Bathing facility liner ensemble
A liner ensemble for use with a bathing facility having a drain. The liner ensemble contains a liner having an exterior side, an interior side, a bottom and sidewalls. The liner is removably disposed in the bathing facility and at least partially following a contour of the bathing facility. A fastener is attached to the exterior side of the liner for securing the liner to the bathing facility. The liner is removable from the bathing facility by disengaging the fastener from the bathing facility.
The invention relates, generally, to bathing facility liners, and more specifically, it relates to a mobile and disposable bathing facility liner that provides hygienic protection from previous users of the bathing facility.
Traditionally bathtub liners have been disposed in bathtubs to permit ease of maintenance of the bathtub in use. A removable bathtub liner is exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,931,651 to Weir and 5,153,950 to Sowers wherein a liner is removable mounted in contact with a top surface of an associated bathtub. However, such liners need a complicated skeleton structure for their mounting and are generally not transportable in the sense that a traveler could not easily carry such a liner on travel.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,231 to Smith teaches an inflatable liner for use with convention bathtubs. The inflatable liner is for use with infants, elderly, physically disable or other instances where a cushioned and/or sanitary bathing surface is desired. A battery-operated air pump is attached to the inflatable liner for inflating the liner. The inflatable liner is compact enough for travel but requires an extensive setup time due to the need for inflation and is too expensive to be a disposable liner.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,764 to Hall et al. teaches a bathtub and shower liner ensemble formed of thin, flimsy, disposable, sterile, contoured, impervious, plastic film sheers, with a bottom mat-like sheet secured to the bathtub or shower basin to provide cushion and comfort. The entire liner assembly is compressed to form a single, thin, flexible chaise lining, which is contoured to fit removably into the bathtub. The chase liner is removed through the process of peeling, where the thin, film sheers are individually peeled from the top. Each new film sheer provides a new sterile surface. However, the liner assembly is not transportable for travel by an individual and must be specifically manufactured for each bathtub configuration. Therefore, a one size fits all concept is not possible. Furthermore, the extensive layering provides the mat or cushion effect and the last few sheets of the liner do not provide much of a cushion effect.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a bathing facility liner ensemble, which overcomes the herein-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices of this general type, which is portable, disposable and provides hygienic protection.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a liner ensemble for use with a bathing facility having a drain. The liner ensemble contains a liner having an exterior side, an interior side, a bottom and sidewalls. The liner is removably disposed in the bathing facility and at least partially follows a contour of the bathing facility. A fastener is attached to the exterior side of the liner for securing the liner to the bathing facility. The liner is removable from the bathing facility by disengaging the fastener from the bathing facility.
The liner is removed from the bathing facility by peeling the liner off of the bathing facility. Ideally, the fastener is an adhesive having an adhesive cover disposed on the exterior side of the liner. The adhesive cover is removed from the adhesive for allowing the adhesive to secure to the bathing facility. The adhesive is in a form of adhesive strips disposed spaced apart on the exterior side of the liner. Alternatively, the adhesive is in a form of adhesive patches disposed spaced apart on the exterior side of the liner. Furthermore, at least one of the adhesive strips extends beyond the liner for attachment to the bathing facility.
In an added feature of the invention, the bottom of the liner is formed of a water impervious or water resistant material.
In an additional feature of the invention, the liner is formed of a water impervious material defining the exterior side of the liner and a mat is disposed on at least part of the water impervious material defining the bottom. Optionally, the water impervious material fully encloses the mat in a sandwich type format. Preferably, the water impervious material has a roughened surface.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the liner has a hole formed therein in an area of the drain and a drain cover attached to the liner covering the hole. A ripcord is connected to the drain cover and the ripcord is substantially disposed around a circumference of the hole. Alternatively, the ripcord can be embedded in the liner itself for creating a hole in an area of the drain when the ripcord is pulled.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, a dispenser is attached to the liner. The dispenser contains soap, scent, bubble bath, bath oil, body lotion, moisturizer, and/or color dye. Alternatively, the liner could be coated with the soap, bubble bath, bath oil, body lotion, moisturizer, and/or color dye and is activated by contact with water or the user.
In an alternative embodiment, the liner has a surface with a decorative pattern and/or it is embossed with animal shapes. This provides an entertainment factor to the user. The decorative pattern is not limited to flowers and such but can incorporate corporate logos such as hotel names, business names, cartoon characters, built-in activities and games, and sports related memorabilia such as NFL, NBA, and NHL memorabilia to name a few.
In accordance with another further feature of the invention, the sidewalls are formed from the water impervious material but do not include the mat. The water impervious material can be a plastic and the mat is formed of cloth, fabric, sponge and/or a compressive material. Ideally, the liner is thin and can be less than 1/16 inches thick or less than 1/32 or even 1/64 inches. It is noted that the liner may be even thinner formed of only a thin plastic layer and a thin fabric layer such as a baby bipster. In this way the liner is compactly packaged and is easily carried on travel.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is further provided, in accordance with the invention, a liner ensemble. The liner ensemble contains a liner having a bottom with an exterior side and an interior side. The liner is removably disposable in a bathing facility and a fastener is attached to the exterior side of the liner for securing the liner to the bathing facility. The liner is removable from the bathing facility by disengaging the fastener from the bathing facility. Ideally, the liner has a rectangular shape. Optionally, the liner has sidewalls extending from the bottom and being less than 2 inches high. The liner is formed of a water resistance layer defining the exterior side and a fabric layer defining the interior side. The fabric layer is preferably an imprinted fabric layer containing a design, game, corporate logo, and/or sports memorabilia, to name a few.
Other characteristic features of the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a bathing facility liner ensemble, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In all the figures of the drawing, sub-features and integral parts that correspond to one another bear the same reference symbol in each case. Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly, to
As shown in
For example, an impervious plastic layer 5 enclosing the inner layer 4 of a supporting compressible material to provide comfort is envisioned. Alternatively, a porous sponge like layer covered on the bottom by a plastic layer is also possible for the mat and exterior liner. The plastic layer 5 is water impervious and at the same time the sponge layer 4 provides an entertainment factor for young children who like to squeeze the water out of the mat 4. Of course the mat 4 can be formed of many other materials such as a soft fabric or cloth so long as a leak proof barrier 5 is provided between the mat 4 and the bathtub. Further alternatives include a mat 4 formed of a bubble wrap type material. Furthermore, the mat 4 may be dispensed with and only the exterior liner 5 can be used as shown in
The liner 1 is configured to follow the contours of a standard bathtub but may be configured to be slightly smaller than a standard bathtub to allow a greater degree of use in types of bathtubs. The liner 1 can be configured to follow the contour of many different types of bathing facilities and is not limited to the standard bathtub shape.
For an entertainment factor, the bottom and/or sides of the liner may be provided with decorations 6 or with built in toys such as sponge animals 7 protruding from the surface of the mat, as shown in
The sidewalls 3 can be made of the same material as the as the exterior liner 5 with or without the mat 4 lining as shown in
As shown in
The liners 1 can be manufactured in a variety of sizes, colors, designs, patterns and themes. In addition, the liners 1 can include different scents built-in or impregnated in the liners 1 or in a part of the liner 1. Additionally, the liner 1 can be coated 30 with body lotions, lubricants, moisturizing lotions, bath oils, color dyes, soaps, bubble bath, and other such bath items for increasing the users enjoyment. Alternatively, the body lotions, lubricants, moisturizing lotions, bath oils, color dyes, soaps, bubble bath, and other such bath items for increasing the users enjoyment can be incorporated in a built in a dispenser or pocket 31 in the sidewalls or bottom of the liner 1. The dispenser 31 is punctured by pressure from ones hand and the contained lotion, soap, dye, etc. is released.
In addition, the liners 1 can be packaged similar to such products as baby bipsters, zip lock bags, or in boxes to name just a few packaging concepts.
Claims
1. A disposable liner ensemble for use with a bathing facility having a drain, the liner ensemble comprising:
- a liner having an exterior side, an interior side, a bottom and sidewalls, said liner being removably disposed in the bathing facility and said sidewalls extending from said bottom and being less than 2 inches high; and
- a fastener attached to said exterior side of said liner for securing said liner to the bathing facility, said liner being removable from the bathing facility by disengaging said fastener from the bathing facility.
2. The liner ensemble according to claim 1, wherein said liner is removed from said bathing facility by peeling said liner off of said bathing facility.
3. The liner ensemble according to claim 2, wherein said fastener is an adhesive having an adhesive cover disposed on said exterior side of said liner, said adhesive cover being removed from said adhesive for allowing the adhesive to secure to the bathing facility.
4. The liner ensemble according to claim 3, wherein said adhesive is in a form of adhesive strips disposed spaced apart on said exterior side of said liner.
5. The liner ensemble according to claim 3, wherein said adhesive is in a form of adhesive patches disposed spaced apart on said exterior side of said liner.
6. The liner ensemble according to claim 4, wherein at least one of said adhesive strips extends beyond said liner for attachment to the bathing facility.
7. The liner ensemble according to claim 1, wherein said bottom of said liner is formed of a water impervious material.
8. The liner ensemble according to claim 1, wherein said liner is formed of a water impervious material defining said exterior side of said liner and a mat disposed on at least part of said water impervious material defining said bottom.
9. The liner ensemble according to claim 8, wherein said water impervious material fully encloses said mat in a sandwich type format.
10. The liner ensemble according to claim 9, wherein said water impervious material has a roughened surface.
11. The liner ensemble according to claim 1, wherein said liner has a hole formed therein in an area of the drain and a drain cover attached to said liner covering said hole.
12. The liner ensemble according to claim 11, further comprising a ripcord connected to said drain cover.
13. The liner ensemble according to claim 11, wherein said ripcord is substantially disposed around a circumference of said hole.
14. The liner ensemble according to claim 1, further comprising a dispenser attached to said liner.
15. The liner ensemble according to claim 1, wherein said dispenser contains a material selected from the group consisting of soap, scent, bubble bath, bath oil, body lotion, moisturizer, and color dye.
16. The liner ensemble according to claim 1, wherein said liner has a surface with a decorative pattern.
17. The liner ensemble according to claim 1, wherein said liner has a surface with animal shapes embossed therein.
18. The liner ensemble according to claim 8, wherein said sidewalls are formed from said water impervious material but do not include said mat.
19. The liner ensemble according to claim 8, wherein said water impervious material is a plastic and said mat is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of cloth, fabric, sponge and a compressive material.
20. The liner ensemble according to claim 1, wherein said liner is less than 1/32 inches thick.
21. The liner ensemble according to claim 1, wherein said liner is less than 1/64 inches thick.
22. The liner ensemble according to claim 1, further comprising a ripcord embedded in said liner for creating a hole in an area of the drain when the ripcord is pulled.
23. The liner ensemble according to claim 1, wherein said liner is coated with a material selected from the group consisting of soap, scent, bubble bath, bath oil, body lotion, moisturizer, and color dye.
24. A disposable liner ensemble for use with a bathing facility having a drain, the liner ensemble comprising:
- a liner having an exterior side, an interior side, a bottom and sidewalls, said liner being removably disposed in the bathing facility and said sidewalls extending from said bottom and being less than 2 inches high; and
- a covered adhesive attached to said exterior side of said liner for securing said liner to the bathing facility, said liner being removable from the bathing facility by peeling said liner from the bathing facility.
25. A disposable liner ensemble, comprising:
- a liner having a bottom with an exterior side and an interior side, said liner being removably disposable in a bathing facility, said liner having sidewalls extending from said bottom and being less than 2 inches high;
- a fastener attached to said exterior side of said liner for securing said liner to the bathing facility, said liner being removable from said bathing facility by disengaging said fastener from the bathing facility.
26. The liner ensemble according to claim 25, wherein said liner has a rectangular shape.
27. (canceled)
28. The liner ensemble according to claim 25, wherein said liner has a hole formed therein functioning as a drain.
29. The liner ensemble according to claim 25, wherein said fastener is an adhesive having an adhesive cover disposed on said exterior side of said liner, said adhesive cover being removed from said adhesive for allowing the adhesive to secure to the bathing facility.
30. The liner ensemble according to claim 29, wherein said adhesive is in a form of adhesive strips disposed spaced apart on said exterior side of said liner.
31. The liner ensemble according to claim 25, wherein said liner is formed of a water resistance layer defining said exterior side and a fabric layer defining said interior side.
32. The liner ensemble according to claim 31, wherein said fabric layer is an imprinted fabric layer.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 1, 2004
Publication Date: Sep 1, 2005
Inventor: Mark Dickstein (Hollywood, FL)
Application Number: 10/791,528