COLLAPSIBLE SITZ BATH

Abstract

A bath container includes an outer ledge and a holding section coupled with the outer ledge. The holding section defines a volume for containing a fluid. The holding section is collapsible and is sized to fit within a toilet bowl opening. The outer ledge extends peripherally outward from the holding section and is sized larger than the toilet bowl opening. The bath container provides for a portable sitz bath or the like.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/558,556, filed Sep. 14, 2017, the entire content of which is herein incorporated by reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

(NOT APPLICABLE)

BACKGROUND

The invention relates to a portable sitz bath and, more particularly, to a collapsible bath container adapted for mounting on the top ledge of a toilet bowl.

Sitz baths are typically used in connection with perineal hygiene, particularly for feminine hygiene. Sitz baths are often prescribed by doctors as therapy to provide relief from discomfort in the vaginal and rectal areas following incisions made at the time of child birth or rectal surgery. The baths may also be used to treat pyogenic infections of the vulvar and/or rectal areas in women and the perirectal and/or scrotal areas in men. In addition to providing relief from discomfort, the sitz bath has been found to promote healing through better maintenance of hygiene in the rectal-genital areas.

Sitz baths are typically constructed of preformed rigid materials, resulting in a clumsy, relatively bulky device that is inconvenient for travel or storage.

BRIEF SUMMARY

It would be desirable to provide a portable bath container that overcomes the drawbacks with existing designs.

With reference to the drawings, a collapsible, portable, bath container is adapted for mounting on the top ledge of a toilet bowl for the warm water soaking and or treatment of the user's private areas (including genitals and rectal area). The bath container is shaped to fit within a toilet bowl opening and has a collapsible bathing area for receiving water or other fluids therein. The bath container includes an upper ledge surrounding the bathing area for resting on the top ledge of a toilet bowl. Further, the bath container includes a fluid containing section that can be collapsed when not in use. The bath unit may be constructed of a flexible material such as silicone. Additives to the silicone may include antimicrobials. Allowance will be made within the device to allow for excess fluid to overflow into the toilet. Additionally, the unit may include structure for accommodating treatment solutions introduced from an outside source.

In an exemplary embodiment, a bath container includes an outer ledge and a holding section coupled with the outer ledge. The holding section defines a volume for containing a fluid. The holding section is collapsible and is sized to fit within a toilet bowl opening. The outer ledge extends peripherally outward from the holding section and is sized larger than the toilet bowl opening.

The holding section may include a score line across which the holding section may be collapsible on itself. The container may include a plurality of score lines defining a corresponding plurality of telescoping segments that collapse concentrically into each other.

The holding section may be formed of a flexible material, such as silicone. Additives such as antimicrobials may be included in the silicone.

The holding section may include an overflow opening.

The container may additionally include at least one treatment tube support tab positioned on the outer ledge and/or in the holding section. In some embodiments, two treatment tube support tabs may be positioned on the outer ledge and the holding section, respectively.

The holding section may be configurable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration, where in the collapsed configuration, a depth of the bath container may be at least 75% smaller than in the expanded configuration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects and advantages will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bath container in an expanded configuration;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view with the bath container in a collapsed configuration;

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the bath container in the expanded and collapsed configurations, respectively;

FIG. 5 shows the bath container set on a toilet bowl;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a variation including a treatment tube support tab in an expanded configuration; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the FIG. 6 variation in a collapsed configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to FIGS. 1-4, a bath container 10 includes an outer ledge 12 and a holding section 14 coupled with the outer ledge 12. The holding section 14 in an expanded configuration defines a volume for containing fluid. With reference to FIG. 5, the holding section 14 is sized to fit within a toilet bowl opening, which may be a standard size opening, although the bath container 10 may be adapted for custom sized toilets. The outer ledge 12 extends peripherally outward from the holding section 14 in a size larger than the toilet bowl opening. With this construction, the outer ledge 12 rests on the top ledge of the toilet bowl as shown.

The holding section 14 is collapsible such that the bath container 10 is configurable between the expanded configuration shown in FIG. 1 and the collapsed configuration shown in FIG. 2. In some embodiments, the holding section 14 includes one or more score lines or fold lines 16 across which the holding section 14 is collapsible on itself. The holding section 14 preferably includes a plurality of score lines 16 that define a plurality of telescoping segments 18 that collapse concentrically into each other (see FIG. 2). In this manner, with specific reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, in the collapsed configuration (FIG. 4), a depth of the bath container 10 is at least 75% smaller than in the expanded configuration (FIG. 3). With the smaller profile, the bath container 10 is more convenient for travel or storage.

The holding section 14 may be provided with an overflow opening 20 adjacent the outer ledge 12. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, two overflow openings 20 are provided. The overflow openings 20 prevent water from the bath container from escaping the bath container 10 onto the floor in the event of overfilling. The overflow openings 20 enable any overfilled fluid to fall into the toilet bowl.

The bath container 10 may be constructed in a single molding operation with a suitable material. Other construction methods may be suitable. In an exemplary construction, the bath container or at least the holding section is formed of a flexible material such as silicone, rubber or plastic. Additives such as antimicrobials or the like may be incorporated into the material prior to molding through the process (or similar) of grafting nontoxic bacteria polymers to the surface of silicone using thiol-ene chemistry, substantially reducing bacterial colonization. Antimicrobial silicone can prevent the growth of harmful bacteria, which can be important when considering the portions of the body that will be in direct contact with the bath container.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a variation of a bath container including one or more treatment tube support tabs 22. The support tabs 22 are configured to support a tube or similar enabling the introduction of treatment solutions or the like into the bath container from an outside source. The treatment tube support tabs 22 may be provided on one or both of the outer ledge 12 or the holding section 14.

The bath container of the described embodiments is configured for portability and storage. In the collapsed configuration, the bath container can be readily placed in luggage or the like or can be stored in discrete storage places.

While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A bath container comprising:

an outer ledge; and

a holding section coupled with the outer ledge, the holding section defining a volume for containing a fluid, wherein the holding section is collapsible, wherein the holding section is sized to fit within a toilet bowl opening, and wherein the outer ledge extends peripherally outward from the holding section and is sized larger than the toilet bowl opening.

2. A bath container according to claim 1, wherein the holding section comprises a score line across which the holding section is collapsible on itself.

3. A bath container according to claim 2, comprising a plurality of score lines defining a corresponding plurality of telescoping segments that collapse concentrically into each other.

4. A bath container according to claim 1, wherein the holding section is formed of a flexible material.

5. A bath container according to claim 4, wherein the holding section is formed of silicone.

6. A bath container according to claim 5, further comprising additives to the silicone.

7. A bath container according to claim 6, wherein the additives comprise antimicrobials.

8. A bath container according to claim 1, wherein the holding section comprises an overflow opening.

9. A bath container according to claim 8, further comprising at least one treatment tube support tab positioned on the outer ledge and/or in the holding section.

10. A bath container according to claim 1, further comprising at least one treatment tube support tab positioned on the outer ledge and/or in the holding section.

11. A bath container according to claim 10, comprising two treatment tube support tabs positioned on the outer ledge and the holding section, respectively.

12. A bath container according to claim 1, wherein the holding section is configurable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration, and wherein in the collapsed configuration, a depth of the bath container is at least 75% smaller than in the expanded configuration.

13. A bath container configured to set on a toilet bowl having a toilet bowl opening, the bath container comprising:

an outer ledge sized larger than the toilet bowl opening;

a holding section coupled with the outer ledge and sized to fit within the toilet bowl opening, the holding section defining a volume for containing a fluid, wherein the holding section comprises a plurality of score lines defining a corresponding plurality of telescoping segments that collapse concentrically into each other, and wherein the holding section comprises an overflow opening; and

at least one treatment tube support tab positioned on the outer ledge and/or in the holding section.

14. A bath container according to claim 13, comprising two treatment tube support tabs positioned on the outer ledge and the holding section, respectively.

15. A bath container according to claim 13, wherein the holding section is configurable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration, and wherein in the collapsed configuration, a depth of the bath container is at least 75% smaller than in the expanded configuration.