GB2119241A - Bathing unit - Google Patents

Abstract

A bathing unit for facilitating bathing by handicapped persons comprises a seat 10 having a back support pivotally connected to a board 18 so that the seat can be supported by the bottom of a bath while the board rests across the sides of the bath. Thus, the unit can be used with baths of different depths. To facilitate correct positioning of the back support and the seat they are slidably connected so that the distance of the seat from the board can be varied. The undersides of the end portions of the board are flat so that the unit can be used with baths of different widths. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Bathing unit Tbis invention is concerned with a bathing unit.

Bath seats are used to facilitate bathing in ordinary domestic and hospital baths by elderly, disabled and physically-handicapped persons. They can be placed in baths to assist users to bathe in a sitting position. It is also known to provide boards for disposal across the tops of baths to assist users to enter and leave a bath in safety.

It is an object of the invention to provide a bathing unit which is easy to use and assists a user both in entering and leaving a bath and also in bathing in a sitting position The invention provides a bathing unit comprising a seat adapted to be supported by the bottom of a bath, a board adapted to rest across the sides of a bath, and means interconnecting the seat and the board in such a way they are relatively movable whereby the seat can occupy its position on the bottom of a bath while the board rests across the sides of the bath. Said relative movement enables the unit to be used with baths of different depths.

Preferably, said interconnecting means pivotally connects a back support on said seat to the board so that the seat can be swung in a direction transverse to the board. This arrangement facilitates correct positioning of the back support and the seat, with the latter swinging down until it is supported by the bottom of the bath. The interconnecting means may comprise hook means at the top of the back support which engage (preferably removably) over a bar on the underside of the board.

The seat preferably has a back support of which the top is connected by said interconnecting means to the board adjacent the forward edge thereof. Consequently, a user entering the bath can rest on the board and easily slide on to the seat. To facilitate this action, preferably the upper part of the back support is at least substantially in alignment with the forward edge of the board. To the same end, and for comfort in use, it is advantageous if the seat has a back support connected thereto at an angle of more than 90 , whereby the seat portion can be disposed substantially horizontally with the back support inclined rearwardly therefrom.

Preferably, the seat has a back support connected to the board by said interconnecting means, the seat and the back support being slidably connected, whereby the distance of the seat from the board can be varied. Thus, optimum positioning of the seat and back support is further assisted.

Preferably, the seat carries on its underside support members engageable with the bottom of the bath. It is also desirable that the underside of each end portion of the board is flat. The provision of said flat undersides enables the unit to be used with baths of different widths. Preferably, said flat undersides are provided with anti-slip means for resisting sliding of the board on the sides of the bath.

In a preferred construction, the seat has a buttock depression and a recess in the middle of its forward edge.

The following is a description, by way of example only, of one embodiment of bathing unit in accordance with the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an isometric view of the bathing unit, Figure 2 is a view from the front of the bath board of the unit, Figure 3 is a view, with a part cut away, of the underside of the board, Figure 4 is an isometric view of the underside of one end of the board, Figure 5 is a cross-section on line A-A in Fig. 2, Figure 6 is a side view of the back support of the bath seat, Figure 7 is a view of the front of the back support, Figure 8 is a plan view of the seat, Figure 9 is a side view of the seat, and Figure 10 is an isometric view of a foot for the seat.

The bathing unit comprises a seat 10 having feet 11 with suction pads 1 2 for supporting the seat in a bath. The seat 10 has at its rear edge an upwardly-extending and rearwardly-inclined integral flange 1 3. The flange 1 3 has side channels 1 3a which slidably receive the lower part of a back support 1 4.

At the top of the back support is an integral hooked web 1 5 which engages pivotaily and releasably over a bar 1 6 at the forward side of a cavity 1 7 in the underside of a board 18, the ends of which can rest on the sides of a bath to support the back support. The ends of the board are hollow and have flat undersides 1 9 to which are bonded anti-slip material.

In use, the board 1 8 is disposed across a bath, where it rests securely becaue the antislip material underneath its ends lies on the sides of the bath. The seat 10 is supported horizontally on the bottom of the bath by the feet 11, being correctly positioned as a result of the pivotal connection of the back support 14 to the board and the sliding connection between the back support 14 and the flange on the seat. The back support inclines rearwardly from the seat. As can be seen clearly in Figs. 1 and 5, the pivotal connection of the back support with the board is adjacent the forward edge of the latter and the hooked web 1 5 on the back is off-set rearwardly so that the upper part of the back support is in alignment with a downwardly-extending flange 20 at the forward edge of the board.

Thus, a user can rest on the board and readily slide down the back support on to the seat.

Movement back on to the board is also facilitated.

As can be seen from the drawings, the board, the seat and the back support comprise flat panels with marginal flanges.

If desired, a location block 21 may be disposed in the cavity 1 7 to minimise any possibility of unintentional displacement of the hooked web 15 from the bar 16.

As can be seen in Figs. 1 and 8, the seat 10 is provided with a buttock depression for comfort and safety of a bather and with a recess in the middle of its forward edge to facilitate washing by the bather.

It wiil be seen that the board 1 8 allows a bather to enter and leave the bath in safety and enables the back support to be aligned at the correct position for comfort and adjustment of the seat to rest horizontally on the bottom of the bath. The complete bathing unit can be manufactured of strong and durable plastics material. The unit is self-adjusting, is easy to handle in removing from a bath and replacing, requires minimum space for storage, and will fit any ordinary domestic or hospital bath irrespective of width and depth.

No additional parts need be fitted or used for adjustments. Thus, the use of wedging type supports and screws or nuts and bolts on the board and seat can be avoided and it is possible to avoid the use of any parts liable to rust or other corrosion.

Claims (13)

1. A bathing unit comprising a seat adapted to be supported by the bottom of a bath, a board adapted to rest across the sides of a bath, and means interconnecting the seat and the board in such a way that they are relatively movable whereby the seat can occupy its position on the bottom of a bath while the board rests across the sides of the bath.

2. A bathing unit according to claim 1 wherein said interconnecting means pivotally connects a back support on said seat to the board so that the seat can be swung in a direction transverse to the board.

3. A bathing unit according to claim 2 wherein said interconnecting means comprise hook means at the top of the back support which engage over a bar on the underside of the board.

4. A bathing unit according to claim 3 wherein the hook means removably engage over the bar.

5. A bathing unit according to any preceding claim wherein the seat has a back support of which the top is connected by said interconnecting means to the board adjacent the forward edge thereof.

6. A bathing unit according to claim 5 wherein the upper part of the back support is at least substantially in alignment with the forward edge of the board.

7. A bathing unit according to any preceding claim wherein the seat has a back support connected thereto at an angle of more than 90 , whereby the seat can be disposed substantially horizontally with the back support inclined rearwardly therefrom.

8. A bathing unit according to any preceding claim wherein the seat has a back support connected to the board by said interconnecting means, the seat and the back support being slidably connected, whereby the distance of the seat from the board can be varied.

9. A bathing unit according to any preceding claim wherein the seat carries on its underside support members engageable with the bottom of the bath.

10. A bathing unit according to any preceding claim wherein the underside of each end portion of the board is flat.

11. A bathing unit according to claim 10 wherein said flat undersides are provided with anti-slip means for resisting sliding of the board on the sides of a bath.

12. A bathing unit according to any preceding claim wherein the seat has a buttock depression and a recess in the middle of its forward edge.

13. A bathing unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.