JPH0623005A - Bathtub - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable an aged person or the like to take bath without danger by arranging a bathtub used home made up of a bathtub body which comprises a height-adjustable framework and a flexible waterproof material to be supported hanging on the framework to reduce the height of the bathtub as required. CONSTITUTION:A bathtub has a bathtub body 2 which comprises a height adjustable framework 1 and a flexible waterproof material to be supported hanging on the framework 1. The framework 1 has an upper frame 3 and a lower frame 4 arranged parallel with and below the upper frame 3. The upper frame 3 and the lower frame 4 are linked together by a link means so that they can approach or separate from each other. Slide brackets 13 and 15 slide forward on the upper frame 3 while the slide brackets 19 and 21 slide forward on the lower frame 4. Thus, the upper frame 3 moves downward approaching the lower frame 4.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bathtub, and more particularly to a bathtub suitable for use in a household having an elderly person, a physically handicapped person, and a sick person (hereinafter simply referred to as "elderly person"). is there.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art It is said that the height of the edge of a bathtub suitable for the elderly to take a bath is as low as possible. This is because many accidents that occur when an elderly person takes a bath are caused by stumbling on the edge of the bathtub. This is true not only when an elderly person takes a bath by himself, but also when he takes a bath under the care of a caregiver.

Therefore, the apparent height of the bathtub is reduced by providing a footrest on the outside of the bathtub.

[0004]

However, as described above, even if the footrest is provided, the inside of the bathtub remains deep, so that it is not a fundamental solution. Also,
If the footrest is too small or unstable, it can be dangerous.

For example, in the case of newly constructing a bathroom, it is possible to make the height of the rim outside the bathtub shallow while making the bathtub shallow in consideration of convenience of bathing for the elderly and the like. Let's do it. However, although there is no problem if such a bathroom is exclusively used by the elderly and the like, such a shallow bathtub is not always satisfactory for a healthy person.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a bathtub which is suitable for the bathing of old people and the like and which can be satisfied by a healthy person.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, a bathtub according to the present invention has a height adjustable frame and a flexible frame supported in a suspended state with respect to the frame. It is characterized by having a bathtub body made of a waterproof sheet material.

[0008]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the flexible bath body is supported by the frame whose height can be adjusted, the height of the bath can be adjusted by adjusting the height of the frame. Can be changed.

[0009]

Therefore, according to the present invention, the height adjustable bathtub can be obtained. Therefore, one bathtub can be used in a state where the height is lowered, which is suitable for bathing by an old man and the like, and in a state in which the depth is sufficient for a healthy person.

If such a bathtub is movable, it becomes possible to take a bath even in a room where an old man or the like lives. This is particularly advantageous when bathing a bedridden old man.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The drawings are for explaining a bathtub according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The bathtub has a height-adjustable frame 1 and a frame 1.
On the other hand, a bathtub body 2 made of a flexible waterproof sheet material that is supported in a suspended state. In FIG. 1, both the frame 1 and the bathtub body 2 are shown, and in FIGS. 2, 4, 5, and 6, only the frame 1 is shown.
In FIG. 3, the skeleton 1 is shown by a solid line and the bathtub body 2 is shown by an imaginary line.

The skeleton 1 comprises an upper frame 3 and a lower frame 4 arranged in parallel with and below the upper frame 3. The upper frame 3 and the lower frame 4 are connected to each other by link means so that they can approach and separate from each other. This link means has a symmetrical structure with respect to the longitudinal centerline of the bath.
Therefore, only one side of the link means illustrated in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6 will be described in detail, and the other side will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, the link means includes a front cross link 5 and a rear cross link 6. The front cross link 5 crosses in an X shape 2
With one support rod 7 and 8. Further, the rear cross link 6 includes two support bars 9 and 10 that intersect in an X shape. The support rods 7 and 8 are connected by the connecting pin 11.
They are rotatably connected to each other. The support rods 9 and 10 are
The connecting pins 12 are rotatably connected to each other.

On the upper frame 3, a slide bracket 13, a fixed bracket 14, a slide bracket 15 and a fixed bracket 17 are arranged in this order from the front. The slide brackets 13 and 15 are slidable on the upper frame 3. On the other hand, the fixing brackets 14 and 16 are
It is fixed by fixing pins 17 and 18, respectively.

A slide bracket 19, a fixed bracket 20, a slide bracket 21, and a fixed bracket 22 are arranged on the lower frame 4 in order from the front. The slide brackets 19 and 21 are slidable on the lower frame 4. On the other hand, the fixing brackets 20 and 22 are fixed to the lower frame 4 by fixing pins 23 and 24, respectively.

In the front cross link 5, the upper end of the support rod 7 is rotatably connected to the slide bracket 13 by a connecting pin 25. The lower end of the support rod 7 is rotatably connected to the fixed bracket 20 by a connecting pin 26. The upper end of the support rod 8 is rotatably connected to the fixed bracket 14 by a connecting pin 27. The lower end of the support rod 8 has a slide bracket 19
Is rotatably connected by a connecting pin 28.

In the rear cross link 6, the upper end of the support rod 9 is rotatably connected to the slide bracket 15 by a connecting pin 29. The lower end of the support rod 9 is rotatably connected to the fixed bracket 22 by a connecting pin 30. The upper end of the support rod 10 is rotatably connected to the fixed bracket 16 by a connecting pin 31. The lower end of the support rod 10 is rotatably connected to the slide bracket 21 by a connecting pin 32.

Therefore, from the state shown in FIG. 3, the slide brackets 13 and 15 slide forward on the upper frame 3, and the slide brackets 19 and 2
As 1 slides forward on the lower frame 4, the upper frame 3 moves downward and is brought into a state of being close to the lower frame 4, as shown in FIG. In addition, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, an intermediate state between the state shown in FIG. 3 and the state shown in FIG. 5 can be taken.

The operations of the front cross link 5 and the rear cross link 6 described above are interlocked with each other.
Therefore, the slide bracket 19 and the slide bracket 21 are connected to each other by the interlocking rod 33, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3.

Further, in order to give the above-described operation to the front cross link 5 and the rear cross link 6, the following constitution is adopted. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 6,
A fixed horizontal bar 34 is fixed to the lower frame 4. A fixed table 35 is passed between the fixed horizontal bar 34 and the front side of the lower frame 4. Various elements are mounted in connection with the fixed table 35, which elements are shown enlarged in FIGS. 7 and 8.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, a motor 37 combined with a speed reducer 36 is mounted on the fixed table 35. The rotation of the motor 37 is transmitted via the speed reducer 36.
It is transmitted to the lead screw 38. Lead screw 38
A male screw 39 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the. One end of the lead screw 38 is rotatably held by a bracket bearing 40 attached to the fixed table 35.

A female screw block 41 having an inner peripheral surface formed with a female screw to be engaged with the male screw 39 of the lead screw 38.
Are arranged on the lead screw 38. The movable horizontal bar 42 is fixed to the female screw block 41. Each end of the movable horizontal bar 42 is fixed to the above-described slide bracket 19 that slides on the lower frame 4.

In such a structure, the rotation is transmitted from the motor 37 to the lead screw 38 via the speed reducer 36, and when the lead screw 38 rotates, the female screw block 41 moves along with the movable horizontal bar 42. The lead screw 38 moves in the length direction. This female screw block 41
The respective ends of the movement of (1) are defined by stopping the rotation of the motor 37 by the microswitches 43 and 44. That is, the microswitches 43 and 4
4 is mounted on the fixed table 35 by mounting brackets 45 and 46 so that the actuators 47 and 48 of the microswitches 43 and 44 contact the movable horizontal bar 42, respectively. Therefore, the movable horizontal bar 42 has the movable range 49 shown in FIG.

The position of the movable horizontal bar 42 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 corresponds to the position (solid line) of the movable horizontal bar 42 shown on the rightmost side in FIGS. 7 and 8, and is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The position of the movable horizontal bar 42 corresponds to the position (imaginary line) of the movable horizontal bar 42 shown on the leftmost side in FIGS. 7 and 8.
The position of the movable horizontal bar 42 shown in FIG. 6 corresponds to the position (imaginary line) of the movable horizontal bar 42 located in the middle in FIGS. 7 and 8.

More specifically, in FIGS. 2 and 3, the movable horizontal bar 42 is located at the rightmost end in the movable range 49. As a result, the slide bracket 19 comes closer to the fixed bracket 20, the slide bracket 13 comes closer to the fixed bracket 14 at the same time, and the front cross link 5 has a vertically long shape. Further, the operation of the slide bracket 19 is transmitted to the slide bracket 21 in the rear cross link 6 via the interlocking rod 33. As a result, the slide brackets 21 are adjacent to each other by the fixed brackets 22, at the same time, the slide brackets 15 are closer to the fixed brackets 16, and the rear cross links 6 are also vertically long. Therefore, the upper frame 3 is in the most distant state from the lower frame 4, and the skeleton 1 is in the highest state in the height adjustable range.

On the other hand, in FIGS. 4 and 5, the movable horizontal bar 42 is located at the leftmost end in the movable range 49. Accordingly, the slide bracket 19 of the front cross link 5 is further separated from the fixed bracket 20, and at the same time, the slide bracket 13 is further separated from the fixed bracket 14, so that the front cross link 5 has a laterally long shape. Further, the operation of the slide bracket 19 is transmitted to the slide bracket 21 via the interlocking rod 33, and the slide bracket 21 is fixed to the fixed bracket 2
2 further away from the slide bracket 15 at the same time
Is further separated from the fixed bracket 16, and the rear cross link 6 also has a horizontally long shape. Therefore, the upper frame 3 is closest to the lower frame 4, and the skeleton 1 is in the lowest state in the height adjustable range.

The above-described operation for adjusting the height of the skeleton 1 is achieved by the rotation of the motor 37, and the above-described operation is reversibly achieved by selecting the rotation direction of the motor 37. Further, if the motor 37 is artificially stopped before the motor 37 is stopped and controlled by the micro switch 43 or 44, the skeleton 1 can take an intermediate height as shown in FIG. 6, for example. . In such an intermediate height state, since the operation cannot be transmitted from the female screw block 41 to the lead screw 38, this can be maintained as long as the motor 37 is stopped.

As described above, the bathtub body 2 is formed of a flexible waterproof sheet material such as canvas, and therefore allows the frame 1 to operate as described above. In FIG. 3, the bathtub body 2 is shown by an imaginary line. The upper edge of the bath body 2 is connected to a cover frame 50 made of, for example, a resin molded product. The cover frame 50 has an inverted U-shaped cross section as shown by an imaginary line in FIG. 3, and is positioned so as to cover the upper frame 3. Therefore,
The bathtub body 2 is supported by the frame 1 in a suspended state.

Although not shown, the bathtub body 2 is preferably provided with a drainage port which can be opened and closed at an appropriate position. Although not shown, the cover frame 50 may be provided with a faucet for supplying hot water, or may be provided with a mounting portion for mounting such a faucet.

The bathtub according to this embodiment is constructed so as to be movable. Therefore, the bathtub can be easily moved not only to the bathroom but also to an arbitrary place. For example, the bathtub can be easily moved to a room in which a bedridden old man lives, and a bath can be taken there. To facilitate such movement of the bathtub, a plurality of wheels 51 are attached to the lower frame 4, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 5, and 6. These wheels 51 are preferably formed by casters that can change direction.

Thus, the bathtub according to this embodiment is
The height can be adjusted from the state shown in FIG. 3 to the state shown in FIG. 5, and, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, any height between the height state of FIG. 3 and the height state of FIG. The height state of can be realized. Therefore, the height of the bathtub can be changed according to the health condition of the person taking the bath. Further, when this bathtub is used exclusively for the elderly or the like in a place other than the bathroom, the height state shown in FIG. 5 makes the bathtub compact, so that it should be stored as a storage state when the bathtub is not used. Are suitable.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the illustrated embodiment, other modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention.

For example, in the frame 1 of the bathtub, the mechanism for adjusting the height can be replaced with the well-known link mechanism in addition to the front cross link 5 and the rear cross link 6.

Further, such a height adjusting operation may be performed not by the motor 37 but by using a cylinder, for example. Furthermore, the height of the skeleton 1 may be manually adjusted.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a bathtub according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the highest state of the bathtub.

2 is a plan view of the frame 1 of the bathtub shown in FIG. 1, and corresponds to the state shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the skeleton 1 of the bathtub shown in FIG. 1, showing the lowest state of the skeleton 1.

5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VV of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIGS. 3 and 5, showing an intermediate height state of the skeleton 1.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan view showing a configuration on a fixed table 35 shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the configuration shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 frame 2 bathtub body 3 upper frame 4 lower frame 5 front cross link 6 rear cross link 50 cover frame

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A bathtub comprising a height-adjustable skeleton and a bathtub body made of a flexible tarpaulin material supported in a suspended state with respect to the skeleton.