Universal bed bath envelope system

Abstract

A bed bath system having a mattress with a bed surface and mattress wall periphery about the bed surface; a support member having an inner wall sized and configured to contact and encircle the mattress wall periphery; a fluid impermeable sheet having a first side disposable on the mattress and an opposing second side, the sheet disposable in the support member to form an envelope on the second side, the envelope having a floor coplanar with the bed surface, a lateral wall coplanar with the support member inner wall, and a bath space interior to the lateral wall and the floor; an infusion reservoir with a dispensing port to dispense a bathing fluid; a nozzle in fluid communication with the dispensing port operative to emit bathing fluid into the envelope; and a drainage port positioned to drain waste fluid from the envelope.

1 . A bed bath system for use by a bather with a bed, the bed having a mattress defining a generally planar bed surface and a mattress wall periphery about the bed surface, the system comprising:
 a support member having a support member inner wall, the support member inner wall being sized and configured to be in contact with and encircled substantially about the mattress wall periphery;   a substantially fluid impermeable sheet defining a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the sheet having a first side being disposable on the mattress and a second side opposite the first side, the sheet being disposable in the support member to form an envelope on the second side with the envelope having a floor generally coplanar with the bed surface, a lateral wall being generally coplanar with the support member inner wall, and a bath space interior to the lateral wall and the floor;   an infusion reservoir holding a bathing fluid, the infusion reservoir having a dispensing port sized and configured for dispensing the bathing fluid;   a nozzle in fluid communication with the dispensing port having a distal end operative to emit the bathing fluid into the envelope, and   a drainage port disposed through the sheet and positioned at the floor with the sheet disposed in the support member to form the envelope, the drainage port being operative to drain waste fluid from the envelope.   
   
   
       2 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sheet is substantially rectangular. 
   
   
       3 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sheet is constructed from polyethylene plastic. 
   
   
       4 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sheet is constructed from rubber. 
   
   
       5 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the support member inner wall is in contact with the entire mattress wall periphery. 
   
   
       6 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the support member inner wall is encircled about the entire mattress wall periphery. 
   
   
       7 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the support member is a belt. 
   
   
       8 . The system as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the support member is constructed from corrugated cardboard. 
   
   
       9 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the support member is constructed from rubber. 
   
   
       10 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the support member is constructed from polyethylene plastic. 
   
   
       11 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the envelope further comprises a first flap about the top of the bather. 
   
   
       12 . The system as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the envelope further comprises a second flap, the second flap being connectible to the first flap. 
   
   
       13 . The system as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the envelope further comprises a closure device mountable on the first flap and the second flap operative to close the envelope. 
   
   
       14 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , where the infusion reservoir is constructed from polyethylene plastic. 
   
   
       15 . The system as claimed in  claim 1  further comprises an infusion line disposed in the infusion reservoir, the infusion line being operative to transport the bathing fluid from the infusion reservoir. 
   
   
       16 . The system as claimed in  claim 15  further comprises a pump disposed in the infusion reservoir, the pump being mountable to the infusion line and operative to force the bathing fluid through the infusion line. 
   
   
       17 . The system as claimed in  claim 16  further comprises a bathing arm having an infusion channel connectible to and in fluid communication with the infusion line at a first end, the bathing arm further being connectible to and in fluid communication with the nozzle at a second end. 
   
   
       18 . The system as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the nozzle is a showerhead having a switch in communication with and operative to activate the pump, the showerhead further having an aperture line connectible to and in fluid communication with the infusion channel, the showerhead further having an aperture connectible to and in fluid communication with the aperture line operative to release bathing fluid into the envelope. 
   
   
       19 . The system as claimed in  claim 18  further comprises a plurality of infusion reservoirs, each infusion reservoir holding a bathing fluid, each infusion reservoir having an infusion line disposed therein operative to transport each bathing fluid through the bathing arm to the showerhead, the bathing arm having a plurality of infusion channels connectible to and in fluid communication with each corresponding infusion line at the first end of the bathing arm, each of the infusion channels connectible to and in fluid communication with the showerhead at the second end of the bathing arm. 
   
   
       20 . The system as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein a pump is disposed in each of the plurality of infusion reservoirs, each pump being mountable to the corresponding infusion line in each infusion reservoir, the showerhead having a plurality of switches in communication with and operative to activate each pump in each infusion reservoir, the showerhead further having a plurality of aperture lines connectible to each corresponding infusion channel, the showerhead further having a plurality of apertures connectible to each aperture line operative to release each bathing fluid. 
   
   
       21 . The system as claimed in  claim 19  further comprises a console holding the plurality of infusion reservoirs, the console having a top portion, a peripheral wall, and a bottom portion, the console further having a console opening in the top portion for the passage of each infusion line into the corresponding infusion reservoir. 
   
   
       22 . The system as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein a plurality of collector lips are disposed on the top portion of the console, each collector lip having a collector lip opening aligned with the corresponding console opening, each collector lip being sized and configured for the mounting of each corresponding infusion reservoir thereto. 
   
   
       23 . The system as claimed in  claim 1  further comprises an effusion line mountable to the drainage port operative to divert waste fluid from the envelope. 
   
   
       24 . The system as claimed in  claim 23  further comprises an effusion reservoir, the effusion line being disposed in the effusion reservoir and operative to transport waste fluid to the effusion reservoir. 
   
   
       25 . The system as claimed in  claim 24  further comprises a waste fluid pump disposed in the effusion reservoir operative to force waste fluid out of the effusion reservoir and into a waste fluid receptacle. 
   
   
       26 . The system as claimed in  claim 25  further comprises a debris filter mountable to the waste fluid pump operative to filter solids collected from the waste fluid diverted from the envelope. 
   
   
       27 . The system as claimed in  claim 21  further comprises an effusion line mountable to the drainage port operative to divert waste fluid from the envelope. 
   
   
       28 . The system as claimed in  claim 27  further comprises an effusion reservoir, the effusion line being disposed in the effusion reservoir and being operative to transport waste fluid to the effusion reservoir. 
   
   
       29 . The system as claimed in  claim 28  further comprises a pump disposed in the effusion reservoir operative to force waste fluid out of the effusion reservoir and into a waste fluid receptacle. 
   
   
       30 . The system as claimed in  claim 29  wherein the top portion of the console has an additional collector lip to be mountable by the effusion reservoir and an additional console opening for the passage of the effusion line. 
   
   
       31 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bathing fluid is water. 
   
   
       32 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bathing fluid is a shampoo. 
   
   
       33 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bathing fluid is a conditioner. 
   
   
       34 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bathing fluid is a soap. 
   
   
       35 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bathing fluid is a medication. 
   
   
       36 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bathing fluid is an oil. 
   
   
       37 . The system as claimed in  claim 1  further comprises a drainage plug mountable to the drainage port operative to block the drainage of waste fluid from the envelope. 
   
   
       38 . A bed bath system for use by a bather with a bed, the bed having a mattress defining a generally planar bed surface and a mattress wall periphery about the bed surface, the system comprising:
 a substantially fluid impermeable bath envelope defining a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the bath envelope defined by a first side and an opposing second side, the first side having a closure weld operative to seal the first side and provide support to the bath envelope, the second side having a closure weld operative to seal the second side and provide support to the bath envelope, the bath envelope having a first lateral wall and an opposing second lateral wall, the first lateral wall having a first lateral wall flap extending from the first lateral wall, the second wall having a second lateral wall flap extending from the second lateral wall, the first and second lateral wall flaps secured to each other at least along a portion of their respective lengths by a closure weld, the bath envelope having a floor generally coplanar with the bed surface and a bath space interior to the first lateral wall, the second lateral wall, and the floor;   an infusion reservoir holding a bathing fluid, the infusion reservoir having a dispensing port sized and configured for dispensing the bathing fluid;   a nozzle in fluid communication with the dispensing port having a distal end operative to emit the bathing fluid into the bath envelope, and a drainage port disposed through the bath envelope and positioned at the floor operative to drain waste fluid from the bath envelope.   
   
   
       39 . The system as claimed in  claim 38  further comprises a pump disposed in the infusion reservoir operative to force the bathing fluid through the nozzle. 
   
   
       40 . The system as claimed in  claim 38  further comprises an effusion line mountable to the drainage port operative to divert waste fluid from the bath envelope. 
   
   
       41 . The system as claimed in  claim 40  further comprises an effusion reservoir, the effusion line being disposed in the effusion reservoir and operative to transport waste fluid to the effusion reservoir. 
   
   
       42 . The system as claimed in  claim 41  further comprises a waste fluid pump disposed in the effusion reservoir and operative to force waste fluid out of the effusion reservoir and into a waste fluid receptacle. 
   
   
       43 . The system as claimed in  claim 41  further comprises a debris filter mountable to the waste fluid pump operative to filter solids collected from the waste fluid diverted from the bath envelope. 
   
   
       44 . A method of bathing a bather upon a bed, the bed having a mattress defining a generally planar bed surface and a mattress wall periphery about the bed surface, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) placing the bather on a bed surface;   b) placing a support member having a support member inner wall about a mattress wall periphery;   c) placing a substantially fluid impermeable sheet having a first side on the bed surface and a second side opposite the first side in the support member and under the bather to form an envelope on the second side;   d) filling up each of a plurality of infusion reservoirs with a bathing fluid;   e) attaching a drainage port through the sheet positioned at the floor of the envelope;   f) attaching a nozzle in fluid communication with the infusion reservoir;   g) attaching an effusion reservoir in fluid communication with the drainage port;   h) operating the nozzle for washing the bather lying in the envelope.   
   
   
       45 . The method of bathing as claimed in  claim 44  further including a step of monitoring the temperature of the bathing fluid in each infusion reservoir using a thermometer.