Bathtub, bathroom, and bathtub drying method

Abstract

Provided is a bathtub comprising a bathtub body made of a sheet, wherein sufficient waterproof properties and durability are ensured.　A bathtub (10, 210, 310, 510, 610) includes a bathtub body that is made of a sheet (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5) and is used, in a suspended state, by collecting hot water in the bathtub body. The sheet (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5) includes a plurality of layers (a first layer (L1) and a second layer (L2)). Among the plurality of layers (the first layer (L1) and the second layer (L2)), at least one layer (the first layer (L1)) is formed of a water-impermeable material, and at least one different layer (the second layer (L2)) is formed of a durable material.

Description

Bathtub, bathroom, and bathtub drying method

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a bathtub, a bathroom, and a bathtub drying method. This application is based on and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-014745 filed on February 2, 2024, Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-014746 filed on February 2, 2024, Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-014747 filed on February 2, 2024, Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-014748 filed on February 2, 2024, Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-128836 filed on August 5, 2024, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-128837 filed on August 5, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a conventional bathtub. This bathtub is used in a suspended state. This bathtub is hung by hooking the upper corners onto a hanging member installed in the bathroom. This bathtub is used by filling it with hot water while suspended. This bathtub has a bathtub body made of sheet. The sheet is a waterproof sheet made of synthetic fiber or the like. The bathtub body is deformable. With this configuration, this bathtub can deform to fit the bather's body, providing a comfortable bathing experience that is different from conventional hard bathtubs made of resin or the like.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-260180

[0004] This type of bathtub is also required to be strong enough to withstand the weight of hot water and bathers when suspended. In the case of Patent Document 1, a configuration in which a core material is added to the bathtub body in order to increase the strength of the bathtub body is also proposed. In this case, there is a concern that the structure of the bathtub body will become complicated.

[0005] The bathtub, bathroom, and bathtub drying method of the first aspect of the present disclosure have the problem to be solved of ensuring sufficient waterproofness and durability in a bathtub equipped with a bathtub body made of sheet.

[0006] The bathtub body in Patent Document 1 is configured so that the bottom of the waterproof sheet is formed into a generally arc-shaped shape in a side view, with the center of the long side lower than both ends, allowing the bathtub to be used to store hot and cold water. Patent Document 1 does not propose any specific method for forming this shape from the sheet material.

[0007] The bathtub and bathroom of the second aspect of the present disclosure have the problem to be solved of being able to easily form the desired shape in a bathtub equipped with a sheet-made bathtub body.

[0008] There has been a demand for sheet bathtubs such as those described above to have increased strength at the part that is suspended from the suspension member.

[0009] The third aspect of the bathtub and bathroom of the present disclosure was completed based on the above circumstances, and the problem to be solved is to increase the strength of the part suspended from the suspension member.

[0010] The bathtub in Patent Document 1 does not have a structure for draining hot water collected in the bathtub body.

[0011] The fourth aspect of the bathtub and bathroom of the present disclosure was created in consideration of the above-mentioned conventional situation, and its problem to be solved is to be able to easily drain hot and cold water collected in the bathtub body.

[0012] The first aspect of the bathtub according to the present disclosure is a bathtub having a bathtub body made of a sheet that is used by storing hot and cold water in a suspended state, and the sheet that forms the bathtub body has multiple layers, at least one of which is made of a non-permeable material and at least one of which is made of a durable material.

[0013] The bathroom of the first aspect of the present disclosure is provided with a hanging portion for suspending the bathtub.

[0014] In the bathtub drying method of the first aspect according to the present disclosure, the bathtub is hung on a drying hanging section and dried.

[0015] The second aspect of the bathtub according to the present disclosure is a bathtub having a bathtub body made of a sheet that is used by storing hot and cold water in a suspended state, and the sheet forming the bathtub body has a joint portion on the side wall portion where the sheets are joined together.

[0016] A bathroom according to a second aspect of the present disclosure includes a hanging portion for suspending the bathtub.

[0017] The third aspect of the bathtub disclosed herein comprises a sheet-made bathtub body that is used by filling it with hot and cold water when suspended, and a rope that is arranged along the upper edge of the bathtub body when suspended; the bathtub body has a folded portion formed by folding back the outer edge of the sheet material that constitutes the bathtub body; the rope has a loop portion formed by folding back the end of the rope; the loop end of the rope that closes the loop portion is housed inside the folded portion; the loop end and the folded portion are sewn together with a thread that passes from a first surface portion that is located on one side of the loop end of the folded portion to the loop end and a second surface portion that is located on the other side of the loop end of the folded portion.

[0018] A bathroom according to a third aspect of the present disclosure is provided with a hanging member for suspending the bathtub.

[0019] A fourth aspect of the bathtub according to the present disclosure comprises a sheet-made bathtub body that is used by storing hot and cold water in a suspended state, and the bathtub body has a bathtub drain outlet for draining the stored hot and cold water.

[0020] A fourth aspect of the bathroom according to the present disclosure has a bathroom drain outlet on the floor on the side where the bathtub drain outlet is provided when the bathtub is suspended and filled with hot and cold water.

[0021] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic view of a bathroom according to embodiment 1 with the bathtub suspended; FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic view of a bathroom according to embodiment 1 with the bathtub removed; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a bathtub according to embodiment 1; FIG. 3 is a development view of a sheet according to embodiment 1; FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a sheet according to embodiment 1; FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a joint according to embodiment 1; FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a folded-back portion according to embodiment 1; FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an engagement portion according to embodiment 1; FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a sheet according to embodiment 2; FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a joint according to embodiment 3; FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a sheet according to another embodiment (part 1); FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining a sheet according to another embodiment (part 2); FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining a joint (part 1) according to another embodiment; FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining a bathtub (part 2) according to another embodiment; FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining a bathtub (part 3) according to another embodiment; FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a bathroom according to embodiment 1 with the bathtub drained and dried; FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing a bathroom according to embodiment 4 with the bathtub suspended; FIG. 17 is a side view of a bathtub. 1 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the bathtub showing how the loop portion is accommodated inside the folded portion at the engagement portion. FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the bathtub showing how the loop portion and the folded portion are sewn together with thread at the engagement portion. FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the bathtub showing how a reinforcing sheet material is overlaid on the outside of the folded portion at the engagement portion. FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the bathtub showing how the reinforcing sheet material and the folded portion are sewn together with thread at the engagement portion. FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the bathtub showing a schematic view of the sewn portion at the engagement portion. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a bathroom fitted with bathtubs of embodiments 5 and 6. FIG. 7 is a plan view of a bathroom fitted with bathtubs of embodiments 5 and 6. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a bathtub formed with bathtub drain outlets of embodiments 5 and 6. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a closed state of the drain plug provided in the bathtub body of embodiment 5. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an open state of the drain plug provided in the bathtub body of embodiment 5. FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the drain plug of embodiment 5. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a reinforcing member provided in the bathtub body of embodiment 6.13 is a perspective view of a reinforcing member of the sixth embodiment with a fixing member superimposed thereon; FIG. 14 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the drain port member of the sixth embodiment;

[0022] First, embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described. Any combination of the following multiple embodiments within a range that does not cause contradictions is also included in the description of the present invention.

[0023] The first aspect of the bathtub according to the present disclosure is as follows: [1] A bathtub with a sheet-made bathtub body that is used in a suspended state by filling it with hot and cold water. The sheet forming the bathtub body has multiple layers, at least one of which is made of a water-impermeable material and at least one of which is made of a durable material. [2] In the bathtub of [1] above, the outermost layer of the sheet is made of cloth. [3] In either of the bathtubs of [1] and [2] above, at least one of the multiple layers of the sheet is made of a heat-retaining material. [4] In any of the bathtubs of [1] to [3] above, the outermost surface of the sheet is rougher than the innermost surface. [5] In any of the bathtubs of [1] to [4] above, when in use, the upper edge of the bathtub body has a folded portion that is folded outward. [6] In the bathtub of [5] above, when in use, a rope is provided for suspending the bathtub body, and the rope is inserted into and extends through the folded portion. [7] In any of the bathtubs described in [1] to [6] above, the bathtub has at least four hooks that hook onto a hanging part provided in the bathroom. [8] The bathroom of the first aspect according to the present disclosure is equipped with a hanging part for hanging any of the bathtubs described in [1] to [7] above. [9] The bathtub drying method of the first aspect according to the present disclosure dries any of the bathtubs described in [1] to [7] above by hanging them on a drying hanging part.

[10] In the bathtub drying method described in [9] above, the drying hanging part is provided above the hanging part that hangs the bathtub when it is filled with hot water and used.

[0024] The bathtub of the second aspect of the present disclosure is as follows: [1] A bathtub with a bathtub body made of sheets that is used in a suspended state to fill with hot water, and the sheets that form the bathtub body have joints that join the sheets to each other on the side walls. [2] In the bathtub of [1] above, when viewed from above when the bathtub body is filled with hot water and used, the bathtub body is rectangular, and the joints extend vertically in the center of the side walls that form a specific side in the plan view, in the direction in which the side extends. [3] In either of the bathtubs of [1] and [2] above, when viewed from above when the bathtub body is filled with hot water and used, the bathtub body is rectangular, and the joints extend vertically in the center of the side walls that form a short side in the plan view, in the direction in which the short side extends. [4] In any of the bathtubs of [1] to [3] above, the joints sandwich molten heat-sealing material between the overlapping sheets. [5] In the bathtub of [4] above, the overlapping sheets are sewn together at the joint so as to penetrate the thermal adhesive material. [6] In any of the bathtubs of [1] to [5] above, the bathtub body is formed from a single sheet. [7] In any of the bathtubs of [1] to [6] above, the sheet has a cloth and a layer of non-permeable material overlapped on the cloth. [8] In any of the bathtubs of [1] to [7] above, when the bathtub body is filled with hot water and used, the upper edge of the bathtub body has a folded portion folded outward, and the overlapping sheets are sewn together at the folded portion. [9] A bathroom of a second aspect of the present disclosure is equipped with a hanging portion for hanging any of the bathtubs of [1] to [8] above.

[0025] A third aspect of the present disclosure provides a bathtub comprising: [1] a sheet-made bathtub body used for filling the bathtub with hot and cold water while suspended; and a rope arranged along the upper edge of the bathtub body when suspended. The bathtub body has a folded portion formed by folding back the outer edge of the sheet material constituting the bathtub body; the rope has a loop portion formed by folding back the end of the rope; the loop end of the rope that closes the loop portion is housed inside the folded portion; the loop end and the folded portion are sewn together with thread, and the thread passes from a first surface portion of the folded portion located on one side of the loop end to the loop end and a second surface portion of the folded portion located on the other side of the loop end. This configuration allows the loop end and the folded portion to be firmly fixed, thereby increasing the strength of the portion suspended from the suspension member. [2] In the bathtub described in [1] above, the pair of rope materials constituting the loop end of the rope may be sewn together with thread. This configuration allows the pair of rope materials that make up the loop end to be firmly connected, thereby increasing the strength of the loop portion. [3] In the bathtub described in any of [1] to [2] above, the first surface portion and the second surface portion may be sewn together along the edge of the rope material that makes up the loop end. This configuration reduces the gap between the loop end and the edge of the folded-back portion, making it less likely for water to enter between the loop end and the edge of the folded-back portion. [4] In the bathtub described in any of [1] to [3] above, a reinforcing sheet material may be overlaid on the outside of the folded-back portion, the reinforcing sheet material having a first reinforcing portion overlaid on the first surface portion and a second reinforcing portion overlaid on the second surface portion, the folded-back portion and the reinforcing sheet material being sewn together with a thread that passes from the first reinforcing portion to the first surface portion, the loop end, the second surface portion, and the second reinforcing portion. With this configuration, the reinforcing sheet material, the folded portion, and the loop end portion can be firmly fixed, thereby increasing the strength of the portion suspended from the suspension member.[5] In the bathtub described in [4] above, the first reinforcing portion and the second reinforcing portion may be sewn together along the edge of the rope material that constitutes the loop end. This configuration reduces the gap between the loop end and the edge of the reinforcing sheet material, making it less likely for water to enter between the loop end and the edge of the reinforcing sheet material. [6] A bathroom according to a third aspect of the present disclosure includes a hanging member for hanging the bathtub described in any of [1] to [5] above. This configuration allows the loop end and the folded portion to be firmly fixed, thereby increasing the strength of the portion hung from the hanging member.

[0026] The fourth aspect of the present disclosure provides the following bathtub: [1] A bathtub body made of sheet material is used in a suspended state to fill with hot water, and the bathtub body has a bathtub drain outlet for draining the collected hot water. The bathtub body has a drain outlet, allowing the collected hot water to be easily drained. [2] In the bathtub described in [1] above, when the bathtub body is suspended in a bathroom and used to fill with hot water, the bathtub drain outlet is located above and spaced apart from the bathroom floor. Because the bathtub drain outlet is located above and spaced apart from the bathroom floor, the bathtub drain outlet does not come into contact with the floor, weakening the drainage force or preventing drainage, allowing for smooth drainage. [3] In the bathtub described in either [1] or [2] above, the opening diameter of the bathtub drain outlet is smaller than 40 mm. Because the opening diameter of the bathtub drain in this bathtub is smaller than 40 mm, the drain flow rate of the bathtub drain does not exceed the drain flow rate of the bathroom drain, and hot water drained from the bathtub drain into the bathroom drain is less likely to spread onto the bathroom floor. [4] In the bathtub described in any of [1] to [3] above, the bathtub drain is equipped with a drain plug that can be opened and closed from inside the bathtub body. This bathtub's drain plug can be opened and closed from inside the bathtub body, making it easy to drain hot water stored in the bathtub body. In particular, when this bathtub body is hung near the bathroom wall, even if the gap between the bathroom wall and the bathtub is small and the bathtub drain is located in a position that is out of reach of bathers, the drain plug can be opened and closed from inside the bathtub body, making it easy to open and close.

[0027] [5] In the bathtub described in any one of [1] to [4] above, the bathtub body has a through hole that forms the bathtub drain outlet, and a reinforcing member that reinforces the outer edge of the through hole. In this bathtub, the reinforcing member prevents deformation of the through hole. Therefore, in this bathtub, when a water-permeable member is attached to the through hole, the water-permeable member is less likely to come off the bathtub body. [6] In the bathtub described in any one of [1] to [5] above, the bathtub drain outlet includes a through hole formed in the bathtub body and a water-permeable member having a water-permeable portion body inserted into the through hole, and the inner diameter of the through hole is smaller than the outer diameter of the water-permeable body. In this bathtub, the gap between the through hole and the water-permeable member can be reduced, so the water-permeable member attached to the through hole is less likely to come off the bathtub body. [7] A fourth aspect of the present disclosure provides a bathroom with a floor, which has a bathroom drain located on the same side as the bathtub drain when the bathtub described in any one of [1] to [6] above is suspended and filled with hot water. This bathroom allows the bathroom drain to be located on the floor near the bathtub drain, allowing hot water drained from the bathtub drain to flow into the bathroom drain before spreading across the bathroom floor. [8] The bathroom described in [7] above also has an entrance, which is located on the wall opposite the entrance. Because the hot water drained from the bathtub drain flows into a bathroom drain located on the wall opposite the entrance, when the hot water is drained from the bathtub drain, it does not splash toward the entrance or onto people in the bathroom. This bathroom has a good appearance because the bathroom drain is located on the wall opposite the entrance.

[0028] <Embodiment 1> A bathtub 10 and bathroom 1 according to embodiment 1 of the present disclosure, which embody the bathtub and bathroom, will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the bathtub 10 is placed in the bathroom 1. The bathroom 1 is rectangular. The bathroom 1 includes walls W1, W2, and W3 and a floor F. The bathroom 1 is surrounded by walls W1, W2, and W3 on three of the four sides of the floor F in a plan view. A wall with an entrance (not shown) is located on the other side of the floor F.

[0029] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, bathroom 1 is equipped with a shower system 2. The shower system 2 is located on wall W1, one of walls W1, W2, and W3. The shower system 2 is located on wall W1, closer to wall W3. The shower system 2 includes a faucet 3, an overhead shower 4, and a hand shower 5. The faucet 3 is formed in a long cylindrical shape extending horizontally along the surface of wall W1. The faucet 3 is connected to a water supply pipe and a hot water supply pipe (not shown) within wall W1. The faucet 3 is a mixer faucet. The faucet 3 can adjust the water volume, adjust the temperature by mixing hot and cold water, stop the water supply, and switch the flow path. In this specification, hot and cold water supplied from a faucet installed in a bathroom is referred to as hot and cold water, regardless of the temperature, mixing ratio, etc. The faucet 3 includes a water outlet pipe 3A that forms a water spout. The faucet 3 can select either the water outlet pipe 3A, the overhead shower 4, or the hand shower 5 to dispense hot and cold water.

[0030] A bathtub 10 is attached to the bathroom 1. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the bathtub 10 is attached to a pair of opposing walls W1 and W2 out of the three walls W1, W2, and W3. The bathtub 10 is removably attached to the walls W1 and W2. In other words, when the bathroom 1 is used for a purpose other than its intended use, the bathtub 10 can be removed and used. For example, as shown in Figure 2, the bathroom 1 can be conveniently used as a shower room by removing the bathtub 10.

[0031] Each of the pair of walls W1 and W2 has a hanging member 20. The hanging member 20 corresponds to the hanging portion according to the present disclosure. The hanging member 20 is used to hang and attach the bathtub 10. The hanging member 20 is a hook-shaped member that is J-shaped in a side view and opens upward. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , two hanging members 20 on the wall W1 side are arranged below the faucet 3 and spaced apart horizontally. Two hanging members 20 on the wall W2 side are provided at the same height and with the same spacing as the hanging members 20 on the wall W1 side. In other words, two hanging members 20 are provided on each of the pair of walls W1 and W2, for a total of four. Each hanging member 20 hangs the bathtub 10 by hooking onto a loop portion 41 (described later) on the bathtub 10.

[0032] As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 18, the bathroom 1 has a drying hanging member 21. The drying hanging member 21 corresponds to the drying hanging section of the present disclosure. The drying hanging member 21 is a member for temporarily hanging the bathtub 10 after use to drain or dry it, or for hanging the bathtub 10 when not in use. A pair of drying hanging members 21 are provided on the wall W2. The drying hanging member 21 is provided above the hanging member 20 at a height that is reachable even for an average adult woman, and at a height where the hanging bathtub 10 does not come into contact with the floor F. Specifically, the drying hanging member 21 is provided at a height of approximately 1,700 mm from the floor F.

[0033] The bathtub 10 is detachably attached to a pair of walls W1, W2. The bathtub 10 can be deformed to store hot water. The bathtub 10 can be freely changed in shape, such as folded or unfolded. The bathtub 10 stores hot water in the unfolded state. The bathtub 10 is boat-shaped when suspended, which is the state in which it is used.

[0034] As shown in Figure 3, the bathtub 10 is composed of a bathtub body 30 and a rope 40. The bathtub body 30 stores hot and cold water. The bathtub body 30 is made of sheet material. When in use, the bathtub body 30 has a rectangular shape in a plan view. When in use, the upper edge of the bathtub body 30 opens upward. When in use, the bathtub body 30 gradually widens from the bottom end to the top end.

[0035] As shown in Figure 3, the bathtub body 30 has four side walls, 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D. The first and second side walls 30A and 30B extend downward from a pair of opposing long sides in a plan view. The third and fourth side walls 30C and 30D extend downward from a pair of opposing short sides in a plan view. Both end edges of the third and fourth side walls 30C and 30D are continuous with both end edges of the first and second side walls 30A and 30B.

[0036] The bathtub body 30 is made of sheet S1. As shown in Figure 4, sheet S1 is cut into a single piece into a predetermined shape from a single sheet material. The bathtub body 30 is formed by joining the joining pieces J and folding back the folded pieces T in the sheet S1 shown in Figure 4. The joining pieces J are joined to form the joining portion 31 described below. The folded pieces T are folded back and sewn to form the folded portion 32 described below. The sheet material that makes up sheet S1 is flexible and deformable, yet has excellent durability against external physical and mechanical influences, especially tensile external forces, and is impermeable (waterproof). The sheet material that makes up sheet S1 has poor elasticity, and retains its boat-shaped shape to a certain extent when filled with hot and cold water.

[0037] Specifically, the sheet S1 is composed of multiple overlapping layers. As shown in FIG. 5, the sheet S1 has two layers, a first layer L1 and a second layer L2. The sheet S1 is a single sheet cut out from a sheet material in which the first layer L1 and the second layer L2 are bonded together with an adhesive A. The first layer L1 ensures water impermeability. The second layer L2 ensures durability. The first layer L1 is positioned closer to the inside of the bathtub 10 than the second layer L2. Specifically, in the two-layer sheet S1, the first layer L1 is located on the innermost side, and the second layer L2 is located on the outermost side.

[0038] In the sheet S1, the first layer L1 is a film layer made of resin or the like. Specifically, the first layer L1 is a polyurethane (PU) film. The smooth surface of this first layer L1 is exposed on the inner surface of the bathtub body 30. In the sheet S1, the second layer L2 is made of fabric such as woven fabric. The second layer L2 is made of polyester resin fibers, specifically, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers. PET fibers are excellent in water resistance, heat resistance, chemical resistance, and the like. The weave of the second layer L2, which is a woven fabric, is a plain weave, which is considered to be superior in strength and durability among various weaves. The fabric surface of the second layer L2 in the sheet S1 is exposed on the outer surface of the bathtub body 30. In other words, the bathtub 10 has the plain weave fabric surface of the second layer L2 exposed on the outer surface and the PU film surface of the first layer L1 exposed on the inner surface. In the sheet S1, the fabric surface of the second layer L2, which is the outermost surface, is rougher than the surface of the first layer L1, which is the innermost surface.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 3, the bathtub body 30 has a joint 31 and a folded portion 32. The joint 31 joins the sheets S1 together. The joint 31 is the portion where the joining pieces J (see FIG. 4) provided on the edges of the cut sheets S1 are joined together. The joint 31 is formed on the side wall of the bathtub body 30. Specifically, the joint 31 is formed on the side wall portions 30C and 30D that form the shorter sides of the rectangle among the four side wall portions 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D of the bathtub body 30. The joint 31 extends vertically at the center of the extension direction of the sides of the side wall portions 30C and 30D. The provision of such joint 31 allows the bathtub body 30 to form a boat-shaped shape.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 6 , the joint 31 is formed by thermally welding two overlapping joint pieces J with a thermal welding material H sandwiched therebetween. In the joint 31, the two joint pieces J are each bent into a U-shaped cross section and interlocked with each other. The joint 31 includes a first welded portion H1 where the first layer L1 of the sheet S1 is welded to itself, a second welded portion H2 where the second layer L2 is welded to itself, and a third welded portion H3 where the first layer L1 and the second layer L2 are welded to each other. The first welded portion H1 and the second welded portion H2 are made of the same material and are welded to each other with a thermal welding material H that is suitable for welding the respective materials. In this embodiment, a PU film is used for the first layer L1 and a PET woven fabric is used for the second layer L2. For this reason, PU-based and polyester-based heat-sealing materials are suitable as the heat-sealing material H used for the first welded portion H1 and the second welded portion H2, respectively. The third welded portion H3 is a weld between different materials, and is welded using a heat-sealing material selected in consideration of the properties of both materials. In this embodiment, the third welded portion H3 is formed using the same heat-sealing material H as the heat-sealing material H used for the second welded portion H2. The heat-sealing material used for the third welded portion may be the same as the heat-sealing material used for the first welded portion, or may be a heat-sealing material different from the heat-sealing materials used for the first welded portion and the second welded portion.

[0041] The folded portion 32 is formed by folding back and overlapping the outer edge of the sheet S1 that forms the bathtub body 30. The folded portion 32 is maintained in an overlapped state by sewing the folded sheets S1 together. As shown in Figure 3, the folded portion 32 is formed around almost the entire outer edge located at the upper edge of the bathtub body 30 when in use. Because the folded portion 32 has a double-layered structure, it also functions as a reinforcing portion at the upper edge of the bathtub body 30.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 3 , the folded portion 32 has a wide portion 32A and an insertion portion 32B. The wide portion 32A is located in the portion corresponding to the four corners of the rectangular bathtub body 30 in a plan view. The wide portion 32A is wider than the other portions by setting a large folding margin. The insertion portion 32B is the folded portion 32 of the folded portion 32 that corresponds to the long sides of the rectangular bathtub body 30 in a plan view. As shown in FIG. 7 , the insertion portion 32B is cylindrical, and the rope 40 is inserted inside. The insertion portion 32B, together with the wide portions 32A on both ends, is formed by a series of folding pieces T. The cylindrical space inside the insertion portion 32B is connected to the space inside the wide portions 32A at both ends. The rope 40 inside the insertion portion 32B extends to the wide portions 32A at both ends.

[0043] The rope 40 suspends the bathtub body 30 when the bathtub 10 is in use. As shown in FIG. 3 , the rope 40 is arranged on the upper edges of the side walls 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D of the bathtub body 30, which are rectangular in plan view. That is, when the bathtub 10 is installed, the bathtub body 30 is suspended from the rope 40 at the upper edges of the two opposing side walls 30A and 30B. The rope 40 is inserted into the wide portion 32A and the insertion portion 32B of the folded portion 32 of the bathtub body 30. The rope 40 extends continuously from the wide portion 32A at one end to the wide portion 32A at the other end. This allows the rope 40 to function as a reinforcing member that reinforces the upper edge of the bathtub body 30 when suspended. As shown in FIG. 8 , the rope 40 has a loop portion 41. The loop portions 41 correspond to the engaging portions according to the present disclosure and are provided on both ends of the rope 40. The loop portions 41 expose the rope 40 in a loop shape to the outside from the wide portion 32A, and return the ends of the rope 40 back into the wide portion 32A to secure them to the wide portion 32A.

[0044] When in use, suspended from the rope 40, the bathtub body 30 has a boat-like shape with a downward recess in the center. When in use, the upper edge of the bathtub body 30 opens upward. When in use, the bathtub body 30 has a boat-like shape that gradually widens from the bottom to the top. When filled with hot water, the underside of the center of the bathtub body 30 comes into contact with the floor F of the bathroom 1. This allows the floor F to support most of the weight of the bathtub 10 when it is filled with hot water. Therefore, the reinforcing structure of the walls W1 and W2 can be simplified compared to when the bathtub 10 is supported only by the walls.

[0045] As shown in Figure 1, the loop portion 41 serving as an engagement portion is hooked onto the hanging member 20 provided on the walls W1 and W2. The loop portion 41 is provided on the upper edge of the bathtub 10. Specifically, as shown in Figure 3, the loop portion 41 is provided on the four corners of the bathtub main body 30, which is rectangular in plan view. The bathtub main body 30 is suspended from the hanging member 20 via a rope 40 with the loop portion 41 hooked onto the hanging member 20. The bathtub 10 is detachably attached to the walls W1 and W2 by hooking the loop portion 41 onto the hanging member 20.

[0046] The operation and effects of the bathtub 10 and bathroom 1 configured as described above will now be explained. The bathtub 10 can be detachably attached to the walls W1 and W2 of the bathroom 1. This makes installation and storage of the bathtub 10 extremely easy. The bathtub 10 can be installed simply by hooking the four loops 41, which serve as engagement parts, onto the hanging members 20 on the walls W1 and W2. The bathtub 10 is suspended from the hanging members 20, and in this state, hot and cold water is filled in the bathtub body 30 for use.

[0047] The bathtub 10 has a rope 40 inserted into the insertion section 32B in the folded section 32 at the upper edge of the bathtub body 30. The rope 40 has a loop section 41 as an engagement section. The rope 40 is hung between the hanging members 20 of each wall W1, W2 at the loop sections 41 at both ends. The bathtub body 30 is hung while distributing the load over approximately the entire length of the stretching direction of the rope 40 thus hung. Therefore, the bathtub 10 can suppress localized load imbalances on the sheet S1 forming the bathtub body 30 when hung.

[0048] The folded portion 32 is maintained in its folded state by sewing. The folded portion 32 is provided at the upper end of the bathtub body 30 when in use. When in use, the water level of the bathtub body 30 is usually located below the upper end of the bathtub body 30. For this reason, the folded portion 32 does not require strict water impermeability like the joint portion 31; it is sufficient if it can maintain its folded state. For this reason, using sewing to maintain the folded portion 32 is useful because it allows the folded state to be maintained in a simple manner. The sewn folded portion 32 can add a design, such as a stitch, to the upper edge of the bathtub body 30.

[0049] The folded portion 32 is formed by folding the upper edge of the bathtub body 30 outward when the bathtub 10 is in use. With this folded portion 32, the inner surface of the bathtub body 30 is composed only of the surface of the first layer L1. This first layer L1 is made of PU film and is the layer that ensures the impermeability of the bathtub body 30. Therefore, the folded portion 32 is advantageous from the standpoint of waterproofing.

[0050] For example, in the case of a folded portion that is folded inward toward the bathtub body, the surface of the layer that constitutes the outer surface of the bathtub body is exposed to the inside of the bathtub body. In this case, if the outer surface of the bathtub body is composed of the surface of a fabric such as a woven or knitted fabric like the second layer L2 of this embodiment, water is likely to seep into the gaps in the woven or knitted structure due to splashes of hot or cold water. In contrast, in the case of a folded portion 32 that is folded outward, the surface of the second layer L2 is not exposed to the inside of the bathtub body 30, which prevents hot or cold water from coming into contact with the second layer L2, making such a situation less likely to occur.

[0051] The folded portion 32 has excellent design properties because the upper edge of the bathtub body 30 is folded outward when the bathtub 10 is in use. In other words, because the folded portion 32 is folded outward, no step is created on the inner surface of the bathtub body 30, as would occur if the bathtub body 30 were folded inward.

[0052] To fill the bathtub 10 with hot water, the faucet 3 of the shower device 2 is used. The faucet 3 can discharge hot water from either the water outlet pipe 3A, the overhead shower 4, or the hand shower 5. A bather in the bathtub 10 can bathe by filling the water from the water outlet pipe 3A, or by filling the water from either the overhead shower 4 or the hand shower 5. Because the bathtub 10 is deformable, it can be shaped to fit the bather's body. Therefore, the bathtub 10 requires less hot water than a non-deformable bathtub. In the bathtub 10, the inner surface of the bathtub body 30 is the surface of a first layer L1 made of PU film. The surface of this PU film is smooth, making it comfortable to the touch and easy to clean.

[0053] In the bathtub 10, the sheet S1 forming the bathtub body 30 has multiple layers: a first layer L1 and a second layer L2. The first layer L1 is formed of a PU film, which is a water-impermeable material. The second layer L2 is formed of a woven fabric made of PET fibers, which is a durable material. This makes it easy for the bathtub 10 to achieve both hanging strength and waterproofness. For example, if the bathtub were made of a single-layer sheet, the material forming this single layer would need to be both water-impermeable and durable, limiting the materials that can be selected. In contrast, in the bathtub 10, the sheet S1 forming the bathtub body 30 is selected as a PU film to ensure water impermeability and a woven fabric made of PET fibers to ensure durability. In this way, by configuring the sheet S1 forming the bathtub body 30 as a multiple-layer structure, the bathtub 10 allows different materials to be selected separately for water impermeability and durability, and both can be used.

[0054] When filled with hot water, the water pressure of the water acts on each part of the bathtub 10. This water pressure causes each part of the bathtub 10 to deform, and the bathtub body 30 and rope 40 become taut. In particular, the rope 40, which is stretched between the walls W1 and W2 at the upper edge, becomes taut enough that it does not shake significantly even when you place your hand on it. Therefore, while the bathtub 10 is freely deformable, deformation is suppressed by filling it with hot water, and a stable shape is maintained even when bathers enter and exit the bathtub 10.

[0055] The bathtub 10 has a joint 31 where sheets S1 are joined together. The joint 31 is joined by heat-sealed sections H1, H2, and H3, which are formed by heat-sealing the sheets S1 together using a heat-sealing material H. The joint 31 is joined at three heat-sealed sections H1, H2, and H3 by interlocking joining pieces J, which are bent into a U-shape in cross section. This ensures that the bathtub body 30 has sufficient strength and waterproofness at the joint 31.

[0056] The joint 31 extends vertically at the center of the side walls 30C, 30D of the bathtub body 30, which is rectangular in plan view. The bathtub body 30 has a well-defined symmetrical shape on both sides of the joint 31. By arranging the joint 31 to extend vertically at the center of the side walls 30C, 30D, the bathtub body 30 can achieve good material yield. In other words, by arranging the joint 31 in this way on the bathtub body 30, the bathtub 10 can reduce the unfolded size of the sheet S1 that forms the bathtub body 30 when forming the symmetrical boat-shaped bathtub body 30.

[0057] For example, consider a bathtub body with a shape roughly similar to that of the bathtub body 30. If the joints in this bathtub body are positioned off-center on the side walls of the bathtub body, the shape of the sheet forming the bathtub body in its unfolded state will be asymmetrical. In contrast, in the case of the bathtub body 30, the joints 31 are positioned in the center of the side walls 30C and 30D, allowing the unfolded shape of the sheet S1 to be symmetrical (see Figure 4). Therefore, compared to a bathtub body with a symmetrical shape formed from an asymmetrical sheet material, the size of the bathtub body 30 in its unfolded state is reduced, achieving good material yield.

[0058] When filled with hot water, the underside of the center of the bathtub 10 contacts the floor F. This allows the floor F to effectively support the weight of the hot water and the bather. This prevents excessive load from being placed on the various components involved in suspending the bathtub 10, such as the hanging member 20, loop 41, rope 40, and insertion member 32B. The bathroom 1 can simplify the strength of its suspension structure compared to a structure in which the bathtub is suspended only by its upper edge. Specifically, the strength of the bathroom 1's configuration, such as the hanging member 20 and wall structure W1 and W2, and the bathtub 10's configuration, such as the bathtub body 30 and rope 40, can be simplified.

[0059] When bathing is finished, the water stored in the bathtub 10 is drained and removed from the walls W1, W2. When removing the bathtub 10 from the walls W1, W2, the bathtub 10 can be removed with the simple action of removing the loop portion 41, which serves as the attachment portion, from the hanging member 20. The removed bathtub 10 is washed, dried, folded, and stored. Because the bathtub 10 is detachable, the entire interior and exterior surfaces of the bathtub 10 can be cleaned, unlike conventional freestanding bathtubs. Once the water and water have been drained, the bathtub 10 can be removed from the walls W1, W2 and freely transformed into a folded or rolled state. The bathtub 10 can be easily transformed into a shape suitable for storage.

[0060] A drying hanging member 21 is used to drain and dry the bathtub 10 (see Figures 1, 18, etc.). The drying hanging member 21 is located on the wall W2, above the hanging member 20, at a height that is within reach of an average adult woman and at a height that prevents the hanging bathtub 10 from touching the floor F. The bathtub 10 can be easily dried in the bathroom 1 without having to be taken outside.

[0061] As shown in Figure 2, when the bathtub 10 is removed, the bathroom 1 can be conveniently used as a shower room where a shower can be taken. When the bathtub 10 is not installed, the entire floor F can be used as a washing area for showering. In the bathroom 1, a shower can be taken using at least one of the overhead shower 4 and the hand shower 5 of the shower device 2. When a shower is taken with the bathtub 10 removed, neither foam nor water will adhere to the bathtub 10. This makes the bathroom 1 easy to clean after a shower.

[0062] Because the bathtub 10 is made of sheet, it is easy to manufacture inexpensively compared to conventional bathtubs made of FRP or the like. Therefore, it is relatively easy to provide a dedicated bathtub 10 for each user. In this case, the size, design, etc. of the bathtub 10 can be freely set to suit each user. Compared to conventional freestanding bathtubs made of FRP or the like, the bathtub 10 is advantageous in terms of transportation costs and recyclability. Therefore, the bathtub 10 can reduce the environmental impact. It is relatively easy for one user to own multiple bathtubs 10. In this case, the user can select the desired bathtub 10 from multiple bathtubs 10 depending on their mood, season, etc., just like choosing clothes.

[0063] As described above, the bathtub 10 according to the first embodiment includes a bathtub body 30 made of a sheet S1 that is used while suspended and filled with hot and cold water. The sheet S1 that forms the bathtub body 30 has multiple layers: a first layer L1 and a second layer L2. The first layer L1 is made of a PU film, which is a water-impermeable material. The second layer L2 is made of a durable woven fabric made of PET fibers. This configuration allows the bathtub 10 to use a sheet S1 made of materials that are individually selected for excellent waterproofness and durability. As a result, the bathtub 10 can easily ensure both hanging strength and waterproofness compared to a case where the sheet S1 is made of a single layer, and a bathtub body 30 with excellent waterproofness and durability can be easily realized.

[0064] In the bathtub 10, the outermost layer of the sheet S1 that forms the bathtub body 30 is made of fabric. This allows the bathtub 10 to have a bathtub body 30 with a well-designed appearance. In other words, by making the outermost layer out of fabric, the bathtub body 30 can have an appearance that has the texture of fabric, giving the bathtub 10 a well-designed appearance.

[0065] In the bathtub 10, the sheet S1 forming the bathtub body 30 has a rougher fabric surface made of PET fiber on the outermost side than the PU film surface on the innermost side. This allows the bathtub 10 to have the texture of a rough surface compared to when the outer surface is simply smooth, improving the design of the outer surface of the bathtub body 30.

[0066] In the bathtub 10, when in use, the upper edge of the bathtub body 30 has a folded portion 32 that is folded outward. This allows the bathtub 10 to be configured so that only the surface of the first layer L1, which ensures water impermeability, is exposed to the inner surface of the bathtub body 30, which is advantageous for ensuring waterproofing. Because the folded portion 32 is folded outward, it is possible to configure the bathtub body 30 so that it does not have a step on the inner surface, which would occur if it were folded inward. By providing the folded portion 32 on the upper edge of the bathtub 10, the bathtub body 30 can be hung at its upper edge with sufficient strength. The overlapping sheets S1 are sewn together at the folded portion 32. This allows the bathtub 10 to have a good design created by sewing at the folded portion 32 on the upper edge of the bathtub body 30.

[0067] The bathtub 10 is equipped with a rope 40 that suspends the bathtub body 30 when in use. The rope 40 is inserted into and extends from the folded portion 32. Therefore, when the bathtub 10 is suspended, the rope 40 can effectively support the load received from the collected hot and cold water, as well as the load received from bathers who lean against the inner surface of the bathtub 10. Because the rope 40 is inserted into and extends from the folded portion 32 on the upper edge of the bathtub body 30, the load received from the bathtub body 30 can be effectively distributed in the direction in which the rope 40 extends.

[0068] The bathtub 10 has four loops 41 that hook onto the hanging member 20 on the bathroom 1 side. The loops 41 correspond to the engaging parts of the present disclosure. As a result, the bathtub 10 can support the weight of the collected water and the bather by distributing it well from the four loops 41 to the walls W1 and W2. The bathtub 10 is in contact with the floor F of the bathroom 1 at the center underside of the bathtub body 30. As a result, the bathtub 10 can also support the load on the floor F of the bathroom 1, reducing the load on the walls W1 and W2.

[0069] The bathroom 1 in the first embodiment is equipped with a hanging member 20 for hanging the bathtub 10. Therefore, when taking a shower, for example, the bathtub 10 can be removed to create a larger space. In other words, the bathtub 10 can be installed in the bathroom 1 only when it is needed, and can be removed when it is not needed. Therefore, by removing the bathtub 10 when the bathroom 1 is being used for a purpose other than its intended use, the space can be used more efficiently by eliminating the bathtub 10.

[0070] As described above, the bathtub 10 according to the first embodiment includes a bathtub body 30 made of a sheet S1 that is used by filling it with hot water while suspended. The bathtub body 30 has a joint 31. The joint 31 is formed by joining two sheets S1 together. The joint 31 is provided on the side walls 30C and 30D of the bathtub body 30. The bathtub body 30 can easily be shaped to the desired shape by having the joint 31.

[0071] In the bathtub 10, the bathtub body 30 has a rectangular shape when viewed from above. The joint 31 extends vertically in the center of the side wall portions 30C, 30D that form the short sides of the rectangular shape of the bathtub body 30. This joint 31 allows the bathtub 10 to have a boat-like shape that is symmetrical with respect to the joint 31. By providing the joint 31 in the center of the side extending vertically, the bathtub 10 can form the sheet S1 from the sheet material with high yield.

[0072] In the bathtub 10, the joint 31 has heat-sealed portions H1, H2, and H3 formed by sandwiching a heat-sealing material H between the stacked sheets S1. Therefore, the bathtub 10 can ensure sufficient strength and waterproofness of the joint 31 in the bathtub body 30.

[0073] In the bathtub 10, the sheet S1 forming the bathtub body 30 has a second layer L2 made of PET fiber woven fabric as the cloth, and a first layer L1 made of PU film as a layer of water-impermeable material superimposed on the first layer L1. In the bathtub 10, the inner surface of the bathtub body 30 is the smooth surface of the first layer L1 made of PU film, which feels good against the skin when bathing.

[0074] In the bathtub 10, the sheet S1 that forms the bathtub body 30 is formed from a single sheet S1. Specifically, the sheet S1 is cut into a predetermined shape from a single sheet material. Therefore, compared to a bathtub body formed by joining multiple sheet-like members cut from sheet material, the bathtub 10 requires fewer joints, making it easier to obtain the bathtub body 30.

[0075] In the bathtub 10, when in use, the upper edge of the bathtub body 30 has a folded portion 32 that is folded outward. This allows the bathtub 10 to be configured so that only the surface of the first layer L1, which ensures water impermeability, is exposed to the inner surface of the bathtub body 30, which is advantageous for ensuring waterproofing. Because the folded portion 32 is folded outward, it is possible to configure the bathtub body 30 so that it does not have a step on the inner surface, which would occur if it were folded inward. By providing the folded portion 32 on the upper edge of the bathtub 10, the bathtub body 30 can be hung at its upper edge with sufficient strength. The overlapping sheets S1 are sewn together at the folded portion 32. This allows the bathtub 10 to have a good design created by sewing at the folded portion 32 on the upper edge of the bathtub body 30.

[0076] In the bathtub drying method according to the first embodiment, the bathtub 10 is hung on a drying hanging member 21 for drying. Therefore, the bathtub drying method allows the bathtub 10 to be easily drained and dried without having to be taken out of the bathroom 1.

[0077] In the bathtub drying method, the drying hanging member 21 is provided above the hanging member 20 that hangs the bathtub 10 when it is filled with hot water and used. Therefore, it can be hung at a height that does not contact the floor F, so the bathtub drying method can drain and dry the bathtub 10.

[0078] <Embodiment 2> A bathtub according to embodiment 2, which embodies the bathtub according to the present disclosure, will be described with reference to Figure 9. The bathtub according to embodiment 2 includes a bathtub body formed from sheet S2. Similar to sheet S1 according to embodiment 1, sheet S2 has multiple layers. Sheet S2 differs from sheet S1 in the configuration of multiple layers. In other respects, the bathtub according to embodiment 2 has the same configuration as bathtub 10 according to embodiment 1. In the following description, components similar to those according to embodiment 1 are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0079] As shown in FIG. 9 , the sheet S2 includes a first layer L1, a second layer L2, and a third layer L3. The third layer L3 has a heat-retaining function. In this embodiment, the third layer L3 is a layer of foamed resin, such as PU or polyethylene (PE). The third layer L3 is disposed between the first layer L1 and the second layer L2. A bathtub body having the sheet S2 configured as described above can suppress a drop in the temperature of the hot water stored in the bathtub. There is a concern that the hot water stored in a sheet-made bathtub body cools down more easily than in conventional bathtubs made of FRP, etc. Therefore, by adopting a sheet S2 having a third layer L3 made of foamed resin as the sheet forming the bathtub body, the sheet-made bathtub body can be endowed with heat-retaining properties.

[0080] <Embodiment 3> A bathtub according to embodiment 3, which embodies the bathtub according to the present disclosure, will be described with reference to Figure 10. The bathtub according to embodiment 3 includes a bathtub body having a joint 231. The joint 231 is similar to the joint 31 of embodiment 1 in that it is formed by joining sheets together on the side wall of the bathtub body. The joint 231 differs from the joint 31 in the manner in which the sheets are joined together. In other respects, the bathtub according to embodiment 3 has the same configuration as the bathtub 10 of embodiment 1. In the following description, components similar to those of embodiment 1 are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0081] As shown in Fig. 10, the joint 231 is a combination of thermal welding and sewing. The joint 231 is similar to the first embodiment in that joint pieces J, each bent into a U-shaped cross section, are interlocked with each other and thermally welded sections H1, H2, and H3 are formed between them using thermal welding material H. In addition, the joint 231 is formed by sewing together stacked sheets with sewing thread Th. This type of joint 231 can further improve the joining strength.

[0082] The preferred procedure for forming the joint 231 is to sandwich the heat-sealing material H between the joint pieces J, sew them together with sewing thread, and then melt the heat-sealing material H to form the heat-sealed parts H1, H2, and H3. This procedure allows the heat-sealing material H to penetrate the holes made by the needles during sewing, ensuring waterproofing.

[0083] The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings, and the following embodiments are also included within the technical scope of the present disclosure: In the present disclosure, the various features of the above-described embodiments and the embodiments to be described later may be combined in any manner as long as they are not inconsistent.

[0084] The configuration, size, spatial shape, etc. of the bathroom according to the present disclosure are not limited to the above-described embodiments. In a bathroom, it is not necessary for the hanging part to be provided on the wall. The hanging part may be provided on the ceiling of the bathroom. The hanging part may be provided on a movable frame installed on the bathroom floor. In a bathroom, it is preferable to provide a reinforcing structure in a part corresponding to the hanging part, such as behind the wall, in the ceiling, or under the floor.

[0085] It is not essential for the bathroom according to the present disclosure to have a hanging member for draining and drying the bathtub. If the bathroom has a hanging member for draining and drying, the wall to which it is attached is not particularly limited. That is, the hanging member for draining and drying may be provided on the wall on which the shower device is provided, as exemplified in the above embodiment, or on a wall that does not face the wall on which the shower device is provided and does not have a shower device. The hanging member for draining and drying is preferably provided on a wall other than the wall on which the shower device is provided. For example, one hanging member for draining and drying may be provided on each adjacent wall. In this case, the hanging member for draining and drying can hang the bathtub at the corner of the two walls with a large gap between the wall surface, which is even more suitable for draining and drying.

[0086] The configuration of the bathtub according to the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. The bathtub may be configured with a member for suspending the bathtub body, such as a rope, as in the above-described embodiments, or may be configured with only the bathtub body.

[0087] The bathtub body according to the present disclosure is not particularly limited in shape, size, configuration, etc., as long as it is made of a sheet and used while suspended to fill with hot and cold water. The shape of the bathtub body is not limited to the shapes exemplified in the above embodiments. When viewed from above in use, the bathtub body can be a polygonal shape such as a square, triangle, or pentagon, a circle, an ellipse, etc.

[0088] In the present disclosure, the configuration of the sheet forming the bathtub body is not limited to the configurations exemplified in the above embodiments. The sheet may have a layer made of a water-impermeable material and a layer made of a durable material. The sheet may have two or more layers made of water-impermeable material. For example, the sheet S3 shown in FIG. 11 has two layers L1A and L1B made of water-impermeable material. A sheet having multiple layers made of water-impermeable material can ensure better waterproofing than a sheet having a single water-impermeable material layer.

[0089] The material of the resin film as a layer formed from a water-impermeable material is not limited to the PU film exemplified in the above embodiments. The resin film material may be any water-impermeable material, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyamide (PA) resin. The water-impermeable layer may also be a layer formed from a material other than a resin film, such as a woven fabric impregnated with a waterproof resin or rubber.

[0090] The sheet may have two or more layers formed of a durable material. The fabric used for the layers formed of a durable material is not limited to the woven fabric exemplified in the above embodiments, but may be a knitted fabric, a nonwoven fabric, or other fabric. When the fabric is a woven fabric, the weave may be a twill weave, a satin weave, or the like, and is not limited to a plain weave. The durable material is not limited to a PE-based resin such as PET exemplified in the above embodiments, but may be a PA-based resin, an acrylic (PMMA)-based resin, or other material.

[0091] When a seat is configured with a fabric layer, it is not essential that the fabric layer be located on the outermost side of the seat. The fabric layer may be located on the inner side of the other layers of the seat. In the case of fabric, the excellent texture of fabric can be imparted, and decoration such as dyeing and printing can also be applied. Therefore, locating the fabric layer on the outermost side is significant from the viewpoint of improving the design.

[0092] It is not essential that the outermost surface of the sheet be rougher than the innermost surface. The outermost surface of the sheet may be smoother than the innermost surface, or may have the same surface roughness as the innermost surface. If the outermost surface of the sheet is rough, it can be given a good design due to the texture of the rough surface. A rough surface can also have a difference in surface roughness that is visible to the user, compared to a simply smooth surface. In this case, various differences in texture and feel due to differences in surface roughness can be selected, thereby improving design freedom. In other words, a rough surface can broaden the range of choices for texture, function, etc., compared to a simply smooth surface.

[0093] The sheet may have a heat-retaining function, as exemplified in the second embodiment. In this case, the heat-retaining function is not limited to a form in which the sheet has a heat-retaining layer made of a foamed resin, as in the second embodiment. For example, the sheet may have a layer L4 in which a heating wire E that generates heat when electricity is applied is embedded, as in the sheet S4 shown in FIG. 12. The placement of the layer having the heat-retaining function is not limited to between the layer made of a water-impermeable material and the layer made of a durable material, as exemplified in the second embodiment. For example, the layer having the heat-retaining function may be located outside the layer made of a durable material (second layer L2), as in the layer L4 of the sheet S4 shown in FIG. 12. The heat-retaining sheet may also have a form in which a heating wire is simply sandwiched between multiple layers forming the sheet.

[0094] In the bathtub according to the present disclosure, it is not necessary for the bathtub body to have a folded portion. If the bathtub body has a folded portion, its configuration, shape, arrangement, etc. are not limited to those of the above-described embodiments. The folded portion is not limited to being provided around the entire upper edge of the bathtub body, but may be provided partially, for example, on only two of the four sides of the upper edge of the bathtub body that is rectangular in plan view. The folded portion may be folded inward at the upper edge of the bathtub body when in use. Note that in this disclosure, "rectangle" refers to a rectangle that includes a square. In other words, the "rectangle" according to the present disclosure does not include a square.

[0095] It is not essential that the bathtub according to the present disclosure include a rope. If the bathtub includes a rope, its shape, arrangement, etc. are not limited to those of the above-described embodiments. The rope may be looped. In this case, the rope may be a looped rope that runs along the upper edge of the bathtub body, a looped rope that is passed through a through-hole formed in the bathtub body, or the like.

[0096] The shape, size, configuration, etc. of the engaging portion according to the present disclosure are not limited to those exemplified in the above embodiments, as long as it can be hooked onto a hanging portion provided in the bathroom. Examples of the engaging portion include a through-hole formed in the bathtub body, or a looped rope that passes through a through-hole formed in the bathtub body. The engaging portion may simply be a rope whose end is tied to the hanging portion. If the bathtub is provided with engaging portions, the number thereof may be five or more, or three or less.

[0097] The joining portion according to the present disclosure is not particularly limited in its joining form, arrangement, configuration, etc. The joining form of the sheets by the joining portion is not limited to thermal welding using a thermal adhesive material as exemplified in the above embodiments, but may be sewing using sewing thread, adhesion using an adhesive material, etc. The joining portion may be a combination of these joining forms.

[0098] The joint may be located at a position other than the center of the side wall in the direction in which the edge of the side wall extends, or may be located at a location other than the side wall, such as the bottom wall of the bathtub body. The joint is not limited to a form formed by extending in the vertical direction, and may be, for example, a form formed by extending in a direction intersecting the vertical direction.

[0099] A joint according to the present disclosure may have a configuration as shown in FIG. 13 , for example. The joint 331 shown in FIG. 13 is formed by heat welding without using a heat-sealing material. Specifically, the joint 331 is formed by butting together first layers L1 made of PU film at the joint piece J and heat-welding the PU together. This configuration allows for a joint with an extremely simple configuration. A modified example of the joint of this embodiment may include a configuration in which a heat-sealing material is disposed between the joint piece pieces to form the heat-sealed portion.

[0100] The joint according to the present disclosure may have a configuration as shown in Fig. 14, for example. The joint 431 shown in Fig. 14 has the same configuration as the joint 231 described above, but is covered with a water-impermeable seam tape TA. This configuration further improves the waterproofness of the joint. The seam tape TA can be joined to the water-impermeable material layer (L1) of the sheet by heat welding, adhesive, or the like.

[0101] The joints according to the present disclosure allow the bathtub body to be shaped into a desired shape. For example, in the bathtub 210 shown in FIG. 15, the bathtub body 230 has a loose portion 60. This loose portion 60 is formed by wrinkling the peripheral portion of the seat where the loose portion 60 is formed, using the joints. Note that the loose portion 60 in FIG. 15 is an example that also functions as an armrest. This armrest can achieve an unprecedented feel by fitting the bather's body due to the flexibility of the seat.

[0102] Another modification of the joint is described with reference to FIG. 16 . The bathtub 310 shown in FIG. 16 includes a bathtub body 330. The bathtub body 330 is formed by joining multiple sheets together at joints 31. Specifically, the bathtub body 330 is formed by joining, at joints 31, a sheet S1 similar to that in the above-described embodiments and a sheet S5 cut separately from the sheet S1. In this embodiment, the sheet S5 is stretchable. With this configuration, the sheet S5 is positioned in areas of the bathtub body where the bather's body parts with a large range of motion, such as the back, neck, head, and feet, are expected to come into contact. This allows the sheet to stretch and contract in response to movements such as stretching of the body parts and changes in posture. This allows the bather to move their body easily within the bathtub body 330, further enhancing the relaxing effect of bathing. In this way, when the bathtub body is formed by joining multiple sheets at joints, it is easy to create a bathtub body with excellent design, for example, by forming patterns or designs depending on the cut shape of the sheets, or by connecting them together like patchwork.

[0103] The joints according to the present disclosure may be formed for the purpose of reinforcing the bathtub body. Because the bathtub body according to the present disclosure is used while suspended and filled with hot and cold water, it is expected that the load from the suspension will act locally near the engaging portion according to the present disclosure. It is expected that friction will occur in the insertion portion according to the present disclosure due to sliding with the rope. For this reason, for example, in the folded portions of the wide portion, insertion portion, etc., a sheet may be overlapped as a reinforcing material, and a multi-layered folded portion joined by a joint may be provided.

[0104] In the bathtub disclosed herein, it is not necessary for the bathtub body to have a joint. A form in which a bathtub body is formed without a joint will be described with reference to FIG. 17 . The bathtub body 430 shown in FIG. 17 has a folding section 433. The folding section 433 is formed by partially folding the sheet forming the bathtub body 430 into a bag-like shape. The folding section 433 is maintained in its folded state by fastening means such as a zipper Z or a button shown in FIG. 17 . When the folding section 433 is maintained in its folded state, the bathtub body 430 has a boat-like shape capable of holding hot and cold water. The bathtub body 430 can be transformed from its boat-like shape into a single flat sheet by releasing the folding section 433 from its folded state. By transforming the bathtub body 430 into a flat sheet-like shape, it does not take up much space, for example, during storage or drying after cleaning.

[0105] <Embodiment 4> The bathtub 510 in embodiment 4 is placed in a bathroom 50, as shown in Figure 19. The bathroom 50 includes a wall W, a ceiling C, a floor F, a faucet device 560, and four hanging members 70. The faucet device 560 and hanging members 70 are fixed to the wall W. The wall W includes walls W1, W2, and W3 that are connected to each other, and a wall (not shown) that faces wall W3. The wall (not shown) has an entrance / exit formed therein for passing between the bathtub and the adjacent changing room. A door is provided at the entrance / exit. The floor F has a gentle downward slope toward a drain (not shown).

[0106] Bathroom 50 does not have a freestanding bathtub. Bathtub 510 is placed along wall W3 of bathroom 50. When bathtub 510 is installed in bathroom 50, a washing area for bathers to wash their bodies is formed on the entrance / exit side of bathroom 50. Bathtub 510 is detachable from bathroom 50. By removing bathtub 510, bathroom 50 can be used as a shower room.

[0107] The faucet device 560 is a shower device. The faucet device 560 has a faucet 61, a water discharge pipe 62, an overhead shower 63, and a hand shower 65. The faucet 61 is connected to a water supply pipe and a hot water supply pipe (not shown). The faucet 61 is a mixer faucet. The faucet 61 can adjust the temperature of the hot and cold water being discharged, adjust the amount of hot and cold water being discharged, switch between water discharge and water stop, switch the flow path, etc. The faucet 61 can select either the water discharge pipe 62, the overhead shower 63, or the hand shower 65 to discharge hot and cold water. The hot water or cold water discharged from the faucet device 560 is referred to as hot and cold water regardless of the temperature, the mixing ratio of hot and cold water, etc.

[0108] The water outlet pipe 62 extends from the faucet 61. The water outlet pipe 62 extends in a direction away from the wall W1. The overhead shower 63 is provided above the faucet 61. The overhead shower 63 is connected to the faucet 61 via a pipe 67. The pipe 67 extends vertically upward from the faucet 61 along the wall W1 and is bent at its upper end in a direction away from the wall W1. The overhead shower 63 is provided at the tip of the pipe 67. The hand shower 65 is connected to the faucet 61 via a hose 69. The hand shower 65 is movable within the length of the hose 69.

[0109] Each hanging member 70 is hooked onto the engaging portion 26 of the bathtub 510 (described later). Each hanging member 70 is bent in a J-shape so that the engaging portion 26 can be hooked from above. The hanging members 70 are provided on two opposing walls W1 and W2 of the wall W. Two hanging members 70 are provided on each opposing wall W1 and W2, for a total of four hanging members 70. The two hanging members 70 on each wall W1 and W2 are spaced apart horizontally. The two hanging members 70 on wall W1 are located below the faucet 61. The spacing between the two hanging members 70 on wall W2 is the same as the spacing between the two hanging members 70 on wall W1. The four hanging members 70 are arranged at the same height.

[0110] As shown in Figure 20, the bathtub 510 comprises a bathtub body 520, two ropes 530, and four engaging parts 26. The bathtub body 520 is made of sheet. The bathtub body 520 takes on a boat-like shape when hung from a hanging member 70 and filled with hot water (see Figure 19). The engaging parts 26 are provided at the four corners of the upper edge of the bathtub body 520. The engaging parts 26 are the parts of the bathtub 510 that are hung from the hanging member. The state in which the engaging parts 26 are hung from the hanging member 70 and the bathtub body 520 is filled with hot water is referred to as the in-use state.

[0111] The bathtub body 520 has a bottom surface 11 and side surfaces 12. The bottom surface 11 comes into contact with the floor F when in use (see Figure 19). This allows the floor F to support most of the load of the bathtub 510 when in use. The side surfaces 12 rise upward, surrounding the bottom surface 11 when in use. This allows the bathtub body 520 to hold an amount of hot water suitable for bathing.

[0112] The bathtub body 520 is made of a single sheet material 13 cut to a predetermined shape. The sheet material 13 has little elasticity, allowing the bathtub body 520 to maintain its boat-like shape when in use. The sheet material 13 is flexible, impermeable (waterproof), and durable against tension.

[0113] The sheet material 13 may be made by overlapping multiple materials. The multiple materials may be bonded with an adhesive. As a specific example, the sheet material 13 may have a two-layer structure in which a polyester fabric and a polyurethane film are laminated. The polyester fabric may be placed on the side of the sheet material 13 that forms the outer surface of the bathtub body 520, and the polyurethane film may be placed on the side of the sheet material 13 that forms the inner surface of the bathtub body 520. The inner side of the bathtub body 520 is the side where hot and cold water is stored, and the outer side of the bathtub body 520 is the side opposite the side where hot and cold water is stored.

[0114] As shown in Figure 20, the upper edge of the bathtub body 520 has a pair of short sides 16 and a pair of long sides 17. When viewed from above in use, the upper edge of the bathtub 510 is rectangular. The length of the short sides 16 is equivalent to the shoulder width of an adult male. The length of the short sides 16 may be approximately 500 mm. The length of the long sides 17 is such that an adult male can sit comfortably inside the bathtub body 520. The length of the long sides 17 may be approximately 1600 mm.

[0115] As shown in FIG. 20, the bathtub body 520 has a folded portion 14 formed by folding the outer edge of the sheet material 13 outward to form a cylindrical shape. The step created by forming the folded portion 14 is formed on the outside of the bathtub body 520. The folded portion 14 is provided on a pair of short sides 16 and a pair of long sides 17. The folded portion of the sheet material 13 is folded and sewn in three (see FIG. 25). The stitching portion 14A, which sews the folded portion 14 except for the wide portion 27 described below, is provided at the edge of the rope 530 placed inside the folded portion 14 (see FIG. 22). The folded portion 14 has a double structure formed by folding the sheet material 13, and therefore functions to reinforce the upper edge of the bathtub body 520 together with the rope 530.

[0116] As shown in Figure 20, the ropes 530 are arranged one on each of the long sides 17 of the upper edge of the bathtub body 520 when in use. When in use, the long sides 17 of the upper edge of the bathtub body 520 are designed to be less likely to bend downward. This allows the bathtub body 520 to maintain its boat-shaped shape and allows the bathtub body 520 to hold a sufficient amount of hot and cold water.

[0117] The rope 530 has a tensile strength that will not break even if a person sits on the upper edge of the bathtub body 520 when in use. A polyester rope may be used for the rope 530. The rope 530 is passed through the entire length of the folded portion 14 provided on the long side 17. When in use, the rope 530 is stretched between the walls W1 and W2 (see FIG. 19).

[0118] As shown in Figures 21 to 23, the engaging portion 26 has a wide portion 27, a loop portion 531, a reinforcing sheet material 43, and a sewn portion 540. The wide portion 27 is provided at both longitudinal ends of the folded-back portion 14 provided on the long side 17. The wide portion 27 is formed by making the folding margin of the sheet material 13 larger than other portions of the folded-back portion 14 on the long side 17. The width dimension of the wide portion 27 is approximately constant along the extension direction of the long side 17. The wide portion 27 makes the engaging portion 26 less likely to stretch.

[0119] The loop portions 531 are provided at both ends of the rope 530 in the extension direction. The loop portions 531 are formed by folding back the ends of the rope 530. The loop portions 531 are hooked onto hanging members 70 provided on the walls W1 and W2. The loop end portions 33 of the rope 530 that close the loop portions 531 are housed inside the wide portion 27, as shown in FIG. 21 .

[0120] As shown in Figure 21, the loop end 33 has a loop sewn portion 35. The loop sewn portion 35 is formed by sewing together a pair of rope materials 34 that make up the loop end 33 with thread. The loop sewn portion 35 is sewn in a zigzag pattern. The thread of the loop sewn portion 35 passes through the pair of rope materials 34 alternately.

[0121] As shown in Figure 21, the wide portion 27 has a first surface portion 36 and a second surface portion 37. The second surface portion 37 is a portion of the sheet material 13 that overlaps with the first surface portion 36. The first surface portion 36 is disposed on the outer side (one side) of the loop end portion 33. The second surface portion 37 is disposed on the inner side (the other side) of the loop end portion 33.

[0122] 23 , the reinforcing sheet material 43 is folded in half and placed on the surface of the wide portion 27. The reinforcing sheet material 43 has a first reinforcing portion 44 and a second reinforcing portion 45. The first reinforcing portion 44 is placed on the surface of the first surface portion 36. The second reinforcing portion 45 is placed on the surface of the second surface portion 37.

[0123] The reinforcing sheet material 43 may have a two-layer structure in which a polyester fabric and a polyurethane film are laminated, similar to the sheet material 13 that constitutes the bathtub body 520. In this case, the polyester fabric may be disposed on the outside of the reinforcing sheet material 43, and the polyurethane film may be disposed on the inside of the reinforcing sheet material 43. The outside of the reinforcing sheet material 43 is the side opposite to the side that contacts the wide portion 27, and the inside of the reinforcing sheet material 43 is the side that contacts the wide portion 27.

[0124] As shown in Figures 23 to 25, the sewn portion 540 has a primary sewn portion 541 and a secondary sewn portion 42. As shown in Figure 23, the primary sewn portion 541 is formed by sewing the loop end portion 33 and the folded portion 14 together before sewing the reinforcing sheet material 43. As shown in Figure 24, the secondary sewn portion 42 is formed by sewing the reinforcing sheet material 43 and the folded portion 14 together after the reinforcing sheet material 43 is laid on the front side of the folded portion 14. The primary sewn portion 541 and the secondary sewn portion 42 are sewn at the same position in the engagement portion 26. The primary sewn portion 541 and the secondary sewn portion 42 overlap. The primary sewn portion 541 and the secondary sewn portion 42 each have a hem sewn portion 46 and a center sewn portion 47.

[0125] The edge sewn portion 46 has a long side sewn portion 46A and a pair of short side sewn portions 46B in both the primary sewn portion 541 and the secondary sewn portion 42. The long side sewn portion 46A extends along the edge of the rope material 34 in both the primary sewn portion 541 and the secondary sewn portion 42. The short side sewn portion 46B extends across the pair of rope materials 34 in both the primary sewn portion 541 and the secondary sewn portion 42. The middle sewn portion 47 sews the center of each rope material 34 in the width direction in both the primary sewn portion 541 and the secondary sewn portion 42. The middle sewn portion 47 extends in a straight line from one short side sewn portion 46B to the other short side sewn portion 46B in both the primary sewn portion 541 and the secondary sewn portion 42.

[0126] The primary sewn portion 541 will now be described (see FIGS. 23 and 25). As shown in FIG. 23, the edge sewn portion 46 sews the edge of the folded portion 14. The long side sewn portion 46A extends along one long side of the first surface portion 36. The thread of the long side sewn portion 46A passes through the overlapping first surface portion 36 and second surface portion 37 at the edge of the rope material 34. The edge of the first surface portion 36 is folded and sewn. The long side sewn portion 46A closes the gap between the folded portion 14 and the loop end portion 33.

[0127] The short side sewn portions 46B extend along a pair of short sides of the first surface portion 36. The thread of the short side sewn portions 46B passes through the overlapping first surface portion 36 and second surface portion 37. The portion of the thread of the short side sewn portions 46B that crosses the rope material 34 passes through the first surface portion 36, the rope material 34, and the second surface portion 37.

[0128] The middle sewn portion 47 sews the center of the folded portion 14. The thread of the middle sewn portion 47 passes through the first surface portion 36, the rope material 34, and the second surface portion 37 in this order.

[0129] The secondary sewn portion 42 will now be described (see FIGS. 24 and 25). As shown in FIG. 24, the edge sewn portion 46 sews the edge of the reinforcing sheet material 43. The long-side sewn portion 46A extends along one long side of the first reinforcing portion 44 and the second reinforcing portion 45. The thread of the long-side sewn portion 46A passes through the first reinforcing portion 44, the first surface portion 36, the second surface portion 37, and the second reinforcing portion 45, which are overlapped at the edge of the rope material 34. The edges of the first reinforcing portion 44 and the second reinforcing portion 45 are each folded back and sewn. The long-side sewn portion 46A overlaps the long-side sewn portion 46A of the primary sewn portion 541 on the first surface portion 36 and the second surface portion 37.

[0130] The short-side sewn portions 46B extend along a pair of short sides of the first reinforcing portion 44 and the second reinforcing portion 45. The thread of the short-side sewn portions 46B passes through the overlapping first reinforcing portion 44, first surface portion 36, second surface portion 37, and second reinforcing portion 45. The portion of the thread of the short-side sewn portions 46B that crosses the rope material 34 passes through the first reinforcing portion 44, first surface portion 36, rope material 34, second surface portion 37, and second reinforcing portion 45. The short-side sewn portions 46B overlap with the short-side sewn portions 46B of the primary sewn portion 541 on the first surface portion 36 and the second surface portion 37.

[0131] The middle sewn portion 47 sews the center of the reinforcing sheet material 43. The thread of the middle sewn portion 47 passes through the first reinforcing portion 44, the first surface portion 36, the rope material 34, the second surface portion 37, and the second reinforcing portion 45, in that order. The middle sewn portion 47 overlaps with the middle sewn portion 47 of the primary sewn portion 541 in the first surface portion 36, the rope material 34, and the second surface portion 37.

[0132] An example of a method for bathing using the bathtub 510 will be described below. First, the bather installs the bathtub 510 in the bathroom 50. Specifically, the bather installs the bathtub 510 by hooking the engaging portion 26 of the bathtub main body 520 onto the hanging member 70 of the bathroom 50. The bather can easily install the bathtub 510 in the bathroom 50 by simply hooking the engaging portion 26 onto the hanging member 70.

[0133] Next, the bather fills the bathtub body 520 with hot water. Specifically, the bather operates the faucet device 560 in the bathroom 50 to pour hot water at the appropriate temperature into the bathtub body 520. Once the bather has poured the appropriate amount of water into the bathtub body 520, he or she stops the discharge from the faucet device 560. The bottom surface 11 of the bathtub 510 comes into contact with the floor F when the bathtub 510 is filled with hot water.

[0134] Next, the bather enters the bathtub 510. Because the bottom surface 11 of the bathtub 510 is in contact with the floor F, the weight of the water stored in the bathtub body 520 and most of the weight of the bather are supported by the floor F. The bather enters the bathtub 510 with their head facing the wall W2 and their legs facing the wall W1. The bather's back is supported by the side surface 12. Because the rope 530 is not inside the short side 16 of the bathtub body 520, the bather only feels the softness of the fabric when they place their head or legs on the short side 16 of the bathtub body 520, allowing them to relax while bathing.

[0135] When the bather has finished bathing, he or she removes the drain plug (not shown) from the bathtub main body 520 to drain the hot and cold water. The bather then removes the bathtub 510 from the walls W1 and W2. The bather can easily remove the bathtub 510 from the walls W1 and W2 by simply removing the engaging portion 26 from the hanging member 70. The bather then washes the removed bathtub 510 and hangs it on a faucet device 560 or the like to dry it. The bather then folds the bathtub main body 520 to make it compact and stores it outside the bathroom.

[0136] The fourth embodiment configured as described above provides the following advantages. The bathtub 510 comprises a sheet-made bathtub body 520 and a rope 530. The bathtub body 520 is used by filling it with hot and cold water while suspended. The rope 530 is arranged along the upper edge of the bathtub body 520 when suspended. The bathtub body 520 has a folded portion 14. The folded portion 14 is formed by folding back the outer edge of the sheet material 13 that constitutes the bathtub body 520. The rope 530 has a loop portion 531 formed by folding back the end of the rope 530. The loop end 33 of the rope 530, which closes the loop portion 531, is housed inside the folded portion 14. The loop end 33 and the folded portion 14 are sewn together with thread. The thread passes from the first surface portion 36, which is located outside the loop end portion 33 of the folded portion 14, to the loop end portion 33 and the second surface portion 37, which is located inside the loop end portion 33 of the folded portion 14. With this configuration, the loop end portion 33 and the folded portion 14 can be firmly fixed together, thereby increasing the strength of the engagement portion 26 that is suspended from the suspension member. Even if part of the thread sewing the loop end portion 33 and the folded portion 14 together becomes frayed, it is possible to prevent the loop end portion 33 and the folded portion 14 from shifting out of alignment.

[0137] The pair of rope materials 34 constituting the loop end 33 of the rope 530 are sewn together with thread. With this configuration, the pair of rope materials 34 constituting the loop end 33 can be firmly fixed together, thereby increasing the strength of the loop portion 531.

[0138] The first surface portion 36 and the second surface portion 37 are sewn together along the edge of the rope material 34 that constitutes the loop end portion 33. With this configuration, the gap between the loop end portion 33 and the edge of the folded-back portion 14 can be made small, making it difficult for water to enter between the rope material 34 and the edge of the folded-back portion 14.

[0139] The bathtub 510 has a reinforcing sheet material 43 that is overlaid on the outside of the folded-back portion 14. The reinforcing sheet material 43 has a first reinforcing portion 44 that is overlaid on the first surface portion 36, and a second reinforcing portion 45 that is overlaid on the second surface portion 37. The folded-back portion 14 and the reinforcing sheet material 43 are sewn together with thread. The thread passes from the first reinforcing portion 44 through the first surface portion 36, the loop end portion 33, the second surface portion 37, and the second reinforcing portion 45. With this configuration, the reinforcing sheet material 43, the folded-back portion 14, and the loop end portion 33 can be firmly fixed, thereby increasing the strength of the engaging portion 26 that is suspended from the suspension member.

[0140] The first reinforcing portion 44 and the second reinforcing portion 45 are sewn together along the edge of the rope material 34 that constitutes the loop end portion 33. With this configuration, the gap between the loop end portion 33 and the edge of the reinforcing sheet material 43 can be made small, making it difficult for water to enter between the loop end portion 33 and the edge of the reinforcing sheet material 43.

[0141] The present disclosure is not limited to the fourth embodiment described above and illustrated in the drawings. The following embodiments, for example, are also within the technical scope of the present disclosure. (1) In the fourth embodiment, the loop portion 531 is directly hooked to the hanging member 70. This is not a limitation, and the loop portion may be hooked to the hanging member via a hooking member such as an S-hook. (2) In the fourth embodiment, the rope 530 is arranged on the long side 17 of the bathtub body 520. This is not a limitation, and the rope may be arranged on the short side of the bathtub body. (3) In the fourth embodiment, the rope 530 may be a string, wire, or the like. (4) In the fourth embodiment, the faucet device is a shower device. This is not a limitation, and the faucet device may not be equipped with a shower. (5) In the fourth embodiment, the bathtub 510 is hung by being hooked to the hanging member 70 attached to the wall W. This is not a limitation, and the bathtub may be hung by being hooked to a hanging member attached to a frame installed on the floor. (6) In the fourth embodiment, the upper edge of the bathtub 510 is rectangular in plan view. However, the upper edge of the bathtub may have other shapes in plan view. (7) In the fourth embodiment, the bathroom 50 has four hanging members 70. However, the bathroom may have five or more hanging members. In this case, the bathtub's hooking portion may be hooked to a selected hanging member from the multiple hanging members. (8) In the fourth embodiment, the pair of rope members 34 constituting the loop end 33 are sewn. However, the pair of rope members constituting the loop end may be welded, for example. (9) In the fourth embodiment, the hooking portion 26 includes a reinforcing sheet member 43. However, the hooking portion does not necessarily have to include a reinforcing sheet member. The hooking portion may be reinforced, for example, by folding the outer edge of the sheet member constituting the bathtub body two or more times. (10) In the fourth embodiment, the reinforcing sheet member 43 is folded in half and overlapped with the folded portion 14. However, the reinforcing sheet material may be divided into two pieces, one of which may be placed on the first surface portion and the other of which may be placed on the second surface portion of the folded portion.(11) In the fourth embodiment, the reinforcing sheet material 43 may be made of the same material as the sheet material 13 constituting the bathtub body 520, or a different material. (12) In the fourth embodiment, the middle sewn portion 47 sews both of the pair of rope materials 34 constituting the loop end portion 33 in both the primary sewn portion 541 and the secondary sewn portion 42. This is not a limitation, but the middle sewn portion may sew only one of the pair of rope materials constituting the loop end portion. In this case, for example, both of the pair of rope materials may be sewn in the primary sewn portion, and only one of the pair of rope materials may be sewn in the secondary sewn portion. In this case, only the rope material of the pair of rope materials that includes the rope end surface may be sewn. (13) In the fourth embodiment, the primary sewn portion 541 and the secondary sewn portion 42 are sewn in the same position. This is not a limitation, but the primary sewn portion and the secondary sewn portion do not necessarily have to be sewn in the same position. (14) In the fourth embodiment, the middle sewn portion 47 is also sewn in the secondary sewn portion 42. This is not a limitation, but the middle sewn portion may be sewn only in the primary sewn portion. (15) In the fourth embodiment, the middle sewn portion 47 is sewn in a straight line at the center in the width direction of each rope material 34. However, this is not limited to this, and the middle sewn portion may be sewn in a zigzag pattern so as to alternately pass through a pair of rope materials.

[0142] <Embodiment 5> Embodiments 5 and 6 embodying the bathtub and bathroom of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The bathtub 610 of embodiment 5 is placed in a bathroom 650, as shown in Figures 26 and 27 . The bathroom 650 includes walls W1, W2, W3, and W4, a ceiling C, and a floor F. The floor F is rectangular in plan view. The walls W1 and W2 are erected facing each other along a pair of short sides of the floor F. The walls W3 and W4 are erected facing each other along a pair of long sides of the floor F. The bathroom 650 includes an entrance / exit Ent provided in the wall W4. The entrance / exit Ent is used by bathers and the like to travel between the bathroom 650 and an adjacent changing room (not shown). The entrance / exit Ent has a sliding door D that can be opened and closed.

[0143] As shown in FIG. 27 , the floor F has a bathroom drain outlet 80. The bathroom drain outlet 80 is located on the floor F on the side of wall W3 facing the entrance Ent. The bathroom drain outlet 80 has a drain pit 81, a drain strainer 83, a water seal cylinder 85, a hair catcher (not shown), and a drain trap (not shown). The drain pit 81 has a square-shaped upper outer periphery in plan view. In plan view, one side of the square-shaped upper outer periphery of the drain pit 81 extends along the lower edge of wall W3. The drain pit 81 is recessed below the floor F. In plan view, the outer shape of the drain strainer 83 is approximately square, slightly smaller than the upper outer periphery of the drain pit 81. The drain strainer 83 is placed on the upper outer periphery of the drain pit 81 and is removable. Hot water flows into the bathroom drain outlet 80 from the floor F through the gap between the upper outer periphery of the drain pit 81 and the drain strainer 83. The floor F has a slight water gradient so that hot water flows toward the bathroom drain outlet 80. The water seal cylinder 85 is cylindrical. In plan view, the water seal cylinder 85 is connected to the center of the bottom of the drain pit 81 and extends downward.

[0144] As shown in FIG. 26 , the bathroom 650 is equipped with a shower device 660. The shower device 660 is disposed on the wall W1. When viewed from behind, the shower device 660 is located in the center of the wall W1. The shower device 660 has a faucet 61, an overhead shower 63, and a hand shower 65. The shower device 660 is connected to a water supply pipe and a hot water supply pipe (not shown) within the wall W1. The faucet 61 is a mixer faucet. The faucet 61 can adjust the water volume, adjust the temperature by mixing hot and cold water, stop the water discharge, and switch the flow path. The faucet 61 has a water discharge pipe 61A. The hot water or cold water discharged from the shower device 660 disposed in the bathroom 650 is referred to as hot and cold water, regardless of the temperature, mixing ratio, etc.

[0145] The overhead shower 63 is provided above the faucet 61. The overhead shower 63 is connected to the faucet 61 via piping 67. The piping 67 extends vertically upward from the faucet 61 along the surface of the wall W1 and is bent at its upper end in a direction away from the wall W1. The overhead shower 63 is provided at the tip of this piping 67. The hand shower 65 is connected to the faucet 61 via a hose 69. The hand shower 65 can be used freely and movable within the length of the hose 69. The shower device 660 can discharge hot or cold water by selecting one of the water outlet pipe 61A of the faucet 61, the overhead shower 63, and the hand shower 65.

[0146] As shown in Figures 26 and 27, the bathroom 650 can be removably fitted with a bathtub 610 (described later) at a position close to the wall W3. When the bathtub 610 is fitted to the bathroom 650, a space is formed on the wall W4 side where the bather can wash their body. The bathroom 650 can be used with the bathtub 610 removed. By removing the bathtub 610, the bathroom 650 can be conveniently used as a shower room or the like.

[0147] Two hanging members 70 are provided on each of the opposing walls W1 and W2. Each hanging member 70 is shaped like a J-shaped hook in a side view, opening upward, and is fixed to each of the walls W1 and W2. The two hanging members 70 provided on the wall W1 side are located below the faucet 61 and spaced apart horizontally. The distance between the two hanging members 70 fixed to the wall W1 is slightly wider than the length of the upper ends of the third side wall portion 623 and the fourth side wall portion 624 of the bathtub main body 620 (described later). The two hanging members 70 fixed to the wall W2 side are located opposite the two hanging members 70 fixed to the wall W1 and are fixed at the same height and with the same spacing as the two hanging members 70 on the wall W1 side.

[0148] The bathtub 610 is hung in the bathroom 650 by hooking four loop portions 41 (described later) onto the hook-shaped portions of four hanging members 70 provided on the walls W1 and W2. The bathtub 610 is positioned close to the wall W3. When the bathtub 610 is hung in the bathroom 650, the second side wall portion 622, on which the bathtub drain outlet 630 (described later) is provided, is positioned on the wall W3 side. The bathtub 610 can be attached to and detached from the bathroom 650.

[0149] As shown in Figures 26 to 28, the bathtub 610 comprises a bathtub body 620 and two ropes 40. The bathtub body 620 is formed by cutting and welding a single sheet. The sheet has a two-layer structure in which polyester fabric and polyurethane film are laminated. The polyester fabric has excellent heat resistance and chemical resistance. The polyester fabric is a plain weave with high tensile strength. The polyurethane film is impermeable and has excellent water resistance. The sheet is flexible. The sheet has little stretchability. The bathtub body 620 is formed so that the polyester fabric is on the outside and the polyurethane film is on the inside.

[0150] The bathtub body 620 is used by filling it with hot water while hanging by hooking the loop portions 41 onto each of the hanging members 70. The bathtub body 620 has a rectangular shape in a plan view when filled with hot water.

[0151] The bathtub body 620 has four side walls 621, 622, 623, and 624. The first and second side walls 621 and 622 extend downward from a pair of opposing long sides in a plan view. The third and fourth side walls 623 and 624 extend downward from a pair of opposing short sides in a plan view. Both end edges of the third and fourth side walls 623 and 624 are continuous with both end edges of the first and second side walls 621 and 622.

[0152] The bathtub body 620 has folded portions 625 formed by folding the upper edge of each of the first side wall portion 621 and the second side wall portion 622 outward to form a cylindrical shape. Each folded portion 625 is formed along the entire upper edge of the first side wall portion 621 and the second side wall portion 622. Both ends of each folded portion 625 are open. The bathtub body 620 has folded portions 626 formed by folding the upper edge of each of the third side wall portion 623 and the fourth side wall portion 624 outward to form a cylindrical shape. Each folded portion 626 is formed along the entire upper edge of the third side wall portion 623 and the fourth side wall portion 624.

[0153] Two ropes 40 are inserted into folded sections 625 formed on the first side wall section 621 and the second side wall section 622. Each rope 40 reinforces the bathtub body 620 by being inserted into each folded section 625. Both ends of each rope 40 extend outward from both ends of each folded section 625 of the bathtub body 620. Both ends of each rope 40 extending outward from both end openings of each folded section 625 of the bathtub body 620 are sewn near the opening of the folded section 625 and to the tip to form a loop section 41. Each rope 40 is sewn to the bathtub body 620 inside both end openings of each folded section 625 of the bathtub body 620.

[0154] The bathtub 610 is suspended in the bathroom 650 by hooking the loops 41 formed at both ends of each rope 40 onto four hanging members 70 fixed to the walls W1 and W2. When the bathtub 610 is suspended in the bathroom 650, the second side wall 622, on which the bathtub drain outlet 630 (described later) is provided, is positioned on the wall W3 side. In other words, when the bathtub 610 is suspended and filled with hot water, the bathroom drain outlet 80 is provided on the floor F of the bathroom 650 on the side where the bathtub drain outlet 630 is located, as shown in FIG. 27 .

[0155] The bathtub 610 deforms when filled with hot water while hanging by the loop portion 41 hooked to the hanging member 70. As shown in FIG. 26 , when filled with hot water, the central underside of the bathtub body 620 contacts the floor F. Because the bathtub body 620 is formed from a sheet with little elasticity, the bathtub 610 maintains its boat-like shape to some extent when filled with hot water. Because the bathtub 610 supports most of its load on the floor F when filled with hot water, the reinforcing structure of the walls W1 and W2 can be simplified compared to when the bathtub 610 is supported solely by the walls W1 and W2. The bathtub 610 can be freely reshaped, such as when folded, unfolded, or filled with hot water.

[0156] As shown in Figures 28 to 31, the bathtub body 620 has a bathtub drain 630. The bathtub drain 630 is equipped with a drain plug 636 that opens and closes from inside the bathtub body 620. The bathtub drain 630 is provided in the second side wall 622. When the bathtub body 620 is suspended in the bathroom 650 and filled with hot and cold water, the bathtub drain 630 is provided in a position above and away from the floor F of the bathroom 650, but close to the floor F of the bathroom 650 (see Figure 26). As shown in Figure 31, the bathtub body 620 has a bathtub drain member 630A with a drain plug 636 attached to a circular through-hole 622H formed in the second side wall 622.

[0157] As shown in Figures 29 to 31, the bathtub drain member 630A includes a water passage member 631, a fixing member 633, and a plug member 635. The water passage member 631 is made of resin. As shown in Figures 30 and 31, the water passage member 631 includes a water passage body 631A and a flange 631B. The water passage body 631A and flange 631B are integrally formed. The water passage body 631A is cylindrical and has a threaded outer surface. The outer diameter of the water passage body 631A is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the through-hole 622H formed in the second side wall 622 of the bathtub body 620. The inner diameter of the water passage body 631A is 20 mm. The inner diameter of the water passage body 631A corresponds to the opening diameter of the bathtub drain 630. The flange 631B extends radially from one outer peripheral end of the water passage body 631A relative to the central axis of the water passage body 631A. The outer peripheral edge of the flange 631B is circular. The outer diameter of the flange 631B is larger than the inner diameter of the through hole 622H formed in the second side wall 622 of the bathtub body 620.

[0158] The fixing member 633 is made of resin. As shown in FIG. 31 , the fixing member 633 includes a fixing portion main body 633A, a flange 633B, and three protrusions 633C. The fixing portion main body 633A, the flange 633B, and each of the protrusions 633C are integrally formed. The fixing portion main body 633A is cylindrical and has a threaded inner surface. The flange 633B extends radially from one outer end of the fixing portion main body 633A toward the central axis of the fixing portion main body 633A. The outer edge of the flange 633B is circular. The outer diameter of the flange 633B is larger than the inner diameter of the through hole 622H formed in the second side wall 622 of the bathtub main body 620. Each of the protruding pieces 633C extends continuously from the flange 633B along the central axis of the fixing body 633A onto the outer circumferential surface of the fixing body 633A. The protruding pieces 633C are arranged at equal intervals around the circumferential direction of the fixing body 633A.

[0159] The plug member 635 is made of flexible resin. As shown in Figures 29 to 31, the plug member 635 includes a drain plug 636, a fixing portion 637, and a connecting portion 638. The drain plug 636, the fixing portion 637, and the connecting portion 638 are integrally formed. The drain plug 636 has a lid portion 636A, an insert portion 636B, and a knob portion 636C. The lid portion 636A is disk-shaped. The insert portion 636B is tapered and cylindrical and protrudes from one side of the lid portion 636A. The maximum diameter of the insert portion 636B is approximately equal to the inner diameter of the water passage portion main body 631A of the water passage member 631. The knob portion 636C is a rectangular flat plate, one short side of which is continuous with the outer periphery of the lid portion 636A. The fixing portion 637 is an annular flat plate. The inner diameter of the fixing portion 637 is approximately equal to the inner diameter of the through hole 622H formed in the second side wall portion 622 of the bathtub body 620. The connecting portion 638 is a band-shaped flat plate, and connects the outer peripheral edge of the fixing portion 637 to the outer peripheral edge on the side opposite to the part where the knob portion 636C of the lid portion 636A is continuous.

[0160] As shown in Figure 31, the bathtub drain outlet member 630A is formed by inserting the water passage portion main body 631A of the water passage member 631 through a through hole 622H formed in the second side wall portion 622 of the bathtub body 620 and through the fixing portion 637 of the plug member 635 positioned inside the bathtub body 620 in alignment with the through hole 622H. In this state, the fixing member 633 is screwed and tightened from the outside of the bathtub body 620 into the water passage portion main body 631A of the water passage member 631 protruding outside the bathtub body 620. In this way, the bathtub drain outlet member 630A is attached to the second side wall portion 622 of the bathtub body 620. The bathtub drain outlet member 630A attached to the second side wall portion 622 of the bathtub body 620 forms the bathtub drain 630.

[0161] The drain plug 636 can close the bathtub drain outlet 630 by inserting the insertion portion 636B into the water passage portion main body 631A of the water passage member 631 from inside the bathtub body 620 until the lid portion 636A contacts the flange portion 631B of the water passage member 631. The drain plug 636 can open the bathtub drain outlet 630 by pinching the knob portion 636C from inside the bathtub body 620 and removing the insertion portion 636B from the water passage portion main body 631A. After removing the drain plug 636 from the bathtub drain outlet 630, it is suspended by the connecting portion 638 within the bathtub body 620 below the water passage member 631, as shown in FIG. 30 .

[0162] <Embodiment 6> As shown in Figures 32 to 34, the bathtub body 720 of embodiment 6 differs from embodiment 5 in the presence of a reinforcing member 739 and the inner diameter D2 of the through-hole 722H. The other configurations are the same as embodiment 5. The same components as embodiment 5 are given the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions are omitted. The bathroom 650 is the same as embodiment 5, so detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0163] The second side wall 722 of the bathtub body 720 forms a through hole 722H. The outer edge of the through hole 722H is provided with a reinforcing member 739 for reinforcement. The reinforcing member 739 is annular. The outer diameter of the reinforcing member 739 is equal to the outer diameter of the flange 633B of the fixing member 633. The inner diameter of the reinforcing member 739 is approximately equal to the inner diameter D2 of the through hole 722H. The reinforcing member 739 is positioned so that the outer edge of the through hole 722H and the inner edge of the reinforcing member 739 are aligned, and is heat-welded to the outside of the bathtub body 720 via a heat-welding member 739A of the same shape as the reinforcing member 739. The material of the reinforcing member 739 is the same polyester woven fabric as the outside of the bathtub body 720.

[0164] The inner diameter D2 of the through hole 722H formed in the bathtub body 720 is smaller than the outer diameter D1 of the water passage body 631A, as shown in Figure 34. The outer diameter D1 of the water passage body 631A is 26.4 mm, and the inner diameter D2 of the through hole 722H is 26.0 mm.

[0165] As explained above, the bathtub 610 of the fifth and sixth embodiments is equipped with a sheet-made bathtub body 620, 720 that is used to store hot and cold water while suspended, and the bathtub body 620, 720 has a bathtub drain outlet 630, 730 for draining the stored hot and cold water. By having the bathtub drain outlet 630, 730 in the bathtub body 620, 720, the bathtub 610 can easily drain the hot and cold water stored in the bathtub body 620, 720.

[0166] In the bathtub 610 of the fifth and sixth embodiments, when the bathtub body 620, 720 is hung in the bathroom 650 and filled with hot and cold water, the bathtub drain outlet 630, 730 is located above and away from the floor F of the bathroom 650. Because the bathtub drain outlet 630, 730 of this bathtub 610 is located above and away from the floor F of the bathroom 650, the bathtub drain outlet 630, 730 does not come into contact with the floor F, causing the drainage force to weaken or preventing drainage, and water can be drained smoothly.

[0167] In the bathtub 610 of the fifth and sixth embodiments, the opening diameter of the bathtub drain outlets 630, 730 is 20 mm. In this bathtub 610, the opening diameter of the bathtub drain outlets 630, 730 is smaller than 40 mm, so the drainage flow rate of the bathtub drain outlets 630, 730 does not exceed the drainage flow rate of the bathroom drain outlet 80, and hot water drained from the bathtub drain outlets 630, 730 and flowing into the bathroom drain outlet 80 of the bathroom 650 is less likely to spread onto the floor F of the bathroom 650.

[0168] In the bathtub 610 of the fifth and sixth embodiments, the bathtub drain 630, 730 is equipped with a drain plug 636 that can be opened and closed from inside the bathtub body 620, 720. Because the drain plug 636 can be opened and closed from inside the bathtub body 620, 720, the bathtub 610 can easily open the drain plug 636 when draining hot and cold water stored in the bathtub body 620, 720. In particular, even if the bathtub body 620, 720 is hung near the wall W3 of the bathroom 650 and the gap between the wall W3 of the bathroom 650 and the bathtub 610 is small, and the bathtub drain 630, 730 is located in a position that is out of reach of bathers and the like between the wall W3 of the bathroom 650 and the bathtub 610, the drain plug 636 can be opened and closed easily from inside the bathtub body 620, 720.

[0169] In the sixth embodiment, the bathtub body 720 has a through-hole 722H that constitutes the bathtub drain outlet 730, and a reinforcing member 739 that reinforces the outer edge of the through-hole 722H. The reinforcing member 739 prevents deformation of the through-hole 722H in this bathtub 610. Therefore, even when the bathtub 610 is filled with hot and cold water and water pressure is applied, deformation of the through-hole 722H is prevented, and the water-passing member 631 is less likely to come off the bathtub body 720.

[0170] In the sixth embodiment, the bathtub drain 730 includes a through-hole 722H formed in the bathtub body 720 and a water-permeable member 631 having a water-permeable main body 631A inserted into the through-hole 722H. The inner diameter D2 of the through-hole 722H is smaller than the outer diameter D1 of the water-permeable main body 631A. This bathtub 610 can reduce the gap between the through-hole 722H and the water-permeable member 631, so that the water-permeable member 631 attached to the through-hole 722H is less likely to come off the bathtub body 720 even when the bathtub is filled with hot or cold water and subjected to water pressure.

[0171] Bathroom 650 in embodiments 5 and 6 has floor F, which has bathroom drain 80 located on the side where bathtub drain 630, 730 is located when bathtub 610 is suspended and filled with hot and cold water. In this bathroom 650, bathroom drain 80 can be located on floor F near bathtub drain 630, 730 of bathtub 610, so that hot and cold water drained from bathtub drain 630, 730 can flow into bathroom drain 80 before spreading on floor F of bathroom 650.

[0172] The bathroom 650 in the fifth and sixth embodiments has an entrance Ent, and the bathroom drain 80 is provided on the wall W3 side opposite the entrance Ent. Hot water drained from the bathtub drain 630, 730 flows into the bathroom drain 80 formed on the wall W3 side opposite the entrance Ent, so when hot water is drained from the bathtub drain 630, it does not splash toward the entrance Ent or onto people in the bathroom 650. This bathroom 650 has a good appearance because the bathroom drain 80 is provided on the wall W3 side opposite the entrance Ent.

[0173] The present disclosure is not limited to the fifth and sixth embodiments described above and in the drawings. The following embodiments, for example, are also within the technical scope of the present disclosure. (1) In the fifth and sixth embodiments, the bathtub body 620, 720 has one bathtub drain outlet 630, 730. Alternatively, the bathtub body may have multiple bathtub drain outlets. (2) In the fifth and sixth embodiments, the bathtub drain outlet 630, 730 is located above and spaced apart from the floor F when the bathtub 610 is in use, with the bathtub body 620, 720 suspended in the bathroom 650 and filled with hot and cold water. Alternatively, the bathtub drain outlet may be in contact with the floor when the bathtub is in use. (3) In the fifth and sixth embodiments, the opening diameter of the bathtub drain outlet 630, 730 is 20 mm. The opening diameter of the bathtub drain outlet may be smaller than 40 mm, between 15 mm and 35 mm. (4) In embodiments 5 and 6, the drain plug 636 is opened and closed from inside the bathtub body 620, 720. Alternatively, the drain plug may be opened and closed from outside the bathtub body. (5) In embodiments 5 and 6, the bathroom floor F of the bathroom 650 has a bathroom drain outlet 80 on the same side as the bathtub drain outlets 630, 730. However, the bathroom drain outlet may be located anywhere, regardless of the location of the bathtub drain outlet. (6) In embodiments 5 and 6, the bathroom drain outlet 80 is located on the wall W3 side facing the entrance / exit Ent. However, the bathroom drain outlet may be located anywhere, regardless of the location of the entrance / exit. (7) In embodiment 6, the reinforcing member 739 is annular. However, the reinforcing member may be square, polygonal, elliptical, or other shapes. (8) In embodiment 6, a single reinforcing member 739 having an inner diameter approximately equal to the inner diameter D2 of the through-hole 722H is adhered. In contrast, multiple reinforcing members may be used. Multiple reinforcing members may be stacked and bonded together. Multiple reinforcing members may be arranged and bonded around the through hole. (9) In embodiment 6, the reinforcing member 739 is heat-welded via a heat-welding member 739A of the same shape. In contrast, the reinforcing member may be bonded to the bathtub body by any method other than heat welding. (10) In embodiment 6, the reinforcing member 739 is heat-welded to the outside of the bathtub body 720.In contrast, the reinforcing member may be adhered to at least one of the inside and outside of the bathtub body. (11) In embodiment 6, the material of the reinforcing member 739 is a polyester fabric of the same quality as the outside of the bathtub body 720. In contrast, the material of the reinforcing member may be any other material. (12) In embodiment 6, the outer diameter D1 of the water passage body 631A is 26.4 mm, and the inner diameter D2 of the through hole 722H is 26.0 mm. In contrast, the inner diameter of the through hole may be smaller than the outer diameter of the water passage body and may be large enough so that the outer edge of the through hole does not tear when the water passage body is inserted.

[0174] 1...bathroom, 10, 210, 310...bathtub, 20...hanging member (hanging part), 21...drying hanging member (drying hanging part), 30, 230, 330, 430...bathtub body, 32...folded part, 40...rope, 41...loop part (engagement part), L1, L1A, L1B, L2, L3, L4...sheet layers (L1, L1A, L1B...first layer (layer formed from non-water permeable material), L2...second layer (layer formed from durable material), L3...third layer (layer formed from heat-retaining material)), S1, S2, S3, S4, S5...sheet

[0175] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1...bathroom, 10, 210, 310...bathtub, 20...hanging member (hanging portion), 30, 230, 330, 430...bathtub body, 30A, 30B, 30C, 30D...side wall portion (30A...first side wall portion, 30B...second side wall portion, 30C...third side wall portion, 30D...fourth side wall portion), 31, 231, 331, 431...joint portion, 32...folded portion, H...thermal welding material, L1, L1A, L1B...first layer (layer of non-water-permeable material), L2...second layer (cloth), S1, S2, S3, S4, S5...sheet

[0176] 510...bathtub, 14...folded portion, 520...bathtub body, 530...rope, 531...loop portion, 33...loop end portion, 36...first surface portion, 37...second surface portion, 34...rope material, 43...reinforcing sheet material, 44...first reinforcing portion, 45...second reinforcing portion, 50...bathroom, 70...hanging member

[0177] 610...bathtub, 620, 720...bathtub body, 622H, 722H...through holes, 630, 730...bathtub drain, 636...drain plug, 739...reinforcing member, 650...bathroom, 80...bathroom drain, Ent...entrance / exit, F...floor

Claims

1. A bathtub with a bathtub body made of a sheet that is used by filling it with hot water while hanging, wherein the sheet forming the bathtub body has multiple layers, at least one of which is made of a non-permeable material and at least one of which is made of a durable material.

2. The bathtub of claim 1, wherein the outermost layer of the seat is made of fabric.

3. A bathtub as claimed in any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein at least one of the multiple layers of the sheet is formed from a material with heat-retaining properties.

4. A bathtub according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the outermost surface of the sheet is rougher than the innermost surface.

5. A bathtub as claimed in any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein, when in use, the upper edge of the bathtub body has a folded portion that is folded outward.

6. A bathtub as described in claim 5, which is provided with a rope for suspending the bathtub body when in use, the rope being inserted into and extending from the folded portion.

7. A bathtub according to any one of claims 1 and 2, having at least four hooks that can be hooked onto a hanging part provided in the bathroom.

8. A bathtub having a bathtub body made of a sheet that is used by filling it with hot water while hanging, wherein the sheet forming the bathtub body has a joint on the side wall where the sheets are joined together.

9. A bathtub as described in claim 8, wherein the bathtub body is rectangular in plan view when filled with hot water and used, and the joint extends in the vertical direction in the center of the side wall portion that forms a predetermined side in plan view, in the direction in which the side extends.

10. A bathtub as described in claim 8, wherein the bathtub body is rectangular in plan view when filled with hot water and used, and the joint extends vertically in the center of the side wall portion that forms the short side in plan view, in the direction in which the short side extends.

11. A bathtub as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the joint is formed by sandwiching a molten heat-sealing material between the overlapping sheets.

12. The bathtub according to claim 11, wherein the joint is formed by stitching the overlapping sheets together so as to penetrate the heat-sealing material.

13. A bathtub according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the bathtub body is formed from a single sheet.

14. A bathtub according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the sheet comprises a fabric and a layer of impermeable material superimposed on the fabric.

15. A bathtub as described in any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein, when the bathtub body is filled with hot water and used, the upper edge of the bathtub body has a folded portion that is folded outward, and the overlapping sheets at the folded portion are sewn together.

16. A bathtub comprising: a bathtub body made of sheet that is used by filling it with hot water while suspended; and a rope that is arranged along the upper edge of the bathtub body when suspended, wherein the bathtub body has a folded portion formed by folding back the outer edge of the sheet material that constitutes the bathtub body; the rope has a loop portion formed by folding back the end of the rope; the loop end of the rope that closes the loop portion is housed inside the folded portion; the loop end and the folded portion are sewn together with thread, and the thread passes from a first surface portion that is located on one side of the loop end of the folded portion to the loop end and a second surface portion that is located on the other side of the loop end of the folded portion.

17. The bathtub according to claim 16, wherein the pair of rope materials constituting the loop ends of the rope are sewn together with thread.

18. A bathtub as described in any one of claims 16 to 17, wherein the first surface portion and the second surface portion are sewn together along the edge of the rope material that constitutes the loop end portion.

19. A bathtub as described in any one of claims 16 to 17, which has a reinforcing sheet material superimposed on the outside of the folded portion, the reinforcing sheet material having a first reinforcing portion superimposed on the first surface portion and a second reinforcing portion superimposed on the second surface portion, the folded portion and the reinforcing sheet material being sewn together with thread, and the thread passing from the first reinforcing portion to the first surface portion, the loop end, the second surface portion, and the second reinforcing portion.

20. The bathtub according to claim 19, wherein the first reinforcing portion and the second reinforcing portion are sewn together along the edge of the rope material that constitutes the loop end portion.

21. A bathtub comprising a sheet-made bathtub body that is used by storing hot water while suspended, and the bathtub body has a bathtub drain outlet for draining the stored hot water.

22. The bathtub according to claim 21, wherein when the bathtub body is hung in a bathroom and filled with hot and cold water, the bathtub drain outlet is located above and away from the bathroom floor.

23. A bathtub according to any one of claims 21 and 22, wherein the opening diameter of the bathtub drain is smaller than 40 mm.

24. A bathtub as claimed in any one of claims 21 and 22, wherein the bathtub drain outlet is provided with a drain plug that can be opened and closed from inside the bathtub body.

25. A bathtub as described in either claim 21 or claim 22, wherein the bathtub body has a through hole formed therein that constitutes the bathtub drain outlet, and has a reinforcing member that reinforces the outer edge of the through hole.

26. A bathroom equipped with a hanging part for hanging a bathtub according to any one of claims 1 to 25.

27. A bathroom comprising a floor, the floor having a bathroom drain outlet on the side where the bathtub drain outlet is located when a bathtub described in any one of claims 21 to 25 is hung and filled with hot water.

28. A bathroom as described in claim 27, which has an entrance and the bathroom drain outlet is located on the wall opposite the entrance.

29. A method for drying a bathtub, comprising hanging the bathtub according to any one of claims 1 to 25 on a drying hanging section to dry it.

30. A method for drying a bathtub as described in claim 29, wherein the drying hanging section is provided above the hanging section that is hung when the bathtub is filled with hot water and used.

Images