U.S. patent number 3,863,275 [Application Number 05/414,380] was granted by the patent office on 1975-02-04 for sit-up bathtub and shower.
This patent grant is currently assigned to American Sterilizer Company. Invention is credited to Thomas Brendgord, Robert D. Copeland.
United States Patent |
3,863,275 |
Brendgord , et al. |
February 4, 1975 |
SIT-UP BATHTUB AND SHOWER
Abstract
The specification discloses a bath structure which may be about
waist high to an adult. The enclosure has a hinged door in one side
and the door has an inflatable seal around its outer periphery. A
flexible sheet of material is attached to the door jamb and
overlies the edges of the door to form a supplemental seal. The
door has a manually actuatable sliding bolt which engages the door
jamb and holds the door closed. A hand pump is connected to the
inflatable seal. The hand pump has a cylinder built into the door
and a handle extends from the pump which is connected to a piston
in the pump cylinder.
Inventors: |
Brendgord; Thomas (Erie,
PA), Copeland; Robert D. (Erie, PA) |
Assignee: |
American Sterilizer Company
(Erie, PA)
|
Family
ID: |
26928216 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/414,380 |
Filed: |
November 9, 1973 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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234701 |
Mar 15, 1972 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
4/556; 4/590;
4/569; 49/477.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47K
3/022 (20130101); A47K 3/006 (20130101); B29C
37/0028 (20130101); B29C 37/02 (20130101); B29L
2031/7694 (20130101); B29C 33/10 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47K
3/022 (20060101); A47K 3/00 (20060101); B29C
37/00 (20060101); B29C 33/10 (20060101); B29C
37/02 (20060101); A47k 003/022 () |
Field of
Search: |
;4/146-148,161,162,164,172.19,173,175,177,182 ;277/34.3
;49/477,484,463 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Huckert; John W.
Assistant Examiner: Levy; Stuart S.
Parent Case Text
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 234,701, filed Mar.
15, 1972, now abandoned.
Claims
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or
privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A bath structure comprising a door and a tub having a bottom,
four side walls, a door opening in one of said side walls,
said door hinged to one said wall and swingable to close said door
opening,
and a latch means on said door for fastening the said door in
closed position in said opening,
a flat platelike jamb member extending around the sides and bottom
of said door opening,
and an inflatable seal fixed to said door and extending around said
door,
pump means,
said pump means having a cylinder connected to said seal,
said inflatable seal terminating on said door at a position below
said latch means whereby said latch means can engage said tub above
said inflatable seal,
said pump means being built into said door and having a handle
extending upward from said door for inflating said seal to bring
said seal into sealing engagement with said platelike jamb
member.
2. The structure recited in claim 1 wherein said latch comprises a
sliding bolt on said door,
and said latch means comprises a notch in said door jamb to receive
said bolt.
3. The structure recited in claim 1 wherein means is provided on
said door to deflate said seal.
4. The structure recited in claim 1 wherein a bleed valve is
supported on said door and connected to said inflatable seal
whereby air can be released from said seal.
5. The structure recited in claim 4 wherein said tub has a drain
and closure means for said drain,
and means to actuate said bleed valve is disposed on said door.
Description
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved bath
structure.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved door and
seal structure in a bath apparatus.
Another object of the invention is to provide a bath structure that
is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and simple
and efficient to use.
With the above and other objects in view, the present invention
consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter
more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and
more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being
understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions,
and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit
or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.
REFERENCE TO PRIOR ART
The bath structure disclosed herein constitutes an improvement over
U.S. Pat. No. 3,423,769.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the bath structure according to the
invention.
FIG. 2 is a front view of the bath structure according to the
invention.
FIG. 3 is a top view of the bath structure.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 4--4 of
FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is an end view of the door shown in FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is an end view of the door shown in FIG. 4.
FIG. 7 is a partial cross sectional view taken on line 7--7 of FIG.
3.
FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken on line 8--8 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 9 shows another embodiment of the invention shown in FIG.
8.
FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the inflatable
seal.
FIG. 11 is an enlarged view partly in cross section of a hinge.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Now with more particular reference to the drawings, the bath
apparatus is generally indicated at 10 and it includes the
enclosure 11 having ends 12, 13 and a front 14, the rear wall 15,
and the bottom 16, all integrally connected together and molded
from a material such as Fiberglas, for example. The enclosure may
be approximately waist high and the seat 17 is molded into the
enclosure at approximately mid-height so that an invalid can
comfortably sit on the seat while taking a bath. A door 18 is
supported in the door opening by hinges 36 and 37 which have one
part 35 supported on the wall 14 to the left of the door and the
other part 38 supported on the door and pivotally connected
together at 39. The bathtub has a seat 26 inside it on which a
patient may rest.
The structure has a drain 19 of a conventional type that may be
closed by means of a drain cover stopper 20. The drain 19 admits
water to the drain fitting 27 to which the hose 30 of the shower is
attached (shown in dotted lines). The water control handle 21 is
provided in a convenient position near a corner of the structure so
that it is easily accessible to a patient sitting on the seat 17. A
drain cover chain 22 is attached to the top of the tub at 23. The
entire structure is supported on height adjustable supports 24 and
hold downs 25. A valve 26 is attached to the handle 21 and it may
be used to connect water from pipes 32 connected to an outside
water source at cover 31. A shower connection 29 or the lower part
of the tee 28 may be used to connect to admit water to the tub.
A pump cylinder 47 is built into the door 18 and the pump handle 48
is connected to a piston through which air may be pumped through
the hose 60 into the inflatable seal 50. The door opening is
bounded by a flat jamb plate 56. The seal and jamb could obviously
be reversed and the pump and seal attached to the tub to engage the
edge of the door. A fluid passage 51 is provided inside the
inflatable seal and the flanges 52 extend outward and may hold the
inflatable seal in the groove 54 in the door. A flat seal 55, which
may be made of a flexible material, is supported under the plate 56
and the flat seal overlies the edge 57 of the door and is held in
sealing engagement with the door by water pressure from the inside
of the structure.
A sliding bolt 46 is supported on the door and is attached to the
slide 42. The end of bolt 46 is received in a keeper member 49 on
the door jamb to hold the door 18 firmly in position and against
inadvertent opening irrespective of the frictional engagement at
surface 53 of the inflatable seal 50.
A bleed valve 58 is connected through hose 59 to the hose 60 which
is in turn connected to the inflatable seal to relieve the air
pressure in the seal when the water has been drained out of the
tub.
The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its
preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of
modification within a range of equivalents without departing from
the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is
commensurate with the appended claims.
* * * * *