Bath pillow and bathtub

Abstract

To provide a bathtub pillow capable of suppressing deformation of an internal storage space without impairing cushioning properties and preventing bend marks from forming on an upper surface.SOLUTION: A bathtub pillow to be installed in a bathtub and on which a bather's head can be rested, includes: a support section having a pair of side parts and a rear end part for connecting rear ends of the pair of side parts, and supporting a weight of the bather's head; and a headrest section provided on the support section, forming an upper surface on which the bather's head is rested, and covering the upper part of the space between the pair of side parts to form a storage space for storing a functional part of the bathtub together with the support section. The hardness of the headrest section is softer than that of the support section, and a connection line on the storage space side, representing an outer edge of a connection surface between the rear end part and the headrest section is curved with an inflection point.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Aspects of the present invention generally relate to bathtub pillows.

Background Art

[0002] Bathtub pillows that can be installed in a bathtub so that a bather can comfortably bathe with their head resting on them are known. In such bathtub pillows, for example, as in Patent Document 1, there is a type that has a storage space inside so that it can be installed covering functional parts such as a water discharge device.

[0003] Since the bather's head is placed on the bathtub pillow, at least the upper surface of the bathtub pillow is preferably formed of a relatively soft material having elasticity. However, if the entire bathtub pillow is formed of a soft material, there is a possibility that it will not be able to support the load of the bather's head and will bend downward. In particular, in the case of a type of bathtub pillow having a storage space inside, there is a problem that the storage space cannot be properly maintained due to the downward bending.

[0004] Therefore, in the case of a type of bathtub pillow having a storage space inside, it is considered to form the bathtub pillow with a support part for supporting the load of the bather's head and a head placement part that is arranged above the support part and at least the upper surface of which is formed of a material softer than the support part.

[0005] When the bathtub pillow is formed by the support part and the head placement part, when removing the bathtub pillow from the bathtub for cleaning or the like, it is highly likely that the operator will grasp the head placement part forming the upper surface and apply an upward force to remove it. At this time, the head placement part formed of a material softer than the support part may bend, and if this is repeated, there is a problem that a crease due to the bending will be formed on the upper surface of the head placement part. For this reason, in the case of a bathtub pillow having a storage space inside, it is desired to be able to suppress deformation of the storage space without impairing the cushioning property and to suppress the occurrence of creases on the upper surface.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-8428 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] This invention was made based on the recognition of the above problems, and aims to provide a bath pillow that can suppress deformation of the internal storage space without impairing cushioning, and can also suppress the formation of creases on the upper surface. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The first invention is a bath pillow that can be installed in a bathtub and on which a bather's head can be rested, comprising: a support portion having a pair of side portions and a rear end portion connecting the rear ends of the pair of side portions, for supporting the weight of the bather's head; and a head rest portion provided on the support portion, forming an upper surface on which the bather's head is rested, and covering the space above the pair of side portions, thereby forming a storage space for housing the functional parts of the bathtub together with the support portion, wherein the hardness of the head rest portion is softer than the hardness of the support portion, and the connection line on the storage space side, which represents the outer edge of the connection surface between the rear end portion and the head rest portion, is curved with an inflection point.

[0009] This bath pillow, by forming the bath pillow with a hard support part and a soft head rest part, can suppress deformation of the storage space when a bather's head is rested on it without compromising cushioning. Furthermore, the connection line on the storage space side is curved with an inflection point. This makes it difficult for a worker to apply force from the front end of the soft head rest part to the connection line due to the lever principle when trying to remove the bath pillow from the bathtub by grasping the front end of the soft head rest part and applying upward force. Therefore, compared to, for example, a case where the connection line is formed in a straight line in the left-right direction, it is possible to suppress the head rest part, which is made of a soft material, from bending sharply at the connection line relative to the support part, and prevent the formation of creases on the upper surface of the head rest part. For example, because the connection line on the storage space side is curved with an inflection point, when the head rest part is bent repeatedly, it is possible to suppress bending at the same point at the connection line relative to the connection line, compared to a straight connection line. For example, the point where the headrest is bent can be shifted forward or backward. Therefore, even when the headrest is repeatedly bent, it is possible to prevent large creases from forming on the upper surface of the headrest. In this way, it is possible to provide a bath pillow that can suppress deformation of the internal storage space without compromising cushioning, and that can also suppress the formation of creases on the upper surface.

[0010] The second invention is a bath pillow characterized in that, in the first invention, the vicinity of the center in the left-right direction of the connection line on the storage space side is located in front of the inflection point.

[0011] The area near the center of the headrest in the left-right direction is easier to grip and apply force to compared to the ends in the left-right direction, making it highly likely that a large force will be applied to the headrest. Furthermore, when the front end of the headrest is gripped near the center of the storage space in the left-right direction, the distance from the pair of side parts of the support becomes longer, making it easier for a lever force to be applied to the headrest compared to when other parts of the front end of the headrest are gripped. Therefore, as described above, by positioning the area near the center of the connection line on the storage space side in the left-right direction forward of the inflection point, it is possible to make it less likely for a lever force based on the connection line to be applied to the headrest, even when the area near the center of the storage space of the headrest is gripped. This makes it possible to more reliably suppress the headrest from bending sharply at the connection line and causing a crease on the upper surface of the headrest.

[0012] The third invention is a bath pillow characterized in that, in the second invention, the connecting line on the storage space side has a curved portion that is curved so as to be convex toward the front, and the apex of the curved portion is provided near the center in the left-right direction of the connecting line on the storage space side.

[0013] With this bath pillow, even when the headrest is gripped near the center of the storage space, the force due to the "lever principle" with the connecting line as the pivot point is less likely to be applied to the headrest.

[0014] The fourth invention is a bath pillow characterized in that, in any one of the first to third inventions, at least a portion of the connection line on the storage space side is corrugated.

[0015] With this bath pillow, at least a portion of the connecting line has a corrugated shape, that is, a shape with multiple inflection points and vertices that act as nodes. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably suppress the occurrence of large creases on the upper surface of the head rest caused by the head rest bending significantly.

[0016] The fifth invention is a bathtub pillow characterized in that, in any one of the first to fourth inventions, at least a part of the connection line on the storage space side is located in front of a virtual line connecting the rear ends of the pair of side portions.

[0017] According to this bathtub pillow, even when an operator grabs the front end of the headrest portion formed of a soft material and applies an upward force to remove the bathtub pillow from the bathtub, it is possible to make it more difficult to apply a force based on the "lever principle" to the connection line from the front end of the headrest portion.

Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bathtub pillow capable of suppressing deformation of the internal storage space without impairing cushioning properties and suppressing the occurrence of creases on the upper surface.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view schematically showing a bathtub and a bathtub pillow according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a plan view schematically showing a bathtub and a bathtub pillow according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view schematically showing a bathtub pillow according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] It is a bottom view schematically showing a bathtub pillow according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] It is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a bathtub pillow according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] It is a bottom view schematically showing a modified example of a bathtub pillow according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] It is a bottom view schematically showing a modified example of a bathtub pillow according to an embodiment.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted as appropriate. FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a bathtub and a bathtub pillow according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing a bathtub and a bathtub pillow according to an embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the bathtub pillow 10 is installed in a bathtub 100 for storing hot water. The bathtub pillow 10 is used in a state of being attached to the bathtub 100, and enables a bather who has taken a bath in the bathtub 100 to place his / her head thereon. In other words, the bathtub pillow 10 is attached to the bathtub 100 so as to support the head of the bather.

[0021] The bathtub 100 includes a bathtub main body 102. The bathtub main body 102 has an inner wall surface 104. The inner wall surface 104 has a backrest surface 106 for supporting the back of the bather. Here, in this specification, the upper side as viewed from the bather with his / her back abutted against the backrest surface 106 is defined as “upper”, the lower side as “lower”, the front side as “front”, the rear side as “rear”, the right side as “right side”, and the left side as “left side”.

[0022] The bathtub 100 includes a functional unit 110. The functional unit 110 is provided on the upper end (rim surface) continuous with the backrest surface 106. The functional unit 110 is, for example, a water discharging unit that discharges hot water toward the inside of the bathtub main body 102. The functional unit 110 discharges hot water forward. The bathtub 100, for example, sucks the hot water stored in the bathtub main body 102 by a pump (not shown), and discharges the sucked hot water from the functional unit 110. In other words, the bathtub 100 circulates the hot water stored in the bathtub main body 102. Thereby, hot water can be discharged from the functional unit 110 without causing the hot water to overflow from the bathtub main body 102.

[0023] The functional unit 110 discharges hot water, for example, toward the neck and shoulders of the bather with his / her back abutted against the backrest surface 106. Thereby, for example, the neck and shoulders of the bather can be warmed more, a massage effect can be imparted to the neck and shoulders of the bather, and the relaxation effect during bathing can be enhanced more.

[0024] The functional unit 110 has a slit-shaped water outlet 110a that extends in the left-right direction. As a result, the functional unit 110 discharges a band-shaped stream of water from the water outlet 110a that extends in the left-right direction. The left-right length of the water outlet 110a is, for example, 20 cm or more. The left-right length of the water outlet 110a is, for example, longer than the average width of a human neck. This allows the water to be properly directed to the neck and shoulders of a bather whose back is pressed against the backrest surface 106. Also, the left-right length of the water outlet 110a is, for example, shorter than the left-right width of the space inside the bathtub body 102. This allows the water to be properly discharged into the bathtub body 102.

[0025] The functional unit 110 is not limited to a water discharge unit, but may also be, for example, a lighting unit that shines light towards the water in the bathtub body 102. The functional unit 110 may have, for example, a water discharge function for discharging water and a lighting function for illuminating the discharged water. The functional unit 110 may be any device attached to the bathtub 100 for use.

[0026] The bath pillow 10 is attached to the upper end of the bathtub body 102, which is connected to the backrest surface 106. This allows the bather to bathe with their back against the backrest surface 106 and their head resting on the bath pillow 10. In this way, the bath pillow 10 allows the bather to bathe in a more relaxed posture, thereby enhancing the relaxation effect during bathing.

[0027] Furthermore, the bath pillow 10 is attached to the upper end of the bathtub body 102 so as to cover the functional unit 110 from above. When attached to the bathtub body 102, the bath pillow 10 covers at least a portion of the functional unit 110. The bath pillow 10 allows the bather to rest their head on it and also prevents the functional unit 110 from being exposed to the outside. This prevents a deterioration in the aesthetic appearance of the bathtub 100 even when the functional unit 110 is provided on the bathtub body 102. By providing the bath pillow 10 and the functional unit 110 in the bathtub 100, both the relaxation effect and the aesthetic appearance can be improved.

[0028] The bath pillow 10 has a pillow body 12 on which a bather's head can rest, and an opening 14 provided on the front of the pillow body 12. As described above, the pillow body 12 is attached to the upper end of the bathtub body 102 and covers the functional part 110 from above.

[0029] The pillow body 12 is attached to the upper end of the bathtub body 102, for example, by fitting or engaging with at least one of the bathtub body 102 and the functional unit 110 from above. This prevents the pillow body 12 from moving from side to side or back and forth when, for example, a bather rests their head on it. Therefore, the bather's head can be supported more appropriately.

[0030] Furthermore, to remove the bathtub pillow 10 from the bathtub body 102, for example, grasp the pillow body 12 and apply upward force to release the fitting or engagement of the pillow body 12. This allows the bathtub pillow 10 to be removed from the bathtub body 102.

[0031] The opening 14 exposes a portion of the functional unit 110 to the front. In this example, the opening 14 exposes at least a portion of the spout 110a of the functional unit 110 to the front. The opening 14, like the spout 110a, is slit-shaped and extends in the left-right direction.

[0032] The hot water discharged from the functional unit 110 is released into the bathtub body 102 via the outlet 110a and the opening 14. In other words, the opening 14 is an opening for draining the hot water discharged from the functional unit 110. The bathtub pillow 10 and the functional unit 110 discharge hot water onto the neck and shoulders of the bather with their head resting on the pillow body 12. This further enhances the relaxation effect.

[0033] The opening 14 is not limited to an opening for draining hot or cold water. For example, if the functional unit 110 is a lighting unit, the opening 14 is an opening for allowing light emitted from the functional unit 110 to pass through. The opening 14 can be any opening provided on the front surface of the pillow body 12 that exposes a portion of the functional unit 110 to the front.

[0034] Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a bath pillow according to an embodiment. Figure 4 is a schematic bottom view of a bathtub pillow according to an embodiment. Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a bath pillow according to an embodiment. Figures 3 and 4 schematically show the bath pillow 10 as viewed from below. Figure 5 schematically shows the cross-section along line A1-A2 in Figure 4. As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the pillow body 12 of the bath pillow 10 comprises a support part 20 and a head rest part 30.

[0035] The support portion 20 is the part of the pillow body 12 that supports the weight of the bather's head. The support portion 20 has a pair of side portions 21 and 22 and a rear end portion 24. The side portions 21 and 22 extend, for example, in the front-to-back direction. Side portion 22 is aligned with side portion 21 in the left-to-right direction. Also, side portion 22 is spaced apart from side portion 21 in the left-to-right direction. Therefore, a space is provided between side portion 21 and side portion 22. The rear end portion 24 extends in the left-to-right direction and connects the rear ends of the pair of side portions 21 and 22. In other words, side portions 21 and 22 are the portions that extend forward from the left and right ends of the rear end portion 24 that extends in the left-to-right direction.

[0036] The head rest section 30 is provided on the support section 20 and forms an upper surface 32 on which the bather's head rests. The head rest section 30 also covers the space above the pair of side sections 21 and 22, and together with the support section 20, forms a storage space 34 for housing the functional section 110 of the bathtub 100. When the pillow body 12 is attached to the upper end of the bathtub body 102, the functional section 110 is stored in the storage space 34.

[0037] The opening 14 is continuous with the storage space 34. In other words, the opening 14 exposes at least a portion of the storage space 34 to the front. The head rest portion 30, for example, forms the storage space 34 and has an opening 14 on the front surface of the pillow body 12 that exposes at least a portion of the storage space 34 to the front.

[0038] In this example, the left-right center of the storage space 34 is substantially the same as the left-right center of the pillow body 12. The left-right center of the storage space 34 may be shifted to the right or left of the left-right center of the pillow body 12.

[0039] For example, a resin material such as polyurethane is used for the support portion 20 and the head rest portion 30. The support portion 20 and the head rest portion 30 are elastic. Furthermore, the hardness of the head rest portion 30 is softer than the hardness of the support portion 20.

[0040] The hardness of the support part 20 is, for example, about 60 degrees on the Asker C hardness scale. The hardness of the head rest part 30 is, for example, about 40 degrees on the Asker C hardness scale. This allows the head rest part 30 to provide cushioning when supporting the bather's head, and the support part 20 to appropriately support the weight of the bather's head. For example, compared to a case where the entire pillow body 12 is made of a soft material, deformation of the storage space 34 when supporting the bather's head can be suppressed. The hardness of the support part 20 is not limited to the above and may be any hardness that can appropriately support the weight of the bather's head. The hardness of the head rest part 30 is not limited to the above and may be any hardness that can provide appropriate cushioning when supporting the bather's head.

[0041] The connection line 42 on the storage space 34 side, which represents the outer edge of the connection surface 40 between the rear end portion 24 and the head rest portion 30, is curved and has an inflection point PI. The connection line 42 is, for example, curved and has multiple inflection points PI. In addition, at least a portion of the connection line 42 on the storage space 34 side extends forward from the rear end portion 24 and is located above the storage space 34. The support portion 20 has a projection 26 that protrudes forward from the upper end of the rear end portion 24. The projection 26 is located above the storage space 34 and is in contact with the head rest portion 30. This allows at least a portion of the connection line 42 to be located above the storage space 34, as described above.

[0042] At least the vicinity of the left-right center of the connection line 42 on the storage space 34 side is located in front of the inflection point PI. The vicinity of the left-right center of the connection line 42 on the storage space 34 side is located above the storage space 34. In other words, the connection line 42 is located above the storage space 34 at least in the vicinity of the left-right center of the storage space 34. The protrusion 26 is provided near the left-right center of the storage space 34. At least a part of the protrusion 26 is located in the left-right center of the storage space 34. As a result, as described above, at least the vicinity of the left-right center of the connection line 42 on the storage space 34 side can be positioned in front of the inflection point PI. The vicinity of the left-right center of the connection line 42 on the storage space 34 side can be positioned above the storage space 34.

[0043] Here, the connection line 42 on the storage space 34 side refers to, for example, the portion of the connection line 42 that appears around almost the entire circumference of the pillow body 12 that is visible within the storage space 34. Also, the vicinity of the left-right center of the connection line 42 refers to, for example, the central part of the connection line 42 when it is divided into three sections in the left-right direction. The vicinity of the left-right center of the connection line 42 includes, for example, a range of at least 6 cm, consisting of 3 cm to the right of the left-right center and 3 cm to the left of the left-right center. The same explanation applies to the vicinity of the left-right center of the storage space 34 as to the connection line 42.

[0044] The connection line 42 on the storage space 34 side has a curved portion 42a that is curved in an arc shape so as to be convex toward the front. In other words, the front end 26a of the protruding portion 26 is curved in an arc shape so as to be convex toward the front when viewed from above. The shape of the front end 26a of the protruding portion 26 when viewed from above is, for example, semicircular.

[0045] The apex portion 42b of the curved portion 42a is located near the center in the left-right direction of the connection line 42 on the storage space 34 side. The apex portion 42b is located, for example, in front of the center CL in the front-rear direction of the storage space 34. Also, the apex portion 42b is located behind, for example, the front end 30a of the head rest portion 30 (the front end of the pillow body 12). That is, the apex portion 42b is located between the center CL in the front-rear direction of the storage space 34 and the front end 30a of the head rest portion 30. In other words, at least a part of the front end of the connection line 42 is located between the center CL in the front-rear direction of the storage space 34 and the front end 30a of the head rest portion 30. For example, the vicinity of the center of the front end of the connection line 42 is located between the center CL in the front-rear direction of the storage space 34 and the front end 30a of the head rest portion 30.

[0046] In this example, the rear end 34a of the storage space 34 is curved in an arc shape so as to be convex toward the rear when viewed from above. In other words, the rear end 34a of the storage space 34 is the front end of the rear end 24. Therefore, the connection line 42 on the storage space 34 side has a portion that is curved in an arc shape so as to be convex toward the front when viewed from above (curved portion 42a), and a portion that is curved in an arc shape so as to be convex toward the rear (portions on both sides of the curved portion 42a). That is, in this example, the connection line 42 on the storage space 34 side is curved with two inflection points PI.

[0047] The backrest surface 106 of the bathtub body 102 is curved in an arc towards the rear when viewed from above, for example, to make it easier to support the bather's back. In this case, the front edge of the upper end connected to the backrest surface 106 is also curved in an arc towards the rear when viewed from above. Accordingly, the front end 30a of the headrest section 30 is also curved in an arc towards the rear to match these shapes. This prevents unnecessary steps from occurring between the front end 30a of the headrest section 30 and the backrest surface 106, and makes it easier for the bather to rest their head on the upper surface 32 of the headrest section 30. The rear end 34a of the storage space 34 is curved in an arc so as to be convex towards the rear when viewed from above, to match the shape of the front end 30a of the headrest section 30.

[0048] The shape of the rear end 34a of the storage space 34, when viewed from above, is not limited to an arc shape; for example, it may be a straight line extending in the left-right direction. The shape of the rear end 34a of the storage space 34, when viewed from above, may be any shape.

[0049] When the connection line 42 on the storage space 34 side is curved with two inflection points PI, it is preferable to make the distance between the two inflection points PI as long as possible. In other words, it is preferable to make the width of the curved portion 42a in the left-right direction as long as possible. The left-right distance between the two inflection points PI is preferably longer than, for example, the left-right distance between one inflection point PI and the side portion 21 and the left-right distance between the other inflection point PI and the side portion 22. Note that the number of inflection points PI is not limited to two, but may be three or more.

[0050] The shape of the connection line 42 on the storage space 34 side and the shape of the protruding portion 26 are not limited to those described above, and may be any curved shape having an inflection point PI.

[0051] As described above, in the bathtub pillow 10 according to this embodiment, by forming the bathtub pillow 10 with a hard support part 20 and a soft head rest part 30, deformation of the storage space 34 when a bather's head is rested on it can be suppressed without compromising cushioning. Furthermore, the connection line 42 on the storage space 34 side is curved with an inflection point PI. As a result, even when an operator tries to remove the bathtub pillow 10 from the bathtub 100 by grasping the front end 30a of the head rest part 30, which is made of a soft material, and applying upward force, it is difficult to apply force from the front end 30a of the head rest part 30 to the connection line 42 due to the "lever principle".Therefore, compared to, for example, a case where a connection line is formed in a straight line in the left-right direction, it is possible to suppress the head rest part 30, which is made of a soft material, from bending sharply with respect to the support part 20 at the connection line 42, and prevent the occurrence of creases on the upper surface 32 of the head rest part 30. For example, because the connection line 42 on the storage space 34 side is curved with an inflection point PI, when the head rest portion 30 is repeatedly bent, it is possible to suppress the bending at the same point with the connection line 42 as the base point, compared to a straight connection line. For example, the point of bending of the head rest portion 30 can be shifted forward or backward. Therefore, even when the head rest portion 30 is repeatedly bent, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of large creases on the upper surface 32 of the head rest portion 30. In this way, it is possible to provide a bath pillow 10 that can suppress deformation of the internal storage space 34 without impairing cushioning and can suppress the occurrence of creases on the upper surface 32.

[0052] Furthermore, the bath pillow 10 has an opening 14 on the front surface of the pillow body 12. In this case, when removing the bath pillow 10 from the bathtub 100, it becomes easier to grasp the front end 30a of the head rest portion 30 by placing fingers in the opening 14. Even in such cases, as described above, by making the connection line 42 on the storage space 34 side a curved shape with an inflection point PI, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of creases on the upper surface 32.

[0053] Furthermore, in the bath pillow 10, at least a portion of the connection line 42 on the storage space 34 side is located in front of the center CL in the front-to-back direction of the storage space 34. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the head rest portion 30 from bending sharply at the connection line 42 and causing a crease to form on the upper surface 32 of the head rest portion 30.

[0054] Furthermore, in the bath pillow 10, the connection line 42 on the storage space 34 side is located behind the front end 30a of the head rest 30. This makes it possible to more reliably suppress the decrease in cushioning.

[0055] The area near the left-right center of the head rest 30 is easier to grip and apply force to compared to the left-right ends, making it highly likely that a large force will be applied to the head rest 30. Furthermore, when the front end 30a of the head rest 30 is gripped near the left-right center of the storage space 34, the distance from the pair of side parts 21 and 22 of the support part 20 increases, making it easier for the lever principle to be applied to the head rest 30 compared to when other parts of the front end 30a of the head rest 30 are gripped. Therefore, as described above, by positioning the area near the left-right center of the connection line 42 on the storage space 34 side forward of the inflection point PI, it is possible to make it less likely for the lever principle to be applied to the head rest 30, even when the area near the center of the storage space 34 of the head rest 30 is gripped. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the head rest portion 30 from bending sharply around the connection line 42, which would cause a crease to form on the upper surface 32 of the head rest portion 30.

[0056] In the bath pillow 10, the connection line 42 on the storage space 34 side has a curved portion 42a that curves so as to be convex toward the front, and the apex portion 42b of the curved portion 42a is located near the center in the left-right direction of the connection line 42 on the storage space 34 side. This makes it more difficult for force due to the "lever principle" with the connection line 42 as the base point to be applied to the head rest portion 30, even when the part of the head rest portion 30 near the center of the storage space 34 is grasped.

[0057] Furthermore, by making the connecting line 42 located above the storage space 34 a continuously and smoothly changing arc shape, it is possible to make it less likely for the force due to the "lever principle" with the connecting line 42 as the base point to be applied to the head rest 30, compared to, for example, when the connecting line 42 has a shape with corners such as a triangle or a square.

[0058] Figure 6 is a schematic bottom view showing a modified example of the bathtub pillow according to the embodiment. For components that are substantially the same in function and configuration as those in the above embodiments, the same reference numerals are used, and detailed explanations are omitted. As shown in Figure 6, in the bathtub pillow 10a, at least a portion of the connection line 42 on the storage space 34 side is located in front of the imaginary line VL connecting the rear ends 21a and 22a of the pair of side parts 21 and 22. More specifically, the imaginary line VL is an imaginary line connecting the rear end 21a of side part 21 on the storage space 34 side and the rear end 22a of side part 22 on the storage space 34 side.

[0059] Thus, in the bathtub pillow 10a, at least a portion of the connection line 42 on the storage space 34 side is located in front of the imaginary line VL. This makes it more difficult for a worker to apply leverage to the connection line 42 from the front end 30a of the head rest 30, which is made of a soft material, when they try to remove the bathtub pillow 10a from the bathtub 100 by grasping the front end 30a of the head rest 30 and applying upward force.

[0060] In the bathtub pillow 10a, a portion of the curved section 42a is located in front of the virtual line VL. The portion of the connecting line 42 located in front of the virtual line VL is not limited to the curved section 42a, but can be any portion.

[0061] Figure 7 is a schematic bottom view showing a modified example of the bathtub pillow according to the embodiment. As shown in Figure 7, in the bathtub pillow 10b, at least a portion of the connection line 42 on the storage space 34 side is wavy in shape. The connection line 42 is formed in a wavy shape at least near the center in the left-right direction. In the bathtub pillow 10b, the connection line 42 is curved with multiple inflection points PI and multiple vertex portions 42b. In other words, the wavy shape is a shape having multiple arc-shaped protrusions 26 arranged in the left-right direction.

[0062] Thus, in the bath pillow 10b, at least a portion of the connection line 42 has a wavy shape, that is, it has multiple inflection points PI and vertex portions 42b which are nodes, so that it is possible to more reliably suppress the occurrence of large fold marks on the upper surface 32 of the head rest portion 30 due to the head rest portion 30 bending significantly. Furthermore, in the wavy-shaped connection line 42, the multiple vertex portions 42b are not aligned in a straight line in the left-right direction. This further reliably suppresses the occurrence of large fold marks on the upper surface 32 of the head rest portion 30. Moreover, in the wavy-shaped connection line 42, the multiple vertex portions 42b are not aligned on a curve of the same curvature. In other words, the multiple vertex portions 42b are not aligned on the same circumference. This further reliably suppresses the occurrence of large fold marks on the upper surface 32 of the head rest portion 30.

[0063] In this example, the connection line 42 has five vertex portions 42b. The number of vertex portions 42b provided on the connection line 42 is not limited to five, but can be any number of two or more. Also, Figure 7 illustrates a state in which the protrusion amount of each protrusion 26 is relatively small. For example, if at least a part of the connection line 42 is shaped like a wave, each of the multiple vertex portions 42b may be positioned in front of the virtual line VL described above.

[0064] Embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to these descriptions. Modifications made by those skilled in the art to the above-described embodiments are also included within the scope of the present invention, as long as they retain the features of the present invention. For example, the shape, dimensions, material, arrangement, etc., of each element of the bathtub pillows 10, 10a, 10b, etc., are not limited to those exemplified and can be modified as appropriate. Furthermore, the elements of each of the embodiments described above can be combined to the extent technically possible, and these combinations are also included within the scope of the present invention insofar as they include the features of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 10, 10a, 10b Bathtub pillow, 12 Pillow body, 14 Opening, 20 Support part, 21, 22 Side parts, 24 Rear end, 26 Protruding part, 30 Head rest part, 32 Top surface, 34 Storage space, 40 Connecting surface, 42 Connecting line, 100 Bathtub, 102 Bathtub body, 104 Inner wall surface, 106 Backrest surface, 110 Functional part

Claims

1. A bathtub pillow is provided for a bathtub, which includes a bathtub body having a backrest surface on the rear side against which the bather's back rests, and a water discharge unit that discharges hot water inward into the bathtub body, and is attached to the upper rear end of the bathtub body, and is capable of supporting the bather's head. The aforementioned bathtub pillow is A support portion having a pair of left and right side portions extending in the front-rear direction of the bathtub body, and a rear end portion that extends in the left-right direction to connect the rear ends of the pair of left and right side portions and has a shape that forms a convex curve toward the rear, It has an upper surface on which the head of the bather is placed, and a head rest portion that covers the support portion, Equipped with, The head rest portion does not come into contact with the bathtub body. A portion of the outer edge of the connection surface between the support portion and the head rest portion is located at the boundary between the upper end of the rear surface of the rear end portion and the lower end of the rear surface of the head rest portion. The hardness of the Asker C type in the head rest portion is less than that of the Asker C type in the support portion. Bath pillow.

2. The bathtub pillow according to claim 1, wherein the bathtub pillow is attached to the upper end of the bathtub body in a state in which it is fitted or engaged with at least one of the bathtub body and the water discharge unit from above.

3. The front end of the head rest portion is curved in an arc shape toward the rear when viewed from above, as described in claim 1 or 2.

4. The head rest portion covers the space above the pair of left and right side portions, thereby forming a storage space for housing the water discharge unit. The rear end of the storage space is curved in an arc shape toward the rear when viewed from above, as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, for use as a bath pillow.

5. The bath pillow according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein both the support portion and the head rest portion are made of a resin material.

6. A bathtub to which a bathtub pillow according to any one of claims 1 to 5 is attached, and which includes the bathtub body and the water discharge unit.

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