COMBINATION COMMODE AND CHAIR
20220047128 · 2022-02-17
Inventors
- Robert Beale Van Varick (Yardley, PA, US)
- Donald Samuel Strum (Princeton, NJ, US)
- George Benjamin Wintner (Brooklyn, NY, US)
Cpc classification
International classification
Abstract
An illustrative commode is described to include a seat having an opening therein, a seat base connected with the seat and configured to allow the seat to move between an open position and a closed position, a leg assembly configured to support the seat base, where the leg assembly is configured to adjust a height of the seat base, and an armrest configured to at least partially rotate about the seat base and the leg assembly.
Claims
1. A commode, comprising: a seat comprising an opening therein; a seat base connected with the seat and configured to allow the seat to move between an open position and a closed position; a leg assembly configured to support the seat base, wherein the leg assembly is configured to adjust a height of the seat base; and an armrest configured to at least partially rotate about the seat base and the leg assembly.
2. The commode of claim 1, further comprising: a back tube connected with the leg assembly, wherein the back tube is configured to receive the armrest and provide a pivot point for the armrest.
3. The commode of claim 2, wherein the leg assembly comprises a first leg assembly and a second leg assembly, wherein the armrest comprises a first armrest and a second armrest, wherein the first armrest is configured to rest upon the first leg assembly and rotate around an outer side of the first leg assembly, and wherein the second armrest is configured to rest upon the second leg assembly and rotate around an outer side of the second leg assembly.
4. The commode of claim 2, further comprising: a backrest that is configured to interface with the seat base and is further configured to be supported by the back tube.
5. The commode of claim 1, wherein the seat base is connected with the seat by a hinge.
6. The commode of claim 1, further comprising: a splash guard that sits beneath the seat and within the seat base, wherein the splash guard is further configured to extend through the seat base.
7. The commode of claim 1, further comprising: a bucket that sits beneath the seat and within the seat base, wherein the bucket is further configured to extend through the seat base.
8. The commode of claim 8, wherein the bucket comprises a handle and wherein the handle comprises one or more indents that provide an ergonomic grip for the handle and that provide a point of hanging stabilization for the bucket when the bucket is hung from the handle.
9. The commode of claim 1, wherein the seat base comprises a cascading seat front that transitions downwardly from a plane that is substantially parallel with the seat when the seat is in the closed position.
10. A commode, comprising: a seat frame; a seat comprising an opening therein; a seat base supported on the seat frame and connected with the seat, the seat base configured to allow the seat to move between an open position and a closed position; a leg assembly configured to support the seat base, wherein the leg assembly is configured to adjust a height of the seat base; and an armrest configured to at least partially rotate about the seat base and the leg assembly.
11. The commode of claim 10, wherein the armrest is releasably secured to a receiver fixed to the seat frame by a trigger.
12. The commode of claim 11, wherein the receiver comprises an aperture and the trigger comprises a biased pin receivable in the aperture, and wherein the armrest is rotatable when the pin is not positioned in the aperture and the armrest is fixed when the pin is positioned in the aperture.
13. The commode of claim 12, wherein the trigger further comprises a knob, wherein the trigger is actuated when a force is applied to the knob to pull the knob away from the receiver, wherein when the force applied to the knob exceeds a biasing force, the pin is pulled away from the receiver.
14. The commode of claim 10, wherein the leg assembly comprises a leg having an inner tube slidable in an outer tube, a plurality of apertures disposed on the outer tube, and a biased pin coupled to the inner tube, and wherein the biased pin is configured to be received by one of the plurality of apertures to lock the inner tube to the outer tube.
15. The commode of claim 10, further comprising a lid connected to the seat base and movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the lid covers the seat when in the closed position.
16. The commode of claim 15, wherein the lid comprises a plurality of grips for increasing friction at an interface between the lid and the seat.
17. A commode, comprising: a seat frame comprising a first curved tube coupled to a second curved tube by at least one cross tube and a back tube coupled to the second curved tube by at least one lateral tube; at least one leg assembly comprising a leg having an adjustable height; a seat assembly supported by the seat frame and the at least one leg assembly, the seat assembly comprising a seat pivotably coupled to a seat base and a backrest; and at least one arm rest assembly supported by the seat frame, the at least one arm rest assembly comprising an arm rest frame pivotably coupled to the back tube and releasably securable to the first curved tube.
18. The commode of claim 17, wherein the backrest is configured to be removable from the seat frame, and wherein the backrest comprises at least one bracket to secure the backrest to the back tube and at least one fastener to secure the backrest to the second curved tube.
19. The commode of claim 17, further comprising a splash guard fitted within the seat base and under the seat.
20. The commode of claim 17, wherein the seat base comprises a seating surface and a front lip curving downward from the seating surface, the front lip configured to at least partially cover a view of a toilet fixture when the commode is fixed to a toilet fixture.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0059] Before any examples of the disclosure are explained, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The disclosure is capable of other examples and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.
[0060] Also, it will be appreciated that the claims of the instant application are not limited to the ornamental design of the various articles and examples shown in the accompanying figures. Moreover, the figures are not intended to illustrate the only available ornamental design of the various articles and examples described herein. As can be appreciated by a person having ordinary skill in the art, any number of alternative design options are available for the disclosed articles that could achieve the same functionality as described and/or claimed herein.
[0061] Further, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.
[0062] Referring now to
[0063] As shown in
[0064] The illustrative commodes 100 may be configured to operate in connection with a toilet fixture or to operate independently (e.g., without a toilet fixture). The illustrative commodes 100 described herein may also be configured to move between different operational positions, thereby enabling users the ability to more easily sit onto the commode 100, sit up from the commode 100, and/or clean themselves. The illustrative commodes 100 may also be provided with a design that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
[0065] The depicted commode 100 is shown to interface or work in conjunction with a toilet fixture, meaning that the commode 100 does not necessarily need to be permanently fixed with a waste bucket. Instead, the commode 100 may include a number of components that enable interoperability with a bowl of a toilet fixture. The commode 100 may be designed to interface with an elongated bowl or a circular bowl without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
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[0067] The seat frame 202 also comprises a back tube 218 coupled to the second curved tube 214 by a pair of curved lateral tubes 220. The back tube 218 may support the backrest 206 when the backrest 206 is in an upright position. The back tube 218 may also provide support for a user's back when a user leans against the backrest 206. The pair of curved lateral tubes 220 may connect the second curved tube 214 to the back tube 218 and create a gap between the second curved tube 214 and the back tube 218. The seat base 208 may extend at least partially into the gap between the second curved tube 214 and the back tube 218.
[0068] The seat frame 202 may be coupled at a first side to the first leg assembly 204A and at a second side to the second leg assembly 204B. It will be appreciated that in some examples the commode 100 may include one leg assembly, two leg assemblies, or more than two leg assemblies. In some examples, the first leg assembly 204A and the second leg assembly 204B are identical to each other. In other examples, the first leg assembly 204A may include fewer or more components than the second leg assembly 204B. In still other examples, one or more components of the first leg assembly 204A may differ in size, shape, or functionality than the second leg assembly 204B.
[0069] Each of the first leg assembly 204A and the second leg assembly 204B comprise a leg frame 226 having a first receptacle 230 and a second receptacle 232 for receiving the first curved tube 212 and the second curved tube 214. The leg frame 226 includes a planar portion and two extensions that bend at and extend from a first end and a second end of the planar portion, as will be described in more detail with respect to
[0070] The seat frame 202 and the leg assemblies 204A, 204B may provide the structure of the commode 100 that supports the weight of a user. In some examples, the seat frame 202 and the leg assemblies 204A, 204B may support a user of 350 lbs or more. While some components of the seat frame 202 and the leg assemblies 204A, 204B are described as a tube, it should be appreciated that the seat frame 202 and the leg assemblies 204A, 204B are not limited to using tube-shaped components. Rather, it should be appreciated that the components of the seat frame 202 and the leg assemblies 204A, 204B may be provided in any suitable shape or structural configuration (e.g., rectangular tube, beam, square tube, round tube, polygonal-shaped tube, solid bar, etc.). The particular shape of the components used for the seat frame 202 and the leg assemblies 204A, 204B may vary based on design preferences and/or structural requirements.
[0071] The commode 100 may also include a first arm rest assembly 236A and a second arm rest assembly 236B. It will be appreciated that in some examples, the commode 100 may include zero, one, or more than one arm rest assembly. Each of the first arm rest assembly 236A and the second arm rest assembly 236B may each include an arm rest frame 238 and an arm rest cover 240. The arm rest frame 238 may include an elongate portion for supporting an arm of a user and a lateral portion for coupling the arm rest frame 238 to a corresponding leg assembly 204A, 204B.
[0072] As illustrated, the commode 100 may also include a bucket 246, which will be described with respect to
[0073] Turning to
[0074] As shown, the lid 210 and the seat 205 are each pivotable at a pair of hinges 304 between a first position (e.g., a closed position) and a second position (e.g., an open position). The lid 210 may cover an opening 322 when in the first position (shown in
[0075] The seat 205 and the seat base 208 are shown and described in a particular configuration (or shown to have a particular configuration or shape), however, it should be appreciated that this is one of many possible configurations or shapes. The seat 205 may include a top sitting surface that is substantially flush with a top of the seat base 208 when in the first or closed position, creating an appearance of a unitary sitting surface when the seat 205 is closed. The lid 210 may then rest on the seat 205 and/or on the seat base 208. The seat base 208 may also comprise a cascading seat front that transitions downwardly from a plane that is substantially parallel with the seat 205 when the seat 205 is in the closed position.
[0076] The lid 210 is shown and described below in a particular configuration (or shown to have a particular configuration or shape), however, it should be appreciated that this is one of many possible configurations or shapes. The lid 210 may completely cover the seat 205 when the lid 210 and seat 205 are both in the first, or closed, position. As will be discussed further herein, the lid 210, when in an open, or second, position, may be configured to rest against a tank of the toilet fixture, against the backrest 206, or against the back tube 218. The seat 205 may rest against the lid 210 in an open, or second, position. Alternatively or additionally, the lid 210 may be removed from the commode 100 such that the seat 205, when in an open, or second, position, may be configured to rest against a tank of a toilet fixture, against the backrest 206, or against the back tube 218.
[0077] The lid 210 may include a plurality of seat grips 306 for improving an interface between the lid 210 and the seat 205 when the lid 210 is in the first or closed position. The seat grips 306 may prevent the lid 210 from moving or slipping on the seat 205 when the commode 100 is used, for example, as a chair and the lid 210 is used as a seating surface. The seat grips 306 may protrude or extend from the lid 210. In other instances, the seat grips 306 may be substantially in-line with the lid 210. The seat grips 306 may include one or multiple non-slip pads of material that grip and maintain placement on a hard plastic surface. The seat grips 306 may be constructed of silicone and/or Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPE). In some examples, the seat grips 306 may be integral or co-molded with lid 210.
[0078] Turning to
[0079] The backrest 206 is shown and described below in a particular configuration (or shown to have a particular configuration or shape), however, it should be appreciated that this is one of many possible configurations or shapes. The backrest 206, as shown in
[0080] When the backrest 206 is installed onto the seat frame, the brackets 404 may be pushed onto the back tube 218. The bracket 404 may bend, or flex, outwardly when the bracket 404 is pushed onto the back tube 218 and snap back over the back tube 218 when the back tube 218 is disposed in the bracket 404. The one or more fasteners 408 may then be fastened to the second curved tube 214, thereby securing the backrest 206 to the seat frame 202. Conversely, when the backrest 206 is removed from the seat frame 202, the one or more fasteners 408 may be unfastened from the second curved tube 214. The brackets 404 may also be removed from the back tube 218. The bracket 404 may bend outwardly when the bracket 404 is pulled off of the back tube 218 until the back tube 218 is no longer within the bracket 404. Easy removal and installation of the backrest 206 may provide for easy cleaning of the backrest 206 or simple removal of the backrest 206 when the backrest 206 is not desired.
[0081] Turning to
[0082] As shown, the first arm rest assembly 236A and the second arm rest assembly 236B each pivotably connect to the back tube 218 at a pivot point 500. The back tube 218 may provide pivot points 500 for each armrest assembly 236A, 236B. Specifically, but without limitation, each armrest assembly 236A, 236B may be provided with an armrest interface 510, which provides a physical connection between the armrest assembly 236A, 236B and the back tube 218. In some examples, the armrest interface 510 may be an integral part of the armrest assembly 236A, 236B. In other examples, the armrest interface 510 may be an integral part of the back tube 218. In yet other examples, the armrest interface 510 may correspond to a number of components in both the armrest assembly 236A, 236B and back tube 218 that cooperate with one another to connect the armrest assembly 236A, 236B to the back tube 218 and to provide the armrest pivot point 500.
[0083] Each of first arm rest assembly 236A and the second arm rest assembly 236B comprises a trigger 502 that releasably secures an end 506 of the arm rest frame 238 to a receiver 504 coupled to each of the leg assemblies 204A, 204B. When the trigger 502 is actuated, the arm rest frame 238 is released from the receiver 504 and is free to rotate or pivot (e.g., about an axis of the back tube, etc.).
[0084] Turning to
[0085] Turning to
[0086] The trigger 502 includes a knob 706, a housing 700, a pin 702 and a spring 704 disposed in the housing 700. The spring 704 exerts a biasing force onto the pin 702 to bias the pin 702 away from the knob 706. The pin 702 extends through an aperture 708 disposed on the arm rest frame 238 and an aperture 710 disposed on the receiver 504. When the pin 702 is disposed in the aperture 710, the arm rest frame 238 is locked to the seat frame 202 and rotation of the arm rest frame 238 is restricted. During actuation of the trigger 502, the knob 706 is pulled away from the receiver 504 and the force applied to pull the knob 706 overcomes the biasing force on the pin 702. When the biasing force on the pin 702 is exceeded by the force applied to the knob 706, the pin 702 is also pulled away from the receiver 504 until the pin 702 is not disposed in the aperture 710. When the pin 702 is not disposed in the aperture 710, the arm rest frame 238 is free to pivot. To reinsert the pin 702 into the aperture 710, the pin 702 is simply aligned with the aperture 710. The pin 702 will be moved by the biasing force into the aperture 710 when the applied force is removed.
[0087] Turning to
[0088] Turning to
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[0090] The same receptacle in the seat base 208 that receives the splash guard 224 may also be configured to receive the bucket 246. When operating independently, the commode 100 may be fitted with the bucket 246 rather than the splash guard 224. The bucket 246 may provide a basin for catching and holding fluid or the like if the commode 100 is not positioned over a toilet fixture 204. The bucket 246 may also include a handle 1100 that lies substantially flush with the top surface of the bucket 246 when situated within the seat base 208. The handle 1100 may then be used to lift the bucket 246 out of the commode 100. In some examples, the handle 1100 may include a number of indents 1102 and/or undulations that provide an ergonomic grip for the handle 1100 and that provide a point of hanging stabilization for the bucket 246 when the bucket 246 is hung from the handle 1100. For instance, when cleaning the bucket 246, it may be desirable to hang the bucket 246 from the handle 1100 over a sink faucet. The indents 1102 may be situated such that one of the indents 1102 is centered at the highest point of the bucket 246, thereby stabilizing the bucket 246 in a hanging position.
[0091] Turning to
[0092] An armrest interface 1206 may enable the armrest 1202 to move relative to the leg assemblies 1204. In some examples, an armrest 1202 may be configured to slidably interface 1208 with a back tube 1210 at a pivot point 1214 and also move in a downward rotation 1212 relative to the leg assembly 1204 at the pivot point 1214. Both armrests 1202 may interface with the back tube 1210 at different pivot points 1214, but both pivot points 1214 may reside on a common axis of rotation, which passes through the central axis of the back tube 1210.
[0093] Turning to
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[0095] As should be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described herein in any of a number of patentable classes or context including any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof
[0096] The phrases “at least one,” “one or more,” and “and/or” are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B and C,” “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, or C,” and “A, B, and/or C” means A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B and C together. When each one of A, B, and C in the above expressions refers to an element, such as X, Y, and Z, or class of elements, such as X.sub.1-X.sub.n, Y.sub.1-Y.sub.m, and Z.sub.1-Z.sub.o, the phrase is intended to refer to a single element selected from X, Y, and Z, a combination of elements selected from the same class (e.g., X.sub.1 and X.sub.2) as well as a combination of elements selected from two or more classes (e.g., Y.sub.1 and Z.sub.o).
[0097] The term “a” or “an” entity refers to one or more of that entity. As such, the terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more” and “at least one” can be used interchangeably herein. It is also to be noted that the terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” can be used interchangeably.
[0098] It should be understood that every maximum numerical limitation given throughout this disclosure is deemed to include each and every lower numerical limitation as an alternative, as if such lower numerical limitations were expressly written herein. Every minimum numerical limitation given throughout this disclosure is deemed to include each and every higher numerical limitation as an alternative, as if such higher numerical limitations were expressly written herein. Every numerical range given throughout this disclosure is deemed to include each and every narrower numerical range that falls within such broader numerical range, as if such narrower numerical ranges were all expressly written herein.
[0099] A number of implementations have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that additional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the inventive concepts described herein, and, accordingly, other examples are within the scope of the following claims.