Urinal Screen

This invention relates in general to urinal screens. In particular, this invention relates to an improved structure for such a urinal screen.

Screens are often provided in urinals to reduce or prevent unwanted splashing, which can result in fluid exiting from the urinal and ending up on a floor under and around the urinal, or even on the user of the urinal. A typical urinal screen includes a top portion having one or more anti-splash features, such as meshes, protrusions, fibers, and the like, that allow fluids to pass therethrough, but many fail to significantly reduce or prevent undesirable splashing. It would therefore be desirable to provide an improved structure for such a urinal screen that provides improved anti-splash features.

This invention relates to an improved structure for a urinal screen. In one embodiment, a urinal screen includes a body having an upwardly facing surface and a downwardly facing surface, and a plurality of splash deflection fingers extending outwardly from the upwardly facing surface. Each splash deflection finger has one of a curved, bent, and contoured shape.

Various aspects of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, when read in light of the accompanying drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, a urinal screen in accordance with this invention is illustrated at. The illustrated urinal screenis molded from a single piece of a flexible elastomeric material, although such is not required. Materials that may be used to form the urinal screeninclude, but are not limited to, Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) Resin.

The illustrated urinal screenincludes a bodythat is generally planar in shape and includes an outer perimeter portionhaving a plurality of cross bar portionsextending thereacross and defining large, elongated openingstherebetween. In the illustrated embodiment, ten of such cross bar portionsextend linearly between opposed portions of the outer perimeter portionof the body. However, a greater or lesser number of such cross bar portionsmay be provided as desired. It will be understood that the number of the cross bar portionsmay be determined by the size of the body.

As best shown in, the upper surface of each of the cross bar portionsof the bodyhas at least one elongated splash deflector barformed thereon, as best shown in. However, the splash deflector barsmay be provided on less than all (including none) of the cross bar portionsof the body. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the illustrated splash deflector barsis generally semi-circular in cross-sectional shape. However, some or all of the splash deflector barsmay be formed having other cross-sectional shapes.

The upper surface of each of the cross bar portionsof the bodyfurther includes a plurality of splash deflection fingers. The illustrated splash deflection fingersare provided in cooperating groups that extend linearly along portions of the cross bar portionsand the outer perimeter portionof the body. As best shown in, the splash deflection fingersprovided on one of the cross bar portionsare staggered or otherwise offset from the splash deflection fingersprovided on an adjacent one of the cross bar portions. However, such staggered or otherwise offset orientation is not required, and the splash deflection fingersmay be provided any desired orientation or combination of orientations.

As best shown in, each of the illustrated splash deflection fingersextends upwardly from the upper surface of the bodyand has a curved, bent, or otherwise contoured shape. Thus, each of the illustrated splash deflection fingersincludes a lower portionA that extends upwardly from the upper surface of the bodyand an upper portionB that extends at an angle from the lower portionA. However, some or all of the splash deflection fingersmay be formed having different shapes and sizes. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the splash deflection fingersis generally cylindrical in shape, having an upper surface that is generally convexly curved and a lower surfaceC that is flat and faces generally downwardly toward the body. However, some or all of the splash deflection fingersmay be formed having other desired curved, bent, or otherwise contoured shapes including, but not limited to a circular cross-sectional shape.

As best shown in, the lower surface of the bodyhas a plurality of recessesprovided therein. These recessesare provided to increase the flexibility of the body, allowing the urinal screento more easily conform to the shape of the urinal (not shown) in which it is used. The number and orientation of these recessesmay be varied as desired. Additionally, the lower surface of the bodyincludes a plurality of standoff protrusionsthat extend downwardly therefrom. These standoff protrusionsprovide a space between the lower surface of the bodyand the upper surface of the urinal in which it is used, thereby creating a space through which urine may flow freely into a drain portion of the urinal.

The material used to form the bodymay also be formed from, or otherwise include, one or more biodegradable materials to decrease the amount of time needed for the urinal screento break down in a landfill after use. Also, an enzyme additive may be provided in, or coated on, the material used to form the bodyto mitigate or prevent the attraction of flies and other insects to the urinal screenduring use. For example, such an enzyme additive may breakdown proteins in the urinal screen, which will help prevent attracting unwanted insects, such as small black flies, to the urinal.

The material used to form the bodymay also be impregnated with a scented oil or similar substance that is designed to slowly release a pleasant scent over a period of time (such as, for example, 30 days). For example, the bodymay be impregnated with a custom blended sent that would be more masculine, i.e., more appealing to males, than is currently available in the market. Also, custom scents may be used as a means of generating advertising or other types of revenue from a customer. Such custom scents may include the launch of a new line of cologne, body spray, or other sense that a customer may wish to have blended into the material used to form the body.

Advantageously, the urinal screenhas improved splash deflection features relative to known urinal screens. Typical, known urinal screens include straight, upwardly extending deflectors. In contrast, the urinal screenincludes the plurality of splash deflection fingershaving a curved, bent, or otherwise contoured shape. The splash deflection fingersextend outwardly from the cross bar portionsand are staggered or otherwise offset, such as by distance equal to the width of one splash deflection finger, from the splash deflection fingersprovided on an adjacent one of the cross bar portions. The combined shape and positioning of the splash deflection fingersreduce the upward skip-off, or ricochet from the urinal surface, of urine that passes through the elongated openings.

The downwardly facing flat lower surfaceC of each splash deflection fingeralso reduces or prevents upward skip-off, or ricochet from the urinal surface, of urine that passes through the elongated openings.

Additionally, the generally semi-circular cross-sectional shape of the elongated splash deflector barsact to further deflect the spray of urine and reduce or prevent upward skip-off, or ricochet from the urinal surface, of urine that passes through the elongated openings.

The generally convexly curved upwardly facing surfaces of the splash deflection fingershelps disperse the pressurized flow of urine as the urine flow contacts the raised splash deflection fingersand continues downwardly through the elongated openingsto the underside of the urinal screen.

The recessesprovided in the lower surface of the bodyadditionally allow the bodyto flex or bend and therefore conform to the shape of the urinal in which the urinal screenis being used, regardless of the style or model of the urinal.

The combination of the splash deflection fingershaving a curved, bent, or otherwise contoured shape and the large, elongated openingsfurther act to reduce the disadvantageous formation of urine foam created in many known urinal screens that fail to allow urine to pass through to the urinal drain quickly enough.

The principle and mode of operation of this invention have been explained and illustrated in its preferred embodiment. However, it must be understood that this invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically explained and illustrated without departing from its spirit or scope.