Seating and kneeling appliance

Abstract

What is disclosed herein is a seating and kneeling appliance which is adaptable to and is useful for providing comfort and support to a person who is cleaning a bathtub or assisting another person in the bathtub. The device is fabricated from essentially from plastic and is foldable. In use, the device rests on the outside wall of the bathtub and on the floor to provide support for an individual that is using the device.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A seating and kneeling appliance comprising in combination: 
       (A.) a forward unit of unitary construction having a T-shaped configuration, said T-shaped configuration comprised of  
       (i) a top rest and,  
       (ii) an upper support shaft;  
       said top rest having a bottom, a top surface, a near wall, a distal wall, and two essentially identical opposing ends;  
       said upper support shaft having a seat side and a forward side, a bottom, a top end, and two identical side walls;  
       said top rest being integrally surmounted on the top end of the upper support shaft such that the near wall of the top rest is essentially centered on the upper support shaft;  
       said top rest having an inverted L-shaped construction to provide a deep channel in the bottom of the top rest, said deep channel formed from the top rest near wall and the top rest distal wall;  
       said support shaft having an enlarged opening in the seat side and extending through the forward side and near the upper support shaft bottom end, said enlarged opening providing side interior walls therein;  
       each of the said side interior walls having a side interior wall top end and a side interior wall bottom end and a slotted opening therein that extends essentially from the side interior top end to the side interior bottom end, each said slotted opening passing through the support shaft side walls;  
       (B.) a lower unit of unitary construction having a flat T-shaped configuration comprised of a central support shaft having a U-shaped configuration, a central support shaft front end and a central support shaft back end having a central support shaft top surface, a central support shaft top surface, and identical central support shaft side walls;  
       said central support shaft having essentially identical pad rests mounted integrally, laterally thereon, near the central support shaft front end, each said pad rest being surmounted by pads;  
       said central support shaft having a seat surmounted on the central support back end on the central support top surface, said seat being surmounted by a pad, said seat having a seat front end;  
       said central support shaft having an enlarged opening therethrough, beginning at the seat front end and extending through the central shaft front end, to form two, essentially identical side shafts having front terminal ends;  
       each of the front terminal ends being integrally surmounted by a pin block, each said pin block having a pin block inside surface; each said pin block having essentially centered, and securely anchored therein, a pin, such that when the components (A.) and (B.) are combined, one of the pins is insertable in each of the respective slotted openings in the interior side walls of the upper support shaft, such that said (A.) and said (B.) are connected together, and each is rotational with respect to the other.  
     
     
       2. The appliance as claimed in claim  1  which is fabricated entirely from plastic. 
     
     
       3. A seating and kneeling appliance, comprising: 
       ( a )  a central support shaft having a bottom surface for resting horizontally on a floor adjacent to a bathtub and also having opposite front and rear end portions and a middle portion extending between and interconnecting said front and rear end portions, said middle portion having a top surface and a pair of opposite sides, said rear end portion rising substantially above said middle portion and front end portion;    
       ( b )  a seat surmounting a top of said rear end portion of said central support shaft for receiving buttocks of a user on said seat; and    
       ( c )  a pair of front rests mounted to opposite sides of and extending outwardly in opposite directions from said front end portion of said central support shaft and extending outwardly beyond said opposite sides and disposed below said top surface of said middle portion of said central support shaft such that said middle portion of said central support shaft and said front rests together, being located forwardly of the rear end portion and seat, have a generally T-shaped configuration for receiving the knees of the user on said front rests with the legs of the user supported on the floor and extending rearwardly from said front rests along said opposite sides of said middle portion and opposite sides of rear end portion of said central support shaft, said front rests also having bottoms substantially coplanar with said bottom surface of said central support shaft for resting horizontally on the floor with said central support shaft.   
     
     
       4. The appliance as claimed in claim  3  further comprising: 
       
         a pad surmounted on said seat. 
       
     
     
       5. The appliance as claimed in claim  3  further comprising: 
       
         a pair of pads each being mounted on one of said front rests. 
       
     
     
       6. The appliance as claimed in claim  3  wherein said seat surmounted on said top of said rear portion of said central support shaft is tilted forwardly and downwardly toward said front portion of said central support shaft. 
     
     
       7. A seating and kneeling appliance, comprising: 
       ( a )  a lower unit for resting horizontally on a floor adjacent to a bathtub and having opposite front and rear end portions, said lower unit including a seat on said rear end portion for receiving buttocks of a user on said seat and front rests on said front end portion for receiving knees of the user thereon, said rear end portion rising substantially above said front end portion; and    
       ( b )  a forward unit including    
       ( i )  an upper support shaft having opposite lower and upper ends, said upper support shaft being mounted at said lower end to said front end portion of said lower unit between said front rests thereof and extending generally upright therefrom, and    
       ( ii )  a top rest mounted on and extending laterally in opposite directions beyond opposite sides of said upper end of said upper support shaft and above said front rests on said front end portion of said lower unit such that said upper support shaft and top rest together have a generally T - shaped configuration for receiving the forearms of the user on said top rest laterally outwardly from said opposite sides of said upper end of said upper support shaft and generally above the knees of the user on said front rest of said lower unit.   
     
     
       8. The appliance as claimed in claim  7  wherein said upper support shaft of said forward unit is pivotally mounted at said lower end to said forward portion of said lower unit for adapting said forward unit to undergo pivotal movement relative to said lower unit. 
     
     
       9. The appliance as claimed in claim  7  further comprising: 
       
         a pad surmounted on said seat. 
       
     
     
       10. The appliance as claimed in claim  7  further comprising: 
       
         a pad surmounted on said top rest. 
       
     
     
       11. A seating and kneeling appliance, comprising: 
       ( a )  a lower unit including    
       ( i )  a central support shaft having a bottom surface for resting horizontally on a floor adjacent to a bathtub and also having opposite front and rear end portions and a middle portion extending between and interconnecting said front and rear end portions, said middle portion having a top surface and a pair of opposite sides, said rear end portion rising substantially above said middle portion and front end portion,    
       ( ii )  a seat surmounting a top of said rear end portion of said central support shaft for receiving buttocks of a user on said seat, and    
       ( iii )  a pair of front rests mounted to opposite sides of and extending outwardly in opposite directions from said front end portion of said central support shaft and extending outwardly beyond said opposite sides and disposed below said top surface of said middle portion of said central support shaft such that said middle portion of said central support shaft and said front rests together, being located forwardly of the rear end portion and seat, have a generally T - shaped configuration for receiving the knees of the user on said front rests with the legs of the user supported on the floor and extending rearwardly from said front rests along said opposite sides of said middle portion and opposite sides of said rear end portion of said central support shaft, said front rests also having bottoms substantially coplanar with said bottom surface of said central support shaft for resting horizontally on the floor with said central support shaft; and    
       ( b )  a forward unit including    
       ( i )  an upper support shaft having opposite lower and upper ends, said upper support shaft being mounted at said lower end to said front end portion of said central support shaft of said lower unit between said front rests thereof and extending generally upright therefrom, and    
       ( ii )  a top rest mounted on and extending laterally in opposite directions beyond opposite sides of said upper end of said upper support shaft and generally above said front rests on said front end portion of said lower unit such that said upper support shaft and top rest together have a generally T - shaped configuration for receiving the forearms of the user on said top rest laterally outwardly from said opposite sides of said upper end of said upper support shaft and generally above the knees of the user on said front rest of said lower unit.   
     
     
       12. The appliance as claimed in claim  11  wherein said seat surmounted on said top of said rear portion of said central support shaft is tilted forwardly and downwardly toward said front portion of said central support shaft. 
     
     
       13. The appliance as claimed in claim  11  wherein said upper support shaft of said forward unit is pivotally mounted at said lower end to said forward portion of said lower unit between said front rests for adapting said forward unit to undergo pivotal movement relative to said lower unit. 
     
     
       14. The appliance as claimed in claim  11  further comprising: 
       
         a pad surmounted on said seat. 
       
     
     
       15. The appliance as claimed in claim  11  further comprising: 
       
         a pair of pads each being mounted on one of said front rests. 
       
     
     
       16. The appliance as claimed in claim  11  further comprising: 
       
         a pad surmounted on said top rest.