The present invention relates to hydromassaging bathing tubs and wherein a seat is adjustably and removably secured between opposed side walls of the tub whereby to support a bather elevated from a bottom wall of the bathtub so that the bather is subjected to massaging water flow from underneath portions of its body.
There are a multitude of hydromassaging bathing tubs which are provided with water or air jets which are orientable to direct a massaging water flow upon a bather's body which is seated on the bottom wall of the bathing tub. Other bathing tub designs provide for seats to be integrally molded in the side walls of the bathing tub and defining a seated surface elevated from the bottom wall of the tub. Because these seats are molded with the side walls, they have no space under its seated surface and its intended purpose is merely for comfort. It has been found that with all of these hydromassaging bathing tub designs, the portions of the body of a person which are massaged by the water or air jets are primarily the legs and the back portion. There is no provision for massaging the buttocks of the bathing person as the person is usually seated on large flat wall potion of the bathtub.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide a hydromassaging bathing tub wherein a seat is adjustably and removably secured between opposed side walls of the bathing tub to support a bather elevated over a bottom wall of the bathtub to provide massaging water flows underneath portions of the its body and particularly under its buttocks.
According to the above feature, from a broad aspect, the present invention provides a hydromassaging bathing tub with jets disposed at various locations about side walls thereof. At least some of these jets are oriented to generate massaging water flows over a bottom wall of the bathing tub. A seat is secured between opposed ones of the side walls of the tub whereby to support the buttocks of a bather seated thereon at an elevated position over the bottom wall whereby the massaging water flows which are directed over the bottom wall will massage the buttocks and other portions of its body from underneath.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to
The improvement in the bathing tub of the present invention is the provision of a seat 17 which is secured between the opposed side walls 11, one only shown herein due to the cross-section illustration, whereby to support the bather 16 at an elevated position over the bottom wall 14 whereby massaging water flows from the jets 15′ or 15″, which are directed on or close to the bottom wall 14, will massage the bather from underneath portions of its body such as its buttock portion 16′ and lower back portion 16″, as shown in
With additional reference now to FIGS. 2 to 5, and more particularly to
As shown in
It can be seen from
As is also shown, another feature of this bathing tub is that it is provided in the second end wall 13 with at least two feet positioning means in the form of ridge formations 26. There are three ridge formations 26 illustrated in this embodiment and these are formed integrally with the end wall 13. These ridge formations 26 provide horizontal support ledges 27 as well as abutment wall portions 28 for the feet of the bather 16. Accordingly, the bather can seat himself at any desired position by displacing the seat along the slots and wedge himself in the bathing tub by its feet thereby immobilizing himself in the bathing tub at a desired position to obtain a massaging treatment by the massaging water flows adjacent the bottom wall of the bathing tub and particularly on his buttocks 16″ and lower back portion 16″ as previously described.
It is pointed out that when the seat is not utilized the bathing tub is substantially a conventional tub with the bather sitting on the rear end seat portion 14′ of the bottom wall 14 but can still use the ridge formation as feet support, if so desired. This prevents the bather from slipping on the bottom wall 14, particularly when bathing oil is added to the water. To remove the seat, as shown in
It is within the ambit of the present invention to cover any obvious modifications of the preferred embodiment described herein, provided such modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims.