WO2008004012A2

WO2008004012A2 - Bathtub for challenged (disabled) persons

Info

Publication number: WO2008004012A2
Application number: PCT/HR2007/000022
Authority: WO
Inventors: Katica Frketic
Original assignee: Katica Frketic
Priority date: 2006-07-04
Filing date: 2007-09-04
Publication date: 2008-01-10
Also published as: WO2008004012A3; HRP20060237A2; WO2008004012A9

Abstract

The tub for challenged (disabled) persons shown in Fig. 1 has 2 lateral sides of air chambers (1), while lateral sides (9) are glued to air chambers (1). The tub has an attached water supply (8) and water drain (10 and 11), so that in its uninflated condition it allows the challenged (disabled) person to be rolled over into the tub on the bed itself, than air chambers (1) are pumped up, by means of the pump (20), the tub is raised and ready for bath-giving. After the bath water is drained through the drain (10), air is blown out from air chambers (1) through air valves (2), the challenged (disabled) person is rolled over from the tub and the tub is taken away from the bed, and the challenged (disabled) person is rolled back to the middle of the bed.

Description

BATHTUB FOR CHALLENGED (DISABLED) PERSONS

1. SUBJECT TO WHICH THE INVENTION APPLIES

This invention pertains to a bathtub for challenged (disabled) persons. Persons are simply to be rolled over onto the uninflated tub, after which the tub is to be inflated with air, this makes the tub ready for use. It is fitted with a water supply and water drainage pipes, it is classified according to the international classification (MKP) as: A 47 K 4/00, combination of tubs, showers, sinks, washbasins.

2. TECHNICAL PROBLEM

Up untill now a challenged (disabled) person had to be carried to a bathroom tub and back to bed, which called for several strong persons in order to give a bath to a 100-kg-heavy person.

Also used were certain forklift devices which served for tying a person, lifting the person above the bathroom tub, lowering the person into the tub, lifting the person again after the bath and tugging the person to bed. This manner of giving a bath to a challenged (disabled) person had a number of drawbacks. Among others, the space in a bedroom and a bathroom is not large enough to enable a forklift device to manouver and the device itself is rather costly. Another way of giving a bath to bed-ridden persons was by using a bathroom tub which used to have a side door through which a person was placed into the tub in a much easier way than was the case with a standard tub. However, the drawback here was that the challenged (disabled) person had to be taken out of the bed, put into a wheelchair, taken out from the wheelchair into the tub, followed by a reversed operation after a bath - which was all very difficult, or only slightly easier that bath-giving in a standard tub. Apart from this, this tub had to have a sealed door, which made it far more expensive than the standard tub.

3. STATE OF THE ARTS TECHNIQUE

A research has been carried out and nowhere in the world has been found anything merely resembling this type of a bathtub for challenged (disabled) persons. Not one solution for giving a bath to challenged (disabled) persons solves the problem of lifting and carrying the person. Not a single bath given to a challenged (disabled) person by one person alone, which is easily accomplished using this tub. 4. EXPLANTION OF THE INVENTION ESSENCE AND ITS DESCRIPTION

Giving a bath in this tub is performed in the following way: a challenged (disabled) person is rolled over to the end of the bed, an uninflated tub is placed by the person's side, then the person is rolled over into the middle of the tub, the person lying on his/her back, the tub is being pumped up by a pump 20, Fig. 1 , through an air valve 2 - both chambers, after which the inflated tub assumes its final shape. The tub has the bottom 17, which is connected with both chambers 1. The tub bottom 17 has reinforcements 4 to make it stable when full of water. The tub has its sides 9 which connect air chambers sideways 1, the sides containing a pocket for a side reinforcement 7 into which this reinforcement 5 is inserted, Fig. 1 and 2. On the bottom of the tub 17 an air mattress is placed 12 and on top of it an air cushion 13 and an air head-rest 16 to keep the head of a challenged (disabled) person above water level, Fig. 1 and 3. Opposite the head-rest side, on its lateral side 9 the tub has a stable shower fixture with a tank 6 to which water supply is connected with a supply pipe 8, Fig. 1, 2 and 5. On air chambers 1 on the outside glued are hooks for tying of safety fixtures 19 to which safety ropes 18 are tied under the bed to prevent overturning, Fig. 1, 2 and 5.

After giving a bath the water is drained from the tub through a water drain 10 and a hose for drainage 11, Fig. 1, 2 and 3, whose other end must be at a lower level than the bottom of the tub 17 so water can leave the tub by free fall, into another tub, or a toilet bowl, a bidet or the bathroom floor drainage.

The air is let out by means of the pump 20 and air valves 2 froim ar chambers 1, the person is rolled over to the end of the bed from the deflated tub, the tub is taken away, the challenged (disabled) person is rolled over to the middle of the bed.

Claims

THE CLAIMS

1. The tub for challenged (disabled) persons denoted by the fact that two lateral sides are two air chambers (1), to which glued are two tub sides (9), the tub bottom (17) also glued to air chambers (1) and to the tub lateral sides (9), Fig. 1, 2 and 5.

2. The tub for challenged (disabled) persons denoted by the fact, and according to claim 1 , because the tub bottom (17) has reinforcements (4), while lateral sides (9) have pockets for lateral tub reiforcement (5), the tub bottom (17) in its position has a water drain (10), Fig. 1, 2, and 3.

3. The tub for challenged (disabled) persons denoted by the fact, and according to claim 1 and 2 that air chamber (1) has an air vent at the bottom (2) for pumping up and blowing out by means of a pump (20), Fig. 1 and 2.

4. The tub for challenged (disabled) persons, denoted by the fact, and according to claims 1, 2, that the lateral side (9) has at its bottom an attached stable shower fixture with a tank to which a water-supply hose is connected (8), Fig. L, 3 and 5.

5. The tub for challenged (disabled) persons denoted by the fact, and according to claims 1, 2, 3 and 4 that an air mattress (12) is inserted at the bottom of the tub (17), and onto which is placed an air cushion (13) and on it an air-filled head-rest (16) for the purpose of holding the head of the person bathing above the water level, Fig. 1 and 3.