SHAMPOO BOWL AND CAPE

Abstract

A shampoo bowl is provided for shampooing a person's hair. The shampoo bowl includes a lower basin. The bottom of the lower basin has a drain toward the rear of the lower basin, a face opening toward the front of the lower basin, and a face cradle gasket surrounding the face-opening. The lower basin is deeper at the rear than at the front of the lower basin, and the front of the lower basin is lower than the rear of the lower basin. A shampooing cape is attachable to the front of the shampoo bowl.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to sinks, and in particular relates to shampoo bowls and to shampoo capes.

2. Description of the Related Art

Many different types of shampoo bowls have been devised for shampooing a person's hair. Typically such bowls have a front wall with a U-shaped, neck-receiving depression so that the neck of the seated person whose hair is being shampooed can recline or lean backward with the person's neck in the depression and the back of the person's head over the bowl in an unsupported position.

This typical arrangement for shampooing a person's hair is difficult for persons who are bedridden or in a wheelchair. To assist in shampooing the hair of bedridden persons, various portable shampoo sinks have been designed. For example, the portable shampoo sink of Thies (US Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0086734) provides a portable wheeled cabinet containing a sink that dispenses hot and cold water from stored water supplies. The portable shampoo basin of Rupp (U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,206) is inserted under the upper back of the patient and has a head rest located in the drain area. The shampoo bowl of Spencer (U.S. Pat. No. 5,896,595), while still requiring the person to lean backward over the bowl, has dual support members so that the person's head and upper torso can be supported.

For people confined to a wheelchair, there are a number of patents that provide complicated and expensive apparatuses that handle the wheelchair to tip the person backward, including the patents of Willey et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,411) and McElhinney (U.S. Pat. No. 7,549,703) that provide means for reclining a wheelchair occupant so that the head of the occupant can be tipped backward over a shampoo bowl.

There is a need, however, for an apparatus that allows shampooing of the head of a handicapped person without requiring the person's wheelchair to be tipped backward and without requiring the person to move to another chair so they can lean backward.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a shampoo bowl that enables a person's hair to be shampooed while the person leans face-down over the shampoo bowl.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a shampoo bowl that may be used to shampoo the hair of a person seated in a wheelchair.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a shampoo bowl that is comfortable to use by the person doing the shampooing and person being shampooed.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a cape for use with the shampoo bowl of the invention.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a shampoo bowl that can be supported by the chiropractic community and that can improve the ability of public and commercial facilities to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Other objects and advantages will be more fully apparent from the following disclosure and appended claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention herein is a bowl for shampooing a person's hair. The shampoo bowl includes a lower basin. The bottom of the lower basin has a drain toward the rear of the lower basin, a face opening toward the front of the lower basin, and a face cradle gasket surrounding the face-opening. The lower basin is deeper at the rear than at the front of the lower basin, and the front of the lower basin is lower than the rear of the lower basin. A cape is provided for use with the shampoo bowl herein.

Other objects and features of the inventions will be more fully apparent from the following disclosure and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an upper perspective view of the shampoo bowl of the invention herein.

FIG. 2 is an upper plan view of the shampoo bowl of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the shampoo bowl of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the shampoo bowl of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the shampoo bowl of FIG. 1, but with a central faucet, mounted in a cabinet.

FIG. 6 is an upper plant view of the shampoo bowl of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken from FIG. 2.

FIG. 7A is a partial cross-sectional view of the front of the shampoo bowl and shampooing cape in use.

FIG. 8 is an expanded cut-away perspective view of the face-opening in the bottom of the lower basin and the face cradle gasket.

FIG. 9 is a cut-away cross-sectional view of the face-opening and face cradle gasket of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of a shampooing cape of the invention herein.

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a person bent face down over a shampoo bowl of the invention.

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of a person as in FIG. 11, showing the location of the person's face on the face cradle gasket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS THEREOF

The present invention comprises a shampoo bowl for shampooing a person's hair and preferably a shampooing cape attachable to the shampoo bowl. The invention is particularly useful for persons who are handicapped or who have other special needs or ailments and are in a wheelchair. The shampoo bowl of the invention may be used, for example, in beauty salons, hospitals, hospice care, elder care facilities, and private homes. The face-down position of the person being shampooed with the shampoo bowl of the invention herein makes it easier for the hairdresser to shampoo the person's head as well as to massage the person's head. With the invention herein, there is significantly less strain on the operator's back, neck, and shoulders, as for the patron as well.

In summary, the shampoo bowl of the invention herein has a lower basin with a front, a rear, two sides and a bottom. An integral upper rim preferably surrounds the entire lower basin at the top of the rear and two sides. Faucet means are placed on the upper rim. The bottom of the lower basin has a drain toward the rear of the lower basin, a face-opening toward the front of the lower basin, and a face cradle gasket surrounding the face-opening. Preferably the lower basin is deeper at the rear than at the front and preferably the top of the front of the lower basin is lower than the top of the rear of the lower basin.

Referring now to the figures, shampoo bowl 10 may generally be in any external shape as known in the art for shampoo sinks and bowls so long as the shape is compatible with the specific features of the invention as specified herein. Preferably shampoo bowl 10 is generally rectangular in shape with rounded corners as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. A size that has been found to be suitable is 24 inches from front to rear, 18 inches wide and 8 inches deep at the deepest location. While the preferred shape of shampoo bowl 10 is slightly indented at the back (e.g., FIGS. 1-2), the shape may vary, for example, the straight back shown in FIG. 6. Alternate shapes for shampoo bowl 10, for example, oval, round, irregular or other designed shape may be substituted if desired. Shampoo bowl 10 may be made of any material suitable for use as a sink, for example, marble cast or plastic or fiberglass.

In the embodiment shown herein, generally rectangular shampoo bowl 10 has a lower basin 12, which has a bottom 14, and four seamlessly joined walls, which are herein called a rear 16, a front 18, and two sides 20, respectively. If shampoo bowl 10 is not rectangular, the wall structure will of course differ from that shown herein.

The lower basin 12 is deeper at the rear than at the front of the lower basin 12, with a drain 40 located toward the rear of the lower basin 12 in the deepest area of the lower basin 12 as shown. The height of the sides 20 is greater where the sides 20 join the rear 16 of the lower basin 12 than is the height of the sides 20 where the sides 20 join the front 18 of the lower basin (shown in FIG. 4). The result is that when water is placed in shampoo bowl 10, the water is deeper at the rear of shampoo bowl 10 than at the front of shampoo bowl 10 so that when drain 40 is open, the water easily drains out of the drain 40 as known in the art.

The rear 16 and sides 20 of the lower basin 12 are topped by an integral upper rim 22 extending around the top of the sides 20 and rear 16 of the generally rectangular bowl 10 as known in the art. Preferably the upper rim 22 is not present at the front of the bowl as shown in FIGS. 1-2 or is reduced in size for ease of placement of the neck of the person being shampooed. As viewed from the front 18 of the lower basin 12 (FIGS. 1-3), the front 18 has a lowered area 23 so that a person leaning over the lower basin 12 can comfortably place the person's neck in the lowered area and the person's face over a face-opening as discussed below.

A particularly important feature of the invention herein is that the bottom 14 of the lower basin 12 has a face-opening 24 surrounded by an elevated edge 26 (FIGS. 1-9). Face cradle gasket 28 as shown in FIGS. 1-3 and 5-6 is positioned over elevated edge 26 by placement of groove 30 in the lower edge of face cradle gasket 28 over elevated edge 26 (FIGS. 8-9). This placement may be made permanent by adhesively fixing face cradle gasket 28 to elevated edge 26, or more preferably, face cradle gasket 28 is removably affixed over elevated edge 26. In either case, it is important that the joinder of face cradle gasket 28 to elevated edge 26 be waterproof. Face cradle gasket 28 may be sanitized between uses while it is in place in the shampoo bowl 10, or it may be removed for sanitization.

Face cradle gasket 28 is preferably made of flexible rubber or rubbery plastic and is preferably made to fit faces in the same manner as diving masks as known in the art. When used, the face of the person being shampooed is placed in the central opening 32 of the face cradle gasket 28 over the face-opening 24 of the lower basin 12 as the person bends forward over the shampoo bowl 10. Face cradle gasket 28 is preferably about 1½ to 2 inches high at the front of face-opening 24 and about 8-9 inches or more at the back of face-opening 24 so that when a person's face is positioned in the central opening 32, the face cradle gasket 28 is above the height of the upper rim 22 at the back of the face cradle gasket 28 and equal in height to the upper rim 22 at the front of the face cradle gasket 28 as shown in FIG. 9.

Face cradle gaskets 28 may be manufactured in different sizes with different sizes of central opening 32. Thus, in a smaller size, the central opening 32 fits closely around the nose and mouth area of smaller faces for use with children, youth and smaller adults, and in larger size(s) the central opening 32 fits closely around the nose and mouth area of larger faces for use with adults. Preferably the face-opening 24 and surrounding face cradle gasket 26 are located closer to the front 18 than the rear 16 as shown so that a user can comfortably lean forward face-down over the front 18 with the person's face in central opening 32.

Faucet means, including for example, a standard faucet/sprayer 34 and single use handle 36 as known in the art are placed on the upper integral rim 22 (FIG. 1). Preferably the faucet means is located at the right rear of the bowl 10 for ease of use by right-handed operators; however, other locations of the faucet means as desired may be used without departing from the invention herein. Plumbing (not shown) beneath the sink to connect to the drain 40 is as known in the art.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention herein, there is a front lip 42 on the shampoo bowl on which attachment means 44 is positioned for attachment of a specially designed shampooing cape 46 (FIGS. 1-7, 7A) having mating attachment means 48 (see below and FIGS. 10-11). Attachment means 44 may be molded into the shampoo bowl 10 during manufacture or otherwise installed thereon as known in the art. Attachment means 44 on the shampoo bowl 10 and mating attachment means 48 on the shampooing cape 46 are preferably paired magnet-metal devices, or may be hook and loop fasteners, such as VELCRO™, or other types of components that are easily fastenable and unfastenable as is known in the art.

Shampooing cape 46 is similar to such capes as known in the art, and made of materials known in the art such as pliable, water-repellant, breathable light nylon, plastic, or plastic-coated fabric and the like. As shown in FIGS. 10-11, shampooing cape 46 has a front portion 50 and two back portions 52 that may be fastened together around a neck opening 54 by any fastening means 58 known in the art, for example, one or more paired magnet-metal fasteners or one or more paired hook and loop fasteners, such as VELCRO™ that may be sewn into or otherwise attached to the cape 46 at the top back neck opening as shown. In the invention herein, front portion 50 preferably has a front edge 56 that is shaped to fit to the front 18 of the lower basin 12. In the embodiment of the lower basin 12 shown herein, the front edge 56 is straight with mating attachment means 48 along front edge 56. Preferably mating attachment means 48 comprises magnets or other attachment means as known in the art which in use fastens to shampoo bowl 10 at attachment means 44 which comprises metal or appropriate mating means that is embedded or otherwise affixed to shampoo bowl 10. During shampooing, shampooing cape 46 in the preferred embodiment herein covers the person and an additional cape is not required.

Shampoo bowl 10 is preferably positioned on a cabinet or stand 38 as known for sinks in the art, except that it is important that stand 38 have sufficient room beneath it so that a person sitting in a wheelchair can be pulled close to the shampooing bowl 10 and the person's face can be easily positioned over the central opening 32 as shown in FIGS. 8-9. It is also important that the shampoo bowl 10 be positioned at a height that is suitable for use as desired, for example at a height so that the shampoo bowl 10 can be easily and comfortably be used by a person in a wheelchair.

If shampoo bowl 10 is used by someone other than a person seated in a wheelchair, preferably an ergonomic chair or adjustable office chair is used for maximizing comfort of both the person being shampooed and the person doing the shampooing.

While not part of the invention herein, it is also envisioned that additional armrests can be provided on the stand 38 or attached to the shampoo bowl 10 if desired.

While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, it will be appreciated that numerous variations, modifications, and embodiments are possible, and accordingly, all such variations, modifications, and embodiments are to be regarded as being within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1) A bowl for shampooing a person's hair, the bowl comprising: a lower basin having a front, a rear, two sides, a bottom, an integral upper rim surrounding the lower basin at the top of the rear and sides, and faucet means on the upper rim; wherein the bottom of the lower basin has a drain toward the rear of the lower basin, a face opening toward the front of the lower basin, and a face cradle gasket surrounding and above the face-opening, wherein the lower basin is deeper at the rear than at the front of the lower basin, and wherein the top of the front of the lower basin has a lowered area that is lower than the top of the rear of the lower basin so that the person can comfortably lean forward over the front and face cradle gasket.

2) The bowl for shampooing a person's hair of claim 1, further comprising attachment means at the lowered area for attachment of a shampooing cape having mating attachment means.

3) The bowl for shampooing a person's hair of claim 2, wherein the attachment means and mating attachment means are selected from the group consisting of magnet-metal fasteners and hook and loop fasteners.

4) The bowl for shampooing a person's hair of claim 1, further comprising an elevated edge around the face-opening and wherein the face cradle gasket has a lower groove that fits over the elevated edge.

5) An apparatus for shampooing a person's hair, comprising the bowl of claim 1 having attachment means at the lowered area, and a cape having mating attachment means for attaching the cape to the attachment means of the bowl.

6) The apparatus for shampooing a person's hair of claim 5, wherein the attachment means and mating attachment means are selected from the group consisting of magnet-metal fasteners and hook-loop fasteners.