Bathtub bumper

Abstract

A bathtub bumper for a bathtub includes a body made of cushioning material having a generally preset shape. The body has a top portion, an interior sidewall portion extending downwardly from the top portion, and an exterior sidewall portion extending downwardly from the top portion. The top top portion, the interior sidewall portion, and the exterior sidewall portion form a U-shaped channel adapted to be positioned on a front wall of the bathtub so that the top portion covers at least a portion of the front wall rim portion, the interior sidewall portion covers at least a portion of the front wall interior surface, and the exterior sidewall portion covers at least a portion of the front wall exterior surface. Optionally, the bathtub bumper can include additional bodies adapted to be positioned on other walls of the bathtub.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bathtub bumper for a bathtub, the bathtub comprising a front wall, the front wall having a front wall interior surface, a front wall exterior surface, and a front wall rim portion connecting the front wall interior surface and the front wall exterior surface, the bathtub bumper comprising:
 a body comprising cushioning material having a generally preset shape, the body having a top portion, an interior sidewall portion extending downwardly from the top portion, and an exterior sidewall portion extending downwardly from the top portion, wherein the top portion, the interior sidewall portion, and the exterior sidewall portion form a U-shaped channel adapted to be positioned on the front wall of the bathtub so that the top portion covers at least a portion of the front wall rim portion, the interior sidewall portion covers at least a portion of the front wall interior surface, and the exterior sidewall portion covers at least a portion of the front wall exterior surface,   wherein the bathtub bumper is removeably positionable on the front wall of the bathtub in a manner that decreases the risk or severity of injuries in and around a bathtub.   
     
     
         2 . A bathtub bumper according to  claim 1  wherein the front wall rim portion of the bathtub comprises a flat portion, and wherein the top portion of the body includes a flat portion adapted to match the flat portion of the front wall rim portion. 
     
     
         3 . A bathtub bumper according to  claim 1  wherein the interior sidewall portion extends from the top portion at a generally preset angle of from about 30 degrees to about 120 degrees and wherein the exterior sidewall portion extends from the top portion at a generally preset angle of from about 30 degrees to about 120 degrees. 
     
     
         4 . A bathtub bumper according to  claim 1  wherein the interior sidewall portion extends downwardly from an interior surface of the top portion at least 0.5 inches so that when positioned on the front wall, at least 0.5 inches of the front wall interior surface is covered, and wherein the exterior sidewall portion extends downwardly from the interior surface of the top portion at least 0.5 inches so that when positioned on the front wall, at least 0.5 inches of the front wall exterior surface is covered. 
     
     
         5 . A bathtub bumper according to  claim 1  wherein the interior sidewall portion extends downwardly from an interior surface of the top portion from about 0.5 inches to about 8 inches so that when positioned on the front wall, from about 0.5 inches to about 8 inches of the front wall interior surface is covered, and wherein the exterior sidewall portion extends downwardly from the interior surface of the top portion at least 0.5 inches so that when positioned on the front wall, at least 0.5 inches of the front wall exterior surface is covered. 
     
     
         6 . A bathtub bumper according to  claim 1  wherein the front wall extends in a longitudinal direction of the bathtub, and wherein the body is sized to cover at least 60 percent of the length of the front wall. 
     
     
         7 . A bathtub bumper according to  claim 1  wherein the front wall extends in a longitudinal direction of the bathtub, and wherein the body is sized to cover from about 70 percent to about 90 percent of the length of the front wall. 
     
     
         8 . A bathtub bumper according to  claim 1  wherein the cushioning material comprises a thermoplastic elastomeric foam that is from about 1 inch to about 5 inches thick. 
     
     
         9 . A bathtub bumper according to  claim 1  wherein the top portion comprises a top surface having one or more drainage channels therein. 
     
     
         10 . A bathtub bumper according to  claim 1  wherein one or more suction cups are provided in a recess in an underside surface of the body, wherein the one or more suction cups are substantially flush with the underside surface. 
     
     
         11 . A bathtub bumper system for a bathtub, the bathtub comprising a front wall and a second wall, the front wall having a front wall interior surface, a front wall exterior surface, and a front wall rim portion connecting the front wall interior surface and the front wall exterior surface, and the second wall comprising a second wall interior surface and a second wall rim portion, the bathtub bumper system comprising:
 a first body comprising cushioning material, the body having a top portion, an interior sidewall portion extending downwardly from the top portion, and an exterior sidewall portion extending downwardly from the top portion, wherein the top portion, the interior sidewall portion, and the exterior sidewall portion form a U-shaped channel adapted to be positioned on the front wall of the bathtub so that the top portion covers at least a portion of the front wall rim portion, the interior sidewall portion covers at least a portion of the front wall interior surface, and the exterior sidewall portion covers at least a portion of the front wall exterior surface, and   a second body comprising cushioning material, the second body being shaped differently than the first body, and the second body having a top portion and an interior sidewall portion extending downwardly from the top portion, wherein the top portion and the interior sidewall portion form a channel adapted to be positioned on the second wall of the bathtub so that the top portion covers at least a portion of the second wall rim portion and the interior sidewall portion covers at least a portion of the second wall interior surface,   wherein the first body is removeably positionable on the front wall of the bathtub and the second body is removeably positionable on the second wall of the bathtub in a manner that decreases the risk or severity of injuries in and around a bathtub.   
     
     
         12 . A bathtub bumper system according to  claim 11  wherein the first body and the second body have a generally preset shape. 
     
     
         13 . A bathtub bumper system according to  claim 11  wherein the bathtub comprises a third wall comprising a third wall interior surface and a third wall rim portion, and wherein the bathtub bumper system further comprises a third body comprising cushioning material, the third body being shaped different than the first body and the second body, and the third body having a top portion and an interior sidewall portion extending downwardly from the top portion, wherein the top portion and the interior sidewall portion form a channel adapted to be positioned on the third wall of the bathtub so that the top portion covers at least a portion of the third wall rim portion and the interior sidewall portion covers at least a portion of the third wall interior surface. 
     
     
         14 . A bathtub bumper system according to  claim 11  wherein the channel of the second body is an L-shaped channel. 
     
     
         15 . A bathtub bumper system according to  claim 11 wherein the interior sidewall portion of the first body extends downwardly from an interior surface of the top portion of the first body at least 0.5 inches so that when positioned on the front wall, at least 0.5 inches of the front wall interior surface is covered, and wherein the exterior sidewall portion of the first body extends downwardly from the interior surface of the top portion of the first body at least 0.5 inches so that when positioned on the front wall, at least 0.5 inches of the front wall exterior surface is covered. 
     
     
         16 . A bathtub bumper system according to  claim 11  wherein the front wall extends in a longitudinal direction of the bathtub, wherein the second wall extends generally parallel to the front wall, wherein the first body is sized to cover at least 60 percent of the length of the front wall, and wherein the second body is sized to cover at least 60 percent of the length of the second wall. 
     
     
         17 . A bathtub bumper system according to  claim 11  wherein the front wall extends in a longitudinal direction of the bathtub, wherein the second wall extends generally orthogonal to the front wall, wherein the first body is sized to cover at least 60 percent of the length of the front wall, and wherein the second body is sized to cover at least 60 percent of the length of the second wall. 
     
     
         18 . A bathtub bumper system according to  claim 11  wherein one or more suction cups are provided in a recess in an underside surface of the first body or the second body, wherein the one or more suction cups are substantially flush with the underside surface. 
     
     
         19 . A method of preventing bathtub injuries, the method comprising:
 positioning a bathtub bumper on a front wall of a bathtub, the front wall having a front wall interior surface, a front wall exterior surface, and a front wall rim portion connecting the front wall interior surface and the front wall exterior surface, wherein the bathtub bumper comprises a body comprising cushioning material having a preset shape, the body having a top portion, an interior sidewall portion extending downwardly from the top portion, and an exterior sidewall portion extending downwardly from the top portion, wherein the top portion, the interior sidewall portion, and the exterior sidewall portion form a U-shaped channel adapted to be positioned on the front wall of the bathtub so that the top portion covers at least a portion of the front wall rim portion, the interior sidewall portion covers at least a portion of the front wall interior surface, and the exterior sidewall portion covers at least a portion of the front wall exterior surface.   
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19  further comprising positioning a bathtub bumper body on a second wall of the bathtub.