BATHING SEAT

Abstract

A bathing seat for a child has a base provided with at least one sucker pad so that it can be adhered to the internal bottom surface of a bath, basin or sink. A collapsible superstructure is mounted on the base. The superstructure has a seat back coupled to the base, a divider coupled to the base at a position opposed to the seat back and a ring structure coupling the seat back and divider. A child to be bathed may be placed within the ring structure with its back against the seat back and its legs straddling the divider. At least the seat back is hollow and inflatable via a valve, and also deflatable via the valve allowing the superstructure to collapse on to the base.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is the National Stage of International Application No. PCT/GB2012/000650, filed Aug. 9, 2012, which claims the benefit of and priority to GB 1113783.3, filed Aug. 10, 2011, the contents of all of which are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure relates to seats, and more particularly to a seat for a child adapted to be mounted on the bottom surface of a bath, sink or basin to allow the child to be bathed.

BACKGROUND

Several different forms of bathing seat have previously been proposed. They are typically intended to be mounted in a bath, sink or basin to support a young child to allow an adult more easily to bathe them. They provide comfort and support for a young child especially when it is necessary to bathe them in an adult sized bath.

Previously proposed bathing seats have tended to suffer from the disadvantages that they are heavy, bulky and unwieldy. This is understandable, since the bath seat must adequately hold a child in place and must remain firmly in place on the bottom surface of the bath, sink or basin in use, but it makes such bath seats difficult to handle and to store, as they need to be removed so that older children and adults may use the same bath unencumbered by the bath seat, and are unsuitable to be taken with the child on holiday or when visiting its grandparents. The present disclosure seeks to address these problems.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a seat for a child is adapted to be mounted on the internal bottom surface of a bath, basin or sink, the seat comprising: a base provided with at least one sucker pad for adhering the base to the said bottom surface, and a collapsible superstructure mounted on the base; the superstructure defining a seat back coupled to the base, a divider coupled to the base at a position opposed to the seat back and a ring structure coupling the seat back and divider, whereby a child to be bathed may be placed within the ring structure with its back against the seat back and its legs straddling the divider; and at least the seat back being hollow and inflatable via a valve therein, and deflatable via said valve to allow the superstructure to collapse on to the base.

Preferred embodiments have one or more of the following features: The ring structure, and optionally the divider are hollow, the interior space thereof communicating with the interior space of the seat back so as to be inflatable and deflatable therewith. The seat back has a front wall against which a child's back rests in use, and a rear wall around the rear of the superstructure, and at least one seam, and preferably a plurality of seams, connecting the front wall to the rear wall and dividing the interior space within the seat back into individual connected chambers, the seams providing a degree of rigidity to the seat back when inflated. The base is hollow, its interior being connected to its exterior via a plurality of apertures allowing ingress of water into the interior when water is added to a bath, basin or sink to the internal bottom surface of which the base is adhered by its at least one sucker pad, and egress of water when the bath, basin or sink is emptied. The base is formed from a lower portion mounting the at least one sucker pad and an upper portion to which the superstructure is mounted, the upper portion being rotatably coupled to the lower portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference may now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings which show a preferred embodiment of seat, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the seat;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the seat of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the seat of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the seat of FIGS. 1-3;

FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the seat of FIGS. 1-4;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the seat of FIGS. 1-5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the seat of FIGS. 1-6 from below;

FIG. 8 is an underneath plan view of the seat of FIGS. 1-7;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the superstructure of the seat of FIGS. 1-8 taken along the line A-A in FIG. 4;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line B-B in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged scrap view of the region shown circled in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the lower portion of the base of the seat of FIGS. 1-11;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view through the base lower portion of FIG. 12 taken along the line C-C;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of the region shown circled in FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is a top plan view of the upper portion of the base of the seat of FIGS. 1-14 with the superstructure omitted for clarity;

FIG. 16 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line F-F in FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is an underneath plan view of the base upper portion of FIGS. 15 and 16;

FIG. 18 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line G-G in FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a view similar to FIG. 17 showing tabs attached to the superstructure anchored to bosses on the underside of the base upper portion;

FIG. 20 is a sectional view taken along the line H-H in FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is an enlarged view of the region shown ringed in FIG. 20;

FIG. 22 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line J-J in FIG. 20;

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a carry case; and

FIG. 24 is a sectional view of the carry case of FIG. 23 showing the seat of FIGS. 1-22 with its superstructure collapsed mounted therewithin.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The embodiment of seat 1 shown in FIGS. 1-5 is adapted to be mounted on the internal bottom surface of a bath, basin or sink to seat a child while bathing. Seat 1 has a base 2 provided with at least one sucker pad (here: four sucker pads 3) for fixing the base to the internal bottom surface of the bath, basin or sink. Each sucker pad 3 is provided with a manually graspable tab 4 to allow a user to pull the pad 3 away from the bottom surface to break the suction. A collapsible superstructure 5 is mounted on the base 2 in a manner explained in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 6, 15 and 17-21. The superstructure 5 defines a seat back 6, a divider 7 and a ring structure 8 coupling the seat back 6 and divider 7. A seat pad 9, formed of a non-slip plastics material such as silicone rubber, is mounted to the base 2 in a manner explained in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 10, 15, 17, 19 and 22. A child to be bathed may be placed within the ring structure 8 with its back against the seat back 6 and its legs straddling the divider 7. At least the seat back 6 of the superstructure, but in this embodiment also the divider 7 and the ring structure 8, is (are) hollow and formed from a soft inflatable plastics. A valve 10 is provided in the centre of seat back 6 on its external rear side, enabling the interior space within the superstructure 5 to be inflated. Opening the valve 10 results in deflation, allowing the superstructure 5 to collapse on to the base 2. The seat back 6 is defined by a front wall 11 and a rear wall 12. Forming the seat back 6 with a number of spaced vertically aligned welded seams 13, as shown, joining its front wall 11 to its rear wall 12 creates a plurality of connected chambers 14, as best shown in the sectional view of FIG. 9. These seams, together with a horizontal seam 15, which serves to define a rear portion 16 of ring structure 8 around the top of seat back 6, prevent the superstructure from ballooning upon inflation, and confer additional rigidity upon the inflated structure.

Base 2 has the general form of a hollow circular disc shaped casing, and is formed from two principal components, namely a lower casing portion 17 mounting the sucker pads 3 and an upper casing portion 18 to which the superstructure is mounted, as explained below. The upper casing portion 18 and lower casing portion 17 are formed from a relatively rigid plastics material and coupled together in a manner allowing rotation about their common axis of upper casing portion 18 relative to lower casing portion 17.

Lower casing portion 17 has a plurality of through openings arranged in an outer ring 19, an intermediate ring 20 and an second inner ring 21. Upper casing portion 18 has a plurality of apertures arranged in a ring 22 close to its periphery. Openings 19, 20 and 21 allow water to enter the hollow interior of base 2 as the bath, basin or sink is filled, displacing air which exhausts through apertures 22. Similarly, as the bath, basin or sink is emptied, water may readily drain out through openings 19, 20 and 21. As the bath, basin or sink will normally only be filled to about the level of the top surface of the base 2, the openings and apertures ensure that there is no tendency for the seat 1 to float, in contrast to previous bath seats. For this reason, prior bath seats have needed to be rather solidly made or to incorporate a weight and to have strong sucker pads, so that in use they can remain in place on the interior base surface of the bath, basin or sink. An annular weight 23 is illustrated in FIGS. 6, 10 and 24 surrounding a central spindle 24 formed from a first hollow boss 25 on upper casing portion 18 loosely received within a second hollow boss 26 on lower casing portion 17. Weight 23 may be held in place, as shown in the exploded view of FIG. 6, by screws 27 received via through holes 28 in weight 23 in upstanding threaded bosses 29 on the interior of lower casing portion 17. However, in contrast to previous seats, this weight is not a necessary component, and is omitted in the most preferred embodiment, thereby reducing product weight, and thus reducing transportation and mail distribution costs for sale of the seat.

As best shown in FIGS. 6 and 12, lower casing portion 17 is formed on its interior surface with annular strengthening ribs 30 and radially extending strengthening ribs 31. Lower and upper casing portions 17, 18 are coupled together by inter-engaging elements 32 and 33, as best shown in the detail view of FIG. 11. Elements 32 depend from the interior surface of upper casing portion 18, while elements 33 upstand from the interior surface of lower casing portion 17. As best shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, elements 32 are arranged in a ring, with alternate elements 32 having an integral stud 34 respectively extending towards and away from the common axis of the two casing portions. Elements 33 are provided as spaced pairs of members 35 (FIGS. 12, 13 and 14. Arrow head profiles 36 on the distal ends of elements 35 define narrowing throats 37 into which respective elements 32 are received. To couple the two casing portions together, the respective elements 32 are pushed into throats 37 forcing the members 35 apart sufficiently to allow passage of studs 34 past the arrow head profiles, subsequent withdrawal being prevented by the rear of the arrow head profiles, as best shown in FIG. 11.

Superstructure 5 is formed with a plurality of apertured tabs 38, each of which is inserted through a slot 39 in upper casing portion 18 and anchored by its aperture 40 to a respective boss 41 on the internal surface of upper casing portion 18, the distal end of the boss 41 subsequently being melted to secure the tab in place.

Seat pad 9 is provided with integral bosses 42, which are pushed through apertures 43 (FIGS. 6, 15, 17 and 19) in upper casing portion 18 and secured in place.

FIGS. 23 and 24, show a carry case 44 with handle 45 and which may be opened by a slide fastener 46 to allow the seat with its superstructure collapsed to fit there within, as best shown in FIG. 24. The seat can then be readily transported, for example when the child is taken on holiday or to visit grandparents.

Claims

1. A bathing seat for a child adapted to be mounted on the internal bottom surface of a bath, basin or sink, the seat comprising: a base provided with at least one sucker pad for adhering the base to the said bottom surface, and a collapsible superstructure mounted on the base; the superstructure defining a seat back coupled to the base, a divider coupled to the base at a position opposed to the seat back and a ring structure coupling the seat back and divider, whereby a child to be bathed may be placed within the ring structure with its back against the seat back and its legs straddling the divider; and at least the seat back being hollow and inflatable via a valve therein, and deflatable via said valve to allow the superstructure to collapse on to the base.

2. A bathing seat for a child according to claim 1, wherein said ring structure is hollow, interior space defined within the hollow ring structure communicating with interior space defined within the seat back so as to be inflatable and deflatable therewith.

3. A bathing seat for a child according to claim 2, wherein said divider is hollow, interior space defined within the divider communicating with the interior space defined within the ring structure, whereby the divider, ring structure and seat back may be inflated and deflated together.

4. A bathing seat for a child according claim 1, wherein the seat back has a front wall against which a child's back rests in use, and a rear wall around the rear of the superstructure, and at least one seam, and preferably a plurality of seams, connecting the front wall to the rear wall and dividing the interior space within the seat back into individual connected chambers, the seams providing a degree of rigidity to the seat back when inflated.

5. A bathing seat for a child according to claim 1, wherein the base is hollow, its interior being connected to its exterior via a plurality of apertures allowing ingress of water into the interior when water is added to a bath, basin or sink to the internal bottom surface of which the base is adhered by its at least one sucker pad, and egress of water when the bath, basin or sink is emptied.

6. A bathing seat for a child according to claim 1, wherein the base is formed from a lower portion mounting the at least one sucker pad and an upper portion to which the superstructure is mounted, the upper portion being rotatably coupled to the lower portion.