TECHNICAL FIELD

The presently disclosed subject matter is generally directed to a bathing assembly that can be quickly and easily converted from a shower to a bathtub and vice versa.

BACKGROUND

Shower stalls typically include at least one wall and a planar floor comprising a shower drain. The shower wall and floor create a shower cavity and an opening to enter and exit the shower. A pivotable door or shower curtain is provided across the shower opening to allow easy entry into the shower cavity and to create a privacy barrier. A water-dispensing head and a spigot provide water within the shower cavity. Because shower stalls are not designed to retain a specified volume of water, the floor portion of the shower is generally not suitable to allow a user to take a bath.

Many people prefer to have a versatile space to accommodate a bath as well as shower. As such, shower stalls are often combined with bathing tubs to form a combination stall-tub fixture. The bathing tub is positioned on a bathroom floor and the shower stall is erected around the bathing tub. Water is then either drawn into the bathing recess for a submersion bath or routed to an upper water-dispensing head and dispensed into the shower cavity. However, because bathing tubs typically have at least one side wall extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the bathroom floor across the shower opening, users must step over the steep sidewall of the bathtub to enter and exit the shower. This can be extremely problematic for elderly people, children, and those with disabilities.

R is often an expensive and time-consuming undertaking to convert a shower stall and bathing tub into a single bathtub or shower only. Therefore, it would be beneficial to provide a bathing assembly that can be quickly and easily converted from a shower to a bathtub and vice versa.

SUMMARY

In some embodiments, the presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a bathing assembly comprising a shower base defined by one or more walls. The assembly also includes a bathtub unit defined by interconnected sidewalls and a base that create an upper bathtub edge and an interior with a central opening. The assembly comprises a removable sidewall insert that includes a portion of the top edge of one of the bathtub sidewalls, wherein the insert can be removed from the sidewall to create a sidewall opening defined by two sides and a bottom edge. In some embodiments, the bottom edge of the sidewall opening comprises a drain. Further, the removable insert comprises a retention element (e.g., latch) that cooperates with the drain to retain the insert within the opening, and the retention element can be actuated to release the insert from the bathtub opening upon demand. The term “retention element” refers to any element that can be used to retain the insert within the bathtub sidewall opening.

In some embodiments, the bathtub unit and the shower base are molded together as one unitary pierce.

In some embodiments, the insert includes a mount that cooperates with a hanger positioned on one wall of the shower.

In some embodiments, the mount is configured as a recess.

In some embodiments, the sidewall opening is configured on an entry side of the bathtub.

In some embodiments, the assembly further includes a seal positioned around the edges of the bathtub opening, around the edges of the removable insert, or both.

In some embodiments, the removable insert is configured in a wedge shape that tapers from a top edge to a bottom edge.

In some embodiments, the removable insert has a length of about 10-90 inches and a width of about 5-20 inches.

In some embodiments, the thickness of the removable insert is equal to the thickness of the corresponding bathtub sidewall.

In some embodiments, the retention element is a cam latch.

In some embodiments, the presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a method of converting a bathtub into a shower. Specifically, the method comprises removing a bathtub insert from a sidewall of the disclosed bathing assembly. Removing the insert exposes the sidewall opening to allow for entry into the shower, thereby converting the bathtub into a shower.

In some embodiments, the shower can be returned to a bathtub by repositioning the insert within the sidewall opening and actuating the retention element to lock the insert into position.

