Abstract:
A cushioned support apparatus ( 10 ) for use in combination with a conventional bathtub/spa ( 100 ) wherein the support apparatus ( 10 ) includes a pair of extension arm members ( 30 ) ( 30 ′) formed integrally with a main upper body support unit ( 11 ) having an upper backrest portion ( 25 ) wherein, the upperback rest portion ( 26 ) is also provided with an elongated non-skid friction skirt member ( 40 ); and, wherein, the pair of extension arm members ( 30 ) ( 30 ′) are further provided with a plurality of contoured recesses ( 33 ) ( 34 ) dimensioned to receive and support bath accessories ( 200 ) and ( 201 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable. 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of cushioned bathroom accessories in general and in particular to a cushioned support apparatus for bathtubs that is adapted to releasably receive a plurality of bath related receptacles. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,715,546; 6,183,430; 3,896,796; and, 4,780,916, the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse padded bathroom accessories employed for a variety of different purposes. 
     While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they are uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a simple, efficient, and practical cushioned bathtub support apparatus that is adapted to releasably receive and securely retain a variety of diverse articles that the user would desire to have close at hand while bathing or soaking in a bathtub or spa. These items include but are not limited to: bubble bath, scented bath oils, therapeutic bath salts, and beverages which are intended to be consumed rather than spilled into the tub or spa or onto the floor. 
     As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need among those individuals that enjoy luxuriating in a tub or spa for a new and improved cushioned bathtub support apparatus that has extension arms provided with retaining recesses for receiving diverse receptacles and for preventing them form spilling or tipping over while the user is in the tub; and, the provision of such an arrangement is the stated objective of the present invention. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly stated, the support apparatus that forms the basis of the present invention comprises in general a cushioned upper body support unit, a pair of arm units and a lower body friction unit wherein the pair of arm units are formed integrally with the cushioned upper body support unit and the lower body friction unit is connected to and suspended beneath the upper body support unit. 
     As will be explained in greater detail further on in the specification, both the upper body support unit and the arm units are fabricated primarily from a molded contoured waterproof material wherein the upper body support unit has a hollow interior chamber and each of the arm units is provided with lateral stiffening elements and a plurality of contoured recesses dimensioned to receive and support a variety of common bath accessories in a relatively spill proof manner. 
     In addition, the lower body friction unit resembles an elongated flexible skid proof bath mat which is suspended from the upper body support unit to prevent the user&#39;s body slipping downwardly in a smooth sided bathtub spa once they have achieved a desired relaxed position relative to the upper body support unit wherein the lower body friction unit may optionally be provided with a waterproof cushion element for added comfort. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other attributes of the invention will become more clear upon a thorough study of the following description of the best mode for carrying out the invention, particularly when reviewed in conjunction with the drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the support apparatus disposed in a conventional bathtub; 
     FIG. 2 is an isolated perspective view of the support apparatus; 
     FIG. 3 is a partial cut-away rear elevation view of the support apparatus; 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the support apparatus; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken through line  5 — 5  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken through line  6 — 6  of FIG.  2 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As can be seen by reference to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, the cushioned bathtub support apparatus that forms the basis of the present invention is designated generally by the reference number  10 . The support apparatus  10  comprises in general a main cushioned upper body support unit  11 , a pair of arm units  12   12 , and a lower body friction unit  13 . These units will now be described in seriatim fashion. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, the main upper body support unit  11  comprises an enlarged contoured cushioned support member  20  having a generally flat base  21 , a generally planar vertical rear face  22 , an angled front face  23  and a top surface  24  having a tapered raised headrest portion  25  that merges with and is centrally disposed on an upper backrest portion  26  which is optionally provided with a hollow interior chamber  27  for reasons that will be explained in greater detail further on in the specification. 
     In addition, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the raised headrest portion  25  of the cushioned support member  20  is optionally provided with a shallow recess  28  dimensioned to receive the back of a user&#39;s head; and, as shown in FIG. 3, the body of the cushioned support member  20  may be fabricated from a closed cell foam  29  or other waterproof material that is suitable for molding into the desired contours. 
     Turning now to FIGS. 2 through 6, it can be seen that the pair of arm units  12   12  are formed integrally with the upper body cushioned support member  20  and include a pair of extension arm members  30   30 ′ that slope downwardly and project forwardly from the upper backrest portion  26  of the cushioned support member  20  wherein the free ends  31  of the extension arm members  30   30 ′ have a generally flat top surface  32  provided with a plurality of contoured recesses  33   34 . 
     In addition, as can best be appreciated by reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, each of the extension arm members  30   30 ′ is provided with an elongated stiffening element  35  to provide lateral rigidity to the otherwise flexible arm members  30   30 ′ and the contoured recesses  33   34  can likewise be provided with generally rigid liners  36  or underlying support elements  37 . 
     Still referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, it can be seen that in the preferred embodiment of the invention, at least some of the contoured recesses  33  will have a generally cylindrical configuration so as to accommodate liquid filled receptacles  200  and maintain them in a vertically upright spill proof arrangement; and, at least one of the other contoured receptacles  34  will have a shallow contour and an optional auxiliary drainage recess  34 ′ so as to function as a self-draining soap dish or the like, wherein, the drainage recess  34 ′ is directed toward the interior edge of either or both extension arm members  30   30 ′. 
     As shown in FIGS. 2 through 4, the lower body friction unit  13  comprises an elongated friction skirt member  40  which depends downwardly from the angled front face  23  of the upper body cushioned support member  20  wherein the friction skirt member  40  is fabricated from a high co-efficient of friction material  41  such as rubber or the like, the bottom surface of which is provided with a plurality of suction cup elements  42  to releasably secure the friction skirt member to a selected sidewall and the bottom of a bathtub. 
     In addition, as depicted in FIGS. 2 and 4, the intermediate portion  40 ′ of the friction skirt member  40  may be optionally provided with a seat cushion element  45  depicted in phantom; wherein, the friction skirt member  40  per se is intended to prevent the user of the support apparatus from slipping downwardly on the smooth generally friction-less sidewalls of a conventional tub  100  once the user has found a comfortable position relative to the upper body support unit  11  and the arm units  12   12 , and wherein the seat cushion element  45  is optionally provided as an added comfort feature. 
     Returning now to FIG. 3, it should be noted that the hollow interior chamber  27  in the cushioned support member  20  is provided to house optional accessories commonly found in many prior art tub cushion constructions, such as heating elements, vibrating mechanisms, and even battery operated audio components. However, the aforementioned accessories or combinations thereof are not intended to form a crucial part of the present invention. 
     Although only an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the following claims. 
     Having thereby described the subject matter of the present invention, it should be apparent that many substitutions, modifications, and variations of the invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that the invention as taught and described herein is only to be limited to the extent of the breadth and scope of the appended claims.