U.S. patent application number 14/712914 was filed with the patent office on 2015-11-19 for inflatable toilet footrest and method of use.
The applicant listed for this patent is Judy M. Edwards, Robert W. Edwards. Invention is credited to Judy M. Edwards, Robert W. Edwards.
Application Number | 20150327740 14/712914 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 54537521 |
Filed Date | 2015-11-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150327740 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Edwards; Robert W. ; et
al. |
November 19, 2015 |
INFLATABLE TOILET FOOTREST AND METHOD OF USE
Abstract
The present disclosure is directed to inflatable toilet
footrests while using a toilet. In one embodiment, an inflatable
toilet footrest comprises a foot surface having a back concave
curvature sized so as to conform to a toilet, a sidewall extending
downwardly from the foot surface creating an airtight seal with the
foot surface, a bottom portion connected to and creating an
airtight seal with the sidewall, and an air valve.
Inventors: |
Edwards; Robert W.; (St.
George, UT) ; Edwards; Judy M.; (St. George,
UT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Edwards; Robert W.
Edwards; Judy M. |
St. George
St. George |
UT
UT |
US
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
54537521 |
Appl. No.: |
14/712914 |
Filed: |
May 15, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61993997 |
May 15, 2014 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
4/254 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47K 17/028 20130101;
A47K 17/02 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47K 17/02 20060101
A47K017/02 |
Claims
1. An inflatable toilet footrest, comprising: a foot surface; a
sidewall extending downwardly from the foot surface creating an
airtight seal with the foot surface; a bottom portion connected to,
and creating an airtight seal with, the sidewall; and an air
valve.
2. The inflatable toilet footrest of claim 1, wherein the foot
surface comprises a back concave curvature.
3. The inflatable toilet footrest of claim 2, wherein the concave
curvature conforms to the shape of a toilet.
4. The inflatable toilet footrest of claim 1, further comprising
feet on the bottom portion.
5. The inflatable toilet footrest of claim 1, further comprising a
rigid foot surface portion and a rigid bottom portion.
6. The inflatable toilet footrest of claim 5, further comprising
snaps, straps, or hooks and loops.
7. The inflatable toilet footrest of claim 1, wherein the sidewall
is angled to create an angled foot surface.
8. An inflatable squatting system, comprising: two inflatable
toilet footrests, wherein each inflatable toilet footrest is sized
to accommodate a person's foot.
9. The inflatable squatting system of claim 8, wherein each
inflatable toilet footrest has an angled foot surface.
10. A method of using an inflatable toilet footrest for squatting
on a toilet, comprising: inflating a toilet footrest; placing the
toilet footrest at the base of a toilet; and sitting on the toilet
and raising one's legs to rest on the toilet footrest, creating a
squatting position.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application Ser. No. 61/993,997, filed on May 15, 2014, which is
incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates to footrests. More
specifically, the present disclosure relates to portable,
inflatable toilet footrests for use while sitting on a toilet.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Humans can perform defecation in different postures; the two
most common are squatting or sitting positions. The squatting
posture is usually used when using a squat toilet (mainly a feature
of the developing world), or when toilets are unavailable. The
sitting posture during defecation is a standard posture seen in the
western world because western-style toilets usually require a
sitting position with the back erect and the knees away from the
chest in about a ninety-degree angle.
[0004] The anorectal angle, which is the angle formed in the colon
where the puborectalis muscle wraps around the rectum, is a very
important factor in maintaining continence. The sitting posture
common to western-style toilets causes a narrowing of the anorectal
angle and prevents the puborectalis muscle from relaxing, which may
cause difficulty in emptying the bowels.
[0005] Additionally, the sitting position may cause the person to
repeat the Valsalva maneuver, i.e., exhalation against a closed
airway to increase internal pressure, holding his breath to
increase internal pressure, which can lead to syncope. A sitting
posture may increase issues related to weakness in the colon wall
because of the increased straining needed to defecate.
[0006] In contrast, the squatting defecation posture involves
squatting by standing with the knees and hips sharply bent and the
buttocks suspended near the ground. By using the squatting
defecation posture, the anorectal angle is increased which allows
the puborectalis muscle to fully relax which aids defecation by
reducing the amount of effort needed to empty the bowels.
[0007] The advantages of the squatting position may be obtained
when using western-style toilets in conjunction with an inflatable
toilet footrest. Footrests help raise the knees toward the chest
and help to lessen the normal sitting angle of about ninety-degrees
to much less. As the feet are raised, the puborectalis muscle
relaxes, the colon aligns allowing gravity to aid evacuation, and
the required expulsive effort lessens. As such, several footrests
exist in the art that are aimed at allowing a human to achieve a
better anorectal angle while sitting on a toilet.
[0008] However, it is often unpractical for a user to take a toilet
stool while traveling due to the size and/or weight of the toilet
stool. As such, there remains a need for a toilet stool that is
easily transportable so that a user may travel (e.g., vacation)
with a toilet stool and that is compact for easy storage, and that
can adjust to different heights. The present invention seeks to
solve these and other problems.
SUMMARY OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS
[0009] The present disclosure is directed to inflatable toilet
footrests while using a toilet. In one embodiment, an inflatable
toilet footrest comprises a foot surface having a back concave
curvature sized so as to conform to a toilet, a sidewall extending
downwardly from the foot surface creating an airtight seal with the
foot surface, a bottom portion connected to and creating an
airtight seal with the sidewall, and an air valve.
[0010] In another embodiment, an inflatable toilet footrest may
take a variety of shapes and sizes, and may comprise more than one
piece, such as a two independent inflatable toilet footrests that
create a squatting system.
[0011] In yet another embodiment, an inflatable toilet footrest may
be made from both rigid and flexible materials. For example, the
foot portion and/or floor portion may be made from rigid materials,
while the remaining portions remain flexible.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an inflatable toilet
footrest;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a top view of an inflatable toilet footrest;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a back elevation view of an inflatable toilet
footrest;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of an inflatable toilet
footrest;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of an inflatable toilet
footrest showing an inflation/deflation valve; and
[0017] FIG. 6 is a bottom view of an inflatable toilet
footrest.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS
[0018] The following descriptions depict only example embodiments
and are not to be considered limiting of its scope. Any reference
herein to "the invention" is not intended to restrict or limit the
invention to exact features or steps of any one or more of the
exemplary embodiments disclosed in the present specification.
References to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," "various
embodiments," and the like, may indicate that the embodiment(s) so
described may include a particular feature, structure, or
characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes the
particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Further, repeated
use of the phrase "in one embodiment," or "in an embodiment," do
not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although they
may.
[0019] Reference to the drawings is done throughout the disclosure
using various numbers. The numbers used are for the convenience of
the drafter only and the absence of numbers in an apparent sequence
should not be considered limiting and does not imply that
additional parts of that particular embodiment exist. Numbering
patterns from one embodiment to the other need not imply that each
embodiment has similar parts, although it may.
[0020] Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant
to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the
invention, which is to be given the full breadth of the appended
claims and any and all equivalents thereof. Although specific terms
are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive
sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Unless otherwise
expressly defined herein, such terms are intended to be given their
broad, ordinary, and customary meaning not inconsistent with that
applicable in the relevant industry and without restriction to any
specific embodiment hereinafter described. As used herein, the
article "a" is intended to include one or more items. When used
herein to join a list of items, the term "or" denotes at least one
of the items, but does not exclude a plurality of items of the
list. For exemplary methods or processes, the sequence and/or
arrangement of steps described herein are illustrative and not
restrictive.
[0021] It should be understood that the steps of any such processes
or methods are not limited to being carried out in any particular
sequence, arrangement, or with any particular graphics or
interface. Indeed, the steps of the disclosed processes or methods
generally may be carried out in various different sequences and
arrangements while still falling within the scope of the present
invention.
[0022] The present disclosure is directed to inflatable toilet
footrests for use in the bathroom, restroom, or other room with a
toilet or where defecation occurs. As generally illustrated in
FIGS. 1-6, an inflatable toilet footrest 100 comprises a foot
surface 102, a sidewall 104 extending downward therefrom and
creating an airtight seal around the entire circumference of the
foot surface 102 and also connected to a bottom portion 106, which
creates a hollow airtight interior chamber between the foot surface
102 and bottom portion 106, and a valve 108. The airtight seal may
be accomplished using a variety of known techniques, such as
plastic welding, adhesive bonding, or equivalent. The valve 108 is
used to inflate and deflate the inflatable toilet footrest 100,
which adds to the portability of the inflatable toilet footrest
100. For example, the inflatable toilet footrest 100 may be
deflated, folded, and easily transported, allowing a user to take
their toilet footrest virtually anywhere they travel. In one
embodiment, the inflatable toilet footrest 100 has a contoured
front-side 110 (which may be created by using additional seams or
sidewall shapes) and back-side (toilet-side) concave curvature 112
to aid the placement of the inflatable toilet footrest 100 at the
base of a toilet. As such, minimal space is required when inflated
and it further accommodates a variety of foot positions for users.
For example, some users may prefer to have their feet closer to the
sides of the toilet, while others may prefer their feet to be
directly in front of the toilet. Back-side concave curvature 112
may also vary in size and need not wrap-around the base of the
toilet. Although shown with front-side contour 110 and back-side
concave curvature 112, such features are not required and the
inflatable toilet footrest 100 may take other shapes. Inflatable
toilet footrest 100 may be made from a variety of easily inflatable
materials, such as vinyl, rubbers, silicones, plastics, and other
materials that allow for shape, air retention, and durability. The
inflatable toilet footrest 100 may also contain a bladder, but it
is not required. Further the valve 108 may also be of many
varieties known to those in the art, such as a standard gate valve
for use with a pump (such as an electric pump, hand pump, or foot
pump) or a user's mouth, or may also include a built-in hand pump
or any other equivalent means for inflating the inflatable toilet
footrest 100.
[0023] FIG. 2 shows a top view of an inflatable toilet footrest
100. As shown, the back-side concave curvature 112 allows the stool
to conform to the shape of a standard toilet, minimizing the space
required to use the inflatable toilet footrest by allowing the
stool to wrap around the sides of the toilet. This also allows the
inflatable toilet footrest to be stored against the toilet when not
in use without interfering with overall bathroom space. Back-side
concave curvature 112 allows users to place their feet on enlarged
ends 114, 116 or on the middle section 118. This allows the
inflatable toilet footrest 100 to adapt to a variety of users and
their preferences.
[0024] FIG. 3 illustrates a back view of an inflatable toilet
footrest.
[0025] FIG. 4 illustrates a front view of an inflatable toilet
footrest 100 with valve 108 and FIG. 5 illustrates a side view.
While the inflatable toilet footrest 100 is generally illustrated
as having top sidewall portion 120 and bottom sidewall portion 122,
both of which are equal in size, it will be appreciated that only
one portion is required and that multiple portions are not required
to be the same size. Further, while foot surface 102 is generally
shown as parallel to the surface on which the inflatable toilet
footrest 100 sits, the one or more sidewall portions 120, 122 may
be sized differently at one end in relation to the other (i.e.,
front and back ends, respectively), creating an angled surface for
a user to place their feet. In other words, foot surface 102 may
tilt forward (angle downward away from the toilet) or backward
(angled towards a user on a toilet). Having an angled foot surface
is beneficial for relieving stress and/or tension on the shins and
other areas of the legs while squatting.
[0026] FIG. 6 is a bottom view of inflatable toilet footrest 100.
While not illustrated, inflatable toilet footrest 100 may comprise
feet that not only help the inflatable toilet footrest 100 from
slipping on a floor surface, but also help minimize the contact
with a floor that is in the direct vicinity of a toilet, helping to
keep the inflatable toilet footrest 100 cleaner. Further, in one
embodiment, the inflatable toilet footrest may also have non-slip
surfaces and/or raised surfaces.
[0027] In another embodiment, not illustrated, a squatting system
comprises at least two inflatable toilet footrests, sized so as to
accommodate at least one standard human foot each. This allows a
user to place the inflatable toilet footrests at any desired
location, allowing complete customization for a user's squatting
and elimination experience. For example, one user may desire to
have the feet spread far apart and on the sides of a toilet, while
another may prefer to keep the feet closer together in front of a
toilet. Each user may place the individual footrests where desired.
The inflatable toilet footrests are constructed similarly to other
embodiments, comprising at least inflatable materials and a valve
for inflation/deflation.
[0028] In yet another embodiment, not illustrated, an inflatable
toilet footrest may comprise both rigid and non-rigid portions. For
example, a foot surface portion may be rigid so as so provide
greater stability to a user. The bottom/floor portion may also be
rigid, allowing for a steady contact surface. This may also be
beneficial when the footrest is deflated, allowing the two rigid
portions to come together and protect the inflatable portion. The
rigid portions may further have straps, hooks, latches, or other
similar means for coupling them one with another for protecting the
inflatable portion therein and for easy transportation. The rigid
portions may be made from any suitable material, such as rigid
plastics, carbon fibers, metals, etc. The inflatable portion may be
permanently affixed to the rigid portions, or may by removably
attachable, such as by using snaps, hooks and loops (e.g.,
Velcro.RTM.), or any other suitable means.
[0029] A method of using an inflatable toilet footrest may comprise
a user inflating the inflatable toilet footrest, placing it at the
front base of the toilet so that it wraps around the base of the
toilet, sitting on the toilet, lifting the legs and resting the
user's feet on the inflatable toilet footrest, which raises the
knees closer to the chest, aligns the colon, and aids in the
expulsion/elimination process.
[0030] When using a squatting system, a user may inflate both
footrests, place each of them in the desired location, and, while
sitting on the toilet, rest their feet on the footrests
respectively.
[0031] It will be appreciated that the shape of the inflatable
toilet footrest may be altered in order to better conform to the
person using the inflatable toilet footrest as well as the toilet
size, shape, height, or other variations common to toilets.
[0032] While the forgoing examples are illustrative of the
principles of the present invention in one or more particular
applications, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the
art that numerous modifications in form, usage and details of
implementation can be made without the exercise of inventive
faculty, and without departing from the principles and concepts of
the invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention
be limited, except as by the claims set forth below.
* * * * *