INFANT TOILET TRAINER

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

THIS invention relates to an infant toilet trainer. In particular the invention is concerned with an infant toilet trainer which can be placed on a conventional toilet seat.

There are various training apparatuses which are used to teach young children how to use a toilet. One example of a common training apparatus is a potty chair which includes a receptacle and a conveniently-sized seat allowing a small child to sit over the receptacle. These potty chairs are portable and are handy for use as a preparatory device in teaching young children to use a conventional toilet.

Another type of training apparatus which is commonly used is the so-called infant toilet trainer. A standard toilet trainer typically comprises a seat formation which can be placed securely on top of a conventional toilet seat. The infant toilet trainer has an aperture therein which is smaller in dimension than that of a conventional toilet seat, thereby preventing a young child from slipping into the bowl of the toilet being used.

A drawback of existing infant toilet trainers which has been noticed by some parents is that young children often feel insecure when sitting on a conventional infant toilet trainer. It is an object of the present invention to address this problem by providing an alternative infant toilet trainer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided an infant toilet trainer comprising:

a seat having an aperture therein;

a support formation for supporting the body of an infant seated on the seat; and

a base which can be placed on a seat of a toilet to allow the aperture of the seat to mouth into the bowl of the toilet,

wherein the seat, support formation and base are of unitary construction and are produced from a resilient material which will allow at least a portion of the support formation to flex towards an infant seated on the seat under the influence of the weight of the infant.

Preferably the support formation comprises a backrest, two side supports and a front support.

More preferably the support formation includes two leg grooves which are formed between the front support and the two side supports for allowing the legs of the infant to project outwardly from the seat.

Advantageously the seat is at a level which is lower than the level of the bottoms of the two leg grooves.

Typically the infant toilet trainer includes a stop formation for ensuring that when the infant toilet trainer is placed on a toilet seat, the aperture of the seat will mouth into the bowl of the toilet.

In an embodiment of the invention the infant toilet trainer is produced from polyurethane.

Typically the toilet trainer is produced by way of moulding.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a top perspective view of an infant toilet trainer in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 shows a top view of the infant toilet trainer;

Figure 3 shows a bottom view of the infant toilet trainer;

Figure 4 shows a left side view of the infant toilet trainer;

Figure 5 shows a right side view of the infant toilet trainer;

Figure 6 shows a front view of the infant toilet trainer;

Figure 7 shows a rear view of the infant toilet trainer;

Figure 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the infant toilet trainer at the line A - A in Figure 2;

Figure 9 shows a cross-sectional view of the infant toilet trainer at the line B - B in Figure 2;

Figure 10 shows a cross-sectional view of the infant toilet trainer at the line C - C in Figure 2;

Figure 11 shows a side view of an infant toilet trainer in accordance with the invention placed on a toilet seat and a infant seated thereon; and

Figure 12 shows a cross-sectional view at the line C - C in Figure 2 wherein the infant toilet trainer has been caused to flex under the influence of the weight of the infant seated thereon.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT

Figures 1 to 10 show an infant toilet trainer in accordance with the invention, generally indicated with the reference numeral 10. The infant toilet trainer 10 is shaped as shown and comprises a seat 12, a support formation 14 and a base 16.

The seat 12 is suitably sized for supporting the buttocks of a young child who is in the process of being taught how to use a toilet. The seat 12 includes an aperture 18 which, in use, will allow urine or faeces to pass though the infant toilet trainer 10 in order to be deposited into the bowl of the toilet. It is pointed out that the dimensions of the aperture 18 are such that a small child will not be able to slide through it.

The support formation 14 is shaped for supporting the body of an infant seated on the seat 12. The support formation 14 comprises a backrest 20, two side supports 22 as well as a front support 24. The support formation 14 also includes two leg grooves 26 which are formed between the front support 24 and the two side supports 22. In use, the leg grooves 26 will allow the legs of an infant seated on the infant toilet trainer 10 to project outwardly from the seat.

In this embodiment of the invention the seat 12 is located at a level which is lower than the level of the bottoms of the two leg grooves 26. It is envisaged that this arrangement will ensure that an infant will sit both comfortably and securely in the infant toilet trainer 10. It is further believed that this advantage will be present as long as the level of the seat lower than the level of the bottoms of the leg grooves 26.

The base 16 of the present embodiment has a substantially flat bottom surface 28 which can be placed on a conventional toilet seat. Specifically, the base 16 allows the infant toilet trainer 10 to be located in such a position on a toilet seat that the aperture can mouth into the bowl of the toilet for the reason stated above. In use, the seat 12 will effectively be suspended by the base 16 between the inside edges of a toilet seat on the inside of the bowl of the toilet, not show.

The infant toilet trainer 10 is further provided with a stop formation 30 on its bottom as shown. In this embodiment the stop formation comprises two protuberances 32. The purpose of the stop formation 30 is to locate the infant toilet trainer 10 in position over the bowl of a toilet and to prevent it from slipping from the toilet once located in position.

The described infant toilet trainer 10 is produced by way of moulding thereby providing that the seat 12, support formation 14, base 16 and stop formation 30 are of unitary construction. Specifically, it is produced from a resilient material, in this case polyurethane, for the reasons that will become apparent from the description that follows.

As persons familiar with polyurethane will know, this material is characterised by the feature that it moulds with a closed outer skin but has an inner region of a porous nature. The skin will enable effective cleaning of the infant toilet trainer 10 while the inner porous structure will confer a yielding property of softness to the outer surface which will provide comfort for an infant using the infant toilet trainer 10.

Figure 11 shows the infant toilet trainer 10 supported on the seat 34 of a toilet 36. A young child is seated on the infant toilet trainer 10 with his legs projecting through the leg grooves 26. The physical characteristics of the resilient material, as mentioned before this is polyurethane, is further such that the weight of the child on the seat 12 will cause the support formation 14, particularly the side supports 22, to flex inwardly, i.e. towards the body of the child, as illustrated in broken lines in Figure 12 of the drawings. This

deformation of the infant toilet trainer 10 will hold, or at least create the impression that it is holding, the child securely. It is envisaged that this will create a sense of security in the mind of the child and as a consequence alleviate some of the fears of using a conventional toilet.