GB1600875A

GB1600875A - Apparatus for personal washing

Info

Publication number: GB1600875A
Application number: GB2019578A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-05-17
Filing date: 1978-05-17
Publication date: 1981-10-21

Description

(54) APPARATUS FOR PERSONAL WASHING (71) I, ALEXANDER MARTIN PARKER, a British subject, of 22 Grasmere Way, Byfleet, Surrey, formerly of Radworth Wonham Way, Peaslake, Guildford, Surrey, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to an apparatus for.

personal washing.

It is accepted that adequate personal washing can only be achieved by using a shower, bath or bidet. Nearly all homes have a shower or bath, but the use of these is not convenient on many occasions when personal washing would be desirable for reasons of hygene. A bidet, on the other hand, is a costly item and many modern houses do not have sufficient space for a separate bidet to be plumbed into a floor location. The bidet has the advantage that personal washing can be carried out quickly, without wetting the body extensively. In addition, old and infirm people can find the bidet an easier and safer alternative to immersion in a bath.

Many homes equipped with a bath also have a shower fitting. If not so equipped, such fittings can be obtained cheaply. The present invention seeks to enable those people whose homes already have a bath to obtain the advantages of a separate bidet at much lower cost.

According to the invention there is provided apparatus for personal washing, said apparatus comprising a platform of rigid material, means for supporting said platform across a domestic bath, said platform having an aperture through which personal washing may be carried out and being such as to define a seat upon which a person using the apparatus may sit across said aperture, said supporting means including locating means for detachably locating the platform on respective top edges of the sides of the bath and telescoping means operable to allow the distance between said locating means to be adjusted to allow for different widths of bath.

Personal washing can be carried out by sitting on the board, with the feet either in the bath or, preferably, over the side of the bath, with the legs apart. A shower attachment, already assumed to be provided on the bath or fitted for the purpose, is then used in whatever manner is found most convenient, for personal washing. Waste water, and oversplash from the shower simply drops into the bath and exits through the bath's drainage system. Provided a shower attachment is available, no additional plumbing is necessary.

If a shower attachment is not available, the apparatus is preferably further equipped with a bowl, fitted beneath the aperture in the board, to act as a reservoir of washing water. The bowl may be filled from the bath taps at the beginning of the washing session, and emptied into the bath at the end.

Preferably, the bowl is detachable from the tank for ease of filling and for cleaning purposes. Preferably also, the bowl is provided with an overflow to prevent overfilling.

The bowl may also be used to advantage where a shower attachment is available, since the shower head may be placed to direct a continuous flow of clean water into the bowl as washing proceeds. The overflow, mentioned above, ensures that the level of water in the bowl is maintained substantially constant, and waste water exiting through the overflow drops into the bath, as before. In a further development of this concept, it would also be possible to provide the bowl with a suitable plumbing fitting which would enable the user to unscrew the shower head from the flexible pipe connecting it to the mixer valve or taps, and to screw the remote end of the pipe directly into the fitting on the bowl.

Most manufacturers of shower fittings use a standard fitting for connecting the pipe to the shower head. In this case, the internal contour of the bowl can be designed to provide a water flow similar to that of a conventional bidet.

In order that the invention may be better understood, an embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of one embodiment of a personal washing apparatus according to the present invention, shown fitted to a domestic bath; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a bowl fitted to the apparatus of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a bowl fitted to the apparatus of Figure 1, showing in particular one way in which the bowl can be supported.

Referring to Figure 1, the apparatus comprises a platform in the form of a board 1 of plastics material or glass reinforced plastics material. The board is provided at one end with an aperture 2 over which a user sits.

Means (not shown) are provided on the board to locate the board so that it sits securely on the top edges of the sides of a domestic bath 3. These means may, for example, comprise battens fixed laterally across the underside of the board 1 in order to prevent the board sliding into the bath during use. In order to accommodate different widths of bath, the board 1 is made telescopic with one part sliding within the other to enable the length of the board 1 to be altered at will.

In practice, however, it is contemplated that the board 1 will actually take the form of a shallow bottomless box made from this material. If such is the case, the locating means may conveniently comprise scallopedout portions 10 of the short side walls of the box which approximately correspond to the shape of the top edge of the bath. Two such scalloped portions will be formed at corresponding positions on opposite side walls of the box to form a pair which will locate over one top end of the bath. If desired a similar pair of scalloped portions may be formed at the other end of board 1 in order to cooperate with the other top edge of the bath.

The weight of a person sitting on the board 1 will thence retain the board firmly in place on the bath, but allow it to be removed easily so that the bath can be used in the normal way.

Washing is effected by means of a shower attachment 4 connected to the -bath's mixer tap 5. In order to wash himself a user sits on the board 1 over the aperture 2 and with his legs, slightly apart, dangling over the edge of the bath. Another possible mode of - use would be to sit with the legs astride the board 1, and dangling into the bath itself. The shower attachment 4 is used in any way found convenient to carry out personal washing. If required, a recess 11 for soap may be provided on the top surface of the board 1 at the other end from the aperture 2. Soap is thence readily accessible during use, simply by the person turning around.

If a shower attachment is not available or even, in some circumstances, if one is, then a bowl may be fitted beneath the aperture 2, as shown in Figure 2. The bowl shown under the reference 6, has an overflow 7 at its inner end positioned so that overflow water spills into the bath. The overflow 7 acts to define a maximum level for water in the bowl and so enables a continuous flow-through of water to be used, for example by directing a shower fitting into the bowl.

The bowl may be screwed or glued to the underside of the board 1, or may be integral therewith. However, it is preferred to make the bowl readily removable for ease of filling, emptying and cleaning and, to this end, the bowl may be equipped, around its upper edge, with a horizontal flange. This flange is arranged to co-operate with corresponding supporting grooves in the board. In the event that the board is formed as a shallow box, as described above, such grooves may be formed on the inside surface of the walls of the box, as is shown diagrammatically under reference 8 in Figure 3. The bowl is thus able to slide in the grooves and is easily removable.

Various modifications can be made to the above described apparatus.

For example, locking means (not shown) may be provided to lock the telescopic board at any desired position. The use of a telescopic board has the advantage that the apparatus can be readily compacted for storage purposes.

A further feature which may be added is a raised lip along the outside edge of the board 1. This lip, which may for example be triangular in section, is provided in order to deflect water splash through the aperture 2 and hence into the bath.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. Apparatus for personal washing, said apparatus comprising a platform of rigid material, means for supporting said platform across a domestic bath, said platform having an aperture through which personal washing may be carried out and being such as to define a seat upon which a person using the apparatus may sit across said aperture, said supporting means including locating means for detachably locating the platform on respective top edges of the sides of the bath and telescoping means operable to allow the distance between said locating means to be adjusted to allow for different widths of bath.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further including a bowl fitted beneath the aperture in the platform.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the bowl is provided with a lip, which lip is slidable in corresponding runners formed on the underside of the platform so that the bowl can be removably supported beneath the aperture.

4. Apparatus as claimed in either one of claims 2 or 3 wherein the bowl is provided

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. view of one embodiment of a personal washing apparatus according to the present invention, shown fitted to a domestic bath; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a bowl fitted to the apparatus of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a bowl fitted to the apparatus of Figure 1, showing in particular one way in which the bowl can be supported. Referring to Figure 1, the apparatus comprises a platform in the form of a board 1 of plastics material or glass reinforced plastics material. The board is provided at one end with an aperture 2 over which a user sits. Means (not shown) are provided on the board to locate the board so that it sits securely on the top edges of the sides of a domestic bath 3. These means may, for example, comprise battens fixed laterally across the underside of the board 1 in order to prevent the board sliding into the bath during use. In order to accommodate different widths of bath, the board 1 is made telescopic with one part sliding within the other to enable the length of the board 1 to be altered at will. In practice, however, it is contemplated that the board 1 will actually take the form of a shallow bottomless box made from this material. If such is the case, the locating means may conveniently comprise scallopedout portions 10 of the short side walls of the box which approximately correspond to the shape of the top edge of the bath. Two such scalloped portions will be formed at corresponding positions on opposite side walls of the box to form a pair which will locate over one top end of the bath. If desired a similar pair of scalloped portions may be formed at the other end of board 1 in order to cooperate with the other top edge of the bath. The weight of a person sitting on the board 1 will thence retain the board firmly in place on the bath, but allow it to be removed easily so that the bath can be used in the normal way. Washing is effected by means of a shower attachment 4 connected to the -bath's mixer tap 5. In order to wash himself a user sits on the board 1 over the aperture 2 and with his legs, slightly apart, dangling over the edge of the bath. Another possible mode of - use would be to sit with the legs astride the board 1, and dangling into the bath itself. The shower attachment 4 is used in any way found convenient to carry out personal washing. If required, a recess 11 for soap may be provided on the top surface of the board 1 at the other end from the aperture 2. Soap is thence readily accessible during use, simply by the person turning around. If a shower attachment is not available or even, in some circumstances, if one is, then a bowl may be fitted beneath the aperture 2, as shown in Figure 2. The bowl shown under the reference 6, has an overflow 7 at its inner end positioned so that overflow water spills into the bath. The overflow 7 acts to define a maximum level for water in the bowl and so enables a continuous flow-through of water to be used, for example by directing a shower fitting into the bowl. The bowl may be screwed or glued to the underside of the board 1, or may be integral therewith. However, it is preferred to make the bowl readily removable for ease of filling, emptying and cleaning and, to this end, the bowl may be equipped, around its upper edge, with a horizontal flange. This flange is arranged to co-operate with corresponding supporting grooves in the board. In the event that the board is formed as a shallow box, as described above, such grooves may be formed on the inside surface of the walls of the box, as is shown diagrammatically under reference 8 in Figure 3. The bowl is thus able to slide in the grooves and is easily removable. Various modifications can be made to the above described apparatus. For example, locking means (not shown) may be provided to lock the telescopic board at any desired position. The use of a telescopic board has the advantage that the apparatus can be readily compacted for storage purposes. A further feature which may be added is a raised lip along the outside edge of the board 1. This lip, which may for example be triangular in section, is provided in order to deflect water splash through the aperture 2 and hence into the bath. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. Apparatus for personal washing, said apparatus comprising a platform of rigid material, means for supporting said platform across a domestic bath, said platform having an aperture through which personal washing may be carried out and being such as to define a seat upon which a person using the apparatus may sit across said aperture, said supporting means including locating means for detachably locating the platform on respective top edges of the sides of the bath and telescoping means operable to allow the distance between said locating means to be adjusted to allow for different widths of bath.

with an overflow outlet which defines a maximum depth for liquid within the bowl.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the bowl is provided with a plumbing fitting for attachment to a shower hose, said plumbing fitting being connected to a pipe positioned to direct water into the bowl.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the platform takes the form of a shallow bottomless box.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the locating means comprises scalloped-out portions of the side walls of the box, which portions approximately correspond to the shape of the top edge of the bath, and wherein the portions are positioned to locate over at least one top edge of the bath so as to retain the platform in position.

8. Apparatus as claimed in either one of claims 6 or 7, wherein the platform comprises two shallow bottomless box sections which are telescoped one within the other to enable the size of the platform to be adjusted to accommodate different widths of bath.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the platform is provided with an upstanding ridge close to the aperture for deflecting through the aperture water which might otherwise flow over the edge of the bath.

10. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the platform is further formed with a shallow recessed portion for use as a soap dish.

11. Apparatus for personal washing, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.