TOILET BOWL ADAPTER

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates generally to a toilet and more particularly is concerned with a toilet adapter which allows a conventional toilet to be used by a small child with a fair degree of safety, and which can be used in a dry toilet arrangement in which urine (generally referred to hereinafter as "liquid waste") and faeces or excrement (generally referred to hereinafter as "solid waste"), can be separated.

[0002] In many regions toilets are used without water flushing and sewerage connections. A mixture of liquid and solid waste under these conditions leads to the generation of ammonium and hydrogen sulphide which have unpleasant odours.

The decomposition of the mixture to a point at which it is suitable for further handling or disposal is retarded. To address these factors it is desirable to separate the liquid waste from the solid waste at the time the toilet is used by a person.

[0003] A different factor which, nonetheless, is related to the aforegoing is that, again in areas where there are inadequate supplies of water for use for the flushing of toilets, pit latrines are resorted to. Generally these toilets are constructed for use by adults and, from that point of view, are satisfactory. However a pit latrine can present a danger to a small child who uses the latrine without an adult in attendance for it is possible for the child to fall through the toilet pan or bowl into the latrine, with tragic results.

[0004] The invention is concerned primarily with an adapter which, at least partly, allows the aforementioned problems to be addressed.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0005] The invention provides an adapter for use with a toilet bowl which includes a body which, in use, is located at least partly on a rim of the bowl, an opening through the body, and at least one formation on or in the body which restricts lateral movement of the body relatively to the bowl.

[0006] The body may have a lower side and an upper side and the restricting formation may include a rib which projects from the lower side. Preferably the rib extends continuously around the opening.

[0007] The rib may follow a generally oval path. A transition region between the rib and a remainder of the body is preferably smoothly curved.

[0008] The opening may be of any suitable shape and size but preferably is generally oval and has an area which is smaller than an area circumscribed by the rim of the bowl. This reduces the possibility of a small child being able to pass through the opening. On the other hand the opening should not be so small that it makes use of the adapter awkward or difficult.

[0009] The body may have a flat, planar, peripheral border.

[0010] In plan the opening may have a front end and a rear end and the body may include upwardly extending support structure at least at the rear end. The support structure preferably comprises a formation which extends upwardly to an increasing extent from locations which are respectively on each of two opposed sides of the opening between the front end and the rear end to a junction which is at the rear end.

[0011] The body, at a front end of the opening, may include a raised bulbous formation with a mouth which faces generally towards the opening.

[0012] The adapter may include a separator which is integrally formed with the body, or which is separately formed therefrom and which is detachably engagable with the body, according to requirement.

[0013] Preferably the separator includes a receptacle which is shaped to fit closely inside the opening at a front end of the opening and which faces upwardly in use, a liquid waste discharge formation in the receptacle, and a partition which extends downwardly and which, in use, divides at least part of the toilet bowl into a liquid waste collecting zone and a solid waste collecting zone.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The invention is further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 illustrates in perspective an adapter according to the invention which is fully assembled;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the adapter which can, if required, be used on its own;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a separator which is included in the adapter;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the separator; Figure 5 is a side view of the adapter engaged with a toilet bowl in a pit latrine; and;

Figure 6 is a side view of the adapter portion shown in Figure 2 engaged with a flushing toilet bowl.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0015] Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings illustrates in perspective an adapter 10 which includes a body 12 and a separator 14. The body 12 is shown in perspective in Figure 2. The separator 14 is shown in perspective in Figure 3 and in plan in Figure 4.

[0016] The body 12 and the separator 14 are, in this example of the invention, formed separately. In each case use is made of a suitable injection moulding process. A suitable plastics material is employed taking into account wear resistance, hygiene requirements and the like.

[0017] The body 12 includes a flat planar peripheral border 16 and an opening 18 which is more or less oval when viewed in plan. A raised support 20 extends upwardly from the border 16 around a rear end 22 of the opening. A raised bulbous formation 24 is located at a front end 26 of the opening which opposes the rear end 22.

[0018] The raised formation 20 acts as supporting structure and, in plan, generally follows the contours of part of the opening 18. The formation extends upwardly to an increasing extent from locations 28 and 30 which oppose each other and which are respectively located on each of two opposed sides of the opening between the front end and the rear end.

[0019] At a junction 32 between the locations 28 and 30 and adjacent the rear end

22, the formation 20 is generally of maximum dimensions in a direction away from the border 16.

[0020] Figure 5 depicts the assembled adapter 10, from the side, placed on a toilet bowl 34 which is indicated in dotted outline and which is installed in a pit latrine (not illustrated). From this drawing it can be seen that a locating and restraining rib 36 extends from an underside 38 of the border 16. The rib is continuous and lies on a generally oval path which encloses the opening 18. The rib is formed with a number of openings 40 at a junction between the rib and the border 16.

[0021] Figure 2 shows that a transition region 42 between an upper surface of the body and an outer surface of the rib which faces the opening 18, is smooth and continuous. This is an important factor for cleanliness and ease of use.

[0022] The separator 14 is integrally moulded and includes a receptacle 50 which faces upwardly, a partition 52 which bounds one side of the receptacle and which extends downwardly to substantial extent, and a discharge formation 54 at a lowermost region of the receptacle which is covered at an entry point with a grid or mesh 56. Three small hook-like projections 58 are on an outer surface of the receptacle.

[0023] The body 12 and the separator 14 can be connected to each other - see Figure 1. This is done by engaging the projections 58 with corresponding openings 40 in the body. A front surface 60 of the separator is contoured and shaped to fit smoothly and closely with an underside of the body so that, as is evident particularly from Figure 1 , the formation of an upwardly facing gap between opposed surfaces of the body and separator is avoided. This is desirable from the hygienic and cleanliness points of view.

[0024] The adapter is usable together with a dry toilet bowl 32 generally in the manner shown in Figure 5. The flat peripheral border 16 rests on a rim 62 of the toilet bowl and the rib 36 extends inwardly. A person when seating himself on the adapter may tend to move the adapter sideways to some extent. However in most instances the degree of lateral movement will be restricted when the rib comes into contact with an opposing surface of the toilet bowl. The adapter is thus effectively held in position on top of the rim 62. The opening 18 in the body 12 has a reduced area compared to the area bounded by the rim 62 and it thus reduces the likelihood that a small child can fall through the opening. The formation 24 helps a child, in particular, to be seated correctly on the adapter.

[0025] Figure 6 shows the body 12, without the separator 14, mounted on a conventional toilet 66 which is connected to a waterborne sewerage system 68. The body forms a relatively small seat which is suited for used by a small child and thus assists in the safe usage by the child of the toilet.

[0026] When the adapter is used in a dry toilet system a person seated on the adapter will naturally deliver liquid waste to the receptacle 50 and solid waste into the portion of the opening between the partition 52 and the rear end 22 of the opening. The solid waste is collected in a container below the toilet while the liquid waste is directed via the discharge formation 54, to a suitable conduit (not shown) for collection and treatment in an appropriate manner.