US20060080772A1

US20060080772A1 - System of bath, shower, drying, massage and sauna for people

Info

Publication number: US20060080772A1
Application number: US11/253,220
Authority: US
Inventors: Manuel Saiz; Francisco Perez
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-10-18
Filing date: 2005-10-18
Publication date: 2006-04-20
Also published as: ES2304190A1; ES2304190B1

Abstract

A system for bathing, showering, drying, massaging and sauna, which includes a container having a vertical arrangement, a main body, a bottom surface, a water-drainage orifice and a door for allowing entrance of a user in a wheelchair. The bottom surface is at the same level as the door in an open position. The bottom surface has a small descendent inclination towards the water-drainage orifice. The door has an edge acting as slight connecting ramp with a floor of a room in which the system is placed. The door has pawls or iron straps, which lodge and are retained in recesses formed the main body for fastening the door, and the door has magnets for maintaining the door in a closed position.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the invention
The invention pertains to geriatric cleaning equipment and material.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Known bathtubs display great disadvantages during their utilization by disabled people or by people with certain degree of movement limitations. Therefore, the person may have to resort to showers or refuse these methods of washing. Present bathtubs and showers do not include saunas nor they have the capability of drying people.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention solves the above-noted inconveniences by providing a system for bathing, showering, drying massaging and sauna, which is equally useful for all types of people.
The system of bathing, showering, drying, massaging and sauna for people according to the invention includes a container of vertical arrangement, which has a door for allowing a user to enter the container. The door opening can even accommodate a wheelchair. In the contact zone of the door with the main body of the container a rubber seal is used which provides an excellent water seal.
An upper zone of the container can have a swinging cover or a rigid ceiling made up of the main body, in the latter case the upper zone is of greater length or height and adds an upper door that opens laterally by way of a hinge. In the case when the main body is shorter, it uses a stuffed foam rubber cover on its upper edge for a protection from bumping into. The container can have a cross-section that is rectangular, circular, square, oval or of circular sector of 90°, in the last case the geometry adapts to the corner of a bathroom. The cover and/or ceiling is used mainly to facilitate cleaning of the interior of the container and for using the sauna.
Two elastic elements have a central orifice although eccentric between themselves, it can also use two elastic membranes with two semicircles in their central edges that define a circular orifice that surrounds a user by their neck, both cases allow a user to maintain their head outside the zone of washing or sauna. The elastic elements are used for closing or sealing the container when not in use or during cleaning. The sauna can be taken with the body totally covered, using in this case, a nozzle with a tube that communicates with the outer air for providing a complete sauna that is healthier than the existing saunas.
The surface of the bottom of the container can be at the same level of the door in an open position thereof. The door has a slight ramp on its more external edge for meeting with the floor of the room. The bottom of the container has a small inclination descendent towards the drainage orifice. The door is fixed with pawls or iron straps that the door carries. The pawls or iron straps lodge and retain in a recess formed in the main body. Magnets are also used to maintain the door in a closed position.
The container has an integrated seat in its interior. The seat can be a plate that is introduced and moved in lateral slots, the plate can also tip-up and swing.
The doors can swing lateral or vertically and they can be sliding. In all the cases, the rubber seals prevent any water leakage. The main body of the container and the doors can be transparent or translucent.
Before opening the door a device opens the waste pipe for preventing any leaks.
The system has radial hot air blasts, pressurized water and water steam, mainly at the lateral inner side of the container at different heights. This is performed by a bath, showered, massage, sauna, drying and emptying program that is programmed and which is controlled from outside of the container by means of a microprocessor or an electric or electronic programmer. The electronic elements sending the air, water or steam blasts are sufficiently isolated and separated at a distance from the main container. The shower is provided with many nozzles for radial water blasts.
In order to facilitate the cleaning, any inner edges and corners of the container are rounded.
The cleaning of the main body of the container is performed with pressurized water and in a scheduled way once the washing is completed and the door has been closed.
The drainage orifice is connected to a waste pipe for removing large volumes of water by way of suction generated with a pump driven by an electric motor.
Temperature sensors control the water temperature or the temperature of the drying air, limiting it to non-harmful values for people.
The application of water and steam uses the pressure of the installation, or it can additionally be impelled with the use of pumps. The electric supply for the system is conveniently separated and isolated, it using transformers that isolate and reduce the voltage to very low and safe values for the personnel.
The present invention has the advantage that in some cases it allows use by disable personnel, even allowing entrance in wheelchair. It is practical, simple and economic. A variant of reduced size allows sitting down and it saves water and space.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the system according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 shows a front plan view one embodiment of the system according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 shows a front plan view of another embodiment of the system according to the present invention;
FIG. 4 shows a section view of further embodiment of the system according to the present invention;
FIG. 5 shows a section view of an additional embodiment of the system according to FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 shows a top plan view of yet another embodiment of the system according to the present invention; and
FIG. 7 shows a top plan view of still another embodiment of the system according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows the main body 1, a tip-up main door 2, a cover 3 with an inner zone having two thin sheets with a central opening of annular form 50, an integrated seat 4, magnets 5 and 5′, a seal 6, a recess 7, a locking iron strap 8, an orifice for water-drainage 9, and an upper edge 60 covered with a foam rubber seal.
FIG. 2 shows the main body of a parallelepiped type, it can use also a section of a rectangular sector, a lower door 2 and an upper door 2′.
FIG. 3 shows the main body having a cylindrical shape or of circular section, the lower door 2 and the upper door 2′.
FIG. 4 shows the main body 1 having a circular section, the door 2, a water inlet 13, a filter 14, a water heater 15, a water pump 16 controlled by way of a microprocessor 17, water injectors or nozzles 20, a sump or sink 18 and a drain pump 19 controlled by the microprocessor 17. The drain pump 19 can also be manually actuated.
FIG. 5 shows the main body 1 having a circular section, the door 2, a joint 6, a hinge 21 for the door 2, a water inlet pipe 13, the filter 14, a water evaporator 23, a compressor or motor-pump 24 that is used to distribute air or steam. The compressor 24 is controlled by the microprocessor 17 for discharging steam inside the container 1 through orifices or nozzles 22.
FIG. 6 shows the main body 1 having a circular section, the door 2, two elastic elements 55 that allow a persons head to project outside the main body 1 through both elastic and eccentric orifices 56, as they are shown are during use.
FIG. 7 shows the main body 1 having a circular section, the door 2, the joint 6, a hinge 25, an elastic edge orifice 58, formed by the semicircles of one of the edges of elastic elements 55 and 57 that allow a persons head to project outside the main body 1.
This application claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C. § 119, of Spanish patent application P200402692 filed Oct. 18, 2004; the entire disclosure of the prior application is herewith incorporated by reference.

Claims

1. A system for bathing, showering, drying, massaging and sauna, the system comprising:

a container having a vertical arrangement, a main body, a bottom surface, a water-drainage orifice and a door for allowing user in a wheelchair to enter said compartment, said bottom surface being at the same level as said door in an open position of said door, said bottom surface having a small descendent inclination towards said water-drainage orifice, said door having an edge acting as slight connecting ramp with a floor of a room in which the system is placed, said door having pawls or iron straps, which lodge and retain in recesses formed said main body for fastening said door, and said door having magnets for maintaining said door in a closed position.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said container has an upper zone with a swinging cover.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the container has a rigid ceiling attached to said main body, and an upper door that opens laterally with a hinge.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said container has an upper edge with a stuffed foam rubber cover for bump protection.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said container has a square or rectangular cross-section.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said container has a circular cross-section.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said container has a 90° circular sector cross-section.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said container has an oval cross-section.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said container has an upper zone with two elastic elements having a central orifice eccentric between themselves, that surround a user by their neck, allowing their head to be outside container during use and for closing or sealing when the system is not in use.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein said container has an upper zone with two elastic membranes having two semicircles in their central edges which define a circular orifice that surround a user by their neck, allowing their head to be outside container during use and for closing or sealing when the system is not in use.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said container includes at least one nozzle having a tube that communicates with outside air, for providing a complete sauna.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein said container has an integrated seat in its interior.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said seat is a plate that is introduced and moved in lateral slots.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein said seat is a plate that tip-ups and swings.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein said door is a plurality of doors that can swing lateral and vertically.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein said door is a plurality of doors that slide.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein said door and said main body are translucent.

18. The system according to claim 1, wherein said container has nozzles disposed at the lateral interior of said container at different heights for radial hot air blasts, pressurized water and steam.

19. The system according to claim 1, wherein further comprising a microprocessor or an electric or electronic programmer for controlling the system.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said microprocessor is sufficiently isolated and separated from said container.

21. The system according to claim 1, wherein the inner edges and corners are rounded.

22. The system according to claim 1, wherein cleaning of said main body of the container is performed with pressurized water in a scheduled way once the washing has been finalized and said door has been closed.

23. The system according to claim 1, wherein said drainage orifice is connected to a pump driven by an electric motor.

24. The system according to claim 19, further comprising temperature sensors that control the water temperature or the temperature of the drying air by limiting it to non harmful values for a person.

25. The system according to claim 1, further comprising pumps and compressors driven by electric motors to impel water, air and water steam.

26. The system according to claim 1, wherein the electric supply is conveniently separated and isolated using transformers that isolate and reduce the voltage to very low and safe values for the personnel.