BACKGROUND ART Beds which can be folded up, folded away or otherwise stored in a compact position during the day are already known in the field of furniture; they are normally required in order to allow to use the space left free by the bed in order to provide more space in the room.

However, these beds do not allow to substantially change the function of the room.

Up to now, the room in which the bed was placed could be converted at the most from a bedroom to a sitting room.

The distance between the bedroom/sitting room and other rooms of the house, for example the bathroom, instead remained unchanged.

In some cases, such distance can be a severe drawback, for example in the case of elderly people who cannot move easily from one room to another, or in the case of small apartments, where the possibility to achieve a more efficient allocation of the available spaces can be highly advantageous.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The aim of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks noted above in conventional removable beds by providing a combination of a bed and of a bathtub which allows to obtain, in an extremely compact space, a multifunctional environment according to the user's requirements.

An object of the present invention is to provide a secluded environment in which said combination of a bed with a bathtub is located and which can be used for amusement as a sort of private"cocoon"which allows intimacy in full freedom.

Another object of the present invention is to be able to adjust the temperature and the degree of humidity inside said secluded environment.

This aim, these objects and others are achieved by a combination of a bed and of a bathtub according to claim 1.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description of a preferred embodiment, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the present combination when the bed is stowed away; Figure 2 is a front view of the combination when the bed is in the lowered position; Figure 3 is a side view of the combination when the bed is in the lowered position; Figure 4 is a side view of the combination when the bed is in the stowed position; Figure 5 is a cutout top view of the combination.

WAYS OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION As shown in Figure 1, the bed with built-in bathtub according to the present invention is formed by a bed 12 and by a bathtub 6, which are mutually stacked in the preferred but non-limitative embodiment described in the figures.

Both the bed 12 and the bathtub 6 are contained in a supporting framework 10. In one embodiment, the sides of the framework 10 are formed by four posts 11 arranged at the four corners of the bed 12.

The rear side of the framework 10 is formed by a panel 3 which closes the area between the two rear posts 11 and forms the back of the bed/bathtub region.

The upper part of the framework 10 is formed by a covering 13, which in the present example is closed by another panel 3 and is provided with means 20 for moving the bed; for example, on its upper side it has a rotating shaft 14 which contains an electric motor 7. The motor 7 drives belts 8 which run

along the shaft 14 and which are connected, by means of the posts 11, to the corners of the bed 12, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

The bathtub 6 is instead contained in its own supporting frame 15, in which it is recessed. Said frame 15 can form, at the same time, for example, the shoulder for supporting the bed 12 when said bed is in the lowered position for use as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Conveniently, it is possible to provide heating and/or dehumidifying units (1,2) which are arranged in an upward region on the panel 3 that forms the back of the framework 10, as shown in Figure 2.

The framework 10 can further be closed at the three front and lateral sides by means for providing separation from the rest of the room, for example curtains 4, which are preferably internally lined by a polyethylene film.

Operation is as follows.

When the bed 12 is in its lowered operating position (Figure 3), it is supported by the shoulders formed by the supporting frame 15. In this position, the bathtub 6 is fully closed by the bedspring of the bed 12, and therefore is not visible. In this position, furthermore, the bed 12 can be used in a conventional manner without the presence of the bathtub 6 having any effect.

In order to be able to use the bathtub 6, the bed must be removed from its lowered position by way of said bed movement means 20. In the preferred embodiment, said movement means 20 are constituted by the electric motor 7, which is operated by means of commercially known devices. The actuation of the motor 7, by means of the rotation of the shaft 14, winds the belts 8 onto said shaft and therefore causes the bed 12 to rise along the posts 11.

It is evident that the bed movement means 20 can be constituted by any technically equivalent means, for example a rack-and-pinion coupling, or hydraulic or pneumatic means. Likewise, the bed can be fitted so as to

swing about one of its transverse or longitudinal ends and in this case the movement means 20 are provided so as to tip the bed, for example by means of springs or any other technically equivalent means. In large rooms, furthermore, the bed can also be moved by means which move horizontally, thus allowing access to the bathtub 6.

At this point, the bathtub 6 can be used as a normal bathtub (Figure 1) and accordingly the presence of the bed 12 has no effect on the conventional use of the bathtub. For water filling and draining during the use of the bathtub 12, it is possible to proceed, for example, by connecting external piping to the bathroom, which is normally in the vicinity of the bedroom, or it is possible to provide a coupling to the water by means of pipes provided in the floor.

Advantageously, the heating and/or dehumidifying units (1,2) can be operated in order to allow adjustment of the temperature and of the degree of humidity within the space delimited by the curtains 4.

In particular, the dimensions of the bathtub can adapt to the dimensions of the bed or be smaller than said dimensions; therefore, according to the requirements and the intended use, the combination according to the present invention can have a double bed and a bathtub with freely selectable dimensions, even unconventional ones or made to measure.

It has been observed that the combination of a bed and a bathtub as described above can be advantageous in the case of small apartments, where efficient utilization of spaces can allow to have a bathtub even where it was not planned for.

The combination of the bed and the bathtub can also be used for amusement, since the framework 10 forms a separate environment, or a sort of private"cocoon", which allows intimacy in full freedom.

Finally, several advantages have also been noted in the use of the combination according to the present invention by people who have difficulty in walking and who can gain a considerable advantage because of

the nearness of their bed to the bathtub.

The combination thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept. The materials used, as well as the dimensions, may furthermore be any according to requirements and must be considered technically equivalent.

The disclosures in Italian Utility Model Application No. AL98U000011 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.