Patent Publication Number: US-2022233026-A1

Title: Portable sink

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a portable sink that can be easily moved and transported from one place to another and does not need a fixed installation and therefore can be used in any place. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Currently, it is known that persons who are bedridden because of particular pathologies, surgical procedures or motor skill deficits are unable to take care of their own hygiene in an autonomous manner. 
     These bedridden persons, in order to meet their hygiene needs, need a person who brings a bowl that is rested on the bed and a jug that is held by another person who pours the contents thereof in the bowl to allow the bedridden persons to wash for example their hands and take care of other hygiene needs. 
     One drawback that is found in the background art resides first of all in that the bedridden person constantly needs help from another person during all the hygiene operations. 
     This background art furthermore requires the other person to empty the bowl and fill the jug several times because of the limited volume of water that can be contained in the jug and in the bowl, having then to move the bowl closer and support it near the bedridden person if the latter needs for example to wash their face, so as to prevent the water from wetting the bed. 
     If, in order to avoid the continuous emptying of the bowl and the continuous filling of the jug, the bedridden person reuses the water contained in the bowl, this dirty and stagnant water would carry bacteria, with a consequent negative effect on hygiene care. 
     SUMMARY 
     The aim of the present disclosure is to eliminate the drawbacks mentioned above, by providing a sink that allows bedridden people to take care personally, in an autonomous, convenient and quick manner, of their own hygiene. 
     Within this aim, the present disclosure provides a sink that allows hygiene care of the bedridden person in a condition of maximum hygiene. 
     The disclosure provides a sink that, when used, has a small bulk. 
     The disclosure further provides a sink that can be easily moved and transported from one place to another and does not need a fixed installation. 
     The disclosure also provides a sink that is structurally simple, has low production costs and can be manufactured with ordinary known systems. 
     This aim and these and other advantages that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by providing a portable sink, characterized in that the sink comprises a frame, provided with at least one pair of wheels and comprising a vertical post, which is adjustable in height and with which a reservoir is detachably associated, said reservoir is provided with a substantially box-like central body from which a conical base protrudes downward, a flexible hose being associated with the lower end of said base, a plate being associated stably, below said reservoir, with said vertical post, a folding support being associated with said plate for the temporary insertion of a bowl for collecting the drain of an overlying basin, said plate having a second temporary engagement means for said collection bowl and said basin. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further characteristics and advantages of the disclosure will become better apparent from the detailed description of a particular but not exclusive embodiment, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a lateral perspective view of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  is a rear view of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 5  is a lateral perspective view of the disclosure without the collection bowl and the basin; 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the disclosure of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a lateral perspective view from below of the collection bowl and of the basin; 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of the disclosure without the reservoir, the collection bowl and the basin, in which the folding support is partially folded; 
         FIG. 9  is a side view of the disclosure in which the folding support is completely folded; and 
         FIG. 10  is a side view of the disclosure in the non-use condition. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the exemplary embodiments that follow, individual characteristics, given in relation to specific examples, may actually be interchanged with other different characteristics that exist in other exemplary embodiments. 
     Moreover, it is noted that anything found to be already known during the patenting process is understood not to be claimed and to be the subject of a disclaimer. 
     With reference to the above figures, the reference numeral  1  designates a portable sink, which comprises a frame  2  that is substantially L-shaped and comprises a first horizontal arm  3   a  and a second vertical arm  3   b.    
     In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 to 10 , two mutually parallel distinct arms  4   a ,  4   b  are stably connected to the first horizontal arm  3   a  of the frame  2 , each of said arms  4   a ,  4   b  being provided in a lower region on each end with a wheel  5   a ,  5   b ,  5   c ,  5   d.    
     Advantageously, each one of said wheels  5   a ,  5   b ,  5   c ,  5   d  can be of the self-locking type in order to keep the portable sink  1  stationary in position when in use. 
     The vertical arm  3   b  is axially hollow so as to form internally a seat  6 . 
     A slot  8  is defined on the first lateral surface  7  of the vertical arm  3   b , proximate to the upper end thereof. 
     The frame  2  comprises a vertical post  9 , which is associable telescopically and slidingly inside the seat  6  of the vertical arm  3   b  of said frame  2 . 
     The vertical post  9  has, at a second lateral surface  10 , which during use is aligned with said first lateral surface  7  of the vertical arm  3   b , a plurality of holes  11  which are threaded and aligned along a same vertical axis. 
     The frame  2  comprises a knob  12  which is provided with a threaded stem which acts in the slot  8  provided in the vertical arm  3   b  of the frame  2  and can be fastened at one of the holes  11  defined in said vertical post  9 , in order to lock the vertical post  9  at the desired height. 
     The vertical post  9  is thus adjustable in height. 
     An arc-like partition  13  is associated with the vertical post  9  at the free upper end, is stably associated at the first front surface  14  thereof, and is provided in a lower region with a tab  15  that protrudes on the opposite side with respect to said front surface  14 . 
     The portable sink  1  comprises a reservoir  16  having a substantially box-like central body  16   a  shaped complementarily to the arc-like surface of said partition  13 , from which a conical base  16   b  protrudes downward. 
     The central body  16 a is provided in an upper region with an opening  17 . 
     The partition  13  and the tab  15  are adapted to allow to associate temporarily the reservoir  16  with the vertical post  9 , the central body  16 a resting temporarily on the tab  15 . 
     The reservoir  16  is made of non-toxic material and has preferably a capacity of three liters. 
     The reservoir  16  is provided in an upper region with a handle  18 , in order to facilitate its transport, which is substantially C-shaped and surmounts said opening  17 . 
     A flexible hose  19  is associated with the lower end of the conical base  16   b  of the reservoir  16 . 
     The flexible hose  19  has, at the end that is opposite the conical base  16   b , a spray head  20  provided with a button  21  to allow the controlled dispensing of the liquid contained in the reservoir  16 . 
     The vertical post  9  is provided with a first engagement means  22  for the spray head  20 . 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 to 10 , the first engagement means  22  is positioned at the second lateral surface  10  of the vertical post  9  in a region below the partition  13 . 
     The portable sink  1  comprises a plate  23  with a substantially rectangular base, which is stably associated with the first front surface  14  of the vertical post  9 , below the partition  13 . 
     A folding support  24  is frontally associated with the plate  23  and thus protrudes frontally from said plate  23  and has a substantially tubular curved shape so as to form a second opening  26 . 
     Advantageously, two reinforcement members  27   a ,  27   b  are present below the folding support  24  and means  25   a ,  25   b  adapted to allow the rotation of said folding support  24  are associated with the end of said members that is adjacent to the plate  23 . 
     A second temporary engagement means  28  is associated frontally with the plate  23  and is substantially L-shaped. 
     The second temporary engagement means  28  is constituted by a first wing  29   a  that protrudes frontally to the plate  23  and by a second wing  29   b  which protrudes at right angles to the first wing  29   a  in the direction of the folding support  24  and is directed upward. 
     The portable sink  1  comprises a collection bowl  30  which is provided with a first bottom  31  and with a first perimetric ridge  32  on which a first hole  33  is defined which has such dimensions as to allow it to be inserted inside said second temporary engagement means  28 . 
     The collection bowl  30  has an overall height that is lower than the space between the folding support  24  and the free end of the second wing  29   b  of the second temporary engagement means  28 . 
     The first bottom  31  of the collection bowl  30  has a length that is smaller than the height of the second arm  3   b  of the frame  2 . 
     The collection bowl  30  is made of non-toxic material. 
     When the portable sink  1  is in use, the collection bowl  30  is adapted to be inserted temporarily at the second opening  26  of the folding support  24  and the first perimetric ridge  32  is adapted to rest temporarily on the folding support  24 . 
     When the portable sink  1  is not in use, the collection bowl  30  is adapted to be engaged with said second temporary engagement means  28 . 
     The portable sink  1  comprises a basin  34  which is provided with a second perimetric ridge  35 , which is substantially C-shaped and in which a second hole  36  is defined which has the same shape as the first hole  33  of the collection bowl  30  and is provided with a second bottom  37  provided with a drain hole  38 . 
     The basin  34  is adapted to be superimposed on the collection bowl  30  and has a height that is smaller than the height of the collection bowl  30 , so that the second bottom  37  is not in contact with the first bottom  32  of the collection bowl  30 . 
     The basin  34  has a length that is slightly greater than the length of the collection bowl  30  and smaller than the height of the second arm  3   b  of the frame  2 . 
     The basin  34  is made of non-toxic material. 
     It has thus been found that the disclosure achieves the intended aim and objects, an disclosure having been obtained which allows bedridden people to take care personally, in an autonomous, convenient and quick manner, of their own hygiene. 
     In fact, the portable sink  1  is easily brought close by or to the bedridden person by means of the wheels  5   a ,  5   b ,  5   c ,  5   d , adjusting beforehand the height of the collection bowl  30  and of the basin  34  by means of the telescopic height adjustment of the post  9 ; the position can then be locked by virtue of the self-locking wheels. 
     Thus, the bedridden person is then capable of providing personally to their own hygiene by actuating the spray head  20  with the button  21  that allows the controlled dispensing of the liquid contained in the reservoir  16  that is collected into the collection bowl  30 . 
     The portable sink  1  dispenses a quantity of water which is sufficient to ensure the hygiene care of the patient by virtue of the capacity of the reservoir  16 . 
     It has been found, furthermore, that the disclosure allows hygiene care of the bedridden person in a condition of maximum hygiene by virtue of the fact that the reservoir  16 , the collection bowl  30  and the basin  34  are made of non-toxic material, are easy to be washed and prevent the formation of bacteria in the clean water that is used for the care of the bedridden person. 
     In particular, the cone-like shape of the conical base  16   b  that protrudes below the central body  16   a  of the reservoir  16  avoids the stagnation and therefore the formation of bacteria in the reservoir  16 . 
     Furthermore, the overlapping of the basin  34  on the collection bowl  30  of the drain of said basin  34  through the drain hole  38  allows to collect and separate the used water from the dispensed clean water, thus preventing the dirty and stagnant water from coming into contact with the dispensed clean water. 
     Finally, the reservoir  16 , the collection bowl  30  and the basin  34  can be cleaned easily because they are all components that can be easily uncoupled respectively from the partition  13  and from the folding support  24 ; furthermore, the large upper opening  17  of the reservoir  16  allows easy cleaning thereof. 
     Moreover, it is noted that the disclosure, when not in use, is compact, as shown in  FIG. 10 , since the vertical post  9  can be adjusted at its minimum height by virtue of the knob  12 , the folding support  24  can be folded at 90° so as to be arranged along an axis that is parallel to the vertical post  9 , and the collection bowl  30  and the basin  34  can be engaged to the second temporary engagement means 28 by means of the first and second holes  33 ,  36 . 
     Moreover, it is possible to engage a plurality of collection bowls  30  with superimposed basins  34  to the second temporary engagement means  28 , providing an embodiment of the portable sink  1 , not shown, in which the first wing  29   a  of the second temporary engagement means  28  is as long as the first arm  3   a  of the frame  2 . 
     Finally, it has been found that the disclosure can be easily moved and transported from one place to another and does not require a fixed installation. 
     The disclosure is of course susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims. 
     The materials used, as well as the dimensions that constitute the individual components of the disclosure, may of course be more pertinent according to the specific requirements. 
     The characteristics indicated as advantageous, convenient or the like may also be omitted or be replaced with equivalents. 
     The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. 102019000006502 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.