Abstract: A bathtub having one panel which slides down, allows entrance for a handicapped person in a wheelchair or on a trolley without having to climb over the side. The bathtub permits a handicapped person to be independent and not rely on others. One fixed vertical side is joined to two end walls extending up from a bottom surface to form a bathtub, a sliding panel, representing at least a portion of the other vertical side of the bathtub, is mounted in tracks in the two end walls. The tracks extend down and curve under the bathtub allowing the sliding panel to be lowered to a lowered position to permit entry and exit. The sliding panel can be raised and lowered between the lowered and raised positions, and a seal is provided to seal the panel in the raised position.

Abstract: An improved bathtub with a door for easy access by older and physically handicapped persons is disclosed. The bathtub includes an entrance wall with an opening which conforms to the shape of the door, and a front wall adjacent to the entrance wall. A seat is located in the tub with the forward edge of the seat located so as to provide a leg space between the seat and the front wall of the tub. The front edge of the door is attached adjacent to the front wall of the bathtub by means of a double axis hinge. When the door is opened, its front edge is guided directly inwardly in the tub by means of a tracking mechanism and the rear edge moves forward without any significant inward movement. In the fully opened position, the door is parallel to the front wall. The door is so configured that during movement it does not swing over the seat, and an occupant of the tub can be seated while the door is moved between its closed and open positions.

Abstract: An invalid's bathtub includes a door that has a rail system that is movable from a first position in which it acts as a guide and safety system for the invalid as he enters or leaves the tub, into a second position in which it forms a continuation of a safety rail system located inside the tub. The rail system also operates a lock which locks the door to the tub.

Abstract: Bath tub comprising a side wall openable towards the outside by pivoting about a hinge having a vertical axis to provide an aperture for opening to access the bath tub, characterized in that the width of the opening, measured horizontally, continuously increases from bottom to top, in that the contour of the opening on the wall of the body of the bath tub has a fillister turned towards the inside of the bath tub, in that the contour cooperating with the door has a complementary fillister turned towards the outside of the bath tub, a sealing joint being provided between both fillisters, and in that the door is fitted with a handle and with a mechanism capable, under the action of the operating handle, to lift the door from its low closed position to vertically disengage both fillisters from each other at least in their remote articulation area and enable the free opening pivoting of the door towards the outside.

Abstract: A bath tub (13) having side walls (15, 16), a rear wall (14), an entrance and a door (20) for closing the entrance, the entrance having a seal (39) engageable with a chamfered inner surface (41) of the door when the door is closed and water pressure is exerted on the seal for sealing the interface of the seal (39) and the chamfered surface (41) against the flow of water.

Abstract: A personal hygiene center comprises in combination a tub, hand-held shower head mounted on the tub and toilet. The tub has upright front and rear walls and opposing end walls. A ceiling interconnects the walls and is of a height to accommodate a normal person standing on a floor of the tub. The tub has a walk-in entrance opening in the front wall. The door closes off a lower portion of the front wall to contain water in the tub and leave open an upper portion of the front wall to permit access into the tub by an attendant. A bench-style seat is integral with a first of the end walls. A cavity is defined beneath the bench seat where the opening exposes a major portion of an edge of the bench-style seat adjacent the front wall. A second opening is provided in the front wall to permit sliding movement of the toilet into and out of the cavity. Track means mounts the toilet beneath the bench seat for such sliding movement into and out of storage position.

Abstract: A seat bath unit for elderly, frail or otherwise handicapped persons is provided wherein a sidewall of the bathtub is displaceable for complete opening to the seat part for access thereto. A catchment trough beneath the bathtub is provided for receiving the total amount of water from the bathtub when bathing is complete so that the bathtub can be quickly emptied.

Abstract: A generally rectangular open topped vessel with vertical walls around the periphery of a floor consisting of two integrally formed levels, the lower level being at one end providing a footwell and having a drain therein. Near the end of one side wall, in the area where the footwell is located, is a door opening. This door opening has a ferromagnetic faced door stop around the edge. A door is hingedly attached to the edge of the opening such that it swings horizontally inward towards the nearest adjacent end wall. The door has a flange along its two vertical edges and along its bottom horizontal edge. Mounted concentrically on the flange are two magnetic gaskets such that when the door is closed the gakets force a water tight seal with the ferromagnetic plate on the door stop. A second drain is located in the surface of the bottom door stop such that when the door is closed water in the vessel cannot reach the drain due to the sealing of the outer gasket.

Abstract: An arrangement for bathing invalids, or others with impaired ambulatory ability, comprises an enclosure having a bathtub with upstanding walls which form a stall. The bathtub includes a seat having an anatomical contour and a lateral opening adjacent the seat to permit invalid ingress and egress. A door with a generally wedge-shaped contour mates with and selectively closes the bathtub opening, and includes a seal compressed between the opening lip and the door to form a seal which is sufficiently leakproof to permit immersal bathing of a seated invalid. The door is slideably mounted on a hingeless track assembly, which vertically translates the door into the closed position and pivots the door as it is raised into a horizontal, overhead storage position. Shower heads are mounted on the walls of the stall to provide both shower and immersal bathing for hygiene and therapy.

Abstract: A manual, in-door lock arrangement is provided for invalid bathing units and the like, of the type comprising a bathtub having a lateral opening in one side thereof for ingress and egress, and a door slidably mounted on a hinge-less track assembly for vertically translating the door between open and closed positions to selectively open and close the bathtub opening. A compression seal is disposed between the mating edges of the door and bathtub opening to form a watertight seal therebetween. The lock arrangement comprises a hand-operated actuator arm pivotally mounted on the exterior side of the door, and an elongate rod pivotally mounted within the door with latch arms attached to opposite ends of the rod. Latch plates are mounted on the track assembly at a location adjacent the latch arms when the door is in the closed position.

Abstract: An upwardly opening receptacle is provided including a bottom and upstanding wall portions projecting upwardly from the bottom and extending peripherally thereabout. One of the wall portions has a door opening formed therein and a horizontally swingable and inwardly opening door is hingedly supported from the one wall portion for movement between a closed position closing the opening and an open position adjacent and opposing the inner surface of a second wall portion of the tub. The tub includes structure defining a seat therein facing the aforementioned second wall portion and disposed to the side of the opening remote from the second wall portion. The one wall portion and the door include peripheral portions disposed about the opening and the door defining abuttingly engageable stop surfaces for limiting movement of the door toward the closed position.

Abstract: An arrangement for bathing invalids, or others with impaired ambulatory ability, comprises an enclosure having a bathtub with upstanding walls which form a stall. The bathtub includes a seat having an anatomical contour and a lateral opening adjacent the seat to permit invalid ingress and egress. A door with a generally wedge-shaped contour mates with and selectively closes the bathtub opening, and includes a seal compressed between the opening lip and the door to form a seal which is sufficiently leakproof to permit immersal bathing of a seated invalid. The door is slideably mounted on a hingeless track assembly, which vertically translates the door into the closed position and pivots the door as it is raised into a horizontal, overhead storage position. Shower heads are mounted on the walls of the stall to provide both shower and immersal bathing for hygiene and therapy.

Abstract: A portable, lightweight, free-standing tub accessory for use in conventional shower stalls has a generally planar bottom wall and a vertical side wall enclosure extending therefrom to define a container open at the upper end. A panel of the vertical side wall has a cylindrical form and is slidable to provide entry and exit from the container. A drain opening is formed in the bottom and includes means designed to be actuated by the foot of an occupant by sense of feel only, and an adjustable seat may be provided within the tub.