Bath

Abstract

 A bath comprising a bath tub (1) having a floor (2), a wall (3D), a door aperture (7) in the wall (3D), and a door (10) larger than the door aperture (7), the periphery of the door (10) in use resting against the inside of the tub wall (3D) adjacent the aperture (7), and hinge means (16A-16D,17A-D), allowing the door (10) to open through the aperture (7) out and away from the bath tub (1).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a novel bath for the elderly or infirm, and particularly for those dependent on wheelchairs.

[0002] Walk-in baths are known. They are designed for people that cannot get in and out of a conventional bath. Usually they are in the form of a tub with an outwardly opening door. A disadvantage with such baths is that because the door opens outwards, they are prone to leakage as the pressure of water inside when they are full is biasing the door into an open position. Water can find a way through the seals which are present unless the door is secured by a strong locking mechanism to keep the seal compressed between the door and its frame. Also if the locking mechanism is accidentally opened, the water will flood out onto the floor.

[0003] A solution to such known baths has been proposed in which the bath has an inward opening door. A main advantage of this bath is that the water pressure seals the door against the bath wall. A disadvantage is that the door aperture is not wide enough to accept persons from a wheelchair. If it were attempted to widen this aperture, the door size would be too large to allow the door to open inwards.

[0004] The invention seeks to provide a bath which has a large door aperture and door which opens outwards and which has, inter alia, the advantage that the pressure of water in the bath tends to seal the door against the wall of the bath.

[0005] According to the present invention there is provided a bath comprising

a) a bath tub having a floor and wall, and a door aperture in the wall thereof,

b) a door aperture door larger than the door aperture, in use the periphery of the door resting against the inside of the tub wall adjacent the aperture, and

c) hinge means allowing the door to open through the aperture out and away from the bath tub.

[0006] Preferably the hinge means includes at least one hinge, the or each hinge allowing the door to be raised vertically and swing horizontally. Preferably each hinge includes a plate having opposing ends each pivoted to the wall and the door, each hinge allowing the pivoting position of the door to be moved inside the bath. Preferably the plate is curved.

[0007] Preferably one end of the plate moves vertically relative to the door or wall. In one embodiment one end of the plate moves vertically relative to the door. The plate may slide on a shaft mounted on the door.

[0008] Preferably the door aperture is defined by a peripheral flange against which, in use, the periphery of the door rests.

[0009] Preferably at least one groove is provided in the wall adjacent the aperture to receive the door.

[0010] The groove may include an angled face to bias the door against the flange.

[0011] Connection means may be provided to connect the wall to the top of the door to help prevent distortion of the door frame. The connection means may be at least one projection on the door each with widened shoulders which each engage with a corresponding grooved block on the top of the wall adjacent the door frame. The or each block may also be shaped to bias the door frame against the flange.

[0012] The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1

shows a perspective view of the inside of a bath,

Figure 2

shows a perspective view of part of the bath from the outside with the door half open, and

Figure 3

shows a part perspective view of part of the bath from the outside with the door closed.

[0013] Referring to Figure 1 there is shown a bath tub 1. Bath 1 has a floor 2 and side walls 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D. Also shown are taps 4, drain holes 5 and a seat 6. Wall 3D includes a door aperture defined by an edge 8 supporting a flange 9. A door 10 is hinged to the wall 3D by hinge means as more fully described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. As more clearly shown in the inset, flange 9 supports a seal such as a rubber sealing strip 11 around the entire door aperture, and horizontal grooves 12A, 12B along the horizontal sections of edge 8 (the horizontal grooves may be slightly inclined and/or include drain holes so that any water therein will drain out). As shown grooves 12A, 12B have a surface inclined downwards towards the outside of the bath tub 1.

[0014] When the door is closed (Figure 3), the door rests against the inside of the tub wall against flange 9 adjacent the door aperture and the hinge means allows the door to open through the aperture out and away from the bath tub as shown in Figure 1.

[0015] Mounted on top of the door are two projections 13A, 13B supporting widened shoulders 14A, 14B respectively. Mounted on top of the wall 3D either side of the door aperture are a pair of grooved blocks 15A, 15B. The inner side of the groove of each block is shaped to form a curved ("cam") surface.

[0016] In use, as the door is closed, the horizontal sections of the base of the door rest in the grooves 12A, 12B. Because the grooves have the inclined face, this biases the door against the flange 9 and hence the sealing strip 11. Also as the door is closed, the projections 13A, 13B rest on the curved "cam" sections of the blocks 15A, 15B. As the door slides down into the grooves 12A, 12B the projections 13A, 13B follow the curved "cam" sections of the blocks into the groove of each block, thus also biasing the top of the door against the flange 9 and sealing strip 11. Also the shoulders 14A, 14B engage with the blocks 15A, 15B. The projections with shoulders engaging with the grooved blocks form connection means to prevent distortion of the door frame, and in particular to prevent the distance between the blocks 15A, 15B being increased by the pressure of water in the bath widening the door aperture.

[0017] Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, there is shown more clearly the hinge means with a pair of hinges 16 and 17 allowing the door to be raised vertically and swing horizontally. Hinge 16 includes a curved plate 16A pivoted or hinged at end 16B (e.g. by a hinge pin) to the wall 3D. The other end 16C of plate 16A slides vertically on, and is pivoted or hinged to, a shaft 16D mounted on the door. Hinge 17 includes a curved plate 17A pivoted or hinged at end 17B (e.g. by a hinge pin) to the wall 3D. The other end 17C of plate 17A slides vertically on, and is pivoted or hinged to, a shaft 17D mounted on the door.

[0018] Figure 3 shows the door closed abutting the inside of the flange 9. When the door lowers into the groove, so the plates 16A, 17A slide up the shafts 16D, 17D respectively.

[0019] When it is desired to open the door after a bath and the bath water has drained away, the door is first raised vertically so that the plates slide down the shafts 16D, 17D. In this position, the bottom 10A of the door 10 is higher than the door sill 18. The left hand side of the door with projection 13B is then moved into the bath (each hinge thus allowing the pivoting position of the door to be moved inside the bath) which allows the right hand side of the door with projection 13A to swing through the aperture 17 and open. This process is reversed to close the door.

[0020] In use, a person with a wheel chair can position the wheel chair along wall 3D with the chair seat adjacent the bath seat 6. With the door open, that person can slide sideways through the aperture 7 onto the bath seat 6. Once in the bath, the door can be closed and the bath filled with water. A handle/towel rail 19 may be provided on the inside of the door. The hinge means allows the door to open outwards yet with the benefit water-sealing benefits of an inward opening door.

[0021] The bath tub of the invention may take a different form to that specifically described above. For example the door corners and corners of the edge 8 with flange 9 could be more radiused than shown to facilitate sealing of the door against the flange.

[0022] The bath of the invention may be made of any suitable material such as fibreglass, and be of any desired colour.

[0023] Clearly, the embodiment described could be modified by allowing vertical movement of the hinge plates relative to the bath wall rather than relative to the door. In this case it is not necessary that the hinge plates be pivoted on the door as, if the upright edges of the door and the door aperture are inclined outwardly towards the sides of the aperture, then the raising of the door ensures that it clears the periphery of the opening and can move outwardly through the opening.

[0024] In a preferred modification of the embodiment the hinges are fixed to the door and are pivotally mounted on a member which is movable vertically in a channel, means being provided to hold the door in its raised position.

[0025] Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A bath comprising a bath tub having a floor, a wall, a door aperture in the wall, and a door larger than the door aperture, characterised in that the periphery of the door in use rests against the inside of the tub wall adjacent the aperture, and further characterised by hinge means allowing the door to open through the aperture out and away from the bath tub.

2. A bath as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the hinge means includes at least one hinge allowing the door to be raised vertically and swung horizontally.

3. A bath as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that each hinge includes a plate, which is preferably curved, having opposing ends at least one of which is pivoted to the wall or to the door, each hinge allowing the connection of the hinge to the door to be moved inside the bath.

4. A bath as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the hinges are fixed to the door and are pivotally mounted on a member which is vertically movable on the wall.

5. A bath as claimed in claims 3 or claim 4, characterised in that one end of the plate moves vertically relative to the door or wall.

6. A bath as claimed in any of claims 3 to 5, characterised in that the plate slides vertically on a shaft mounted on the

7. A bath as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that at least one groove is provided in the wall adjacent the aperture to receive the door.

8. A bath as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that the groove includes an angled face to bias the door against a flange which defines the door aperture.

9. A bath as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that connecting means are provided between the wall and the top of the door to mitigate distortion of the door frame.

10. A bath as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that the connection means comprises at least one projection on the door, the or each projection having widened shoulders which each engage a corresponding grooved block on the top of the wall adjacent the door frame, each block being preferably shaped to bias the door frame against the flange.

Drawing