Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

Sanyo Electric Techno Clean Co., Ltd.

Tetsunari Hamada

Masafumi Nishino

Masaru Noro

Toyoki Minamimoto

Minoru Yonemoto

A bathtubis supported by a movable unitthat vertically moves by the driving power of a motor and by rollersrunning on a guide slope. When not used, the bathtubis stored under a tankin a close to upright position, so that the bathing aid occupies only a small space when not used. To use the bathing aid, the movable unitis lowered and, accordingly, the rollersroll down the guide slope. With this motion, the bathtubchanges its orientation from a position where the open top of the bathtubis directed obliquely forward to a position where the open top is directed almost upward. The bathtubis automatically driven by the electrical driving power of the motor; the caregiver has only to make some key operations. Thus, the workload on the caregiver is significantly reduced.

Bathing aid

A bathing aid is designed to reduce the workload on the caregiver in bathing the physically challenged, elderly or similar persons requiring nursing care. The bathing aid is provided with an upward-opening cover for covering the open top of the bathtub except for an opening for allowing the bather to stick their head through. The cover is supported by arms urged upward by gas springs. The upward-opening cover allows the caregiver to stand whichever side of the bathtub and opens or closes the cover without difficulty. Furthermore, the cover's upward-opening structure is advantageous for reducing the installation space because it does not require the additional side space that would be necessary if the cover is constructed to open sideward.

Growing community of inventors

Moriguchi, Japan

Tetsunari Hamada