GB2521427A

GB2521427A - An inflatable foot bath

Info

Publication number: GB2521427A
Application number: GB1322581.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Vince O'neill
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-12-19
Filing date: 2013-12-19
Publication date: 2015-06-24
Also published as: GB201322581D0

Abstract

The present invention provides an collapsible foot bath 10, comprising: an inflatable base 30 comprising upper and lower surfaces, wherein the upper surface comprises a plurality of substantially circular dimples 40, each dimple 40 having a substantially flat bottom region with a diameter of between 10mm and 60mm; and an inflatable side wall 20 connected to the base 30 to define a substantially cuboidal internal volume with an open top, such that water may be retained therein for washing a person's feet. The invention may also include a valve each for inflating the base 60 and the side walls 70, or a single valve to inflate both sections, and a release valve for deflating the invention 80. The invention may also include an exterior pocket 90 configured to receive a pair of sandals therein. The walls and base may also have a non-slip finish.

Description

AN INFLATABLE FOOT BATH

The present invention relates generally tei an inflatable foot bath and finds particular, although not exclusive, utility in removing sand from a persons feet.

Transfer of sand from a person's feet onto a beach towel, sun lounger, and/or into their shoes/socks, for instance., is a common problem for people visiting beaches.

the present invention seeks to provide a solution to this problem by providing a portable, compact. inflatable foot bath for washing a person's feet such that sand may be removed.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an intlatable foot bath, comprising: an inflatable base comprising upper and lo\ver surfaces, xvherein the upper surface comprises a plurality of substantially circular dimples. each dimple having a substantially flat bottom region with a diameter of between approximately 10mm and 60mm; and an inflatable side wall connected to the base to 1 5 define a substantially cuboidal internal volume with an open top, such that water may be retained therein for the washing of feet.

in this way. the inflatable foot bath may be filled with water, and a person's foot rilay be iritroduccd therein, such that sand rilay be rinsed from tue foot. In particular, the sand will settle into the dimples such that contact between the sand and the person's foot is substantially prevented by the regions bettveen the dimples. More particular. the circular shape of the dimples. and their claimed lateral dimension, prevent accidental contact of imy but the smallest portion of a person's foot \vith the washed-off sand.

_\toreover, the circular shape of the dimples, their substimtially flat bottom region, and their claimed lateral dimension, prevents sand from collecting within crevices in the foot bath, thereby enabling easy removal of unwanted sand after use.

The dimples may be substantially the shape of a frustum of a cone. The dimples may have sloping side walls. in cross-section the side walls may form a substantially straight line (thereby defining a substantially regular frusto-conical shape dimple).

Alternatively, the cross-section of the side walls may form a substantially curved line (thereby defining a pillow region between each dimple).

The substantially flat bottom region niay have a diameter of between approximately 20mm and 60mm, in particular between approximately 25mm and 55mm, more particularly approximately 30mm, 35mm, 40mm. 45mm 2md/or 50mm.

The inflatable foot Lath may have a height, when inflated, of heiween approximately 100mm and 200mm, in particular between approximately 120mm and 180mm, more particularly between approximately 140mm and 160mm.

The inflatable foot bath may have a length and/or width, when inflated, of between approximately 200mm and 400mm, in particular between approximately 230mm and 350mm, more particularly between approximately 260mm and 320mm.

The inflatable base and/or inflatable side wall may have an thickness, when inflated, of between approximately 30mm and 70mm, in particular between approximately 40mm and 60mm, more particularly between approximately 45mm and 55mm.

The internal volume, when inflated, may be betveen approximately 2 litres and 16 litres, in particular between approximately 3 litres and 8 litres, more particularly between approximately 3.5 litres and 3 litres.

The inflatable foot bath may have an uninflated volume of between 1 5 approximately 0.5 litres and 6 litres, in particular lietween approximately I litre and 5 litres, more particularly between approximately 2 litres and 4 litres.

The inflatable foot bath may further comprise a first valve arranged for inflating the base, arid a second valve arranged for inflating the side wall. In this way, the base and the side wall may he inflated separately to allow a user to choose a rigidity of the bath (for instance via inflation of the side wall) and/or a degree of dimpling of the base (for instance via inflation of the base) that is independent of one another.

The first and/or second valves may be self-sealing valves. lor instance, the valves may require pinching to allow air fio\v therethrough, as is well kno\vn in the art.

The second valve may he arranged for inflating a first portion of the side wall, for instance a first panel of the side wall. Further valves may he provided for inflating further portions (for instance further panels) of the side wall.

The inflatable foot bath may further comprise a valve for inflating the base and side wall. Tn this way, the base and side wall may be inflated together for convenience.

The inflatable foot bath may further comprise a release valve for deflating the base and/or side wall. In particular, the release valve may be a non-self-sealing valve.

For instance, die valve may riot reeluire pinching, as is well known in the art.

The inflatable foot bath may ffirther comprise at least one pocket on an exterior of the inflatable side \vall. The pocket may he configured to receive a pair of sandals and/or a towel therein. In this way, sandals, flip-flops and/or shoes of a user may he placed therein to prevent accidental ingress of sand when the foot bath is in use.

Alternatively a towel or flannel may be kept close to hand to allow drying of the feet if desired. The inflatable foot bath may comprise two pockets. Each of the two pockets may he on a respective side of the foot bath, and they may oppose one another.

The at least one pocket may be. a substantially flat pocket and may have dimensions betveen approximately 100mm and 350mm, in particular beveen approximately 125mm and 250mm, more particularly between approximately 150mm and 200mm.

The at least one pocket may comprises at least one drain configured to allow fluid to drain out of the pocket. the at least one pocket may comprise vo drains, the drain(s) may he hole(s) in a lower portion of the pocket.

The inflatable base and side walls may have a non-slip finish. For instance, they may have a man finish. In this way, safety may he improved.

1 5 The foot bath may be constructed from a PVC material, or any other suitable material. The material may be an elastic material. The material may have a thickness of bertveen approximately 0.1mm and 0.7mm, in particular between approximately 0.2 and 0.órruri, inure particularly between approximately 0.3 and 0.5mm.

The foot bath may he constructed via welding, for instance heat welding.

The above and other characteristics, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example. the principles of the invention. this description is given for the sake of example only, without limiting the scope of the invention. The reference figures quoted below refer to the attached drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view otan inflatable foot bath according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side view of the inflatable foot bath of figure 1 Figure 3 is a top view of the inflatable foot bath of figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is an underside view of the inflable foot bath of figures 1 to 3.

The present invention will be described with respect to certain drawings but the invention is not limited thereto hut only by the claims. The drawings described are only schematic and are non-limiting. Each dra'ing may not include all of the features of the invention and therefore should not necessarily he considered to he an embodiment of the invention. Tn the drawings, the size of some of the elements may he exaggerated and not drawn to scale for illustrative purposes. The dimensions and the relative dimensions do not correspond to actual reductions to practice of the invention.

Furthermore, the tenns first, second, third and the like in the description and in the claims, are used for distinguishing betareen similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking or in any other manner. It is to be understood that the terms so used arc interchangeable under appropnate circumstances and that operation is capable in other sequences than described or illustrated herein.

Moreover, the terms top, bottom, over, under and the like in the description and the claims are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing relative positions. It is to he understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that operation is capable in other orientations than described or illustrated herein.

Tt is to be noticed that the term "comprising" used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being restricted to the means listed thereafter; it does not exclude other clcrjicrits or stcps. It is thus to be interpreted as specifying tlic prescncc of tlic statcd features, integers, steps or components as referred to, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps or components. or groups thereof. Thus, the scope of the expression "a device comprising means A and B" should not be limited to devices consisting only of components A and B. it means that with respect to the present invention, the only relevant components of the device are A and B. Reference throughout this specification to "an embodiment" or ccan aspect" means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or aspect is included in at least one embodiment or aspect of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment", "in an embodiment", or "in an aspect" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment or aspect, but may refer to different embodiments or aspects. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics of any embodiment or aspect of the invention may he combined in any suitable nt:ulner, as would he apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this

disclosure, in one or more embodiments or aspects.

Similarly, it should be appreciated that in the description various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. this method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Moreover, the description of any individual drawing or aspect should not necessarily be considered to be an embodiment of the invention. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in fewer than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. thus, the claims following the detailed description are hereby expressly incorporated into this detailed description, xvith each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention.

Furthermore, while some cmbc'diments described herein include some features 1 5 included in other embodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the invention, and form yet further embodiments, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. IJor example. in the following claims, any of the claimed emnbodimucrits cart be used in ally corribination.

Tn the description provided herein, numerous specific details are set forth.

However, it is understood that embodiments of the invention may be practised without these specific details. In other instinces, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of

this description.

In the discussion of the invention, unless stated to the contrary, the disclosure of alternative values for the upper or lower limit of the permitted range of a parameter, coupled with an indication that one of said values is more highly preferred than the other, is to be construed as an implied statement that each intenrtediate value of said parameter, lying between the more preferred arid the less preferred of said alternatives, is itself preferred to said less preferred value and also to each value lying between said less preferred value and said intermediate value.

The use of the term "at least one" may mean only one in certain circumstances.

the principles of the invention will now he described by a detailed description of at least one drawing relating to exemplary features of the invention. It is clear that other arrangements can he conhgured according to the knowledge of persons skilled in the art without departing from the underlying concept or technical teaching of the invention, the invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an inflatable foot bath 10 according to the present invention, shown in its inflated state. The foot bath 10 comprises a rectangular side. wall 20, having a length and width of approximately 300mm and 270mm, respectively, a height of approximately 150mm, and a thickness of approximately 50mm.

Bounding a lower petiieter of the side wall 20 isa base 30 also having a thickness of approximately 50mm.

The base 30 comprises a 4x4 array of dimples 40, each dimple 40 having a substantially flat circular portion at its lower-most point, the side walls of each dimple curve up to form a pillow region 30 in between each adjacent dimple 40.

A first inflation valve 60 is provided for inflating the base 30. A second inflation valve 70 is provided in an upper portion of the side wall 20 fir inflation thereof. The second inflation valve 70 (at least) is a self-sealing valve. A deflation valve 80 is additionally provided in a central part of the side wall for rapid deflation thereof. The deflation valve in this embodiment is not a self-sealing valve.

A fiat pocket 90 is provided on an cxternal portion of the side wall 20. Ihe fiat pocket 90 is Provided with a drain hole tOO at a bottom corner thereof.

Figure 2 is a side view of the inflatible foot bath 10 of figure 1. This figure shows an additional drain hole 100 provided at the opposing bottom corner of the pocket 90.

Figure 3 is a top view of the inflatable foot bath 10 of figures 1 and 2. showing the full 4x4 array of dimples 40 and intervening pillows 30. Figure 3 also shows a further pocket 90 on an opposing side of the foot bath 10.

Figure 4 is an underside view of the inflatable foot bath of figures 1 to 3 that shows corresponding dimples 110 in a lower surface of the base 30. The corresponding dimples 110 are produced by coupling the upper surface of the base 30 with the lower surfbce of the base 30 such that the circular bottoms of the dimples 40, 110 are held adjacent one another. In this way, better grip may be provided by the foot bath on the ground surface when in use.

Claims

(:LAIMS 1. An inflatalifle foot bath, compnsing: an inflatable base comprising upper and lower surfaces, wherein the Upper surfkcc comprises a plurality of substantially circular dimples, each dimple having a substantially flat bottom region with a diameter of between approximately 10mm and 60mm; and an inflatable side wall connected to the base to define a substantially cuboidal internal volume with an open top, such that \vater may be retained therein for the washing of feet.
2. The inflatable foot bath of claim 1, further comprising a first valve arranged for inflating the base, and a second valve arranged for inflating the side wall.
3. The inflatable foot bath of claim 1, further comprising a valve for inflating the base and side wall.
4. Ilie inflatable foot Lath of any preceding clairii, further coiriprisirig a release valve for deflating the base and/or side wall.
5. Ihe inflatable foot bath of any preceding claim, further comprising at least one pocket on an exterior of the inflatable side wall, the pocket configured to receive a pair of sandals therein.
6. The inflatable foot bath of claim 3, wherein the at east one pocket comprises at least one drain configured to allow fluid to drain out of the pocket.
7. The inflatable foot bath of any preceding claim, wherein the inflatable base and side walls have a non-slip finish.
8. An inflatable foot bath substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.