GB2121276A

GB2121276A - A baby's bath

Info

Publication number: GB2121276A
Application number: GB08216505A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hendrik Petrus Botes
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-10-08
Filing date: 1982-06-07
Publication date: 1983-12-21
Also published as: FR2528686B1; ZA816978B; FR2528686A1; DE3222360A1; GB2121276B

Abstract

The invention relates to a baby's bath which includes a tub portion 12 and flanges 16, 18 projecting from the tub portion whereby the bath can be supported on the opposite side walls of a conventional bath 24. The baby's bath, when so supported, can slide along the walls of the conventional bath to facilitate filling the bath with water from the taps of the conventional bath and then sliding it away from the taps. The baby's bath also includes a water outlet to facilitate discharge of water from the baby's bath into the conventional bath. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A baby's bath This invention relates to a baby's bath.

Applicant is aware of various baths for babies which comprise essentially a small version of a conventional bath commonly built into bathrooms.

Such baths for babies, for use, can be supported upon any suitable support surface, or can be held within a suitable support structure, particularly adapted for this purpose, at a convenient level above the ground to facilitate bathing a baby. The main disadvantage of such baths, according to the applicant, is that either the bath itself or a separate container or bucket must be manually carried about for filling the bath with water and for emptying the bath after use.

According to the invention there is provided a baby's bath, which includes a tub portion; and at least two flanges projecting from the tub portion on opposite sides thereof, the flanges being adapted to engage and rest upon the oposite side walls of a conventional bath.

The flanges may be such that the bath is slidably displaceable along the length of a conventional bath.

In one configuration of the baby's bath the tub portion and flanges may be integral with one another. In this configuration the tub portion and flanges may be moulded integrally in one piece with one another.

Alternatively, the tub portion and flanges may be separate components. In this configuration the flanges define a support framework within which the tub portion, in use, is held and located.

Generally, the flanges may have engagement shoulders projecting therefrom which can engage the inner wall portions of the sidewalls of a conventional bath to provide proper location of the bath upon the side walls of a conventional bath.

The engagement shoulders may be adjustably secured to the flanges to provide for proper support of the baby's bath upon different width conventional baths.

The tub portion may further have a discharge aperture in its base which can be closed off by a removable plug. In addition, a suitable suspension .formation may be provided for storage purposes.

Conveniently the flanges projecting from the tub portion may have drainage apertures therein to drain water from the flanges. The drainage apertures may be disposed in the base of recesses in the flanges, the recesses being adapted to hold soap, bottles, or the like or serve as armrests. The recesses with or without drainage apertures therein may also define the shoulders for providing proper location of a bath upon the side walls of a conventional bath.

The invention also extends to a support framework for a baby's bath within which the tub portion of a baby's bath is receivable and which is adapted to engage and rest upon the side walls of a conventional bath with the tub portion received therein.

The tub portion may be of any suitable material such as a synthetic plastics material. The flanges may be of the same or a different material such as a metal or wood material, in the configuration in which the flanges form a separate component from the tub portion.

The invention is now described, by way of examples, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of a first embodiment of a baby's bath in accordance with the invention in its operative configuration; Fig. 2 shows a cross-sectional end view of the bath of Figure 1 along line Il-Il of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a plan view of a second embodiment of a baby's bath, in accordance with the invention, in its operative configurations; and Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional end view of the bath of Figure 3 along line lV-lV of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Figures 1 and 2, a baby's bath, in accordance with the invention, is generally indicated by the reference numeral 1 0. The bath 10 includes a tub portion 12 and a support framework 14 in which the tub portion 12 can be held and located as shown. The support framework 14 has two flanges, 1 6 and 1 8 respectively, which project away from the tub portion 12, when located in the support framework, on opposite sides thereof.

In the operative configuration shown the free ends of the flanges 1 6 and 1 8 rest upon the side walls 20 and 22 respectively of a conventional bath 24, built into a bathroom. It will be understood that in this configuration the bath 10 is slidably displaceable along the sidewalls 20 and 22 of the bath 24 to any position along the length of the bath 24. Engagement shoulders 26 may project from the flanges 1 6 and 1 8 as shown to abut the side walls 20 and 22, to thereby ensure that the baby's bath 10 and, in particular, the flanges 1 6, 1 8 remain properly supported on the side walls 20, 22 during displacement of the bath 10. These shoulders 26 may be adjustable for different width baths 24 and may include urging means (not shown) for urging them into engagement with the side walls 2p, 22 of the bath 24.

The tub portion 12 further has a discharge opening 28 in the base thereof which can be closed with a suitable plug, or the like (not shown).

In use, with the bath 10 supported in the configuration shown, and with the opening 28 closed-off it can be displaced to be disposed beneath the taps 30 of the bath 24 so that the tub portion 12 can be filled with water. When it is filled it can be displaced back towards the centre of the bath 24 so that the taps 30 cannot interfere with the bathing of a baby. The bath 10 is at a convenient and safe level for bathing a baby and when this has been completed the tub portion 12 can be emptied by merely opening the discharge opening 28 so that the water in the tub portion 1 2 can be discharged via this opening 28 and the discharge opening 32 of the bath 24.

The tub portion 12 may be of a suitable synthetic plastics material whereas the support framework 14 may be of the same material or of a suitable metal or wood. The support framework 14 may be adapted for use with known baby's baths.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, like parts being indicated by the same reference numerals, the baby's bath 10.1 shown in these drawings comprises a tub portion 12 and two flanges 16 and 1 8 integral therewith and projecting away from the tub portion 12 on opposite sides thereof.

The bath 10.1 may thus be moulded in one piece of a synthetic plastics or like material. As before the bath 10.1 includes a discharge opening 28 and also includes engagement shoulders such as the shoulders 26 shown in Figure 2. The shoulders 26 are in the form of recesses 36, the recesses 36 being adapted to hold soap or bottles. Any number of recesses 36 may be provided (only two shown) and each recess may have an aperture 38 therein for water to drain through. The recesses 36 clearly serve as engagement shoulders by the suitable positioning thereof relative to the bath 24. Use of the bath 10.1 is as described above for the bath 10. Recesses to serve as arm rests may alternatively or in addition be provided in the flanges, which recesses can also define engagement shoulders as above defined (not shown).

Both the baths 10, 10.1 and, for the configuration shown in Figures 1 and 2, the support framework 14, may include means (not shown) to attach or hang these on a wall or the like so that they can be conveniently stored out of the way in a bathroom. The support framework 14 may further be particularly adapted for use with existing bath tubs and may thus be independently provided from the tub portion 12. When both the framework 14 and a tub portion 12 is required it may be preferable to use the combined configuration of the baby's bath 10.1.

With the above baths 1 0, 10.1 it is not necessary to carry the bath itself or carry another container or bucket to fill or empty the bath with water. This is of great benefit to mothers who may not always be physically able to do the above.

It may also be understood that the bath 10, 10.1 may be used for various other applications, such as a washing basin for clothes, or the like.

Claims

1. A baby's bath, which includes a tub portion; and at least two flanges projecting from the tub portion on opposite sides thereof, the flanges being adapted to engage and rest upon the opposite side walls of a conventional bath.

2. A baby's bath as claimed in Claim 1, in which the flanges are such that the bath is slidably displaceable along the length of a conventional bath.

3. A baby's bath as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the tub portion and flanges are integral with one another.

4. A baby's bath as claimed in Claim 3, in which the tub portion and flanges are moulded integrally in one piece with one another.

5. A baby's bath as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the tub portion and flanges are separate components.

6. A baby's bath as claimed in Claim 5, in which the flanges define a support framework within which the tub portion, in use, is held and located.

7. A baby's bath as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the flanges have engagement shoulders projecting therefrom which can engage the inner wall portions of the sidewalls of a conventional bath to provide proper location of the bath upon the side walls of a conventional bath.

8. A baby's bath as claimed in Claim 7, in which the engagement shoulders are adjustably secured to the flanges to provide for proper support of the baby's bath upon different width conventional baths.

9. A baby's bath as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the tub portion has a discharge aperture in its base which can be closed off by a removable plug.

10. A baby's bath as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which includes a suitable suspension formation for storage purposes.

11. A baby's bath as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the flanges projecting from the tub portion have drainage apertures therein to drain water from the flanges.

12. A baby's bath as claimed in Claim 11, in which the drainage apertures are disposed in the base of recesses in the flanges, the recesses being adapted to hold soap, bottles, or the like.

13. A baby's bath as claimed in Claim 7, in which the engagement shoulders are defined by recesses in the flanges, the recesses being adapted to hold soap, bottles, or the like, or serve another useful purpose.

14. A support framework for a baby's bath as claimed in Claim 6, within which the tub portion of a baby's bath is receivable and which is adapted to engage and rest upon the side walls of a conventional bath with the tub portion received therein.

1 5. A baby's bath substantially as described in the specification with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

16. A support framework for a baby's bath substantially as described in the specification with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.