US2957184A

US2957184A - Infant bathtub

Info

Publication number: US2957184A
Application number: US676545A
Authority: US
Inventors: Marshall F Smith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1957-08-06
Filing date: 1957-08-06
Publication date: 1960-10-25
Anticipated expiration: 1977-10-25

Description

Oct- 25, 19 M. F. SMITH 2,957,184

INFANT BATHTUB Filed Aug. 6, 1957 ENTOR.

%/0 /$d///%%&Z affer Q/Zk 57622723545 United States Patent INFANT BATHTUB Marshall F. Smith, Chicago, 111. (411 Foch St., Ellwood City, Pa.)

Filed Aug. 6, 1957, Ser. No. 676,545

2 Claims. (Cl. 4-185) This invention relates to bathing facilities and has for one purpose to provide a structure particularly effective in the bathing of infants.

Another purpose is to provide a trainer device efiective to condition an infant toward acceptance of the water and toward a feeling of well-being in an ordinary bathtub.

Another purpose is to provide an infant bathtub trainer serving to make the bath a pleasant experience for the infant.

Another purpose is to provide a structure effective to permit immersion and removability of an infant from the bath water while avoiding the necessity for holding or handling the infant.

Another purpose is to provide a structure effective to permit the use of both hands in the bathing of an infant.

Another purpose is to provide a structure of the type described which shall be effective to properly support an infant in the bath without strapping or tying the infant.

Other purposes will appear from time to time during the course of the specification and claims.

I illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view;

Figure 2 is a side elevation; and

Figure 3 is a top plan View.

Like parts are indicated by like numerals throughout the specification and drawings.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Figure 1, the numeral 1 generally designates a bottom wall. The bottom wall 1 has a gradually sloping upward curve positioned intermediate its ends for the purposes hereinbelow described. The curve of the bottom wall 1 continues downwardly, rearwardly to form, as indicated in the left hand portion of Figure 1, a buttock-receiving or seat portion 2. Rising upwardly in a rearwardly in clined plane from the bottom Wall portion 2 is a rear wall 3.

A pair of side walls 5, 6 rise upwardly from the opposite longitudinal side edges of the bottom wall 1. Each of the side walls 5, 6 has an upwardly, rearwardly inclined side wall section extending forwardly from the opposite longitudinal side edges of the rear wall 3 and designated, respectively, by the numerals 7, 8. As best seen in Figure 2, the rear wall 3 and side walls 7, 8 may be tapered adjacent their upper ends and may be inwardly curved or directed as indicated respectively at 9, 10 for the purposes described hereinbelow.

A plurality of openings 11 are formed in the side walls 5, 6. A forward wall 12, as best seen in Figure 3, joins the bottom wall 1 and side walls 5, 6 and has formed therein a plurality of openings 11. In addition, a pair of greatly enlarged openings 13 are spacedly positioned in the wall 12. The entire, generally rectangular upper edge of the receptacle formed by walls 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 3 and 12 has a downturned lip or rolled portion for safety and prevention of injury and to provide, simultaneously, handle elements such as those indicated as being formed at 14, 15, the

numerals

14, 15 serving to designate also the entire rolled upper edge element, almost any spaced, oppositely disposed portions of which are serviceable as handle elements.

Whereas I have described and claimed a practical and operative device, nevertheless, many changes may be made in the size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention, I therefore -wish my description and drawings to be taken as, in a broad sense, illustrative or diagrammatic, rather than as limiting me to my precise showing.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

An infant may be conveniently placed within the structure shown herein and described herewith with the head of the infant resting upon the rear wall 3 between the curved side wall portions 9, 10. The buttocks of the infant are conveniently rested in the bottom wall segment 2. The upwardly curved portion of the bottom wall 1 conveniently and comfortably supports the limbs of the infant in a position serving to retain the infant in the desired position for bathing.

The operator may then grasp

handle segments

14, 15 and lower the device of my invention with the infant supported therein into the ordinary well-known bathtub or other supply of bath water. Water then flows through the openings 11, 13 to provide for bathing of the infant. During the bathing operation, the users hands are completely free from any necessity to support or hold the infant. At the same time the infant is free to move and play, being nonetheless held and supported comfortably and without confining straps etc. in a safe position.

After bathing the infant, the user merely grasps ledge 14, 15 and lifts the device of my invention out of the supply of water, the water within the device of my invention escaping through the openings 11, 13 some of which are formed along the lowermost edges of the walls 5, 6 and may, when preferred, be also formed in the bottom wall 1.

Indicated at 4 are suitable anti-skid elements which may for example, constitute rubber discs or strips adhesively secured or otherwise attached to the underside of bottom wall 1.

When the device of my invention is employed in association with an ordinary bathtub, the rearwardly inclined wall 3 may be conveniently supported by the similarly inclined rear wall of the ordinary bathtub, though a balance member or brace could be secured to the rear face of wall 3 to insure against rearward tipping of the device when used elsewhere, without departing from the nature and scope of my invention.

It will be realized that the device of my invention may be employed in an empty bathtub or similar structure and the water for bathing may be supplied or otherwise delivered to the infant, the apertures 11 being effective to provide a carrying away or draining away of both wash water and rinse water so delivered.

The enlarged apertures 13 in the end-wall 12 provide for extension therethrough of the feet and part of the legs of the infant when deemed advisable. The infant may, for example, be laid upon the stomach along the rearwardly, upwardly inclined forward portion of the bottom wall 1 with the legs of the infant extending through the openings 13.

'I claim:

1. An infants tub trainer comprising an upwardly open receptacle having apertured side walls, a front wall, a rear wall and a bottom wall, said bottom wall having an upwardly curved, limb-supporting central portion and a concave, buttock-receiving rear portion, said rear wall rising upwardly from said rear portion above the upper edges of said side walls and said front Wall, said side walls having upwardly rising rear segments joined to the upper portion of said rear wall and extending for,

Patented Oct. 25, 1960 v 'wardly therefrom, said upper portion of said rear wall and said segments of said sidewalls being upwardlyan upper, rearwardly inclined back-and-head-supporting structure comprising a rearwardly inclined extension of a said rear wall above the heighth ofsaid front Wall and side Walls, and upwardly, rearwardly inclined segments of said side walls lying respectively, substantially'in the planes of the side walls of said receptacle, said side wall segments being secured to and-extending. forwardly from the opposite longitudinal edges of said rear wall extension, said rear and side wall extensions being upwardly tapered, and a pair of: feet-receiving openings in, said front wall, said openings being spaced one'from the.

other and extending from said bottom wall upwardly through a major portion of said front wall;

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Musselrnan June 28, Graves May 8, Thornburg Oct. 21, Prince Mar. 29, Gaston et al. Dec. 13, Pribil Feb. 1, Lafield Feb. 15, Resek Nov. 15, Rogatz Jan. 24, Bu k p 3, Hylton et 'al. Ian. 2,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Dec. 16, France Sept. 16, Great Britain Apr. 28, Great Britain Feb. 4, Germany Mar.. 1, Germany Oct. 5,