Title:
Soft liner for bathtubs
United States Patent 3892000
Abstract:
A liner for a bathtub includes a soft, flexible cushion having a compressible thickness and separated into sections shaped to cover the bottom, back wall, side walls, and back and side rims of the tub. The bottom section has a hollow interior filled with water so the liner will not float when the tub is filled, and the sections covering the back, sides, and rims of the tub have hollow interiors inflated with air. Preferably, the water-filled bottom section has non-skid surfaces on both its inner walls and on its bottom outer wall. The liner provides a soft, comfortable receptacle in which to bathe, and protects the user from impact with the hard surfaces of the tub.
US Patent References:
/1039334.html
Trick - September 1912 - 1039334
Safety mat for bathtubs
Hasalone - February 1929 - 1702635
Bathtub pad
Miller - July 1929 - 1721571
Tub cushion and lining
Levine - December 1941 - 2264672
Pneumatic seat and back rest lounging device
Kavanagh - November 1952 - 2582439
/1039334.html
Trick - September 1912 - 1039334
Safety mat for bathtubs
Hasalone - February 1929 - 1702635
Bathtub pad
Miller - July 1929 - 1721571
Tub cushion and lining
Levine - December 1941 - 2264672
Pneumatic seat and back rest lounging device
Kavanagh - November 1952 - 2582439
Application Number:
05/445809
Publication Date:
07/01/1975
Filing Date:
02/25/1974
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Primary Class:
International Classes:
A47K3/00; A47K3/12
Field of Search:
4/185S,173,185F,185R,185HB,177,177IW,174
US Patent References:
Primary Examiner:
Artis, Henry K.
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Christie, Parker & Hale
Parent Case Data:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 254,569, filed May 18, 1972 now abandoned.
Claims:
I claim
1. A flexible and compressible cushion for use in lining a bathtub having a bottom, spaced apart side walls, and a back wall, the cushion including a first section having a hollow interior and shaped to cover the bottom of the tub, means on the first section for admitting and emptying a substantially incompressible fluid to and from, respectively, the interior of the first section; a second section flexibly joined with the first section and adapted to provide a compressible thickness, the second section being shaped to cover at least a portion of the back wall of the tub, the second section having a hollow interior sealed from the interior of the first section for receiving and maintaining a supply of gas under pressure; and third and fourth sections flexibly joined with opposite sides of the first section, each being shaped to cover at least a portion of a respective side wall of the tub, and each having a hollow interior sealed from the interior of the first section for receiving and maintaining a supply of gas under pressure.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the hollow interior of the first section is substantially continuous for the area of the tub bottom.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the first and second sections are made of two overlying sheets of flexible plastic material, and including means forming a fluid-tight seam around the periphery of the sheets, and means forming another fluid-tight seam across the width of the sheets to separate them into a pair of flexibly joined independent compartments.
4. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the tub has a pair of spaced apart side rims adjoining the side walls, and including fifth and sixth sections flexibly joined with the outer edges of the third and fourth sections, the fifth and sixth sections each having a hollow interior sealed from the third and fourth sections, respectively, to receive and maintain a supply of gas under pressure, and each being shaped to cover at least a portion of a respective side rim of the tub.
5. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which the tub includes a back rim adjoining the back wall, and including a seventh section flexibly joined with the edge of the second section opposite the first section, the seventh section having a hollow interior sealed from the interior of the second section for receiving and maintaining a supply of gas under pressure, and being shaped to cover at least a portion of the back rim of the tub.
6. Apparatus according to claim 4 including a separate gas-admitting valve sealed through a wall of each section other than the first section.
7. A flexible and compressible bathtub liner for use in lining a bathtub having a horizontally disposed bottom surface with an area which extends between an upright front wall, an upright back wall, and spaced apart upright side walls on opposite sides of the bottom surface and continuous with the front and back walls to form means for containing water above the bottom surface of the tub, the bathtub liner including a first section formed as a bladder having a hollow interior which is continuous for substantially the entire area of the tub bottom surface so the bladder can cover a substantial portion of the tub bottom surface with a depth of water when the bladder interior is filled with water; fluid inlet means to be normally used for admitting and emptying a volume of water to and from, respectively, the hollow interior of the first section, the first section supporting the body of a user resting thereon when the hollow interior thereof is filled with water; a second section flexibly joined with the first section and having a hollow interior sealed from the interior of the first section for receiving and maintaining a supply of gas under pressure, the second section being shaped to cover a substantial portion of the back wall of the tub; gas inlet means to be normally used for admitting a supply of gas to the interior of the second section and for effectively maintaining the gas under pressure within the interior of the second section; third and fourth sections flexibly joined with opposite sides of the first section, the third and fourth sections each being shaped to cover at least a portion of a respective side wall of the tub, and each having a hollow interior sealed from the interior of the first section for receiving and maintaining a supply of gas under pressure.
8. A flexible and compressible bathtub liner for use in lining a bathtub having a horizontally disposed bottom surface with an area which extends between an upright front wall, an upright back wall, and spaced apart upright side walls on opposite sides of the bottom surface and continuous with the front and back walls to form means for containing water above the bottom surface of the tub, the bathtub liner including a first section formed as a bladder having a hollow interior which is continuous for substantially the entire area of the tub bottom surface so the bladder can cover a substantial portion of the tub bottom surface with a depth of water when the bladder interior is filled with water; fluid inlet means to be used normally for admitting and emptying a volume of water to and from, respectively, the hollow interior of the first section, the first section supporting the body of a user resting thereon when the hollow interior thereof is filled with water; a second section flexibly joined with the first section and having a hollow interior sealed from the interior of the first section for receiving and maintaining a supply of gas under pressure, the second section being shaped to cover a substantial portion of the back wall of the tub; gas inlet means to be normally used for admitting a supply of gas to the interior of the second section and for effectively maintaining the gas under pressure within the interior of the second section; and in which the first section has an end remote from the junction between the first and second sections, the fluid inlet means comprising a flexible elongated filler tube opening through the first section and projecting away from said remote end to be normally used for filling the first section with water from a bathtub faucet while the first section is resting on the tub bottom.
9. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which the hollow interior of the first interior has a flexible top wall spaced from a flexible bottom wall, and including means sealing the interior of the top wall to the interior of the bottom wall at several spaced apart locations about the first section to reduce bulging of the first section when it is filled with water.
10. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which the hollow interior of the first section is substantially continuous for the area of the tub bottom.
1. A flexible and compressible cushion for use in lining a bathtub having a bottom, spaced apart side walls, and a back wall, the cushion including a first section having a hollow interior and shaped to cover the bottom of the tub, means on the first section for admitting and emptying a substantially incompressible fluid to and from, respectively, the interior of the first section; a second section flexibly joined with the first section and adapted to provide a compressible thickness, the second section being shaped to cover at least a portion of the back wall of the tub, the second section having a hollow interior sealed from the interior of the first section for receiving and maintaining a supply of gas under pressure; and third and fourth sections flexibly joined with opposite sides of the first section, each being shaped to cover at least a portion of a respective side wall of the tub, and each having a hollow interior sealed from the interior of the first section for receiving and maintaining a supply of gas under pressure.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the hollow interior of the first section is substantially continuous for the area of the tub bottom.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the first and second sections are made of two overlying sheets of flexible plastic material, and including means forming a fluid-tight seam around the periphery of the sheets, and means forming another fluid-tight seam across the width of the sheets to separate them into a pair of flexibly joined independent compartments.
4. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the tub has a pair of spaced apart side rims adjoining the side walls, and including fifth and sixth sections flexibly joined with the outer edges of the third and fourth sections, the fifth and sixth sections each having a hollow interior sealed from the third and fourth sections, respectively, to receive and maintain a supply of gas under pressure, and each being shaped to cover at least a portion of a respective side rim of the tub.
5. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which the tub includes a back rim adjoining the back wall, and including a seventh section flexibly joined with the edge of the second section opposite the first section, the seventh section having a hollow interior sealed from the interior of the second section for receiving and maintaining a supply of gas under pressure, and being shaped to cover at least a portion of the back rim of the tub.
6. Apparatus according to claim 4 including a separate gas-admitting valve sealed through a wall of each section other than the first section.
7. A flexible and compressible bathtub liner for use in lining a bathtub having a horizontally disposed bottom surface with an area which extends between an upright front wall, an upright back wall, and spaced apart upright side walls on opposite sides of the bottom surface and continuous with the front and back walls to form means for containing water above the bottom surface of the tub, the bathtub liner including a first section formed as a bladder having a hollow interior which is continuous for substantially the entire area of the tub bottom surface so the bladder can cover a substantial portion of the tub bottom surface with a depth of water when the bladder interior is filled with water; fluid inlet means to be normally used for admitting and emptying a volume of water to and from, respectively, the hollow interior of the first section, the first section supporting the body of a user resting thereon when the hollow interior thereof is filled with water; a second section flexibly joined with the first section and having a hollow interior sealed from the interior of the first section for receiving and maintaining a supply of gas under pressure, the second section being shaped to cover a substantial portion of the back wall of the tub; gas inlet means to be normally used for admitting a supply of gas to the interior of the second section and for effectively maintaining the gas under pressure within the interior of the second section; third and fourth sections flexibly joined with opposite sides of the first section, the third and fourth sections each being shaped to cover at least a portion of a respective side wall of the tub, and each having a hollow interior sealed from the interior of the first section for receiving and maintaining a supply of gas under pressure.
8. A flexible and compressible bathtub liner for use in lining a bathtub having a horizontally disposed bottom surface with an area which extends between an upright front wall, an upright back wall, and spaced apart upright side walls on opposite sides of the bottom surface and continuous with the front and back walls to form means for containing water above the bottom surface of the tub, the bathtub liner including a first section formed as a bladder having a hollow interior which is continuous for substantially the entire area of the tub bottom surface so the bladder can cover a substantial portion of the tub bottom surface with a depth of water when the bladder interior is filled with water; fluid inlet means to be used normally for admitting and emptying a volume of water to and from, respectively, the hollow interior of the first section, the first section supporting the body of a user resting thereon when the hollow interior thereof is filled with water; a second section flexibly joined with the first section and having a hollow interior sealed from the interior of the first section for receiving and maintaining a supply of gas under pressure, the second section being shaped to cover a substantial portion of the back wall of the tub; gas inlet means to be normally used for admitting a supply of gas to the interior of the second section and for effectively maintaining the gas under pressure within the interior of the second section; and in which the first section has an end remote from the junction between the first and second sections, the fluid inlet means comprising a flexible elongated filler tube opening through the first section and projecting away from said remote end to be normally used for filling the first section with water from a bathtub faucet while the first section is resting on the tub bottom.
9. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which the hollow interior of the first interior has a flexible top wall spaced from a flexible bottom wall, and including means sealing the interior of the top wall to the interior of the bottom wall at several spaced apart locations about the first section to reduce bulging of the first section when it is filled with water.
10. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which the hollow interior of the first section is substantially continuous for the area of the tub bottom.
Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a soft, flexible and compressible liner for bathtubs.
In the past, various cushioning devices have been developed for lining the hard surfaces of bathtubs to make them more comfortable and relatively safe from impacts due to slippage. In one such prior art liner disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,264,672 to Levine, an array of air-inflated bags covers the bottom and back of the tub. A rubber apron is secured to the sides of the bags so the entire liner covers the entire inside of the tub. Other prior art liners include integral foam rubber cushions, or the like, shaped to cover the entire inner surface of the tub. These prior art liners are adapted to cover the entire surface of the tub so that the water which fills the tub will not get under them and cause them to float. Such liners have the disadvantage that they must be manufactured in a wide range of sizes to fit bathtubs of different sizes. Moreover, it is a relatively costly process to manufacture a liner so it fits the three-dimensional interior of the tub.
The liner disclosed in the Levine patent includes a plurality of communicating pockets spread over the bottom and back of the tub to help the liner stay flat when inflated and when the tub is filled. In other prior art bathtub liners, attempts have been made to hold the liner in place by adding such things as suction cups, or straps to the liners. However, these features of the prior art bathtub liners add to the cost of manufacturing them, and in some cases, particularly the Levine liner, make them especially difficult and expensive to manufacture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention provides a bathtub liner which lies flat on the bottom of the tub when the tub is filled with water, and which also is of simple construction and therefore easy and inexpensive to manufacture.
Briefly, the liner is a soft, flexible cushion with a compressible thickness and having a first section shaped to cover the bottom of the tub. The first section has a hollow interior, and means for admitting and emptying a substantially incompressible fluid, such as water, to and from, respectively, its interior. A second section is flexibly joined with the first section and is adapted to provide a compressible thickness overlying at least a portion of the back wall of the tub. Preferably, the second section has a hollow interior sealed from the interior of the first section so as to receive a supply of gas, such as air, under pressure.
Thus, when the first section is filled with water, its weight causes it to lie flat against the bottom of the tub when the tub is filled with water. Moreover, other soft, compressible sections may be attached to the first section to cover the side walls, back wall, and rims of the tub, and may be filled with air, yet the water-filled section still substantially prevents the cushion from floating when the tub is filled with water.
In a preferred form of the invention, the cushion includes separate gas-inflatable sections flexibly joined with the edges of the water-filled section and shaped to cover the back wall and the side walls of the tub. A separate gas-inflatable section is flexibly joined with the back section to cover the rim at the back of the tub, and a pair of gas-inflatable sections are flexibly joined with the opposed side sections to cover the side rims of the tub. Preferably, the section which covers the back of the tub is independent of the sections which cover the sides of the tub. This makes it easy to fit the cushion to the contour of a variety of different sized bathtubs. When the tub is filled with water, the water gets under the cushion, but the water-filled section substantially prevents the cushion from floating. Moreover, this form of the invention can be manufactured from a pair of contoured, integral sheets of flexible plastic material overlying one another. The sheets are joined together by a fluid-tight seam extending around their outer periphery. Other fluid-tight seams divide the overlying sheets into sealed and separate sections shaped to closely fit the contour of the bottom, back wall, side walls, and rims of the tub.
Thus, the cushion of this invention is of simple construction, and consists of relatively few parts, and therefore is easy and inexpensive to manufacture. Moreover, it can be manufactured in a single size capable of being adaptable to fit a variety of bathtub sizes.
Preferably, a non-skid surface is applied to the bottom and top of the first section, and to both interior walls of the first section to prevent the bottom of the section from skidding relative to the tub, or relative to the user when he steps into the tub, and also to prevent the interior walls of the bottom section from skidding relative to each other, when the user steps into the tub.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other aspects of the invention will be more fully understood by referring to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation view showing a soft, compressible liner disposed in a bathtub;
FIG. 2 is a plan elevation view showing the bathtub liner in flat form;
FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation view, taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 2, showing the two-piece construction of the bathtub liner;
FIG. 4 is a sectional elevation view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2, showing non-skid surfaces applied to the bottom section of the bathtub liner; and
FIG. 5 is an alternate embodiment of the non-skid feature shown in FIG. 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIG. 1, a soft bathtub liner 10 covers the inside of a bathtub 12 to provide comfort for the user and to prevent serious injury from slippage or falls, for example.
As shown best in FIGS. 2 and 3, the bathtub liner 10 is made of two continuous overlying sheets 14, 16 of flexible plastic material, such as rugged polyethylene film. The two sheets preferably are substantially T-shaped when viewed in plan view. A major central portion of the two sheets is joined by a pair of longitudinally extending and parallel side seams 18, 20. The ends of the side seams are joined by a laterally extending front seam 22 at an edge of the two sheets, and a laterally extending rear seam 24 at the junction between the leg of the T and the top of the T. The side, front, and rear seams 18, 20, 22, 24 preferably are heat-seals, and cooperate to form a substantially rectangular and fluid-tight bottom compartment 26 having a hollow interior and shaped to closely fit the contour of a bottom 27 of tub 12. A cut-out area 28 in front seam 22 is shaped to fit around the drain (not shown) in the tub.
A laterally extending seam 30 crosses an intermediate portion of the leg of the T, and a pair of longitudinally extending and parallel side seams 32, 34 extend along both edges of the T to join the ends of seam 24 with the ends of seam 30. Seams 24, 30, 32, 34 form a substantially rectangular, fluid-tight back compartment 36 having a hollow interior and shaped to fit a sloping back wall 38 of the tub.
A laterally extending rear seam 40 seals the edge of the two sheets at the bottom of the leg of the T, and a pair of longitudinally extending side seams 42, 44, extend along both edges of the leg of the T to join the ends of seam 30 with the ends of seam 40. Seams 30, 40, 42, 44 cooperate to form a substantially rectangular fluid-tight compartment 46 having a hollow interior and shaped to cover a back rim 48 of the tub.
A longitudinally extending seam 50 crosses an intermediate portion of one side of the top of the T and extends parallel to side seam 18. A pair of laterally extending and parallel seams 52, 54 extending along both edges of the top of the T to join the ends of seam 18 with the ends of seam 50. Seams 18, 50, 52, 54 cooperate to form a substantially rectangular fluid-tight side compartment 56 having a hollow interior and shaped to fit the contour of a major portion of a side wall 58 of the tub.
A longitudinally extending seam 60 extends along one end of the top of the T parallel to seam 50, and a pair of laterally extending and parallel seams 62, 64 extend along both edges of the top of the T to join the ends of seam 50 with the ends of seam 60. Seams 50, 60, 62, 64 cooperate to form a narrow, substantially rectangular fluid-tight compartment 66 having a hollow interior and shaped to cover a top rim 68 of the tub.
On the other side of compartment 26, a longitudinally extending seam 70, and a pair of parallel, laterally extending seams 72, 74 cooperate to form a fluid-tight side compartment 76, identical to compartment 56, for covering the side wall (not shown) of the tub opposite side wall 58. Similarly, a longitudinally extending seam 80, and a pair of laterally extending and parallel seams 82, 84 cooperate with seam 70 to form a fluid-tight compartment 86, identical to compartment 66, for covering the side rim of the tub opposite rim 68.
A portion of each sheet 14, 16 at the front edge of compartment 26 is contoured, and the edges of the two sheets sealed together, to form a flexible, elongated tubular conduit 90 which opens into the interior of compartment 26. Conduit 90 is sufficiently wide to allow the interior of the conduit to be filled with liquids, preferably warm water, and to allow such liquids to be emptied from the compartment interior. The conduit preferably is sufficiently long and of such size that it can extend up to and around most conventional bathtub faucets to facilitate filling the interior of compartment 26 with water.
A variety of means can be used to close off the end of conduit 90 after compartment 26 is filled. FIG. 2 shows a pair of male-type snap ring fasteners attached to one side of the conduit, and a cooperating pair of female-type snap ring fasteners attached to the other side of the conduit. In use, the end of the conduit can be rolled up and the snaps fastened together to hold the water inside compartment 26.
A separate gas-admitting conduit 94 opens into each remaining compartment so that compartments 36, 46, 56, 66, 76, 86 can be filled with gas, preferably air. Conduits 94 preferably are flexible tubes formed integrally with the liner in a manner similar to water conduit 26 to allow the compartments to be inflated with air from the user. The conduits 94 can be closed off by a variety of suitable means. One way is to twist each conduit, and put it into a tight nearby pocket (not shown) in a manner akin to the conventional air valve used on beach balls. Alternately, each gas conduit 94 can be relatively rigid, and can carry a cap (not shown) attached by a strap hinge and adapted to make a tight friction fit in the end of the conduit.
The bathtub liner is used by initially inflating the gas-filled compartments with gas such as air 95. The cushion is then placed inside the bathtub as shown in FIG. 1. Bottom compartment 26 is placed on the bottom of the tub, and compartments 36 and 46 are laid over the sloping back and back rim of the tub, respectively. Each side compartment 56, 76 is placed against a respective side of the tub, and compartment 66, 86 are placed over the top rims of the tub to help hold the side compartments in place. The seams between sections of the liner act as hinge points to allow the liner to be fitted to the contour of the tub. Bottom compartment 26 is then filled with fluid, preferably warm water 96 from the faucet (not shown) of the tub. The tub is then filled with water 98 to cover the liner. The portions of sheets 14 and 16, which comprise the top and bottom walls of compartment 26, are tacked together by heat seals 99 at several longitudinally and laterally spaced apart points. The walls are tacked together to prevent compartment 26 from ballooning excessively when it is filled with water.
In use, the liner provides a soft, comfortable receptacle in which to bathe. Just enough water can be put into compartment 26 to allow it to cover the area of the tub bottom. Since the side compartments 56, 76 are movable independently of back compartment 36, these portions of the liner can be molded by the user to the contour of the bathtub interior. The side compartments and end compartments do not have to be integral with each other to prevent water from getting under the liner, because flotation is not a problem. The water-filled bottom compartment 26 prevents the liner from floating when the tub is filled. Moreover, since the side compartments are separate from the end compartment, the entire liner can be manufactured from a simple two-piece plastic sheet construction, which make it especially easy and inexpensive to manufacture the liner.
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, suitable non-skid surfaces are applied to the walls of bottom compartment 26 to substantially prevent the user from slipping when he steps into the tub and onto the liner. FIG. 4 shows a roughened non-skid surface 100 applied to the outer and interior walls of the bottom compartment. The roughened surface helps prevent the bottom of sheet 16 from skidding relative to the bottom of the tub, and also helps prevent sheet 16 from skidding relative to sheet 18, or from skidding relative to the user's foot when he steps onto the liner. FIG. 5 shows an alternate method of applying non-skid surfaces to the liner, in which both interior walls of the bottom compartment have suitable corrugations 102.
This invention relates to a soft, flexible and compressible liner for bathtubs.
In the past, various cushioning devices have been developed for lining the hard surfaces of bathtubs to make them more comfortable and relatively safe from impacts due to slippage. In one such prior art liner disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,264,672 to Levine, an array of air-inflated bags covers the bottom and back of the tub. A rubber apron is secured to the sides of the bags so the entire liner covers the entire inside of the tub. Other prior art liners include integral foam rubber cushions, or the like, shaped to cover the entire inner surface of the tub. These prior art liners are adapted to cover the entire surface of the tub so that the water which fills the tub will not get under them and cause them to float. Such liners have the disadvantage that they must be manufactured in a wide range of sizes to fit bathtubs of different sizes. Moreover, it is a relatively costly process to manufacture a liner so it fits the three-dimensional interior of the tub.
The liner disclosed in the Levine patent includes a plurality of communicating pockets spread over the bottom and back of the tub to help the liner stay flat when inflated and when the tub is filled. In other prior art bathtub liners, attempts have been made to hold the liner in place by adding such things as suction cups, or straps to the liners. However, these features of the prior art bathtub liners add to the cost of manufacturing them, and in some cases, particularly the Levine liner, make them especially difficult and expensive to manufacture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention provides a bathtub liner which lies flat on the bottom of the tub when the tub is filled with water, and which also is of simple construction and therefore easy and inexpensive to manufacture.
Briefly, the liner is a soft, flexible cushion with a compressible thickness and having a first section shaped to cover the bottom of the tub. The first section has a hollow interior, and means for admitting and emptying a substantially incompressible fluid, such as water, to and from, respectively, its interior. A second section is flexibly joined with the first section and is adapted to provide a compressible thickness overlying at least a portion of the back wall of the tub. Preferably, the second section has a hollow interior sealed from the interior of the first section so as to receive a supply of gas, such as air, under pressure.
Thus, when the first section is filled with water, its weight causes it to lie flat against the bottom of the tub when the tub is filled with water. Moreover, other soft, compressible sections may be attached to the first section to cover the side walls, back wall, and rims of the tub, and may be filled with air, yet the water-filled section still substantially prevents the cushion from floating when the tub is filled with water.
In a preferred form of the invention, the cushion includes separate gas-inflatable sections flexibly joined with the edges of the water-filled section and shaped to cover the back wall and the side walls of the tub. A separate gas-inflatable section is flexibly joined with the back section to cover the rim at the back of the tub, and a pair of gas-inflatable sections are flexibly joined with the opposed side sections to cover the side rims of the tub. Preferably, the section which covers the back of the tub is independent of the sections which cover the sides of the tub. This makes it easy to fit the cushion to the contour of a variety of different sized bathtubs. When the tub is filled with water, the water gets under the cushion, but the water-filled section substantially prevents the cushion from floating. Moreover, this form of the invention can be manufactured from a pair of contoured, integral sheets of flexible plastic material overlying one another. The sheets are joined together by a fluid-tight seam extending around their outer periphery. Other fluid-tight seams divide the overlying sheets into sealed and separate sections shaped to closely fit the contour of the bottom, back wall, side walls, and rims of the tub.
Thus, the cushion of this invention is of simple construction, and consists of relatively few parts, and therefore is easy and inexpensive to manufacture. Moreover, it can be manufactured in a single size capable of being adaptable to fit a variety of bathtub sizes.
Preferably, a non-skid surface is applied to the bottom and top of the first section, and to both interior walls of the first section to prevent the bottom of the section from skidding relative to the tub, or relative to the user when he steps into the tub, and also to prevent the interior walls of the bottom section from skidding relative to each other, when the user steps into the tub.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other aspects of the invention will be more fully understood by referring to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation view showing a soft, compressible liner disposed in a bathtub;
FIG. 2 is a plan elevation view showing the bathtub liner in flat form;
FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation view, taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 2, showing the two-piece construction of the bathtub liner;
FIG. 4 is a sectional elevation view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2, showing non-skid surfaces applied to the bottom section of the bathtub liner; and
FIG. 5 is an alternate embodiment of the non-skid feature shown in FIG. 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIG. 1, a soft bathtub liner 10 covers the inside of a bathtub 12 to provide comfort for the user and to prevent serious injury from slippage or falls, for example.
As shown best in FIGS. 2 and 3, the bathtub liner 10 is made of two continuous overlying sheets 14, 16 of flexible plastic material, such as rugged polyethylene film. The two sheets preferably are substantially T-shaped when viewed in plan view. A major central portion of the two sheets is joined by a pair of longitudinally extending and parallel side seams 18, 20. The ends of the side seams are joined by a laterally extending front seam 22 at an edge of the two sheets, and a laterally extending rear seam 24 at the junction between the leg of the T and the top of the T. The side, front, and rear seams 18, 20, 22, 24 preferably are heat-seals, and cooperate to form a substantially rectangular and fluid-tight bottom compartment 26 having a hollow interior and shaped to closely fit the contour of a bottom 27 of tub 12. A cut-out area 28 in front seam 22 is shaped to fit around the drain (not shown) in the tub.
A laterally extending seam 30 crosses an intermediate portion of the leg of the T, and a pair of longitudinally extending and parallel side seams 32, 34 extend along both edges of the T to join the ends of seam 24 with the ends of seam 30. Seams 24, 30, 32, 34 form a substantially rectangular, fluid-tight back compartment 36 having a hollow interior and shaped to fit a sloping back wall 38 of the tub.
A laterally extending rear seam 40 seals the edge of the two sheets at the bottom of the leg of the T, and a pair of longitudinally extending side seams 42, 44, extend along both edges of the leg of the T to join the ends of seam 30 with the ends of seam 40. Seams 30, 40, 42, 44 cooperate to form a substantially rectangular fluid-tight compartment 46 having a hollow interior and shaped to cover a back rim 48 of the tub.
A longitudinally extending seam 50 crosses an intermediate portion of one side of the top of the T and extends parallel to side seam 18. A pair of laterally extending and parallel seams 52, 54 extending along both edges of the top of the T to join the ends of seam 18 with the ends of seam 50. Seams 18, 50, 52, 54 cooperate to form a substantially rectangular fluid-tight side compartment 56 having a hollow interior and shaped to fit the contour of a major portion of a side wall 58 of the tub.
A longitudinally extending seam 60 extends along one end of the top of the T parallel to seam 50, and a pair of laterally extending and parallel seams 62, 64 extend along both edges of the top of the T to join the ends of seam 50 with the ends of seam 60. Seams 50, 60, 62, 64 cooperate to form a narrow, substantially rectangular fluid-tight compartment 66 having a hollow interior and shaped to cover a top rim 68 of the tub.
On the other side of compartment 26, a longitudinally extending seam 70, and a pair of parallel, laterally extending seams 72, 74 cooperate to form a fluid-tight side compartment 76, identical to compartment 56, for covering the side wall (not shown) of the tub opposite side wall 58. Similarly, a longitudinally extending seam 80, and a pair of laterally extending and parallel seams 82, 84 cooperate with seam 70 to form a fluid-tight compartment 86, identical to compartment 66, for covering the side rim of the tub opposite rim 68.
A portion of each sheet 14, 16 at the front edge of compartment 26 is contoured, and the edges of the two sheets sealed together, to form a flexible, elongated tubular conduit 90 which opens into the interior of compartment 26. Conduit 90 is sufficiently wide to allow the interior of the conduit to be filled with liquids, preferably warm water, and to allow such liquids to be emptied from the compartment interior. The conduit preferably is sufficiently long and of such size that it can extend up to and around most conventional bathtub faucets to facilitate filling the interior of compartment 26 with water.
A variety of means can be used to close off the end of conduit 90 after compartment 26 is filled. FIG. 2 shows a pair of male-type snap ring fasteners attached to one side of the conduit, and a cooperating pair of female-type snap ring fasteners attached to the other side of the conduit. In use, the end of the conduit can be rolled up and the snaps fastened together to hold the water inside compartment 26.
A separate gas-admitting conduit 94 opens into each remaining compartment so that compartments 36, 46, 56, 66, 76, 86 can be filled with gas, preferably air. Conduits 94 preferably are flexible tubes formed integrally with the liner in a manner similar to water conduit 26 to allow the compartments to be inflated with air from the user. The conduits 94 can be closed off by a variety of suitable means. One way is to twist each conduit, and put it into a tight nearby pocket (not shown) in a manner akin to the conventional air valve used on beach balls. Alternately, each gas conduit 94 can be relatively rigid, and can carry a cap (not shown) attached by a strap hinge and adapted to make a tight friction fit in the end of the conduit.
The bathtub liner is used by initially inflating the gas-filled compartments with gas such as air 95. The cushion is then placed inside the bathtub as shown in FIG. 1. Bottom compartment 26 is placed on the bottom of the tub, and compartments 36 and 46 are laid over the sloping back and back rim of the tub, respectively. Each side compartment 56, 76 is placed against a respective side of the tub, and compartment 66, 86 are placed over the top rims of the tub to help hold the side compartments in place. The seams between sections of the liner act as hinge points to allow the liner to be fitted to the contour of the tub. Bottom compartment 26 is then filled with fluid, preferably warm water 96 from the faucet (not shown) of the tub. The tub is then filled with water 98 to cover the liner. The portions of sheets 14 and 16, which comprise the top and bottom walls of compartment 26, are tacked together by heat seals 99 at several longitudinally and laterally spaced apart points. The walls are tacked together to prevent compartment 26 from ballooning excessively when it is filled with water.
In use, the liner provides a soft, comfortable receptacle in which to bathe. Just enough water can be put into compartment 26 to allow it to cover the area of the tub bottom. Since the side compartments 56, 76 are movable independently of back compartment 36, these portions of the liner can be molded by the user to the contour of the bathtub interior. The side compartments and end compartments do not have to be integral with each other to prevent water from getting under the liner, because flotation is not a problem. The water-filled bottom compartment 26 prevents the liner from floating when the tub is filled. Moreover, since the side compartments are separate from the end compartment, the entire liner can be manufactured from a simple two-piece plastic sheet construction, which make it especially easy and inexpensive to manufacture the liner.
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, suitable non-skid surfaces are applied to the walls of bottom compartment 26 to substantially prevent the user from slipping when he steps into the tub and onto the liner. FIG. 4 shows a roughened non-skid surface 100 applied to the outer and interior walls of the bottom compartment. The roughened surface helps prevent the bottom of sheet 16 from skidding relative to the bottom of the tub, and also helps prevent sheet 16 from skidding relative to sheet 18, or from skidding relative to the user's foot when he steps onto the liner. FIG. 5 shows an alternate method of applying non-skid surfaces to the liner, in which both interior walls of the bottom compartment have suitable corrugations 102.