Portable disability bath

Abstract

A bath stall unit for accommodating a disabled person includes a walled structure having a curved exterior wall portion and a curved access door associated therewith. The door is movable generally horizontally along a curved path defined by the wall portion between open and closed positions to provide access to the unit by lateral transfer, such as from a wheelchair. A toilet in the unit is disposed to receive a person transferred thereinto, where both a lavatory and shower facilities are provided. The configuration of the unit provides a sufficiently narrow width to permit an assembled unit to be delivered to a home or a facility through an exterior doorway.

1 . A bath stall unit for accommodating a disabled person, said unit comprising:
 a walled structure having a floor therein and including a curved wall portion providing an access way,   a curved door associated with said wall portion and mounted on said structure for movement generally horizontally along a curved path defined by said wall portion between an open position providing access to said unit and a closed position cooperating with said wall portion to close said unit, and   a toilet on said floor adjacent said wall portion disposed for lateral transfer of a person into said unit and onto said toilet when said door is in its open position.   
   
   
       2 . The bath stall unit as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said wall portion and said door have substantially the same curvature. 
   
   
       3 . The bath stall unit as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said door comprises a curved, sliding pocket door movable along said path. 
   
   
       4 . The bath stall unit as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said floor includes a curved curb at said access way presenting a guideway for said door and extending upwardly from said floor to prevent water escape from said unit. 
   
   
       5 . The bath stall unit as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said door has a lower edge in sliding contact with said curb as said door is opened and closed. 
   
   
       6 . A disability bath unit comprising:
 a walled structure including first and second spaced, curved wall portions defining an opening therebetween providing access to the unit, and presenting opposed end portions of said structure,   said structure further having an interior wall and a floor cooperating with said curved wall portions to define a bath stall accessible through said opening,   a curved door associated with said first curved wall portion and mounted on said structure for movement generally horizontally along said first curved wall portion in a curved path between an open position providing access to said stall and a closed position cooperating with said first and second curved wall portions to close said stall, and   a toilet in said stall disposed for lateral transfer of a person into said unit and onto said toilet when said door is in its open position.   
   
   
       7 . The bath unit as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said door comprises curved, sliding pocket door movable along said path. 
   
   
       8 . The bath unit as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said first and second curved wall portions present a front side and said opposed end portions of said structure to thereby define said stall, said bath unit further comprising a lavatory in said stall mounted for movement between a first position spaced from said toilet and a second position adjacent said toilet within reach of a person on the toilet, whereby to accommodate an immobile person seated on the toilet by movement of the lavatory to said second position. 
   
   
       9 . The bath unit as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein said first position of the lavatory is at a corner of the stall defined by said second curved wall portion at one of said end portions of the structure. 
   
   
       10 . The bath unit as claimed in  claim 8 , further comprising a swivel supporting said lavatory for movement between said first and second positions.