Portable bath bench/seat

A compact and portable bath bench which is mounted on a frame supported by a pair of foldable brackets which engage an outer side wall of a bathtub. The frame is stabilized by a foldable leg assembly which extends from the frame to the bottom of the bathtub. A seat may be supported on the bench by a moveable carriage so that an individual may be seated adjacent the side wall of the bathtub and thereafter moved centrally thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention is generally directed to seating devices for bathtubs and, 
more particularly, to portable seating devices, which are designed to be 
mounted to an outer side wall of a bathtub and which include a frame which 
is cantilevered inwardly of the bathtub which supports a bench to which a 
seat may be mounted by way of a moveable carriage. The invention is 
particularly directed to bathtub seating devices which are foldable to 
facilitate shipping and storage. 
2. History of the Related Art 
Seating devices have been designed to assist and support individuals within 
bathtub or shower enclosures. Individuals who are normally confined to 
wheelchairs or who must use walkers or other assist devices to facilitate 
their movement cannot enter and exit a bathtub or shower enclosure without 
assistance and further require support within such enclosures. It often 
becomes necessary for a caretaker, nurse or family member to exert a great 
deal of physical effort in order to lift and lower an individual into a 
bathtub or to lift an individual into a chair positioned within a bathtub 
or shower enclosure. Prior art seating devices have been designed in order 
to alleviate this physical effort. 
Basic bathtub seating devices often take the form of a bench which is 
designed to be positioned between the side walls of a bathtub. Often, such 
benches are supported by a plurality of legs from the bottom of the 
bathtub. Such benches provide a seating surface on which an individual may 
be placed either by physically assisting the individual to step within the 
tub and thereafter be seated on the bench or by physically lifting the 
individual over the side wall of the bathtub and onto the bench. Some 
bench-type seats are designed to be more simply supported on the top of 
the side walls of the bathtub and may include stabilizing devices for 
engaging the opposite side walls of the bathtub. For example, such a bench 
is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,799 to Van Hovel. Unfortunately, 
bench-type seating devices often require an assistant to exert a great 
deal of physical effort to aid an individual to be seated. However, in 
those instances where the individual requiring assistance has some measure 
of physical ability, bench devices may be appropriate and assistance may 
only be required to stabilize the individual as they step into a bathtub 
to be seated upon the bench. 
To facilitate the manner in which an individual may be positioned on a bath 
chair or seat, other types of bench supports have been designed to include 
a portion which is either mounted directly over the outer side wall of the 
bathtub or cantilevers outwardly therefrom. Such portions provide an 
initial support for an individual being assisted. By initially seating an 
individual on a cantilevered seat, the individual may thereafter be moved 
so that his or her legs are brought inwardly of the bathtub while their 
weight is supported by the seat, thereafter, the individual may be shifted 
along the bench within the confines of the bathtub. Examples of this type 
of bathing support device are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,391,006 to 
Smith, 4,472,844 to Mace and 4,520,505 to Hatala. 
Some types of prior art structures are designed to be permanently installed 
adjacent the bathtub or shower enclosure. Unfortunately, bulky and 
permanently fixed structures are often not practical, especially when 
individuals are traveling, visiting with friends or family or wherein the 
size of the bathroom does not permit such permanent installations. 
Examples of this type of bathing chair or support device are disclosed in 
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,076,808 to Arborg, 2,052,6298 to Higgins and 5,263,207 to 
Gilbert. 
Other types of portable seating devices have been designed which are 
supported both along the bottom of a bathtub and by the adjacent floor 
structure. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,359,791 to Thomas, a slidable seat is 
disclosed which is mounted on a frame having a pair of legs supported by 
the bathtub and a pair of legs which are engageable with the floor 
exteriorly of the bathtub. Unfortunately, the overall structure is not 
securely positioned relative to the bathtub and can be displaced when in 
use. Other improvements over this type of seating device have been made 
wherein a sliding chair is supported directly by the side walls of the 
bathtub and/or by the adjacent floor structure so as to limit the amount 
of shifting during use. Although such structures provide greater 
stability, they often require that a bathtub enclosure have side walls of 
sufficient size and structure to support the seat. Some examples of this 
type of bathtub seating device are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,168,549 
to Davies, 5,373,591 to Myers and 4,150,445 to Bailey. 
In view of the foregoing, there remains a need to provide portable and 
collapsible bathtub chairs or seats which may be compactly stored for 
shipment and transportation but which may be easily and readily installed 
in such a manner as to remain securely in place when an individual is 
seated thereon. Further, there remains a need to provide portable bathing 
devices which are convertible in structure to provide for different 
individual needs and which may be used for substantially any bathtub or 
shower enclosure having at least one bathtub wall for supporting such 
devices when in use. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is directed to a portable bath bench which may be 
easily convertible to a portable bath chair and which is designed to be 
compactly folded for transportation and storage. The invention includes a 
main frame upon which a bench is mounted. The frame includes pairs of 
opposing bracket members for engaging an outer side wall of a bathtub or 
shower enclosure and which are pivotably moveable with respect to the 
frame. The frame further includes a foldable leg assembly which is 
moveable along rails provided on the frame and which is utilized to 
stabilize the frame relative to the bottom wall of a bathtub or shower 
enclosure in such a manner that the frame is retained horizontally when in 
use. The foldable leg assembly includes a locking device which allows the 
angle of the leg assembly to be altered depending upon the depth of the 
bathtub measured from the upper edge of the side wall. 
A seat may be provided which is moveable along the bench by being supported 
on a carriage having upper and lower sets of rollers which are engageable 
on the upper and lower surface portions of the bench. The bench may also 
include molded portions for holding and retaining shampoos, soaps, brushes 
and related bathing materials at a convenient location for an individual 
seated either on the seat or on the bench associated with the invention. 
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a lightweight 
and easily handled bathing device which may be utilized either as a bench 
or a chair and wherein, when used as a chair, the chair is moveable along 
the length of the bench from a position adjacent an outer side wall of the 
bathtub or shower enclosure to a position inwardly thereof so that an 
individual may be seated on the chair while the seat is adjacent the side 
wall of the bathtub and thereafter moved inwardly of the bathtub or shower 
enclosure after which the seat may be locked in a fixed position. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bathing 
apparatus which may be utilized as a bench or chair which is collapsible 
into a compact configuration for shipment and storage and yet which is 
easily mounted without the use of tools and without the requirement for 
providing lockable clamps or other physically adjustable devices to secure 
the device in place so that the device may be mounted to a single side 
wall of a bathtub and secured thereto without requiring a significant 
amount of physical effort. 
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a portable 
bathing device which may easily be mounted to a single side wall of a 
bathtub or shower enclosure and which is retained in a horizontal 
relationship therewith at all times when an individual is seated thereon. 
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a portable 
bathing device which may be utilized as a bench or chair suitable for use 
with substantially any size of bathtub or shower enclosure and which can 
be utilized without adversely affecting or damaging the bathtub or shower 
enclosure adjacent walls, floors and other surfaces.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With continued reference to the drawing figures the portable bath 
bench/chair 10 of the present is shown in FIG. 1 as being mounted to the 
upper ledge 11 of the outer side wall 12 of a conventional bathtub "T". 
The bathtub further includes a bottom wall 13 which extends between an 
inner outer side wall 14 and an inner wall 15 having an upper ledge 16. 
The present invention is designed to be utilized as a generally horizontal 
support and therefore includes a bench 20 upon which an individual may be 
seated and over which a chair 22 may be slidably and pivotably adjustable 
so that the chair may be positioned immediately overlying the upper ledge 
11 of the outer side wall of the tub or moved inwardly over the central 
portion of the bench 20 and centrally between the inner side walls 14 and 
15 of the bathtub. Although the drawing figures show a bathtub including a 
inner ledge 16 associated with the inner side wall 15, the present 
invention is designed to be supported solely by the upper ledge 11 of the 
outer side wall 12 and by the bottom wall 13 so that the portable bath 
bench/chair may be utilized on tubs having varying widths as measured 
between the inner and outer side walls or on tubs or bathing enclosures 
having no inner ledge associated therewith. 
With particular reference with FIGS. 2-6, the bench 20 which is preferably 
formed of a molded plastic material but may be also formed of a metallic 
material. The bench is fixedly mounted either by adhesives or suitable 
fasteners to an underlying frame 25 which includes a pair of elongated 
side members 26 and 27 which are connected at their outer ends by a first 
cross member 28 and which are joined at their inner ends by a reinforcing 
cross member 29. The side members 26 and 27 as well as the outer cross 
brace 28 are formed of a rectangular cross section metallic stock 
material, such as aluminum or stainless steel tubing, and are welded to 
one another. The cross member 29 is shown as being formed as a metallic 
plate but may also be formed from tubular stock material. The frame is 
further reinforced by a pair of generally parallel cross members 30 and 31 
which are spaced relative to one another adjacent the outer cross member 
28 and which are utilized to support clamps and a support leg assembly, as 
will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter. The frame is further 
provided with a pair of spaced and generally parallel guide rails 33 and 
34 which are connected by spacers 35 and 36 to the longitudinal frame 
members 26 and 27, respectively. The outer end of each of the rails 33 and 
34 is welded to a cross brace 37 extending between and insertably 
connected or welded to the longitudinal members 26 and 27. 
To engage the frame to the upper ledge 11 of the outer side wall 12 of the 
bathtub, a pair of clamp assemblies 40 are mounted to stub shafts 41 and 
42 connected to the cross member 30. Each clamp assembly includes a pair 
of opposing clamp arms 43 and 44 which have somewhat concave lower 
surfaces which are preferably covered with resilient pads 45 formed from a 
rubber or foam material having a high coefficient of friction for engaging 
the upper edges of the ledge 11 of the outer side wall 12 of the bathtub 
to prevent both the shifting of the clamping arms relative thereto as well 
as to protect the finish of the outer side wall of the bathtub. 
With particular reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the arms 43 and 44 of each 
clamp assembly are pivotably mounted at the inner ends about the rod or 
stub shafts 41 and 42 carried by the cross member 30 so that they may be 
pivoted away from one another so as to cooperatively engage the upper 
ledge of a bathtub regardless of the width of the outer wall of the 
bathtub. The arms may also be pivoted to a fully stored position outwardly 
relative to one another as shown in FIG. 6. Bushings or bearings (not 
shown) may be provided between the inner portion of each of the arms 43 
and 44 and the stub shafts 41 and 42 to facilitate pivotable movement of 
the arms relative thereto. The inner portion of the arms further include 
opposing abutment portions 48 which are engageable with the cross member 
30 when in the fully open position, shown in FIG. 5. By moving the arms 43 
and 44 toward one another as shown by the arrows in FIG. 5 when the frame 
has been lifted from the side wall of a bathtub, the arms will pivot fully 
around so as to come into the storage position, shown in FIG. 6. Although, 
not shown in the drawings, suitable spring elements may be provided for 
biasing the arms 43 and 44 toward the stored position of FIG. 6 so that 
they automatically assume a stored position whenever the frame is lifted 
from the side wall of the bathtub. 
To further support the remaining portion of the frame within the bathtub 
enclosure, and as shown in FIGS. 4-6, a leg assembly 50 is provided. The 
leg assembly 50 includes a pair of parallel legs 51 and 52 having upper 
generally "L" shaped ends having openings allowing the legs to be 
pivotably mounted to the cross brace rod 31. Suitable bearings (not shown) 
may also be provided between the openings in the legs and the rod 31. The 
lower end of each of the legs includes a rubber boot or foot 55 for 
frictionally engaging the lower wall 13 of a bathtub. The legs 51 and 52 
are reinforced by a pair of vertically pivotable struts 56 and 57 which 
are pivotably connected at their lower ends to a cross brace 59 extending 
between and connecting the lower portions of the legs 51 and 52 and the 
struts 56 and 57, as shown in FIG. 3. The upper portion of each of the 
struts are pivotably connected to separate guide blocks 60 and 61 slidably 
mounted to the opposing rails 33 and 34 associated with the frame 25. The 
guide blocks are connected by a cross brace 62 in the form of a rod 
extending therebetween which ensures that the blocks move simultaneously 
along the rails 33 and 34. Each block includes a generally "C" shaped 
longitudinal slot 65, FIG. 7, in the outer face thereof which engages one 
of the rails 33 or 34. The outer face of each block is also tapered as 
shown at 66 for purposes of preventing interference of the blocks with the 
connectors 35 and 36 mounting the rails 33 and 34 to the main frame. The 
upper ends of each of the struts 56 and 57 are pivotably connected to the 
cross member 62 by way of suitable bushings 68, such as shown in FIG. 7. 
With particular reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, each of the guide blocks 60 and 
61 is designed to be locked with respect to the rails 33 and 34 by way of 
locking mechanisms carried by each block. Each locking mechanism includes 
an actuating lever 70 which is pivotably mounted at 71 to the blocks 60 
and 61 and within suitable openings 72 provided at one end thereof. 
Adjacent the upper end of the lever 70, a cut-out 73 is provided through 
which the respective rails 33 and 34 extend. Each cut-out includes a lower 
locking edge 74 which is normally urged into tight engagement with the 
bottom of the respective rods 33 and 34 by way of a spring 75 mounted to 
each block. The cut-out also includes an upper edge 76 which binds with 
the upper portion of each of the rails 33 and 34 when the levers 70 are in 
a fully locked position, as shown in FIG. 8. By pivoting the levers in the 
direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 8 to compress the spring 75, the 
slotted opening 73 is aligned with the respective rails 33 and 34, thereby 
allowing movement of the blocks relative to the rails. Upon release of the 
levers 70, the springs 75 automatically cause the notch portions 73 of 
each lever or handle to bite against the upper and lower portions of the 
rails, thereby preventing any further movement of the blocks 60 and 61 
relative thereto. 
The extent of the movement of the blocks 60 and 61 along the rails 33 and 
34 will depend upon the height of the upper ledge 11 of the bathtub 
relative to the lower wall 13 thereof. In use, the leg assembly is pivoted 
downwardly, thereby moving the block assemblies away from the side wall 12 
of the bathtub. Once the boots 55 of each of the legs 51 and 52 engage the 
bottom wall 13 of the tub, the locking levers are released thereby 
immediately preventing any further movement of the blocks 60 and 61 
relative to the rails and maintaining the legs 51 and 52 in contact with 
the bottom wall of the bathtub. 
When the invention is to be removed from a bath enclosure, the lever 70 
associated with the blocks 60 and 61 is engaged and urged toward the 
springs associated therewith and thereafter the legs 51 and 52 are pivoted 
upwardly, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 5, into a collapsed engagement 
beneath the bench 20 and beneath the frame, as shown in FIG. 6. In this 
configuration, the invention is compact and may be easily stored in a 
suitable closet or other space. 
As previously noted, the present invention may be utilized solely with the 
bench 20 mounted on the frame 25. Further, the bench may be provided with 
molded apertures such as shown at 81 for purposes of facilitating support 
of bathing devices, including shampoos, soaps and other containers. The 
present invention may also be utilized with a movable seat 22. With 
particular reference to FIGS. 1, 5, 12, and 13, the seat 22 is mounted 
upon a carriage 90 having an upper generally horizontal platform 91 of a 
size to extend across the width of the bench and having depending side 
flange portions 92 and 93 which extend on opposite sides of the bench. The 
platform is supported in rolling engagement with the upper surface of the 
bench, as shown in FIG. 5 by pairs of plastic rollers 94 which are mounted 
to spaced stub shafts mounted through the side flanges 92 and 93 thereof. 
The carriage is locked relative to the bench by providing lower rollers 96 
which are mounted to stub shafts along the lower portion thereof and on 
each of the depending slide flanges 92 and 93. As shown in FIG. 2, the 
carriages are rollingly engaged with the bench by having two sets of upper 
rollers 94 and a single set of spaced lower rollers 96 which engage along 
the upper surface and along the lower outer edges of the bench, 
respectively. 
The seat 22 is mounted by suitable fasteners to a pivot plate or base 97 
which is mounted to suitable openings 98 provided in the support platform 
91 in such a manner that the seat may be pivoted, as shown by the arrow in 
FIG. 1, so that the seat may be oriented outwardly of the side wall 12 of 
the bathtub to allow a person to be comfortably seated on the seat and 
thereafter the seat pivoted into general alignment with the length of the 
tub, as shown in FIG. 3. In the preferred embodiment, the seat also 
includes a pivotable back rest 99 which can be folded onto the seat 22 for 
purposes of compact storage. 
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 13, the seat further includes a locking assembly 
including an operating handle 100 which is connected to a pivot shaft 101 
fixedly mounted to a rocker arm 102 mounted to the lower portion of the 
seat 22. The rocker arm 102 includes a bifurcated end portion 103 which 
engages a collar 104 mounted to a locking pin 105 which is mounted within 
one of a plurality of spaced openings 108 provided in symmetrical 
relationship and spaced with one another about a central point of the 
plate 91 of the carriage 90. A spring element 109 normally urges the 
locking pin 105 into a lower position in which it is engageable within one 
of the openings 108. By raising the handle 100, the rocker lever 102 is 
elevated thereby raising the locking pin 105 from one of the openings 108 
against the spring 109 until another opening 108 is aligned with the 
locking pin 105 afterwhich the handle may be released allowing the locking 
pin 105 to engage within one of the openings 108 to prevent further 
rotation of the seat relative to the bench. 
As previously discussed, the present invention is designed to be 
collapsible for storage and/or shipment. In this respect, a first 
retention flange 110 may be molded adjacent the lower portion of the bench 
adjacent the second end of the frame at a position so as to frictionally 
engage the lower end or boot portion 55 of at least one of the leg members 
as they are raised into generally parallel relationship beneath the bench, 
as shown in FIG. 6. A second pair of spaced retention means 111 and 112 
are molded and extend from the bottom portion of the bench adjacent the 
first end of the frame on either side of the clamp assemblies 40. The 
second retention members 111 and 112 are spaced so as to frictionally 
engage the outermost ends of each of the arms 43 and 44 of the assemblies 
when the arms are pivoted outwardly, as shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings, 
to frictionally retain the arms in a position beneath the bench, as shown 
in the drawing figures. 
Outward movement of the seat relative to the bench 20 and the frame 25 is 
prevented by providing suitable stops (not shown) molded along the inner 
portion of each of the side walls of the bench adjacent the outer portion 
thereof which are engageable with the stabilizing rollers 94 associated 
with the seat carriage. 
In use, when it is desired for the bench or chair to be utilized, the clamp 
assemblies 40 are first engaged with the upper edge of an outer side wall 
of a bathtub, as shown in FIG. 2, by pivoting the legs away from one 
another and extending them from beneath the bench 20. Depending upon the 
width of the side wall of the bathtub, the point of contact with the arms 
43 and 44 of the clamp assemblies will vary. Thereafter, the locking lever 
70 of each of the blocks 60 and 61 associated with the leg assembly 50 are 
urged against their respective springs thereby unlocking the blocks from 
the rails 33 and 34. The legs and struts 51, 52 and 56 and 57 are 
thereafter lowered into a position wherein the foot portion 55 of each of 
the legs engages the bottom wall of the tub in such a manner that the 
bench 20 is oriented horizontally and in parallel relationship with 
respect to the bottom wall 13 of the tub. Thereafter, locking levers 70 
are released thereby locking the leg assembly in position. 
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has 
been presented to illustrate the principles of the invention and not to 
limit the invention to the particular embodiment illustrated. It is 
intended that the scope of the invention be defined by all of the 
embodiments encompassed within the following claims and their equivalents.