US3292185A - Bath mat shower means - Google Patents

Description

A. N. I UCIAN 3,292,185

BATH MAT SHOWER MEANS Dec. 20, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Deo'. 1, 1964 CD5 :E un

\NVENTOR ARSENE N- UCIAN ATA" RNEY Dec. 2o, 1966 *Y A. N. wcm 3,292,185

BATHMAT SHOWER MEANS Filed Deo. 1, 1964 s sheets-sheet z l 3i' I7 f roo\o\o oooooooroooog'ogrw oooooooooo'ooooooo INVENTOR 'ARSENE N- gum/m ATTORNEY Dec. 20, 1966 A. N. LUCIAN BATH MAT SHOWER MEANS Filed D60. l, 1964 I5 Sheets-Shoot L' INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,292,185 BATH MAT SHGWER MEANS Arsene N. Lucian, 13.0. EoX 300, Manasquan, N J. 08736 Filed Dec. 1, 1964, Ser. No. 415,082 Claims. (Cl. 4-145) The present invention relates to bath mats and more particularly to a non-slip bath mat having spray directing means associated therewith.

The disadvantages of an overhead shower bath are that the scalp and the hair thereon are wetted unless a shower cap is worn, and that it is difiicult to rinse the arm pits and the crotch with an overhead spray. In many case a womans presently fashionable coiffure is such that a shower cap cannot be worn without unduly disturbing the coiffure.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide shower bath means associated with a bath mat for directing sprays of water upwardly against the body of the person standing on the mat so as to thoroughly Wash and rinse the arm pits and the crotch with a minimum of effort and without wetting the scalp.

Another object is to provide such a shower bath mat which can be placed in a stall shower bath or in a bath tubequipped with or without a shower.

Another object is to provide such a shower bath mat which is readily connected to a source of water under pressure regardless of where the mat is used.

Another object is to provide such a shower bath mat which can be equipped with hand or foot operated valve means for controlling the flow of the water.

Another object is to provide such a shower bath mat wherein the spray directing means is so arranged that the upward sprays of water will not get beyond the rim of the tub when the mat is placed therein.

Another object is to provide such a shower bath mat wherein the angle at which the spray of water is directed upwardly can be arranged or varied in any convenient manner.

A further object is to provide such a shower bath mat which is simple and practical and can be fabricated, assembled and installed in an economical manner.

Other and further objects of the invention, will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

In accordance with the present invention, the foregoing objects generally are accomplished by providing a bath mat which comprises a base constructed to rest securely on a supporting surface and to provide safe footing for a person when standing on the base, tubular means on the base having an inlet and being formed with a row of apertures for directing sprays of water upwardly and directly against the body of the person standing on the base, and conduit means having a rst end connected to the inlet and having a second end for connection to a source of water under pressure.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description, and is shown -in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specication, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary schematic perspective view of a shower bath mat installed in a stall shower.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a more elaborate shower bath mat in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged Sectional view taken along the line 3 3 on FIG. 2 illustrating an arrangement for varying the angle at which the spray of water is directed upwardly.

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FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating two rows of apertures for providing sprays iat diiferent angles.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 5-5 on FIG. 2 illustrating a foot operable valve which can be installed in the mat.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings in detail, there is shown a portion of a stall shower comprising a floor F; walls W; a shower head SH mounted on one of the walls; and handles HH and HC of valves for controlling the ilow of hot land cold water to the shower head located beneath the shower head with the plumbing leading to the valves and the shower head and the valves being concealed in back of the wall.

The shower head shown herein is of a conventional spray direction adjustable type which includes an inlet pipe section P formed with a socket S, a ball B mounted in the socket to provide a ball and socket joint, and a spray nozzle N threadedly secured to the ball.

The stall shower is equipped with a shower mat 9 in accordance with the present invention which rests on the floor F and includes a base 10 constructed in a conventional manner so as to not slide on the floor and to provide safe footing for a person when standing on the base. The base is provided with tubular means 11 having an inlet 12 and being formed with one or more rows of apertures 14 which are arranged for directing sprays of water directly upwardly and directly against the body of the person standing on the base.

Preferably, the tubular means is an oblong rectangular frame formed integrally with a base composed of rubber or other suitable plastic material and having a row of apertures 14 at each of the shorter sides and having the inlet 12 at one of the longer sides. An advantage of such a frame is that when it is filled with water the weight of the water serves to hold down the edges of the base.

A hose 15 has one end connected to the inlet 12 and has its other end connected to the shower head. The latter connection can be made by removing the spray nozzle from the ball, connecting one leg of a T 16 to the ball, another leg to the spray nozzle and the third leg to the hose. The T 16 is provided with a conventional manually operable two-way valve 17 for selectively directing the water to the shower head or to the mat.

Alternatively, a valve 17 may be provided at the inlet 12 for foot operation or a valve 17 may be connected in lthe hose 15 at a convenient location for hand operation. In its simplest form, such a valve 17 could be a pinchcock tube clamp of the type shown in Fisher Modern Laboratory Appliances, 1963, page 236. part 5-860.

The shower mat shown in FIG. 1 can also be placed on the bottom of a bath tub with the rows of apertures extending crosswise in the tub so that the sprays of water are confined within the side rims of the tub. When so used, the mat or the hose 15 need not be equipped with a valve, but its upstream end is equipped with a conventional adaptor which can be removably secured to the water spigot of the tub, whereby the spigot valves are employed for controlling the flow of hot and cold water to the mat and the rate of flow.

In FIGS. 2 and 3, a more elaborate mat 9 is shown wherein a foot operated valve 17 is installed in one of the long sides of the tubular frame at about the midpoint thereof, and the tubular sections of the frame at the short sides are provided with a platform 19 for the purpose about to be described,

As shown in FIG. 3, the platform 19 constitutes an upper portion of the tubular section, and the platform and the bottom portion 20 of the tubular section are connected to the base 10 by a thick section 21. The upper portion of the tubular section and its platform 19 are flexible.

The apertures 14 normally are arranged to direct sprays of water upwardly at a given angle, for example at 75 to the horizontal, so that they strike the upper body portions of the person and are directed under the arm pits. However, by pressing on the platform 19 with the foot of the person standing on the mat, the outer upper portion 22 of the tubular section 11 is curled inwardly or counterclockwise as viewed and shown in broken lines, so that the apertures 14 are now located to direct sprays of water upwardly at a smaller angle, for example at 60, which sprays strike the lower body portions and are directed under the crotch.

Alternatively, such a spray direction varying arrangement can be dispensed with by providing the tubular section with two rows of apertures 14 as shown in FIG. 4 with one row set at about 75 and the other row set at about 60, or by providing a single row of staggered apertures which are alternately set at about 75 and about 60. Likewise, the apertures at one end of the mat could be set at one angle and the apertures at the opposite end of the mat could be set another angle to accomplish the foregoing simply by the bather turning around 180.

While the mat have been shown herein as being rectangular, it will be appreciated that the mat could be circular or oval.

In FIGS. 2 and 5, a foot operable valve 17 is shown which comprises a body 25 adapted to be secured within the tubular frame 11 at one of its longer side sections and having an inlet 26 formed with a nipple 27 for connection to the hose 1S, two outlets 28 located for discharge into the tubular section 11 and a valve seat 29 between the inlet and the outlets; a valve member 30 for engaging the seat 29 having a stemlprojecting outwardly of the valve body; a foot operable lever 32 pivotally mounted on the valve body at 33 for engaging the valve stern to unseat the valve member 30; and a return spring 34 for normally causing the valve member to engage its seat to close the valve. The outlets 28 face in opposite directions within the tubular frame 11 and direct water to the rows of apertures at the respective ends of the mat.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the present invention provides a novel and useful shower mat for providing upwardly directed sprays of water which supplement an overhead shower spray when taking a shower bath, whereby all parts of the body can be thoroughly washed and rinsed in a convenient and pleasing manner. This is accomplished by a simple, practical and economical arrangement which lends itself for adaptation to all types of shower bath installations.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacricing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A bath mat comprising a base constructed to rest securely on a supporting surface and to provide safe footing for a person when standing on the base, tubular means on said base having an inlet and being formed with a row of apertures arranged for directing sprays of water upwardly and directly against the body of the person stand- Ving on said base, and an associated controlled conduit means having a rst end connected to said inlet and having a second end for connection to a source of water under pressure.

2. A bath mat according to claim 1, including valve means downstream of said conduit means and connected for controlling the ow of water to said tubular means.

3. A bath mat according to claim 1, wherein said tubular means has tubular sections surrounding the edges of said base and said tubular sections have a common inlet.

4. A bath mat according to claim 2, wherein said valve means is a foot operated valve adjacent said inlet of said tubular means,

5. A bath mat according to claim 1, including means operatively associated with said tubular means for varying the angle at which the sprays of water are directed upwardly.

6 A bath mat comprising an oblong base constructed to rest securely on a supporting surface and to provide safe footing for a person when standing on the base, a tubular frame integrally formed with said base having a section at one long side of said base formed with an inlet and having a section at each short side of said base each formed with a row of apertures for directing sprays of water upwardly which intersect in a horizontal plane in which a portion of the body of the person standing on said base mat is located, and conduit means connected to said inlet for connection to a source of water under pressure.

7. A bath mat according to claim 6, wherein a foot operated valve is mounted in said frame for controlling the ow of water into said inlet.

8. A bath mat according to claim 6, wherein said section of said tubular frame at a short side of said base is iiexible and includes a foot operated section for distorting said last mentioned tubular means section to vary the angle at which the sprays of water are directed upwardly.

9. A bath mat comprising a base having a generally flat underside constructed to rest securely on a supporting surface and having an upperside constructed to provide safe footing for a person when standing on the base, a

vcontinuous tubular frame formed integral with said base at the periphery thereof and being provided with two opposite rows of apertures arranged for directing sprays of water upwardly which intersect in a horizontal plane in which a portion of the body of the person standing on said base is located, said tubular frame having an inlet between said two rows of apertures, and conduit means connected to said inlet for connection to a source of water under pressure.

10. A bath mat according to claim 9, wherein said base is in the shape of an oblong rectangle and said rows of apertures are in the short sides of said tubular frame.

11. A bath mat according to claim 10, wherein said inlet is located at about the midpoint of one of the long sides of said tubular frame.

12. A bath mat according to claim 10, wherein said tubular frame is flexible and has a flexible foot operable section at the short sides of said base for distorting the short sides of said tubular frame to vary the angle at Which the sprays of Water are directed upwardly.

13. A bath mat according to claim 1, wherein certain apertures are arranged to direct sprays of water at one angle and other apertures are arranged to direct sprays of water at another angle.

14. A bath mat according to claim 13, wherein two rows of apertures are provided with one row arranged to direct the sprays at one angle and with the other row arranged to direct sprays at another angle.

15. A bath mat according to claim 13, wherein the row of apertures has alternate apertures for providing the sprays at different angles.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES Y PATENTS 552,839 1/1896 Humphrey 4-150 2,456,703 12/1948 Hatchette 4-145 2,770,812 1l/1956 ,Whiteside 4-145 2,829,379 4/ 1958 McGee 4-145 3,086,517 4/1963 Dunkle 12S- 66 3,240,208 3/ 1966 Everston 12S-66 FOREIGN PATENTS 352,095 3/ 1961 Switzerland.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

H. K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A BATH MAT COMPRISING A BASE CONSTRUCTED TO REST SECURELY ON A SUPPORTING SURFACE AND TO PROVIDE SAFE FOOTING FOR A PERSON WHEN STANDING ON THE BASE, TUBULAR MEANS ON SAID BASE HAVING AN INLET AND BEING FORMED WITH A ROW OF APERTURES ARRANGED FOR DIRECTING SPRAYS OF WATER UPWARDLY AND DIRECTLY AGAINST THE BODY OF THE PERSON STANDING ON SAID BASE, AND AN ASSOCIATED CONTROLLED CONDUIT

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