Shower safety system

Abstract

A shower safety system, which prevents or reduces the chance of injury in case of a sudden loss of ability to stand upright, comprises a harness to be worn by a user when he/she showers. The harness is anchored to the wall of the shower or other fixture, via a tether component and mounting element. The system preferably includes an alarm, which alerts for help in a situation of possible distress.

1 . A shower safety system, to be used by an individual around a shower area and while showering in a standing position, comprising:
 a harness structured and arranged to be worn by the individual while standing in the shower area;   a tether component structured and arranged to couple to said harness, wherein said tether component has an adjustable length; and   a mounting element structured and arranged to couple to said tether component, said mounting element further structured and arranged to affix to a substantially non-movable fixture and to anchor said harness to said non-movable fixture, via said tether component, wherein the shower safety system is structured and arranged to inhibit the individual wearing said harness from falling from the standing position while wearing said harness when the shower safety system is provided in an in-use arrangement, said in-use arrangement comprising said harness being coupled to said tether component, said tether component being coupled to said mounting element, and said mounting element being affixed to said fixture.   
     
     
         2 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A shower safety system, to be used by an individual around a shower area and while showering in a standing position, comprising:
 a harness structured and arranged to be worn by the individual standing in the shower area;   a tether component structured and arranged to couple to said harness;   a mounting element structured and arranged to be coupled to said tether component, said mounting element structured and arranged to affix to a substantially non-movable fixture and to anchor said harness to said non-movable fixture via said tether component , wherein the shower safety system is structured and arranged to inhibit the individual wearing said harness from falling from the standing position while wearing said harness when the shower safety system is provided in an in-use arrangement, said in-use arrangement comprising said harness being coupled to said tether component, said tether component being coupled to said mounting element, and said mounting element being affixed to said fixture; and   an alarm capable of producing an alert, said alarm structured and arranged to couple between said mounting element and said harness.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , said alarm compromising a trigger for producing said alert, wherein said trigger can be actuated a) automatically, b) manually by said individual, or by a combination of a) and b). 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , said alarm comprising at least one trigger capable of being actuated in response to an indication to produce said alert when said alarm is structurally coupled between said mounting element and said harness, said indication comprising: 1) excessive tension in the tether component, said excessive tension being produced upon loss of the individual's ability to stand upright while the individual is wearing said harness, 2) the pressing of a button by the user, 3) an audio signal by said user, 4) sensing that the user has remained in the shower for a prolonged period, or combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , said tether component including a shock absorbing bungee comprising coils, said alarm further comprising an actuator element structured and arranged to couple to said tether component when said alarm is situated within said coils of said shock absorbing bungee, said actuator element capable of sensing excessive tension in said bungee of said tether component, and triggering said alert in response to said excessive tension, said excessive tension being produced upon loss of said individual's ability to stand upright while the individual is wearing said harness. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , said alert comprising a sound, vibration, visual signal, or combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , said alarm comprising a transmitting device located in the shower room, said transmitting device being capable of sending a signal to a remote receiver for producing said alert. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , said signal being transmitted to said remote receiver via a path which is wired, wireless, or both. 
     
     
         18 . A shower safety method structured and arranged to help a user avoid an injury while showering in a shower, said method comprising:
 a. wearing a harness which is anchored to a fixture via a tether component while standing in said shower, said tether component comprising a shock absorbing bungee comprising a plurality of coils; and   b. showering while wearing said harness, said harness providing restraint to impede the user from falling from a standing position while showering.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , said tether component comprising a top end structured and arranged to couple to said mounting element, and a strap coupled to said top end of said tether component, said strap comprising a bottom end structured and arranged to releasably couple to said harness. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , said harness essentially consisting of a belt, said strap of said tether component being looped to provide a releasable link attachment to said harness, said releasable link attachment selected from the group consisting of 1) a releasable closure element on said harness, 2) a releasable closure element on said strap of said tether component, and 3) a combination thereof. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 19 , said tether component comprising a shock absorbing bungee comprising a plurality of coils, said shock absorbing bungee structured and arranged to couple between said top end of said tether component and said strap of said tether component. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21  further comprising an alarm comprising an alarm actuator, said alarm structured and arranged to situate within said coils of said shock absorbing bungee with said actuator in an actuating engagement with said coils.