JP2024062567A - Nursing bathtub - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a nursing care bathtub that does not require power such as electricity, is easy to move and install, and can reduce the burden on both the caregiver and the person being cared for. [Solution] The nursing care bathtub is equipped with a movable bathing wheelchair section, a bathtub section that can store the bathing wheelchair section, a tilting section that can manually tilt the bathtub section, and a movable stand section that supports the bathtub section so that it can be swung between the tilting section. [Selected Figure] Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a bathtub. More specifically, the present invention relates to a care bathtub used to assist a caregiver in bathing a care recipient, for example, at home or in a care facility.

Conventionally, when a care recipient has difficulty straddling the edge of the bathtub by themselves when bathing, the care recipient receives bathing assistance, such as the use of a lift to transport the care recipient to the bathtub, as in Patent Document 1. Nursing care facilities may also have special bathtubs for care recipients. The transfer lift device disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a hanging section on an arm or the like attached to a stand, and can lift a care recipient who is seated on a chair or lying on their back and move them in and out of the bathtub.

Patent Publication 2018-108880

However, the mobility lift device disclosed in Patent Document 1 places a physical and mental burden on the care recipient by lifting them in the air. In addition, the mobility lift device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is large in size and requires power such as electricity to operate, which requires installation work, making it less versatile for use in bathing at home or in nursing care facilities.

The present invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems in the conventional technology, and aims to provide a nursing bathtub that does not require power such as electricity, is easy to move and install, and reduces the burden on both the caregiver and the person being cared for.

In order to achieve the above object, the nursing bathtub of the present invention is configured as follows:
(1) The bathtub wheelchair unit comprises a movable bathtub section in which the bathtub wheelchair section can be stored, a tilting section which allows the bathtub section to be manually tilted, a support means which supports the bathtub section so that it can be swung, and a movable stand section which supports the bathtub section between the support means and the tilting section.

The above-mentioned configuration (1) of the nursing care bathtub of the present invention has the following effects.
That is, according to the above configuration (1),
The caregiver sits the care recipient on the movable bath wheelchair section, moves the care recipient together with the bath wheelchair section to the bathtub section at a reference position where the bath wheelchair section can be stored, and manually operates the tilting section to swing the care recipient together with the bath wheelchair section to a bathing position in a substantially horizontal state, and supplies hot water to the bathtub section to allow the care recipient to take a bath. Furthermore, when replacing the hot water in the bathtub, for example, after washing the body during bathing, it is also possible to drain the water from the drainage member connected to the bathtub section and supply hot water to the bathtub section again to replace the hot water. After bathing or washing the body, the water is drained from the drainage member, and the caregiver manually operates the tilting section to swing the care recipient to complete bathing. In addition, before and after bathing, the caregiver can move the care recipient in or out of the bathhouse by moving the care recipient on the movable platform section that supports the bathtub section.
Therefore, according to the above configuration (1), it is possible to provide a nursing bathtub that does not require power such as electricity, is easy to move and install, and can reduce the burden on both the caregiver and the person being cared for.

In the above configuration (1) of the nursing bathtub of the present invention, it is preferable to configure it as in the following (2) or (3).

(2) The configuration of (1) above is characterized in that it is provided with a mirror section that is placed inside the bathtub section at a position equivalent to the rear face of the care recipient while bathing, and that allows the caregiver to check the rear face of the care recipient while bathing.

According to the preferred configuration of (2) above, when the mirror surface is positioned inside the bathtub at a position equivalent to the back of the care recipient, the caregiver, for example, when washing the care recipient, can easily observe any abnormalities on the back of the care recipient, such as wounds or eczema, that were difficult to observe before bathing, by removing dirt from the epidermis of the care recipient and improving blood circulation as a result of the effects of bathing.

(3) In the configuration of (2) above, the mirror surface is disposed on the entire inside of the bathtub section, enabling the caregiver to check the entire body of the care recipient while the care recipient is bathing.

According to the preferred configuration of (3) above, when the mirror surface is disposed over the entire inside surface of the bathtub section, for example, when the caregiver washes the care recipient, the effect of bathing is to remove dirt from the epidermis of the care recipient and improve blood circulation, making it possible for the caregiver to easily observe abnormalities such as eczema or bedsores on the back, backs and sides of the legs of the care recipient that were difficult to observe before bathing.

The present invention provides a care bathtub that does not require power such as electricity, is easy to move and install, and reduces the burden on both the caregiver and the person being cared for.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a nursing bathtub in a reference position, viewed obliquely from the front left, according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a nursing bathtub in the middle of moving to a bathing position, as viewed from diagonally above the front right, in an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a nursing bathtub in the middle of moving to a bathing position, as viewed from the rear and upper left in an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a nursing bathtub viewed from the right side to explain a method of use for moving the bathtub to a basic position in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a care recipient is using a care bathtub in a bathing position in one embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the right side.

The present invention will be described in more detail below using preferred embodiments. However, the following embodiments are merely examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a nursing bathtub 1 in a reference position in one embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the front diagonal left; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a nursing bathtub 1 in the middle of transitioning to a bathing position, viewed from the front diagonal upper right, in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a nursing bathtub 1 in the middle of transitioning to a bathing position, viewed from the rear diagonal upper left, in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a nursing bathtub viewed from the right side to explain a method of use for transitioning to the basic position in one embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a nursing bathtub in the bathing position being used by a person being cared for, viewed from the right side, in one embodiment of the present invention.

[Structure of nursing bathtub]
First, the configuration of a nursing care bathtub in one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3.

The nursing care bathtub 1 of this embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3 is a device that can reduce the burden on the person being cared for 3 when the caregiver 2 helps the person being cared for 3 to take a bath.

As shown in FIG. 1, the nursing bathtub 1 includes a bathtub wheelchair section 10 for the caregiver to sit in, a bathtub section 20 for accommodating the caregiver together with the bathtub wheelchair section 10, a mirror section 30 arranged within the bathtub section 20, a tilting section 40 for manually moving the bathtub section 20 from its basic position to a substantially horizontal bathing position or from the bathing position to its basic position, and a movable stand section 50 for supporting the bathtub section 20 together with the tilting section 40.

The configuration of the nursing bathtub 1 of this embodiment provides the following effects.
That is, according to this configuration, the caregiver has the care recipient sit on the bath wheelchair section 10, moves the bath wheelchair section 10 to the bathtub section 20, and manually operates the tilting section 40 to rock the caregiver 2 to a bathing position in a substantially horizontal state, and supplies hot water to the bathtub section 20 to allow the care recipient to take a bath. Furthermore, when the caregiver 2 is bathing the care recipient 3 or washing the body, the mirror section 30 arranged in the bathtub section 20 allows the caregiver to check the back of the care recipient, which is difficult to see, and the like. After bathing, the tilting section 40 is manually operated to move the bathtub section 20 to the basic position, completing the bathing. Also, before and after bathing, the bathtub section 20 can be moved inside or outside the bathhouse by moving it with the movable stand section 50 that supports the tilting section 40.
Therefore, with this configuration, it is possible to provide a nursing bathtub that does not require any power source such as electricity, is easy to install and move, reduces the burden on the care recipient, and allows the caregiver to easily observe the condition of the care recipient when washing the care recipient's body during bathing.

The following provides a more detailed explanation based on Figures 1 to 6.

As shown in FIG. 1, the bath wheelchair section 10 of the nursing bathtub 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a backrest 12 provided on the rear of the seat of the wheelchair member 11 against which the cared person 3 rests after sitting, handrails 13 provided on both sides of the seat of the wheelchair member 11 for the cared person 3 to grasp when bathing, when the bathtub section 20 is rocking, or when getting in and out of the wheelchair member 11, and casters 14 provided on the bottom surfaces of the four legs of the wheelchair member 11 for moving the bath wheelchair section 10.

The center of the seat of the wheelchair member 11 may be provided with a hole to facilitate washing, and both left and right sides of the seat of the wheelchair member 11 may be provided with locking holes for locking the wheelchair member 11 described later, a part or all of the backrest 12 may be made of a transparent material to facilitate observation of the back of the person being cared for 3 through the rearview mirror 31 described later, and the casters 14 may have grooves corresponding to the guide lanes 23 of the bathtub section 20 described later.

This configuration makes it easier for the cared person 3 to sit and leave the bathing wheelchair section 10, to adjust his/her posture when washing, and to move around while remaining seated, for example.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the bathtub section 20 of the nursing bathtub 1 of this embodiment includes a bathtub 21 in which the two inner walls 21a and 21b are formed in an approximately V-shape with an obtuse angle in vertical cross section for the care recipient 3 to take a bath, a pair of headrests 22 for the care recipient 3 to use as a pillow, which are provided on the edge of the inner wall 21a of the bathtub 21, approximately at the head position of the care recipient 3 when bathing, a pair of guide lanes 23 provided on the inner wall 21b of the bathtub 21 to restrict the movement of the bath wheelchair section 10 only in the forward and backward directions, a pair of locking pins 24 provided on the edges of both sides of the inner wall of the bathtub 21 to lock the bath wheelchair section 10 when the care recipient 3 sits on or leaves the bath wheelchair section 10, and a pair of drain hoses 25 provided on both sides of the approximately intersecting angle between the inner walls 21a and 21b of the bathtub 21 to drain the hot water from the bathtub 21.

According to this configuration, when viewed in vertical cross section, the two inner walls 21a, 21b of the bathtub 21 are formed in an approximately V-shape with an obtuse angle, and when filling the bathtub with water, the bathee 3 and the bathing wheelchair section 10 are enclosed within the bathtub, making it possible to take a bath with a relatively small amount of water.
In addition, by inserting the locking pin 24 into the locking holes provided on both sides of the seat of the wheelchair member 11, the bathing wheelchair section 10 can be locked at any position, which, combined with the restriction provided by the guide lane 23, improves stability when getting in and out of the seat.
Furthermore, when not draining, the drain hose 25 is engaged with the edges of both sides of the bathtub 21, and when engaged, the drain outlet of the drain hose 25 is at least above the water surface. It is possible to drain the water by releasing the drain hose 25 and positioning the drain outlet at least below the water surface.

It is preferable that the bathtub 21 be made of a relatively lightweight material, such as FRP.

The mirror surface section 30 of the nursing care bathtub 1 of this embodiment is arranged at least on the inner wall of the bathtub 21 of the bathtub section 20, as shown in FIG. 1. The mirror surface section 30 of the nursing care bathtub 1 of this embodiment has a rear mirror 31 on the inner wall 21a of the bathtub 21. For example, the entire inner wall of the bathtub 21 may be made a mirror surface so that the entire body can be observed.

The mirror surface 30 may be one or more, and there are no limitations on its location or size as long as it is on the inner wall, including the edge of the bathtub 21.

With this configuration, the rear-view mirror 31 allows the caregiver 2 to easily observe abnormalities on the back of the care recipient 3 that are difficult for the caregiver 2 to see, such as epidermal wounds or bedsores, when washing the care recipient 3.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the tilting section 40 of the nursing bathtub 1 of this embodiment includes a V-shaped support member 41 that connects along the outer wall 21c and outer wall 21d of the bathtub 21 of the bathtub section 20, a ratchet jack member 42 that supports and rocks the bathtub 21, a support base 43 that supports the support member 41 and the ratchet jack member 42 and is vertically connected to the rear of the upper surface of the stand section 50, and a pair of handles 44 for operating the ratchet jack member 42 that are vertically connected to both the left and right ends of the ratchet jack member 42.

In this embodiment, the bathtub 21 and the support member 41, and the bathtub 21 and the ratchet jack member 42 are connected with bolts and nuts that have been waterproofed, but as long as it is possible to prevent water leakage from the bathtub, the connections may be made with screws or by welding, for example.

With this configuration, by operating the handle 44, the bathtub 21 can be swung around the support base 43 as a fulcrum, and can be manually moved from the base position (bottom of Figure 4) to the bathing position (Figure 5), or from the bathing position to the base position.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the stand section 50 of the nursing bathtub 1 of this embodiment includes a stand 51 connected vertically below the support base 43, stand casters 52 for moving the stand 51 provided below each of the four corners of the stand 51, adjuster bolts 53 for engaging the stand 51 provided below the four corners of the stand 51 behind the stand casters 52, and a bathtub support 54 for supporting the bathtub 21 when the nursing bathtub 1 is in its basic position provided in front of the stand 51.

With this configuration, the nursing bathtub 1 can be moved using the platform casters 52, and the nursing bathtub 1 can be locked in place by operating the adjuster bolt to ground it.

[How to use the nursing bathtub]
Next, a method of using the nursing bathtub in one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. However, the following method of use is merely an example of a specific embodiment of the method of use of the present invention, and the method of use of the present invention is not limited thereto.

As shown in FIG. 4, first, the caregiver 2 moves the nursing bathtub 1 to the location where the cared person 3 will take a bath, and adjusts the four adjuster bolts 53 at the four corners of the stand 51 to lock the nursing bathtub 1 to the ground. The caregiver 2 then operates the handle 44 to tilt the bathtub section 20 and move it to the basic position. The caregiver 2 pulls out the bath wheelchair section 10 housed in the bathtub 21 of the nursing bathtub 1 that has been moved to the basic position, and locks the bath wheelchair section 10 by inserting the locking pin 24 into the side of the bath wheelchair section 10. Here, the caregiver 2 may grab the handrail 13 when moving the bath wheelchair section 10 to the front of the bathtub. With the above steps, the nursing bathtub 1 is in a state where the cared person 3 can sit on the bath wheelchair section 10.

Next, as shown in the top of Figure 4, when the nursing bathtub 1 is in a state in which the cared person 3 can be seated in the bathing wheelchair section 10, the caregiver 2 seats the cared person 3 in the bathing wheelchair section 10. Then, as shown in the bottom of Figure 4, the caregiver 2 operates the locking pin 24 to release the lock on the bathing wheelchair section 10, and pushes the handrail 13 toward the bathtub 21 to place the bathing wheelchair section 10 together with the cared person 3 inside the bathtub 21. Here, the caregiver 2 adjusts the head of the cared person 3 so that it is in the position of the headrest 22, thereby stabilizing the position of the cared person 3.

After the care recipient 3 is placed in the basic position of the nursing bathtub 1 (bottom of Figure 4), the caregiver 2 operates the handle 44 to rock the bathtub section 20 together with the care recipient 3 until it is in a substantially horizontal position, as shown in Figure 5, to move it to the bathing position.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the caregiver 2, in the bathing position, supplies hot water to the bathtub 21 and bathes the care recipient 3. Here, the method of supplying hot water to the bathtub 21 is not limited, and for example, hot water may be supplied to the bathtub 21 using a hose or the like, or hot water may be supplied to the care recipient 3 while showering using a shower head or the like.

When bathing, the caregiver 2 can have the care recipient 3 grasp the handrail 13 to change his/her position while washing the care recipient 3, and can also use the rear-view mirror 31 of the mirror section 30 to observe any abnormalities on the rear of the care recipient 3 when changing his/her position.

There may be one or more mirrored sections 30 in the bathtub 21, and the caregiver 2 may observe abnormalities in the areas of the care recipient 3 that correspond to each of the mirrored sections 30.

Furthermore, when taking a bath, the caregiver 2 can drain the water by moving the drain outlet of the connected drain hose 25 below the water surface, and after draining, the water can be supplied again by connecting the drain hose 25 to its original position.

After the care recipient 3 has taken a bath, the caregiver 2 first uses the drain hose 25 described above to drain the water, and after draining, locks the drain hose 25 in its original position. Next, the caregiver 2 operates the handle 44 in the opposite direction to when it was moved from the basic position to the bathing position, and swings the bathtub section 20 until the outer wall 21d of the bathtub 21 comes into contact with the bathtub receiver 54, returning it to the basic position (bottom of Figure 4).

After the cared person 3 has entered the bath and is in the basic position, the caregiver 2 grasps the handrail 13 and moves the bathing wheelchair unit 10 together with the cared person 3 in the opposite direction to the inner wall 21a of the bathtub 21, as shown in Figure 4, and locks the bathing wheelchair unit 10 with the locking pin 24. Next, the caregiver 2 helps the cared person 3 stand up from the bathing wheelchair unit 10 to complete the bathing.

After bathing is completed, the adjuster bolt 53 can be operated to release the grounding lock of the nursing bathtub 1, allowing the nursing bathtub 1 to be moved.

The above is how to use the nursing bathtub in one embodiment of the present invention.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 nursing bathtub 2 caregiver 3 care recipient 10 bathing wheelchair section 11 wheelchair member 12 backrest 13 handrail 14 caster 20 bathtub section 21 bathtub 22 headrest 23 guide rail 24 locking pin 25 drain hose 30 mirror section 31 rear mirror 40 tilting section 41 support member 42 ratchet jack member 43 support base 44 handle 50 stand section 51 stand 52 stand caster 53 adjuster bolt 54 bathtub support

Claims (3)

A nursing bathtub that is characterized by having a movable bathing wheelchair section, a bathtub section in which the bathing wheelchair section can be stored, a tilting section that allows the bathtub section to be tilted manually, and a movable platform section that supports the bathtub section so that it can be swung between the tilting section and the bathtub section. The nursing bathtub according to claim 1, characterized in that it is provided with a mirror section that is placed inside the bathtub section at a position equivalent to the rear of the person receiving care while bathing, and that allows the caregiver to check the rear of the person receiving care while bathing. The nursing bathtub according to claim 2, in which the mirror surface is disposed on the entire inside of the bathtub section, allowing the caregiver to check the entire body of the person being cared for while the person is bathing.

Images