GB2209933A

GB2209933A - Back washing aid

Info

Publication number: GB2209933A
Application number: GB8822439A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Donald William Evans
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-09-23
Filing date: 1988-09-23
Publication date: 1989-06-01
Anticipated expiration: 2008-09-23
Also published as: GB8722418D0; GB8822439D0; GB2209933B

Abstract

A back washing aid 10 comprises one or more pads 16 of foamed or sponge material in a holder 12 that is attachable to a support surface, such as a wall, whereby a person can rub their back against the pad or pads. The pads may be impregnated with soap and may have smooth and rough faces, either of which may be used. The aid may be provided with a bracket for supporting a shower head and a soap-holding compartment or tray. The holder may be mounted on tubular upright members and may be provided with a mechanism e.g. operated by handles 28 for adjusting the height of the aid to suit the user. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Back Washing Aid DESCRIPTION This invention concerns a back washing aid.

One area of the body that is difficult to wash is the back, particularly for those with a physical handicap. For such people assistance is often necessary for back washing. Various aids including brushes with long handles and flannels are available to assist back washing but, of course, are not readily usable by a physically handicapped person.

The object of this invention is to provide a back washing aid.

According to the invention there is provided a back washing aid comprising one or more pads of foamed or sponge material in a holder that is attachable to a support surface, such as a wall, whereby a person can rub their back against the pad or pads.

The pads are preferably impregnated with soap or the like so that prior to rubbing over back against the pad or pads wetting of the back with water is all that is required. The pad or pads may be reversible preferably having one relatively smooth face and one relatively rough face. The pads may also be shaped to fit a person 5 back, e.g. by being generally concave about a horizontal axis.

The back washing aid of the invention preferably further comprises means for adjusting the relative height of the aid. Such means may include mechanical linkages or gear-type linkages to a handle or handles, whereby the height of the aid on the support surface can be adjusted by the user of the aid to suit.

It is envisaged that height adjustment of the back washing aid may also be achieved by using water pressure such as from mains water supply say via a hose connection to a bath or sink tap.

The adjustment of the height of the aid may also be used to obtain a rubbing action of the pad or pads rather than by movement of the person using the aid.

The height adjustment linkages may have resilience such as provided by spring loading of telescoped linkage members, so that additional rubbing action by the pads may be obtained without actual height adjustment of the aid.

The preferred aid will comprise two pads one each in a part of the holder that is hingedly movable about a generally horizontal axis relative to the other part of the holder. Thus, the holder can be adjusted to suit a person with a degree of curvature of the back, means being provided for locking the holder parts in any desired relative position about the hinging axis.

The back washing aid of the invention may also have attachment means for a shower head and/or a soap dispenser to facilitate the washing process. The holder could have a tray for soap etc. formed integrally therewith.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows schematically a back washing aid of the invention; Figure 2 shows detail of the aid of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows further detail of the aid of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the invention; Figure 5 is a side view of the embodiment of Figure 4; Figure 6 shows enlarged detail of Figure 5; Figure 7 is a front view of a pad used in the embodiment of Figure 4; and Figure 8 is a side view of the pad of Figure 7.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings, a back washing aid 10 comprises a two part holder 12 the parts 12A and 12B be hingedly connected by hinge 14 with locking nuts 16 onto each end of a hinge pin, whereby the angle between the parts 12A and 12B can be adjusted and maintained. The holder 12 is attachable to a support surface, such as a wall, by any suitable means, e.g. adhesive or fixing means, such as nails or screws through holes provided in the holder but not shown here.

The holder parts 12A, B have fixed thereon foam or sponge pads 16 that are preferably impregnated with soap. Fixing of the pads may be reversible, one face of the pads being the relatively smooth and the other being relatively rough.

The holder 12 is attached to tubular members 18 (see Figure 3) that have members 20 therein arranged for relative telescopic movement, the two members 18 and 20 being connected by a spring 22 to provide for resilient movement therebetween.

The members 20 are connected via cams 24 and cranked linkages 26 to handles 28 whereby pulling the handles up or down moves the holder 12 up or down also to a desired relative height to suit the user of the aid.

To use the back washing aid of the invention its height is adjusted to suit the person using the aid and the angle between holder parts 12A, B adjusted to suit any curvature of the user's back. Then, after wetting of the users' back and/or the pads, the user can rub his or her back against the pads in order to clean their back.

Turning to Figures 4 to 8 of the accompanying drawings, a back washing aid 30 comprises a rectangular dish shaped holder 32 of plastics material having on its upper edge a compartment 34 for soap etc.

and its lower edge being fluted at 36 to provide a channel to aid water run-off. Attached to the holder 30 near its top is a bracket 38 for holding a shower head. The holder 32 is intended to fix to a wall or other suitable surface by means of, for example, screws or adhesive.

Side edges 40 of the holder have upper and lower slots 42, 44 respectively to receive and retain pins or lugs 46 on sides 50 of a rectangular suction pad 48 of sponge or foamed rubber impregnated with soap or other suitable surfactant. The lower slots 44 in particular are arcuate so that the lower pins or lugs 46 will drop into the slots and be retained other than from upward movement for removal and replacement of a pad.

The pad 48 itself is double sided so that it can be reversed. Thus, opposite sides of the pad can have different textures e.g. one side smooth and the other side rough or both sides can have the same texture but reversal of the pad gives longer use. In addition, the pad is concave on each side to give a better fit to a user's back.

The pad may be constructed in two pieces fixced either side of a plate from edges of which extend the pins or lugs 46. Alternatively, the pad may be of one-piece construction but enclosed in a perimetral frame from which the pins or lugs 46 extend.

Use of the back washing aid of Figures 4 to 8 is similar to that of the aid of Figures 1 to 3 except that height adjustment is not possible, unless the aid is attached to a movable frame or the like.

Claims

1. A back washing aid comprising one or more pads of foamed or sponge material in a holder that is attachable to a support surface whereby a person can rub their back against the pad or pads.

2. An aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the or each pad is impregnated with soap or the like.

3. An aid as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the or each pad is reversible.

4. An aid as claimed in claim 3 wherein the or each pad has one relatively smooth face and one relatively rough face.

5. An aid as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 further comprising means for adjusting the relative height of the aid.

6. An aid as claimed in claim 5, wherein said adjustment means includes mechanical linkages or gear-type linkages to a handle or handles, whereby the height of the aid on the support surface can be adjusted by the user of the aid.

7. An aid as claimed in claim 5, wherein said height adjustment is achieved by using water pressure.

8. An aid as claimed in claim 7, wherein water pressure is from mains water supply.

9. An aid as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein said adjustment of the height of the aid is usable to obtain a rubbing action of the pad or pads rather than by movement of the person using the aid.

10. An aid as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein said height adjustment linkages have resilience so that additional rubbing action by the pads may be obtained without actual height adjustment of the aid.

11. An aid as claimed in claim 10, wherein said resilience is provided by spring loading of telescoped linkage members.

12. An aid as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, comprising two pads one each in a part of the holder that is hingedly movable about a generally horizontal axis relative to the other part of the holder.

13. A back washing aid substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in any of the accompanying drawings.