Toilet-waste breaking tool

Abstract

A hand tool and related method is provided for breaking up solid waste in a toilet. The hand tool comprises a base shaft connected to a handle shaft at an angle suitable for reaching into a toilet bowl to break up solid waste thus preventing clogs. The base shaft includes a first tip, which has a rigid wing extending laterally out from the end of the base shaft.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hand tool for breaking up solid waste in a toilet having a toilet bowl and an s-tube, the tool comprising:
 a handle shaft having a first end and a second end;   a base shaft having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the base shaft is connected to the second end of the handle shaft so that the base shaft is at an angle suitable for reaching into the toilet bowl such that the second end of the base shaft reaches to the junction of the toilet bowl with the s-tube; and   a first tip on the second end of the base shaft, wherein the first tip comprises a rigid wing extending laterally out from the second end of the base shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The hand tool of  claim 1 , further comprising a storage base having:
 a body defining a cavity with an aperture in a top portion of the body, the aperture configured to allow introduction of the hand tool into the cavity, wherein the body has a first angled wall and two sidewalls with the two sidewalls opposing each other, wherein a first portion of the cavity is defined by the first angled wall and the two sidewalls, and wherein the first angled wall declines at a decline angle to match the angle of the base shaft to the handle shaft so that, when the hand tool is introduced into the cavity, the handle shaft extends upwardly.   
     
     
         3 . The hand tool of  claim 1 , wherein the rigid wing comprises a pair of opposing rigid wing portions extending laterally out from the base shaft so as to form a hoe-type blade set at an angle of from about 60 degrees to about 120 degrees to the base shaft. 
     
     
         4 . The hand tool of  claim 1 , further comprising a connector portion configured to receive the second end of the handle shaft and the first end of the base shaft and to hold the base shaft at the angle to the base shaft. 
     
     
         5 . The hand tool of  claim 4 , wherein the base shaft is at an angle of from about 20 degrees to about 80 degrees to the handle shaft. 
     
     
         6 . The hand tool of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second tip composed of a rigid material and connected to the base shaft between the first end and the first tip, wherein the second tip extends laterally out from the base shaft and is formed to have a wedged edge.   
     
     
         7 . The hand tool of  claim 6 , wherein the second tip is oriented so that the wedged edge runs parallel with the base shaft. 
     
     
         8 . The hand tool of  claim 7 , wherein the ridged wing comprises a pair of opposing rigid wing portions extending laterally out from the base shaft so as to form a hoe-type blade set at an angle of from about 70 degrees to about 110 degrees to the base shaft. 
     
     
         9 . The hand tool of  claim 8 , wherein the base shaft is at an angle from about 40 degrees to about 50 degrees to the handle shaft. 
     
     
         10 . The hand tool of  claim 9 , wherein the handle shaft has a hand-gripping portion at the first end of the handle shaft. 
     
     
         11 . The hand tool of  claim 10 , wherein the handle shaft and base shaft are made of metal, the first tip and second tip are made of rigid plastic, and the hand-gripping portion is flexible plastic, and further comprising a connector portion made of rigid plastic and configured to receive the second end of the handle shaft and the first end of the base shaft and to hold the base shaft at the angle to the base shaft. 
     
     
         12 . A hand tool for breaking up solid waste in a toilet having a toilet bowl and an s-tube, the tool comprising:
 a shaft having a first end and a second end; wherein said shaft has an angled bend suitable to allow said second end to reach into the toilet bowl such that the second end of the base shaft reaches to the junction of the toilet bowl with the s-tube; and   a first tip on the second end of the base shaft, wherein the first tip comprises a rigid wing extending laterally out from the second end of the base shaft, wherein the rigid wing facilities breaking up solid waste.   
     
     
         13 . The hand tool of  claim 12 , wherein the angled bend is from about 20 degrees to about 80 degrees. 
     
     
         14 . The hand tool of  claim 13 , wherein the rigid wing comprises a first wing portion and second wing portion opposing the first wing portion so that the first wing portion and second wing portion extend laterally out from the base shaft to form a hoe-type blade set at an angle of from about 60 degrees to about 120 degrees to the base shaft. 
     
     
         15 . The hand tool of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a second tip composed of a rigid material and connected to the shaft between the angled bend and the first tip, wherein the second tip extends laterally out from the shaft and is formed to have a wedged edge.   
     
     
         16 . The hand tool of  claim 15 , wherein the second tip is oriented so that the wedged edge runs parallel with the base shaft. 
     
     
         17 . The hand tool of  claim 16 , wherein the shaft is made of metal, and the first tip and second tip are made of rigid plastic. 
     
     
         18 . A process comprising:
 (a) introducing a hand tool into a toilet having a toilet bowl terminating in an s-tube, wherein the toilet bowl contains solid waste, wherein the hand tool comprises:
 a shaft having a first end and a second end; wherein said shaft has an angled bend suitable to allow said second end to reach into the toilet bowl such that the second end of the base shaft reaches to the junction of the toilet bowl with the s-tube, wherein the angled bend is from 20 degrees to 80 degrees; and 
 a first tip on the second end of the base shaft, wherein the tip comprises a rigid wing extending laterally out from the second end of the base shaft; and 
   wherein the first tip is introduced into the toilet bowl;
 (b) breaking up the solid waste by manipulating the hand tool so that the first tip encounters solid waste in the toilet bowl and a junction between the toilet bowl and the s-tube; and 
 (c) after step (b) removing the hand tool from the toilet bowl and flushing the toilet. 
   
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 18 , wherein the shaft comprises:
 a handle shaft having a first end and a second end;   a base shaft having a first end and a second end, and   a connector portion made of rigid plastic and configured to receive the second end of the handle shaft and the first end of the base shaft and to hold the base shaft at an angle to the base shaft so as to form the angled bend.   
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 19 , wherein the hand tool further comprises:
 a second tip composed of a rigid material and connected to the base shaft between the first end and the first tip, wherein the second tip extends laterally out from the base shaft and is formed to have a wedged edge so that the wedged edge runs parallel with the base shaft, and   wherein the process further comprises manipulating the hand tool so that the second tip encounters solid waste in the toilet bowl and the junction during the step of breaking up the solid waste.