US20100180373A1

US20100180373A1 - Portable Bathtub Used in a Shower Room

Info

Publication number: US20100180373A1
Application number: US12/626,908
Authority: US
Inventors: Davy Zide Qian; Nicole Minhui Lu; Benyu Qian; Lequn Lu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-01-18
Filing date: 2009-11-29
Publication date: 2010-07-22
Also published as: CN201939210U; CN101797126A

Abstract

A method of having a bath in a narrow and small shower room: making a portable bathtub, put the portable bathtub into the shower room, enter into the portable bathtub, opening shower head to have a shower and to save water in the portable bathtub good enough to have a bath; while finishing a bath. A portable bathtub used in a shower room comprises a soft waterproof bath-bag, and a (foldable?) stand for supporting the bath-bag. A second embodiment comprises a soft water proof bath-bag, and a spiral spring which is wrapped on the outer layer of said soft waterproof bath-bag, and is attached to the outer layer. A third embodiment comprises a wall having a inner layer and outer layer, a bottom and a supporting device consists of a valve and an aerator; by filing air, a bathtub is formed under a shower header. A fourth embodiment is a tub which is composed by wood or plastic material. A fifth embodiment is a soft water proof bath-bag and its inner face has two float-rings on middle and opening position.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims the domestic priorities of U.S. provisional applications No. 61/145,550 filed on Jan. 18, 2009, No. 61/160,295 filed on Mar. 14, 2009 and No. 61/240,308 filed on Sep. 8, 2009, which applications are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention belongs to a field of bath device. More specifically, this invention relates to a portable bathtub used in a shower room.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many families have shower rooms, but do not have a bathtub. Therefore, family members cannot enjoy the benefit of a hot bath, such as releasing tiredness, improving blood circulation, easing back and muscle pain, etc. To those fieldworkers, since they cannot find a place to take a hot shower or a bath because of limited conditions in the field, they only can use cold water to roughly wash their body. It not only damages health but also causes waste water to flow over to pollute environment. Therefore, the fieldworkers need a portable bathtub even more.
The purpose of this invention is to invent a portable bathtub used in a shower room. The portable bathtub can be easily set up in a small shower room. Thus, when a user takes a shower in a shower room, he can also enjoy a bath in the portable bathtub if he wants to. After finishing the bath, the water in the portable bathtub can be easily emptied or drained, and the portable bathtub can be easily folded for storage. Since it is easy to carry, set up, and fold, the portable bathtub is also best for outdoor use. The portable bathtub of the present invention provides families which do not have baths at home or fieldworkers to have useful equipment for taking a bath. This invention also benefits in water saving and environment protection.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of this invention is achieved by the following conceptions:
A method of having a bath in a narrow and small shower room: making a portable bathtub, which has an opening diameter which is wider than a user's shoulder, and a height reaches the user's chest; this portable bathtub can be stored in a showing room with narrow and small space; the portable bathtub has a watertight door for a person entering and going out and for preventing water from leaking, or the portable bathtub can be folded or be pulled up to keep stand there. Put the portable bathtub into the shower room, open the door, or lower the wall of the portable bathtub to let a user in, then close the door, or pull up the bathtub into standing status; then opening shower head to have a shower, in the mean time the (warm) water is saved in the portable bathtub good enough for having a bath; after finishing a bath, open the door or lower down the tub to empty water, then take out the portable bathtub from shower room, or fold it to store.
A portable bathtub used in a shower room comprises a soft waterproof bath-bag, and a supporting device for supporting the bath-bag; the supporting device is a stand, a height of said bath-bag reaches a user's chest; the bath-bag and supporting device can be placed in a small and narrow shower room; said bath-bag is made from soft waterproof material.
A portable bathtub comprises a soft water proof bath-bag, and a supporting device, which supports the soft waterproof bath-bag; said supporting device is a spiral spring, which wraps around the outer layer of said soft waterproof bath-bag, and is attached to the outer layer; the released spiral spring opens and supports said water proof bath-bag in standing way while using; compress said spiral spring to fold the said water proof bath-bag after bath for storing.
A portable bathtub comprises a wall having an inner layer and an outer layer made by soft waterproof and airproof layers and a bottom; a supporting device consists of a valve and an aerator; by filing the chamber defined by the inner layer and outer layer with air, a bathtub is formed under a shower header; a height of said bathtub reaches a user's chest.
A portable bathtub is a tub which is composed by wood or plastic material. Shape of said tub is cylinder or cube; a height reaches chest and size of the portable bathtub is able to be put in a shower room with narrow and small space. There is a door, gaskets are installed on the side of the door or door frame, water does not escape while door closes. A threshold is fixed near the bottom of the tub.
A portable bathtub comprises a soft water proof bath-bag, and a float-ring supporting device that includes two float-rings made by foam or material with smaller specific gravity than water. One float-ring is fixed at the middle position inside the bath-bag; the other float-ring is fixed at the opening position inside the bath-bag. While the bath-bag accumulates water, the two float-rings are floated up and bring the bath-bag to stand. Push the stood bath-bag down, the water inside the bath-bag is flowed out.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

FIG. 1 a is a sketch of a first embodiment of a portable bathtub used in a shower room.

FIG. 1 b is a sketch of an alternative embodiment of the portable bathtub shown in the FIG. 1 a.

FIG. 2 a is a sketch of a second embodiment of a portable bathtub used in a shower room.

FIG. 2 b is a sketch showing the portable bathtub shown in FIG. 2 a is folded and tightened by hooks.

FIG. 3 is a sketch of a third embodiment of a portable bathtub used in a shower room.

FIG. 4 is a sketch of the forth embodiment of a portable bathtub used in a shower room.

FIG. 5 is a sketch of the fifth embodiment of a portable bathtub used in a shower room.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 a shows that the first embodiment of portable bathtub of the present invention. The portable bathtub comprises a soft waterproof bath-bag 2 and a foldable stand 1 for supporting the bath-bag 2. A height of the bath-bag 2 approximately reaches a user's chest; the top opening of the bath-bag 2 is equally installed hooks 4. The stood bath-bag 2 and stand 1 are able to be put in a narrow and small space of a shower room. The bath-bag 2 is made from soft waterproof material, such as plastic sheets or rubberized cloths.
Unfold the stand 1 when using, a user steps into the bath-bag 2, then pulls up the bath-bag 2, hangs hooks 4 on to stand 1, then opens shower to fill water into bag till the user's chest. The user can take a bath while having a shower. Thus, the user can enjoy both benefits of a shower as well as a bath. Pull out hooks 4 from the stand 1 after completing the shower and the bath. The water flows into sewer while lowering down the bath-bag. Finally, fold the bath-bag, take apart of the stand, and put them in storage. As an alternative embodiment showing in FIG. 1 b, hooks 5 are able to be fixed on to walls of a shower room, therefore, a stand is not necessary.
FIG. 2 shows the second embodiment of portable bathtub used in shower room. A cylindrical bath-bag 5 is made from soft waterproof material. A height of the bath-bag 5 reaches to chest of a user. The soft water proof material is plastic sheet or rubberized cloth. A spiral spring 6 wraps outside of the cylindrical bath-bag 5 and attaches to the surface of the bath-bag 5. Three hooks 7 are equally separated around the circle bottom of the bath-bag and fixed thereto. The diameter of the cylindrical bath-bag 5 is able to be put in the shower room. The cylindrical bath-bag 5 is opened upon a resilience of the spiral spring 6. When pressing the cylindrical bath-bag 5 with an axis pressure, the cylindrical bath-bag 5 is folded up to be flattened. The three hooks 7 can hold the top end of the bath-bag to keep the bath-bag in flattened shape for easily storing. When using, put the flattened cylindrical bath-bag into a shower room, a user steps inside, release the hooks from the top end of the bath-bag, the cylindrical bath-bag expands to a shape of a cylindrical tub. Turn on the shower to save water in the tub. The user can have a bath while taking a shower.
FIG. 2 b shows the cylindrical bath-bag 5 flattened by push and fastened by hooks 7 after completing a shower and a bath. The water flows into sewer.
FIG. 3 shows the third embodiment of portable bathtub used in shower room. The bathtub comprises bottom part 9 and cylindrical wall 8 both made by soft waterproof and airproof sheet, which can be plastic sheets, or rubberized cloths. The cylindrical wall 8 includes an outer cylindrical wall and an inner cylindrical wall, which define an air chamber 11 between them. The inner layers 13 separate the air-chamber 11 into several small air-chambers 12. The inner layer 13 has an air blowhole 14. A valve 15 is built near the bottom. After filling the air-chamber 11 with air, the bathtub expands to a cylindrical tub 10, the height of the bathtub reaches chest of a user, and a size of the expended bath-tub can be put in the shower room. After releasing air from air-chamber 11, the bathtub is flattened for easily storing. When using, put the flattened tub under a shower header, the user steps into tub, then fills the bathtub 10 with air to expand it, saves water in the expended bathtub while showering, at same time, the user can enjoy a shower with bath. After finishing the shower with bath, completely release air, and press the bathtub 10 to be flattened, the water flows into sewer.
FIG. 4 shows the forth embodiment of portable bathtub 17 used in a shower room. The bathtub 17 is a tub 21 made from wood or plastic. Its shape appears as a cylinder or a cube, height of the bathtub reaches to chest of a person, and the tub is easy to put in a narrow and small space of shower room. The tub 21 has a door 18, both door and door frame are equipped with gaskets. Water does not escape while the door is closed. A threshold 20 is built near the bottom. Put said bathtub 17 under a shower head while using, a user steps into the bathtub, then closes the door, turns on shower head to take a shower, saves water in the bathtub to have a bath as well. After completing shower with bath, open the door, let water flow into sewer.
FIG. 5 shows the fifth embodiment of portable bathtub 21 used in a shower room. The portable bathtub 21 is a soft water proof bath-bag 22, which is made by plastic sheets or rubberized cloths. The supporting device includes two float- rings 23, 24 made by foam or material with a specific gravity being smaller than water. The float-ring 23 is fixed at the middle position inside the bath-bag 22 and the float-ring 24 is fixed at the opening position inside the bath-bag 22. The fixing method is that use a piece of cloth to enwrap the float-ring, then use adhesive to stick the float-ring on the inner face of the bath-bag 22.
When use, put the bath-bag 22 under the shower, the user enters the bath-bag 22. Open the shower head, while water accumulated in the bath-bag 22 the two float-rings are floated up; thereby the bath-bag 22 is brought to stand. After completing shower with bath, close the shower head, push the standing bath-bag down to empty water from the bath-bag.

Claims

1. A method to take a bath at a narrow and small space in a shower room:

making a portable bathtub, which has:

a diameter is wider than a user's shoulder,

a height reaches user's chest,

a size can be put in the shower room with a narrow and small space,

a watertight door for the user entering in, going out or a wall of the portable bathtub can be pulled up to be fixed at a certain height and can be folded;

putting said portable bathtub into the shower room, opening its door or pushing down its wall to let a person step in, then closing the door, or pulling up its wall and fix the wall at certain height;

turning on shower head to take a shower and to save water in the portable bathtub good enough to have a bath;

after shower and bath, opening the door, or lowing said portable bathtub wall to empty water, exiting from the portable bathtub, taking out the bathtub from the shower room, or folding said bathtub up to store.

2. A portable bathtub used in shower room for the method 1 specially comprising:

a soft waterproof bath-bag for holding water from a shower head, which has a height approximately reaching a user's chest;

a supporting device for supporting said soft waterproof bath-bag to be stood,

the stood bath-bag and the supporting device being able to be put in shower room with small space.

the soft material is plastic sheets or rubberized cloths.

3. The portable bathtub of claim 2, wherein the supporting device is a foldable stand used to support said bath-bag, said bath-bag having hooks around its top opening for hooking the bath-bag on the stand;

4. The portable bathtub of claim 3, wherein said supporting device is the lifting hooks being fixed on walls of the shower room, the top part of said portable bathtub is hung on said lifting hooks by hooks.

5. The portable bathtub of claim 2, wherein said soft waterproof bath-bag consists of a bottom and a circle wall, said circle wall is composed by soft waterproof material, said supporting device is a spiral spring, which encircles the bath-bag, and connects with the bath-bag as a one unit, when releasing the spiral spring, said spiral spring extends to keep said bath-bag opened as cylindrical shape; when compressing the spiral spring, said standing bath-bag is folded.

6. The portable bathtub of claim 5, wherein said bottom of the bath-bag has three hooks, when said bath-bag is flattened, using the hooks to fasten the top end of the bath-bag to avoid the compressed spring to be released.

7. The portable bathtub of claim 2, wherein said bath-bag formed by a bottom and a circle wall, said circle wall consisting of two waterproof layers, which define an air-chamber between them, inner layers separate said air-chamber into several small air-chambers, said inner layers having air blowholes for all small air-chambers being air through, said supporting device includes a valve and an aerator, said aerator through said valve fills said small air-chambers with air to expand the circle wall to become a cylindrical tub; release air, said portable bathtub is flattened for easy storing.

8. The portable bathtub of claim 2, wherein said bathtub is a wood, or a plastic tub, said tub has a door, gaskets are installed on both door and door frame to avoid water escaping, a door threshold is built close to a bottom of the tub in order to empty water.

9. The portable bathtub of claim 2, wherein the supporting device includes two float-rings, one float-ring is fixed at a middle position of an inner face of the bath-bag, other float-ring is fixed at an opening position of the inner face of the bath-bag, while the bath-bag accumulates water, the two float-rings are floated up and bring the bath-bag to stand; push the stood bath-bag down, the water is emptied therefrom.

10. The portable bathtub of claim 9, wherein the two float-rings are made by foam or material with a specific gravity being smaller than water.

11. The portable bathtub of claim 9, wherein the method for fixing the two float-ring on the inner face of the bath-bag is by use of a piece of cloth to enwrap the float-ring, then use adhesive to stick the enwrapped float-ring on the inner face of the bath-bag.