For over 150 years, traditional hand wiping with toilet paper has been by far the most common technique for cleaning a person's rectal area following defecation. This practice presents many shortcomings. It can be both aesthetically unpleasant and unsanitary. Germs and resulting illnesses can be spread, particularly if the person performing the hand wiping does not immediately and properly wash their hands. Conventional toilet paper wiping also has adverse environmental and economic impacts. Typically, the user employs far more sheets of toilet paper than are actually needed for wiping. Multiple ply toilet paper only adds to this waste. Studies have reported that an average of 57 sheets of paper per person are used and discarded daily. Not only is this quite costly for the individual consumer, it also consumes approximately 27,000 trees per day. Flushed toilet paper must also be processed by municipal and private sewerage and septic systems designed to handle the used and discarded toilet paper.
Hand wiping can also be especially problematic for the elderly, infirmed, young children and other persons with disabilities such as autism and other physical limitations such as rheumatoid arthritis and obesity. Such persons may find it difficult, painful or even impossible to perform the physical movements such as turning, bending, reaching and wiping involved in normal hand wiping.
I have determined that a significant need exists for an apparatus and technique that will allow virtually all persons, including, but not necessarily limited to those described above, to perform post-defecation wiping of the rectal area in a hygienic, environmentally friendly and economically efficient manner superior to conventional hand wiping.
I have also determined that obese persons have a particularly difficult time with defecation and cleaning following defecation due to the relatively wide opening (typically 8-9 inches) formed through most toilet seats. Ideally, the weight of a person seated on the toilet should be borne by the ischial tuberosities bones located at the lower end of the skeletal torso and on respective sides of the anus. These bones are located about 4″ apart. However, the opening formed in the typical oval toilet seat, causes the user's weight to be supported largely by the femur bones of the user's legs, which are usually about 10″ apart. When an obese person having a considerable amount of fatty tissue sits upon the toilet seat, the fatty tissue surrounding the rectum is compressed to restrict the rectal passageway. As a result, an increased amount of excrement contacts the skin and more tedious, time consuming and unpleasant cleaning effort is required. A solution to this problem is needed.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds