Abstract:
A personal hygiene seat assembly for providing a comfortable and stable reclined seat assembly for performing personal hygiene needs such as shampooing and shaving of the elderly of handicapped at home using a conventional sink. The personal hygiene seat assembly includes a base member designed for removably coupling to a seat portion of a chair, a back member hingedly coupled to the base member, and a seat member having a bottom portion coupled to the base member and designed for supporting a person sitting on the personal hygiene seat assembly, the seat member further has a backing portion coupled to the back member and designed for supporting a back of the person using the personal hygiene seat assembly when the person is in a reclined position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to shampoo stations and more particularly pertains to a new personal hygiene seat assembly for providing a comfortable and stable reclined seat assembly for performing personal hygiene needs such a shampooing and shaving of the elderly or handicapped at home using a conventional sink. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of shampoo stations is known in the prior art. More specifically, shampoo stations heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,841,548; U.S. Pat. No. 3,879,085; U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,701; U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,673; U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,171; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 267,599. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new personal hygiene seat assembly. The inventive device includes a base member designed for removably coupling to a seat portion of a chair, a back member hingedly coupled to the base member, and a seat member having a bottom portion coupled to the base member and designed for supporting a person sitting on the personal hygiene seat assembly, the seat member further has a backing portion coupled to the back member and designed for supporting a back of the person using the personal hygiene seat assembly when the person is in a reclined position. 
     In these respects, the personal hygiene seat assembly according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing a comfortable and stable reclined seat assembly for performing personal hygiene needs such a shampooing and shaving of the elderly or handicapped at home using a conventional sink. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of shampoo stations now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new personal hygiene seat assembly construction wherein the same can be utilized for providing a comfortable and stable reclined seat assembly for performing personal hygiene needs such a shampooing and shaving of the elderly or handicapped at home using a conventional sink. 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new personal hygiene seat assembly apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the shampoo stations mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new personal hygiene seat assembly which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art shampoo stations, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a base member designed for removably coupling to a seat portion of a chair, a back member hingedly coupled to the base member, and a seat member having a bottom portion coupled to the base member and designed for supporting a person sitting on the personal hygiene seat assembly, the seat member further has a backing portion coupled to the back member and designed for supporting a back of the person using the personal hygiene seat assembly when the person is in a reclined position. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new personal hygiene seat assembly apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the shampoo stations mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new personal hygiene seat assembly which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art shampoo stations, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new personal hygiene seat assembly which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new personal hygiene seat assembly which is of a durable and reliable construction. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new personal hygiene seat assembly which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such personal hygiene seat assembly economically available to the buying public. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new personal hygiene seat assembly which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new personal hygiene seat assembly for providing a comfortable and stable reclined seat assembly for performing personal hygiene needs such a shampooing and shaving of the elderly or handicapped at home using a conventional sink. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new personal hygiene seat assembly which includes a base member designed for removably coupling to a seat portion of a chair, a back member hingedly coupled to the base member, and a seat member having a bottom portion coupled to the base member and designed for supporting a person sitting on the personal hygiene seat assembly, the seat member further has a backing portion coupled to the back member and designed for supporting a back of the person using the personal hygiene seat assembly when the person is in a reclined position. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new personal hygiene seat assembly that folds for transporting and storing. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new personal hygiene seat assembly that is adjustable for the height of the user. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a new personal hygiene seat assembly according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic back view of the present invention in a folded condition. 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic front view of the present invention in a folded condition. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new personal hygiene seat assembly embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the personal hygiene seat assembly  10  generally comprises a base member  20 , a back member  30 , and a seat member  40 . 
     The base member  20  is designed for removably coupling to a seat portion of a chair. 
     The back member  30  is hingedly coupled to the base member  20 . 
     The seat member  40  includes a bottom portion  42  and a backing portion  44 . The bottom portion  42  is designed for supporting a person sitting on the personal hygiene seat assembly  10 . The backing portion  44  is designed for supporting a back of the person using the personal hygiene seat assembly  10  when the person is in a reclined position. The backing portion  44  is coupled to the back member  30 . The bottom portion  42  is coupled to the base member  20 . 
     A leg support assembly  60  is hingedly coupled to a front edge  22  of the base member  20 . The leg support assembly  60  is designed for supporting the legs of a user when the user is in a reclined position. 
     The leg support assembly  60  comprises a leg support frame  62 , a pair of extension members  64 , and a foot rest portion  66 . 
     The leg support frame  62  is hingedly coupled to the front edge  22  of the base member  20 . The leg support frame  62  is designed for supporting the legs of the user when the user is in a reclined position. 
     The pair of extension members  64  each includes a first end and a second end. The first end is pivotally coupled to an underside of the base member  20 . The second end is pivotally coupled to a backside of the leg support frame  62 . The pair of extension members  64  is for positioning the leg support frame  62  such that a plane defined by the leg support frame  62  is oriented at an oblique angle to a plane defined by the base member  20 . The oblique angle is determinable by the user. 
     The foot rest portion  66  is pivotally coupled to the leg support frame  62  and designed for supporting the feet of a user when the user is in a seated or reclined position. 
     Each one of a plurality of rear strap members  32  includes a first end coupled to a first side of the back member  30 . Each one of the rear strap members  32  includes a second end. Each second end is couplable to a second side of the back member  30  for coupling the back member  30  to a back portion of a seat such that the personal hygiene seat assembly  10  is prevented from sliding forward on the seat when the plurality of rear strap members  32  is placed around the back portion of the seat and coupled to the second side of the back member  30 . 
     A bottom strap  24  includes a first end coupled to a first side of the base member  20 . The bottom strap  24  includes a second end couplable to a second side of the base member  20 . The bottom strap  24  is designed for fitting around a seat portion of a chair for preventing the personal hygiene seat assembly  10  from being lifted off of the chair when the bottom strap  24  is coupled to the second side of the base member  20 . 
     A drainage member  34  includes a proximal edge and a distal edge. The proximal edge is hingedly coupled to a top edge of the back member  30  for facilitating the flow of water into a sink when the personal hygiene assembly  10  is placed adjacent to the sink. 
     The drainage member  34  further comprises a depression  36 , which extends along a longitudinal axis of the drainage member  34 . The depression  36  is designed for facilitating the flow of water into the sink. The depression  36  has a width substantially equivalent to the size of a human head. 
     The drainage member  34  further comprises a polymeric material for facilitating the flow of water and inhibiting the absorption of water by the drainage member  34 . 
     A first seat belt member  46  includes a first end and a second end. The first end is coupled to a first side of the base member  20 . The second end includes a first portion of hook and loop fastener  50  applied thereon. 
     A second seat belt member  48  includes a first end and a second end. The first end is coupled to a second side of the base member  20 . The second end includes a second complementary portion of hook and loop fastener  52  applied thereon. 
     The first belt member  46  and second belt member  48  are designed for securing a user to the personal hygiene seat assembly  10  during use and preventing the user from slipping off of the seat assembly  10 . 
     In one embodiment, the seat member  40  is inflatable for facilitating adjustment of the height of the seat member  40  to align a top of the seat member  40  with an edge of a sink. An air inlet valve  26  is positioned on a side of the base member  20 . The air inlet valve  26  is in environmental communication with the inflatable seat member  40 . The air inlet valve  26  is for controlling the quantity of air in the inflatable seat member  40  such that the height of the seat member  40  is controllable by adjusting the air inlet valve  26 . 
     In an embodiment the seat member  40  comprises a cover portion  54  and a pad portion  56 . The pad portion  56  comprises a foam rubber. The cover portion  54  envelops the pad portion  56 . The cover portion  54  comprising a substantially waterproof material for repelling moisture. 
     In an embodiment the base member  20  includes a length of approximately 24 inches, a width of approximately 17 and ½ inches, and a thickness if approximately 4 inches. 
     In a further embodiment the backing portion  44  of the seat member  40  has a height of approximately 24 inches, the bottom portion  42  has a length of approximately 24 inches, the seat member  40  includes a width of approximately 17 and ½ inches, the seat member  40  includes a thickness of approximately 4 inches. 
     The drainage member  34  is foldable such that a bottom surface of the drainage member  34  abuts a back surface of the back member  30  when the drainage assembly  34  is in a folded position. The leg support assembly  60  is foldable such that a back surface of the leg support assembly  60  abuts a bottom surface of the base member  20  when the leg support assembly  60  is in a folded position. The back member  30  is foldable such that a front surface of the backing portion  44  abuts a top surface of the bottom portion  42  when the back member  30  is in a folded position. The drainage member  34 , the leg support assembly  60 , and the back member  30  are foldable such that the personal hygiene seat assembly  10  is foldable for facilitating transportation and storage of the personal hygiene seat assembly  10 . 
     In use, the personal hygiene seat assembly is unfolded. The assembly is then strapped to a chair using the rear strap members and bottom strap. The seat member is inflated to the desired height. The user is then positioned on the assembly and secured using the first and second seat belt members. The leg support assembly is adjusted to support the legs and feet of the user. The user then may be shampooed, shaved or groomed as desired. 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.