Patent Abstract:
A toilet bowl protector for protecting a finish of a toilet bowl, the toilet bowl including a bowl portion and a siphon tube disposed at a bottom of the bowl portion, the toilet bowl protector comprising a bowl shaped portion and an extension portion extending from the bowl shaped portion.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to a plumbing fixture protector, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a plumbing fixture protector which operates to protect plumbing fixtures such as toilets from physical damage caused by an auger during the clearing of obstructing debris located within the piping connected to the toilet. 
         [0003]    2. Brief Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    The use of augers, for example closet augers, is well known in the plumbing arts. While the use of augers is well known, certain problems may arise during their insertion, operation, and/or removal from a plumbing fixture. In general, augers are used to clear obstructing debris from piping. More specifically, augers are commonly used to clear obstructing debris that has accumulated in plumbing pipes connected to plumbing fixtures such as sink drains and toilets. Obstructing debris can collect within the pipe over time and may substantially or even completely prevent the communication of fluid and/or waste products through the pipe. 
         [0005]    Common augers consist of a coiled metal wire with an enlarged end portion for engaging the obstructing debris and an opposing end attached to a device, usually a crank that rotates the coiled wire and communicates the coiled wire through the pipe. In most cases, the coiled metal wire is fed through a piece of bent metal tubing shaped to provide access to a siphon tube of the toilet. A plastic boot covering a portion of the metal tubing protects the finish of the visible porcelain. The enlarged end portion is inserted into the bowl and through the siphon tube and the crank is rotated to drive the enlarged end portion through the pipe. Once contact is made with the obstructing debris the crank of the auger is turned to continually rotate the enlarged end portion against the obstructing debris until it passes through the debris or until the obstructing debris is dislodged from the pipe. The enlarged end portion may be removed and reinserted multiple times in order to vary the position of the enlarged end portion with respect to the obstructing debris. 
         [0006]    While typical augers provide limited means for protecting the porcelain finish of the toilet bowl, a typical auger cannot provide protection against incidental damage caused by unwanted or accidental contact between the auger and the toilet bowl. Furthermore, do-it-yourself obstruction removal performed by individuals who are not familiar with the proper selection and/or operation of augers may result in the selection of an auger which is not suited for use in toilet bowls such as hand augers (typically used for clearing obstructions from sinks and bathtub drains) which are not provided with any protective covering. The use of such augers can cause costly damage to the porcelain finish of the toilet. 
         [0007]    Therefore, a need exists for a plumbing fixture protector, the plumbing fixture protector capable of protecting the porcelain and/or other finish of a plumbing fixture from physical damage due to operation of the auger. It is to such a plumbing fixture protector that the present invention is directed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional, side elevational view of a toilet having a plumbing fixture protector disposed therein, in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the plumbing fixture protector device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 3A  is an exploded, perspective view of another embodiment of a plumbing fixture protector (toilet protector) having separable siphon tube portions and bowl portions. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3B  is a perspective view of an additional siphon tube portion for use with the plumbing fixture protector of  FIG. 3A . 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of an alternative embodiment of a plumbing fixture protector disposed within and covering a bowl of a toilet, in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0013]    Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , shown therein is a side elevational view of a plumbing fixture protector, in this case a toilet protector  10  for use during the insertion, operation, and removal of a plumber&#39;s snake or auger  14  to clear obstructing debris from a pipe  22  connected to a portion of a toilet  26 . The toilet  26  is provided with a tank  30  and a bowl  34  connected to a siphon tube  38  which is in turn connected to the pipe  22 . It will be understood that various parts of the toilet  26  are provided with a glazed porcelain finish that covers the porcelain. The glazed porcelain finish not only protects the hardened material that the toilet  26  is fabricated from but also enhances the aesthetic qualities of the toilet  26 . Although the glazed finish is somewhat durable, it is nevertheless somewhat susceptible to scratches or impacts from blunt objects. 
         [0014]    The auger  14  is generally provided with a coiled wire with one end having a debris engaging portion  42  and a means for rotating and extending the debris engaging portion  42  through the pipe  22 . In one embodiment, the means for rotating the debris engaging portion  42  includes a hand crank  46 , although any number of other means for rotating the debris engaging portion  42  that would be known to one of ordinary skill in the art with the present disclosure before them are likewise contemplated for use. The debris engaging portion  42  is inserted into the bowl  34  and through the siphon tube  38  and the hand crank  46  is rotated to drive the debris engaging portion  42  through the pipe  22  until contact is made with the obstructing debris. The crank of the auger  14  is then turned to rotate the debris engaging portion  42  against the obstructing debris until it passes through the debris or until the obstructing debris is dislodged from the pipe  22 . It will be understood that when the debris engaging portion  42  of the auger  14  is inserted into the bowl  34  and through the siphon tube  38  of the toilet  26 , the debris engaging portion  42  may cause physical damage to the bowl  34  such as scratching of the finish and/or cracking of the porcelain finish. 
         [0015]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , to prevent and/or substantially limit such damage, the toilet  26  is provided with the toilet protector  10 . The toilet protector  10  is provided with a bowl shaped portion  50  and an extension portion  54 . The toilet protector  10  is constructed of a flexible and/or semi-flexible yet durable material such as a plastic polymer or silicone, although it will be understood that part or all of the toilet protector  10  may be constructed from a rigid or semi-rigid material so long as the material does not scratch or otherwise damage the porcelain finish of the toilet  26 . Examples of rigid and/or semi-rigid material include but are not limited to a resin or hard plastic polymer, natural material(s) such as a wood or fiber based material, metal (such as steel, titanium, aluminum or blends thereof), fiber or glass based materials and combinations thereof. It will be understood that if the toilet protector  10  is fabricated from a material which may scratch and/or otherwise damage the toilet  26 , the toilet protector  10  may be coated with a protective coating such as a rubber to prevent such potential damage. In one embodiment, the toilet protector  10  is constructed from a flexible material that may at least partially conform to the contours of the inner surface of the bowl  34  and/or the siphon tube  38  of various toilets  26 . In another embodiment, the toilet protector  10  is constructed from a rigid or semi-rigid material and the toilet protector  10  is shaped to substantially conform to a specific type of toilet  26 , for example as specific manufacturer. 
         [0016]    The bowl shaped portion  50  is preferably sized to fit within the lower portion of the bowl  34  of the toilet  26  to cover and protect the same against potential physical damage caused by the insertion, operation, and/or removal of the auger  14 . It will be understood that the bowl shaped portion  50  is sized to conform to the bowl  34  of the toilet  26 , the bowl shaped portion  50  may also include different shapes and sizes, for example, elliptical, although any number of different geometric (e.g., triangular, octagonal, circular, polygonal) or non-geometric shapes (e.g., star-shaped, kidney shaped or animal shapes) that would be know to one or ordinary skill in the art with the present disclosure before them are likewise contemplated for use in accordance with the present invention. The bowl shaped portion  50  may include an outwardly flaring upper edge  58  that substantially conforms to the shape of the bowl  34  and provides support to the toilet protector  10 . It will be understood that in additional embodiments, the outwardly flaring upper edge  58  may not substantially conform to the shape of the bowl  34  of the toilet  26 . The extension portion  54  of the toilet protector  10  preferably extends from a lower region of the bowl shaped portion  50 . The extension portion  54  may have a substantially tubular cross-sectional area that is sized to fit within the siphon tube  28  of the toilet  26  such that the extension portion  54  may be inserted into the siphon tube  28  to protect the porcelain finish of the siphon tube  28  from physical damage. Although the extension portion  54  has been disclosed as being substantially tubular, the extension portion  54  may also be semi-circular, substantially c-shaped, substantially v-shaped, or even irregularly shaped. It will be understood that the extension portion  54  may or may not contact at least a portion of the siphon tube  28  when the extension portion  54  is disposed within the siphon tube  28 . 
         [0017]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3A and 3B  collectively, in one embodiment, the bowl shaped portion  50  and the extension portion  54  of the toilet protector  10  may be fabricated as a unitary member or may be separate components such that either the bowl shaped portion  50  and/or the extension portion  54  may be interchanged to accommodate different sized and/or shaped toilets  26 . For example, two different toilets  26  may have similarly sized bowls  26  but have different diameter siphon tubes  38 . If the extension portion  54  and the bowl shaped portion  50  are fabricated separately, the extension portion  54  may be removed and replaced with an extension portion  54  having a diameter that more closely corresponds to each of the siphon tubes  38  of the toilets  26 . The extension portions  54  and the bowl shaped portions  50  may be joined together for example by providing matching threaded portions  56  and  58  on the extension portions  54  and the bowl shaped portions  50 , respectively. Additional examples of connections between extension portions  54  and the bowl shaped portions  50  include, but are not limited to, compression fittings, fasteners, adhesives and the like. 
         [0018]    In some instances, the toilet  26  may include one or more water jets or nozzles (not shown) disposed within the bowl  34  of the toilet  26  which operate to drive debris located in the bowl  34  of the toilet  26  into the siphon tube  38  and into the pipe  22 . Therefore, the bowl shaped portion  50  of the toilet protector  10  may also include one or more apertures  62  providing fluid communication between one or more water jets or nozzles of the toilet  26  and the siphon tube  38  of the toilet  26 . The operation of the one or more water jets or nozzles during operation of the auger  14  may assist in the removal of the obstructing debris from the pipe  22 . 
         [0019]    Additionally, the toilet protector  10  may include a handle  66  (see  FIG. 1 ) extending from the bowl shaped portion  50  to provide a more sanitary means for the insertion and removal of the toilet protector  10 . The handle  66  may include an elongated member  70  and grasping portion  74 . The elongated member  70  is preferably connected, either releaseably or fixedly, to at least a portion of the bowl shaped portion  50  of the toilet protector  10 . The grasping portion  74  may include any number of components designed to allow a user to grip the grasping portion  74  and control the placement of the toilet protector  10  within the bowl  34  of the toilet  26 . Non-limiting examples of grasping portion include a knob, a ring, or any other devices for grasping that would be known to one of ordinary skill in the art with the present disclosure before them. 
         [0020]    In operation, the toilet protector  10  is placed within the bowl  34  of the toilet  26  prior to the insertion or operation of the auger  14 . The toilet protector  10  is utilized by using the grasping portion  74  of the handle  66  to maneuver the toilet protector  10  into the bowl  34  of the toilet  26 . The extension portion  54  of the toilet protector  10  is inserted into the siphon tube  38  of the toilet  26  and then the bowl shaped portion  50  of the toilet protector  10  is seated within the bowl  34  of the toilet  26 . Next, the debris engaging portion  42  of the auger  14  is inserted though the passage defined by the bowl shaped portion  50  and the extension portion  54  of toilet protector  10  and into the siphon tube  38  of the toilet  26 . The auger  14  is operated to communicate the debris engaging portion  42  of the auger  14  through the siphon tube  38  and the pipe  22  until the debris engaging portion  42  of the auger  14  contacts the obstructing debris. The operation of the auger  14  is continued, rotating the debris engaging portion  42  until the obstructing debris is cleared from the pipe  22 . It will be understood that the debris engaging portion  42  of the auger  14  may need to be removed and reinserted into the pipe  22  numerous times to remove the obstructing debris. 
         [0021]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , in another embodiment, a toilet protector  110  is constructed similarly to the toilet protector  10  described above with the exception that the bowl shaped portion  150  is large enough to cover the entire bowl  34  of the toilet  26 . Furthermore, the bowl shaped portion  150  may include one or more securement members  170  disposed along the top edge  174  of the bowl shaped portion  150  for releaseably securing the bowl shaped portion  150  to at least a portion of the toilet  26 , for example, the top rim  178  of the bowl  34 . Examples of securement members  170  include, but are not limited to, suction cups, hook and loop fasteners, adhesives, and the like. It will be understood that a portion of the bowl shaped portion  150  may rest upon the top rim  178  of the bowl  34  rather than secure to the top rim  178 . This embodiment of the toilet protector  110  functions to protect the entire inside of the bowl  34  from potential damage resulting from the operation of the auger  14 . 
         [0022]    Changes may be made in the construction and the operation of the various components, elements and assemblies described herein or in the steps or the sequence of steps of the methods described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4