Toilet Splash Shield Apparatus

Abstract

A toilet splash shield apparatus for preventing the splashing of urine includes a pair of shields comprising a left shield and a right shield. Each shield comprises a lower connector strip having a lower top side, a lower bottom side, a lower outer edge, a lower inner edge, a lower front edge, and a lower back edge. An upper connector strip has an upper top side, an upper bottom side, an upper outer edge, an upper inner edge, an upper front edge, and an upper back. A plurality of lower engagement members is coupled to the lower connector strip to selectively engage a rim of a toilet. A plurality of upper engagement members is coupled to the upper connector strip to selectively engage a seat underside of a seat of the toilet. A shield body is coupled to the lower connector strip and the upper connector strip and is foldable.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not Applicable

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

[0003] Not Applicable

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM.

[0004] Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

[0005] Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

[0006] The disclosure relates to toilet bowl accessory devices and more particularly pertains to a new toilet bowl accessory device for preventing the splashing of urine. The present device includes a pair of foldable mesh shields and a plurality of suction cups to engage the toilet bowl and seat.

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

[0007] The prior art relates to toilet bowl accessory devices. Known devices typically include a single piece attachment to the toilet and serve to protect the back area of the toilet. Of those two piece devices which serve to prevent splashing from the side of a toilet, known devices lack selective engagement members.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a pair of shields comprising a left shield and a right shield. Each shield comprises a lower connector strip having a lower top side, a lower bottom side, a lower outer edge, a lower inner edge, a lower front edge, and a lower back edge. An upper connector strip has an upper top side, an upper bottom side, an upper outer edge, an upper inner edge, an upper front edge, and an upper back. A plurality of lower engagement members is coupled to the lower connector strip. The plurality of lower engagement members is configured to selectively engage a rim of a toilet. A plurality of upper engagement members is coupled to the upper connector strip. The plurality of upper engagement members is configured to selectively engage a seat underside of a seat of the toilet. A shield body is coupled to the lower connector strip and the upper connector strip. The shield body is foldable to allow the seat to move between a closed position and an open position.

[0009] There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

[0010] The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

[0011] The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

[0012] FIG. 1 is an isometric in-use view of a toilet splash shield apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a side elevation in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 3 is a front elevation in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 4 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 5 is a side elevation in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new toilet bowl accessory device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

[0018] As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the toilet splash shield apparatus 10 generally comprises a pair of shields 12 comprising a left shield 14 and a right shield 16. Each shield 12 comprises a lower connector strip 18 having a lower top side 20, a lower bottom side 22, a lower outer edge 24, and a lower inner edge 26. The lower connector strip 18 may be arcuate and conforms to the curvature of a rim 28 of a toilet 30.

[0019] An upper connector strip 32 has an upper top side 34, an upper bottom side 36, an upper outer edge 38, and an upper inner edge 40. The upper connector strip 32 may be arcuate and conforms to the curvature of a seat 42 of the toilet. Each of the lower connector strip 18 and the upper connector strip 32 may be a non-absorbent and anti-bacterial material to prevent urine saturation and improve sanitation.

[0020] A plurality of lower engagement members 44 is coupled to the lower connector strip 18. The plurality of lower engagement members 18 is coupled to the lower bottom side 22. The plurality of lower engagement members 18 is configured to selectively engage the rim 28 of the toilet.

[0021] A plurality of upper engagement members 46 is coupled to the upper connector strip 32. The plurality of upper engagement members 46 is coupled to the upper top side 34. The plurality of upper engagement members 46 is configured to selectively engage a seat underside 48 of the seat of the toilet. Each of the plurality of lower engagement members 44 and each of the plurality of upper engagement members 46 may be, but are not limited to, suction cups, adhesives, and the like. There may be three lower engagement members 44 and three upper engagement members 46 to minimize the number required while still maintaining strong positioning of the upper connector strip 32 and the lower connector strip 18.

[0022] A shield body 50 is coupled to the lower connector strip 18 and the upper connector strip 32. The shield body 50 may be coupled to the upper outer edge 38 and extends from an upper front edge 52 to an upper back edge 54. The shield body 50 may be coupled to the lower outer edge 24 and extends from a lower front edge 56 to a lower back edge 58. The shield body 50 has a shield back edge 60 and a shield front edge 62 each being arcuate and concave relative the toilet 30. The shield body 50 may be mesh and foldable to allow the seat 42 to move between a closed position (as seen in FIG. 5) and an open position (as seen in FIGS. 1-3). The shield front edge 62 may be longer than the shield back edge 60 to prevent the folded shield body 50 from obstructing the seat 42 in the closed position.

[0023] In use, the plurality of lower engagement members 44 is engaged with the rim 28 of the toilet and the plurality of upper engagement members 46 is engaged with the seat 42. As the seat 42 is lifted from the closed position to the open position the shield body 50 expands. The shield body 50 then prevents urine from splashing out of the toilet 30 onto the floor.

[0024] With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0025] Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word "comprising" is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article "a" does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.

Claims

1. A toilet splash shield apparatus comprising: a pair of shields comprising a left shield and a right shield, each shield comprising: a lower connector strip, the lower connector strip having a lower top side, a lower bottom side, a lower outer edge, a lower inner edge, a lower front edge, and a lower back edge, the lower connector strip being arcuate and conforming to a curvature of a rim of a toilet; an upper connector strip, the upper connector strip having an upper top side, an upper bottom side, an upper outer edge, an upper inner edge, an upper front edge, and an upper back edge, the upper connector strip being arcuate and conforming to a curvature of a seat of the toilet; a plurality of lower engagement members coupled to the lower connector strip, the plurality of lower engagement members being configured to selectively engage the rim of the toilet; a plurality of upper engagement members coupled to the upper connector strip, the plurality of upper engagement members being configured to selectively engage a seat underside of the seat of the toilet; and a shield body, the shield body having a bottom edge and a top edge, a full length of the bottom edge being coupled to the lower connector strip such that the full length of the bottom edge is curved along the rim and a full length of the top edge being coupled to the upper connector strip such that the full length of the top edge is curved along the seat, the shield body being foldable to allow the seat to move between a closed position and an open position.

2. (canceled)

3. The toilet splash shield apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the shield body having a shield back edge and a shield front edge each being arcuate and concave relative the toilet.

4. The toilet splash shield apparatus of claim 3 further comprising the shield front edge being longer than the shield back edge.

5. The toilet splash shield apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the shield body being coupled to the upper outer edge and extending from the upper front edge to the upper back edge, the shield being coupled to the lower outer edge and extending from the lower front edge to the lower back edge.

6. The toilet splash shield apparatus of claim 1 further comprising each of the plurality of lower engagement members and each of the plurality of upper engagement members being suction cups.

7. The toilet splash shield apparatus of claim 5 further comprising the plurality of lower engagement members and the plurality of upper engagement members each being three suction cups.

8. The toilet splash shield apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the shield body being mesh.

9. The toilet splash shield apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the plurality of lower engagement members being coupled to the lower bottom side and the plurality of upper engagement members being coupled to the upper top side.

10. A toilet splash shield apparatus comprising: a pair of shields comprising a left shield and a right shield, each shield comprising: a tower connector strip, the lower connector strip having a tower top side, a lower bottom side, a lower outer edge, a lower inner edge, a lower front edge, and a lower back edge, the lower connector strip being arcuate and conforming to the curvature of a rim of a toilet; an upper connector strip, the upper connector strip having an upper top side, an upper bottom side, an upper outer edge, an upper inner edge, an upper inner edge, an upper front edge, and an upper back edge, the upper connector strip being arcuate and conforming to the curvature of a seat of the toilet; a plurality of lower engagement members coupled to the lower connector strip, the plurality of lower engagement members being coupled to the lower bottom side, the plurality of lower engagement members being configured to selectively engage the rim of the toilet; a plurality of upper engagement members coupled to the upper connector strip, the plurality of upper engagement members being coupled to the upper top side, the plurality of upper engagement members being configured to selectively engage a seat underside of the seat of the toilet, each of the plurality of lower engagement members and each of the plurality of upper engagement members being suction cups; and a shield body, the shield body having a bottom edge and a top edge, a full length of the bottom edge being coupled to the lower connector strip such that the full length of the bottom edge is curved along the rim and a full length of the top edge being coupled to the upper connector strip such that the full length of the top edge is curved along the seat, the shield body being coupled to the upper outer edge and extending from the upper front edge to the upper back edge, the shield body being coupled to the lower outer edge and extending from the lower front edge to the lower back edge, the shield body having a shield back edge and a shield front edge each being arcuate and concave relative the toilet, the shield front edge being longer than the shield back edge, the shield body being mesh and foldable to allow the seat to move between a closed position and an open position.