US2661482A - Infant's bath - Google Patents

Description

1953 E. D. z ov 2,66l,482

INFANT'S BATH Filed Nov. 14, 1951 2 snts-sheet w 76 w 'n FIG. 2

INVENTOR.

ERWIN D. Z|MOV Dec. 8, 1953 Filed Nov. 14, 1951 E. D. ZIMOV INFANT'S BATH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ERWIN D. ZIMOV INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. 8, 1953 UNITED S'E'A'E' QEH 1 Ciaim.

This invention relates to an infant's bath, and more particularly to an adjustable width infant s bath.

An object of the invention is to provide an adjustable width infant's bath fabricated from a single sheet of flexible waterproof material having side and end edges provided with novel rod receptive means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bathing receptacle which includes simple, yet highly efiective means for enabling the user to vary the overall width thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bath having the hereinabove described characteristics which is provided with legs for enabling the bath to be supported over and in spanning relationship with the opposite edges of a conventional bathtub or the like, or which may be utilized, with equal facility, for supporting the bath upon a continuous surface such as a floor, or the like.

Still another object of the invention is to pro vide a bath structure having opposed side and end portions wherein the outer edge of the end portions is provided with an integrally ormed, inturned, substantially horizontal strip which projects forwardly from its end portion for defining a reinforced lip which determines the effective width of the bath.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a bath supporting structure which includes means for enabling the structure to be placed upon a flat supporting surface or to be mounted between and in spanning relationship with a pair of laterally spaced elements such as, by Way of example, the opposite edges of a bathtub or similar receptacle.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and as disclosed in the accompanying drawngs, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective View of an infant's bath, adjusted to its maximum width, embodying the teachings of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4: is an end elevation of the assembly of Fig. 1 in a fully collapsed or folded condition.

Fig. 5 is a plan View of a partially fabricated blank of fiexible material from which the tub of Fig. 1 is constructed. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the upper left corner of the blank of Fig. 5 wherein the end panel has been folded for illustrating a step in the fabrication of the tub.

Fig. 7 is a plan View of the blank of Fig. 6 illustrating the next step in the fabrication of a tub.

With reference now to Fig. 5, the numeral H) clenotes generally a sheet of flexible waterproof material which includes a bottom panel or area i?, a pair of duplicate side portions I& and a pair of duplicate end portions Et.

For clarity of detail and understanding, I have indicated a series of fold or reference lines in Figs. 5 and 6, hcwever it should be clearly understood that such lines have been indicated solely for the purpose of explaining the various steps followed in constructing a tub from the blank of Fig. 5 and do not necessarily represent fixed fold lines or areas in the final product, as will hereinafter become apparent.

The numerals !8 denote a reference line interconnecting edges 2% of the end portions !6 at a location beyond end edges 22 of the side portions t. The intersection of reference lines i& with reference lines 24 define points 26 which comprise the apices of pairs of adjacent triangular panels 28 and 3@ having a common side 32.

Triangular panels 28 are defined by edges lt, 2@ and 32, whereas panels se are defined by edges 32, :it and 36.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, each end portion is provided with an end strip 36 the length of which is equal to the overall Width of sheet li), as illustrated in the lower portion of Fig. 5. This strip may be folded lengthwise along reference lines i@ and 32 for providing three plies M, 46 and ta, wherein ply 4% is defined by reference lines ti and 56. As clearly illustrated in Fig. 5, reference line 5& passes through the point of intersection of sides 34 and 36 of triangular panels 30. Those portions of strip 38 which project outwardly beyond reference line 52, at the point of intersection of sides t and 35 of panels 3@ are folded upwardly about reference lines 52 and thence downwardly over onto the multi-ply strip, after which rows of stitching t and 56 may be applied for securing the resultant composite strip in fixed relationship with and across the free outer ends of the end panels it.

A series of side-by-sde loops 58 are provided at or in the opposite ends of and along the outer edges of composite strip 5? by means of rows of stitching fit. It will be noted that the axes of each of loops %58 are in substantial parallelism With the longitudinal axis of reference lines Zt.

After the opposite edges of the blank of Fig. 5 have been fabricated as llustrated in the upper half of said figure, triangular panels t are folded downwardly onto and over triangular panels 23 about their common edge 32 whereby their respective edges 3 t and 2& are disposed in 'substantial alignment, as illustrated in Fig. 6.

It Will be understood that those portions of trian u gular panel sa and end portion 16 illustrated in Fig. 6 are the bottom or underside of the sheet of Fig. 5, it being further noted that a pocket is thereby dened between the adjacent portions of triangular panels 23 and 3%.

After an edge has been folded as illustrated in Fig. 6, the pocket formed by triangular panels 23 and 3 3 is then folded downwardly about reference lines !8 and 36 for thereby disposing outer edges zt and 34 of these triangular panels in Contacting relationship with the rear or under surface of the outer edge of a respective side portion i i.

The outer edges 5! of the side. portions l may now be folded outwardly and under their respective side portions along reference lines 52 whereby to overlappingly engage portions cf triangular panel Et, as illustrated in Fig. 7. Edges 'Gi may then be permanently Secured to their side portions by means of stitching. which stitching provides elongated, open-endecl pockets &6 along the outer edge of each side, portion. It will be noted that stitching tt eficetively secures panele 23 and se in folded relationship and for disposing the .axis of pocket E i in alignment with the outermost loop 52.

Each of poclets '66 is dimensioned to receive a rod TE! wherein the length of the rod is Sufficient to project beyond the opposite ends of a pocket by an amount to enable opposite ends of the 'od to be received in, project through, and extend beyond an axially aligned loop 58 provided in the opposed duplicate end portions !5.

When the ends of a rod are thus inserted into and through a loop '53 an inturned strip or lip indicated by the letter A, Figs. 1 and 2, is ther by provided in substantial parallelism with the rod, that is, in a substantially horizontal plane. As clearly evident from. Figs. 17 and 3, the overall width of the inturned strip A is equal to the length of loops 58, wherein the length .of a loop is an asial dimension.

lt will be noted that the effective width of the upper portion of a tub is a function of the effective length of a compositeend strip 53 as determined by the spacing between rods ?0, it being understood that the lateral spacing between rods 'w is deterrnined by and is therefore a function of the lateral distance between the particular loops 58 engaged by the rods.

In Fig. 1 the rods are illustrated as engaging the oute'most loops of each series of loops for thereby providing a bath of maximum Width. In Fig. 2 I have illustrated rods '55 as being engaged with the centermost of the loops for thereby providing a tub of intermediate width. It will, of course, be understood that the width of the bath may be varied between a maximum and a minimum dimension by associating the ends of rods ?e with various combinations of loops 58.

With particular reference now to Figo. 1 and 3, it will be noted that the ends of rods i@ project beyond strips A and are engaged by the upper ends of leg elements 35 and 82 which intersect and are pivotally interconnected as at se.

The lower ends 86 of the legs are provided with a z-shaped member denoted generally by the numeral 88 and which comprises legs TI, 72 and ?4, wherein legs H and 12 are disposed in the planes of under surface 16 and outer edge 18 of the leg bottoms, respectively. Leg 'M is located in a plane at approximately right angles with leg ?2 for thereby providing a hook-like effect Ti. When it is desired to associate the device with a standard bathtub, members 88 are adapted to overhangingly engage the upper edges of the front and rear walls of a bath, said edges being indicated generally by the letters C and D in Fig. 2. When in this position the bath is suspended over the tub, and legs 88 and 82 spanningly engage the tub walls. Legs 12 and 'i i will thus engage the upper side edges of the standard bathtub in a manner whereby to preclude their accidental or unintentional displacement therefrom.

If desired, my device may be supported upon a fiat surface such as the ground or a floor, in which event contact with the supporting surface will be made as at 90, see Fig. 2, with a supporting surface denoted generally by the numeral 92. When the device is set up as illustrated in Fig. 2, it may be used as a dressing table for an infant or it may be set up as a bath at a location remote from a bathtub.

The device may be collapsed when not in use to the folded position illustrated in Fig. 4 for storage or transportation.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that I have thus provided a simple yet highly effective bath which is fabricated from a single sheet of ilexible waterproof material the end portions of which are provided with loops arranged in such a manner as to not only reinforce the end edges but to eiiectively establish the overall width of the tub. In passing it will be noted that the substantially horizontal strips A, besides eficetively reini'orcing the end portions of the bath. lkewise serve to preclude the accidental or unintentional discharge of water upwardly over the top of the end portions of the tub.

What is claimed is:

An adjustable width infant s bath fabricated from a sheet of fiexible waterproof material. in cluding a bottom and duplicate side and end por-- tions, an openended pocket provided along the outer edge of each side portion, a reinforciiig strip extending along the outer edge of each end portion, a series of side-by-side loops provided at opposite ends of said reinforcing strips wherein the axes of said loops are substantially parallel with one another and with the axes of said open-ended pockets, a pair of rods housed one within each pocket and with their opposite ends projecting beyond the opposite ends of their rcspective pockets, the opposite ends of said rods dimensioned to be received in and project through selected axially aligned loops in opposite end portions for providing an inturned strip of a width equal to the length of a loop, two sets of legs wherein each set comprises a pair of legs pivotally interconnected intermediate their length, the upper ends of the iegs of a set engaging the ends of the rods beyond the loops at opposite ends of the bath, said strips spanning said rods for determining the spacing between the upper ends of the legs of a set and for simultaneously maintaining the free upper edges of the end portions in the plane of the upper edges of the side portions.

ERWIN D. ZIMOV.

References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,473,4l3 Young Nov. 6, 1923 1,750,698 Abbott Mar. 18, 1930 1,833,l78 Rice Nov. 24, 1931 2,514,767 Kennedy July 11, 1950

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