Walk in bath

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12178366-B2
Application number	US-202017075239-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 20, 2020
Priority date	Jan 12, 2017
Publication date	Dec 31, 2024
Grant date	Dec 31, 2024

Abstract

A walk in bath includes a shell, a door, and a seal member. The shell defines a bathing area and includes a wall with an opening therein. The door is moveable relative to the wall between a closed position, in which the door engages the opening, and an open position allowing ingress into and egress from the bathing area through the opening. The seal member is located between the wall and the door in the closed position to seal a gap therebetween to prohibit water from leaking from the bathing area through the gap. The seal member includes a first end, a second end, and an intermediate hollow section extending between the first and second ends. Each of the first and second ends is closed to prevent water from entering into the seal member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A walk in bath comprising:
a shell defining a bathing area, the shell comprising a floor, a front side wall having an opening therein, a rear side wall, a left side wall, a right side wall, a seat, and a deck at the top of each side wall, wherein the seat is below the deck and above the floor and the seat extends from one of the left side or right side walls, wherein the seat comprises:
a seating surface that supports a user and slopes downwardly moving from a front of the seat toward a rear of the seat proximate the associated side wall from which the seat extends; and
a drainage channel having a side portion extending between and below the seating surface and the associated side wall thereby separating the seating surface from the associated side wall, a front portion extending between and below the front side wall and the seating surface thereby separating the front side wall from the seating surface, and a rear portion extending between and below the rear side wall and the seating surface thereby separating the rear side wall from the seating surface, wherein the drainage channel is lower than the seating surface to channel water; and

a door that is moveable relative to the shell between a closed position, in which the door engages the opening in the front side wall, and an open position allowing ingress into and egress from the bathing area through the opening.

2. The walk in bath of claim 1 , wherein each of the front and rear portions of the drainage channel slope downwardly moving away from the side portion of the drainage channel.

3. The walk in bath of claim 2 , wherein the side portion of the drainage channel slopes downwardly moving away from one of the front and rear portions of the drainage channel.

4. The walk in bath of claim 2 , wherein:
the side portion of the drainage channel comprises a central portion disposed between the front portion of the drainage channel and the rear portion of the drainage channel;
the side portion of the drainage channel slopes downwardly from the central portion moving towards the front portion of the drainage channel; and
the side portion of the drainage channel slopes downwardly from the central portion moving towards the rear portion of the drainage channel.

5. The walk in bath of claim 1 , further comprising a heating element that selectively heats the side wall from which the seat extends independently of water in the bath.

6. The walk in bath of claim 5 , wherein the heating element also heats a head and neck portion of the deck that is adjacent to the side wall from which the seat extends.

7. The walk in bath of claim 1 , wherein the door comprises:
a hinge side disposed along a first plane for a first length; and
a handle side disposed along a second plane for the first length, the second plane being parallel to the first plane.

8. The walk in bath of claim 1 , further comprising a seal member located between the front side wall and the door when the door is in the closed position, the seal member comprising:
a first end;
a second end;
an intermediate hollow section extending between the first end and the second end, the intermediate hollow section closed by the first end and closed by the second end; and
a finger extending from at least one of the first end or the second end;
wherein the door comprises a door opening; and
wherein the finger is configured to be received within the door opening to couple the seal member to the door.

9. A walk in bath comprising:
a shell defining a bathing area, the shell comprising:
a front side wall;
a first side wall; and
a seat extending from the first side wall, the seat comprising:
a seating surface that is configured to support a user; and
a drainage channel extending at least partially around the seating surface, the drainage channel being recessed relative to the seating surface and configured to direct fluid away from the seating surface; and

a door rotatably coupled to the front side wall and operable between an open position and a closed position.

10. The walk in bath of claim 9 , wherein the seating surface slopes downwardly from a front edge of the seat towards a rear edge of the seat opposite the front edge and contiguous with the first side wall.

11. The walk in bath of claim 9 , further comprising a rear side wall;
wherein the drainage channel comprises:
a front portion disposed between the seating surface and the front side wall, the front portion sloping downwardly moving away from the first side wall; and
a rear portion disposed between the seating surface and the rear side wall, the rear portion sloping downwardly moving away from the first side wall.

12. The walk in bath of claim 11 , wherein the drainage channel further comprises a side portion contiguous with at least one of the front portion or the rear portion, the side portion sloping downwardly moving away from at least one of the front side wall or the rear side wall.

13. The walk in bath of claim 9 , further comprising a heating element that is configured to selectively heat the first side wall.

14. The walk in bath of claim 13 , further comprising:
a second side wall;
a rear side wall; and
a deck contiguous with the front side wall, the rear side wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall;
wherein the heating element is further configured to selectively heat the deck proximate the first side wall.

15. The walk in bath of claim 9 , further comprising:
a seal member located between the front side wall and the door when the door is in the closed position, the seal member comprising:
a first end;
a second end;
an intermediate hollow section extending between the first end and the second end, the intermediate hollow section closed by the first end and closed by the second end; and
a finger extending from at least one of the first end or the second end;

wherein the door comprises a door opening; and
wherein the finger is configured to be received within the door opening to couple the seal member to the door.

16. A walk in bath comprising:
a shell comprising:
a front side wall; and
a first side wall;

a seat extending from the first side wall, the seat comprising:
a seating surface; and
a drainage channel extending at least partially along the seating surface, the drainage channel being recessed relative to the seating surface;

a door rotatably coupled to the front side wall and operable between an open position and a closed position, the door comprising a door opening; and
a seal member located between the front side wall and the door when the door is in the closed position, the seal member comprising:
a first end;
a second end;
an intermediate hollow section extending between the first end and the second end; and
a finger extending from at least one of the first end or the second end, the finger configured to be received within the door opening to couple the seal member to the door.

17. The walk in bath of claim 16 , wherein the seating surface slopes downwardly from a front edge of the seat towards a rear edge of the seat opposite the front edge and contiguous with the first side wall.

18. The walk in bath of claim 16 , further comprising a rear side wall;
wherein the drainage channel comprises:
a front portion disposed between the seating surface and the front side wall, the front portion sloping downwardly moving away from the first side wall; and

a rear portion disposed between the seating surface and the rear side wall, the rear portion sloping downwardly moving away from th

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Manchiraju Ravikanth

Classifications

• A61H2201/0207

  heated · CPC title

• A61H33/6005

  Special constructive structural details of the bathtub, e.g. of the walls or supporting structure · CPC title

• A61H33/0087

  Therapeutic baths with agitated or circulated water · CPC title

• A47K3/003

  Grips for baths · CPC title

• A47K3/022

  specially adapted for particular use, e.g. for washing the feet, for bathing in sitting position (collapsible baths specially adapted for particular use A47K3/062) · CPC title