EP1961354A1

EP1961354A1 - Toilet patch

Info

Publication number: EP1961354A1
Application number: EP07003839A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Pia Munkholm; Jacob Roesen Mikkelsen
Original assignee: Innovestment Partners APS
Current assignee: Innovestment Partners APS
Priority date: 2007-02-26
Filing date: 2007-02-26
Publication date: 2008-08-27

Abstract

The present invention relates to a patch for attachment to the anal region of a human being, said patch comprising a sheet (2) of an elastic and/or flexible material that upon application on the anal region can assume substantially the shape of this region and undergo deformations corresponding to deformations of the anal region during defecating, where the dimensions of said sheet (2) are chosen such that the sheet (2) at least covers the anal region and closely encircles the anal orifice and where one surface of the sheet (2) is provided with an adhesive (19) for attachment of the sheet (2) to the anal region and where an inner region of the sheet is either provided with a pre-arranged opening (12) through the sheet (2) or can be provided with an opening through the sheet, for instance by the user or other person, when the patch is applied to the anal region. The invention furthermore relates to systems and methods of improving the hygienics in the anal region of a human being during defecation, where the system comprises a plurality of patches according to the invention and preferably also a plurality of thimble means (18) to be applied on a finger of for instance a user during use of the patches according to the invention. The thimble means can among others be used for providing an opening through the patch above the anal orifice.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to devices, systems and methods of improving the hygienics in the anal region of a human being when going to the toilet/during defecation, and more particularly a patch for placement in the anal region prior to defecation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Although the anal region is both very sensitive and a source of germs injurious to health, most people still try to clean themselves after defecation in the same way as people did hundreds of years ago. People wipe their anal region after defecation, even though this method is both difficult and irksome and does not clear all remnants of faeces and germs. By using toilet paper to wipe the anal region people smear faeces over the anal skin. The more wiping, the more remnants of faeces are rubbed into the skin causing itching and irritation.
Furthermore, remnants of faeces and germs can cause serious disease. The intestines contain 2.5 kilos of bacteria and more than 500 species, some of which are pathogenic to the human. For instance, E. coli is causing gastroenteritis with multiple number of liquid stools, blood and pus in faeces, fever, abdominal cramping and in worse case admission to hospital. Death, lifesaving colectomies and stoma have been the outmost consequences of such germs spread due to bad toilet hygiene.
Therefore, there is a need for a more hygienic and practical method of keeping the anal region clear of faecal, parasitic and infectious material when going to the toilet/during defecation and generally improving the toilet hygiene. The main purpose of the present invention is to provide such an advantageous method.
It is also an important purpose of the present invention to reduce the use of toilet paper. Reduced use of toilet paper and less fouling of lavatory bowis would in itself be advantageous both for environmental and economical reasons.
Articles for improving hygiene in the anal region of human beings are known within the art for specific purposes, which, however, are different from the purposes of the present invention.
US 2002/0192273 A1 discloses a therapeutic patch useful for the treatment of haemorrhoids. This therapeutic patch comprises no through aperture in the patch and the patch must be removed when going to the toilet/during defecation.
The aspect of hygienics in relation to the anal region of a human being is furthermore addressed by US 6,170,092 B1 , which discloses an 'AIDS splash back toilet guard'. The toilet guard comprises a paper pad provided with Styrofoam chips in order to make the pad float on the water in the toilet bowl, thus preventing splash back of water when faeces drop on the surface of the water in the toilet bowl.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, the Toilet Patch (hereinafter "patch"), provides a new-to-the-world and practical method of keeping the anal region clear of faecal, parasitic and infectious material. Thus, by using the patch the user will improve his/her personal hygiene, and also save time. Furthermore, by using the patch the user will show public spirit and responsibility, as the patch, in contrast to regular toilet paper, does not load the sewerage and does not constitute a threat to the forests of the world.
The above and other objects and advantages are attained according to the invention by the provision of a toilet patch according to claim 1, a toilet patch system according to claim 16 and a method of maintaining the anal region of a human being clean during a toilet visit according to claim 20. Various embodiments of the toilet patch, system and method according to the invention are defined by the dependent claims.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, the above and further objects are attained by the provision of a patch for attachment to the anal region of a human being, said patch comprising a sheet of an elastic and/or flexible material that upon application on the anal region can substantially assume the shape of this region and undergo deformations and expansion corresponding to deformations and expansion of the anal region during defecating, where the dimensions of said sheet are chosen such that the sheet covers at least the anal region and closely encircles the anal orifice and where one surface of the sheet is provided with an adhesive for attachment of the sheet to the anal region and where an inner region of the sheet is either provided with a pre-arranged opening through the sheet or can be provided with an opening through the sheet, for instance by the user or other person, when the patch is applied to the anal region.
Preferably said adhesive is skin-friendly and the patch is made of a water-soluble material.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a toilet patch system comprising a plurality of patches according to the invention where the patches are stacked upon each other in a face to face relationship to provide a stack of patches, from which at least an uppermost patch can be removed prior to the application of the patch on the anal region.
The system according to the invention may optionally - although preferably - comprise a thimble means for improving the hygienics during handling of the patch in the anal region and/or for facilitating the handling of the patch during application to the anal region and/or for facilitating the provision of said opening in the inner region of the patch.
According to a third aspect of the present invention there is furthermore provided a method of maintaining the anal region of a human being clean and/or for cleaning this region, for instance during a toilet visit, and furthermore for reducing use of toilet paper and reducing fouling of the toilet bowl, where the method comprises the steps of prior to defecating placement of a patch according to the invention in the anal region of a human being and encircling the anal orifice and after defecating removing said patch from the anal region. Placement and/or removal of the patch from the anal region can be carried out by the user himself or alternatively by an other person, for instance a nurse or home care personnel in case of for instance children, elderly people or persons suffering from a motoric disability.
As mentioned above, the patch according to the invention may be provided with a pre-arranged opening in the patch for placement on/in the anal orifice, but the invention also comprises embodiments not provided with a pre-arranged opening. In this case, the method according to the invention furthermore comprises the step of providing an opening in an inner region of the patch, for instance after application of the patch on the anal region of a user.
According to an embodiment of the method according to the invention, the provision of the opening may be facilitated by means of a thimble means carried on a finger of the user or other person.
A number of embodiments of the patch according to the invention are defined in the dependent claims and described in the detailed description of the invention, but it is understood that these embodiments are only to be regarded as non-limiting examples of practical implementations of the invention and that a person skilled in the art may conceive other embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be more readily understood with reference to the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the figures, where:

figure 1(a, b and c) show schematically a first embodiment of a toilet patch according to the invention, in figure 1(a) shown in schematic plane view seen from the surface of the patch facing away from the body of the user and in figures 1(b) and (c) shown schematically in cross section to illustrate the various layers of the sandwich structure of the patch;
figure 2 shows schematically a second embodiment of a toilet patch according to the invention;
figure 3 shows Schematically a third embodiment of a toilet patch according to the invention;
figure 4 shows a fourth embodiment of a toilet patch according to the invention;
figures 5 (a) and (b) show a fifth and sixth embodiment of a toilet patch according to the invention; and
figure 6 shows an embodiment of a toilet patch system according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to figure 1(a) there is schematically shown a first embodiment of the toilet patch according to the invention. The patch, generally indicated by reference numeral 1, comprises a sheet 2 with four corner portions 3, 4, 5, 6, with a first edge portion 7 extending between two of said corner portions 3, 4 and a second edge portion 8 extending between the other two corner portions 5, 6 at a distance d from the first edge portion 7, where the first edge portion 7 is longer than the second edge portion 8. Specifically the first and second edge portions 7 and 8 could be substantially linear as shown in figure 1, but other shapes may also be used. The edge portions 10 (between corner portions 3 and 6) and 9 (between corner portions 4 and 5) are according to the shown embodiment inwardly curved toward an inner region 11 of the sheet 2. This curved shape of the edge portions 9 and 10 is advantageous when adapting the patch to the anal region of a user, but other shapes, for instance linear, might also be used. In the inner region 11, the sheet 2 is provided with a pre-arranged through opening 12, which during use of the patch should be placed exactly on the anal orifice. This opening 12 is shown circular, but other shapes may also be employed.
Along at least one edge portion, the patch may be provided with a flap 13, which may facilitate handling of the patch and removal of the patch from a stack of patches as described in connection with the system of patches shown in figure 7.
Typical dimensions of the embodiment shown in figure 1 are: 4 < d1 < 5 cm, 3 < d2 < 4 cm and 3 < d < 5 cm and the diameter of the opening 12 (assuming a substantially circular opening) is in the range of 3 to 10 mm. It is, however, understood that the above dimensions are only to be regarded as typical and that other ranges of the various dimensions also fall within the scope of the present invention.
With reference to figure 1(b) there is shown a schematic cross sectional view of the patch according to the invention. The patch comprises a sheet 2 of a thin and resilient and flexible material, which on one of its surfaces is provided with a layer 19 of a suitable adhesive for attachment to the surface of the anal region of the user. Preferably the adhesive is skin-friendly.
As shown in figure 1(c), the layer 19 of adhesive material may be provided with a protective cover or foil 15, which can be removed from the adhesive prior to use of the patch. The foil 15 may as shown be extended beyond the limit of the adhesive, as indicated by reference numeral 15, in order to facilitate the removal of the foil from the adhesive layer. However, it shall be stressed that it is also possible to omit the protective cover or foil, for instance when the patch according to the invention is used in the system shown and described in connection with figure 6 below.
With reference to figure 2 there is schematically shown a second embodiment of a toilet patch according to the invention comprising a substantially circular thin disc/patch 2 of a sheet of plastics material that due to its flexibility and/or resiliency can be adapted to the anal region of a human being. For releasable attachment to the anal region, the patch 2 is on one surface provided with an adhesive and preferably skin-friendly material, which, as in the embodiment shown in figure 1(c) optionally may be covered by a removable protective layer or foil, which can be removed by the user prior to the application of the patch on the anal region. To facilitate removal of the protective layer or foil, this can be provided with a flap 16 extending beyond the periphery of the patch 2. In figures 2 through 4 the flap 16 may alternatively indicate an extension of the patch provided in order to facilitate gripping and removal of an individual patch, when a number of patches are stacked as shown in figure 6. The provision of both a protective cover or foil optionally provided with a flap and a flap or extension of the sheet material of the patch itself may of course also be employed. After application of the patch 2 on the anal region, the user (or somebody else) can produce an opening through the thin material of the patch 2 by for instance pressing the finger against the anal orifice and scratching the patch 2 with a nail 17. Hence, the centrally located through aperture indicated by reference numeral 20 is provided in the anal orifice of the user. As an alternative to scratching with a nail, a dedicated thimble 18 (see figure 5 and 6) can be used, an alternative that is recommendable from a hygienic point of view.
With reference to figure 3 there is schematically shown a third embodiment of the toilet patch according to the invention. As in figure 1 this embodiment comprises a substantially circular disc 2 and the removable, protective layer initially covering the adhesive material on one surface of the disc and of which the flap 16 is visible in figure 3. Contrary to the embodiment of figure 2 there is provided a pattern of substantially centrally located fracture lines 14 which as an example are shown radiating in a outward direction from a central point, but which could be provided in a number of alternative patterns.
With reference to figure 4 there is schematically shown a fourth embodiment of the toilet patch according to the invention comprising a substantially circular disc/patch 2, through which a central aperture 7 of a suitable size has been provided in advance, so that the user does not have to provide the aperture at all once the patch has been placed on the anus orifice.
With reference to figures 5(a) and 5(b) there are shown embodiments of the patch according to the invention substantially corresponding to the second and third embodiments shown in figures 2 and 3, although with the shape of the patch corresponding to the first embodiment shown in figure 1. Thus, the embodiment shown in figure 5(a) comprises no pre-arranged opening, but an opening can be provided by scratching the sheet material of the patch for instance with a finger nail 17 or preferably with the thimble means 18 described in connection with figure 6. The embodiment shown in figure 5(b) comprises outwardly radiating fracture lines 14.
The present invention also relates to a toilet patch system comprising a plurality of toilet patches according to the invention. An exemplary embodiment of a system according to the invention is shown in figure 6, but it is understood that the system according to the invention could in practice be implemented in numerous ways without departing from the scope of the invention.
Thus, figure 6 shows a schematic, perspective view of a specific embodiment of a toilet patch system according to the present invention comprising a plurality of patches 1 as shown and described in connection with figure 1 above (although other embodiments of patches according to the invention could also have been used). The patches are stacked on top of each other and (at least) one uppermost patch 1' can be removed from the stack 21 for instance by gripping the flap 13. The patches used in the embodiment of the system according to the invention shown in figure 6 are of the type shown in figure 1 (b), i.e. comprising a sheet 2 and an adhesive 19 provided on one of the surfaces of the sheet 2, but not comprising the protective cover or foil 15 shown in figure 1 (c). The system may furthermore comprise one or more thimble means 18 for instance of substantially frusto-conically extending side surfaces 23 and preferably provided with a rounded and/or pointed end face 22. The thimble means 18 may be made of cardboard, but other materials may also be used. The thimble means 18 can be stacked on top of each other as shown by reference numeral 24 in figure 6.
In use, an uppermost patch 1' is initially removed from the stack 21 and applied to the anal region of the user by means of the thimble means 18. The opening 12 of the patch is positioned on the pointed end face 22, 23 of the thimble means 18 and the patch is applied to the anal region of the user by pressing the pointed end face 22, 23 of the thimble means 18 with the patch positioned on it into the anal orifice of the user. Due to the resiliency and flexibility of the patch, the patch can adapt to the surface of the anal region and during use undergo the deformations and expansion that are necessary in order to remain in contact with the surface of the anal region. Hence during defecation, the patch remains in complete contact with the anal orifice despite the - often quite substantial - deformations of this region during defecation.
In figure 6 patches comprising the pre-arranged opening 12 are used, but patches not comprising this opening could alternatively have been used, however, without the advantages offered by the ability to position the patch on top of the thimble means as described above. If a patch without a pre-arranged opening had been used, the pointed tip 22 of the thimble means 18 could have been used to provide the opening through the patch, as described previously.

Claims

A patch for attachment to the anal region of a human being, said patch comprising a sheet (2) of an elastic and/or flexible material that upon application on the anal region can assume substantially the shape of this region and undergo deformations corresponding to deformations of the anal region during defecation, where the dimensions of said sheet (2) are chosen such that the sheet (2) at least covers the anal region and encircles the anal orifice and where one surface of the sheet (2) is provided with an adhesive (19) for attachment of the sheet (2) to the anal region and where an inner region of the sheet is either provided with a pre-arranged opening (12) through the sheet (2) or can be provided with an opening through the sheet, for instance by the user or other person, when the patch is applied to the anal region.
A patch according to claim 1, characterised in that said adhesive is skin-friendly.
A patch according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said sheet (2) is made of a water-soluble material.
A patch according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the sheet (2) comprises four corner portions (3, 4, 5, 6), with a first edge portion (7) extending between two of said corner portions (3, 4) and a second edge portion (8) extending between the other two corner portions (5, 6) at a distance d from the first edge portion (7), where the first edge portion (7) is longer than the second edge portion (8).
A patch according to claim 4, characterised in that said sheet (2) is defined by said first and second edge portions (7, 8) and a third edge portion (9), connecting a corner portion (4) of the first edge portion (7) with a corner portion (5) of the second edge portion (8) and a fourth edge portion (10), connecting a corner portion (3) of the first edge portion (7) with a corner portion (6) of the second edge portion (8), where said third and fourth edge portions (9, 10) are inwardly curved towards an inner region (11) of the sheet (2).
A patch according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the length of said first edge portion (7) is in the range 4 to 5 cm and the length of said second edge portion (8) is in the range of 3 to 4 cm and the distance between the first and second edge portions is in the range of 3 to 5 cm.
A patch according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that said opening (12) is substantially circular.
A patch according to claim 7, characterised in that the diameter of said substantially circular opening (12) is in the range of 3 to 10 mm.
A patch according to any of the claims 1 to 3, characterised in that said sheet (2) is substantially circular.
A patch according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 6 or according to claim 9, characterised in that the sheet (2), when not provided with said pre-arranged opening (12), in said inner region is provided with one or more fracture lines (14) for facilitating provision of an opening in this region by the user or other person.
A patch according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the sheet (2) is made from a material, the thickness and/or characteristics of which makes it possible to the user or other person, either with or without the application of a tool, to provide an opening in the sheet.
A patch according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that said sheet is provided with a flap (13).
A patch according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that said adhesive (19) for attachment of the sheet (2) to the anal region is provided with a protective cover or foil (15), which can be removed prior to the application of the patch on the anal region.
A patch according to claim 13, characterised in that said cover or foil (15) is provided with a flap (16) for facilitating removal of the cover or foil (15) from the adhesive material (19).
A patch according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that said sheet (2) is provided with anti-bacterial agent at least in the region around said opening (12).
A toilet patch system comprising a plurality of patches (1) according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 15, characterised in that said plurality of patches (1) are stacked upon each other in a face to face relationship to provide a stack of patches (17), from which at least an uppermost patch (1) can be removed prior to the application of the patch (1) on the anal region.
A toilet patch system according to claim 16, characterised in that the system furthermore comprises a hollow thimble means (18) for improving the hygienics during handling of the patch (1) in the anal region and/or for facilitating the provision of said opening in said inner region of the patch (1).
A toilet patch system according to claim 17, characterised in that said thimble means (18) is provided with a rounded and/or pointed end face (22, 23).
A toilet patch according to claim 17 or 18, characterised in that said thimble means is substantially frusto-conically shaped, whereby a plurality of thimble means (18) can be stacked upon each other.
A method of maintaining the anal region of a human being clean and/or for cleaning this region, for instance during a toilet visit, comprising prior to defecation placement of a patch (1) according to any of the claims 1 to 15 in the anal region and closely encircling the anal orifice and after defecation removing said patch (1) from the anal region.
A method according to claim 20 furthermore comprising the step of providing an opening in an inner region of the patch (1), for instance after application of the patch (1) on the anal region of a user.
A method according to claim 20 or 21, characterised in that said application of the patch (1) in the anal region and/or the provision of said opening in the patch (1) is facilitated by means of a thimble means (18) carried on a finger of the user or other person.