Abstract:
An apparatus for safely, comfortably, and completely bathing oneself without aid of another person and method to operate the same are disclosed. The apparatus includes a frame with two vertical posts on which slides a carriage with means of a reciprocating belt and showering means for soaping and showering bathers back, a chair for bathing in sitting position, a water supply system, a hand shower, a coil of hoses with numerous spout holes, mounted under said chair, for washing bottom parts of said body, and an appliance for washing and massaging the feet.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to bathing devices and, more particularly, pertains to assisting the bather obtain a comfortable, safe, and complete bath without the aid of another person. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     A variety of bathtub inserts are known in the art. A number of these devices in different fulfillment intend that persons safely get into and out of a conventional tub. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,408 to Dentler discloses a bathtub platform lift device, U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,028 to Colbert discloses an inflatable system for bath lift device, U.S. Pat. No. 5, 129,112 to Shafer discloses a chair lift device. While all of these devices fulfill their respective, particular objective and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose an apparatus permitting a person to bathe himself/herself not only safely but also completely (including back, bottom, and feet) without an assistant. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,040,335 to Gellmann and U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,445 to Bailey shown a shower chain assembly whereby the sprays, directed from under the seat, can cleanse the ano genital areas of the body. However, the users of both of these devices can&#39;t completely bathe oneself without assisting with another person. Furthermore these suggested devices are two complicated and unacceptable for the present purposes due both to the relatively high initial cost, and also to the loss or restriction of the facility for normal use when anyone wishes a regular shower or bath. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an essential objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus for bathing in safety and comfort for a broad category of users, including elderly and disabled persons. 
     It is another objective of the present invention to provide a bathing apparatus that the user can operate safely in sitting position without the aid of another person. 
     It is still another objective of the invention to provide a bathing apparatus, which does not require any special modification to a conventional tub structure. 
     It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a bathing apparatus with elements for bathing all parts of one&#39;s body including back, seat, and feet. 
     It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a bathing apparatus that does not require that it be moved out in cases when anyone would want a regular shower or bath. 
     A further objective of the present invention is to provide a bathing apparatus, which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction, easy to use, economically feasible, long lasting, and relatively trouble free in operation. 
     These together with other objectives 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 benefits attained by its uses, refer to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred bathing apparatus made in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line  2 — 2  of FIG. 1 with portions broken away illustrating the primary structure of the carriage and its drive mechanism for moving up and down; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the reciprocation belt; 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the drive mechanism for providing the belt in reciprocating movement; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the appliance for bathing and massaging the feet; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the appliance for bathing and massaging the feet in the process of bathing; 
     FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the water supply system; 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the chair-sprinkler taken along line  8 — 8  of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The present invention is an apparatus for completely bathing by the user himself/herself all his/her body including back, seat, and feet. The apparatus (see FIG. 1) includes a frame  10  with posts  11  and  12  on which slide a carriage  20  with means of reciprocating belt  30  and showering means  99  (FIG. 7) for soaping and showering bathers back, a water supply system  40 , a chair  60 , and an appliance  70  for bathing and massaging the bathers feet The movement of the carriage  20  up and down (FIGS. 1 and 2) is provided by drive means  80  having two sheaves  15  rigidly attached on a rotating axle  17 , a gear-motor  81  which operates the axle  17 . The carriage  20  by ropes  18 , to be thrown on grooves of the sheaves  15 , is connected with counterweights  19  to provide easy movement of the carriage. The means of reciprocating belt  30 , as shown in FIG. 3, consists of a permanently installed belt  110  and a removable piece of bast  120 . The belt  110  includes a synthetic strap  41 , a rope which forms a loop  43  adjustable cord which forms a second loop  45 , and a grip  35 . Connecting the rope and the cord to the synthetic strap  41  are provided by stitching or gluing. 
     As it can see in FIGS. 1 and 2 the means of reciprocating belt  30  is situated on the rolls  22  of the carriage and joined by grip  35  (FIG.  4 ). The loop  45 , which is made from adjustable cord, holds the belt  30  in tension position. The grip  35  has a hook  37  (FIG. 3) for effecting a reciprocating motion to the belt  30 . The removable piece of bast  120  has two straps  31  and  32 . The strap  31  is made of a special bathing material, from natural fiber loofah, which is excellent for cleansing the skin. The other strap  32  is made from regular soft cloth. Both straps  31  and  32  are stitched together so that between them is formed one or more pockets  61 , in which through holes  62  can be pumped soap. In the process of bathing by pressure from the users back this pumped soap goes out through small holes in the strap  31  (not shown) to form lather. Attaching the piece of bast  120  to belt  110  is provided by quick fastener strips  44  and  44   a  (market “sticky back” of the Velcro Co.) or the like. 
     Reciprocation of the belt  30  as it seen in FIG. 4, is provided by gear-motor  65 , which is installed in water resistant case and mounted on the carriage  20 . Crank  67  and connection rod  68  transfer the motion from the gear-motor  65  to the belt  30 . 
     The means  99  (FIGS. 2 and 7) for showering the users back includes a hose with numerous holes  53  or one or more showerheads attached to carriage  20  and operated by valve  98 . After covering the back with soap the user can washing it by open valve  98  and moving the carriage  20  up and down. 
     Washing of the feet (from knee and lower) is a problem not only for elderly people but also for everybody especially for washing between toes and nearer to foot. This problem will be solved by using an appliance  70  (FIGS.  5  and  6 ). The appliance comprises a base  100  preferably molded from plastic in a one-piece construction, removable piece of bast  130  and a set of massaging attachments  140 . The upper portion of the base  100  is a straight strip  71  with two handles  72 . In the middle part of the strip  71  the thickness is smaller for easy bending. 
     By two legs  74 , which apart about 5″, the strip  71  is connected with lower portion  75  to form an opening  79  for massaging the feet at edges of the opening. The lower portion  75  has the form of a broken cylinder. But when the bather bends the upper portion  71  of the base  100  the edges  76  and  77  of the lower portion  75  are closed up to form approximately a circumferential construction. To the inside surface of the portion  75  by quick fastener strips  46  and  46   a  is attached the piece of bast  130 , which preferably has the same construction and size as the piece of bast  120 . The portion  75  has also numerous holes (not shown) for fastening the set of massaging attachments  140 . These attachments comprise two pins  82  for cleaning between toes of the feet and several interchangeable strips  83  having numerous mechanical massaging protrusions such as knobs  84 , and brushes  85 . The strip  83  with knobs  84  and the pins  82  are preferably molded from suitable materials, such as known elastomeric and other rubber-like materials, which has some elastic capability. Said materials provide desirable massage textures, soft or hard, coarse or fine. 
     The water supply system  40 , as shown in FIG.7, comprises a valve  91  for directing water for bathing (arrow “A”), or taking only shower (arrow “B”), a valve  92  for supplying water to hand shower  90 , a valve  98  for supplying water to means  99 , a valve  93  for providing spray by coil  60  through seat of the chair  50 , and three pieces of hose  94 ,  94   a  and  94   b  of suitable length for connection with the values. The installation of the water supply system  40  in a common bathroom includes unscrewing domestic showerhead  96  (shown by dotted lines) and connecting it to the end of the pipe  97  of the system  40 . 
     The chair  50  (FIG. 1) with a few slots  51  in the seat  52  is mounted to the frame  10  of the apparatus. Under seat  52  is attached a coil  60  (FIG.  7 ), which has same spout holes  53  (FIG. 8) as the means  99 , placed along the slots  51  of the chair to provide a shower one&#39;s seat. 
     The apparatus of the present invention (FIG. 1) is equipped with numerous rubber suction cups  5 . These cups fasten to the walls of the bathroom and to the horizontal upper surfaces of the tub, to stabilize the apparatus on the tub and avoid any structural modification. The apparatus is equipped also with a small removable shelf  56  for holding bathing accessories and with plastic baffle  57 , to avoid splashing water on the floor. Both the shelf and the plastic baffle can be molded in a one-piece construction and fastened to the frame  10 . 
     For bathing oneself by using apparatus according to the present invention, the user adjusts the consumption and temperature of the water, directing it by valve  91  on arrow “A” (FIG. 7 ), and filling soap into the pockets  61  of the pieces of bast  120  and  130 . Then he sits on the chair  50  and washes all accessible parts of the body by using soap, piece of bast, and hand shower  90 . Using the means of reciprocating belt  30 , which covers the bathers back with soap, and showering means  99 , provides bathing the back. The next step in the process of bathing oneself in the seating position is washing one&#39;s bottom. For doing it the user covers his bottom with soap, which is accessible, and showers using the coil  60  by turning the valve  93 . The last operation in the process of bathing oneself is washing the feet, which is facilitated by the appliance  70 . As it can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 the bather squeezes the lower portion  75  around each foot and moves the appliance  70  up and down to cover the feet with soap. After that he uses the shower. Two pins  82  of the appliance  70 , which have different textures, provide cleaning the places between toes of the feet. Also, for massaging the back and the feet the bather can use the means of reciprocating belt  30  and the massaging attachments  140 . 
     The space occupied by the apparatus of the present invention is small and allows taking a shower or bath without removing the apparatus from the tub. 
     Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the present invention.