Bathtub with spray outlet converted to recto-genital cleansing device

A bathtub which has been converted into a selectively usable, facile, feminine recto-genital cleansing apparatus, by spanning the side rims of the tub with a swing-away seat having a large opening over which a user places her recto-genital area. The seat is provided with a horizontal forward protrusion which is so shaped and dimensioned that when the seat is straddled by a user her genitalia are transversely spread to expose and open her vagina, as well as to present the surrounding spread vulvar cleft for flushing thereof. The bathtub is equipped with a shower arm from which the shower head has been removed and replaced by a flexible conduit that runs to a stand placed on the bottom of the bathtub on the front-to-back center line thereof. The stand supports a swivelable spray head that is adapted to be so manually placed on the floor of the bathtub that water issuing from the head will be directed at the now accessible user's rectogenital area. The stand further includes a manually controllable valve to enable the user to regulate the pressure of the spray and to turn the spray off or on at will.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
A shower equipped bathtub converted to a feminine recto-genital cleansing 
apparatus. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
It long has been recognized that the recto-genital area is benefited by 
frequent cleansings to minimize irritation and infection, eliminate odors 
and remove residues from bodily excretions. For anatomical and hygienic 
reasons, women in particular exert special efforts to maintain this area 
clean. Attempts to clean the area with topically applied sheets of soft 
material are futile. An alternative approach, namely laving said area in 
shallow bowls, e.g. sitz baths, has been practiced for centuries. More 
recently, bidets have been employed, these constituting bowls with nozzles 
in their bases to direct sprays of water at the recto-genital area. 
Two patented types of conversion equipment have been suggested to 
incorporate rectal baths in a bathtub: these are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,040,335 
and 3,082,432. 
In the first of these the shower head is removed from a shower arm and 
replaced with a flexible conduit that supplies water under pressure to 
sundry nozzles including one beneath an opening in a seat for a user; this 
nozzle is oriented to direct a spray at the user's rectal area and toward 
the genital area. In this patent the seat has no accounterments to compel 
a woman to spread her genital area sufficiently to provide ready access to 
an opened vagina and the surrounding vulvar cleft in order to permit a 
spray to obtain maximum flushing. 
In the second patent a seat likewise is provided with a rectal spray, the 
spray being attached to the bathtub spout rather than the shower head; the 
seat has no accounterments to compel placement of the user's legs in such 
a position as to open and expose the vagina and surrounding area. 
Nether of these patents includes a single easily available control for 
regulating the rate of discharge for the spray, so that the user is forced 
to stretch out in order to reach the wall-mounted handles. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
1. Purposes of the Invention 
It is an object of this invention to provide a converted shower equipped 
bathtub with a swing-away seat and which compels a seated woman to spread 
her legs to such a degree that the vestibule to her vagina is opened wide 
and the vulvar area is fully exposed for impingement of a spray. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a converted bathtub of the 
character described which is very efficient, comfortable and pleasing to 
use for the mentioned purpose. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a converted bathtub of the 
character described which constitutes relatively few, inexpensive and 
simple parts, and is rapidly and easily changed from a conventional shower 
equipped bathtub and, indeed, can be readily changed back for conventional 
bathing. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a converted bathtub of the 
character described in which the seat can be rapidly and readily moved 
between an out-of-the-way and an in-use position. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a converted bathtub of the 
character described which enables a woman to quickly adjust the position 
of the spray so as to direct the same at an angle which best suits her 
personal genital anatomy. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a converted bathtub of the 
character described which enables a woman to wash the area involved, not 
only thoroughly, but quickly. 
Other objects of the invention in part will be obvious and in part will be 
pointed out hereinafter. 
2. Brief Description of the Invention 
The present invention is concerned with the conversion of a standard shower 
equipped bathtub into a combination which can be used with utmost 
efficiency for water cleansing of a woman's rectal and genital areas. The 
bathtub is conventional. Indeed, it is a feature of this invention that an 
ordinary bathtub such as is found in almost every home can be converted 
into a cleansing device of the character under consideration, the 
conversion being such that the bathtub can be used at will either in its 
ordinary manner or as a cleansing device. 
The bathtub preferably is of the so-called recessed type, that is, a 
bathtub having an apron which extends to the floor on an outer side and a 
rim which extends to a wall on an inner side parallel to the apron. 
The remaining rims are at the head and foot ends of the bathtub and may 
extend to walls or one of them may include a floor length apron. The rims 
are coplanar and approximately flat. 
The bottom of the bathtub at the head end is slightly higher than at the 
foot end. The bathtub has the usual drain opening. At the foot end of the 
bathtub a hot water valve, a cold water valve or a mixing valve, a spout, 
a shower/spout director and a drain control are provided. Furthermore, the 
bathtub has an associated elevated shower arm projecting from a wall of 
the room above the foot end. 
The bathtub is converted from its conventional use to its recto-genital 
flushing use by installing certain equipment. This includes a seat which 
is adapted to have its opposite sides rest on the side rims near the head 
end of the bathtub. The seat is permanently connected to a bathroom wall, 
preferably the head wall. This connection, desirably, is such as to permit 
the seat to be swung from a horizontal position resting on the side rims 
to a vertical out-of-the-way position substantially flat against the head 
wall. A hinge is employed for this purpose. 
The seat is of special construction, being such, as mentioned previously, 
that when a woman sits on it her recto-genital area will be exposed 
through an opening in the seat. This, however, is not sufficient. The seat 
must be such that the recto-genital area including the vaginal vestibule 
is totally exposed for efficient rinsing thereof. To this end and in order 
to compel the woman who uses the seat to spread her legs sufficiently for 
the aforesaid purpose, the seat includes a horizontal protrusion coplanar 
with the remainder of the seat and located at the front center of the 
seat. The protrusion includes two flanks on the outside of which a woman 
places her thighs while her feet rest on the bottom of the tub and her 
buttocks rest on the seat. The flanks are spaced apart a substantial 
distance sufficient to compel the woman to open her legs enough to spread 
her major and minor labia and also to transversely spread the cleft of the 
vulva to an extent such that not only is the recto-genital area totally 
exposed, but the mouth of the vaginal canal is opened whereby to permit 
flushing of the vestibule thereof. 
The second piece of equipment used for the conversion of the bathtub is a 
water spray, means for supporting the spray on the bottom of the tub, and 
a conduit for leading pressurized water to the spray. Specifically, the 
seond piece of equipment constitutes a stand which can be manually placed 
on the bottom of the tub by the user and, when so placed, will be in 
stable equilibrium that is to say, will not rock. The stand supports a 
spray head, for example, a spray head such as a conventional shower spray 
head. Desirably the spray head is swivelably attached to the stand so that 
its angle can be adjusted to one proper for the anatomy of the user. A 
passageway leads from an inlet to the spray head to the outlet from a 
nearby controllable valve which, desirably, is supported by the stand. The 
nearby valve thus can be readily grasped by a woman on the seat without 
rising or without stretching to manipulate the usual valve handles of foot 
end of the tub. The inlet to the nearby valve is coupled to one end of a 
flexible conduit, the other end of which is screwed on the free end of a 
shower arm from which the shower head has been unscrewed. The proper 
volume and temperature of water is obtained by adjusting the usual valve 
handles while the water is permitted to flow through the bath spout. AT 
this time the nearby valve is closed. Then the spout/shower diverter valve 
handle is manipulated to direct water to the nearby valve. Finally, the 
user, while seated operates the nearby valve to spray her recto-genital 
area. 
At the time of an individual's first use, the angle of the spray is 
adjusted to obtain a correct spray angle for that person. Thereafter, this 
need not be changed unless a different user employs the cleansing device 
and wants to alter the spray angle and position on the bottom of the tub 
to suit her uniquely singular anatomical genital structure. 
The invention consists in the features of construction, combinations of 
elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the device 
hereinafter described and of which the scope of application will be 
indicated in the appended claims.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 
Referring now in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 denotes a 
conventional recessed bathtub. The illustrated tub has been set into an 
alcove, a position in which it frequently is found in homes. The tub may 
be of any standard construction, e.g. porcelain or iron enamel. It has the 
usual foot end 12 and head end 14 between which a bottom 16 extends. The 
bottom slopes downwardly from the head end to the foot end in order to 
facilitate flow of water out of a drain 18 in the bottom at the foot end. 
The tub includes the usual foot wall 20, head wall 22 and side walls 24, 
26. Each wall terminates at the top of the tub in a rim section, 
respectively 28, 30, 32, 34. The rim sections usually are flat, being so 
illustrated in the drawings, and they lie in a common horizontal plane, 
the ends of adjacent rim sections running into one another. 
The front of the tub, which is the long portion that faces into the room 
conventionally is provided with an apron 36 that extends from the outer 
edge of the outer side rim section 32 to the floor of the bathroom. In 
order to prevent deterioration of the walls around the tub, the same are 
provided with tiles 38 or some other suitable water-impervious surface. 
Cold and hot water handles 40, 42 protrude from the wall at the foot end of 
the tub. These handles are connected by spindles to cold and hot water 
valves set in the wall. Cold and hot water, respectively, run through 
these valves to one of two outlets. One outlet is a spout 44 for 
delivering a solid stream of water into the tub. The spout extends from 
the wall over the foot rim section 28 to a mouth that directs water 
downwardly into the tub. The other outlet is a shower arm 46 that projects 
from the wall at the foot end of the tub. The free end of the shower arm 
usually is provided with a male thread onto which a coupling is secured 
that connects the shower arm to a shower head. Pursuant to the present 
invention, this shower head is unscrewed to remove it. 
There further is provided, in connection with the water supply system, a 
diverter handle 48 in the wall above the foot end of the bathtub. This 
handle controls a diverter valve and is manually manipulatable between two 
positions, in one of which water controlled by the hot and cold water 
valves is directed to the spout 44, and in the other of which such water 
is diverted to the shower arm. 
To complete the description of the tub, although it is not relevant to the 
instant invention, a drain handle 50 is emplaced in the foot wall of the 
bathtub. This handle is manually movable between two positions, in one of 
which it prevents water from running through the drain 18, and in the 
other of which it permits egress of water through said drain. 
As thus far described and except for the mention of removal of the shower 
head, the bathtub and its accessories are entirely conventional. Indeed, 
it is the purpose of the present invention to convert a conventional 
bathtub, of which the one illustrated and just described is typical, into 
a cleansing device such as described heretofore. To repeat what has been 
said earlier in the Brief Description of the Invention, the conversion is 
accomplished by adding to the bathtub two pieces of equipment. One is a 
seat 52 and the other is external plumbing 54. 
The seat 52 serves two functions. One is to provide a place on which a 
woman can sit over the tub while cleaning her recto-genital region, and 
the other is to spread and expose this region for thorough cleansing 
thereof with the assistance of the external plumbing 54. 
For the first function, the seat simply constitutes a flat platform 56 of 
large enough size to support the buttocks and undersides of the thighs of 
a seated woman, and the configuration of the seat, so far as this function 
is concerned, is not critical. A flat surface will suffice, although the 
surface can be rounded to improve its esthetic appearance. The seat can be 
composed of molded plastic or wood or any solid board-like material which 
can, if desired, be covered with enamel or a plastic lamination. 
Pursuant to a preferred form of the invention, the seat is permanently 
installed adjacent the bathtub, desirably in such a manner that it can be 
moved from a flat horizontal position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, to a 
substantially vertical raised, swung-away position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 
which does not interfere with the conventional use of the bathtub for 
bathing. 
A suitable connection to effect the foregoing movement is a hinge that 
attaches the platform adjacent its rear edge to the wall of the room in 
back of the head end of the tub. As shown, the hinge includes a pair of 
L-shaped brackets 58 having one leg anchored to the aforesaid wall of the 
room. The other legs of the two brackets extend horizontally over the head 
end rim section 30 of the bathtub, being vertically close to the same. 
These latter two legs have horizontal pins 60 secured thereto and 
extending toward each other in the space between the two brackets. Said 
pins are received in blind bores (not shown) adjacent the rear edge of the 
platform, the blind bores and the pins being aligned horizontally and 
parallel to the wall of the room at the head end of the bathtub. 
The platform in its operating position (shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) is 
horizontal and rests on the side rim sections 32, 34. Bumpers 62 on the 
underside of the platform are included to cushion the contact between the 
seat and the bathtub and also to prevent scratching of the glazed finish 
of the tub. The raised swung-away position of the platform is illustrated 
in FIGS. 4 and 5 where it will be seen that the seat has lifted to a 
slightly off-vertical rearwardly-inclined orientation in which its top 
leans against the wall of the room above the head end of the bathtub. 
Means is included to selectively maintain the platform in this idle 
swung-away raised position, such means comprising an L-headed screw 64, 
the threaded shank of which is inserted into this wall of the room in such 
a fashion that the screw is free to turn. When the platform is to be swung 
to its out-of-the-way position, the head of the screw is turned so that 
the L-finger thereof faces upwardly, permitting the top of the platform to 
pass under the head. Thereafter, the finger is turned to face downwardly, 
as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, and keep the platform in its upstanding 
position in which it will not interfere with a person who wishes to bathe 
in the tub. 
In order to enable the second mentioned function to be effected, the 
configuration of the platform is quite critical. Firstly, it is necessary 
to include a large central opening 66 which is sited substantially at the 
center of the platform and therefore on the foot-to-head center line of 
the bathtub. The shape of the opening is not critical. It simply has to be 
large enough and it has to be situated so that a woman sitting on the 
platform over the opening will expose her recto-genital area in a manner 
which will be detailed hereinafter. 
A typical suitable opening such as the opening 66 shown in the drawings has 
a dimension of 13 inches in a head-to-foot direction and is 7 inches 
across at its head end and at its foot end. It is 10 inches across at its 
maximum side-to-side width. A suitable configuration is the one 
illustrated which is a truncated ovoid, the two ends being straight and 
parallel to each other and perpendicular to the sides of the tub, and the 
sides of the opening being inwardly concave and symmetrically disposed 
with respect to the foot-to-head center line of the opening. 
The corners of the head edge 68 of the platform are broadly notched as at 
70 to provide space for the brackets 58. The total width of the platform 
is sufficient to enable the platform to rest firmly on the side rim 
sections 32, 24 as mentioned earlier. A suitable dimension for this 
purpose, keeping in mind the conventional sizes of bathtubs, is about 27 
inches. The distance from the head end of the opening 66 to the head edge 
68 of the platform is small enough to provide for good exposure of the 
recto-genital area as aforesaid, this typically being 3 inches. 
As thus far described, the platform is shaped and dimensioned to serve only 
the first of its functions, namely, the support of a woman thereon with 
her recto-genital area above an opening through which, obviously, a spray 
will be directed. This, however, is not sufficient, in accordance with the 
instant invention, for the mere placement of this area above the opening 
will not enable such area to be quickly, gently and thoroughly cleansed by 
spraying of water thereon. 
The platform, therefore, pursuant to the invention here under 
consideration, is uniquely constructed to compel a woman seated thereon to 
transversely spread her legs and thereby to spread her genitalia, i.e. 
vulva, and furthermore to open her vagina and present the spread cleft of 
the vulva surrounding the same to the action of the spray. The shaping of 
the platform necessary to achieve the aforesaid desiderata constitutes the 
inclusion as a part of the platform of a forward protrusion 72 which is 
substantially coplanar with the remainder of the platform and, indeed, as 
shown in the drawings, is truly coplanar therewith. It does not interfere 
with the operation of the invention if the central portion of the 
protrusion is raised since this is not engaged by any part of the body of 
the woman using the device. What is important about the protrusion is the 
location of its flanks 74, 76. It is these flanks which are designed to be 
engaged by the inner sides of the upper ends of a woman's calves 
immediately below her knees to compel the aforesaid desirable spreading. 
A typical dimension for the front edge 78 of the protrusion is about 11 
inches. A variation in this dimension of approximately 2 inches in either 
direction can be tolerated. Too great a length for this dimension can be 
extremely uncomfortable for some women, keeping in mind that the platform 
is designed to be used by any woman who wishes to, and too short a 
distance for this dimension would result in insufficient spreading of the 
vulva of some women to present the same in a proper condition for 
cleansing. The distance that the protrusion extends forwardly from the 
front edge 80 of the platform is not critical. An acceptable distance is 
about 41/2 inches. This distance can be increased considerably, if 
esthetically desirable, as long as it leaves the head-to-foot side edges 
82 of the platform long enough to provide a stable seat for a woman. In 
other words, these latter edges 82 should not be so short that the 
platform will tend to tilt downwardly when a woman sits on it. Her center 
of gravity should be well behind the edges 80. If the front-to-back 
distance between the edges 78 and 80 is too short, there will be 
insufficient room to accommodate the woman's calves, so that a distance of 
less than about 31/2 inches is not desirable. The edges 74, 76, both for 
the sake of appearance and for comfort, desirably are inclined toward each 
other, the included angle being about 30.degree.. The distance from the 
edge 78 to the head end edge of the opening 66 is small enough to form an 
opening 66 of good size, a typical dimension for this distance being 3 
inches. 
FIG. 3 best shows the spread condition of the various parts of the vulva 
when a woman is seated thereon. Of course, it will be understood that a 
woman using the present invention is unclothed when she employs the same, 
this being apparent from inspection of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. When the woman is 
seated on the platform, the spreading of her legs causes the major and 
minor labia 84 to be spaced apart a distance sufficient to stretch the 
cleft 86 of the vulva and, in so doing, to open the mouth 88 of the 
vagina, thereby presenting not only the open mouth but the vestibule of 
the vagina behind the mouth to the action of a spray directed toward the 
same. Such spray thus will clean the vestibule of the vagina, the mouth of 
the vagina, the entire length of the spread vulvar cleft and the major and 
minor labia, all of these being transversely tensed to a mild degree. The 
anus 90 likewise is exposed by virtue of spreading of the buttocks so that 
it, too, is transversely mildly stretched for good access thereto of a 
cleansing spray. 
The external plumbing 54 includes a flexible conduit 92, for example, a 
rubber hose, or, for better appearance, a suitable length of flexible 
armored tubing having an external sheath of a helically wound chromeplated 
strip. One end of the conduit mounts a female coupling 94 which is adapted 
to be screwed onto the male threaded free end of the shower arm 46. The 
coupling includes an internal washer (not shown) to prevent leakage. The 
minimum length of the conduit is seven feet. Seven and one-half feet is 
preferred. 
The other end of the conduit is connected by a coupling 96 to the inlet end 
of a passageway (not shown) in a stand 98. The stand is intended to be 
placed on the bottom 16 of the tub in a position slightly forward of the 
center of the opening 66 when the platform 56 is in horizontal position. 
The actual placement of the stand is selected by the user and will, of 
course, depend upon the configuration of her particular anatomy. As a 
general rule, the stand is so placed that its head end is from about 0 to 
15 inches forwardly (toward the foot end) of the center of the opening and 
it is for this placement that the aforesaid length of conduit is chosen. 
This length exceeds the conventional length (never more than five feet) of 
a conduit that is used for a hand held shower fixture and which is so 
short that it will not permit placement of a spray head on the bottom of a 
tub. 
The stand is so configured that it will rest on the bottom of the tub in 
stable equilibrium, that is to say, there will not be any tendency for it 
to rock or tilt. A configuration which is suitable for this purpose is 
that illustrated, resembling a Latin cross with a straight shank 100 
crossed by a bar 102 near its upper end to leave a stub 104. The end of 
the bar 102 remote from the stub 104 terminates in a knob 106. Thus, the 
stand has four reasonably widely spaced points of contact with the base of 
the tub, these being the opposite ends of the bar and the opposite ends of 
the shank. Such a broad area of contact inhibits any appreciable rocking 
movement of the stand so that when placed on the bottom of the tub as, for 
example, in the indicated position, it will tend to remain there and will 
not vibrate, for instance, during use causing it to "walk" around the tub 
and there change its position. 
The passageway in the stand to which the coupling 96 is connected extends 
through the shank 100 to a socket (not shown) in which there is mounted a 
ball end 108 of a spray head 110. The ball mounting permits the spray head 
to have its angular position changed by hand to any position that the user 
desires. The stand further includes a handle 112 connected to a valve (not 
shown) in the shank 100. Operation of the handle will turn a spray 114 off 
or on and also will regulate its velocity. 
The use of the converted bathtub is quite obvious. A woman, after shedding 
her clothes, lets down the seat but, before sitting, she manipulates the 
handles 40, 42 and the handle 48 to obtain a proper temperature of water 
flowing out of the spout 44 and to obtain a rate of flow which, from 
previous experience, she feels is suitable for use for cleansing of her 
recto-genital area. The handle 50 is left in the drain position. The 
handle 112 is turned to the off position. Next she manipulates the valve 
48 to divert water from the spout to the shower arm 46. No spray yet 
issues from the head 110. Now she lowers herself onto the seat 52. Before 
seating, she stood in front of the protrusion 72 facing the foot end of 
the tub with her legs partly spread apart, the back of her knees resting 
lightly in the angles between the flanks 74 and front edges 80. This 
spread her legs somewhat apart, not enough, however, to compel the desired 
degree of opening of the crotch area. When she lowers herself on the seat, 
the recto-genital area expands transversely and creates the requisite 
opening and exposure of said area to the extent described in detail 
heretofore. She then reaches down, without need for stretching herself, to 
manipulate the handle 112 whereupon the spray will be directed in such a 
fashion as to achieve the desired cleansing action. 
When she first uses the converted bathtub, she observes the setting of the 
hot and cold water handle to obtain a desired temperature that she wishes 
for the cleansing spray as well as the desired rate of flow. She will also 
observe the proper placement of the stand 98 to obtain an angle of 
impingement on her said area which will achieve a maximum cleansing 
effect. Once having done so, the next time she uses the device she will 
have no difficulty whatsoever in regulating the water and in properly 
placing the spray. 
A woman can prepare herself and the converted bathtub for the desired 
cleansing action in a matter of less than a minute so that it need not 
interrupt her daily routine, and she will find that it performs the 
functions which previously took her considerable time and caused 
considerable inconvenience and never, indeed, resulted in an effectively 
clean area. 
A further piece of equipment which is desirably employed in conjunction 
with the converted bathtub is a hanger 116, preferably placed on the wall 
of the room above the foot end of the tub. The hanger is shaped to receive 
the stand and hold it against the wall with the spray head slightly below 
the shower arm. In this position, the spray head can be used for a shower, 
thus obviating the necessity of disconnecting the coupling 94, so that the 
converted tub always is ready for a woman's sanitary use. 
It thus will be seen that there is provided a device which achieves the 
various objects of the invention and which is well adapted to meet the 
conditions of practical use. 
As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and 
as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is 
to be understood that all matter herein described or shown in the 
accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a 
limiting sense.