Bathtub for elderly care

Abstract

We provide a bathtub designed for elderly care that can reduce the workload of care staff providing in-home bathing care services. [Solution] The bathtub for caregiving 1 comprises an air port 5 through which air is injected or discharged, a bottom 3 that supports the body of the person being cared for, a hollow peripheral wall 2 that is formed by the injection of air through the air port 5 and surrounds the bottom 3, and extends vertically from the bottom 3, and two pipes 6 that penetrate the peripheral wall 2. The two pipes 6 can discharge the water accumulated in the bathtub space S formed by the bottom 3 and the peripheral wall 2 to the outside of the bathtub 1. The bathtub 1 is foldable when there is no air in the peripheral wall 2.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a bathtub for caregiving.

Background Art

[0002] In a home visit bathing care service that assists bedridden care recipients who have difficulty taking a bath alone, after care staff carry parts of the caregiving bathtub from a transport cart to the care recipient's room, they assemble the caregiving bathtub in the room. Then, after the care staff move the care recipient from the bed to the bathtub, they wash the care recipient's body while filling the bathtub with hot and cold water. Next, after the care staff move the care recipient from the bathtub to the bed, they use a hose to drain the hot and cold water collected in the bathtub into the bathroom. Finally, after the care staff clean the bathtub, they carry the bathtub out of the room to the transport cart. As a caregiving bathtub used in such a home visit bathing care service, Patent Document 1 discloses a caregiving bathtub provided with a bathtub body portion composed of a first divided bathtub and a second divided bathtub.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the caregiving bathtub disclosed in Patent Document 1, since the size of the bathtub body is large and the weight is heavy, male care staff are required to carry the bathtub from the transport cart to the care recipient's room. Also, there are problems such as a large load in the assembly work and disassembly work of the caregiving bathtub, and it takes time to drain the hot and cold water in the bathtub.

[0005] On the other hand, in the field of home-visit bathing care services, there are more female care staff than male care staff, and many care recipients prefer to be assisted by female care staff for privacy reasons. Thus, there is a desire for home-visit bathing care services to be provided solely by female care staff without the assistance of male care staff. Furthermore, when applying long-term care insurance to home-visit bathing care services, it is necessary to complete the service as quickly as possible. Thus, from the perspective of the above issues, there is considerable room for improvement in conventional bathtubs for caregiving.

[0006] This invention was made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a bathtub for care that can reduce the workload of care staff providing home-visit bathing care services. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A bathtub for caregiving according to one aspect of the present invention comprises an air port through which air is injected or discharged, a bottom for supporting the body of the person being cared for, a hollow peripheral wall formed by the injection of air through the air port, provided to surround the bottom and extending vertically from the bottom, and at least one pipe provided to penetrate the peripheral wall. The at least one pipe can discharge water accumulated in the bathtub space formed by the bottom and the peripheral wall to the outside of the bathtub. The bathtub is foldable when there is no air in the peripheral wall.

[0008] With the above configuration, the bathtub can be folded when there is no air trapped in the surrounding walls, making it easy to transport. This facilitates the loading and unloading of the bathtub at the site of home-visit bathing care services. Furthermore, at least one pipe that penetrates the surrounding walls allows water accumulated in the bathtub space to be drained to the outside of the bathtub. In this regard, by connecting a hose to the pipe, the water accumulated in the bathtub space can be easily drained to the bathroom installed in the care recipient's residence. In this way, it is possible to provide a bathtub for care that can reduce the workload of care staff providing home-visit bathing care services.

[0009] Furthermore, the at least one pipe may be multiple pipes.

[0010] With the above configuration, it becomes possible to quickly drain the water accumulated in the bathtub space to the outside of the bathtub using multiple pipes. In this regard, by connecting hoses to each pipe, the water accumulated in the bathtub space can be quickly drained to the bathroom installed in the care recipient's residence. In this way, the overall time required for home-visit bathing care services can be shortened.

[0011] Furthermore, the peripheral wall portion may have a recess.

[0012] With the above configuration, it becomes possible to smoothly move the person being cared for into the bathtub through the recess.

[0013] Furthermore, the bathtub for caregiving may also include a hollow stepped section located within the bathtub space.

[0014] With the above configuration, the stepped section supports a part of the care recipient's body (buttocks or back) while they are bathing, thus stabilizing their posture during bathing.

[0015] Furthermore, the bathtub for caregiving may further include a pair of handles provided on the surrounding wall. The pair of handles may face each other across the bathtub space.

[0016] With the above configuration, the bathtub can be easily lifted by the pair of handles. In this respect, since the bathtub can be easily tilted by gripping the pair of handles, it is possible to guide the water in the bathtub space into the pipe. As a result, the water remaining in the bathtub space can be smoothly discharged to the outside, making the drainage work more efficient.

[0017] Furthermore, the peripheral wall portion may include a first wall portion facing the feet of the person being cared for, a second wall portion facing the first wall portion across the bathtub space, a third wall portion extending between the first wall portion and the second wall portion in the longitudinal direction of the bathtub, and a fourth wall portion extending between the first wall portion and the second wall portion in the longitudinal direction and facing the third wall portion across the bathtub space. One of the pair of handle portions may be provided on either the third wall portion or the fourth wall portion. The other of the pair of handle portions may be provided on the other of the third wall portion or the fourth wall portion. The at least one pipe may be a plurality of pipes. Each of the plurality of pipes may be provided so as to penetrate the first wall portion.

[0018] With the above configuration, by gripping the pair of handles, the bathtub can be tilted so that the second wall is higher than the first wall, allowing the water in the bathtub space to be guided into multiple pipes. As a result, the water remaining in the bathtub space can be smoothly drained to the outside, making drainage work more efficient. Furthermore, the water accumulated in the bathtub space can be drained to the outside of the bathtub in a short time using the multiple pipes. As a result, the overall time required for home-visit bathing care services can be shortened.

[0019] Furthermore, the bottom portion and the peripheral wall portion may be formed of polyvinyl chloride or nylon.

[0020] According to the above configuration, it is possible to reduce the weight of the bathtub while ensuring its waterproofness and mechanical strength. In particular, when the bottom and surrounding walls are made of polyvinyl chloride, high waterproofness and mechanical strength of the bathtub can be ensured. On the other hand, when the bottom and surrounding walls are made of nylon, it is possible to make the bathtub even lighter, which further reduces the burden of transporting the bathtub in and out of the facility. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a bathtub for nursing care that can reduce the workload of nursing staff who provide home visit bathing care services.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the bathtub for nursing care according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, this embodiment) as viewed from the left direction. [Figure 2] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the bathtub for nursing care according to this embodiment as viewed from the rear direction. [Figure 3] FIG. 14 is a diagram schematically showing a partial cross-section of the bathtub for nursing care. [Figure 4] FIG. 17 is a flowchart for explaining the flow of a home visit bathing care service using the bathtub for nursing care according to this embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 20 is a diagram showing the state in which the bathtub for nursing care is folded.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0023] Next, the bathtub for nursing care 1 according to this embodiment will be described in detail below by referring to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the bathtub for nursing care 1 according to this embodiment as viewed from the left direction. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bathtub for nursing care 1 according to this embodiment as viewed from the rear direction. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a partial cross-section of the bathtub for nursing care 1. The bathtub for nursing care 1 may be used for bathing a bedridden care recipient who has difficulty bathing alone. In particular, the bathtub for nursing care 1 may be a portable bathtub used in a home visit bathing care service or the like that assists a care recipient (person requiring care) in bathing. In the following description, the bathtub for nursing care 1 may sometimes be simply referred to as the bathtub 1.

[0024] In addition, in the following description, the left-right direction, up-down direction (vertical direction), and front-back direction (longitudinal direction) of the bathtub 1 will be referred to as appropriate. Here, one of these three directions is orthogonal to the remaining two directions.

[0025] The bathtub 1 shown in Figure 1 is ready for use in bathing and is inflated with air using an electric air pump. The bathtub 1 comprises a bottom 3, a peripheral wall 2, a stepped section 4, an air vent 5, two pipes 6, and a handle 8. The bottom 3 is in contact with the floor of the living room and supports the body of the person being cared for. The peripheral wall 2 is integrally formed with the bottom 3 and is provided to surround the bottom 3. The hollow peripheral wall 2 is formed by the inflation of air through the air vent 5 and extends upward (vertically) from the bottom 3. When the peripheral wall 2 is not filled with air, the bathtub 1 is foldable, as shown in Figure 5. In this state, the folded bathtub 1 can be compactly stored by securing it with a binding belt 10. As a result, the storage space required to accommodate the folded bathtub 1 can be reduced, and the burden of transporting the bathtub 1 in and out can be reduced.

[0026] In the configuration shown in Figure 1, for example, the dimensions of the bathtub 1 in the left-right direction may be 70 cm, and the dimensions in the front-back direction may be 200 cm. The surrounding walls 2 and the bottom 3 form the bathtub space S. When a person receiving care enters the bathtub 1, water is filled into the bathtub space S.

[0027] The bottom portion 3 and the surrounding wall portion 2 may be made of a material that combines waterproofing and durability. In this regard, the bottom portion 3 and the surrounding wall portion 2 may be made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or nylon. In this case, the weight of the bathtub 1 can be reduced while ensuring the waterproofing and mechanical strength of the bathtub 1. In particular, when the bottom portion 3 and the surrounding wall portion 2 are made of polyvinyl chloride, high waterproofing and mechanical strength of the bathtub 1 can be ensured. On the other hand, when the bottom portion 3 and the surrounding wall portion 2 are made of nylon, the bathtub 1 can be made even lighter, and the burden of transporting the bathtub 1 can be further reduced. Also, when the bottom portion 3 and the surrounding wall portion 2 are made of nylon material, a waterproof coating may be applied to the nylon.

[0028] The peripheral wall portion 2 has a first wall portion 21, a second wall portion 20, a third wall portion 22, and a fourth wall portion 23. The first wall portion 21 is provided on the rear side of the bathtub 1 and faces the feet of the person being cared for (not shown) when the person is in the bathtub 1. The second wall portion 20 is provided on the front side of the bathtub 1 and faces the upper body of the person being cared for when the person is in the bathtub 1. The second wall portion 20 is positioned to face the first wall portion 21 in the front-rear direction (longitudinal direction) across the bathtub space S.

[0029] The second wall portion 20 has a recess 24. By providing the recess 24 on the upper surface of the second wall portion 20, it becomes possible to smoothly move the person being cared for into the bathtub 1 through the recess 24.

[0030] The third wall section 22 is provided so as to extend between the first wall section 21 and the second wall section 20 in the front-rear direction (longitudinal direction). More specifically, the front end of the third wall section 22 is connected to the left end of the second wall section 20, and the rear end of the third wall section 22 is connected to the left end of the first wall section 21. The fourth wall section 23 is provided so as to extend between the first wall section 21 and the second wall section 20 in the longitudinal direction, and is positioned to face the third wall section 22 via the bathtub space S. More specifically, the front end of the fourth wall section 23 is connected to the right end of the second wall section 20, and the rear end of the fourth wall section 23 is connected to the right end of the first wall section 21. The first wall section 21, the second wall section 20, the third wall section 22, and the fourth wall section 23 each have a hollow structure, and the internal space of each wall section communicates with the internal space of the adjacent wall section.

[0031] The stepped portion 4 is positioned on the bottom portion 3 and within the bathtub space S. The stepped portion 4 is configured to support a part of the body (buttocks or back) of the person being cared for while bathing, stabilizing the posture of the person being cared for during bathing. The hollow stepped portion 4 is formed by inflating it by injecting air through the air vent 5 and extends upward (vertically) from the bottom portion 3. The stepped portion 4 may be integrally formed with the peripheral wall portion 2. In this case, the internal space of the stepped portion 4 is in communication with the internal space of the peripheral wall portion 2 (particularly the third wall portion 22). Alternatively, the stepped portion 4 may be formed separately from the peripheral wall portion 2. In this case, the stepped portion 4 may be inflated by injecting air through the air vent provided in the stepped portion 4, and then the inflated stepped portion 4 may be placed on the bottom portion 3.

[0032] The stepped section 4 has a plurality of elongated cushion sections 40 extending in the front-rear direction. Each cushion section 40 has a flat surface 41 and an inclined surface 42 continuous with the flat surface 41. In this example, the stepped section 4 is composed of four hollow cushion sections 40. The internal space of each cushion section 40 is in communication with the internal space of an adjacent cushion section 40.

[0033] The air port 5 is provided in the third wall portion 22. The air port 5 may be provided with an air valve to control the airflow. When air is injected into the peripheral wall portion 2 using an electric air pump (not shown), the electric air pump is inserted into the air port 5 with the cap 51 removed from it. In this state, air is supplied from the electric air pump to the peripheral wall portion 2 through the air port 5. After the air filling of the peripheral wall portion 2 is complete, the cap 51 is attached to the air port 5. When air is discharged from the peripheral wall portion 2 using an electric air pump, the electric air pump is inserted into the air port 5 with the cap 51 removed from it. In this state, the air inside the peripheral wall portion 2 is discharged to the outside through the air port 5. After the air discharge from the peripheral wall portion 2 is complete, the cap 51 is attached to the air port 5.

[0034] The two pipes 6 are provided so as to penetrate the first wall portion 21 of the peripheral wall portion 2. The two pipes 6 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction. Each pipe 6 can discharge the water accumulated in the bathtub space S to the outside of the bathtub 1. In this regard, as shown in Figure 3, by connecting a hose 9 to the end 62 of the pipe 6 facing the outside of the bathtub 1, the water accumulated in the bathtub space S can be easily discharged to the bathroom installed in the care recipient's residence. Specifically, the water in the bathtub space S can be discharged to the bathroom via the hose 9 from the end 63 of the pipe 6 facing the bathtub space S.

[0035] Furthermore, by connecting hose 9 to the water tap installed in the bathroom, hot and cold water can be introduced from the bathroom into the bathtub space S via hose 9. Specifically, hot and cold water from the bathroom water tap is supplied into the bathtub space S via hose 9.

[0036] When a hose 9 is attached to the end 62 of each pipe 6, the hot water in the bathtub space S can be drained from the bathtub 1 to the bathroom in a short time. When a hose 9 is attached to the end 62 of pipe 6, the cap 61 is removed from the end 62. When a hose 9 is removed from the end 62, the cap 61 is attached to the end 62.

[0037] A pair of handle portions 8 are provided on the peripheral wall portion 2. Specifically, one of the handle portions 8 is attached to the upper surface of one of the third wall portion 22 and the fourth wall portion 23, and the other handle portion 8 is attached to the upper surface of the other of the third wall portion 22 and the fourth wall portion 23. Each handle portion 8 may be formed, for example, as a strip-shaped member made of nylon. In this case, since the handle portions 8 are formed in a strip shape, the bathtub 1 is made easier to fold. The pair of handle portions 8 face each other in the left-right direction, across the bathtub space S. The pair of handle portions 8 may be positioned near the middle of the space between the first wall portion 21 and the second wall portion 20 in the front-rear direction. In other words, in the front-rear direction (longitudinal direction), the distance between the pair of handle portions 8 and the first wall portion 21 may be approximately the same as the distance between the pair of handle portions 8 and the second wall portion 20.

[0038] In this case, the care staff can lift the bathtub 1 upwards by grasping the pair of handles 8. Furthermore, by grasping the pair of handles 8, the care staff can tilt the bathtub 1 so that the second wall 20 is higher than the first wall 21, allowing gravity to guide the water in the bathtub space S into the pipes 6. As a result, the water remaining in the bathtub space S can be smoothly drained into the bathroom, making the drainage process more efficient. In addition, the water accumulated in the bathtub space S can be drained into the bathroom in a short time using the two pipes 6. As a result, the overall time required for the home-visit bathing care service can be shortened.

[0039] (Flowchart of home-visit bathing care service using bathtub 1) Next, with reference to Figure 4, the flow of the home-visit bathing care service using bathtub 1 will be explained below. Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the home-visit bathing care service using bathtub 1 according to this embodiment.

[0040] As shown in Figure 4, in step S1, the care staff carry the folded bathtub 1 from the transport vehicle into the care recipient's room. As shown in Figure 5, because the folded bathtub 1 is compact, it is not always necessary to have multiple care staff members to carry the bathtub 1 from the transport vehicle to the room.

[0041] In step S2, the care staff checks the health of the person being cared for to ensure their safety during bathing. Next, the care staff unfolds the folded bathtub 1 (step S3) and inflates the bathtub 1 by inserting an electric air pump into the air port 5 and injecting air into the surrounding wall section 2 (step S4). After the bathtub 1 (especially the surrounding wall section 2 and the stepped section 4) is completely filled with air, the care staff fills the bathtub 1 with hot water (step S5). Specifically, by connecting a hose 9 to a water tap installed in the bathroom, hot water is supplied from the bathroom to the bathtub space S via the hose 9.

[0042] Next, the care staff undresses the person being cared for and then moves them from the bed to bathtub 1 (Step S6). In Step S7, the care staff assists the person being cared for with bathing. After the person being cared for has finished bathing, the care staff moves them from bathtub 1 to the bed (Step S8), and then dresses the person being cared for and performs a health check (Step S9).

[0043] In step S10, the care staff drains the water from the bathtub 1. Specifically, the water in the bathtub space S is drained into the bathroom via the pipe 6 and hose 9. In the bathtub 1 according to this embodiment, since water is drained from each of the two pipes 6, the time required for drainage can be reduced. Furthermore, the care staff may tilt the bathtub 1 by gripping the pair of handles 8 so that the second wall 20 is higher than the first wall 21. In this case, it becomes possible to guide the water in the bathtub space S to each pipe 6, and the water remaining in the bathtub space S can be efficiently drained into the bathroom.

[0044] In step S11, the care staff deflates the bathtub 1 using an electric air pump. Specifically, with the electric air pump inserted into the air inlet 5, air is expelled from the bathtub 1 (especially the surrounding wall 2 and the stepped section 4) using the electric air pump.

[0045] After all the air has been completely expelled from bathtub 1, the care staff cleans bathtub 1 (step S12). In particular, the care staff wipes off any water adhering to the surface of bathtub 1. In step S13, the care staff folds bathtub 1 as shown in Figure 5. Finally, the care staff removes the folded bathtub 1 from the room (step S14).

[0046] According to this embodiment, since the bathtub 1 can be folded when no air is trapped in the surrounding wall portion 2, the bathtub 1 can be easily transported. This makes the loading and unloading of the bathtub 1 smoother at the site of the home-visit bathing care service, and reduces the workload of the care staff providing the home-visit bathing care service. Furthermore, the two pipes 6 make it possible to drain the water accumulated in the bathtub space S into the bathroom in a short time, shortening the overall time required for the home-visit bathing care service and making the drainage work more efficient.

[0047] In this embodiment, two pipes 6 are provided in the bathtub 1, but the number of pipes 6 is not limited to two. In this regard, one or more pipes 6 may be provided in the bathtub 1. Also, the wall portion in which the pipes 6 are provided is not limited to the first wall portion 21, but the pipes 6 may be provided in other wall portions other than the first wall portion 21.

[0048] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the technical scope of the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited by the description of these embodiments. These embodiments are examples, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications to the embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention described in the claims for utility model registration. The technical scope of the present invention should be determined based on the scope of the invention described in the claims for utility model registration and the scope of its equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] 1: Bathtub for elderly care (bathtub) 2: Peripheral wall part 3: Bottom 4: Stepped section 5: Air vent 6: tube 8: Handle section 9: Hose 10: Binding belt 20:Second wall part 21:First wall 22:Third wall part 23:Fourth wall part 24: Recess 40: Cushion part 41:Flat surface 42: Inclined surface 51: Cap 61: Cap 62: End 63: End S: Bathtub space

Claims

1. A bathtub for elderly care, An air inlet through which air is injected or discharged, The base that supports the body of the person being cared for, It is formed by expansion caused by the injection of air through the aforementioned air vent, and is provided so as to surround the bottom, and has a hollow peripheral wall portion that extends vertically from the bottom, At least one pipe provided so as to penetrate the peripheral wall portion, Equipped with, The at least one pipe is capable of discharging water accumulated in the bathtub space formed by the bottom and the peripheral wall to the outside of the bathtub. With no air trapped in the surrounding wall, the bathtub is foldable. Bathtub for elderly care.

2. The aforementioned at least one pipe is a plurality of pipes. A bathtub for elderly care according to claim 1.

3. The peripheral wall portion has a recess, A bathtub for elderly care according to claim 1.

4. The bathtub space further includes a hollow stepped section, A bathtub for elderly care according to claim 1.

5. The peripheral wall portion further comprises a pair of handle portions provided on the aforementioned peripheral wall portion, The pair of handle portions face each other across the bathtub space. A bathtub for elderly care according to claim 1.

6. The aforementioned peripheral wall portion is The first wall portion facing the feet of the person being cared for, A second wall portion opposite the first wall portion, across the bathtub space, A third wall portion is provided so as to extend between the first wall portion and the second wall portion in the longitudinal direction of the bathtub, A fourth wall portion is provided so as to extend between the first wall portion and the second wall portion in the longitudinal direction, and is opposite the third wall portion via the bathtub space, It has, One of the pair of handle portions is provided on one of the third wall portion and the fourth wall portion, The other of the pair of handle portions is provided on the other of the third wall portion and the fourth wall portion, The aforementioned at least one pipe is a plurality of pipes, Each of the plurality of pipes is provided so as to penetrate the first wall portion, A bathtub for elderly care according to claim 6.

7. The bottom portion and the peripheral wall portion are formed of polyvinyl chloride or nylon. A bathtub for elderly care according to claim 1.

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