Bathtub-bathseat

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6253392
  • Patent Number
    6,253,392
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, July 22, 1999
    25 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, July 3, 2001
    23 years ago
Abstract
A tub defines a volume for receiving a child and holding water in a top side at least when oriented in a reclined position, the tub having a back side, head and foot ends, and first and second arms connected by a front cross member. The first and second arms are pivotally attached to the tub about an axis displaced from the foot end of the tub into at least first and second positions. The front cross member is disposed above, and displaced from, the top side of the tub when the arms are in first position. An elongated member is attached to the front cross member at a first end and extends from the front cross member to a second end having a foot disposed below the foot end of the tub and adapted to engage a smooth surface. The elongated member extends toward the foot end of the tub to provide a passive crotch restraint for a child received by the tub when the arms are in first position.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




The invention relates to a bathtub and bathseat combination and in particular to an apparatus for use interchangeably in a bathtub configuration and a bathseat configuration.




Children's bathtubs allow persons to bathe a child in a manner in which the child is safe and comfortable. These bathtubs are typically adapted to fit within an adult-sized bathtub, or even a sink. Persons can place the children's bathtub into the adult bathtub or the sink, fill the children's bathtub with water, put the child into the children's bathtub, and bathe the child.




Bathseats can also be used to bathe the child, with the child positioned in a seated, upright position. Typically, these seats are used for children that are at least a few months old and have enough neck strength to support their heads.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




In general, in one aspect, the invention features an apparatus including a tub adapted to receive a child and to hold water in a top side at least when oriented in a reclined position, the tub having a back side, a head end, and a foot end, a first arm portion and a second arm portion connected by a front cross member, the first and second arm portions each being pivotally attached to the tub about an axis displaced from the foot end of the tub into at least first and second positions, the front cross member being disposed above, and displaced from, the top side of the tub when the arm portions are in the first position, and an elongated member attached to the front cross member at a first end and extending from the front cross member to a second end having a foot disposed below the foot end of the tub and adapted to engage a smooth surface, the elongated member extending toward the foot end of the tub to provide a passive crotch restraint for a child received by the tub when the arm portions are in the first position.




Implementations of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The apparatus can further comprise a third arm portion connected to the first arm portion and a fourth arm portion connected to the second arm portion, the third and fourth arm portions extending from the first and second arm portions behind the back side of the tub and toward the head end of the tub when the first and second arm portions are in the second position. The apparatus can further comprise a rear cross member connecting the third and fourth arm portions to form a rear support. The rear support can include a pair of feet adapted to engage the bathtub floor. The front cross member can be disposed adjacent to the top side of the tub near the foot end when the first and second arm portions are in the second position. The tub can define a hole near the foot end for slidably receiving the elongated member. The apparatus can further comprise a coupling adapted to secure the first arm portion to the tub when the first arm portion is in the second position to prevent rotation of the first arm portion toward the first position when a torque less than a predetermined torque is applied to the first arm portion relative to the tub. The coupling can be further adapted to substantially prevent rotation of the first arm portion when the first arm portion is in the first position. The tub, the arm portions, and the elongated member can be arranged to be received by a kitchen sink or an adult-sized bathtub.




In general, in another aspect, the invention features an apparatus adapted to receive a child and to be pivoted between a bathtub position and a bathseat position, the apparatus including a tub having a front side and a rear side, the front side adapted to receive a child and to hold water, the tub further having a head end and a foot end and defining an opening near the foot end, a support including a pair of arm portions, a first cross member, and a second cross member, each arm portion being selectively pivotally coupled to the tub to a bathtub position and a bathseat position, the first cross member connecting arm portions above the front side of the tub when the arm portions are in the bathseat position, the second cross member connecting the arm portions behind the rear side of the tub in both the bathtub and bathseat positions, the support including a pair of feet disposed behind the rear side of the tub and adapted to be mounted to a smooth surface, and a leg depending from the first cross member and configured to be slidably received by the hole in the tub, the leg including a foot displaced from the first cross member and adapted to be mounted to the smooth surface, wherein feet of the support and the foot of the leg are adapted to be received by a kitchen sink.




In general, in another aspect, the invention features an infant bathseat including a tub having a bottom surface and raised side, head and foot portions defining a volume for containing water when the tub is in a reclining position with the head and foot portions positioned above the bottom surface, an arm portion on each side of the tub extending toward the foot portion and extending below the tub adjacent the, each arm portion being pivotally connected to the tub between the foot and the head portions, whereby on rotation of the arm portions away from the tub, the tub is raised from a reclining to a seating position with the head portion elevated above the foot portion, a cross member connecting the arm portions near the foot portion, and a support member extending vertically downward from the cross member and with the tub in a seating position forming a passive restraint for a child when seated in the bathseat.




Implementations of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The arm portions can be disposed above the foot portion when the tub is in the seating position. The arm portion can be fixedly attached to a shaft having a generally dumbbell shape, and the tub can include a hub defining a slot in communication with a circular hole, the hole being adapted to rotatably receive the shaft, the slot being adapted to slidably receive the shaft when the length of the dumbbell shape is directed along the length of the shaft. The arms and the cross member are integrally connected.




Embodiments of the invention may provide one or more of the following advantages. A single apparatus can be used as both a bathtub and a bathseat. Accidental movement of an apparatus from a bathseat configuration to a bathtub configuration can be inhibited. An arm portion of a combined bathtub-bathseat can be selectively pivoted and locked. A single apparatus can adapt to changing needs of the child and the child's parents as the child grows. An apparatus can be stably mounted or attached to a bathtub. Other advantages will become apparent from the following description and from the claims.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a perspective view of a bathtub-bathseat, in a bathseat position.





FIG. 2

is a perspective view of the bathtub-bathseat, shown in

FIG. 1

, in a reclining bathtub position.





FIG. 3

is a perspective exploded view of the bathtub-bathseat shown in

FIGS. 1-2

.





FIG. 4

is a plan view of the left side of a tub of the bathtub-bathseat shown in

FIGS. 1-2

.





FIG. 5

is a cross-sectional view of a rod shown schematically in

FIG. 3

, as indicated by a line


5





5


in FIG.


3


.





FIG. 6

is a schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of an arm and a portion of the tub shown in

FIG. 2

as indicated by a line


6





6


in FIG.


2


.





FIG. 6A

is a plan view of the left side of a tub of the bathtub-bathseat shown in

FIGS. 1-2

with a portion of the tub removed to shown a vane of the tub.





FIG. 7

is a schematic cross-sectional view of a rod in a key-hole for the bathtub-bathseat in the position shown in FIG.


2


.





FIG. 8

is a schematic cross-sectional view of a rod in a key-hole for the bathtub-bathseat in the position shown in FIG.


1


.





FIG. 9

is a left side view of the bathtub-bathseat, shown in

FIG. 1

, in an assembly position.





FIG. 10

is a schematic cross-sectional view of a rod in a key-hole for the bathtub-bathseat in an assembly position shown in FIG.


9


.





FIG. 11

is a schematic side view of a support and a portion of the tub of the bathtub-bathseat in the bathseat position.





FIG. 12

is a schematic side view of a support and a portion of the tub of the bathtub-bathseat in the bathtub position.





FIG. 13

is a perspective view of the bathtub-bathseat shown in

FIG. 1

mounted in an adult-sized bathtub.





FIG. 14

is a side view of the bathtub-bathseat shown in

FIG. 2

mounted in a sink.





FIG. 15

is a schematic cross-sectional view of an alternative shape of a rod of the bathtub-bathseat shown in FIGS.


1


-


2


.











DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS




The invention provides an apparatus that can be used as a bathtub for bathing an infant and converted for use as a bathseat for bathing a child. The apparatus can be locked into the bathseat configuration to help guard against the apparatus accidentally shifting from the bathseat configuration to the bathtub configuration. The apparatus can be securely attached or mounted to the floor or hubs


55


of an adult-sized bathtub or attached or mounted at least partially within a sink.




As shown in

FIGS. 1-2

, a bathtub-bathseat assembly


10


includes a tub or basin


12


, a substantially rectangular (see

FIG. 3

) arm


14


including two sides


16


and


18


connected by cross members


20


and


22


, and a front support


24


. Assembly


10


can be positioned in either the bathseat position, shown in

FIG. 1

, or the bathtub position, shown in FIG.


2


. Assembly


10


is configured to be placed in a sink or placed within an adult-sized bathtub and mounted to the floor of the adult-sized bathtub. Rounded edges and corners of assembly


10


help prevent injury.




Tub


12


has a bottom wall


26


and side walls


28


and


30


(see

FIG. 4

) that provide a volume


32


. Volume


32


is configured for receiving a child. Bottom wall


26


is contoured to accommodate a child and includes a bottom/back rest


34


. Rest


34


includes a top portion


36


adapted so that an infant can sit on top portion


36


. Rest


34


also includes a front portion


38


adapted to provide back support to a child sitting on a surface region


40


(not shown in

FIG. 2

) of bottom wall


26


. Bottom wall


26


is integrally connected to side walls


28


and


30


such that tub


12


is adapted to hold water in volume


32


, especially when in the bathtub position. A drainage hole


33


is provided through bottom wall


26


(FIG.


3


).




Referring to

FIG. 3

, tub


12


has a head end


42


and a foot end


44


. At foot end


42


, a ledge


46


provides a recess


48


and includes an upwardly directed tab


50


. Ledge


46


and a foot end portion of bottom wall


26


also provide a hole


52


through ledge


46


and bottom wall


26


.




Referring also to

FIG. 4

, tub


12


provides key holes


54


(only one is shown in

FIG. 4

) in exterior portions of each side of tub


12


. Key holes


54


do not extend through side walls


28


and


30


of tub


12


. Each key hole


54


has an upper circular hole


56


, centered along an axis


64


, and a lower slot


58


in fluid communication with hole


56


. As shown in

FIG. 4

, slot


58


has a width


60


relatively smaller than a diameter


62


of hole


56


. Key holes


54


are located along the sides of tub


12


closer to foot end


44


than to head end


42


.




Arm


14


includes two sets of discs


66


and


68


integrally connected by shafts


70


(schematically shown in

FIG. 3

) that are adapted to be received by key holes


54


. Discs


66


and


68


and shafts


70


are centered on an axis


72


. Shafts


70


are configured to be slidingly received by slots


58


of key holes


54


in tub


12


and to be rotatingly received within holes


56


in key holes


54


. As shown in

FIG. 5

, shaft


70


includes a plurality of ribs


76


arranged to effectively provide two flat sides indicated by lines


78


and two rounded ends


80


. Flat sides


78


are separated by a distance


82


approximately equal to, but slightly smaller than width


60


of slot


58


in tub


12


. Rounded ends


80


effectively provide the curvature of a circle


84


having a diameter


86


approximately equal to, but slightly less than, diameter


62


of hole


56


in tub


12


and larger than width


60


of slot


58


. Shafts


70


are schematically shown as rectangles with rounded ends in

FIGS. 3

,


7


-


8


, and


10


.




Referring to

FIGS. 3 and 5

, a ramp surface


74


is disposed adjacent the periphery of each disc


68


. Ramp


74


has a thin end


88


and a thick end


90


, with a flat top portion


92


.




Returning to

FIGS. 1-2

, arm


14


is pivotally connected to tub


12


for movement about axis


64


.




Referring to

FIGS. 6 and 6A

, tub


12


includes vanes


94


(only one shown) forming part of key holes


54


(FIGS.


3


-


4


). As shown in

FIG. 6A

(partially cut away with the portion of tub


12


shown in

FIGS. 3-4

forming part of key holes


54


removed), vane


94


has a semicircular cutout


96


of the same diameter


62


as hole


56


(

FIG. 4

) and is centered along axis


64


.

FIG. 6

shows the relationship of discs


66


and


68


, and shaft


70


of arm


14


, to tub


12


. As shown, side


16


of arm


14


is disposed adjacent to tub


12


and, in particular, to a wall


100


(see also

FIGS. 3-4

) of tub


12


forming part of key hole


54


. Disc


66


is disposed adjacent to an opposite side of wall


100


from side


16


. Vane


94


is disposed between discs


66


and


68


. Shaft


70


extends through hole


56


and cutout


96


(FIG.


6


A). Vane


94


has a rib


98


disposed and configured to interfere with ramp


74


(

FIGS. 3 and 5

) when arm


14


is pivoted about axis


64


.




Referring to

FIGS. 1-3

, arm


14


is shaped and connected to tub


12


such that cross member


20


is disposed in front of tub


12


and cross member


22


is disposed behind tub


12


. Side


16


has a somewhat “Z” shape when viewed from the left side of assembly


10


and side


18


has a somewhat “S” shape when viewed from the right side of assembly


10


. Cross member


20


includes posts


106


(only one is shown in

FIG. 3

) in a trough


102


for receiving a toy


104


(FIGS.


1


-


2


). A hole


118


is provided in the bottom of trough


102


to allow liquid to drain. Forward of hole


118


, shown in

FIG. 3

with a portion of cross member


20


cut away, are two posts


120


(only one of which is (schematically) shown).




Referring to

FIG. 3

, front support


24


includes a base


124


and a lever


126


. Two holes


122


(only one shown in

FIG. 3

) in base


124


are sized to pivotally receive posts


120


of arm


14


. Lever


126


includes two posts


125


(only one (schematically) shown in

FIG. 3

) adapted to be received by holes


127


in base


124


. Lever


126


has a top end


121


and a middle section


119


that are configured to be inserted through hole


52


in tub


12


and a bottom end


123


that is larger than hole


52


. Lever


126


is coupled to base


124


by a spring


128


and is pivotally received about holes


127


in an opening


130


in base


124


. Spring


128


is received by a tube (not shown) inside opening


130


of base


124


and receives a rod (not shown) extending from lever


126


. Spring


128


biases lever


126


to rotate about the center axis of holes


127


. Lever


126


includes an upwardly-extending tab


132


to interfere with an end wall


134


of opening


130


in base


124


. Lever


126


also includes a downwardly-extending tab


142


configured to be received by recess


48


in cross member


20


of tub


12


. Tab


142


extends downwardly further than tab


50


of tub


12


extends upwardly plus the depth of recess


48


.




Suction cups are attached to the bottoms of arm


14


and front support


24


for attaching to the floor of an adult-sized bathtub. Two suction cups


108


and


110


are mounted to the bottoms of junction


112


and


114


between cross member


22


and sides


16


and


18


, respectively. A suction cup


116


is mounted to the bottom of base


124


. The locations of the suction cups


108


,


110


, and


116


, as shown, provides stability to assembly


10


when, e.g., mounted, attached, or rested on a surface such as a bathtub floor.




A plug


136


is received by drainage hole


33


. Tabs


138


interfere with a bracket


140


(see also

FIG. 2

) on the bottom of tub


12


to inhibit rotation of plug


136


when received by hole


33


.




Assembly


10


is assembled as follows. Front support


24


is assembled by placing spring


128


in the tube inside base


124


and inserting lever


126


into opening


130


. Lever


126


is inserted such that posts


125


are received by holes


127


and spring


128


is received by the rod extending from lever


126


. Suction cup


116


is attached to the bottom of base


124


. Suction cups


108


and


110


are attached to the bottoms of junctions


112


and


114


of arm


14


. The top of support


24


is inserted through hole


52


in tub


12


and base


124


coupled to arm


14


with holes


122


of base


124


receiving posts


120


of arm


14


. As shown in

FIG. 9

, arm


14


is rotated substantially perpendicular to tub


12


and slid over tub


12


as indicated by arrow


144


and up as indicated by arrow


146


such that shafts


70


have their flat edges


148


aligned parallel to the walls of slots


58


, allowing key holes


54


to receive shafts


70


as shown in FIG.


10


. Axis


72


of arm


14


thus is substantially aligned with axis


64


of holes


56


. Arm


14


is rotated as indicated by arrow


150


in

FIG. 8

toward the bathseat position shown in

FIG. 1

, with shaft


70


rotating to its bathseat position as shown in FIG.


8


. Ramp


74


(

FIGS. 3 and 5

) ramps over rib


94


on disc


68


. Thick end


90


of ramp


74


inhibits rotation in a direction


190


opposite to direction


150


, thus inhibiting edges


148


of shafts


70


from realigning with slots


58


. Arm


14


is thus inhibited from being removed from tub


12


. Toy


104


is inserted into trough


102


with toy


104


being received by posts


106


. Plug


136


is inserted into drainage hole


33


.




In operation, assembly


10


can be positioned and used interchangeably in a bathseat configuration (

FIG. 1

) and a bathtub configuration (FIG.


2


).




With assembly


10


in the bathseat position, shaft


70


is in the position shown in

FIG. 8

, and front support


24


is in the position shown in

FIG. 11

(arm


14


not shown in FIG.


11


). Front support


24


extends downwardly from cross member


20


through hole


52


of tub


12


to provide a passive crotch restraint for a child seated in volume


32


provided by tub


12


. As shown in

FIG. 11

, bottom end


123


of support


24


is not inserted up through hole


52


in tub


12


, bottom end


123


being unable to fit through hole


123


. This helps prevent arm


14


from being rotated such that edges


148


of shafts


70


realign with slots


58


, thus inhibiting disassembly of arm


14


from tub


12


. Downwardly-extending tab


142


is received by recess


48


in tub


12


. Cross members


20


and


22


are separated from tub


12


.




In the bathseat position, as shown in

FIG. 13

, assembly


10


can be mounted in an adult-sized bathtub


160


(shown schematically and out of scale). Suction cups


108


,


110


, and


116


(

FIG. 3

) removably connect assembly


10


to the floor of the tub


160


, with sides


16


and


18


(not shown in

FIG. 11

) and cross member


22


providing support to assembly


10


. The tub


160


can be filled with water and a child placed in volume


32


as shown. The child sits on region


40


with the child's lower back resting against front portion


38


of rest


34


and the child's legs extending through openings


162


and


164


(

FIG. 1

) between front support


24


, cross member


20


, ledge


46


of tub


12


, and sides of the tub


12


. Front support


24


serves as a passive crotch restraint in this position.




Assembly


10


can be repositioned from the bathseat position to the bathtub position. The child in volume


32


should be removed, and water in volume


32


drained by opening plug


136


. Referring to

FIGS. 1 and 11

, cross member


20


is separated from tub


12


, lifting tab


142


from recess


48


as indicated by arrow


166


in FIG.


11


. (The weight of a child in volume


32


will inhibit separating cross member


20


from tub


12


.) Front support


24


is squeezed to push lever


126


into opening


130


. Tabs


142


and


50


and a wall of recess


48


inhibit lever


126


from being pushed into opening


130


unless front support


24


is moved upward in direction


166


to remove tab


142


from recess


48


. Cross member


20


is brought close to ledge


46


, such that support


24


moves through hole


52


in tub


12


in direction


168


shown in

FIG. 12

, until arm


14


(shown schematically in

FIG. 12

) interferes with tub


12


. Shaft


70


rotates in direction


150


until it reaches its bathtub position shown in FIG.


7


.




In the bathtub position, as shown in

FIG. 14

, assembly


10


can be mounted in a sink


170


(e.g., disposed in a counter


174


). Tub


12


can be filled with water and an infant placed in volume


32


as shown with substantially the infant's entire body, including legs, being received by volume


32


. The infant sits on top portion


36


and uses the portion of bottom


26


between top portion


36


and head end


42


as a back rest. In the bathtub position, cross member


20


is adjacent foot end


44


of tub


12


and cross member


22


is closer to head end


42


of tub


12


than when in the bathseat position (FIG.


1


).




To move assembly


10


from the bathtub position to the bathseat position, cross member


20


is separated from tub


12


. The infant should be removed, and the water drained by opening plug


136


. Separating cross member


20


from tub


12


causes shaft


70


to rotate in direction


190


as indicated in FIG.


7


and causes lever


126


to rub against a wall


172


(

FIG. 12

) of hole


52


, causing lever


126


to be pushed into opening


130


. When tab


142


is disposed higher than tab


50


, spring


128


pushes lever


126


away from base


124


. Tab


132


on lever


126


hits wall


134


and stops pivoting of lever


126


. Support


24


is lowered such that tab


142


is received by recess


28


. Shaft


70


is again in its bathseat position shown in FIG.


8


.




Other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims. For example, a dumbbell-shaped shaft


180


shown in

FIG. 15

can be used instead of shaft


70


. Hole


56


can rotatably receive shaft


180


if the length of the shaft


180


is aligned with the length of slot


58


.



Claims
  • 1. An apparatus comprising:a tub defining a volume for receiving a child and holding water in a top side at least when oriented in a reclined position, the tub having a back side, a head end, and a foot end; a first arm and a second arm connected by a front cross member, the first and second arms each being pivotally attached to the tub about an axis displaced from the foot end of the tub into at least first and second positions, the front cross member being disposed above, and displaced from, the top side of the tub when the arms are in the first position; and an elongated member attached to the front cross member at a first end and extending from the front cross member to a second end having a foot disposed below the foot end of the tub and adapted to engage a smooth surface, the elongated member extending toward the foot end of the tub to provide a passive crotch restraint for a child received by the tub when the arms are in the first position.
  • 2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a third arm connected to the first arm and a fourth arm connected to the second arm, the third and fourth arms extending from the first and second arms behind the back side of the tub and toward the head end of the tub when the first and second arms are in the second position.
  • 3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a rear cross member connecting the third and fourth arms to form a rear support.
  • 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the rear support includes a pair of feet adapted to engage a smooth surface.
  • 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the front cross member is disposed adjacent to the top side of the tub near the foot end when the first and second arms are in the second position.
  • 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tub defines a hole near the foot end for slidably receiving the elongated member.
  • 7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a coupling adapted to secure the first arm to the tub when the first arm is in the second position to prevent rotation of the first arm toward the first position when a torque less than a predetermined torque is applied to the first arm relative to the tub.
  • 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the coupling is further adapted to substantially prevent rotation of the first arm when the first arm is in the first position.
  • 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tub, the arms, and the elongated member are arranged to be received by a kitchen sink or an adult-sized bathtub.
  • 10. An apparatus adapted to receive a child and to be pivoted between a bathtub position and a bathseat position, the apparatus comprising:a tub having a front side and a rear side, the front side defining a volume for receiving a child and holding water, the tub further having a head end and a foot end and defining an opening near the foot end; a support including a pair of arms, a first cross member, and a second cross member, each arm being pivotally coupled to the tub for movement into a bathtub position and into a bathseat position, the first cross member connecting the arms above the front side of the tub when the arms are in the bathseat position, the second cross member connecting the arms behind the rear side of the tub in both the bathtub and bathseat positions, the support including a pair of feet disposed behind the rear side of the tub and adapted to be mounted to a smooth surface; and a leg depending from the first cross member and configured to be slidably received by the hole in the tub, the leg including a foot displaced from the first cross member and adapted to be mounted to the smooth surface; wherein feet of the support and the foot of the leg are adapted to be received by a kitchen sink.
  • 11. An infant bathseat comprising:a tub having a bottom surface and raised side, head and foot portions defining a volume for containing water when said tub is in a reclining position with said head and foot portions positioned above said bottom surface; an arm on each side of said tub extending toward said foot portion and extending below said tub adjacent said side portions, each arm being pivotally connected to said tub between said foot and said head portions, whereby on rotation of said arms away from said tub, said tub is raised from a reclining to a seating position with said head portion elevated above said foot portion; a cross member connecting said arms near said foot portion; and a support member extending vertically downward from said cross member and with said tub in a seating position forming a passive restraint for a child when seated in the bathseat.
  • 12. The bathseat of claim 11 wherein said cross member is disposed above said foot portion when said tub is in the seating position.
  • 13. The bathseat of claim 11 wherein the arm is fixedly attached to a shaft having a generally dumbbell shape, and wherein the tub includes a hub defining a slot in communication with a circular hole, the hole being adapted to rotatably receive the shaft, the slot being adapted to slidably receive the shaft when the length of the dumbbell shape is directed along the length of the shaft.
  • 14. The bathseat of claim 11 wherein the arms and the cross member are integrally connected.
  • 15. An apparatus comprising:a tub defining a volume for receiving a child and holding water in a top side when oriented in a reclined position, the tub having a back side, a head end, and a foot end; a first arm and a second arm connected by a cross member and attached to the tub, the arms adapted to pivot about an axis displaced from the foot end of the tub into at least first and second positions, with the cross member disposed above, and displaced from, the top side of the tub when the arms are in their first position; and an crotch restraint member attached to and extending from the cross member, the elongated member extending toward the foot end of the tub to provide a passive crotch restraint for a child received by the tub when the arms are in their first position.
  • 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the crotch restraint member has a foot disposed below the foot end of the tub when the arms are in their second position, the foot adapted to engage a smooth support surface.
  • 17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the crotch restraint member includes a base, a lever attached to the base, and a portion biased away from the base.
  • 18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the lever is disposed at least partially above a top surface of the tub when the arms are in their first position, the crotch restraint member being adapted to interfere with the top surface of the tub to inhibit rotation of the arms from their first position toward their second position.
  • 19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the crotch restraint member and the tub are adapted to inhibit movement of the lever toward the base when the arms are in their first position.
  • 20. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the crotch restraint member and the tub are adapted to allow movement of the lever toward the base when the arms are disposed in a third position further from the second position than the first position.
  • 21. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein at least one of the arms is fixedly attached to a shaft having a cross section of a generally rectangular shape with generally curved opposing ends.
  • 22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the tub provides a key hole having a slot in fluid communication with a circular hole disposed at an end of the slot, the slot having a width smaller than a diameter of the circular hole and larger than a width of the rectangular portion of the shaft, a length of the cross section of the shaft from one generally curved end to the other being larger than the width of the slot and smaller than the diameter of the circular hole.
  • 23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the generally curved ends have a curvature corresponding to a diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the circular hole.
  • 24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the shaft is attached to said at least one arm such that the shaft is disposed within the circular hole and the length of the rectangular section is disposed obliquely to a length of the slot when the arms are in the first and second positions.
  • 25. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said at least one arm is integrally attached to the shaft.
  • 26. An apparatus adapted to receive a child and to be pivoted between a bathtub position and a bathseat position, the apparatus comprising:a tub having a front side and a rear side, the front side defining a volume for receiving a child and holding water, the tub further having a head end and a foot end; a support including a pair of arms and a cross member, each arm being pivotally coupled to the tub for movement into a bathtub position and into a bathseat position, the cross member connecting the arms above the front side of the tub when the arms are in the bathseat position, the arms extending rearward from the tub in both the bathtub and bathseat positions, the support including a pair of feet disposed rearward of the tub and adapted to be mounted to a smooth surface; and a leg depending from the cross member and including a foot displaced from the cross member and adapted to be mounted to the smooth surface; wherein feet of the support and the foot of the leg are adapted to be received by a kitchen sink.
RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/120,934, filed Jul. 22, 1998, entitled “Bathtub-Bathseat”, which is hereby incorporated fully by reference.

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Continuation in Parts (1)
Number Date Country
Parent 09/120934 Jul 1998 US
Child 09/359943 US