US3493976A - Baby bath and play tub - Google Patents

Description

Feb."1'o,-197o Filed Dec. 1. 1966 United States Patent M 3,493,976 BABY BATH AND PLAY TUB Alma R. Baker, 2921 Overton Park Drive E., Fort Worth, Tex. 76109 Filed Dec. 1, 1966, Ser. No. 598,250 Int. Cl. A47k 3/024 U.S. Cl. 4-173 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE For maintaining a baby in a seated position, a bath and play tub having a seat, a back support, side walls with shoulder support regions, a foot well, and water level control means all of which are cooperatively formed to minimize the danger of toppling.

My invention relates in general to bathing apparatus and in particular to an improved baby bath having significant advantages. Following is a disclosure of a baby bath that advantageously maintains a baby in a seated position by minimizing the tendency for lateral toppling by utilization of a sidewall configuration which limits lateral movements of the baby. A footwell is disposed forward of the seat of the bath to confine a volume of water at that location, thus shifting the center of gravity forward to prevent backward toppling and to serve as a wash water reservoir. Also disclosed is a baby bath configuration having elongated cavities along each side of the seat to receive a volume of water to further stabilize the baby and the bath against lateral toppling. Water level control means which preferably consists of selectively positionable plugs may be utilized in at least one of the walls to enable variation in the depth of the water and thus adjustment of the center of gravity to further prevent toppling when the baby is momentarily left alone in the bath. A small water reservoir formed along the front of the baby bath for receiving toys for the babys amusement is also disclosed.

Previously, specially constructed baby baths have been developed, for the dangers which accompany the bathing of babies in conventional bathtubs or sinks have long been apparent.

Accidents frequently occur due to the slippery surfaces of bathtubs and sinks, particularly when lubricated with soapy water, and also, it is not uncommon for babies to drown in bathtubs, especially when left unattended even momentarily. Since they may be incapable of supporting themselves, it is possible for them to drown in only a few inches of water. Commonly, previously developed baby baths utilize the concept of keeping a baby in a prone, position, with his head supported well above water level to insure against drowning. In addition, various contours for the devices have been originated so that the prone baby is prevented from rolling his body to a position to place his head below water. But it is difiicult to bath a baby who is in a prone position. Although suggestions have been made for maintaining a baby in a seated or upright position (see for example the US. patent issued to Symbaluk, No. 3,031,- 229) these have been less than completely satisfactory due to the increased likelihood of toppling or to their manner of construction.

It is the general object of my invention to provideimproved forms of baby baths for maintaining babies in a seated position.

Another object of my invention is to provide in a baby bath of the type for maintaining a baby in a seated position, a configuration which minimizes chances for toppling of the baby and the bath by utilization of the mass 3,493,976 Patented Feb. 10, 1970 of the bath water to selectively position the center of gravity of the baby and the water filled bath.

Another object of my invention is to provide in a baby bath a sidewall configuration which helps prevent lateral toppling of a baby and the bath.

Another object of my invention is to provide elements for controlling the water level in a baby bath for maintaining a baby in a seated position to lower the center of gravity of the baby bath.

Another object of my invention is to provide amusement means along the front of a bathing apparatus of the seated baby type, along with safety means to prevent the baby from moving forward excessively and initiating forward toppling of the apparatus.

These and other objects are elfected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description taken in accordance with the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a baby bath constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view as seen looking along the lines IIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is another cross sectional view as seen looking along the lines III-1H of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partially in section, showing a preferred form of water level control element; and

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the "baby bath of FIG. 1 with the safety strap removed to fully expose the configuration inside the baby bath.

The numeral 11 in the drawing designates a baby bath structure in general which includes a back support 13 extending upward from a substantially horizontal seat 15. The seat includes in this instance a vertical support 17 joined with a floor panel 19 which 'forms a portion of a footwell 21. The :front part of footwell 21 is formed of a forewall 23 disposed in front of the seat to intersect each sidewall 25. Each of the sidewalls includes a shoulder support region A which extends upward from each side of the seat 15 and forward from the back support 13. The purpose of the footwell 21 disposed in front of the seat 15 is to intersect the sidewalls 25 and the forewall 23 to confine a volume of water forward of the seat and thus forward of the center of gravity of a seated baby to help prevent toppling of the bath. This volume of water also serves as a wash water reservoir during bathing.

The center of gravity of a seated baby lies along the vertical plane adjacent to the intersection of the back support 13 and the substantially horizontal seat 15.

Utilization of the footwell 21 moves the center of gravity of the bath toward forewall 23 to prevent the bath and baby from toppling backward. The shoulder support region A is high enough to engage a babys upper arm or side at a height that will limit his lateral movements. This therefore tends to prevent lateral toppling of the baby and the bath.

Extending along each side of the seat 15 is an elongated cavity 27 formed by a downward extension of the corresponding sidewall 25 and a vertical side support 29 of the seat 15. As shown in FIG. 5, these elongated cavities 27 are thus adapted to receive a volume of water to stabilize the baby bath against lateral toppling. That is, the mass of water on one side of the seat 15 offsets the babys weight when shifted to the opposite side of the bath and thus will minimize the tendency toward lateral toppling.

The sidewalls 25 decrease to a reduced height region B before intersecting forewall 23. This configuration provides an area in which a baby may freely move his arms,

and for his amusement a shallow reservoir or container 31 is formed along the length of the upper edge of the forewall to receive toys and water with which the baby may play. To prevent the baby from moving forward excessively and initiating forward toppling of the baby bath, a retainer strap 33 is provided to extend across the obliquely oriented panels 35 which slope from shoulder support region A to reduced height region B. A rounded horizontal panel 37 extends around the upper edge of the baby bath to eliminate sharp corners. Preferably, the safety strap has .a plurality of apertures 39 through which the baby may extend his arms for the purpose of reaching toys and water in the reservoir 31. It is preferable that the safety strap be removable and for this reason a plurality of conventional snaps 41 are provided along the outer edges thereof for attachment to the obliquely oriented panels 35.

Occasionally, it becomes necessary to leave the baby in a bath as, for example, to answer a telephone, and during such circumstances it is best that the water level and the center of gravity of the baby bath be lowered. 1n FIGS. 1 and 4 of the drawing is illustrated a water level control element which in this instance consists of a plug 43 preferably constructed of a resilient material such as synthetic rubber to be inserted inside an aperture 45 formed in one of the sidewalls. Such water control elements have an inner annular lip 47 having a diameter to pass through the aperture 45 but Which subsequently expands into sealing engagement with the inner surface 49 of the sidewall. Also included is an outer annular lip 51 that is of larger diameter than inner annular lip 47 to prevent passage of the plug through aperture 45 and to further effect a water-tight seal.

It should be apparent from the foregoing that I have provided an invention having significant advantages. The utilization of a footwell which contains a volume of water is advantageous in preventing rearward toppling of the baby and the bath and, similarly, utilization of elongated cavities which extend along each side of the seat minimizes chances for lateral toppling as does utilization of sidewalls having a shoulder support region to limit the babys movement in a lateral direction. Maintaining the baby in a seated position in the above described manner enables the provision of a water reservoir amusement device to receive toys for the baby. A retainer strap may be used to extend across the shoulder support wall adjacent the reduced height region to prevent the baby from moving forward excessively, thereby preventing forward toppling of the baby bath. A greater depth of water may be provided by maintaining the baby in a seated position than is possible if a prone bathing position is used, and the utilization of water level elements such as those previously described enables selective variation in the depth of the water and the center of gravity of the bath. Thus, the center of gravity may be conveniently lowered when it becomes necessary to momentarily leave the baby alone in the bath.

, vent backward toppling of the bath and to serve as a wash water reservoir.

2. The baby bath defined by claim 1 which further includes an elongated cavity extending along each side of said seat, with each said cavity being partially formed by a downward extension of the associated sidewall to receive a volume of Water to stabilize the baby bath against lateral toppling.

3. The baby bath defined by claim 1 which further includes at least one water level control element disposed in an aperture in one of said sidewalls to enable selective variation in the depth of the water in the bath and adjustment of the center of gravity thereof.

4. The baby bath defined by claim 1 which further includes a shallow container formed along a length of said forewall to receive toys for a babys amusement.

5. The baby bath defined by claim 4 which further includes a safety strap extending transversely across the shoulder support walls adjacent said reduced height region to prevent a baby from moving forward excessively and initiating forward toppling of said baby bath.

6. A baby bath comprising: a substantially horizontal seat; a back support extending upward from said seat;

" substantially vertical sidewalls which include a shoulder support region extending upward from each side of said seat and forward from said back support; a forewall having a lesser height than the height of the sidewalls, said forewall disposed in front of said seat to intersect said sidewalls; a foot well disposed in front of said seat to intersect said sidewalls and said forewall; and an elongated cavity extending along each side of said seat downward adjacent the bottom of each sidewall.

7. The baby bath defined by claim 6 which further includes at least one water level control means carried by the bath to enable selective variation in the depth of the water in the bath and adjustment of the center of gravity thereof.

8. The baby bath defined by claim 6 in which said shoulder support wall decreases to a reduced height region in intersecting said forewall. 9. The baby bath defined by claim 8 which further includes a safetystrap extending transversely across the shoulder support walls adjacent said reduced height region to prevent a baby from moving forward excessively and initiating forward toppling of said baby bath.

10. The baby bath defined by claim 6 which further includes a shallow container secured along a length of said forewall to receive toys for a babys amusement.

11. A baby bath comprising: a substantially horizontal seat; a back support extending upward from said seat; substantially vertical sidewalls which include a shoulder support region extending upward from each side of said seat and forward from said back support; a forewall dis- While I have shown my invention in only one of its forms it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible to various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim:

1. A baby bath comprising: a substantially horizontal seat; a back support extending upward from said seat; substantially vertical sidewalls which include a shoulder support region extending upward from each side of said seat and forward from said back support; a forewall disposed in front of said seat to intersect said sidewalls, which sidewalls decrease to a reduced height region intersecting said forewall; and a foot well disposed in front of said seat to intersect said sidewalls and said forewall to confine a volume of water forward of said seat and the center of gravity of a seated baby to help pre posed in front of said seat to intersect said sidewalls; a foot well disposed in front of said seat to intersect said sidewalls and said forewall; and a shallow container secured along a length of said forewall to receive toys for a babys amusement.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,569,825 10/1951 Otis 4--185 2,828,489 4/1958 Baker 4173 FOREIGN PATENTS 572,035 5/1932 Germany.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner H. K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 4-182

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