CA2166377A1 - Convertible bathroom - Google Patents
Convertible bathroomInfo
- Publication number
- CA2166377A1 CA2166377A1 CA 2166377 CA2166377A CA2166377A1 CA 2166377 A1 CA2166377 A1 CA 2166377A1 CA 2166377 CA2166377 CA 2166377 CA 2166377 A CA2166377 A CA 2166377A CA 2166377 A1 CA2166377 A1 CA 2166377A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- basin
- bathroom
- door
- entrance
- water
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Landscapes
- Residential Or Office Buildings (AREA)
Abstract
A specially constructed bathroom for physically impaired people wherein the bathroom has waterproof walls and an entrance, a pocket door and door sill disposed in said entrance and sealed against passage of moisture. A
telescopically mounted basin is provided with manual or hydraulically operated raising and lowering means for selectively adjusting the height of said basin to accommodate the needs of handicapped and impaired individuals. The basin also may have timed means for returning the basin to a predetermined height after each use.
telescopically mounted basin is provided with manual or hydraulically operated raising and lowering means for selectively adjusting the height of said basin to accommodate the needs of handicapped and impaired individuals. The basin also may have timed means for returning the basin to a predetermined height after each use.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a bathroom structure for the physically impaired, such persons confined to wheelchairs, or have the limited use of their arms and legs. The bathroom structure is designed to be accommodated in small areas, like powder rooms located on the first floor of a house. This is known as a convertible bathroom.
There has been concern in recent years for making public facilities more user friendly for the impaired. Ramps are provided at street corners so the impaired can move about puhlic streets. Many stores provide ramps so that the impaired do not have to climb steps, and more importantly, public bathrooms have been modified to include larger stalls with hand rails, with wash basins being more accessible to wheelchair users and other handicapped persons. However, most homes have not been modified to accommodate physically impaired persons. In most homes, the height of the commode and wash basin are such that an impaired person can not use the facilities without the fear of an accident. Generally, when hand rails are provided, they are the clamp-on type which mount on bath tubs or they are add-on wall mounts, which may not provide adequate support. The most often reason given for not providing physically impaired bathrooms in houses is the expense at a time when the need is not foreseen. It is only necessary to have such a facility when there has been a debilitating injury, or infirmities due to age require it.
A majority of modern built houses have a powder room or pantry on the first floor. In many newly built houses there is also a bedroom or den on the same first floor as the powder room. The problem is how to provide a bathroom structure for a physically impaired person, one whicll has a toilet and wash basin at the proper height, and a shower which an impaired person can use. Also, there is a problem on how to provide such a bathroom and have it functional and appealing to other users. Another problem is how to provide such a bathroom which is sealed against possible water damage to other portions of the house.
The problems listed are now the object of the present invention, namely; to provide a bathroom for the physically impaired which has a commode and wash basin adjustable to an impaired person's height and a shower, to provide such a bathroom and have it functional and appealing to other people, and to provide such a bathroom that is sealed against possible water damage to other areas of the home.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The bathroom structure of the present lnvention overcomes the stated problems of existing bathrooms by providing a comfortable and appealing, yet functional, bathroom that can be installed in limited spaces on the main or other floor of an existing house, without too much disruption. The bathroom design is structured to fit in the space of an existing powder room, or at most, slightly enlarged, if the present powder room does not allow for the use of wheelchairs. The walls will either be ceramic tile, tile board or some other waterproof bathroom wall board.
Tl~le is ~ tile floor and a floor drain so that the entire l~atllroom space becomes a shower. The bathroom will have a pooket door so that the door slides into a pocket formed in the wall. To ensure that water does not run out of the batllroom on to an ad~oining floor, there is a raised door sill havillg an accurate shape for accommodating wheelchairs, or to prevent tripping on a square shaped door sill edge. A
telescoping sink pedestal adjusts the height of the bathroom sink. The sink faucet is connected to a flexible lnlet water hose so that the faucet can be removed from the basin and hung on a wall to be used as a shower. The basin has an overhang which serves as a storage place for various items such as a shower head and a tollet paper holder, to protect the paper from getting wet while showering and to hide the items from view. There are grab bars placed at conveniently located spots, which also serve as towel bars, anchored securely to the wall.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bathroom of the invention.
Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the walls and pocket door of the present invention.
Fig. 3 is a cross-section view, taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 of a sink base.
Fig. 4 is a cross-section view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a partial cross-sectlon of a door and door sill of -the present invention.
Fig. 6 is a front cross-section taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings, Flgs 1-6, there is shown a bathroom 10 for physically impaired people. There are sidewalls 12, 12a, 12b, and 12c, vertically surrounding a ceiling 14 and a floor 16. One of the sidewalls 12 has an opening 26 in it for ingress and egress, and a pocket 18 for housing a pocket door 20. A vertically telescoping basin 22 and a toilet 24 are installed in the bathroom 10. Under normal conditions, the bathroom i8 used as a powder room.
When it is necessary for a physically impaired person to use the bathroom either as a powder room or a bathroom, the basin 22 can be adjusted to the proper height to accommodate a wheelchair or some other physical aid. The toilet 24 is of a height usable by the physically impaired or elderly, for this purpose grab bars 25 are provided.
Side walls 12j 12a, 12b, and 12c and floor 16 can be decorative ceramic tile, and in the case of the side walls, they can be prefabricated tile board with ceramic tile, plastic tile or plain colored plastic covering over a waterproof sheet. An important feature of the walls 12, 12a, 12b, and 12c and floor 16 is that they are waterproof with waterproof joints. The entrance opening 26 has a door sill 28 tllat has an arcuate top surface 30 to prevent water from flowing out of the bathroom onto an ad~oining floor, not sll(!wn. Fig. 5 shows a cross-section of the door sill 28, wl~ete t:h~ arcllate top surface 30 tapers upwardly from edge 32 to a top height 34 at an angle between 10 to 20 degrees where the ~rcuate top surface 30 declines at a sharp angle of hetween 45 to 80 degrees, maintaining an arcuate curve. By having inclines and an arcuate curve, the door sill 28 is easy to roll a wheelchair over, while reducing the possibility of someone tripping up. Door sill 28 cooperates with floor 16 to prevent water from flowing from bathroom 10. The sidewall 12 having a pocket 18 for housing a door 20 has a pocket width sufficient to allow door 20 to slide in and out of the pocket 18. There is a vertical seal 36 on edge 38 of wall 12 extending the length of entrance opening 26 to press against door 20 forming a moisture seal. Additionally, a second vertical seal 40 on edge 42 seals door 20 when it is in the closed position. Further, to ensure that water does not escape the bathroom, the bottom edge of door 20 has a flexible rubber seal 43 which presses against the surface of door sill 28. Tile floor 16 slopes toward vertically telescopic basin 22 to direct water to a drain at the basin 22. The floor slope is between 2 to 5 degrees.
Telescopic basin 22 has a base 46 and sleeve 48 which moves vertically on base 46. Base 46 is mounted on floor 16 and covers a draln 50. A sewage pipe 52 is connected to the drain 50 to dispose of any water. There are several openings 54 surrounding the bottom of base 46 which water passes through to reach drain 50. Sleeve 48 is mounted on the bottom of a basin bowl 56 to support it and has the sleeve 2166~77 reciprocatillg on hase 46. There are several mechanical means for telescoping the basin 22, the one shown, as an example, is a rack 58 and pinion 60 operated by reversible electric motor 62. Rotating pinion 60 in one direction ralses basin 22, while rotation in the other direction lowers the basin.
Therefore, a physically impaired person can vertically adjust the basin 22 to a comfortable height. It is possible to provide a mechanical means with a timer to return the basin to a prearranged position so that the next person to use the ba~in will find it in a normal position.
The plumbing for the basln 22 includes a sink drain 64, Fig. 4, that is flexible so as to follow the vertical travel of the basin. Tap water lines 66 and 68 are connected to the basin 22 and control valve 70, which has a control 72.
Knob 72 is adjusted so as to mix hot and cold water, before sendlng it to a single faucet 74 through line 76. Water lines 66, 68 and 76 are flexible and of a length to follow the travel of basin 22. The faucet water line 76 is extra long so that the portable faucet can be used as a shower, which can be hung on a wall, as shown. A shower head 78 is stored in a compartment 80, formed by basin skirt 82. When needed, the shower head 78 is screwed on faucet 74, otherwise lt is kept in compartment 80. A similar compartment 84 that is formed by basin skirt 82, houses a toilet paper rack 84 which pivots up into the compartment during showering. The shower head and faucet can be hand held, or as stated, hung on a wall, for example behind the toilet, where a person could sit while showering. A spring clamp, not shown, is mounted under the si l~k to hol 1 shower head 78.
In use, a physically impaired individual enters b~throom 10, either with or without a wheelchair or some other aid. The door 20 is shut to seal the bathroom 10 against water leaving the room through the entrance 26. The wash basin 2 is adjusted to the proper height for washing by pressing a control switch, not shown. If a person wishes to wash their hair, the basin can, for example, be lowered, or if they neecl to they can raise the basin to wash their face without having to bend over. Once they are finished with the basin and the water has been removed, and a period of time has passed, the electrically operated basin will return to a preset position for others to use. If a person needs to shower, faucet 74 is removed from the basin 22 and showerhead 78 is attached. The combination faucet/showerhead is then handlleld or hung on a wall and water valve 70 is turned on. A
person can either stand to shower or sit on the toilet 24. In either case, grip rails 25 can be used for support.
While only one embodiment of the invention has been shown, it is understood that others may reallze other embodiments without departlng from the present lnventlon. One should study the dlsclosure, drawlngs and clalms for a complete understandlng of the inventlon.
The present invention relates to a bathroom structure for the physically impaired, such persons confined to wheelchairs, or have the limited use of their arms and legs. The bathroom structure is designed to be accommodated in small areas, like powder rooms located on the first floor of a house. This is known as a convertible bathroom.
There has been concern in recent years for making public facilities more user friendly for the impaired. Ramps are provided at street corners so the impaired can move about puhlic streets. Many stores provide ramps so that the impaired do not have to climb steps, and more importantly, public bathrooms have been modified to include larger stalls with hand rails, with wash basins being more accessible to wheelchair users and other handicapped persons. However, most homes have not been modified to accommodate physically impaired persons. In most homes, the height of the commode and wash basin are such that an impaired person can not use the facilities without the fear of an accident. Generally, when hand rails are provided, they are the clamp-on type which mount on bath tubs or they are add-on wall mounts, which may not provide adequate support. The most often reason given for not providing physically impaired bathrooms in houses is the expense at a time when the need is not foreseen. It is only necessary to have such a facility when there has been a debilitating injury, or infirmities due to age require it.
A majority of modern built houses have a powder room or pantry on the first floor. In many newly built houses there is also a bedroom or den on the same first floor as the powder room. The problem is how to provide a bathroom structure for a physically impaired person, one whicll has a toilet and wash basin at the proper height, and a shower which an impaired person can use. Also, there is a problem on how to provide such a bathroom and have it functional and appealing to other users. Another problem is how to provide such a bathroom which is sealed against possible water damage to other portions of the house.
The problems listed are now the object of the present invention, namely; to provide a bathroom for the physically impaired which has a commode and wash basin adjustable to an impaired person's height and a shower, to provide such a bathroom and have it functional and appealing to other people, and to provide such a bathroom that is sealed against possible water damage to other areas of the home.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The bathroom structure of the present lnvention overcomes the stated problems of existing bathrooms by providing a comfortable and appealing, yet functional, bathroom that can be installed in limited spaces on the main or other floor of an existing house, without too much disruption. The bathroom design is structured to fit in the space of an existing powder room, or at most, slightly enlarged, if the present powder room does not allow for the use of wheelchairs. The walls will either be ceramic tile, tile board or some other waterproof bathroom wall board.
Tl~le is ~ tile floor and a floor drain so that the entire l~atllroom space becomes a shower. The bathroom will have a pooket door so that the door slides into a pocket formed in the wall. To ensure that water does not run out of the batllroom on to an ad~oining floor, there is a raised door sill havillg an accurate shape for accommodating wheelchairs, or to prevent tripping on a square shaped door sill edge. A
telescoping sink pedestal adjusts the height of the bathroom sink. The sink faucet is connected to a flexible lnlet water hose so that the faucet can be removed from the basin and hung on a wall to be used as a shower. The basin has an overhang which serves as a storage place for various items such as a shower head and a tollet paper holder, to protect the paper from getting wet while showering and to hide the items from view. There are grab bars placed at conveniently located spots, which also serve as towel bars, anchored securely to the wall.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bathroom of the invention.
Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the walls and pocket door of the present invention.
Fig. 3 is a cross-section view, taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 of a sink base.
Fig. 4 is a cross-section view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a partial cross-sectlon of a door and door sill of -the present invention.
Fig. 6 is a front cross-section taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings, Flgs 1-6, there is shown a bathroom 10 for physically impaired people. There are sidewalls 12, 12a, 12b, and 12c, vertically surrounding a ceiling 14 and a floor 16. One of the sidewalls 12 has an opening 26 in it for ingress and egress, and a pocket 18 for housing a pocket door 20. A vertically telescoping basin 22 and a toilet 24 are installed in the bathroom 10. Under normal conditions, the bathroom i8 used as a powder room.
When it is necessary for a physically impaired person to use the bathroom either as a powder room or a bathroom, the basin 22 can be adjusted to the proper height to accommodate a wheelchair or some other physical aid. The toilet 24 is of a height usable by the physically impaired or elderly, for this purpose grab bars 25 are provided.
Side walls 12j 12a, 12b, and 12c and floor 16 can be decorative ceramic tile, and in the case of the side walls, they can be prefabricated tile board with ceramic tile, plastic tile or plain colored plastic covering over a waterproof sheet. An important feature of the walls 12, 12a, 12b, and 12c and floor 16 is that they are waterproof with waterproof joints. The entrance opening 26 has a door sill 28 tllat has an arcuate top surface 30 to prevent water from flowing out of the bathroom onto an ad~oining floor, not sll(!wn. Fig. 5 shows a cross-section of the door sill 28, wl~ete t:h~ arcllate top surface 30 tapers upwardly from edge 32 to a top height 34 at an angle between 10 to 20 degrees where the ~rcuate top surface 30 declines at a sharp angle of hetween 45 to 80 degrees, maintaining an arcuate curve. By having inclines and an arcuate curve, the door sill 28 is easy to roll a wheelchair over, while reducing the possibility of someone tripping up. Door sill 28 cooperates with floor 16 to prevent water from flowing from bathroom 10. The sidewall 12 having a pocket 18 for housing a door 20 has a pocket width sufficient to allow door 20 to slide in and out of the pocket 18. There is a vertical seal 36 on edge 38 of wall 12 extending the length of entrance opening 26 to press against door 20 forming a moisture seal. Additionally, a second vertical seal 40 on edge 42 seals door 20 when it is in the closed position. Further, to ensure that water does not escape the bathroom, the bottom edge of door 20 has a flexible rubber seal 43 which presses against the surface of door sill 28. Tile floor 16 slopes toward vertically telescopic basin 22 to direct water to a drain at the basin 22. The floor slope is between 2 to 5 degrees.
Telescopic basin 22 has a base 46 and sleeve 48 which moves vertically on base 46. Base 46 is mounted on floor 16 and covers a draln 50. A sewage pipe 52 is connected to the drain 50 to dispose of any water. There are several openings 54 surrounding the bottom of base 46 which water passes through to reach drain 50. Sleeve 48 is mounted on the bottom of a basin bowl 56 to support it and has the sleeve 2166~77 reciprocatillg on hase 46. There are several mechanical means for telescoping the basin 22, the one shown, as an example, is a rack 58 and pinion 60 operated by reversible electric motor 62. Rotating pinion 60 in one direction ralses basin 22, while rotation in the other direction lowers the basin.
Therefore, a physically impaired person can vertically adjust the basin 22 to a comfortable height. It is possible to provide a mechanical means with a timer to return the basin to a prearranged position so that the next person to use the ba~in will find it in a normal position.
The plumbing for the basln 22 includes a sink drain 64, Fig. 4, that is flexible so as to follow the vertical travel of the basin. Tap water lines 66 and 68 are connected to the basin 22 and control valve 70, which has a control 72.
Knob 72 is adjusted so as to mix hot and cold water, before sendlng it to a single faucet 74 through line 76. Water lines 66, 68 and 76 are flexible and of a length to follow the travel of basin 22. The faucet water line 76 is extra long so that the portable faucet can be used as a shower, which can be hung on a wall, as shown. A shower head 78 is stored in a compartment 80, formed by basin skirt 82. When needed, the shower head 78 is screwed on faucet 74, otherwise lt is kept in compartment 80. A similar compartment 84 that is formed by basin skirt 82, houses a toilet paper rack 84 which pivots up into the compartment during showering. The shower head and faucet can be hand held, or as stated, hung on a wall, for example behind the toilet, where a person could sit while showering. A spring clamp, not shown, is mounted under the si l~k to hol 1 shower head 78.
In use, a physically impaired individual enters b~throom 10, either with or without a wheelchair or some other aid. The door 20 is shut to seal the bathroom 10 against water leaving the room through the entrance 26. The wash basin 2 is adjusted to the proper height for washing by pressing a control switch, not shown. If a person wishes to wash their hair, the basin can, for example, be lowered, or if they neecl to they can raise the basin to wash their face without having to bend over. Once they are finished with the basin and the water has been removed, and a period of time has passed, the electrically operated basin will return to a preset position for others to use. If a person needs to shower, faucet 74 is removed from the basin 22 and showerhead 78 is attached. The combination faucet/showerhead is then handlleld or hung on a wall and water valve 70 is turned on. A
person can either stand to shower or sit on the toilet 24. In either case, grip rails 25 can be used for support.
While only one embodiment of the invention has been shown, it is understood that others may reallze other embodiments without departlng from the present lnventlon. One should study the dlsclosure, drawlngs and clalms for a complete understandlng of the inventlon.
Claims (6)
1. A bathroom for physically impaired people comprising a floor sloping toward a floor drain where water will be removed, a plurality of vertical waterproof walls to contain any moisture within said bathroom; said bathroom having an entrance and a door where said entrance is sealed against water leakage when said door is closed; and a telescopic wash basin which moves vertically to adjust to a person's physical needs.
2. A bathroom as in claim 1 wherein said entrance is sealed by an arcuately shaped door sill having a curved top surface to allow wheelchairs to move over without any hesitation, said door having a flexible bottom seal to press against said door sill, and seal means surrounding said entrance to seal said door when closed.
3. A bathroom as in claim 2 wherein said door is a pocket door which reciprocates in and out of a bathroom wall, where said wall has a pocket opening to receive said door.
4. A bathroom as in claim 3 wherein said basin has a stationary base having a drain opening, said base being mounted on said floor drain, a vertically telescopic sleeve extending from said basin and slidable on said stationary base to guide the raising and lowering of said basin, and a means to raise and lower said basin.
5. A bathroom as in claim 4 wherein said basin has a flexible drain pipe and flexible water inlet lines whereby said pipe and said water inlet lines move with said basin.
6. A bathroom as in claim 5 wherein said basin has at least one water faucet which is removable from said basin to be used as a shower, wherein said faucet water line is of a length to extend from said basin and hang said faucet on a wall.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US44574195A | 1995-05-22 | 1995-05-22 | |
| US08/445,741 | 1995-05-22 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2166377A1 true CA2166377A1 (en) | 1996-11-23 |
Family
ID=23770026
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2166377 Abandoned CA2166377A1 (en) | 1995-05-22 | 1995-12-29 | Convertible bathroom |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2166377A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US7930856B2 (en) | 2008-03-31 | 2011-04-26 | Alcoa Inc. | ADA compliant sills having a collapsible weather-strip for use with sliding door assemblies |
-
1995
- 1995-12-29 CA CA 2166377 patent/CA2166377A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US7930856B2 (en) | 2008-03-31 | 2011-04-26 | Alcoa Inc. | ADA compliant sills having a collapsible weather-strip for use with sliding door assemblies |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Dead |