Female standing urination cone

Abstract

It sometimes desirable for a woman to be able to urinate in a standing position. In these situations, urination is difficult as the flow can not be directed, as it can by a male. A means to facilitate urination while in a standing position and directing the flow away from the body is desirable. The present invention provides an economical, convenient and collapsible-device for standing urination which retains its shape when in its open state, eliminating much of the risk of contaminating ones hands with urine during use. If the two edges, in the flat position, are pushed towards each other, it snaps open and remains open. A semi-rigid, substantially planar, insert will aid the cone remain open, resisting the pressure exerted by the legs of the user to push it closed.

1 . A device to facilitate female urination from a standing position, comprising: 
 a pair of substantially planar pentagonal sides, each having a top edge, a bottom edge, an upper right edge, a lower right edge and a left edge, said pair of sides being continuously joined one to the other along said upper right edge, said lower right edge and said left edge, thereby defining an upper right and a left hinge line, respectively, said pair of sides being disposed substantially flat and adjacent one another for storage and being movable away from one another to an open, operable position; and    locking means for releasably locking said pair of sides in said open, operable position hingedly connected along said lower right hinge line;    wedge means for further locking said pair of sides in said open, operable position;    said open, operable position defining a hollow structure having a semi-elliptical opening proximate said top edge of said pair of sides adapted to enclose a female user's vulva for receiving urine, and a lower opening proximate said bottom edges of said pair of sides for discharging urine.    
   
   
       2 . A device to facilitate female urination from a standing position, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said substantially pentagonal shape is configured such that said lower opening for discharging urine is oriented such that discharged urine is directed away from the body of a user.  
   
   
       3 . A device to facilitate female urination from a standing position, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said semi-elliptical opening proximate said top edge of said pair of sides comprises a finished edge.  
   
   
       4 . A device to facilitate female urination from a standing position, as defined in  claim 3 , wherein said finished edge comprises a flap folded inwardly.  
   
   
       5 . A device to facilitate female urination from a standing position, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said locking means comprises a semi-elliptical scored line disposed in each of said pair of sides, each of said scored lines having a first terminus proximate a juncture of said upper right edge and said lower right edge and a second terminus locate along said lower right edge.  
   
   
       6 . A device to facilitate female urination from a standing position, as defined in  claim 5 , wherein said wedge means further comprises a semi-rigid, substantially planar insert, said insert shaped and dimensioned to conform to a predetermined portion of a lower portion of said device when said device is in said open, operable position, and adapted to be wedged between said pair of sides, along said semi-elliptical scored lines, said substantially planer insert being attached to one of said pair of sides, above its semi-elliptical scored line such that when said device is in said open, operable position, said insert folds out with a first end of said insert positioned along said semi-elliptical scored line of said one of said pair of sides, said insert extending across said lower portion of said device, and a second end of said insert positioned along the semi-elliptical scored line of the other of said pair of sides.  
   
   
       7 . A device to facilitate female urination from a standing position, as defined in  claim 5 , wherein said wedge means further comprises a semi-rigid, substantially planar insert, said insert shaped and dimensioned to conform to a predetermined portion of a lower portion of said device, when said device is in said open, operable position, and adapted to be inserted into said device and wedged between said pair of sides, along said semi-elliptical scored lines.  
   
   
       8 . A device to facilitate female urination from a standing position, as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said second terminus is disposed in the range of approximately three fourths of the distance from said juncture of said upper right edge and said lower right edge and the juncture of said lower right edge and said bottom edge.  
   
   
       9 . A device to facilitate female urination from a standing position, as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 at least one score line disposed in each of said pair of sides, said at least one score line running from a central region and substantially perpendicular to said bottom edge of said pair of sides.    
   
   
       10 . A device to facilitate female urination from a standing position, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said pair of sides comprise water resistant paper.  
   
   
       11 . A device to facilitate female urination from a standing position, as defined in  claim 10 , wherein said device is intended for multiple uses. 
 It sometimes desirable for a woman to be able to urinate in a standing position. In these situations, urination is difficult as the flow can not be directed, as it can by a male. A means to facilitate urination while in a standing position and directing the flow away from the body is desirable. The present invention provides an economical, convenient and collapsible device for standing urination which retains its shape when in its open state, eliminating much of the risk of contaminating ones hands with urine during use. If the two edges, in the flat position, are pushed towards each other, it snaps open and remains open. A semi-rigid, substantially planar, insert will aid the cone remain open, resisting the pressure exerted by the legs of the user to push it closed.