Collapsible portable commode

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a portable commode which is easily collapsed and packed for carrying or transport.

Prior portable commodes suffer from various short- ³⁰comings such as excessive volume or weight, complexity of construction, high cost, sanitary considerations, etc. A unit made in accordance with this invention is of light weight, and low cost, yet of sturdy construction and sanitary design. It is easily assembled for use and disassem- ³³bled to form a small package. The use of plastic bags having drawstrings provides a convenient odor-free, personal and hygienic means for disposal of waste matter. Further, the components of the unit preferably are made of materials which are readily flammable, whereby the entire unit may be burned when it is rendered unfit or unsanitary for further use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The commode comprises a collapsible tubular base, a ⁴⁵molded plastic seat, a reinforcing member and a removable bag provided with a drawstring. A groove of polygonal configuration is formed in the bottom surface of the seat and the base is expandable into a similar configuration, whereby the upper end of the base is insertable into the said groove to form an assemblage. The seat is provided with means about which the drawstring can be looped, thereby to retain the bag in the open position with the open end portion of the bag overlying a portion of -the top surface of the seat. In one embodiment of the invention, the closed end of the bag rests upon the reinforcing member positioned at the lower end of the base. However, the polygonal shape of the base, when expanded, has ample structural rigidity, whereby the reinforcing mem- θθ her may be removed after the base and seat are set up, so that the unit can be used directly over a slit trench, hole or pail.

An object of this invention is the provision of a portable commode which is collapsible for carrying and ₆₅easily set up for use.

An object of this invention is the provision of a portable commode comprising a seat having a polygonal groove formed in the lower surface thereof, a collapsible tubular base expandable into a similar polygonal γθ configuration, one end of the base being insertable into the said groove, thereby to form an assemblage.

An object of this invention is the provision of a portable, collapsible commode of simple and sturdy construction which commode comprises a collapsible base expandable to a polygonal cross-sectional configuration, a seat provided with a groove for receiving an end of the expanded base thereby to form an assemblage, and a pliable bag having a drawstring, which drawstring is attachable to the seat to retain the bag in the open position.

The above-stated and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description when taken with the accompanying drawings. It will be understood, however, that the drawings are for purposes of illustration and are not to be construed as defining the scope or limits of the invention, reference being had for the latter purpose to the claims appended hereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote like parts in the several views:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view showing the components of a commode made in accordance with one embodiment of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom plan view of the seat, drawn to an enlarged scale;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III—III of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an isometric view showing the assembled commode;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line V—V of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is an isometric view showing the commode in a partially-packed condition;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view showing a modification of the platform member;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view showing such member secured in place within the tubular base;

FIGURE 9 is a top plan view of a sub-base;

FIGURE 10 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XI—XI of FIGURE 9; and

FIGURE 12 corresponds to FIGURE 11 and shows the sub-base and the seat nested together for packaging.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, the commode made in accordance with one embodiment of this invention, comprises a base 10, seat 11, platform 12 and bag 13. The base may be made of plastic, or corrugated fiberboard scored, folded and stitched to form a reinforced column shape, when expanded. When made of fiberboard, the material is constructed of waterproof liners and a waterproof adhesive. In addition, both surfaces of the board are further treated with a vinyl resin-wax coating to provide a tough, flexible water-vapor and droplet barrier.. A plurality of vertical score lines are formed on the inside wall of the base, whereby the base can be expanded into a column of polygonal configuration having a predetermined number of side walls or panels. A flexible carrying handle 14 has ends passing through two holes formed in one of the panels.

The seat is molded of a foam plastic, such as polystyrene, and has a generally oval shape with integral legdes 15, 15' extending from opposite ends thereof, which ledges serve to provide an anchoring point around which the drawstring loops of a plastic bag may be attached, as will be described hereinbelow. The foam density of the material is selected to provide adequate compressive strength with low compressive deflection and low weight. The platform 12 is a rigid die-cut piece of plastic or corrugated board of the same waterproof and coated construction as described above for the base. As

3,484,875 will be described below, the platform is insertable into the base and, by virtue of its shape and position, will force the base to assume and retain a predetermined, expanded configuration. The bag 13 is made of an opaque polyethylene, or other film material, with a seamed hem and provided with a long-looped single drawstring 16 running through two sides of the hem.

As shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, a continuous groove 17, having a flared entrance opening, is formed in the lower surface of the seat 11 and circumscribing the seat opening 18. This groove has a polygonal configuration corresponding to that of the base 10, when expanded, and a minimum width corresponding to the thickness of the base walls. Thus, the upper end of the base is insertable into the groove, thereby to support the seat in a stable condition. Extending from the lower surface of the seat are four integral bosses 20-23 positioned at the ends of the ledges 15 and 15'. These bosses serve to retain the loops of the drawstring 16 spaced from the bottom surface of the seat when the pliable bag is attached to the seat.

The assembled unit is shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. The platform 12 is inserted into the upper end of the base and pressed downwardly until it rests upon the support formed by the inwardly-folded end portion 26 of the base. Such inwardly-folded construction increases the structural strength of the base and, also, results in a sealed base end which prevents moisture absorption, as when the base rests upon wet ground. Corresponding reference markings may be printed at the corners of the platform member 12 and the base, so that the user can establish a proper orientaiton of these parts when assembling them together. Because of its shape, the platform forces the base to assume the desired polygonal configuration, which configuration corresponds to that of the groove 17 formed in the bottom surface of the seat. The seat is then inserted into position by pressing the upper end of the base into the groove, thereby forming a sturdy, stable assemblage. The bag 13 is opened and inserted through the seat opening, from the top, and the loops of the drawstring 16 are passed around the ledges 15, 15' and over the bosses extending from the bottom surface of the seat. When so attached, the platform 12 serves to support the closed end of the bag, thereby to relieve any downward tension on the drawstring or the bag when filled. A portion of the open end of the bag partially overlies the top surface of the seat.

The loops of the drawstring pass around the seat ledges 15, 15' and are spaced from the lower, proximate surfaces of the ledges by the bosses 20-23, see FIGURES 2 and 3. Portions of the loops, therefore, are readily accessible to be grasped by ones fingers for dissengagement of the drawstring from the seat and removal of the bag. The drawstring also serves as a means for closing the removed bag.

The described commode is readily disassembled and packed for carrying or transport as shown in FIGURE 6. Here the base 10 has been collapsed to form a housing member having rectangular side openings. The seat 11, as well as the platform and a supply of bags, are inserted into the partially-collapsed base and the packed assembly is inserted into a pliable outer bag 34 having a flap 24 provided with an opening 25. The handle 14 passes through such opening when the flap is fastened to the body of the bag as by means of cooperating snap fasteners 27 and 28. The resulting package has a size of approximately 12¾ x 15¾ x 2 and the weight of the entire unit, whether set up or collapsed for carrying, is approximately one pound. Thus, it will be seen that the unit is convenient to carry and is adapted for use by military as well as civilian personnel. When a particular unit has been rendered unfit or unsani'ary for further use, it can easily be destroyed by burning as all of the materials are readily flammable in their normal state.

In the above-described embodiment of the invention, the platform 12 serves several functions; namely, (1) to expand the base into a polygonal configuration corresponding to that of the groove formed in the lower surface of the seat (thereby facilitating the insertion of the upper end of the base into the groove); (2) to reinforce the expanded base (thereby to prevent possible buckling of the base); and (3) to provide a platform for the support of the bag. However, the polygonal shape of the base results in a sturdy column having ample structural rigidity under conditions of normal use. Thus, after the unit has been set up, the platform 12 may be removed so that the unit can be used directly over a slit trench, hole or pail.

A modification of the platform member is shown in FIGURE 7. Here, the member 12' includes a tab 29. Otherwise, the member 12' has the same size and configuration as the member 12 shown in FIGURE 1. A score line is formed at the base of the tab, thereby to provide a hinge effect. As shown in FIGURE 8, the tab 29 is attached to the inner wall of the base 10, as by means of a suitable adhesive. In the collapsed condition of the base, the platform member 12' is folded upwardly to the position shown by the dotted lines. In order to expand the base, the member 12' is pressed into the position shown by the solid lines, in which position it rests upon the end of the inwardly-folded wall of the base. In this arrangement, the platform member 12' serves the same functions as those described with reference to the platform member 12 and, additionally, facilitates the expansion of the base into the polygonal configuration. In place of the integral tab 29, the platform member 12' may be secured in position within the tubular base by means of a relatively wide, thick piece of textile tape. Also, the platform member 12' and the tab 29 can be formed integrally with the base 10, appropriate score lines being provided so that the tab can be folded into the base, thereby to position the platform member at a desired level within the base and to provide the described hinge effect.

Reference now is made to FIGURES 9-11 wherein there is shown a rectangular sub-base 30 made of a suitable material, such as foam plastic, and having a flared groove 31 formed in the top surface thereof, said groove having the same polygonal configuration as the groove 17 formed in the bottom surface of the seat, see FIGURE 2. The central portion of the sub-base is of increased thickness forming a flat ridge 32, said ridge having an arcuate side wall 33.

The sub-base 30 may be used in place of the flat platform members 12 and 12' shown in FIGURES 5 and 8, respectively. The bottom end of the tubu'ar base in insertable into the groove 31, the width of the groove corresponding to that of the base wall to provide a press fit. When so assembled, the surface of the ridge 32 lies substantially in the same plane as the pla‘form 12 shown in FIGURE 5, thereby providing a support for the bottom of the bag. It is here pointed out that the. bottom end of the tubular base need not be folded inwardly, as above described, since there is no requirement for the interna¹ platform and the sub-base spaces the tubular base from wet ground. It will be apparent, also, that the sub-base may be a re’atively-thin wall member formed by vacuum molding, rather than the solid, relatively thick member as shown in the drawings.

The configuration of the ridge 32, formed in the subbase 30, corresponds to that of the wal’s defining the hole in the seat. Thus, these two members can be nested together for packaging, as shown in FIGURE 12.