm extrusion  3   a . To return the urinal to the first position, the operator lifts the arm  3  by the handle  18  and pushes the arm  3  back into place. 
     Detailed Description 
     FIGS.  16 - 18 —Third Embodiment 
       FIGS. 16 and 17  show a rear-right and front-top perspective view, respectively, of a third embodiment of the urinal in order to demonstrate an alternate method of waste disposal. Instead of the waste tube  11  leading into the toilet bowl  12  as shown in the first and second embodiments, the waste tube  11  leads to a unique 3-way toilet seal  36 . This 3-way toilet seal  36  is much like a conventional rubber/plastic toilet seal  36   a  that connects a toilet sewer line  39  and the sewage outlet of the toilet  1 , except that a flat tube  36   b  protrudes from one side of the toilet seal  36   a . The flat tube  36   b  extends horizontally, turns upward, and alters in shape to become a cylindrical tube  36   c , which receives a 1-way backflow valve  37  with a ring clamp  40  to fasten the connection. 
     To allow the 3-way toilet seal  36  to extend out the rear of the toilet  1  so that the toilet  1  does not sit on the flat tube  36   b , a toilet base  38  is placed under the toilet leaving a gap in the back for the flat tube  36   b  to escape. The base  38  is also used as a mount for the foot  6   a.    
     As the embodiment demonstrates in  FIGS. 16 and 17 , and exclusively in  FIG. 18 , the support-arm  7  clamps to the leg  4 , the extender-bar  25  bolts to the toilet seat bolt  9 , and a rod  41  enters the elongated hole  24  of the support arm  7  and a hole in the extender-bar  25 . Wing nuts  42   a  and  42   b  fasten the rod  41  to the support arm  7  and wing nuts  42   c  and  42   d  fasten the rod  41  to the extender-bar  25 . The bottom end of the rod  41  joins the foot  6   a.    
     Operation 
     FIGS.  16 - 18 —Third Embodiment 
     This third embodiment of the adjustable, attachable urinal was also designed to be installed on a variety of conventional toilets  1 , on either side. Installation is as follows (refer to  FIGS. 16-18 ): if the toilet  1  is already installed, the toilet  1  must be removed from its location above the toilet sewer-line  39 . The installer centers the toilet-base  38  on the sewer-line  39 . The installer then pastes the 3-way toilet seal  36   a  under the toilet on the sewage outlet with the flat tube  36   b  running toward the rear of the toilet  1 . The toilet  1  is then placed over the toilet base  38 , fitting the 3-way toilet seal  36   a  into the toilet sewer-line  39 . The 1-way backflow valve  37  is then inserted in the cylindrical end of the 3-way toilet seal  36   c  and the clamp  40  is tightened around the connection. The extender-bar  25  is then placed on the toilet seat bolt  9  in the same manner described as in the first embodiment. The foot is then placed on a bolt (not shown) on the toilet base  38 , the position of the urinal is then decided on by its allowable rotation, and both bolts (seat bolt  9  and toilet base  38  bolt) are tightened, as well as the wing nuts  42   a  and  42   b  on the rod  41 . The installer determines the leg&#39;s  4  height and the foot&#39;s  6   a  clamp  31  is tightened. The installer determines the height for the support-arm  7  so as not to conflict with any other parts. The installer then tightens the clamp  24  of the support-arm  7 , and tightens the wing nuts  42   c  and  42   d  on the rod  41  to the support-arm  7 . 
     This third embodiment is placed between the first and second positions and operates mechanically in exactly the same way as described in the first embodiment. However, instead of the water flowing through the waste tube  11  to the rectangular waste tube  11   a ,  11   b , and  11   c  and into the toilet bowl  12 , the water flows through the waste tube  11  to the backflow valve  37 , and into the 3-way toilet seal  36 . The purpose of the backflow valve  37  is to block noxious odors from escaping or inhibiting potential backflow from the sewer line. 
     Alternative Embodiments 
     FIGS.  7 ,  10 ,  11 ,  19 - 22   
     There are various alternative designs to portions of the different embodiments: 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the first embodiment can be slightly altered by mounting and wrapping the wire  56  around a disc  58 , which is joined to the axle  49 . As the arm  3  is turned downward, the axle  49  and disc  58  rotate, the wire  56  is pulled further, extending the spring  55  further. When the latch  52  is released and the spring  55  actuates, the wire  56  turns and pulls down the disc  58 , thus turning and pulling down the axle  49  and attached arm  3 , thus returning the arm  3  back to the first position. 
       FIGS. 10 and 11  show two different alternate designs of the foot  6   a  of the first and second embodiments.  FIG. 10  shows a right perspective view of a foot  6   b  with a horizontal bar  34  along the bottom.  FIG. 11  shows a rear perspective view of a foot  6   c  with a bar  35  on the bottom to be wedged under the toilet  1  ( FIG. 1 ). 
       FIG. 19  shows a front-left perspective view of an alternate design for the leg  4 , as demonstrated in  FIGS. 16-18  of the third embodiment. This design shows two feet  6   a  and  43  mounted to the toilet base  38 . The second foot  42  is curved differently than the first foot  6   a  so that the top end reaches higher on the leg  4 . This second foot  42  is intended to provide support and thus eliminates the support-arm  7 , extender-bar  25 , and rod  41 . 
       FIG. 20  shows a right perspective view of a slight alteration to the first and third embodiments in which a weight  59  is added to the elliptical ends  3   b  and  3   c  of the arm  3  by extensions  3   d  and  3   e . This provides a counterweight to the arm  3  and makes the return from the second position to the first easier. The extensions  3   d  and  3   e  are joined to the exterior surface of the ellipses  3   b  and  3   c  so that when the arm is in its first position and the weight  59  is down, the extensions  3   d  and  3   e  go over the wheels  54   a  and  54   b  and do not obstruct contact between the wheels  54   a  and  54   b  and the ellipses  3   b  and  3   c.    
       FIGS. 21 and 22  show a rear-left perspective view of a rim  17   a , which is a slightly altered design of the rim  17  of all three embodiments.  FIG. 21  shows the rim  17   a  in its entirety and  FIG. 22  is a cross-section view of the front half of the rim  17   a . The rim  17   a  contains two reservoirs  17   y  and  17   z . A water-inlet tube  15  ( FIG. 4 ) is affixed to a hole  17   b  of the first reservoir  17   y . The reservoir  17   y  has only one outlet, a hole  17   c  ( FIG. 20 ), which leads to the second reservoir  17   z .  FIG. 19  shows the outlet of the second reservoir  17   z , which consists of little holes  17   d  along the edge of the rim  17   a.    
     As the urinal is in the second position, the first reservoir  17   y  fills with water from the water-inlet tube  15 . If the water level reaches the hole  17   c , the water spills into the second reservoir  17   z  and trickles through the lower little holes  17   d . When the urinal is returned to the first position, the water empties out of the first reservoir  17   y  into the second  17   z , and disperses out of the little holes  17   d  to rinse the interior surface of the receptacle  2 . 
     CONCLUSIONS, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE 
     The reader will see that each embodiment described above achieves the main goals of the invention, that is, to provide a urinal that is structurally rigid, self-cleaning, attachable to most conventional toilets without attaching the urinal to the surrounding floor or walls (which would require serious carpentry work), adjustable to the users&#39; preference or space limitations, unobtrusive in non-operative mode, and user-friendly. The urinal is user-friendly in the sense that it is easy to switch between non-operative and operative mode, and can be held in place hands-free during use. 
     The reader will also see that each embodiment also has its own advantages and disadvantages. While the first and second embodiments are easier to install, the third allows the height of the receptacle to be lowered further to allow usage by shorter adults or children. The first embodiment requires little labor to return the urinal to the first position and is easy for multiple users to set the receptacle at different preferred heights. The second embodiment&#39;s simple design has fewer parts, which would mean that the production and manufacture is less expensive and potential mechanical problems would arise less often. Unless the user decides to flush the toilet after using the first or second embodiment, these two embodiments consume less water than using the toilet alone. The third embodiment, in bypassing the toilet, makes flushing completely unnecessary and guarantees water-saving. Unless the leg  4  pokes through the hole  33  of the foot  6   a  all the way down to the floor of any of the three embodiments, or the feet  6   b  or  6   c  of  FIGS. 10 and 11  are used, sweeping or mopping the floor under these embodiments is not very difficult. 
     As for the embodiments&#39; materials, most parts can be made of a stain-resistant plastic, using the plastic molding injection process. It is recommended that parts undergoing stress or friction, such as the axles  20 ,  21 ,  20   a ,  21   a ,  49 , parts of the spring return mechanism, valves  19 ,  19   a , support arm  7 , or extender-bar  25 , be made of metallic materials with high oxidation-resistance, such as aluminum, brass, or stainless-steel. 
     While my above descriptions contain many specifics, they should not be construed as limitations on the scope, but rather as an exemplification of several embodiments thereof. Many other variations are possible. For example, instead of the third embodiment having the same spring-release mechanism described in the first embodiment, an alternative design can eliminate this mechanism and incorporate the second embodiment&#39;s simplified form. Another variation can switch out the foot, leg, support-arm, extender-bar and rod design featured in  FIG. 18  for the foot, leg, support-arm, and extender bar design of the first and second embodiments. Only in this variation, the receptacle will be limited to the same minimal height as the first and second embodiments since the point of pivot  5  cannot exceed below the toilet bowl rim  13 . 
     Additionally, many parts of these embodiments can be slightly altered or substituted with other parts that perform the same function. For example, the handle  18  can be altered to include a grip to the left and/or top of the receptacle  2 . The lever-tightening clamps  24  and  31  can be regular nut and bolt ring-clamps. The leg  4  can be separated and mounted together loosely just below the valve to allow the top portion to pivot horizontally slightly when the arm  3  is in the second position. The pneumatic tube  57  may be a hydraulic tube. 
     The valves  19  and  19   a  can be any turn-based valve; a compression-valve, ball valve, cartridge valve, etc. An alternative to the turn-based valve is one actuated by the pulling or pushing of a rod such as an equilibrium valve. This type of valve can be placed in the same position in the first and third embodiments with the end of the valve stem loosely mounted to the axle  49 . The valve can be placed in the second embodiment and designed so that the valve stem is loosely mounted to the arm  3  and is opened and closed by the movement of the arm  3 . Furthermore, the valve stem can be loosely mounted to a peg near the circumference of a disc (similar to the one in  FIG. 7 ) on an axle that is a combination of the axles  20  and  21 . 
     A valve in addition to, or in replacement of, the valves  19 ,  19   a  can be placed around the receptacle  2  or arm  3  to allow greater control of water flow during operation and/or anywhere along the water-inlet tube  22  for a pre-determined water flow. 
     The valve of any of the embodiments can be also altered to be timer-based, either mechanical or electrical. The return of the arm  3  to the first position would cause the beginning of the count-down of the valve&#39;s opening. Using the rim  17   a  of  FIG. 21 , the water would disperse evenly down the waste-tube  11  in the first position until the end of the timer, at which point the valve closes. 
     For the embodiments in which the extender-bar  25  is mounted to the toilet-seat bolt  9 , a thick nylon washer can be placed on the other seat bolt to balance the toilet seat. In cases where there is not enough room to run the rectangular waste tube  11   c  between the toilet bowl rim  13  and toilet seat  14 , one or two more washers can be placed on both seat bolts to raise the seat just enough to slip the tube  11   c  through without the toilet seat  14  sitting on and pinching the tube  11 . 
       FIG. 8  shows how a nut  29  is tightened to hold the waste tube  11  in place during installation. Alternatively, another nut and bolt (not affixed to anything) can be used to hold together the support-arm  7  and extender-bar  25 , allowing the bolt  28  affixed to the waste tube  11  to be bolted to either the support-arm  7  or the extender-bar  25 , depending on the shape of the toilet bowl rim.  FIG. 8  also shows how the extender-bar  25  can slide into the support-arm  7 . However, the support-arm  7  can alternatively be bar-shaped, like the extender-bar  25 , so that the two can form an angle and so the different embodiments of the urinal can be placed further behind the toilet  1  during installation. 
     For the embodiments that incorporate the elliptical wheels  3   b  and  3   c  and their complementary circular wheels  54   a  and  54   b , these wheels can have a surface material that increases the wheels&#39; friction, or they can be redesigned as complementary gears in order to ensure that the turning of the elliptical wheels turn the circular wheels, which ensures that the valve  19   a  opens and closes correctly. Also, these wheels can be dissected so that the only part of the circumference that remains is the part that touches the other wheel and the area that keeps the structural integrity between the circumference and the part joined to the arm  3  (ellipse) or axles  20   a  and  21   a  (circle). 
     For the second embodiment, it is not easy for multiple users to drop the receptacle to different preferred heights. This inconvenience can be resolved by having the arm extrusion  3   a  adjustable lengthwise using a sliding bar in order to reset the minimal angle incline of the arm  3 , and therefore the minimal drop-down height of the receptacle  2 . 
     As an alternative to the spring-return mechanism of the first and third embodiments, a motor can be included in the second embodiment, either placed at the point of pivot  5  to directly turn the axle  20 ,  21 , or arm  3 , or placed elsewhere and using an intermediary, such as a belt or chain, to turn the axle  20 ,  21 , or arm  3 . 
     Another alternative to the spring-return mechanism is to incorporate into the second embodiment a torsion spring, one end joined to the leg, the other to the arm, at the point of pivot  5  to return the arm  3  from the second position to the first. Furthermore, a ratchet wheel, pawl, latch, wire, and lever of the first embodiment can be included in this alteration in order to prevent the arm  3  from returning prematurely and to determine the angle of the arm  3  and ultimate height of the receptacle. 
     To simplify the spring-return mechanism of the first and third embodiments, the ratchet wheel  47  and pawl  48  can be removed, and the latch  52  can be spring-hinged at the top of the leg  4 . The latch  52  can be placed to catch the axle  49  of the arm  3  when the arm  3  is turned to the second position and the axle  49  concurrently rises. Pulling the lever  44  and wire  45  turns the latch  52  and releases the axle  49 , thus allowing the spring to pull the axle  49  down and return the arm  3 . 
     Likewise, the latch  52  can be moved or duplicated to be spring-hinged just under the hole  50   a  to catch the axle  49  as it is in its lowest position, when the arm  3  is in its first position. This will prevent the arm  3  from falling undesirably. For release, a lever can be attached to the handle under the receptacle  2 , with a complementary wire and wire-sleeve leading to the new latch. 
     The third embodiment features a 1-way backflow valve  37  as a method of blocking noxious odors of the sewer-line or inhibiting backflow. As an alternative, a P water-trap can be placed between the waste-tube  11  and 3-way toilet seal  36 , or somewhere along the waste tube  11  in order to block the noxious odors. The only outlet for backflow would be the receptacle  2 , which is far above the rim of the toilet in the first position, and therefore unlikely any backflow would discharge from the urinal. 
       FIGS. 10 and 11  show alternative feet for the first and second embodiments. If necessary, the feet can be further secured by adding another bar, like the arm support  7 . One side of the bar clamps low on the foot  6   b  or  6   c  and the bar&#39;s opposite side is bolted down by the closet bolt  8 . 
     The design of the counterweight of  FIG. 20  can be incorporated into the second embodiment. 
     The alternative rim  17   a  featured in  FIGS. 21 and 22  can be further altered to include the handle  18  (hollowed out) as part of the first reservoir  17   y.    
     The previous description and figures demonstrate embodiments that are designed to attach to the conventional toilet  1 . However, the toilet itself can be redesigned to accept and secure the different embodiments. A hole or holder can be placed beside the toilet seat bolts  9  (on either side) or lower beside the toilet bowl  12  to receive the leg  4  of the different embodiments. The hole can lead into the top of the toilet bowl  12  so that the waste-tube  11  leads through the leg  4  and directly into the toilet bowl  12 . The toilet can also be redesigned to have a second, smaller water-trap running beside the current one, the inlet designed to be somewhere accessible for receiving the waste-tube  11  such as the rear or on the toilet rim  13  in the area by the toilet seat bolts  9 , thus making the 3-way toilet seal  36  and toilet base  38  unnecessary in order to bypass the toilet bowl  12 . 
     Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4