Child's potty

Abstract

 A portable child's potty is embodied in a carrying case having a base portion and an openable and closable lid (14), a receptacle bowl (26) with peripheral storage compartments (27,28,29), and a seat portion (20) movable between lowered and raised positions. The bowl (26) is preferably used with a disposable liner bag, the lowered seat portion holding the bag in place.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to an improved child's potty.

[0002] Potties for use by small children suffer from two particular disadvantages. The first is that they are not usually easily portable, and therefore are not appropriate for travel. The second concerns the disposal of the contents of the potty after use by the child, which again is a particular problem when travelling.

[0003] It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved child's potty which overcomes or at least substantially reduces these problems and which also has additional benefits not found with conventional potties.

[0004] In accordance with the present invention there is provided a portable child's potty comprising a carrying case having a base portion and an openable and closable lid, a receptacle zone within the base portion, and a seat portion movable between a lowered position, for use, in which the seat portion overlies the base portion and a raised position which permits access to the interior of the base portion.

[0005] Preferably, the base portion defines a receptacle bowl and peripheral compartments for storage purposes.

[0006] Preferably, the potty is designed to be used with a disposable liner bag which is adapted to be fitted into the receptacle zone within the base portion and which can be secured in place by the seat portion when the latter is in its lowered position.

[0007] The embodiment of the potty as a carrying case gives improved portability, and the addition, in the preferred embodiment, of storage compartments within the case enables one to transport spare liner bags, tissues, wipes, etc. conveniently within the one unit. The portable unit also has good stability, particularly if the carrying case is formed as a box-shaped structure.

[0008] In order that the invention may be more fully understood, one presently preferred embodiment of portable child's potty in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows the portable unit with the carrying case closed;

Fig. 2 shows the unit with the lid open;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line III-­III in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view of the unit with the lid open and with the seat raised; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line V-­V in Fig. 4.

[0009] Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a portable carrying case, indicated generally at 10, which comprises a base portion 12 and a lid 14 which can be opened and closed. The lid 14 is held closed by a suitable catch or fastener 16 and the base portion 12 is fitted with a carrying handle 18.

[0010] In Fig. 2 the carrying case is shown with the lid 14 open. The lid 14 is hinged to the base portion 12. A seat portion 20 is also hingedly connected along one edge to the base portion 12, in practice to the edge of the base portion which lies opposite the carrying handle 18. The seat portion 20 is provided with a central hole 22. At the front side of the hole 22 the seat portion is raised to form a splashguard, and to the rear of the hole 22 the seat portion is raised to provide support for the child using the seat. On the underside of the seat portion 20 are provided reinforcing ribs 24, extending for example from the zone defining the hole 22 to the four corners.

[0011] The base portion 12 of the case incorporates a bowl portion 26 with storage compartments 27, 28 and 29 positioned around it. The bowl 26 and storage compartments can be formed for example by a suitable moulding, either as part of the base portion 12 or as a component which can be fitted into the base. It will be appreciated that the number and size of the storage compartments is a matter of choice. The receptacle bowl 26 is designed to be used with a disposable plastics liner bag 30. As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the disposable liner bag 30 is positioned so that the upper edge of the bag is held in place when the seat 20 is lowered into position for use. Then, after use, the seat 20 can be raised and the bag can be closed, sealed and removed. After being sealed, the bag 30 can be placed within one of the storage compartments or in the bowl for disposal at a later date, which again is a benefit when travelling.

[0012] In one alternative embodiment of the invention, the disposable liner bag 30 can be used without an actual bowl, although the provision of a bowl is preferred. In this alternative embodiment the bag would simply be held or secured between the seat and a support ring positioned within the base of the carrying case, with the bag hanging freely from the support ring.

[0013] Although the portable unit of the present invention can be made of any suitable materials, it is preferably made of plastics material, for example by moulding. By virtue of its shape and construction the portable unit of the present invention is also usable, when closed, as a step-up stool.

Claims

1. A portable child's potty comprising a carrying case having a base portion (12) and an openable and closable lid (14), a receptacle zone (26) within the base portion, and a seat portion (20) movable between a lowered position, for use, in which the seat portion overlies the base portion and a raised position which permits access to the interior of the base portion.

2. A potty as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the base portion (12) defines a receptacle bowl (26) and peripheral compartments (27,28,29).

3. A potty as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the base portion (12) is fitted with means defining a support ring from which a bag (30) can be suspended.

4. A potty as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that a disposable bag (30) is adapted to be fitted into the receptacle zone (26) within the base portion and is held in place by the seat portion (20)in its lowered position.

5. A potty as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the lid (14) is hinged to the base portion (12) and is pivotable through substantially 180°, and the seat portion (20) is hinged to the base portion (12) and is pivotable through substantially 90°.

6. A potty as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the bowl (26) and peripheral compartments (27,28,29) are formed as a one-piece component arranged to be fitted into the base portion (12).

7. A potty as claimed in any preceding claim, moulded from plastics material.

Drawing