Back Stress Reducing Kneeling Device

Abstract

A bath aid is provided for supporting a person kneeling at a bathtub. The bath aid comprises a lower pad, a middle pad, and an upper pad which includes a tub attachment mechanism fixed to a bottom surface thereof. A first hinge mechanism pivotally connects a front edge of the lower pad to a lower edge of the middle pad, while a second hinge mechanism pivotally connects an upper edge of the middle pad to a lower edge of the upper pad. The bottom surface of the lower pad rests on a floor surface, while the bottom surface of the upper pad may be fixed to the bathtub by the tub attachment mechanism when in an open position.

1 . A bath aid for supporting a person kneeling at a bathtub, the bath aid comprising:
 a lower pad having a top surface, a bottom surface, and at least one peripheral edge connecting the top and bottom surfaces;   a middle pad having a top surface, a bottom surface, and at least one peripheral edge connecting the top and bottom surfaces;   an upper pad having a top surface, a bottom surface, and at least one peripheral edge connecting the top and bottom surfaces, the upper pad including a tub attachment means fixed to the bottom surface thereof;   a first hinge means for pivotally connecting a front edge of the lower pad to a lower edge of the middle pad;   a second hinge means for pivotally connecting an upper edge of the middle pad to a lower edge of the upper pad;   whereby with the bottom surface of the lower pad resting on a floor surface, the bottom surface of the upper pad may be fixed to the bathtub by the tub attachment means when in an open position.   
   
   
       2 . The bath aid of  claim 1  wherein the lower pad includes at least one contoured knee depression in the top surface thereof. 
   
   
       3 . The bath aid of  claim 1  wherein the first and second hinge means are each at least one flexible length of water resistant material adhered to two of the pads. 
   
   
       4 . The bath aid of  claim 1  wherein each pad further includes t least one pad fastener, whereby the bath aid may be selectively fixed in a closed position. 
   
   
       5 . The bath aid of  claim 1  wherein the tub attachment means is a suction cup fixed to the upper pad. 
   
   
       6 . The bath aid of  claim 5  wherein the middle pad includes a recessed area on the top surface thereof for receiving the suction cup of the upper pad when the bath aid is in a closed position, whereby the top surface of the middle pad may make a substantially full contact with the bottom surface of the upper pad. 
   
   
       7 . The bath aid of  claim 1  wherein a side edge of the peripheral edge of the middle pad includes at least one handle means. 
   
   
       8 . The bath aid of  claim 7  wherein the handle means is a length of flexible cord having two ends, each end fixed within the middle pad. 
   
   
       9 . The bath aid of  claim 1  wherein the bottom surface of the lower pad includes at least one high-friction non-slip surface material. 
   
   
       10 . The bath aid of  claim 4  wherein an upper edge of the peripheral edge of the upper pad includes a finger recess for facilitating removal of the tub attachment means from the bathtub. 
   
   
       11 . The bath aid of  claim 1  wherein the width of the peripheral edge of the upper pad is larger than the width of the peripheral edge of the middle pad. 
   
   
       12 . The bath aid of  claim 1  wherein the width of the peripheral edge of the upper and lower pads are substantially similar and larger than the width of the peripheral edge of the middle pad. 
   
   
       13 . The bath aid of  claim 1  wherein the lower pad includes a stiffener fixed within the lower pad proximate a rearward edge of the peripheral edge thereof, and wherein the upper pad includes a stiffener fixed within the upper pad proximate an upper edge of the peripheral edge thereof.