This invention relates to a bath and, more especially, this invention relates to a portable bath.

There are often situations in which a person is not able to bathe in a fixed bath in a bedroom. For example, many persons have knee, leg or shoulder operations which render them unable to get into and out of a fixed bath in a bathroom. Also, persons who are seriously ill often have periods when they cannot physically get into and out of a fixed bath in a bathroom. Still further, many elderly persons find the effort of getting into and out of a fixed bath in a bathroom too much of an effort or simply beyond them. All persons who are unable to use a fixed bath in a bathroom are then left with the problem of how to keep themselves clean. For those persons that are able to stand, they often resort to trying to wash themselves in front of a sink. For those persons who are confined to bed, the only alternative may be a bed bath. Persons trying to wash themselves in front of a sink or elsewhere are often unable to wash themselves as thoroughly as they would desire. Persons requiring a bed bath not only have the problem of not being washed as thoroughly as they would desire, but they also have the problem that they are usually washed by a carer and this lack of privacy is often embarrassing, especially for elderly persons. It is an aim of the present invention to reduce the above mentioned problems.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided a portable bath comprising a bottom, a peripheral wall which upstands from the bottom, and support means for supporting the bottom at a predetermined height above floor level, and the portable bath being such that:

(i) the peripheral wall has a front portion which is lower than the remainder of the peripheral wall and which is for facilitating a person getting out of the portable bath;

(ii) the support means supports the bottom such that the predetermined height above floor level is a seat height for enabling the person to sit in the portable bath with their legs extending over the front portion of the peripheral wall;

(iii) the bottom has a raised seat area;

(iv) the raised seat area is spaced apart on two opposed sides from the peripheral wall such that the bottom has a first reservoir area which contains water on one side of the raised seat area, and a second reservoir area which contains water on an opposite side of the raised seat area; (v) the peripheral wall is such that, apart from the front portion, the peripheral wall is high enough to stop water splashing out of the portable bath during use; and

(vi) the portable bath is moulded from a plastics material.

The portable bath of the present invention is advantageous in a number of aspects. More specifically, the lowered front portion of the peripheral wall facilitates a person getting out of the portable bath. It may also facilitate the person getting into the portable bath. The provision of the seat means is such that the bottom of the portable bath is at a seat height and this enables the person easily to get into and out of the portable bath. The raised seat area enables the person to sit comfortably in the portable bath. The raised seat area is also advantageous in that it helps the person to get out of the portable bath when they are finished washing.

The first and second water reservoir areas enable water readily to be available for the person washing themselves, or being washed by a carer, irrespective of whether the person or the carer is using their left or right hand. The first and second water reservoir areas will normally be such that water can flow from one side to the other unless blocked by the user's legs. Thus, by moving their legs, the user can let water flow under their legs to aid washing.

The provision of the peripheral wall at the required height to stop water splashing out of the portable bath enables the portable bath easily to be used and without being messy. The legs of the person in the portable bath will usually be positioned in the lower front portion so that the legs stops water splashing out from the portable bath over the front portion of the peripheral wall. The moulding of the portable bath from the plastics material enables the portable bath easily to be wiped clean and dried. The water is able to stay warm enough in the portable bath for a time sufficient to enable the washing to be effected. If desired, the bath water can have therapeutic oils added to it for relaxation, and/or promoting healing by a feeling of well being.

The portable bath may be one in which the peripheral wall has a raised back portion. The raised back portion may make the portable bath more comfortable to use.

The portable bath may be one in which the bottom includes a drain aperture and a closure means. The portable bath can then easily be emptied via the drain aperture after use. The portable bath may also be one which does not have a drain aperture and a closure means. In this case, the portable bath can simply be tipped up and emptied into a container such for example as a bucket. The portable bath of the present invention is advantageously able to be constructed to use relatively little water so that emptying of the portable bath does not provide a problem. The total water in the portable bath may only be that which fits into a bucket, and thus the bath water may be drained into a bucket via the drain aperture, or the bath water may be simply tipped into the bucket, other container or a sink if the portable bath does not have a drain aperture. Where the portable bath has a drain aperture and closure means, then ^" the closure means will usually be a drain plug. Other types of closure means may be employed. The support means may be a stand arrangement.

The support means may include legs.

The support means, for example the legs, may be adjustable for adjusting the predetermined height. The adjustability may be obtained by a telescopic arrangement. Where the support means includes legs, then the legs may be telescopic legs. The telescopic legs may be secured at a desired length by a pin and hole arrangement in which a pin locates in one of a plurality of holes.

The portable bath may be one in which the support means is separable from the remainder of the portable bath. Alternatively, the portable bath may be one in which the support means is integrally formed with the remainder of the portable bath.

The portable bath may be made to any suitable and appropriate size. As a generality, the portable bath may be about three times the width of a toilet, and substantially deeper. Typically, the bottom may be 20cm from front to back, and 85cm from side to side. Where the portable bath includes a backrest portion, then the backrest may be 48cm high. Ranges of measurements either side of the three stated specific measurements may be employed.

The portable bath may be made in a standard size for the majority of persons, and in a large size for large sized person. The portable bath may be moulded from any suitable and appropriate plastics materials. In addition to being easy to clean and dry, the plastics materials enable the portable bath to be light and therefore easy to get ready for use and then to store after use.

The portable bath may be produced to include a padded waterproof support cushion. The support cushion may be made of any suitable and appropriate plastics materials to provide the appropriate padding. The support cushion may provide support for a person's back and, if desired, also their head.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a view from the front and above of a portable bath of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view from the front and above of part of the portable bath shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the part of the portable bath shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a side sectional view of the part of the portable bath shown in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a front sectional view of the part of the portable bath shown in Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of a support means part of the portable bath shown in Figure 1 ; Figure 7 is a front view of an optional padded waterproof support cushion; and

Figure 8 a cross sectional view through the support cushion shown in Figure 7.

Referring to Figures 1 - 6, there is shown a portable bath 2 comprising a bottom 4 and a peripheral wall 6 which upstands from the bottom 4. The portable bath 2 also comprises support means 8 for supporting the bottom 4 at a predetermined height above floor level.

The portable bath 2 is such that the peripheral wall 6 has a front portion 10 which is lower than the remainder of the peripheral wall 6 and which is for facilitating a person getting into and out of the portable bath 2.

The portable bath 2 is also such that a support means 8 supports the bottom 4 such that the predetermined height above floor level is a seat height for enabling the person to sit in the portable bath 2 with their legs extending over the front portion 0 of the peripheral wall 6.

The portable bath 2 is such that the bottom 4 has a raised seat area 12. The raised seat area 12 enables a person comfortably to sit in the portable bath 2. The raised seat area 12 also helps the person to get out of the portable bath 2 when they have finished washing or being washed.

As shown in Figure 3, the raised seat area 12 is spaced apart on two opposed sides 14, 16 from the peripheral wall 6 such that the bottom 4 has a first reservoir area 18 which contains water on one side 14 of the raised seat area 12, and a second reservoir area 20 which contains water on an opposite side 16 of the raised seat area 12. The first and second water reservoir areas 18, 20 are such that water can flow from one side to the other unless blocked by the user's legs. Thus, by moving their legs, the user can let water under their legs to aid washing. The first and second reservoir areas 18, 20 thus provide water that is readily available for washing, irrespective of whether the washing is being conducted by the person themselves in the portable bath or by a carer, and irrespective of whether the washing is being conducted using a right hand or a left hand.

The peripheral wall 6 is such that, apart from the front portion 10, the peripheral wall 6 is high enough to stop water splashing out of the portable bath 2 during use. The person's legs are effective to stop water splashing over the front portion 0. Thus the portable bath 2 is easily able to be used without being messy during use.

The portable bath 2 is moulded from a plastics material. The use of a plastics material enables the portable bath 2 easily to be manufactured by moulding. In addition, the plastics material enables the portable bath 2 easily to be wiped clean and dried. Still further, the plastics material enables the portable bath 2 to be made to be light in weight so that the portable bath 2 is easily able to be carried to a room, for example a bedroom, for enabling the person to be washed, and then the portable bath 2 is easily able to be taken away for storage.

The plastics material 2 enables the water in the portable bath 2 to stay warm enough for the washing period. If desired, the plastics material 2 may be a foamed plastics material 2 which will help increase retention of heat in the water. Any suitable and appropriate foamed material may be employed. Alternatively, the plastics material may be a simple solid thickness plastics material.

The portable bath 2 has a raised backrest portion 22. The backrest portion 22 enables the portable bath 2 to be such that a person can comfortably sit in the portable bath 2. It also enables the peripheral wall 6 to be relatively low which enables the peripheral wall 6 to have arm rest portions 24, 26 positioned between the backrest portion 22 and the front portion 10.

The bottom 12 includes a drain aperture 28 and closure means in the form of a drain plug 30. The portable bath 2 can thus easily be emptied, for example onto a bucket or jug placed under the bottom 4.

The support means 8 is a stand arrangement. The stand arrangement has legs 32. The legs 32 are telescopic legs for enabling the height of the support means 8 to be adjusted to a required seat height. The legs 32 are secured at a desired length by a pin and hole arrangement 34 in which a pin 36 locates in one of a plurality of holes 38. As shown in Figures 1 and 6, the support means 8 is such that there are six of the legs 32. The support means 8 has an open framework base 40 on which the bottom 4 rests. The bottom 4 and the peripheral wall 6 form a bath portion which is separate from the support means 8. The bath portion thus sits on the support means 8, with the bottom 4 extending below a top wall 42 of the support means 8 and resting on the base 40 of the support means 8.

As shown in the drawings, the portable bath 2 is such that the bottom is 20cm from front to back, and 85cm from side to side. The backrest portion 22 is 48cm high. Referring now to Figures 7 and 8, there is shown an optional attachment to the portable bath 2 shown in Figure 2. More specifically, Figures 7 and 8 show a support cushion 44. The support cushion 44 is a padded waterproof support cushion 44 for supporting the person's back and head when they are in the portable bath 2. The support cushion 4 is formed in three longitudinal sections 46, 48, 50 as shown. Any suitable and appropriate waterproof padding material may be employed including foamed plastics materials.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the bottom 4 and the peripheral wall 6 may be moulded from a plastics material which is a single walled solid plastics material, or alternatively which is a foamed plastics material. The support means 8 is shown as being a separately moulded support means 8 but it could alternatively be designed to be moulded integrally with the portable bath 2 to extend from the bottom 4 of the portable bath 2. The drain aperture 28 and the drain plug 30 may be dispensed with if desired. The portable bath 2 may be made in a standard size for use by most persons, and in a larger size for persons who are larger than normal. Individual components shown in the drawings are not limited to use in their drawings and they may be used in other drawings and in all aspects of the invention.

The portable bath may be sold under the Trade Mark B-Clean.