Method and Kit for Bath and Shower Accessibility of Handicapped Individuals
This invention relates to a kit and method for for allowing a handicapped user to use a standard bathtub and/or shower by providing a ramp and bathtub or shower insert which is uniquely designed to fit within any standard bathtub or shower without the need for costly demolition and replacement. Such a system requires little to no installation and may be made portable and lightweight for storage and/or travel. The invention works with any type of bathing enclosures, bathtub, or shower.
The present application relates to, and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/110,030 filed on Jan. 30, 2015, which is entitled “A Ramp Wedge, with an inside platform that helps role people in wheel chairs in the shower/tub”. The content of this provisional application is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates broadly to the art of bathroom facilities, and more specifically to bathroom facilities such as tubs and showers which can be used by handicapped persons in wheelchairs, walkers, and other mobility devices without the need to permanently change or make costly repairs to the bathroom.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIn recent years, emphasis has been placed on making bathroom facilities accessible to handicapped persons, including persons in wheelchairs. However, most homes, hotel rooms, apartments, and the like are constructed for non-handicapped people, for both cost-cutting and aesthetic reasons, unless such buildings are specifically constructed with handicapped persons in mind. Normally, even when homes are constructed with handicapped persons in mind, tubs and showers are merely provided with grab bars, which is inadequate for many situations. Many individuals have difficulty stepping into the bathtub, lowering themselves for a bath, and then getting out of the tub following the bathing procedure. Often these individuals must resort to having bed baths, sponge baths, or entirely change their current bathroom to accommodate a roll in shower.
Furthermore, it often occurs that a person unexpectedly becomes seriously handicapped while living in a house or apartment which was not constructed, or inadequately constructed to accommodate seriously handicapped persons. This happens, for example, when a person sustains a debilitating injury, becomes old, is struck with illness, or the like. When this occurs, it is often quite difficult and expensive to radically modify a home to include bathroom facilities for accommodating the newly handicapped person. Indeed, new installations that require the demolition and removal of existing showers or bathtubs are expensive, labor intensive and environmentally unfriendly. Additionally, the replacement, ‘handicap accessible’ types of bathtubs or showers (such as roll in showers or the like) are often very expensive and complex to operate.
Thus, it is an object and advantage of this invention to provide a handicap-accessible bathroom including shower and or tub which requires little to no installation of parts or demolition of existing structures. Advantageously, the present invention allows a handicapped person to continue to use their existing bathroom facilities without resorting to expensive and time-consuming repairs.
Often, it is desirable to construct a handicap-accessible bath tub or shower in a building on a temporary basis and remove it later. Such a need arises when a person is either terminally ill or temporarily ill, both of which happen fairly often. Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide a kit which can be used in conjunction with a standard bath tub and/or shower when a person becomes handicapped which can also be relatively easily and inexpensively removed when it is no longer necessary to have this kind of set up. The present invention allows the system to be removed and set up several times a day with minimal effort.
Furthermore, there are no devices on the market that are relatively lightweight and easily foldable or storable, such that after each use, the handicapped user may independently store the device away to allow free access to the bathtub or shower by other non-handicapped individuals.
It is also an object of this invention to provide such a handicap-accessible bathtub and/or shower which is durable and convenient for a handicapped person in a wheelchair to use, but yet which is relatively inexpensive and easy to install or requires no installation whatsoever.
The present invention overcomes all the aforementioned problems by providing a simple kit including a ramp and an insert for any shower or bathtub that can be purchased and set up for use in conjunction with any existing bathroom arrangement.
SUMMARYIn one general aspect there is provided a method of entering a bathtub or shower by users of a wheeled mobility device, the bathtub or shower having a inner floor and one or more side walls with a height which is greater than the inner floor, including providing a ramp having a top surface, a first end and a second end, the second end being higher than the fist end to produce an incline between the first end and the second end, placing the ramp against the side wall of the bathtub or shower, providing a platform having a top surface and an underside surface with two or more feet attached thereto, with the dimensions of the platform being such that platform does not extend beyond the height of the sidewalls of the bathtub or shower, inserting the platform into the bathtub or shower such that the feet are in contact with the floor of the bathtub or shower, and moving the wheeled mobility device up the incline of the ramp and onto the top surface of the platform.
Embodiments of the method may include one of the following features. For example, the method may further include a step of exiting the bathtub or shower by moving the wheeled mobility device off of the top surface of the platform and down the incline of the ramp top surface. The platform may be formed of two or more rectangular pieces of material laid adjacent to one another and secured to a support frame. The platform may be configured to hold a weight of up from about 200 to about 1,000 lbs. The platform may be constructed of a marine grade plastic material, wood, foam or metal.
The platform may include a first, second, third and fourth side which are configured to substantially touch a first, second, third and fourth inside wall of the bathtub or shower, respectively. The two or more feet may have a height of between 10-36 inches. The two or more feet may have a height of between 2-10 inches. The top surface of the platform may include one or more non-slip portions.
In another general aspect there is provided a kit for entering a bathtub or shower by users of a wheeled mobility device, the bathtub or shower having a inner floor and one or more side walls with a height which is greater than the inner floor, including a ramp having a top surface, a first end and a second end, the second end being higher than the fist end to produce an incline between the first end and the second end, a platform having a top surface and an underside surface with two or more feet attached thereto, with the dimensions of the platform being such that platform does not extend beyond the height of the sidewalls of the bathtub or shower.
Embodiments of the kit may include one or more of the following features. The platform may contain one or more holes through which water is able to drain through. The platform may be formed of two or more rectangular pieces of material laid adjacent to one another and secured to a support frame. The platform may be formed of a solid piece of material with one or more holes through which water is able to drain through. The platform may be configured to hold a weight of up from about 200 to about 1,000 lbs.
The platform may be constructed of a marine grade plastic material, wood, foam or metal. The platform may include a first, second, third and fourth side which is configured to substantially touch a first, second, third and fourth inside wall of the bathtub or shower, respectively. The two or more feet may have a height of between 10-36 inches. The two or more feet may have a height of between 2-10 inches. The top surface of the platform may include one or more non-slip portions. The second end of the ramp preferably does not extend beyond the height of the sidewalls of the bathtub or shower.
Reference characters included in the above drawings indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, as discussed herein. The description herein illustrates one preferred embodiment of the invention, in one form, and the description herein is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. It should be understood that the above listed figures are not necessarily to scale and that the embodiments are sometimes illustrated by fragmentary views, graphic symbols, diagrammatic or schematic representations, and phantom lines. Details that are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention by one skilled in the technology of the invention, or render other details difficult to perceive, may have been omitted.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONThe invention provides a method and kit for allowing a handicapped user to use a standard bathtub and/or shower by providing a ramp and bathtub or shower insert which is uniquely designed to fit within any standard bathtub or shower. Such a system requires little to no installation and may be made portable and lightweight for storage and/or travel. The present invention works with any type of bathing enclosures, bathtub, or shower.
The preferred embodiment of the ramp and insert kit and system 10 is shown in
The drain holes are formed in
In another embodiment, the insert may be constructed of a solid piece of material which is not composed of slats. The top surface 21 of the insert may be a completely flat surface, or in the case of a solid insert with no slats, the top surface may take on a slightly convex or concave shape in order to encourage drainage or collection of water in particular areas. For example, the insert may be convex in cross sectional shape with drain holes located on the outside perimeter of the insert. This shape may also encourage stability of the wheelchair. In another example, the insert may be slightly concave in cross sectional shape with one or more drain holes placed in the center of the insert to encourage drainage in the center of the insert and keep water away from the perimeter.
In one embodiment, the top surface of the insert may include indentation or grooves designed to accommodate or lock in place the wheels of a wheel chair in order to secure the wheelchair and keep it from slipping off the surface while in the bathing or showering position. Other details could be added to the surface of the insert to encourage precise positioning of the wheelchair and discourage movement of the wheelchair during the bathing or showering process. It is envisioned that for the safety of the user, the wheelchair or other mobility device should be left in a locked position while bathing.
The bathtub 40 includes a top surface having a top ledge 35 around the perimeter of the tub. The design of bathtub 40 is merely provided in
In a most preferred embodiment, the top surface 21 of the insert 20 is positioned at a height such that it is flush with the top surface of top ledge 35 of the bathtub. The inner floor 41 of the bathtub is in connection with feet 31 and 32 of the insert 20. The inner floor may take on a substantially rectangular or substantially oval shape, depending on the design of the bathtub.
The height of the feet 31 and 32 of the insert should be substantially the same and is designed such that they can hold up the top surface 21 of the insert to be approximately flush with the top surface of the top ledge 35. This will ensure easy entry from the ramp to the insert using a wheelchair, walker or other type of device to aid in the movement of a handicapped person. For example the feet 31 and 32 are shown in
A partial view of the ledge 61 of the shower stall 60 is shown in
To construct the insert, two or more slats of a suitable dimension are created, being of a substantially rectangular shape. Two or more feet are then sized according to the dimensions of the inner floor space of the bathtub 41 or the inner floor space of the shower designated as 53. In inner floor space of the bathtub and shower is shown in
Both the ramp 11 and the insert 20 may be made of any water proof material with the strength required to support users of the ramp and insert system 10. Preferably, the ramp and insert are formed from a high-density, marine grade of polyethylene, and is approximately between 0.25 and 4 inches in thickness. When made of the preferred polyethylene material, the ramp and insert are durable, highly impact resistant, mildew resistant and machine-able. When made from the preferred polyethylene, the ramp and insert can be heated in an oven to render the material flexible, and then bent along the break-line, to form the angles in the material as needed according to the figures shown.
Other conventional materials could be employed for use in fabricating the ramp and insert, and the two components do not need to be constructed of the same material. For example, the ramp could be constructed of marine grade plywood, and the insert could be constructed of a marine grade plastic. Other materials which could make up the ramp and insert components include wood including marine grade plywood, metals and metal composites such as stainless steel, high-strength aluminum, high strength foam materials, or other forms of hard durable plastic. Considerations in choosing the right material include the weight of the material, its durability and load bearing strength, as well as waterproofing characteristics including an anti-rust and an anti-corroding material.
Preferably, the material may be lacquered, painted, or otherwise be made to have additional coatings placed thereon to extend the life, moisture retention, durability and aesthetic appearance of the material.
In particular, the insert 20 should be constructed of a material which is able to support a large load as the insert must be capable of supporting an individual and his wheelchair and perhaps even one or more additional individuals to aid in the bathing or showering process. Preferably, the material can withstand a load of between 300 and 1,000 lbs, preferably between 350 and 700 lbs and most preferably between 400 and 600 lbs.
The underside of the ramp 11 is shown in
The kit and system 10 of the present invention is depicted in
The ramp 11 and insert 20 may be packaged in a single package or several separate packages and may be partially assembled or completely assembled for the convenience of the customer. Alternatively, the ramp 11 and insert 20 may be provided in one or more packages in a completely disassembled state in order to efficiently pack and ship the kit. The ramp and insert kit may also be delivered and/or assembled by a representative to ensure an exact fit with the existing tub or shower of the user.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, an insert 80 is provided in
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, an insert 90 is provided in
While several particular forms of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent that various modifications and combinations of the invention detailed in the text and drawings can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, references to materials of construction, methods of construction, specific dimensions, shapes, utilities or applications are also not intended to be limiting in any manner and other materials and dimensions could be substituted and remain within the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A method of entering a bathtub or shower by users of a wheeled mobility device, the bathtub or shower having a inner floor and one or more side walls with a height which is greater than the inner floor, comprising:
- a) providing a ramp having a top surface, a first end and a second end, the second end being higher than the fist end to produce an incline between the first end and the second end,
- b) placing the ramp against the side wall of the bathtub or shower,
- c) providing a platform having a top surface and an underside surface with two or more feet attached thereto, with the dimensions of the platform being such that platform does not extend beyond the height of the sidewalls of the bathtub or shower,
- d) inserting the platform into the bathtub or shower such that the feet are in contact with the floor of the bathtub or shower,
- e) moving the wheeled mobility device up the incline of the ramp and onto the top surface of the platform.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of exiting the bathtub or shower by moving the wheeled mobility device off of the top surface of the platform and down the incline of the ramp top surface.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the platform is formed of two or more rectangular pieces of material laid adjacent to one another and secured to a support frame.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the platform is configured to hold a weight of up from about 200 to about 1,000 lbs.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the platform is constructed of a marine grade plastic material, wood, foam or metal.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the platform comprises a first, second, third and fourth sides which are configured to substantially touch a first, second, third and fourth inside wall of the bathtub or shower, respectively.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the two or more feet have a height of between 10-36 inches.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the two or more feet have a height of between 2-10 inches.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the top surface of the platform includes one or more non-slip portions.
10. A kit for entering a bathtub or shower by users of a wheeled mobility device, the bathtub or shower having a inner floor and one or more side walls with a height which is greater than the inner floor, comprising:
- a) a ramp having a top surface, a first end and a second end, the second end being higher than the fist end to produce an incline between the first end and the second end,
- b) a platform having a top surface and an underside surface with two or more feet attached thereto, with the dimensions of the platform being such that platform does not extend beyond the height of the sidewalls of the bathtub or shower.
11. The kit of claim 10, wherein the platform contains one or more holes through which water is able to drain through.
12. The kit of claim 10, wherein the platform is formed of two or more rectangular pieces of material laid adjacent to one another and secured to a support frame.
13. The kit of claim 10, wherein the platform is formed of a solid piece of material with one or more holes through which water is able to drain through.
14. The kit of claim 10, wherein the platform is configured to hold a weight of up from about 200 to about 1,000 lbs.
15. The kit of claim 10, wherein the platform is constructed of a marine grade plastic material, wood, foam or metal.
16. The kit of claim 10, wherein the platform comprises a first, second, third and fourth sides which are configured to substantially touch a first, second, third and fourth inside wall of the bathtub or shower, respectively.
17. The kit of claim 10, wherein the two or more feet have a height of between 10-36 inches.
18. The kit of claim 10, wherein the two or more feet have a height of between 2-10 inches.
19. The kit of claim 10, wherein the top surface of the platform includes one or more non-slip portions.
20. The kit of claim 10, wherein the second end of the ramp does not extend beyond the height of the sidewalls of the bathtub or shower.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 29, 2016
Publication Date: Aug 4, 2016
Inventor: Tyree Sharte'k Blake (Tucker, GA)
Application Number: 15/011,269