Bathtub door seal and latch

Abstract

A seal for a bathtub door is releasably retained in a groove by a mechanical interlock. The seal has a first, relaxed condition in which it is unable to pass through the opening of the groove, and a second, tensioned condition in which it is able to pass through the opening of the groove. The door is held closed in a watertight manner by a latch having a contacting surface beveled in two directions. The latch has a curved, tapering shape that makes it well suited to be grasped and/or manipulated by the hands of handicapped or arthritic persons. The groove is formed during the molding of the door by a groove-forming element releasably attached to the mold. When the door is removed from the mold, the groove-forming element separates from the mold and remains in the groove, but is removable from the groove by applying longitudinal tension.

1 . A bathtub comprising: 
 sides;    a door positioned in one of the sides to facilitate entry to and exit from the bathtub;    a seal for providing watertight engagement between the door and an adjacent portion of said one of said sides, the seal having a length, a base portion and a sealing portion; and    a groove in one of a) the door and b) the adjacent portion of said one of said sides, the groove having a length, an opening having a first width transverse to the length, and a main portion having a second width transverse to the length,    wherein the second width is greater than the first width, the base portion of the seal has a third width transverse to the length of the seal, the third width is greater than the first width, the base portion of the seal is positioned in the groove, and the base portion has a first condition in which the base portion is locked in the groove and a second condition in which the base portion is removable from the groove.    
   
   
       2 . The bathtub of  claim 1 , wherein, in the second condition, the base portion is in tension in the longitudinal direction of the seal.  
   
   
       3 . The bathtub of  claim 1 , wherein, in the second condition, the third width of the base portion is smaller than in the first condition.  
   
   
       4 . The bathtub of  claim 1 , wherein the base portion is made of an elastic material that, when tensioned in a first direction, decreases in dimension in a direction transverse to the first direction.  
   
   
       5 . The bathtub in  claim 1 , wherein the groove is in the door.  
   
   
       6 . The bathtub of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing portion is positioned outside the groove.  
   
   
       7 . The bathtub of  claim 1 , wherein the groove is generally circular in transverse cross section.  
   
   
       8 . The bathtub of  claim 7 , wherein the base portion of the seal is generally circular in transverse cross section.  
   
   
       9 . The bathtub of  claim 8 , wherein the door has a perimeter, and the groove and the seal extend along the perimeter.  
   
   
       10 . The bathtub of  claim 1 , further compromising an adhesive holding the base portion of the seal to the door.  
   
   
       11 . A door kit for a bathtub, comprising: 
 a door having a groove having a) a length, b) an opening having a first width transverse to the length, and c) a main portion having a second width transverse to the length, wherein the second width is greater than the first width; and    a seal for providing watertight engagement between the door and a bathtub, the seal having a length, a base portion and a sealing portion, wherein the base portion has a third width transverse to the length of the seal, the third width being greater than said first width, and wherein said base portion has a first condition in which the base portion is unable to pass through the opening of the groove and a second condition in which the base portion is able to pass through the opening of the groove whereby the base portion is insertable into the groove.    
   
   
       12 . The door kit of  claim 11 , wherein, in the second condition, the base portion is in tension in the longitudinal direction of the seal.  
   
   
       13 . The door kit of  claim 11 , wherein, in the second condition, the third width of the base portion is smaller than in the first condition.  
   
   
       14 . The door kit of  claim 11 , wherein the base portion is made of an elastic material that, when tensioned in a first direction, decreases in dimension in a direction transverse to the first direction.  
   
   
       15 . The door kit of  claim 11 , wherein the sealing portion of the seal is adapted to remain outside the groove when the base portion of the seal is in the groove.  
   
   
       16 . The door kit of  claim 11 , wherein the groove is generally circular in transverse cross section.  
   
   
       17 . The door kit of  claim 11 , wherein the base portion of the seal is generally circular in transverse cross section.  
   
   
       18 . The door kit of  claim 11 , wherein the door has a perimeter, and the groove and the seal extend along the perimeter.  
   
   
       19 . The door kit of  claim 11 , further comprising adhesive holding the base portion of the seal to the door when the base portion of the seal is in the groove.  
   
   
       20 . A method of making a door for a bathtub, comprising: 
 releasably securing in a mold for the door, for release upon the application of a first amount of force, a groove-forming element for forming a groove in the door;    forming in the mold a door having a groove containing a groove-forming portion of the groove-forming element;    securing the groove-forming element to the door with a second amount of force greater than the first amount of force whereby, when the door is removed from the mold, the groove-forming element releases from the mold and stays with the door;    removing the door from the mold;    separating the groove-forming element from the door; and    securing a seal in the groove of the door.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step of releasably securing comprises releasably securing the groove-forming element in a groove in the mold.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the groove-forming element is releasably secured in the groove in the mold by the engagement of a deformable formation on the groove-forming element with a relatively rigid formation in the groove of the mold.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step of forming comprises forming a groove having a) a length, b) an opening having a first width transverse to the length and c) a main portion having a second width transverse to the length, wherein the second width is greater than the first width.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the groove-forming portion of the groove-forming element has a third width transverse to the length of the groove-forming element, the third width is greater than said first width of the groove, and the groove-forming portion has a first condition in which the groove-forming portion is locked in the groove of the door and a second condition in which the groove-forming portion is removable from the groove.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of separating the groove-forming element from the door comprises applying tension to the groove-forming portion of the groove-forming element in the longitudinal direction of the groove-forming element.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of separating the groove-forming element from the door comprises reducing said third width of the groove-forming portion.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the step of securing a seal in the groove comprises securing a seal having a base portion with a fourth width transverse to the length of the seal, the fourth width being greater than said first width of the opening of the groove, by applying to the base portion of the seal tension in the longitudinal direction of the seal until the base portion is able to pass through the opening of the groove, and moving the base portion into the groove.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the step of securing a seal in the groove comprises securing a seal having a base portion with a fourth width transverse to the length of the seal, the fourth width being greater than said first width of the opening of the groove, by reducing said fourth width of the base portion until the base portion is able to pass through the opening of the groove, and moving the base portion into the groove.  
   
   
       29 . A bathtub comprising: 
 sides;    a door positioned in one of the sides to facilitate entry to and exit from the bathtub;    a seal for providing watertight engagement between the door and an adjacent portion of one of said sides;    a latch pivotally mounted on one of a) the door and b) said one bathtub side for movement between a first position, in which the latch permits the door to open relative to said one side, and a second position, in which the latch holds the door in watertight proximity to said one side, said latch having a contacting surface for contacting the other of the door and said one bathtub side, said contacting surface being beveled in two directions;    whereby the latch cams the door toward said one side of the bathtub in all positions in which said contacting surface contacts the other of the door and said one bathtub side as the latch moves from the first position to the second position.    
   
   
       30 . The bathtub of  claim 29 , wherein the seal is compressed in the second position of the latch.  
   
   
       31 . The bathtub of  claim 29 , wherein the latch is pivotally mounted on said one bathtub side.  
   
   
       32 . The bathtub of  claim 29 , wherein the latch has a pivot axis, a length extending radially with respect to the pivot axis of the latch, a width extending perpendicular to the length, and a latch side facing the other of the door and said one side of the bathtub, said latch side containing a first portion and the contacting surface, the first portion defining a plane, and the contacting surface being beveled away from said plane along said length and along said width.  
   
   
       33 . The bathtub of  claim 29 , wherein the latch has a pivot axis, a length extending substantially radially with respect to the pivot axis of the latch, and a width extending perpendicular to said length, wherein the width tapers from the pivot axis to an end of the latch radially remote from the pivot axis, and the latch curves along its length.  
   
   
       34 . The bathtub of  claim 33 , wherein the latch has a top, a bottom, and a side curving from the top to the bottom.  
   
   
       35 . A bathtub comprising: 
 sides;    a door positioned in one of the sides to facilitate entry to and exit from the bathtub;    a seal for providing watertight engagement between the door and an adjacent portion of one of said sides; and    a latch pivotally mounted on one of the door and said on bathtub side for movement between a first position, in which the latch permits the door to open relative to said one side, and a second position, in which the latch holds the door in watertight proximity to said one side,    wherein the latch has a pivot axis, a length extending radially with respect to the pivot axis of the latch, and a width extending perpendicular to said length, wherein the width tapers from the pivot axis to an end of the latch radially remote from the pivot axis, and the latch curves along its length.    
   
   
       36 . The bathtub of  claim 33 , wherein the latch has a top, a bottom, and a side curving from the top to the bottom.