GB2124075A

GB2124075A - Shower unit

Info

Publication number: GB2124075A
Application number: GB08221945A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Culling White
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-07-29
Filing date: 1982-07-29
Publication date: 1984-02-15

Abstract

A child or adult stands or sits in an open-topped receptacle 1 and is sprayed with water from a nozzle 11 on a flexible pipe 9 fed by a pump 14 having an inlet pipe 19 which is lowered into a removable vessel 27 containing the required quantity of water at the required temperature. The water drains into a removable vessel 31. The height of the wall of the receptacle is reduced adjacent a ledge 7. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Shower unit This invention relates to a shower unit in which a child or an adult, particularly a mentally or physically handicapped adult, can be washed with the assist ance, if required, of another person.

Young children at school frequently soil their clothes to such an extent that they have to be washed and changed. Such washing is difficult at a sink and, because the assistance of a teacher is required, is impracticable in a conventional shower compartment having a fixed overhead spray nozzle.

The present invention proposes a shower unit comprising an open-topped receptacle in which a child or adult can stand and sit and a spray nozzle connected to a flexible pipe.

The preferred unit includes a pump whose output communicates with the flexible pipe and whose input communicates with an inlet pipe, and a vessel which is removable from the unit for filling with water, the vessel and the inlet pipe being movable relative to each other so as to enable the end of the inlet pipe to be inserted into the vessel. This provides the advantage that the vessel can be filled with the required quantity of water at the required temperature, so that there is no danger of the child or adult being scalded or chilled or flooding the surroundings with a large amount of water.

The unit preferably includes a housing which supports the receptacle and which has a ledge with a hole through which the flexible pipe extends. Preferably, the height of the wall of the receptacle is reduced adjacent the ledge, to provide a direct route for the flexible pipe to the receptacle and, for example, allowing a teacher easy access to those parts of a child's anatomy which are likely to require the closest attention.

Preferably, the unit includes a removable waste vessel positioned under the outlet of a drain from the receptacle.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shower unit for washing a child; Figure 2 is a rear view of the unit; Figure 3 is a front view of the unit, with the doors of its housing shown open; and Figure 4 is a similar view of the unit, when a fresh bucket of water has just been placed in the housing.

The unit comprises a receptacle 1 of enamelled fibreglass, approximately 60 cm in height, depth, and width, supported by a housing 2 which runs on casters 3 and is made of wood or fibreglass. The housing 2 can be moded with the aid of handles 4 at the sides and back and the rear surface has rubber buffers 6 so thy the unit can be pushed against a wall.

At the front, the housing 2 projects forwards to form a ledge 7 (on which a child can be sat while entering or leaving the receptacle 1). The front wall of the receptacle is reduced in height in its middle portion, so that its edge 8 becomes approximately level with the ledge 8 and affords unhindered passage to a flexible pipe 9 which runs through a hole in the ledge 7 and is connected to a spray nozzle 11 having a control trigger 12.

Inside the housing 2 the pipe 9 runs through a space in which its vertical movement is virtually unrestricted and enters a fixed guide-tube 13; in this tube 13 the pipe 9 is connected to the output of an electric pump 14 connected (via an on-off switch 16 on the ledge 7) to a twelve volt battery 17 housed behind a door 18 at the rearofthe unit. The input of the pump 14 is connected to a vertical rigid inlet pipe 19 by a flexible rubber hose 21. The pipe 19 passes through a guide 22 and its upper end is supported by a bracket 23 which is slidable along a vertical guide rod 24 and can be fixed by a hand-operated screw 26.

A bucket 27 is located in a compartment 28 and can be removed from the unit for filling with water at the required temperature. With the pipe 19 in an upper position (as shown in Figure 4) the full bucket 27 is placed in the compartment 28 and the pipe 19 is then lowered until its bottom end is near the bottom ofthe bucket (as shown in Figure 3). The pump 14 is switched on by means of the switch 16 and draws water from the bucket 27 until the output pressure reaches a predetermined value, at which the pump stops automatically (such pumps already being known). When the trigger 12 is pressed, water sprays from the nozzle 11; as soon as the water pressure drops below a predetermined value, the pump automatically starts again.

The sprayed water runs continuously out of the bottom of the receptacle 1 through a drain 29 into a removable waste bucket 31 similar to the bucket 27.

The pump 14 is housed in a compartment 32 which is normally closed by a door (not shown). The buckets 27,30 and the screw 26 are accessible through a pair of doors 33,34 at the front of the unit.

The left-hand door 33 carries a removable bin 36 for holding bottles of disinfectant and liquid soap.

Various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention. For instance: the unit may be adapted for mains operation instead of or as well as battery operation; the unit may be plumbed in; the unit may be enlarged to accommodate an adult.

The shower unit described above is useful in schools and hospitals and in situations where running water is not directly available (e.g. in caravan toilet blocks).

CLAIMS (Filed on 22nd June1983) 1. A show unit comprising an open-topped receptacle in which a child or adult can stand and sit and a spray nozzle connected to a flexible pipe.

2. A show unit as claimed in claim 1, including a pump whose output communicated with the flexible pipe and whose inlet communicates with an inlet pipe, and a vessel which is removable from the unitforfilling with water, the vessel and the inlet pipe being movable relative to each other so as to enable the end of the inlet pipe to be inserted into the vessel.

3. A show unit as claimed in claim 1 or 2, including a housing which supports the receptacle

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

SPECIFICATION Shower unit This invention relates to a shower unit in which a child or an adult, particularly a mentally or physically handicapped adult, can be washed with the assist ance, if required, of another person.

Young children at school frequently soil their clothes to such an extent that they have to be washed and changed. Such washing is difficult at a sink and, because the assistance of a teacher is required, is impracticable in a conventional shower compartment having a fixed overhead spray nozzle.

The present invention proposes a shower unit comprising an open-topped receptacle in which a child or adult can stand and sit and a spray nozzle connected to a flexible pipe.

The preferred unit includes a pump whose output communicates with the flexible pipe and whose input communicates with an inlet pipe, and a vessel which is removable from the unit for filling with water, the vessel and the inlet pipe being movable relative to each other so as to enable the end of the inlet pipe to be inserted into the vessel. This provides the advantage that the vessel can be filled with the required quantity of water at the required temperature, so that there is no danger of the child or adult being scalded or chilled or flooding the surroundings with a large amount of water.

The unit preferably includes a housing which supports the receptacle and which has a ledge with a hole through which the flexible pipe extends. Preferably, the height of the wall of the receptacle is reduced adjacent the ledge, to provide a direct route for the flexible pipe to the receptacle and, for example, allowing a teacher easy access to those parts of a child's anatomy which are likely to require the closest attention.

Preferably, the unit includes a removable waste vessel positioned under the outlet of a drain from the receptacle.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shower unit for washing a child; Figure 2 is a rear view of the unit; Figure 3 is a front view of the unit, with the doors of its housing shown open; and Figure 4 is a similar view of the unit, when a fresh bucket of water has just been placed in the housing.

The unit comprises a receptacle 1 of enamelled fibreglass, approximately 60 cm in height, depth, and width, supported by a housing 2 which runs on casters 3 and is made of wood or fibreglass. The housing 2 can be moded with the aid of handles 4 at the sides and back and the rear surface has rubber buffers 6 so thy the unit can be pushed against a wall.

At the front, the housing 2 projects forwards to form a ledge 7 (on which a child can be sat while entering or leaving the receptacle 1). The front wall of the receptacle is reduced in height in its middle portion, so that its edge 8 becomes approximately level with the ledge 8 and affords unhindered passage to a flexible pipe 9 which runs through a hole in the ledge

7 and is connected to a spray nozzle 11 having a control trigger 12.

Inside the housing 2 the pipe 9 runs through a space in which its vertical movement is virtually unrestricted and enters a fixed guide-tube 13; in this tube 13 the pipe 9 is connected to the output of an electric pump 14 connected (via an on-off switch 16 on the ledge 7) to a twelve volt battery 17 housed behind a door 18 at the rearofthe unit. The input of the pump 14 is connected to a vertical rigid inlet pipe

19 by a flexible rubber hose 21. The pipe 19 passes through a guide 22 and its upper end is supported by a bracket 23 which is slidable along a vertical guide rod 24 and can be fixed by a hand-operated screw 26.

A bucket 27 is located in a compartment 28 and can be removed from the unit for filling with water at the required temperature. With the pipe 19 in an upper position (as shown in Figure 4) the full bucket 27 is placed in the compartment 28 and the pipe 19 is then lowered until its bottom end is near the bottom ofthe bucket (as shown in Figure 3). The pump 14 is switched on by means of the switch 16 and draws water from the bucket 27 until the output pressure reaches a predetermined value, at which the pump stops automatically (such pumps already being known). When the trigger 12 is pressed, water sprays from the nozzle 11; as soon as the water pressure drops below a predetermined value, the pump automatically starts again.

The sprayed water runs continuously out of the bottom of the receptacle 1 through a drain 29 into a removable waste bucket 31 similar to the bucket 27.

The pump 14 is housed in a compartment 32 which is normally closed by a door (not shown). The buckets 27,30 and the screw 26 are accessible through a pair of doors 33,34 at the front of the unit.

The left-hand door 33 carries a removable bin 36 for holding bottles of disinfectant and liquid soap.

Various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention. For instance: the unit may be adapted for mains operation instead of or as well as battery operation; the unit may be plumbed in; the unit may be enlarged to accommodate an adult.

The shower unit described above is useful in schools and hospitals and in situations where running water is not directly available (e.g. in caravan toilet blocks).

CLAIMS (Filed on 22nd June1983) 1. A show unit comprising an open-topped receptacle in which a child or adult can stand and sit and a spray nozzle connected to a flexible pipe.
2. A show unit as claimed in claim 1, including a pump whose output communicated with the flexible pipe and whose inlet communicates with an inlet pipe, and a vessel which is removable from the unitforfilling with water, the vessel and the inlet pipe being movable relative to each other so as to enable the end of the inlet pipe to be inserted into the vessel.
3. A show unit as claimed in claim 1 or 2, including a housing which supports the receptacle and which has a ledge with a hole through which the flexible pipe extends.
4. A shower unit as claimed in claim 3, in which the height of the wall of the receptacle is reduced adjacent the ledge.
5. A shower unit as claimed in any preceding claim, including a movable waste vessel positioned under the outlet of a drain from the receptacle.
6. A shower unit as claimed in any preceding claim, mounted on wheels.
7. A shower unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the spray nozzle is provided with means for controlling the flovv of water therethrough.
8. A shower unit substantially as described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.