AUTOMATED BATHING CHAIR DEVICE

Description

(b) CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable (c) STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

(g) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to bathing chair devices and more particularly pertains to a new bathing chair device for enabling a physically limited user to wash their crotch area while the physically limited user is seated. The device includes a bathing chair that can be positioned in a shower to enable the physically limited user to bathe themselves in the shower. The device includes a soap reservoir that is attached to the bathing chair which contains a fluid soap and a washing unit that is movably integrated into the bathing chair and the soap reservoir. The washing unit includes a belt that is strategically oriented on the bathing chair such that the belt washes the physically limited user's crotch area when the washing unit is turned on.

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The prior art relates to bathing chair devices including a bathing chair that is positionable in a shower and which includes a pair of bladders that can each be fluidly coupled to fluid source for bathing a user that is seated on the bathing chair and a bathing chair device that includes a stool and a pair of foot scrubbers each attached to a respective leg of the stool for scrubbing a user's feet. In no instance does the prior art disclose a bathing chair device that includes a bathing chair that is positionable in a shower and a soap reservoir attached to the bathing chair which can contain a fluid soap and a washing unit movably integrated into the bathing chair and the soap reservoir which washes a physically limited user's crotch area when the physically limited user is seated on the bathing chair.

(h) BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a bathing chair which can be positioned in a shower thereby enabling a physically limited user to bathe themselves in the shower. A soap reservoir is attached to the bathing chair and the soap reservoir contains a fluid soap. A washing unit is movably integrated into each of the bathing chair and the soap reservoir. The washing unit includes a belt which is strategically oriented on the bathing chair such that the belt is aligned with a crotch area of the physically limited user when the physically limited user is seated upon the bathing chair. The belt extends through the soap reservoir thereby enabling the fluid soap to be deposited onto the belt. In this way the belt can clean the physically limited user's crotch area when the washing unit is turned on when the physically limited user is seated upon the bathing chair.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

(i) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of an automated bathing chair device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a magnified detail view taken from circle 2 of FIG. 1 of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a left side view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a back view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 1 of an embodiment of the disclosure showing a second roller being moved downwardly.

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 1 of an embodiment of the disclosure showing a second roller being moved upwardly.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 3 of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a perspective in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

(j) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 9 thereof, a new bathing chair device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 9, the automated bathing chair device 10 generally comprises a bathing chair 12 which has a seat 14 and a backrest 16 each being comprised of a fluid impermeable material, including but not being limited to plastic or metal. In this way the bathing chair 12 can be positioned in a shower 18 thereby enabling a physically limited user 20 to bathe themselves in the shower 18. The shower 18 may be a walk-in shower or a tub-shower combo or any other type of shower commonly employed for bathing. Furthermore, the physically limited user 20 may be an elderly physically limited user, a physically limited user with a physical disability, a physically limited user that is recovering from an injury or surgery or any other physically limited user that would struggle with bathing themselves in a shower.

The bathing chair 12 includes a plurality of legs 22 each being attached to a respective one of a first lateral edge 24 and a second lateral edge 26 of the seat 14 thereby enabling the plurality of legs 22 to rest upon a floor 28 of the shower 18 thereby elevating the seat 14 above the floor 28 of the shower 18. Each of the plurality of legs 22 comprises a lower section 30 which slidably receives an upper section 32 such that each of the plurality of legs 22 has a telescopically adjustable length for adjusting a height of the seat 14. Additionally, each of the plurality of legs 22 is positioned adjacent to a respective one of four corners 34 of the seat 14. Furthermore, each of the plurality of legs 22 includes a collar 36 that is positioned on the lower section 30 which can either be loosened or tightened to retain the upper section 32 at a desired height. As is most clearly shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the plurality of legs 22 includes a pair of upper members 37 each extending between a respective pair of the legs 22 and beneath the seat 14.

The bathing chair 12 includes a pair of armrests 38 and each of the pair of armrests 38 includes a central member 40 extending between and being perpendicular to a pair of outward members 42. Each of the pair of armrests 38 is located on a respective one of the first lateral edge 24 and the second lateral edge 26 of the seat 14 having the central member 40 of each of the pair of armrests 38 extending along a line being oriented parallel to a top surface 44 of the seat 14 and having the central member 40 of each of the pair of armrests 38 being spaced upwardly from the top surface 44 of the seat 14. Furthermore, each of the pair of outward members 42 of each of the pair of armrests 38 comprises a lower section 46 which slidably receives an upper section 48 such that each of the pair of outward members 42 of each of the pair of armrests 38 has a telescopically adjustable height. In this way a height of the central member 40 of each of the pair of armrests 38 can be adjusted with respect to the top surface 44 of the seat 14 to support the physically limited user's arms 50 when the physically limited user 20 is seated on the seat 14. Each of the pair of armrests 38 includes a pair of collars 52 which is each rotatably disposed on a respective one of the outward members 42 which can either be loosened or tightened to retain the central member 40 at a desired height.

Each of the pair of armrests 38 includes a cushion 54 which is attached to the central member 40 having the cushion 54 extending along a substantial length of the central member 40. In this way the cushion 54 on the central member 40 of each of the pair of armrests 38 can have a respective one of the physically limited user's arms 50 positioned on the cushion 54 thereby enhancing comfort for the physically limited user 20. The cushion 54 on the central member 40 of each of the pair of armrests 38 is comprised of a resiliently compressible and fluid impermeable material, including but not being limited to rubber or silicone. As is most clearly shown in FIGS. 1, 6 and 7, the pair of armrests 38 includes a pair of lower members 55 which each extends between respective outward members 42 of the armrests 38 and beneath the seat 14.

The backrest 16 includes a pair of upright members 56 each extending upwardly from a rear edge 58 of the seat 14 and a panel 60 which is attached to and extends between the pair of upright members 56 to enable the physically limited user's back 62 to rest against the panel 60 when the physically limited user 20 is seated on the seat 14. The panel 60 has a plurality of holes 64 each extending through a front surface 66 and a back surface 68 of the panel 60 to enable water to pass through the plurality of holes 64. The plurality of holes 64 is evenly spaced apart from each other and is distributed between an upper edge 70 and a lower edge 72 of the panel 60 and the plurality of holes 64 is centrally located on the panel 60. Each of the pair of upright members 56 comprises a bottom section 74 slidably receiving a top section 76 such that each of the pair of upright members 56 has a telescopically adjustable length thereby enabling a height of the panel 60 to be adjusted with respect to the seat 14. The backrest 16 includes a pair of collars 78 which is each rotatably disposed on the bottom section 74 of a respective upright member 56 and which can be loosened or tightened to retain the top section 76 of the respective upright member 56 at a selected height.

A soap reservoir 80 is attached to the seat 14 and the soap reservoir 80 is comprised of a fluid impermeable material, including but not being limited to plastic or metal, thereby enabling the soap reservoir 80 to contain a fluid soap 82. The fluid soap 82 may be any type of soap that is used for bathing and the fluid soap 82 may be mixed with water. The soap reservoir 80 has a top wall 84 and a bottom wall 86 and an outer wall 88 extending between the top wall 84 and the bottom wall 86; the outer wall 88 has a first lateral side 90 and a second lateral side 92 and a front side 94 and a back side 96. The top wall 84 may be attached to a lower surface 98 of the seat 14 having the soap reservoir 80 being centrally located on the lower surface 98 of the seat 14. Alternatively, as is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the top wall may be attached to each of the pair of lower members 55 of the pair of armrests 38.

The outer wall 88 has a front slot 100 which extends through the front side 94.

The front slot 100 is elongated to extend across a substantial width of the front side 94 and the front slot 100 is positioned closer to the top wall 84 than the bottom wall 86. The outer wall 88 has a back slot 102 extending through the back side 96. The back slot 102 is elongated to extend across a substantial width of the back side 96 and the back slot 102 is positioned closer to the top wall 84 than the bottom wall 86.

A fill port 104 is fluidly attached to the soap reservoir 80 thereby enabling the soap reservoir 80 to be filled with the fluid soap 82. The fill port 104 angles upwardly and rearwardly from the back side 96 of the outer wall 88 of the soap reservoir 80 and the fill port 104 is positioned below the back slot 102. A drain 106 extends through the bottom wall 86 of the soap reservoir 80 thereby enabling the fluid soap 82 to be drained from the soap reservoir 80 through the drain 106. The drain 106 includes a cap 108 which is removably insertable into the drain 106 for closing the drain 106 thereby inhibiting the fluid soap 82 from draining from the soap reservoir 80.

A washing unit 110 is movably integrated into each of the bathing chair 12 and the soap reservoir 80. The washing unit 110 includes a belt 112 which is strategically oriented on the seat 14 of the bathing chair 12. Furthermore, the belt 112 is aligned with a crotch area 114 of the physically limited user 20 when the physically limited user 20 is seated upon the seat 14 of the bathing chair 12. The belt 112 extends through the soap reservoir 80 thereby enabling the fluid soap 82 to be deposited onto the belt 112. The belt 112 can clean the physically limited user's crotch area 114 when the washing unit 110 is turned on when the physically limited user 20 is seated upon the seat 14 of the bathing chair 12. Additionally, the belt 112 may be comprised of a textile material, including but not being limited to cotton or hemp, to enable the belt 112 to travel along the physically limited user's skin 116 without causing a friction burn on the physically limited user's skin 116. The belt 112 has a plurality of first fingers 111 each extending outwardly from the belt 112 which are arranged in a row that is centrally located on the belt 112 and which extends around a full circumference of the belt 112. The belt 112 has a plurality of second fingers 113 each extending outwardly from the belt 112 which are arranged in a pair of row that are situated on either side of the row of first fingers 111.

Furthermore, the plurality of first fingers 111 has a height that is greater than a height of the plurality of second fingers 113 to accommodate the structure of the physically limited user's crotch area 114. The plurality of first fingers 111 and the plurality of second fingers 113 are comprised of a flexible material, including but not being limited to a textile material, to clean the physically limited user's crotch area 114 without abrasion or discomfort. Additionally, the plurality of first fingers may have a height ranging between approximately 50.0 mm and 60.0 mm and the plurality of second fingers may have a height ranging between approximately 25.0 mm and 30.0 mm.

The washing unit 110 comprises a pair of rear armatures 118 which is each coupled to and angles upwardly and rearwardly from the top surface 44 of the seat 14 at a point located adjacent to the rear edge 58 of the seat 14. Additionally, the pair of rear armatures 118 is spaced apart from each other. The washing unit 110 includes a first roller 120 which has a first end 121 and a second end 122 each being rotatably attached to distal end 123 of a respective one of the pair of rear armatures 118 such that the first roller 120 is spaced upwardly and rearwardly from the top surface 44 of the seat 14. The washing unit 110 includes a pair of front armatures 124 which is each coupled to and angles upwardly and forwardly from the top surface 44 of the seat 14 at a point located adjacent to a front edge 125 of the seat 14. Each of the pair of front armatures 124 includes a lower section 126 which is hingedly coupled to an upper section 127 and the lower section 126 of each of the pair of front armatures 124 is attached to the seat 14.

The washing unit 110 includes a second roller 128 which has a first end 129 and a second end 130 each being rotatably attached to a distal end 131 of the upper section 127 of a respective one of the pair of front armatures 124 such that the second roller 128 is spaced upwardly and forwardly from the top surface 44 of the seat 14. The washing unit 110 includes a lever 132 which is movably attached to the seat 14 and is in mechanical communication with the upper section 127 of a respective one of the pair of front armatures 124. In this way the lever 132 is accessible to the physically limited user 20 when the physically limited user 20 is seated on the seat 14. The lever 132 is urgeable in a first direction thereby enabling the second roller 128 to be moved downwardly with respect to the seat 14. Conversely, the lever 132 is urgeable in a second direction thereby enabling the second roller 128 to be moved upwardly with respect to the seat 14.

The washing unit 110 includes a plurality of third rollers 133 and each of the plurality of third rollers 133 has a first end 134 and a second end 135 each being rotatably coupled to a respective one of the first lateral side 90 and the second lateral side 92 of the outer wall 88 of the soap reservoir 80. Furthermore, each of the plurality of third rollers 133 is positioned inside of the soap reservoir 80. Each of the plurality of third rollers 133 is positioned closer to the bottom wall 86 of the soap reservoir 80 than the top wall 84 of the soap reservoir 80. Additionally, the plurality of third rollers 133 is evenly spaced apart from each other and is distributed between the front side 94 and the back side 96 of the outer wall 88 of the soap reservoir 80. As is shown in FIG. 5, the lever 132 includes a linkage 137 that extends between the lever 132 and the upper section 127 of the respective front armature 124 and the linkage enables the lever to be located adjacent to a respective one of the pair of armrests 38.

The washing unit 110 includes a motor mount 136 which includes an arm 138 that is attached to a respective one of the legs 22 of the bathing chair 12. The arm 138 is curved such that the arm 138 is directed upwardly from the respective leg 22. Additionally, the motor mount 136 includes a plate 140 which has a bottom surface 142 that is attached to a distal end 144 of the arm 138 such that the plate 14 lies on a horizontal plane. The washing unit 110 includes a motor 146 that is attached to a top surface 148 of the plate 140 of the motor mount 136. The motor 146 may comprise a hermetically sealed electric motor or the like thereby inhibiting the motor 146 from being damaged by exposure to water. Additionally, the motor 146 may comprise a two direction motor to enable the motor 146 to rotate in either a first direction or a second direction. Additionally, the motor 146 includes a power supply 150 comprising a rechargeable battery that can be removed from the motor 146 to enable the rechargeable battery to be charged. The washing unit 110 includes a fourth roller 154 which has a coupled end 156 that is attached to an output shaft 158 of the motor 146 such that the fourth roller 152 is rotated about a horizontal axis when the motor 146 is turned on.

The belt 112 extends around each of the first roller 120 and the second roller 128 and the plurality of third rollers 133 and the fourth roller 152. Additionally, the belt 112 extends through each of the front slot 100 and the back slot 102 in the outer wall 88 of the soap reservoir 80 thereby enabling the belt 112 to be submerged in the fluid soap 82 in the soap reservoir 80. The belt 112 is enabled to slip on the fourth roller 152 when the lever 132 is urged into the first direction. In this way the motor 146 is inhibited from urging the belt 112 to travel around each of the first roller 120 and the second roller 128 and the plurality of third rollers 133 and the fourth roller 152. Conversely, the belt 112 is tightened on the fourth roller 152 when the lever 132 urged into the second direction. In this way the motor 146 is enabled to urge the belt 112 to travel around each of the first roller 120 and the second roller 128 and the plurality of third rollers 133 and the fourth roller 152 to wash the physically limited user's crotch area 114. Additionally, the belt 112 can be urged to travel in either a first direction or a second direction, depending upon the rotational direction of the motor 146.

In use, the bathing chair 12 is positioned in the shower 18 and the plurality of legs 22 is adjusted to a desired height and each of the pair of armrests 38 is adjusted to a desired height. The physically limited user 20 sits upon the seat 14 of the bathing chair 12 to enable the physically limited user 20 to bathe in the shower 18 without the risk of falling down. The physically limited user 20 urges the lever 132 in the second direction to enable the belt 112 to be urged to travel around the first roller 120 and the second roller 128 and the plurality of third rollers 133 and the fourth roller 152. In this way the physically limited user's crotch area 114 can be washed while the physically limited user 20 is seated. The physically limited user 20 urges the lever 132 in the first direction to enable the belt 112 to slip on the fourth roller 152 thereby inhibiting the belt 112 from travelling around the first roller 120 and the second roller 128 and the plurality of third roller and the fourth roller 152. The soap reservoir 80 is refilled with the fluid soap 82 as needed and the rechargeable battery 150 is removed from the motor 146 and charged as needed.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.