1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns a roller mounted seat supported by a dual track bench that is used by a patient to transfer into or out of a shower or bathtub area.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A typical prior art bench is illustrated in FIG. 1. It includes a flat, water impervious seat, two pairs of legs which straddle the edge of the bathtub, and a back. There are several drawbacks to the prior art device illustrated in FIG. 1. In general it is difficult for some patients to slide across the seat due to the friction of the seat itself and the weakness of the patient. In order to keep water from running off the seat and out of the tub it is frequently necessary to make the inside leg slightly shorter than the outside legs. The resulting incline can be hazardous to patients with limited muscular abilities. It is not possible to draw a shower curtain across the bench when in use because the seat interferes with the normal path of the curtain. It should also be mentioned that it is difficult for a patient using a solid seat to clean himself from underneath. Moreover, many male patients experience difficulty with the prior art design because it is anatomically unsuited for the genital region. Finally, the prior art design is generally uncomfortable because of the hard unyielding nature of the material used.
Also of possible relevance is the Shower Trolley which comprises a wheeled seat supported by a rigid bench for use in a tub or shower stall. The shower trolley is available through Sonneville Associates, 8604 Oakwood Drive, Crystal Lake, Illinois 60014.