US2567514A

US2567514A - Bed bath

Info

Publication number: US2567514A
Application number: US59178A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hoffman Charles Arthur
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1948-11-09
Filing date: 1948-11-09
Publication date: 1951-09-11
Anticipated expiration: 1968-09-11

Description

Sept. 11, 1951 c. A. HOFFMAN BED BATH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 9, 1948 M Rm w mH R mu m R A m. M w

ATTORNEY S p 1951 c. A. HOFFMAN BED BATH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 9, 1948 M m MP T0 mun WM m R A w M m,

A 7' TOR/YE Y Patented Sept. 11, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BED BATH Charles Arthur Hoffman, Oakland, Calif.

Application November 9, 1948, Serial No. 59,178

3 Claims.

The invention, in general, relates to equipment especially useful in and around hospitals and more particularly relates to an improved bath equipment highly eflicacious in physiotherapy and hydrotherapy in cases of invalidism or semi-invalidism.

The bathing as well as hydrotherapic treatment of patients unable to make use of their limbs or to move about because of back or other ailment rendering them paralyzed or partially paralyzed is an arduous task often detrimental to the convalescence and recovery of patients. Hydrotherapic. treatment of bed-ridden patients has, heretofore, been almost an impossibility due to lack of desirable equipment and, when acconn plished under present methods the patient is usually left in an extremely exhausted state. Even the bathing of paralytics under present methods and using equipment now available is highly undesirable since it is usually accomplished more or less piece-meal in that various portions of the patients body are washed in step by step stages to the discomfort of the patient because being constantly moved about for appreciable periods of time until bathing is completed. The present invention is directed to the provision of equipment which not only obviates inherent disadvantages heretofore encountered in the bathing of paraplegics but also which afiords eflicacious means for hydrotherapic as Well as physiotherapic treatment of invalids and semiinvalid's.

A primary object of the invention is to provide an improved bed bath, especially suitable for the bathing as well as hydrotherapic' treatment of paralytics, which can readily be set up and employed upon the patients bed without undue discomfort to the patient and. which greatly facilitates the bathing and treatment on the part of the hospital staff.

Another important object of my invention is to provide an improved bed bath of the indicated nature which is additionally characterized by its collapsible and simple construction enabling the bath to be readily set up for use on a bed and as readily dismantled for storing or transporting.v

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible bed bath of the aforementioned character which is leak-proof, durable and yet of light-weight construction for facilitat ing the handling and use thereof as well as enabling it to be mounted upon a conventional hospital or other type bed without likelihood of damaging the bed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bed bath of the indicated nature which is especially suitable and adaptable to hospital use for physiotherapy and hydrotherapy in cases of invalidism or semi-invalidism, and which greatly relieves the heavy burden upon nurses and others in the handling of the patient during such treatments with eminimum of discomfort to and minimum movement of the patient.

Other objects of the invention, together with some of the advantageous features thereof, will appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that I am not to be limited to the precise embodiments shown, nor to the precise arrangement of the various parts thereof, as my in vention, as defined in the appended claims, can be embodied in a plurality and variety of forms.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention, exclusive of the water-detaining walls of the equipment.

Fig. 2 is a sectional, side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the invention with drain attachment.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary detail, of a corner of the equipment illustrating the manner of reinforcement thereof.

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention fully set up for use and illustrating the filling and draining attachments.

Fig. 6 is a view of a portion of the frame of the preferred embodiment of the invention, in dismantled state for packing and transportation.

Fig. 7 is a development of the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrating the method of stacking and arranging the various elements for storing or transporting the same in an enclosing case.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the dismantled and packed preferred embodiment of the invention, not visible, enclosed within a transporting case.

In its preferred form, the improved bed bath of the present invention preferably comprises a collapsible frame, a water retaining receptacle of flexible material removably suspended on said frame; said receptacle having a drain outlet therein, together with means on said frame for maintaining the walls of said receptacle in a tautened condition in operative position whereby deformation thereof under water pressure is effectively resisted, and means for rapidly filling and draining the said receptacle.

As particularly illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 in clusive of the annexed drawings, the improved equipment of my invention for use in the handling, bathing and treatment of paraplegic patients comprises two main elements; namely, a collapsible frame, designated generally by the reference numeral H, and a collapsible, flexible container or receptacle, designated generally by the reference numeral it. The frame preferably is fabricated from metal tubular bars and consists of two complementary half-sections i3 and M which are adapted to be detachabl'y secured together at the approximate longitudinal center of the complete frame by means of telescopic fitting of the sections together as well as by means of latching elements hereinafter described.

The half-sections l3 and H of frame II are of generally similar construction in that half-section |3 consists of an end portion comprising a pair of spaced, parallel arranged bars l6 and I1, together with a transversely disposed brace rod I8 spanning bars l6 and I1 approximately at the longitudinal centers thereof and preferably welded thereto. The half-section I3 of the frame II also includes two half-side portions, designated generally by the reference numerals |9 and 20, each consisting of a pair of spaced bars 2|, 22, 23 and 24 with the corresponding bars 2| and 22 of half-side |9 as well as the

corresponding bars

23 and 24 of half-side arranged in parallel relationship as well as spaced apart, as shown. In addition, each half-side portion of the frame half-section I3 is provided with spaced transverse brace rods 25 spanning the spaced parallel bars of such sections and preferably welded thereto. As illustrated, the bar l6 of the end portion of frame half-section |3 spans the bars 2| and 23 of the side portions and is pivotally connected to each of said bars by means of suitable pivot or

hinge pins

26 and 21, respectively. Similarly, the bar ll of the end portion of frame half-sections |3 spans the

bars

22 and 24 of the half-side portions and is pivotally connected to such bars by means of suitable pivot or

hinge pins

28 and 29, respectively. Suitable lock-nuts 30 are provided for securing the pivot pins 26 to 29 inclusive in position.

Frame half-section H has a generally similar construction as half-section l3 of frame II, and includes an end portion comprising a pair of spaced, parallel arranged bars 36 and 31, together with a transversely disposed brace rod 38 spanning bars 36 and 3'! at their approximate longitudinal centers and preferably welded thereto. The half-section M of frame II also includes two half-side portions, designated generally by the

reference numerals

39 and 40, each consisting of a pair of spaced bars 4|, 42, 43 and 44 with the corresponding bars 4| and 42 of halfside portion 39 as well as the corresponding bars 43 and 44 of half-side portion 4|] arranged in spaced, parallel relationship, as shown. In addition, each half-side portion of the frame halfframe half-section |4 spans the bars 4| and 43 of the half-side portions, and is pivotally connected to each of said bars by means of suitable pivot or

hinge pins

46 and 41, respectively. Similarly, the bar 3'! of the end portion of frame half-section |4 spans the

bars

42 and 44 of the half-side portions and is pivotally connected to such bars by means of suitable pivot or

hinge pins

48 and 49, respectively. Suitable lock-nuts 5|] are provided for securing the pivot pins 46 to 49 inclusive in position.

In accordance with the present invention, latching means are provided for removably securing together the complementary frame halfsections l3 and I4 of the frame II in upright and operative positions. To this end, the side portions of one frame half-section, say the bars 2| to 24 inclusive of frame half-section l3, are formed with reduced free, inner ends, as indicated at 5| in Fig. 6 of the drawings, in order that such reduced ends 5| may be telescopically 4 fitted into the complementary tubular bars 4| to 44 inclusive of the frame half-section H which are of uniform cross-section throughout. Moreover, lips 52 are provided on the inner ends of at least two of the bars, say the bars 4| and 43,

, of the side portions of frame half-section I4, for

releasably receiving links 53 pivotally carried on latching elements 54 which are, in turn, pivotally mounted on the inner ends of the bars 2| and 23 of frame half-sections l3 adjacent to their inner, reduced ends 5|. In setting up the frame H for use, the frame 'half-sections l3 and H are first placed in an upright position and the half-side portions of each frame half-section are swung relative to their corresponding endportions on pivot or hinge pins 26 to 29 inclusive as well as pins 46 to 49 inclusive to bring the halfside portions of the two half-sections I3 and I4 into alignment with one another and substantially normal to their end portions. Then, the two half-sections are moved together with the reduced ends 5| of bars 2| to 24 inclusive telescopically fitted into the tubular bars 4| to 44 inclusive of the frame half-section M. The links 53 of the latching means are then swung over and under the lips 52 on bars 4| and 43 and. the tongues 55 of the latching elements 54 depressed to urge the links 53 tightly under the lips 52 and to lock them in such position where they will remain until the tongues 55 of latching elements 54 are raised to release the links from the lips, whereupon the frame I I can as readily be dismantled as set up. To lend rigidity to the frame H in its set-up, operative position, I have provided a series of conventional hooks 56 and eyes 51 at the four corners of the frame which can be fastened together and unfastened at will.

As particularly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the annexed drawings, I preferably form the ex tremities of the side bars of each of the frame half-sections l3 and I4 so as to afford substantially flat stacking of these half-sections when the frame I has been dismantled and each of the half-sections folded upon itself. To this end, the side bars 2| and 22 of frame half-section l3 and the side bars 4| and 42 of frame half-section l4 are preferably off-set inwardly, as indicated at 58 and 59, at their extremities adjacent to their connections with their corresponding end portions, while the

bars

23 and 24 of half-section |3 and the bars 43 and 44 of half-section M are offset outwardly, as indicated at BI and 62, at their extremities adjacent to their connections with their corresponding end portions of the frame. In Fig. 6 of the drawings, I have shown frame half-section |3 in dismantled and folded condition for storing or transporting, which view illus-v trates the advantageous frame construction-just alluded to for effecting substantially flat stacking and packing. Frame half-section I4 is similarly foldable in dismantled form; the two folded half-sections being illustrated at the left and right of Fig. '7 wherein I have depicted a flexible case 63 of canvas or similar water-proof material in which the various members and elements of my improved bed bath can be encased for storing and transporting. As shown in Fig. 8, suitable fastening straps 64 as well as a carrying handle 65 are provided with the flexible case 63 for convenience of carrying as well as for tightly holding the elements of the bed bath therein.

The flexible container or tank 2 which I preferably employ in the preferred embodiment of the present improved bed bath comprises a rectangular sheet of water-proof material, preferably commercially available rubber sheeting, which is provided with a series of spaced grommets H along all edges thereof for receiving conventional shower curtain rings or hooks 12, or the like, whereby the receptacle or tank 12 may be removably suspended from the frame bars 2!, M, 36, 43, 23 and It, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5 of the annexed drawings. The pressure of what filling or partially filling the container or tank [2 will hold the sheet in a tautened condition, and this tautening of the sheeting is augmented by the

transverse bars

25 and 45 along the sides as well as by transverse bars [8 and 38 at the ends thereof; the sheeting being sufficiently strong to resist deformation and leakage. The sheet is of suflicient width and length to permit over-lapping at the four corners of the tank, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and. 5, thereby affording reinforcement means, and suitable male and female snap fasteners '13 are provided at such corners for securing the sheeting in over-lapped condition at such points. Moreover, the sheeting I2 is provided with a drain outlet M therein at such location as to be disposed in the defined bottom thereof and adjacent one corner thereof, as shown in Fig. 5, and with which a suitable drainage hose 16 may be placed in communication by suitable coupling element, not shown, for carrying the drainage away from the tank. Preferably, I provide with the preferred embodiment of the present invention a commer cially available automatic pump for filling as well as draining the tank l2 rapidly and effectively; such automatic pump means being marketed under the trade-mark Siph-O and comprising the hose 16 together with a detachable adapter 11, see Fig. '7, having a rotatable valve therein, not shown, for controlling water fiow therethrough. The automatic pump element is readily fitted either to a screw-bib threaded faucet or to a smooth type faucet as the end 78 thereof is suitably threaded and shaped to effect such connections. The cone-shaped outlet end '19 of the adapter 11 is rotatable for operating the valve of such unit and in one position of the valve, with the adapter attached to a source of water, such as to a faucet outlet, water can be drained from the tank 12 by force of vacuum or suction through water pressure in the line to which the adapter is connected. In the opposite position of the valve of the adapter 17, water flow is directed through the adapter and hose "it directly into the tank I2 to fill the same; it being understood, of course, that hose 16 is first detached or unfastened from the drainage outlet 14 and the latter closed with a plug, not shown. To drain the tank [2 rapidly after use, the outlet plug is removed and hose l9 placed in communication with drain outlet 74, and the valve of the adapter 11 adjusted. Thereafter, the faucet to which the adapter 11 is connected is turned on and by force of vacuum created by water pressure, the tank I2 is automatically and rapidly emptied. To complete the tank l2 unit of the bed bath, I have provided a flexible pillow 8|, which preferably comprises a standard water bag that can readily be filled and emptied through its capped outlet and inlet 82, see Figs. 2 and 7 of the drawings.

The improved bed bath of my present invention, because of its relatively light-weight construction as well as because of the collapsible nature thereof, can readily and easily be set up as well as taken down, and can effectively be set up on a patients bed without discomfort or convenience to the patient and without damaging the patients bed even when filled with water as the total filledweight thereof is easily supported by a conventional hospital bed. My improved bed bath has been successfully employed in a military hospital at the Presidio at San Francisco in connection with the treatment of paraplegic cases, and has been approved by nurses and doctors alike. The bed bath is highly efficacious for under water hydrotherapy for exer cising paralyzed persons, and also for immersing a patient having heart trouble or afiected with nervous disorders in relaxing warm water. Because of its construction and its collapsible features, the entire bed bath can be set up as well as dismantled, assembled and packed in a space in from three to five minutes. Because of its light weight, the bed bath can be carried about with ease.

It is to be understood that the appended claims are to be accorded a range of equivalents commensurate in scope with the advance made over the prior art.

I claim:

1. A bed bath comprising a collapsible frame consisting of a pair of complementary frame half-sections removably fastened together; each of said frame half-sections consisting of an end portion and a pair of half-side portions, a waterretaining flexible container removably suspended on said frame; said container having a drain outlet therein, and means for enhancing the rigidity of said frame when said container is filled with water.

2. A bed bath comprising a collapsible frame, and a water-retaining container removably suspended on said frame; said collapsible frame comprising a pair of complementary frame halfsections each consisting of an end portion of spaced parallel tubular bars pivotally connected to a pair of half-side portions consisting of spaced, tubular bars; one of said frame halfsections being formed with half-side portions having reduced extremities for telescopically fitting the tubular bars of the other pair of halfside portions of the other frame half-section, and releasable latching means on said frame for fastening said sections together in upright, usable positions.

3. A bed bath as defined in claim 2, the tubular bars of one of said frame half-sections being offset inwardly adjacent to their connections with said end portion, and the tubular bars of the other of said frame half-sections being offset outwardly adjacent to their connections with their corresponding end portion whereby the frame may be stacked upon its collapse.

CHARLES ARTHUR HOFFMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 530,599 Von Oheimb Dec. 11, 1894 1,307,942 Volters June 24, 1919 1,451,437 Bernier Apr. 10, 1923 1,738,017 Phillips Dec. 3, 1929 1,753,427 Phillips Apr. 8, 1930 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 8,205 Great Britain May 15, 1902 335,638 France Sept. 30, 1903