US3864762A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Elevated safety bathtub
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-03-01
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Granted: 1975-02-11
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Expires: 1992-03-01
Abstract
Abstract An elevated safety bathtub for use both by invalids and by persons without physical handicaps. The tub has a floor supported approximately at normal chair height and a side opening serving as an entryway through one of the walls of the tub, the bottom of the entryway being substantially at the same elevation as the floor of the tub. The entryway is provided with a water-tight barrier which may be moved out of the way to permit a person to enter the tub, and replaced once the person is inside the tub. The fact that the bottom of the entryway and floor of the tub are supported at approximately chair height enables the person to enter the tub by simply seating himself on the floor of the tub through the entryway as if he were seating himself in a chair. The person need not stand on the slippery tub floor. Several embodiments of the invention comprise adapter assemblies for converting existing conventional bathtubs to elevated bathtubs having the features of the present invention. These latter embodiments provide a tub shell for mounting on top of the existing tub so that the floor of the tub shell is approximately at chair height. Means are provided for securing the tub shell to the existing tub to prevent any horizontal slippage between the two, and provision is also made for adapting the existing plumbing for use with the elevated tub shell.
Inventors
- 👤 Eve B Finch
- 👤 Sheila A Finch
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 12:30
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47K; A47K3/00; A47K3/20; A47K3/006; A47K3/02; A47K3/022; A47K3/024
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
140 words
An improved safety bathtub comprising a tub having a floor supported at chair height and a surrounding wall for holding a quantity of water, said tub wall having an opening therein extending from the top of said wall downwardly toward said tub floor for permitting a person to seat himself on said tub floor through said opening preparatory to positioning himself wholly within said tub for bathing and a water-tight barrier associated with said opening for sealingly closing said opening after said person has positioned himself wholly within said tub, wherein the improvement comprises arm rest means formed in said tub wall adjacent to the sides of said opening at a height lower than the top of said wall for supporting the arms of said person seated on said tub floor and for use in entering and leaving said tub.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
140 words
An improved safety bathtub comprising a tub having a floor supported at chair height and a surrounding wall for holding a quantity of water, said tub wall having an opening therein extending from the top of said wall downwardly toward said tub floor for permitting a person to seat himself on said tub floor through said opening preparatory to positioning himself wholly within said tub for bathing and a water-tight barrier associated with said opening for sealingly closing said opening after said person has positioned himself wholly within said tub, wherein the improvement comprises arm rest means formed in said tub wall adjacent to the sides of said opening at a height lower than the top of said wall for supporting the arms of said person seated on said tub floor and for use in entering and leaving said tub.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
169 words
An adapter assembly for an existing, floor-supported bathtub comprising: a. a bathtub shell having a floor and a surrounding wall for holding water; b. support means attached to said shell for mounting said shell on top of said existing bathtub with the floor of said shell supported at a height substantially no lower than the top of said existing bathtub; c. said shell wall having an opening therein extending from the top of said shell wall downwardly toward said shell floor for permitting a person to seat himself on said shell floor through said opening preparatory to positioning himself wholly within said bathtub shell for bathing; d. water-tight barrier means associated with said opening for sealingly closing said opening after said person has positioned himself wholly within said bathtub shell; and e. arm rest means formed in said shell wall adjacent the sides of said opening at a height lower than the top of said shell wall for supporting the arms of said person seated on said shell floor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
169 words
An adapter assembly for an existing, floor-supported bathtub comprising: a. a bathtub shell having a floor and a surrounding wall for holding water; b. support means attached to said shell for mounting said shell on top of said existing bathtub with the floor of said shell supported at a height substantially no lower than the top of said existing bathtub; c. said shell wall having an opening therein extending from the top of said shell wall downwardly toward said shell floor for permitting a person to seat himself on said shell floor through said opening preparatory to positioning himself wholly within said bathtub shell for bathing; d. water-tight barrier means associated with said opening for sealingly closing said opening after said person has positioned himself wholly within said bathtub shell; and e. arm rest means formed in said shell wall adjacent the sides of said opening at a height lower than the top of said shell wall for supporting the arms of said person seated on said shell floor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
206 words
An adapter assembly for an existing, floor-supported bathtub comprising: a. a bathtub shell having a floor and a surRounding wall for holding water; b. support means attached to said shell for mounting said shell on top of said existing bathtub with the floor of said shell supported at a height substantially no lower than the top of said existing bathtub; c. said shell wall having an opening therein extending from the top of said shell wall downwardly toward said shell floor for permitting a person to seat himself on said shell floor through said opening preparatory to positioning himself wholly within said bathtub shell for bathing; d. water-tight barrier means associated with said opening for sealingly closing said opening after said person has positioned himself wholly within said bathtub shell; e. means defining an outwardly facing recess in said shell wall positioned so as to correspond with the locations of the hot and cold water controls of said existing bathtub when said shell is mounted atop said existing bathtub, said recess permitting manual access to said hot and cold water controls when said shell is in mounted position; and f. means for conducting said water from the spigot of said existing tub into said bathtub shell.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
206 words
An adapter assembly for an existing, floor-supported bathtub comprising: a. a bathtub shell having a floor and a surRounding wall for holding water; b. support means attached to said shell for mounting said shell on top of said existing bathtub with the floor of said shell supported at a height substantially no lower than the top of said existing bathtub; c. said shell wall having an opening therein extending from the top of said shell wall downwardly toward said shell floor for permitting a person to seat himself on said shell floor through said opening preparatory to positioning himself wholly within said bathtub shell for bathing; d. water-tight barrier means associated with said opening for sealingly closing said opening after said person has positioned himself wholly within said bathtub shell; e. means defining an outwardly facing recess in said shell wall positioned so as to correspond with the locations of the hot and cold water controls of said existing bathtub when said shell is mounted atop said existing bathtub, said recess permitting manual access to said hot and cold water controls when said shell is in mounted position; and f. means for conducting said water from the spigot of said existing tub into said bathtub shell.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
183 words
An adapter assembly for an existing, floor-supported bathtub comprising: a. a bathtub shell having a floor and a surrounding wall for holding water; b. support means attached to said shell for mounting said shell on top of said existing bathtub with the floor of said shell supported at a height substantially no lower than the top of said existing bathtub; c. said shell wall having an opening therein extending from the top of said shell wall downwardly toward said shell floor for permitting a person to seat himself on said shell floor through said opening preparatory to positioning himself wholly within said bathtub shell for bathing; d. water-tight barrier means associated with said opening for sealingly closing said opening after said person has positioned himself wholly within said bathtub shell; e. means defining a passageway in said shell wall positioned so as to be adjacent the water spigot of said existing tub when said shell is mounted atop said existing tub; and f. means for coupling said spigot to said passageway in order to conduct water from said spigot into said bathtub shell.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
183 words
An adapter assembly for an existing, floor-supported bathtub comprising: a. a bathtub shell having a floor and a surrounding wall for holding water; b. support means attached to said shell for mounting said shell on top of said existing bathtub with the floor of said shell supported at a height substantially no lower than the top of said existing bathtub; c. said shell wall having an opening therein extending from the top of said shell wall downwardly toward said shell floor for permitting a person to seat himself on said shell floor through said opening preparatory to positioning himself wholly within said bathtub shell for bathing; d. water-tight barrier means associated with said opening for sealingly closing said opening after said person has positioned himself wholly within said bathtub shell; e. means defining a passageway in said shell wall positioned so as to be adjacent the water spigot of said existing tub when said shell is mounted atop said existing tub; and f. means for coupling said spigot to said passageway in order to conduct water from said spigot into said bathtub shell.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
The adapter assembly of claim 4 wherein said means for coupling said spigot of said existing tub to said passageway comprises a flexible hose having means for coupling one end of said hose to said spigot and the other end of said hose to said passageway.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The adapter assembly of claim 4 wherein said bathtub shell is constructed of a substantially rigid material and includes downwardly facing surfaces for engaging upwardly facing surfaces of said existing bathtub to support said bathtub shell atop said existing bathtub.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The adapter assembly of claim 4 wherein said bathtub shell includes means for coupling said shell to said existing bathtub to prevent relative horizontal movement between said bathtub shell and said existing bathtub.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The adapter assembly of claim 7 wherein said coupling means includes suction cups for engaging the inner surface of said existing bathtub.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The adapter assembly of claim 4 wherein the floor of said shell is substantially at normal chair height when said shell is mounted atop said existing bathtub.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-02-10 | 1978-08-12 | 1979-02-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-02-10 | 1982-08-12 | 1983-02-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-02-10 | 1986-08-12 | 1987-02-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |