Infant Bath Support

This invention relates to a support for babies and infants in adult baths. Such devices are desirable for parents of young children who can sit up unaided but benefit from support so that the parent does not have to provide such support themselves, which is frequently a strain on the back. If the parent has any weakness in their back, then a bath support for their baby is very desirable. In any event, for the large majority of users, such devices are useful in helping them bathe their children.

BACKGROUND

US-A-5158460 and US-A-5687433 both disclose a typical kind of baby support and this comprises a frame having a seat portion, back portion, side arms and front restraint, and crotch piece extending between the seat portion and front restraint. Suckers depend from the base of the seat to be secured to the bath base. On the face of it, these arrangements look very secure, and they are, provided that the suckers remain securely adhered to the bath base. However, baths come in many different shapes and sizes and sometimes the suckers do not stay firmly connected and gradually lose their grip. One reason for this is that they do not adapt to the shape of the bath. Then a child has the opportunity of toppling over in the frame, which might have the effect of securely holding the unfortunate baby under water. In the absence of supervision this can have tragic consequences.

Bath mats are known comprising a rubber or rubber-like material having a multiplicity of suckers on one side and a non-slip surface on the other. An arrangement similar to this, but with the addition of a pile on the surface opposite the suckered surface, is disclosed in US-A-4047259. However, such an arrangement is not a baby support.

WO-A-98/05249 discloses a bathtub seat apparatus, to prevent a person slipping down a bath when their back is supported by one end of the bath. The apparatus has a generally thin, flat back section upon which the person sits when the apparatus is supported on the bottom surface of the bathtub, a raised front section having a thickness substantially greater than the thickness of the back section and adequate to support all or part of the legs of the person, the front section having a cavity in the undersurface thereof, a gradually sloping transition area between the back and front sections, and a plurality of suction cups coupled to the front section and positioned within the cavity for releasably securing the apparatus to the bottom surface of the bathtub such that the

apparatus is prevented from sliding in relation to the surface while a person is seated on the apparatus. However, this is not a baby support.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a bath support for babies which is more secure in its connection to the bath tub.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a bath support for a person, comprising a support component having a base part adapted to be sat upon by the person when the bath support is located in a bath, and a support part upstanding from the base part and adapted to limit movement of the person seated on the base part, and a securing component in the form of a flexible non-slip mat adapted to surround the support part and cover and overlap the base part so as to contact the bath when the bath support is located therein and secure the support component in position in the bath.

Of course, an additional option is to provide further suckers on the support component. Moreover, while it may be preferred, it is not absolutely necessary that the securing component either completely covers the base part or overlaps it around its entire periphery.

Furthermore, while it is likely, and indeed, presently preferred, that the support component and the securing component are separate components of the bath support, this is not absolutely essential. What is essential is that the securing component is flexible so that it can mould to the shape of the bath in which it is placed, regardless of the particular contours of the bath (although bearing in mind the nature of normal baths excludes excessively folded shapes), whereas the support component, or at least the support part of the support component, has a certain rigidity so that it can effect the purpose of supporting the person in the bath. While it is feasible that such contrary characteristics can be provided by a single component bath support of the type defined herein, it is preferred that the two components are separate structures.

Preferably, said securing component is made of a elastomeric polymer such as phthalate compliant PVC. Preferably, said support component is made from a rigid plastics material such as polypropylene or polyethylene.

Preferably, said mat has an aperture through which said support part extends. Preferably, said support part is arcuate in plan and adapted to support at least the back of a person seated on the base part.

Preferably, said support part further comprises a bulbous section adapted to form a crotch support for the person. Preferably, said bulbous section is located near the centre of curvature of said arcuate back support. Preferably, said mat includes a second aperture to receive said bulbous section. Said bulbous section may further comprise a T-bar adapted to inhibit the person supported from toppling forward headfirst into the bath water.

Preferably, said mat is resiliently flexible. Preferably, it overlaps said base part by a similar amount around the entire periphery of the base part. Alternatively, it is elongate in outline corresponding with the typical shape of the bases of bath tubs. Preferably, at least one side of the mat around at least where said mat overlaps the base part, is provided with a plurality of suckers by means of which the mat may adhere to a bath tub surface. Preferably, said suckers are integrally moulded on said mat. Preferably, said mat has a non-slip surface, at least on the side of the mat remote from said suckers and at least on a part thereof above said base when located thereon. Said non-slip surface may be provided by irregularities in the surface of the mat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are further described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1a to d are respectively: a perspective view of a bath support in accordance with the present invention in an assembled condition; the same view with a baby seated thereon; a perspective view of a securing component of the bath support; and, a perspective view of the support component; and Figures 2a to d are similar views of an alternative embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In figure 1 , a bath support 10 comprises a securing component 12 and a support component 14. The securing component 12 is elongate in plan, and somewhat rectangular to correspond with the typical dimensions of a bath tub (not shown).

Securing component 12 is a mat 16 of rubber or rubber-like elastomeric material, such as phthalate-compliant polyvinyl chloride (PVC), having, on a top surface 18, a non-slip surface. Rubber or similar material is already relatively non-slip, even under water. However, additional friction-inducing elements may be formed on the surface 18, such as for example knobs 20. On its under surface (not shown) the mat 16 is provided with a plurality of small suckers so that when the mat is pressed onto the base of a typical bath, some or many of the suckers grip the bath in a known manner, securing the mat 16 in position in the bath.

The support component 14 comprises a plastics moulding having a base part 30 and a back support part 32, upstanding from the, essentially flat, base part 30. The upstanding back support part 32 is arcuate in plan and is optionally hollow, possibly with internal supporting ribs between front and back walls. If constructed from a plastics material such polypropylene or polyethylene, it is likely to be hollow, whereas if it is constructed from a less dense material such as polyurethane or polystyrene, it may be solid. Indeed, it may comprise a combination of materials. At or near the centre of curvature of the back support 32 a front, bulbous support 34 is provided. This has a top T-bar 36, which may be a separate moulding connected to the front support 34.

The mat 16 is provided with two apertures 42, 44, aperture 42 being arcuate in shape to correspond with the plan of back support 32, and aperture 44 being the same as the plan section of the bulbous support 34. In use, the mat 16 is fitted over the bulbous support 34 and back support 32 and the assembled bath support 10 is then located in a bath. The suckers on the underside of the mat 16, beyond the perimeter of the base 30, are able to adhere to the bath and accordingly, the securing component 12 locates the support component 14 securely in the bath.

An infant 40, is shown seated on the bath support 10 between the back support 32 and bulbous support 34. It is to be noted that the legs 46 of the infant are arranged on either side of the bulbous support 34 so that, should the infant 40 lean backwardly against the support 32 and his or her bottom should slip on the mat 16 (which is resisted, of course by the non-slip surface features 20), the bulbous support 34 prevents further forward slipping. The T-bar 36 acts as a front, abdomen support for the infant, preventing forward toppling headfirst into the water.

Be that as it may, the bath support 10 is not intended to be employed by an infant 40 without parental supervision. However, the mat 16 does prevent the support from slipping, which is a major hazard with prior art arrangements when they are secured by only one or two suckers.

The elongate form of the mat 16 enables an older sibling or friend (not shown) of the child 40 to sit comfortably in the bath on the extended front 16a of the mat 16. of course, non-slip bumps 20 may be over the entire surface of the mat 16 or be restricted to areas 16a, b where children will be seated.

Turning to figure 2, bath support 10' differs from the bath support of figure 1 in that the bulbous support 34' here does not have the T-bar 36 of figure 1 (although it could have, of course; just as the arrangement of figure 1 may be preferred without one). Furthermore, mat 16' is here much reduced in plan area only overlapping base 30 by sufficient to ensure good adherence of the suckers (not shown) on the underside of the mat 16'. Otherwise, the bath support is the same with the back support 32 being the same and surface features 20 providing similar non-slip surface to the mat 16'.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the words "comprise" and "contain" and variations of the words, for example "comprising" and "comprises", means "including but not limited to", and is not intended to (and does not) exclude other moieties, additives, components, integers or steps.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the singular encompasses the plural unless the context otherwise requires. In particular, where the indefinite article is used, the specification is to be understood as contemplating plurality as well as singularity, unless the context requires otherwise.

Features, integers, characteristics, compounds, chemical moieties or groups described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment or example of the invention are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described herein unless incompatible therewith.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and

which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of any foregoing embodiments. The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.