US2531724A - Infant bath mat - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 28, 1950 E. D. CEVASCO 2,531,724

INFANT BATH 1m Filed Sept. 20, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.2. 12

32 i 28- Inventor Edm und D. 0e vasco WWW E. D. CEVASCO INFANT BATH MAT Nov. 28, 1950 Filed Sept. 20, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Edmund D. Cevasco B) @060 and pawn; 8 M5 Patented Nov. 28,. 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

INFANT BATH MAT Ed nd. D, Cevascu, Akron, Ohio Application September 20, 1948, Serial No. 50,027

(Cl. la-185) 3 Claims.

This invention relates o an infant; bat mat and has for its primary bj t omfo a ly o suppor an infant while it. is bein b Another obje t is to employ Wat w hin a bath tub as a cushi nin medium for the bo y of the nfant du ing the b thin he o A still iurther ob ec is to secu l yet detachably su p t the bath mat on the bottom r conven ionel bath tu The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features an upwardly inclined torso support ng ember of l xi w terproof mat rial, an integral depending side Wall at each side edge f he supporting m mber. an. in a pending end wall joining the member and the side walls to form an open bottomed chamber beneath the member and the end wall having a port extending therethrough through which water may flow into out 01 the Chamber as the position of an infant supported on the member is changed.

Other features include an integral mat or apron at the end of the member remote from the end wall upon which th legs of the infant may be supported and upwardly bulging suction cups carried" by the mat adjacent its junction with the member to removably secure the. bath mat to the bottom of a bath tub.

Still other features include a head rest at the upper end of the upwardly inclined torso supporting member.

In the d aw s Figure l is a perspective view of an infant bath mat embodying the features of this invention illustrating it as it would appear in use with a bath tub shown in broken lines surrounding the mat;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the underside of the bath mat illustrated in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 5--5 of Figure 3, and;

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings in detail this improved bath mat designated generally Ill comprises an upwardly inclined torso supporting member l2 of flexible waterproof material such as rubber. As illustrated the torso supporting member is provided with laterally extending flanges l4, and the portion of the torso supporting member between the flanges is concave as will be readily understood upon reference to the draw ings. Formed integral with the side edges of the flanges l4 remote from the torso supporting member l2 are depending integral side walls l6 of generally triangular configuration, which form supports for the torso supportin member 52 in order to hold it at the proper angle. Extending substantially horizontally from the upper end of the torso supporting member I2 is a head rest 18 which as illustrated is concave to conform to the concavity of the torso supporting member and like the torso supporting member this head rest is provided at opposite sides with laterally projecting integral flanges 20 which as shown in Figure 2 are integral with the side walls I6. An integral end wall 22 joins theend edge of the head rest l8 and the end edges of the side walls Hi to form beneath the torso supportin member 12 an open bottomed chamber into which water contained in the tub or other bathing receptacle is admitted as will be more fully hereinafter explained. Formed in the end wall 22 intermed ate the ends thereof are ports 24 through which water flows into and out of the chamber as the body of the infant is moved on the flexible torso supporting member l2, so as to form a cushion which will offer some resistance to downward movement of the torso supporting member, but at the same time permit it to flex under the weight of the infant. In order to hold the side walls 5 against spreading, suitable brackets 26 extend between the side walls and flanges intermediate their ends as will be readily understood upon reference to Figure 5.

It is to be noted that the inclined torso supporting member I2 is of slightly less thickness than the flanges l4, and in the preferred form of the invention the side Walls [6 and end wall 22 are at least twice the thickness of the upwardly inclined torso supporting member l2 and head rest I8, so as to lend rigidity to the structure.

Extending from the end of the torso supporting member I2 remote from the head rest I8 is a. pad or apron 28, the side walls of which converge toward a tongue 30 which is provided with an opening 32 for the reception of a hook or other support upon which the device may be suspended when not in use. Opposite the edges of the tongue 30 and apron 28 are providedwith upstanding beads 34, and formed in the apron or pad 28 adjacent its junction with the torso supporting member l2 are suction cups 336 which are adapted to cooperate with the bottom of a bath,

tub or other receptacle in holdin the bath mat against slipping.

In use the bath mat is placed in a bath tub as suggested in Figure 1 and the body of the infant to be bathed is supported on the upwardly inclined torso supporting member l2 with the head of the infant resting on the head rest 18. With the level of the water in the tub slightly below the lowermost portion of the head rest, it will be obvious that the water will enter the chamber formed between the side walls, end wall and beneath the torso supporting member [2, so as to form a support for the latter. As the body of the infant is moved on the torso supporting member I2, it is obvious that it will flex, thus causing the water within the chamber to flow backwards and forwards through the ports in the end wall 22 to effectively cushion the body of the infant. In such instances as it may be found desirable to bathe an infant on a table or other support, the flexibility of the torso support l2 will protect the body of the infant against bruises, and the beads 34 on the apron or pad 28 will serve to confine any water and prevent it from overflowing the side edges of the pad or apron, so that by disposing the tongue 30 over a suitable receptacle any water or other liquid collected on the mat l and flowing on to the pad 28 can be directed into the receptacle.

While the invention is primarily useful in the bathing and handling of infants, it is obvious that it readily may be constructed in sizes suitable for use by adults, such as in the bathing of invalids and convalescents.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An infant bath mat comprising an upwardly inclined torso supporting member of flexible Waterproof material, an integral depending side wall at each side edge of the member, an integral depending end wall joining the member and the side walls to form an open bottomed chamber beneath the member and the end wall having a port extending therethrough through which water may flow into and out of the chamber as the position of an infant supported on the member is changed.

2. An infant bath mat comprising an upwardly 4 p I inclined torso supporting member of flexible waterproof material, an integral head rest at the upper end of the member, an integral depending side wall at each side edge of the member and the head rest, an integral depending end wall joining the head rest and the side walls to form an open bottomed chamber beneath the member, said end wall having a port therethrough through which water may flow into and out of the chamber as the position of an infant supported on the member is changed, an integral pad at the end of the member remote from the head rest, a tongue at the end of the pad remote from the torso supporting member and upstanding beads along opposite edges of the pad to direct liquid collected on the pad onto the tongue for discharge into a receptacle.

3. The combination of a receptacle including a bottom and containing a quantity of liquid, and a bath mat partly submerged in the liquid in said receptacle, said mat comprising a hollow body having an open bottom and including an inclined relatively flexible top member affording a support for a bather, and a set of relatively rigid walls depending from the upper end edge and both side edges of said member, the lower edge of said member and the lower edges of said walls resting on and being in sealed contact with the bottom of said receptacle to provide an expansible and contract-able liquid chamber under said body, one of said walls being provided with openings disposed below the liquid level in said receptacle and affording sole means for passage of liquid between said chamber and the receptacle exterior of said body, whereby flexing of said top member may be cushioned by controlled passage of liquid through said openings during expansion and contraction of said chamber.

EDMUND D. CEVASCO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,512,068 Thornburg Oct. 21, 1924 1,759,348 Fishman May 20, 1930 2,358,003 De Puy Sept. 12, 1944 2,460,308 Pribil Feb. 1, 1949 FORElGN PATENTS Number Country Date 425,998 Germany Mar. 1, 1926

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