US 12,667,231 B1Granted

System and method for bathing immobile or partially immobile individual

OwnerTerrance A. Kinginventor

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A system having an enclosure having at least one movable component that can be opened for an individual to be placed within the enclosure and then closed when the individual is within the enclosure. A cleaning system functioning within the enclosure to at least one of dispense a liquid through at least one opening and physically contact the user to wipe the individual, a resting area where the individual is positioned with the upper torso of the individual arranged between at least one of in a prone position to a vertical position and a control device to control the cleaning system.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A bathing system comprising:

an enclosure having a base and a movable enclosure portion operably hinged or slidably coupled to the enclosure to permit opening for placement of an individual within the enclosure and to close around the individual,
the enclosure defining a head opening sized to allow a head of the individual to remain outside the enclosure during operation;
a resting support mounted to the base within the enclosure and configurable between a generally vertical sitting position and a prone position;
a first rolling device disposed at a base of the resting support and a second rolling device disposed on an inside surface of the movable enclosure portion,
each rolling device including a conveying element carrying a textile cleaning medium, the first and second rolling devices positioned to simultaneously contact opposing anterior and posterior sides of the individual in the prone position;
a plurality of flexible straps spanning each conveying element to retain the textile cleaning medium on the conveying element,
each flexible strap including an internal fluid passage with a plurality of lateral discharge orifices to dispense liquid from the strap toward the individual,
and the straps being fluidly coupled to a pump such that liquid pressure and flow through the straps are variable under electronic control;
at least one extendable and retractable scrubbing device mounted to an inside surface of the enclosure,
the scrubbing device having a telescoping handle terminating at a brush and a force sensor configured to limit contact pressure applied to the individual;
and a controller comprising a processor configured to receive signals from one or more sensors indicative of body dimensions of the individual and, responsive thereto, to generate a user-specific cleaning plan that controls at least extension of the scrubbing device, liquid pressure and temperature, rotational speed and direction of the rolling devices,
and operation of at least one powered actuator coupled between the enclosure and a support structure to tilt or rotate the enclosure to facilitate ingress and egress.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A bathing system comprising:

an enclosure having a base and a movable enclosure portion operably hinged or slidably coupled to the enclosure to permit opening for placement of an individual within the enclosure and to close around the individual,
the enclosure defining a head opening sized to allow a head of the individual to remain outside the enclosure during operation;
a resting support mounted to the base within the enclosure and configurable between a generally vertical sitting position and a prone position;
a first rolling device disposed at a base of the resting support and a second rolling device disposed on an inside surface of the movable enclosure portion,
each rolling device including a conveying element carrying a textile cleaning medium, the first and second rolling devices positioned to simultaneously contact opposing anterior and posterior sides of the individual in the prone position;
a plurality of flexible straps spanning each conveying element to retain the textile cleaning medium on the conveying element,
each flexible strap including an internal fluid passage with a plurality of lateral discharge orifices to dispense liquid from the strap toward the individual,
and the straps being fluidly coupled to a pump such that liquid pressure and flow through the straps are variable under electronic control;
at least one extendable and retractable scrubbing device mounted to an inside surface of the enclosure,
the scrubbing device having a telescoping handle terminating at a brush and a force sensor configured to limit contact pressure applied to the individual;
and a controller comprising a processor configured to receive signals from one or more sensors indicative of body dimensions of the individual and, responsive thereto, to generate a user-specific cleaning plan that controls at least extension of the scrubbing device, liquid pressure and temperature, rotational speed and direction of the rolling devices,
and operation of at least one powered actuator coupled between the enclosure and a support structure to tilt or rotate the enclosure to facilitate ingress and egress.

9 more elements