Walk In Bathtub Having Outward Opening Door and Entry Facilitative Seat

Abstract

Described herein is a walk-in tub having an outward opening door that includes a walk-in bathtub having an outward opening door. The tub includes a body, which defines a cavity and at least one access wall which itself contains an entry surface that extends laterally away from the cavity. The entry surface defines a doorway or portal that is in communication with the cavity to facilitate lateral ingress to and egress from the cavity by a bather. Also contemplated with the scope of the invention are door sealing assemblies that serve to seal the door against the access wall.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A walk-in bathtub having an outward opening door comprising
 a body
 defining a cavity for containing a liquid and 
 having an access wall with an entry surface that extends laterally away from the cavity, 
 the entry surface defining a portal in communication with the cavity to facilitate lateral ingress to and egress from the cavity by a bather and 
 including an adapting surface having a closure face positioned along the perimeter of the portion of the portal that is submerged when the cavity contains the liquid, the adapting surface defining at least one bolt recess positioned adjacent to the portal, 
 the bolt recess having a proximal portion that communicates with the portal and a distal portion that communicates with the proximal portion by an intermediate portion, the longitudinal width (W d ) of the distal portion being lesser than the longitudinal width (W p ) of the proximal portion; the outer lateral edge of proximal portion being the nearer to the portal than the outer lateral edge of the distal portion; 
   a door including a submergible portion, wherein the submergible portion has a perimeter face that is shaped to be complementary to the shape of the portal and is opposable against the closure face along substantially the entire length of the closure face, the door being pivotally connected to the body at a position such that the door can be pivoted between
 a closed position in which the submergible portion of the door is substantially contained within the portal of the body and the perimeter face of the door is opposed against the closure face and 
 an open position in which the door is positioned outside the portal sufficiently to permit lateral ingress into and egress from the cavity by the bather; 
   a gasket fixed to at least one of the access wall and the door and positioned such that it is opposed against both the wall and the door when the door is in the closed position; and   at least one bolt slidably attached to the door and positioned engageably with the bolt recess, whereby when the door is pivoted within the portal, the bolt can be slidably engaged into the proximal portion of the bolt recess and when the bolt is slidably extended within the bolt recess from the proximal portion to the distal portion thereof, sequential engagement of the bolt with the intermediate and distal portions of the bolt recess will urge the door laterally into the closed position.   
     
     
         2 . The tub of  claim 1 , further comprising a seat positioned within the cavity. 
     
     
         3 . The tub of  claim 2 , wherein the tub further includes a water fixture connected therewith and wherein the seat is disposed to facilitate a bather facing the fixture while seated in the seat. 
     
     
         4 . The tub of  claim 2 , wherein the seat includes a seating surface having a first portion nearer the fixture than a second portion of the seating surface. 
     
     
         5 . The tub of  claim 4 , wherein an edge of the seating surface defines a perimeter that is in the form of an S-curve. 
     
     
         6 . The tub of  claim 2 , wherein the seat is fixed to the body. 
     
     
         7 . The tub of  claim 2 , wherein the seat is integral with the body. 
     
     
         8 . The tub of  claim 1 , wherein the closure face of the adapting surface is positioned such that it generally faces away from the interior of the cavity. 
     
     
         9 . The tub of  claim 1 , wherein the adapting surface has a generally rectangular lateral cross section, with the closure face being positioned on a wall facing in a direction generally opposite the interior of the cavity. 
     
     
         10 . The tub of  claim 1 , wherein the gasket is fixed to at least one of the perimeter face of the door and the closure face of the wall. 
     
     
         11 . The tub of  claim 1 , wherein the gasket is fixed using an adhesive. 
     
     
         12 . The tub of  claim 2 , wherein the submergible portion of the door that is opposable against the closure face contains a channel and the gasket is fixed to the door by inserting a collar of the gasket into the channel. 
     
     
         13 . The tub of  claim 1 , wherein the gasket is compressible. 
     
     
         14 . The tub of  claim 1 , wherein the gasket is made a material comprising at least one of a rubber, an elastomer, a thermoplastic, a foam, and a polymer or copolymer. 
     
     
         15 . The tub of  claim 1 , comprising at least two bolts and a corresponding number of bolt recesses. 
     
     
         16 . The tub of  claim 1 , wherein the bolt has a substantially flat face. 
     
     
         17 . The tub of  claim 1 , wherein the bolt is contained at least partially within the door and extends through the perimeter face thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The tub of  claim 1 , wherein the bolt extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the perimeter face of the door. 
     
     
         19 . The tub of  claim 1 , wherein the bolt is operably attached to an actuator connected to the door. 
     
     
         20 . The tub of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator is operable by the bather while within the cavity. 
     
     
         21 . The tub of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator includes a lever, whereby the actuating force exerted upon the bolt is greater than operating force exerted by the bather upon the actuator. 
     
     
         22 . The tub of  claim 1 , wherein the cavity defined by the body has a generally level rim and a floor and wherein the portal extends from the rim substantially to the floor. 
     
     
         23 . The tub of  claim 1 , wherein the door does not extend substantially above the rim when the door is in the closed position. 
     
     
         24 . The tub of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the body that defines the cavity is unitary with the portion of the body that defines the bolt recess. 
     
     
         25 . The tub of  claim 1 , further comprising a frame that rigidly supports the body.