Standing baby shower seat
The embodiment of our shower seat comprises of a frame (10) with connected legs (18) and a connected seat (12). The embodiment also has a height adjusting mechanism (28) and a connected tray (26) or shallow dish (24) or combination thereof. The embodiment permits a baby's feet to extend to the shower floor facilitating a sitting up and or standing up position when arranged therein. The embodiment encourages the development of coordination needed by a baby to stand on a shower floor independently over time.
The closest related prior art comprises of a Baby Shower U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,131 (1991) and a Baby Shower Bath 129883 (2007). The Baby Shower U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,131 is suspended from the outer wall of a bath and a baby is showered while being suspended above the bath floor. The structure is quite bulky and may be inconvenient for parents to set up each shower time. Also, parents may be hesitant to use the invention because it suspends their baby above the bath floor. Parents may be concerned for their baby's safety if the baby happens to lose their balance and slip.
The Baby Shower Bath 129883 (2007) is for use within a shower space. However, the invention does not include a seat for a baby to be arranged therein. This invention also does not include a tray or splash dish for a baby to play with while being bathed.
The embodiment we propose is a seat within a frame with connected legs, adapted to rest on a shower floor. The embodiment permits a baby's feet to extend to the shower floor, facilitating a sitting up or standing up position. Being in this facilitated position will help babies develop and understand the requisite stability and balance for proper shower standing coordination. The embodiment does not involve any set up after the initial use and is easily positioned in and out of the shower. The embodiment does not directly derive from the prior art cited, but they are the closest related prior art we found.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONMuch effort is taken towards developing functional coordination in babies like walking, jumping, eating, and bathing. The marketplace is full of mechanisms that facilitate the development of such coordination like walkers, jumpers, highchairs, and baths. By using these mechanisms, a baby can develop the ability to walk, jump, sit at a table, and sit safely in a bath. Over time, the baby will master these functions and will no longer need the assistance from the mechanisms.
The standing baby shower seat we are proposing, introduces a baby to a shower. This introduction is made so the baby can begin to develop the needed coordination and skill to stand in the shower independently. The embodiment permits a baby's feet to extend to the shower floor, facilitating a sitting up or standing up position when the baby is arranged therein. Being in this facilitated position will help babies develop and understand the requisite stability and balance for proper shower standing coordination.
This invention gives the parent a way to safely shower with their baby. Parents are offered another option for bathing their baby rather than just giving their baby a bath.
SUMMARYThe embodiment of our shower seat comprises of a seat within a frame. The frame has a connected tray or shallow dish or combination thereof, along with a plurality of connected legs. The embodiment also has a height adjusting mechanism.
AdvantagesFor a parent, bathing a baby is another task added on a parent's to-do-list. With today's busy lifestyle, bathing a baby can be constraining on a parent's busy schedule. Not only does the parent have to shower them self, but the parent also has to find time in the day to bathe their baby. A baby shower seat would allow the parent to shower their baby while the parent showers them self, combining two separate tasks into one.
Our baby shower seat is a standing seat adjusted to rest on a shower floor. The embodiment is easy to place in the shower and also easily removed. The area taken up by the embodiment is minimized to offer optimal space to the parent showering with the baby. The parent can easily position the baby in the seat and also easily remove the baby from the seat. The shower seat encourages the development of the needed coordination for the baby to stand independently on a shower floor over time. The baby can also become familiar with a shower environment and come to enjoy it, rather than being confined to a conventional bath.
10 frame
12 seat
13 lining
14 openings for legs
16 lips
18 legs
20 enlarged base
22 slip-resistant material
24 shallow dish
26 tray
28 vertically spaced holes
30 upper leg
32 lower leg
34 rear storage
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONThe embodiment of our baby shower seat comprises of a seat within a frame. The frame has a connected tray or shallow dish or combination thereof, along with a plurality of connected legs. The embodiment also has a height adjusting mechanism.
In
The embodiment in
In an alternate embodiment, a height adjustable mechanism is illustrated. As seen in
Further seen in
The final alternate embodiment is configured into the shape of an animal. The embodiment in
Before using the embodiment with a baby in a shower, a parent should place the baby in the embodiment to ensure the baby can sufficiently sit up or stand up in the embodiment properly. The parent can then adjust the height of the seat to ensure that the baby's feet comfortably extend to the floor. Once the seat has been adjusted to an optimal height, the parent can remove the baby and arrange the embodiment into the shower.
When the parent and baby are in the shower, the parent should ensure that the baby is acclimated to the shower. The parent can then wash the baby and place him or her in the seat once fully washed. Otherwise, the parent can place the baby in the seat and wash them self first. Another option is to place the baby in the embodiment in order to wash the baby's hair, upper body, legs, and feet while he or she is arranged therein. The parent can then lift the baby up into their arms to wash the child's midsection and then place the baby back into the embodiment once fully washed. While arranged in the embodiment, the baby can play with the water collected in the shallow dish and or with the toys provided on the tray.
The baby will also build and develop the needed coordination for standing in a shower. While supported in the shower seat, the baby can start to understand how to balance his or her weight to properly stand on the shower floor. Over time, the baby will progress to standing on a shower floor independently without the aid of the embodiment.
Conclusion, Ramification, and ScopeAccordingly the reader will see that we have provided a mechanism for a baby to sit up or stand up in while in a shower. The embodiment of our shower seat includes a tray or shallow dish or combination thereof for the baby to play with while arranged therein. Also, to convenience the parent with the baby's toiletries and shower accessories, the option of a rear storage compartment is included.
In
It should also be appreciated that the seat can be made from any material including durable fabrics. If made from durable fabrics, the fabric seat would include means to be affixed onto the frame. Various means for attaching the seat to the frame could be used, for example, a variety of buttons, hooks, loops, notches, etc. Again, any seat configuration and connective means of the seat to the frame may be used according to the invention.
In addition to these ramifications of the embodiment are the different possibilities of height adjusting mechanisms. An alternate embodiment may have the height adjusting means on the seat. In this embodiment, a seat comprising durable materials should be used. Adjusting the height of the seat relative to the shower floor would include a belt provided on the seat. The height of the seat can be adjusted by tightening the belt to increase the distance from the floor; to decrease the distance from the floor, the belt can be loosened for the needed slack to lower the seat towards the floor. This height adjustable mechanism is suitable for an embodiment of this invention, but according to the invention, any height adjustable mechanism configured for the embodiment may be used.
Another ramification relates to the integral parts relative to the frame 10 as seen in
While the above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of any embodiment, but as exemplifications of various embodiments. Thus the scope should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, and not by the examples given.
Claims
1. A baby shower seat comprising of:
2. A frame of sufficient size to accommodate a connected seat large enough to fit a baby of infant to toddler years, the seat containing a pair of openings for receiving a baby's legs when arranged therein, the combination of the frame and seat being small enough to fit within a shower, the frame is also sufficient in size to include a plurality of connected legs, adjusted to rest on a shower floor, the plurality of vertically spaced legs extending downward, having at least one slip-resistant element on the base of each of the lower legs,
3. The frame of claim 2 further including a connected tray or shallow dish or combination thereof,
4. The seat of claim 2 wherein the seat comprises a plurality of connecting means to the frame; seat can be integral, removable, can rotate, etc., relative to the frame,
5. Height-adjusting means for vertically adjusting the seat relative to the shower floor, whereby the seat may be vertically adjusted to a position where the baby's feet extend to the shower floor, whereby, a baby shower seat to be arranged on a shower floor for a baby to sit up or stand up in, is provided.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 23, 2010
Publication Date: May 12, 2011
Inventors: Christine Alcala (Chandler, AZ), Mathew Brandon Alcala (Chandler, AZ)
Application Number: 12/799,379