Devices and Methods to Maintain Personal Hygiene while Using the Toilet

Abstract

A container holds an absorbent pad which contains fluids for cleansing toilet facilities before using them, or for cleansing or moisturizing a person's body after using a toilet. One carries one or more such containers on one's person. To use the container one opens it and expresses fluid from the pad onto dry clean toilet paper by pressing that toilet paper onto the pad. One then uses the now moist toilet paper to clean a toilet seat, or to clean or moisturize one's person or the person of another. Then one disposes of the now used toilet paper as one normally disposes of toilet paper.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a) a container which spatially encloses a hollow enclosure;   b) a reservoir which:
 <i> comprises an object made of absorbent material; 
 <ii> resides in said hollow enclosure of said container; 
 <iii> has the property that when some other absorbent object is pressed against said reservoir then some of the fluid held in the reservoir transfers from the reservoir to said other absorbent object; and 
 <iv> has the further property, distinguishing above prior art, that said reservoir comprises a material which does not release any fluid said reservoir holds unless deformed by external force; 
   c) a fluid, which:   is held in said reservoir; and   comprises a plurality of substances drawn from the following set:
 <i> soaps; 
 <ii> detergents; 
 <iii> disinfectants; 
 <iv> deodorants; 
 <v> analgesics; 
 <vi> antiseptics; 
 <vi> antibiotics; 
 <vii> lubricants; 
 <viii> emollients; and 
 <ix> perfumes; 
   where:   d) said container has no enclosed volume adapted to hold said fluid in a form where said fluid flows freely without coming into contact with said reservoir;   
       for the purpose of carrying said fluid on one's person. 
     
     
         2 . The reservoir of  claim 1  being adapted to be deformed by manual force and in particular to be squeezed by manual force into a smaller volume than that which it assumes when no manual force is applied to it. 
     
     
         3 . The reservoir of  claim 1  being adapted when not under force or constraint to revert to its manufactured shape. 
     
     
         4 . The reservoir of  claim 1  being adapted to absorb fluid when placed in said fluid. 
     
     
         5 . The reservoir of  claim 4  being further adapted to absorb said fluid at a higher rate, if compressed before being placed in said fluid and then allowed to revert to its manufactured state while held in fluid, than otherwise. 
     
     
         6 . The reservoir of  claim 1  being adapted to express fluid when placed under manual force. 
     
     
         7 . The reservoir of  claim 6  being further adapted to express increasing amounts of fluid with increasing amounts of manual force being placed upon it. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  where said reservoir partially fills said enclosure. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  where said reservoir fully fills said enclosure. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  where said container has an aperture which is covered by a lid where:
 a) said lid is adapted to be opened and closed manually;
 b) when said lid is closed said enclosure is leak-resistant for fluids and said container entirely contains said reservoir; 
 
 c) when said lid is open said aperture exposes all or some fraction of the surface area of said reservoir; 
 
       for the purpose of allowing objects external to said container to impinge upon said reservoir. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  having internal geometry and surface texture of the enclosure which holds said reservoir, and the manufactured shape and surface of said reservoir, such that, when said lid is open, said reservoir does not without manual intervention fully exit from said container for a plurality of reasons drawn from the following set:
 a) said enclosure geometrically constrains said reservoir from exiting said enclosure without said reservoir or said enclosure being deformed; 
 b) said reservoir attempting to return by its natural resilience to its manufactured shape applies pressure on a plurality of the inner walls of said enclosure; 
 c) friction between the surface of said enclosure and the surface of said reservoir prevents said reservoir from sliding out of said enclosure. 
 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 1  comprising on one external surface a pocket adapted to hold several sheets of toilet paper. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 1  having a plurality of distinguishing qualities drawn from the following set:
 a) being a different color from similar containers; 
 b) having on its surface distinctive visual markings; 
 c) having on its surface distinctive writing; and 
 d) having on its surface distinctive embossments; 
 
       thereby enabling a person to distinguish it from other containers otherwise similar in appearance. 
     
     
         14 . The reservoir of  claim 1  having a plurality of distinguishing qualities drawn from the following set:
 a) being a different color from similar reservoirs; 
 b) having on its surface distinctive visual markings; 
 c) having on its surface distinctive writing; and 
 d) having on its surface distinctive embossments; 
 
       hereby enabling person to distinguish it from other reservoir otherwise similar in appearance. 
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 1  holding multiple said reservoirs, each reservoir being held in a different enclosure and such enclosures being mutually leak-resistant. 
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 1  which has a marking visible on the inside, called a fill mark, where said marking is visible to a person; said fill mark being adapted to indicate the level up to which the container may be filled such that a dry reservoir placed thereafter in said container will completely absorb said fluid; and where said marking directs a to fill said container with said fluid up to its level and no higher; thereby warning said person not to overfill said container. 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 14  which has two fill marks visible on the inside of said container, the lower such mark showing the minimum level of fluid to add and the higher such mark showing the maximum level of fluid to add. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 1  to which is attached on one of its sides a binding mechanism drawn from some combination of straps, strings, ropes and a hook-and-loop mechanism; said binding mechanism being adapted to attaching itself, and thus said container, to either a person's limb, or some surface or object; thereby allowing a person to connect said container by means of said binding mechanism to something. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 1  where said container has a section that separates from the rest of said container, providing external exposure to the enclosure which holds said reservoir; such that when said section is separate from the rest of said container, said reservoir is able to travel into and out of said enclosure without deforming from its manufactured shape.