Patent Publication Number: US-2016220077-A1

Title: Method and Kit for Bath and Shower Accessibility of Handicapped Individuals

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application relates to, and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/110,030 filed on Jan. 30, 2015, which is entitled “A Ramp Wedge, with an inside platform that helps role people in wheel chairs in the shower/tub”. The content of this provisional application is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates broadly to the art of bathroom facilities, and more specifically to bathroom facilities such as tubs and showers which can be used by handicapped persons in wheelchairs, walkers, and other mobility devices without the need to permanently change or make costly repairs to the bathroom. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In recent years, emphasis has been placed on making bathroom facilities accessible to handicapped persons, including persons in wheelchairs. However, most homes, hotel rooms, apartments, and the like are constructed for non-handicapped people, for both cost-cutting and aesthetic reasons, unless such buildings are specifically constructed with handicapped persons in mind. Normally, even when homes are constructed with handicapped persons in mind, tubs and showers are merely provided with grab bars, which is inadequate for many situations. Many individuals have difficulty stepping into the bathtub, lowering themselves for a bath, and then getting out of the tub following the bathing procedure. Often these individuals must resort to having bed baths, sponge baths, or entirely change their current bathroom to accommodate a roll in shower. 
     Furthermore, it often occurs that a person unexpectedly becomes seriously handicapped while living in a house or apartment which was not constructed, or inadequately constructed to accommodate seriously handicapped persons. This happens, for example, when a person sustains a debilitating injury, becomes old, is struck with illness, or the like. When this occurs, it is often quite difficult and expensive to radically modify a home to include bathroom facilities for accommodating the newly handicapped person. Indeed, new installations that require the demolition and removal of existing showers or bathtubs are expensive, labor intensive and environmentally unfriendly. Additionally, the replacement, ‘handicap accessible’ types of bathtubs or showers (such as roll in showers or the like) are often very expensive and complex to operate. 
     Thus, it is an object and advantage of this invention to provide a handicap-accessible bathroom including shower and or tub which requires little to no installation of parts or demolition of existing structures. Advantageously, the present invention allows a handicapped person to continue to use their existing bathroom facilities without resorting to expensive and time-consuming repairs. 
     Often, it is desirable to construct a handicap-accessible bath tub or shower in a building on a temporary basis and remove it later. Such a need arises when a person is either terminally ill or temporarily ill, both of which happen fairly often. Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide a kit which can be used in conjunction with a standard bath tub and/or shower when a person becomes handicapped which can also be relatively easily and inexpensively removed when it is no longer necessary to have this kind of set up. The present invention allows the system to be removed and set up several times a day with minimal effort. 
     Furthermore, there are no devices on the market that are relatively lightweight and easily foldable or storable, such that after each use, the handicapped user may independently store the device away to allow free access to the bathtub or shower by other non-handicapped individuals. 
     It is also an object of this invention to provide such a handicap-accessible bathtub and/or shower which is durable and convenient for a handicapped person in a wheelchair to use, but yet which is relatively inexpensive and easy to install or requires no installation whatsoever. 
     The present invention overcomes all the aforementioned problems by providing a simple kit including a ramp and an insert for any shower or bathtub that can be purchased and set up for use in conjunction with any existing bathroom arrangement. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one general aspect there is provided a method of entering a bathtub or shower by users of a wheeled mobility device, the bathtub or shower having a inner floor and one or more side walls with a height which is greater than the inner floor, including providing a ramp having a top surface, a first end and a second end, the second end being higher than the fist end to produce an incline between the first end and the second end, placing the ramp against the side wall of the bathtub or shower, providing a platform having a top surface and an underside surface with two or more feet attached thereto, with the dimensions of the platform being such that platform does not extend beyond the height of the sidewalls of the bathtub or shower, inserting the platform into the bathtub or shower such that the feet are in contact with the floor of the bathtub or shower, and moving the wheeled mobility device up the incline of the ramp and onto the top surface of the platform. 
     Embodiments of the method may include one of the following features. For example, the method may further include a step of exiting the bathtub or shower by moving the wheeled mobility device off of the top surface of the platform and down the incline of the ramp top surface. The platform may be formed of two or more rectangular pieces of material laid adjacent to one another and secured to a support frame. The platform may be configured to hold a weight of up from about 200 to about 1,000 lbs. The platform may be constructed of a marine grade plastic material, wood, foam or metal. 
     The platform may include a first, second, third and fourth side which are configured to substantially touch a first, second, third and fourth inside wall of the bathtub or shower, respectively. The two or more feet may have a height of between 10-36 inches. The two or more feet may have a height of between 2-10 inches. The top surface of the platform may include one or more non-slip portions. 
     In another general aspect there is provided a kit for entering a bathtub or shower by users of a wheeled mobility device, the bathtub or shower having a inner floor and one or more side walls with a height which is greater than the inner floor, including a ramp having a top surface, a first end and a second end, the second end being higher than the fist end to produce an incline between the first end and the second end, a platform having a top surface and an underside surface with two or more feet attached thereto, with the dimensions of the platform being such that platform does not extend beyond the height of the sidewalls of the bathtub or shower. 
     Embodiments of the kit may include one or more of the following features. The platform may contain one or more holes through which water is able to drain through. The platform may be formed of two or more rectangular pieces of material laid adjacent to one another and secured to a support frame. The platform may be formed of a solid piece of material with one or more holes through which water is able to drain through. The platform may be configured to hold a weight of up from about 200 to about 1,000 lbs. 
     The platform may be constructed of a marine grade plastic material, wood, foam or metal. The platform may include a first, second, third and fourth side which is configured to substantially touch a first, second, third and fourth inside wall of the bathtub or shower, respectively. The two or more feet may have a height of between 10-36 inches. The two or more feet may have a height of between 2-10 inches. The top surface of the platform may include one or more non-slip portions. The second end of the ramp preferably does not extend beyond the height of the sidewalls of the bathtub or shower. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates the ramp of the present invention having a wheelchair thereon. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates the ramp of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an insert of the present invention which fits inside a standard bathtub. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates the ramp and shower insert being used in conjunction to enable a wheelchair to access a standard step in shower. 
         FIG. 5  illustrate the underside of a shower insert being sized to fit within a step in shower. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates the underside the ramp of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a step in shower with the ramp and the insert being flush with the ledge of the shower. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates an alternative embodiment of the invention, wherein the insert is foldable for storage purposes. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates an alternative embodiment of the invention, wherein the insert is formed of slats capable of being rolled into and out of position by the user. 
         FIGS. 10 a  and 10 b    depict a cross sectional view of the bathtub at line A-A and line B-B of  FIG. 3 , respectively. 
         FIGS. 11 a  and 11 b    illustrate an example of the shape of the floor of a bathtub and a shower stall, respectively. 
         FIGS. 12 a  and 12 b    depict a cross sectional view of the shower stall at line A-A and line B-B of  FIG. 4 , respectively. 
     
    
    
     Reference characters included in the above drawings indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, as discussed herein. The description herein illustrates one preferred embodiment of the invention, in one form, and the description herein is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. It should be understood that the above listed figures are not necessarily to scale and that the embodiments are sometimes illustrated by fragmentary views, graphic symbols, diagrammatic or schematic representations, and phantom lines. Details that are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention by one skilled in the technology of the invention, or render other details difficult to perceive, may have been omitted. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The invention provides a method and kit for allowing a handicapped user to use a standard bathtub and/or shower by providing a ramp and bathtub or shower insert which is uniquely designed to fit within any standard bathtub or shower. Such a system requires little to no installation and may be made portable and lightweight for storage and/or travel. The present invention works with any type of bathing enclosures, bathtub, or shower. 
     The preferred embodiment of the ramp and insert kit and system  10  is shown in  FIGS. 1 through 7, 10   a  and  10   b.  Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , ramp  11  is provided having a high end  12 , a low end  13 , a top surface  14  and generally triangular sidewalls  15  and  16 . Preferably, the top surface  14  includes ridges  17  as shown in  FIG. 1  in order to provide the traction necessary to aid a user in safely rolling or walking down the ramp on an incline. Any type of non-stick coating or slip resistant surface is considered to be within the scope of this invention. For example, slip resistant tape or traction tape may be applied at various points along the top surface  14  of the ramp. The slip resistant or traction tape may take on a variety of shapes, such as strips, circles, squares or the like. The tape or traction may also cover the entire portion of the top surface  14 . The height of the high end  12  is designed to be flush (at the same height) with the surface of a shower ledge or bathtub ledge, as will be shown in later figures. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates the wheelchair  30  being used in conjunction with insert  20 , which has been adapted to fit within a standard sized bathtub,  40 .  FIG. 3  shows the insert in a slightly lifted formation in order to show the components of the insert, however, the insert is preferably designed to sit inside the bathtub  40 , such that feet  31  and  32  are in contact with the floor  41  of the bathtub  40 . This arrangement ensures a stable surface on which a handicapped individual can roll on in order to perform his bathing needs. The insert  30  preferably includes drain holes  34   a,    34   b  and  34   c  which are formed in between the slats  33   a,    33   b  and  33   c  of the insert, for example. The drain holes are important in allowing water to drain through the structure of the insert and into the drain of the bathtub and prevent water from flowing out of the bathtub. 
     The drain holes are formed in  FIG. 3  as spaces between slats  33   a,    33   b  and  33   c , etc., as result of the slat design of the insert. However, it is envisioned that the drain holes could be placed anywhere along the surface of the insert  20 , and could take on a variety of different shapes, such as circles or long rectangular elements along the perimeter of the insert, for example. 
     In another embodiment, the insert may be constructed of a solid piece of material which is not composed of slats. The top surface  21  of the insert may be a completely flat surface, or in the case of a solid insert with no slats, the top surface may take on a slightly convex or concave shape in order to encourage drainage or collection of water in particular areas. For example, the insert may be convex in cross sectional shape with drain holes located on the outside perimeter of the insert. This shape may also encourage stability of the wheelchair. In another example, the insert may be slightly concave in cross sectional shape with one or more drain holes placed in the center of the insert to encourage drainage in the center of the insert and keep water away from the perimeter. 
     In one embodiment, the top surface of the insert may include indentation or grooves designed to accommodate or lock in place the wheels of a wheel chair in order to secure the wheelchair and keep it from slipping off the surface while in the bathing or showering position. Other details could be added to the surface of the insert to encourage precise positioning of the wheelchair and discourage movement of the wheelchair during the bathing or showering process. It is envisioned that for the safety of the user, the wheelchair or other mobility device should be left in a locked position while bathing. 
     The bathtub  40  includes a top surface having a top ledge  35  around the perimeter of the tub. The design of bathtub  40  is merely provided in  FIG. 3  for explanatory purposes. However, it is envisioned that the present invention could be fixed onto or work with any standard or non-standard tub configuration. The bathtub  40  includes two long outside walls  36   a  and  36   b,  and two short outside walls,  36   c  and  36   d.  The bathtub also includes two long inside walls  37   a  and  37   b,  and two short inside walls  37   c  and  37   d . Each of walls of the bathtub  36   a,    36   b,    36   c,    36   d,    37   a,    37   b,    37   c,  and  37   d  are shown in cross sectional views  10   a  and  10   b.  The insert is designed to fit snugly within the hollow space  39  of the bathtub, such that the two longer sides of the insert substantially touch the inside side walls  37   a  and  37   b,  respectively, and the shorter sides of the insert substantially touch inside side walls  37   c  and  37   d,  respectively. In a preferred embodiment, the insert top surface covers the entire open space of the tub such that there are no areas where the wheelchair could roll and/or fall through. 
     In a most preferred embodiment, the top surface  21  of the insert  20  is positioned at a height such that it is flush with the top surface of top ledge  35  of the bathtub. The inner floor  41  of the bathtub is in connection with feet  31  and  32  of the insert  20 . The inner floor may take on a substantially rectangular or substantially oval shape, depending on the design of the bathtub.  FIG. 11 a    shows the shape of the inner floor  41  of the bathtub  40 , with sidewalls curving in an upwards direction along the perimeter of the floor, as is the conventional shape of a bathtub. 
     The height of the feet  31  and  32  of the insert should be substantially the same and is designed such that they can hold up the top surface  21  of the insert to be approximately flush with the top surface of the top ledge  35 . This will ensure easy entry from the ramp to the insert using a wheelchair, walker or other type of device to aid in the movement of a handicapped person. For example the feet  31  and  32  are shown in  FIG. 5  as two rectangular pieces of plywood having a height of approximately 6 inches. Any type of material may be used to make up the feet  31  and  32  and the material can be made larger or smaller depending on the height of the bathtub or shower the insert will be placed into. A height of about 2-10 inches is preferable in the case of a shower stall application, whereas a height of about 10-36 inches is preferably in the case of a bathtub application. 
       FIG. 5  shows the underside of the insert with two longer sides  51   a  and  51   b,  and two shorter sides  51   c  and  51   d.  The insert  20  is being used in a standard shower stall  60 . As with the bathtub application, the size of the insert  20  corresponds closely to the inner floor  53  of the shower stall. Therefore, the shape of the insert is dependent on the shape of the shower stall, whether it be square, rectangular, or a non-standard geometric shape. Such shapes can be achieved by cutting the insert using precise measurements of the floor of the shower.  FIG. 11 b    depicts an example of a substantially square shape of the shower floor  53 . 
       FIGS. 12 a  and 12 b    provide a cross sectional view of the shower stall  60 , which includes two long outside walls  66   a  and  66   b,  and two short outside walls,  66   c  and  66   d . The shower also includes two long inside walls  67   a  and  67   b,  and two short inside walls  67   c  and  67   d.  Each of walls of the bathtub  66   a,    66   b,    66   c,    66   d,    67   a,    67   b,    67   c,  and  67   d  are shown in cross sectional views  12   a  and  12   b.  The portion of the shower between inside side wall  67   a  and outside side wall  66   a  make up the ledge  61  of the shower. The insert is designed to fit snugly within the hollow space  52  of the shower stall, such that the two longer sides of the insert substantially touch the inside side walls  67   a  and  67   b , respectively, and the shorter sides of the insert substantially touch inside side walls  67   c  and  67   d,  respectively. In a preferred embodiment, the insert top surface covers the entire open space of the shower such that there are no areas where the wheelchair could roll and/or fall through. 
     A partial view of the ledge  61  of the shower stall  60  is shown in  FIG. 5 . Slats  33   a, b  and  c  and the openings for drainage  34   a, b  and  c  are shown in more specificity in  FIG. 5 . The width of the slats may be about 1 inch to about 12 inches each, depending on durability and aesthetic appearance desired. In another embodiment, the insert may be formed out of a solid piece of material instead of slats with drainage holes placed thereon, as discussed above with respect to the bathtub application. 
     To construct the insert, two or more slats of a suitable dimension are created, being of a substantially rectangular shape. Two or more feet are then sized according to the dimensions of the inner floor space of the bathtub  41  or the inner floor space of the shower designated as  53 . In inner floor space of the bathtub and shower is shown in  FIGS. 11 a  and 11 b   . The feet are attached to the slats by suitable method, such as screws, nails, or strong waterproof adhesive, for example. Preferably, nails are used to attach each rectangular slat to the feet  31  and  32 . The slats may be spaced adjacent to each other such that a sufficient opening is made between each slat for water to drain. For example, the space between each slat may be between 1 mm and 3 inches, for example. 
     Both the ramp  11  and the insert  20  may be made of any water proof material with the strength required to support users of the ramp and insert system  10 . Preferably, the ramp and insert are formed from a high-density, marine grade of polyethylene, and is approximately between 0.25 and 4 inches in thickness. When made of the preferred polyethylene material, the ramp and insert are durable, highly impact resistant, mildew resistant and machine-able. When made from the preferred polyethylene, the ramp and insert can be heated in an oven to render the material flexible, and then bent along the break-line, to form the angles in the material as needed according to the figures shown. 
     Other conventional materials could be employed for use in fabricating the ramp and insert, and the two components do not need to be constructed of the same material. For example, the ramp could be constructed of marine grade plywood, and the insert could be constructed of a marine grade plastic. Other materials which could make up the ramp and insert components include wood including marine grade plywood, metals and metal composites such as stainless steel, high-strength aluminum, high strength foam materials, or other forms of hard durable plastic. Considerations in choosing the right material include the weight of the material, its durability and load bearing strength, as well as waterproofing characteristics including an anti-rust and an anti-corroding material. 
     Preferably, the material may be lacquered, painted, or otherwise be made to have additional coatings placed thereon to extend the life, moisture retention, durability and aesthetic appearance of the material. 
     In particular, the insert  20  should be constructed of a material which is able to support a large load as the insert must be capable of supporting an individual and his wheelchair and perhaps even one or more additional individuals to aid in the bathing or showering process. Preferably, the material can withstand a load of between 300 and 1,000 lbs, preferably between 350 and 700 lbs and most preferably between 400 and 600 lbs. 
     The underside of the ramp  11  is shown in  FIG. 6 , which illustrates the structure of the ramp including generally triangular sidewalls  15  and  16 , middle support  70  and cross beams  71   a, b, c, d, e  and  f.  It is envisioned that a variety of ramp designs may be used in conjunction with this ramp and insert kit, with the important features of the ramp being its ability to withstand heavy load, up to 700 lbs, for example, traction to prevent slipping, waterproofing, and the ability of the ramp to be stored away easily. 
     The kit and system  10  of the present invention is depicted in  FIGS. 4 and 7  being used in conjunction with a standard shower stall  60 . In practice a user who wishes to take a shower would roll his or her wheelchair up the ramp  11 , past ledge  61  and onto insert  40 . Once on top of the insert, the weight of his body and his wheelchair are supported by the design and material of the insert, discussed above. The wheelchair may then be placed in the locked position such that the wheels cannot move. Alternatively, the user can wheel himself into one or more indentations or grooves meant to hold the wheels of the wheelchair in place while on top of the insert  20 . One particular advantage of the insert is that the user is able to stay in an elevated position from the shower floor due to the feet of the insert and is therefore better able to reach the shower controls which are sometimes placed in unreachable areas for those sitting down. Once the water control is turned on, the water easily drains through the spaces formed between slats  33   a,    33   b  and  33   c  of the insert and thereafter down through a standard shower drain. 
       FIG. 7  depicts the precise configuration of the insert and the ramp relative to the ledge  61 . It should be understood that the same procedure may be used in conjunction with a bathtub  40  with the ramp  11  and insert  20  being configured to be flush with ledge  35 . In this way, a handicapped user using a mobility device is able to easily use his existing bathtub or shower arrangement by the simple addition of two removable components to his bathroom, ramp  11  and insert  20 . The ramp and insert are preferably provided in a kit form. In practice, the user may provide certain dimensions of their tub or shower before construction. Alternatively, a representative may visit the home of the handicapped individual to obtain precise measurements. In another embodiment, a number of standard sized ramps and inserts may be prefabricated according to the above-described steps to ensure quick turn-around of ordering by users seeking to purchase the kit. The prefabricated inserts and ramps may be made to fit with a number of different standard sized bathtubs and showers. In one embodiment, the brand and model of the bathtub or shower may be provided by the user with the manufacturer having the dimensions of the same in his database. 
     The ramp  11  and insert  20  may be packaged in a single package or several separate packages and may be partially assembled or completely assembled for the convenience of the customer. Alternatively, the ramp  11  and insert  20  may be provided in one or more packages in a completely disassembled state in order to efficiently pack and ship the kit. The ramp and insert kit may also be delivered and/or assembled by a representative to ensure an exact fit with the existing tub or shower of the user. 
     In an alternative embodiment of the invention, an insert  80  is provided in  FIG. 8 , which is capable of being folded and stored away by the user. This insert may be mounted anywhere on the surface of the bathtub  40  or shower stall  60 , including any bathroom walls, such as through use of a hinge system or other mechanical fastening system, for example. 
     In an alternative embodiment of the invention, an insert  90  is provided in  FIG. 9 , which is capable of being rolled in place and over the hollow space of the bathtub or shower. This insert may be mounted anywhere on the surface of the bathtub  40  or shower stall  60 , including any bathroom walls, such as through use of a hinge system or other mechanical fastening system, for example. 
     While several particular forms of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent that various modifications and combinations of the invention detailed in the text and drawings can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, references to materials of construction, methods of construction, specific dimensions, shapes, utilities or applications are also not intended to be limiting in any manner and other materials and dimensions could be substituted and remain within the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the appended claims.