Infant toilet seat

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an infant toilet seat of the kind that is arranged to fit over an adult (i.e. full-sized) toilet seat to provide a seating profile that is more suitable for infant usage.

Background to the Invention

When training infants to use a standard toilet, one issue that can be faced is that the adult (i.e. full-sized) toilet seat provided thereto is too large in size for infant use. This can make the infant feel uncomfortable or unsure, thereby affecting their confidence levels and also presents the risk that the infant may slip down and off the toilet seat. In a well-known solution to this problem there is provided an infant toilet seat that is arranged fit in supplementary fashion over the adult toilet seat to define a smaller- sized seating profile that better accommodates infant usage. Such infant toilet seats are typically rigid in form and constructed of a moulded plastic polymer (e.g. polypropylene).

Whilst the known infant toilet seats of rigid form are generally amenable to home usage they are far less suitable for use when the infant and carer are away from the home because their rigid nature and bulky form makes them highly inconvenient to carry about. Thus, when travelling or otherwise away from the home, and in the absence of their infant toilet seat, the infant must either be encouraged to just use the standard toilet with adult toilet seat, which can adversely affect the infant's confidence levels, or the carer may simply choose to revert to diaper usage for these situations, which undesirably breaks the toilet training regime. There thus, exists a

need for an infant toilet seat that is conveniently portable and therefore amenable to use when the carer and infant are out and about and away from the home environment.

In solution to the above problem the present invention provides an infant toilet seat that adopts both an in use configuration, in which it fits over the adult (i.e. full-sized) toilet seat to provide a supplementary infant-sized seating profile and a travel configuration, in which the infant seat is stowed to a fraction of the size of the in use configuration.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an infant toilet seat that is readily portable and therefore amenable for use when travelling.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an infant toilet seat that may be conveniently and reversibly placed into a travel configuration.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an infant toilet seat arranged for use with an adult toilet seat, said infant toilet seat comprising

a peripheral rim that is formed of a flexible, twistable material; and

attaching to said peripheral rim and extending inwardly therefrom, a seat membrane defining an infant seating profile and having an aperture provided therein,

wherein said infant toilet seat is reversibly transformable from an in use configuration, in which said peripheral rim is arranged to fit over an adult toilet seat to a travel configuration, in which the peripheral rim twists about itself to adopt a collapsed rim form.

There is provided an infant toilet seat of the kind that is arranged to supplement an adult toilet seat. By adult toilet seat herein it is meant a full-sized toilet seat of the kind that would be used in conjunction with a standard (upright) toilet as are both common in the Western world.

The infant toilet seat comprises a peripheral rim that is formed of a flexible, twistable material. In normal use, the peripheral rim is arranged to fit over (e.g. on top of) an adult toilet seat. The peripheral rim may be provided with one or more positioning features to assist in positioning the peripheral rim in position over the adult toilet seat. In aspects, the one or more positioning features may act as retainers for retaining the peripheral rim in position and thus, may in aspects be provided with gripping or holding features. Thus, one or more protrusions may extend (downwardly, in normal use) from the peripheral rim to assist in positioning the infant toilet seat over the adult toilet seat and to prevent the infant toilet seat sliding out of position, and e.g. off the adult toilet seat, in normal use thereof. In other embodiments, no positioning features are present and for example, gravity is relied upon to achieve the correct positioning.

The peripheral rim is formed of a flexible, twistable material. As will become clearer from the later description, the flexible, twistable nature of this material is essential to its transformation by twisting about itself to the travel configuration thereof.

The materials of construction of the peripheral rim are selected in view of the intended function thereof. In embodiments, the peripheral rim is formed of a plastic polymer (e.g. polypropylene), metal or rubber material, particularly one having a suitable degree of flexibility.

In one aspect, the peripheral rim comprises a flexible, springable loop. Any positioning features may thus, be provided to this loop and in one aspect are integrally formed therewith.

In another aspect, the peripheral rim comprises a flexible outer tube defining an interior portion and provided at its interior portion with a flexible, springable loop. Any positioning features may thus, be provided to the flexible outer tube and in one aspect are integrally formed therewith. In one aspect, the loop is formed of a metal or plastic polymer material and the flexible outer tube is formed of a rubber, metal plastic polymer material.

Attaching to said peripheral rim and extending inwardly therefrom, there is provided a seat membrane. The seat membrane defines an infant seating profile and has an aperture provided therein. The seat membrane therefore defines a seating profile that is suitable for receipt of the buttocks of an infant. The seat membrane may for example, be defined by a sheet or net of material. The aperture is designed such that in normal use, it positions over the seat aperture of the adult toilet seat.

The seat membrane is formed of a non-rigid (e.g. flexible) material, such that it may flex as the infant toilet seat is transformed from the in use to the travel configuration thereof.

In embodiments, the seat membrane is formed of a plastic polymer material (e.g. polypropylene or polyvinyl chloride) or fabric material (e.g. woven or non-woven fabric material).

The infant toilet seat herein adopts both an in use and a travel configuration and is readily and reversibly transformable there between. When in the in use configuration the peripheral rim is (in its extended form and) arranged to fit over an adult toilet seat. When in the travel configuration the peripheral rim is twisted about itself to collapse about itself to adopt a collapsed rim form.

Thus, the act of transforming the infant toilet seat from its in use to travel configuration involves twisting the peripheral rim about itself such as to adopt a

collapsed rim form. In essence, the action involves the user holding opposing sides of the rim in left and right hands and then twisting the rim at least once through a figure of eight type twisting movement to achieve the collapsed rim form. Such 'twist rim, to collapse' arrangements are known in the field of photographer's reflectors.

In embodiments, in the collapsed rim form plural rim portions sit (e.g. stack) one on top of the other such that the collapsed rim defines a rim profile that is a fraction (e.g. one third) of the size of the rim profile of the extended peripheral rim, and a rim width that is a multiple of (e.g. three times) the width of the extended peripheral rim.

In embodiments, the infant toilet seat herein is provided with a carry bag that is arranged to receive the infant toilet seat when in its travel configuration.

In aspects, the seat membrane is provided (typically only on its upwards facing part) with a novelty design such as a chequered form. The purpose of this novelty design is to make the seat membrane more pleasing to the infant.

It will be appreciated that the elements of the infant seat cover herein may be manufactured and supplied separately and /or supplied as a pre-assembly or a kit of parts. The present invention encompasses all of these separate component parts and any assemblies thereof.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described further with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 shows a perspective view from above of a first embodiment of an infant toilet seat in accord with the present invention when in the in use configuration;

Figure 2 shows a perspective view from above of the infant toilet seat herein when used in conjunction with a conventional toilet with adult toilet seat;

Figure 3a and 3b respectively shows perspective views from the side and front of the infant toilet seat of Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the infant seat cover of Figure 1 in a position intermediate between the in use configuration of Figure 1 and the travel configuration of Figure 5; and

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the infant seat cover of Figure 1 in the travel configuration.

Referring now to the drawings, Figures 1 and 3a-3b show different views of a first embodiment of an infant toilet seat 10 herein when in the in use configuration. Figure 2 shows that infant seat 10 when used in combination with a conventional Western- style upright toilet 1 that is provided with an adult toilet seat 2.

In more detail, the infant toilet seat 10 comprises a peripheral rim 20 that is of closed, springable loop form and made of a flexible, twistable material. The peripheral rim 20 is provided with positioning features in the form of two protrusions 22, 24, which locate at the front 26 of the infant seat, and which assist in positioning the peripheral rim 20 over the adult toilet seat 2. The protrusions 22, 24 are integrally-formed with the peripheral rim 20 (e.g. as a moulded part thereof). In embodiments, the peripheral rim 20 and protrusions 22, 24 thereof are formed of a plastic polymer material.

Attached to the peripheral rim 20, there is provided a seat membrane 30, which defines an infant seating profile 34 and has an aperture 32 provided therein. The aperture 32 is positioned such that in normal use, it positions over the seat aperture

(not visible) of the adult toilet seat 2. The seat membrane 30 is formed of a flexible plastic polymer material.

The infant toilet seat of Figures 1 to 3b is reversibly transformable from the in use configuration of Figure 2 to a travel configuration. The act of transforming the infant toilet seat 10 from its in use to travel configuration involves twisting the peripheral rim 20 about itself such as to adopt a collapsed rim form. In essence, the action involves the user holding opposing sides (e.g. front 26 and rear 27 sides) of the rim 20 in left and right hands and then twisting the rim 20 at least once through a figure of eight type twisting movement as shown in Figure 4 to achieve the collapsed rim form as shown in Figure 5.

As may be seen in Figure 5, when the infant toilet seat 10 is in the travel configuration, and adopts the collapsed rim form, the front 26 and rear 27 parts of the peripheral rim 20 rest adjacent to each other (one part has in effect been translated through a full rotational movement). Also it may be see that the travel configuration has a rim profile (i.e. cross-sectional area) that is one third of the size of the rim profile of the peripheral rim 20, and a combined rim width that is three times the width of the peripheral rim 20. Thus, the travel configuration is more compact and hence, more portable than the in use configuration, and may readily be accommodated in a travel carrying bag (not shown).

The application of which this description and claims form part may be used as a basis for priority in respect of any subsequent application. The claims of such subsequent application may be directed to any feature or combination of features described therein. They may take the form of product, method or use claims and may include, by way of example and without limitation, one or more of the following claims: