US 20140325751A1
(19) United States
(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2014/0325751 A1
Hake
(54)
(43) Pub. Date:
PLASTIC RECEPTACLE
(71) Applicant: Delia Hake, Waltham Cross (GB)
(72) Inventor:
Delia Hake, Waltham Cross (GB)
Nov. 6, 2014
Publication Classi?cation
(51) Int- Cl
A47K 3/06
(52) U-S- Cl
(2006.01)
CPC ...................................... .. A47K 3/06 (2013.01)
USPC
(21) Appl. No.: 14/251,687
(57)
............................................................ ..
4/585
ABSTRACT
This invention is a distinctive plastic receptacle or bath. This
bath is made from clear or coloured supple PVC plastic and
(22) Filed:
Apr. 14, 2014
the body of the bath is held upright and in place by a light
weight structure that consists of parts that can be connected
(30)
Foreign Application Priority Data
and taken apart again, so that the bath becomes collapsible.
This means that the bath can easily be folded away and
May 2, 2013
Jun. 14, 2013
Mar. 5, 2014
(GB) ............................ .. GB1307998.3
(GB) ............................ .. GB1310730.5
(GB) ............................ .. GB1404020.8
transported. It is meant to be used as a bath for camping, or
any other temporary use, where such a structure would be
very useful, such a temporary ?sh tank.
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FIG. 4
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FIG. 5
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FIG. 6
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FIG. 7
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PLASTIC RECEPTACLE
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
[0001]
[0002]
[0003]
[0004]
GB 14040208
GB 13197305
GB 13079983
These documents mean that the ?rst patent applica
tion regarding this invention was done in Great Britain on the
2 May 2013.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
[0005] In the UK alone there are over a million campers and
campervan, caravan and motorhome (RV) users and enthusi
asts. The people who like camping already like various gad
gets and pieces of equipment that are specially designed to
make the camping experience more comfortable.
[0006] This invention is a camping bath. A collapsible,
portable lightweight bath designed to be used in tents, caravan
tents, motorhome annexes, utility tents or any other shelter
that affords some privacy, or even just in the great outdoors
during a wild camping experience. It can be taken on expe
ditions, for example, a rally car expedition across several
continents.
[0007] It can also be used as a temporary water tank, for
example when a permanent ?xture, such as pond is being
?xed. The contents of the pond, usually ?sh of some kind can
be kept in the receptacle and kept warm while repairs are
being carried out, by simply adding a small water heater to the
bath as used in most aquariums.
[0008] It is also very useful to bathe vulnerable children in,
on a camping trip, because they ?nd the ordinary facilities at
a campsite daunting and very disconcerting. They often get
very up set and frustrated due to the unfamiliar surroundings.
[0009] Due to the suitability of the materials used in the
construction of the bath, it is also useful when taking pets on
holiday, either to bathe them or just to have them cool down
on a very hot day.
[0010] Even campsites with very good facilities might
seem too far away and that is why a lot of campers have their
own toilets and may well like their own baths as well. On most
campsites, when they get very busy, the hot water might run
out, or there would always be queues and women, especially
do not like using shared facilities very much. (See the March
2013 edition of Camping Magazine, page 30)
[0011]
The only other product on the market that can be
used for sanitation is the camping shower. Though inexpen
sive, the camping shower relies only on the sun in order to
heat up whereas the water for the camping bath can be heated
up in a variety of ways. Using the camping shower is not a
very relaxing experience as it can only take up to 20 litres of
water and once this has gone, the shower and the bathing
experience is over, whether a person has ?nished bathing or
not. There is also a continuing problem with the output pres
sure being too low and so a lot of the time only a trickle of
water is discharged. It is know that some people have even
constructed their own temporary showers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012]
The camping bath can easily be set up and dis
mantled. It can be folded and carried in its own textile carry
ing case, for easy storage and transportation. It can be used
again and again because it is made of lightweight, yet very
strong materials.
[0013]
The structure is strong enough to take the weight of
almost any person. The body of the bath can be made out of
strong supple PVC sheets, which can be transparent, or it can
be suffused with colour, or it can contain patterns on the sides
of the bath, either imprinted or added on later in the form of
temporary or permanent PVC decals or stickers which may
contain suction mechanisms to adhere to the bath.
[0014] Because the bath can contain hundreds of litres of
water, and since it is not, typically, going to be permanently
plumbed in, there needs to be a mechanism for ?lling it with
water. There are several ways of ?lling and emptying the bath.
[0015] The easiest way is to take on 25 litre plastic con
tainer and either pour it directly into the bath, or use a small
12V pump to place inside the container and pump the water
into the bath. Then four, 3 litre kettles of boiled water can be
added to the bath. Since mo st cooking hobs in a tenth have two
hot plates, the water in the bath will be hot enough after about
10 minutes. Because the PVC plastic is so strong the boiling
water can be poured in ?rst if so desired. If the tent has access
to electricity then this can be used to heat up the water.
[0016] There are also many and varied gas and electric
powered small portable water heating tanks available on the
market to either heat up the water in a tent, or caravan or
motorhome (RV).
[0017] Water may also be fetched from the ablution block
or water taps, by using a trolley, of which there are a huge
variety on the market.
[0018] Most tents, (but not those made out of canvas) also
get very hot during the day and so if the water container or
containers are just left in a tent or utility tent then there will be
enough hot water already available for a bath, later in the day.
The water can then just be topped up with a boiled kettle and
so a hot relaxing bath can be enjoyed in the great outdoors
with only the time it takes to make a cup of tea.
[0019]
When emptying the bath, a small 12V pump, either
battery operated or hand-held, or electrical can be used to
pump the waste water back into the containers. There are
several types of these pumps able to do this on the market and
it usually takes 10 minutes or less to empty the bath, as some
of these pumps act quite fast.
[0020] Caravans and motorhomes have hot water already
installed and therefore readily available. They contain only
shower, however.
[0021]
The camping bath consists of a plastic and metal or
plastic only, frame, which sits inside the a supple PVC plastic
container or receptacle in such a way that the frame holds up
the plastic and a rectangular bath is formed.
[0022]
The frame is typically made of aluminium, because
of its excellent qualities but it can also be made from brass or
any other suitable metal that does not corrode easily and is not
too heavy. The frame can also be made out of extruded plastic
such as solid polypropylene or acrylic. If hollow plastic tubes
are used they may not be strong enough to hold the weight of
most people as they climb in and out of the bath.
[0023]
The advantage of using acrylic is that it is very tough
and durable. It may be relatively expensive but it can be
coloured in a variety of colours and so combinations of
coloured PVC and acrylic couldbe very commercial, once the
idea of a having a camping bath is established.
[0024]
The advantage of using aluminium for the frame is
that it is lightweight, yet very strong. The aluminium can be
anodised or preferably powder coated, so that it can also be
made in a variety of colours to enhance its commercial value.
This may make it easier to market the product.
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[0025] The aluminium extruded tubes are held in place by
hard PVC, or polypropylene or any other similarly strong and
suitable plastic, tube connectors or sockets. The aluminium
which heats and fuses the pieces together to form an
extremely strong bond. Other plastic materials use other
tubes either ?t snugly inside these connectors or the connec
tors can be placed inside the aluminium tubes to make up the
[0033] A small pocket of thinner supple PVC may be added
to the inside of the bath, either by welding or by a temporary
welding methods.
frame.
suction mechanism. This is to hold the small 12V pump
[0026] In order to construct the bath the aluminium tubes
are ?rst threaded through the plastic bath’s welded seams
before being either placed inside or outside the tube connec
tors or sockets. Each aluminium tube is no longer than
approximately 50 cm or else the bath may be too bulky to
carry around easily. The tube connectors consist of 389
upright because if it is held upright it is the most effective.
degree sockets, T-junction connectors, clip-on sockets and
bath, that is new. Recent innovations including a portable spa
rounded connectors. When the connectors are inserted inside
the aluminium tubes the bath has an even more elegant
[0034]
Even though portable baths have been made before,
and even though the materials described are not new, it is the
combination of using these materials for a portable rectangu
lar bath in the modern camping environment, including the
ideas of what campers are going to use to ?ll and empty the
bath still utilises the round plastic swimming pool design that
is held upright by air being pumped into it.
appearance. The junctions may be even stronger because the
plastic connectors are now made more compacted, and are
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
also surrounded and therefore protected by the aluminium,
and so are less prone to crack or have a fracture.
[0035] In order to understand exactly what the portable,
collapsible bath consists of, please refer to the following
[0027]
drawings.
If acrylic is used then the tube connectors may be
made in different colours and so the bath can again be made
more colourful. Both the aluminium and acrylic tubes or rods
[0036]
FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating one version or
example of a cut piece of supple PVC;
are resistant to heat and corrosion.
[0037]
[0028]
piece of PVC that is designed to ?t together with the piece of
The rectangular body of the bath may be preferably
made from supple PVC as this material has the best qualities
and is also the most inexpensive. The plastic sheets from
which the body is cut out can withstand boiling water poured
directly onto it, if so desired. It is UV resistant and does not
expand when it is ?lled with water by more than approxi
mately 1 cm outwards when the bath contains around 130
litres of water. When it is emptied the bath returns to its
original size and shape. The thickness of the sheet is prefer
ably in the order of up to 0.75 mm thick. If it is any thicker
than the bath becomes too dif?cult to fold away. Plastic sheets
strips of 1 mm thick are used to form curtains in warehouses
and supermarkets. Sheets of approximately 0.5 cm thick are
used as washing up bowls or tent windows.
[0029] Other materials that may be used for the body of the
bath are plastics that contain textile ?bres embedded in the
plastic, which is usually polyurethane. The problem with
FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating one version of a cut
PVC of FIG. 1, in order to be welded together in accordance
with the present invention;
[0038] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an example of one
version of a 360 degree, hard plastic tube ?tting or connector;
[0039] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an example of one
representation of a hard plastic T-junction tube connector;
[0040] FIG. 5 Is a perspective view of an example of one
version of a hard plastic semi-circular tube connector;
[0041] FIG. 6 is a perspective side view of one version of
how the aluminium tubes or rods ?t into the hard plastic tube
connectors, to form the frame in a manner consistent with the
present invention;
[0042]
FIG. 7 is a perspective side view of the completed
frame as shown in FIG. 6;
[0043] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of one example or
embodiment of a camping bath, containing all the elements of
these types of plastic is that their hydrolysis resistance may be
the previous drawings, which can be made in a manner con
low. What this means is that they cannot withstand heated
water as well as the supple PVC. They are however, very
tough and need not be thicker than 0.5 cm. Other plastics,
where the ?bres are inserted between two layers of plastic
sistent with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
have excellent hydrolysis qualities.
[0030] Whichever plastic is used they can be destroyed by
invention the description will start by looking at the material
which the body of the baht consists of FIG. 1 shows a plan
view of a sheet of PVC that is preferably made of supple PVC
folding the plastic into a point or vertex and then scraping this
pointed part across surfaces like concrete for the supple PVC
or even just synthetic carpets, in the case of otherplastics with
the embedded textile ?bres. It is therefore, important to ?nd a
balance between the strength of the material for the body of
the bath, and the ability to fold it up and pack it away.
[0031] Another advantage of using supple PVC for the bath
is that it can be cut into shapes very easily, by just using a
Stanley knife. It is important not to cut out sharp angles,
however, but to use rounded corners because the supple PVC,
degrades over time where sharp angles have been cut into it.
[0044]
In order to fully understand the area and scope of the
1, or similar plastic, some of which may contain ?bres embed
ded in the plastic sheet. By supple PVC it is meant that the
polyvinylchloride polymer has had plasticisers added to it to
make the plastic ?exible and bendable, yet strong enough to
resist high temperatures of water and soap. It is also very easy
to cut and this can be done using a Stanley knife or similar. As
can be seen in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 the PVC plastic sheet is cut
out in a certain way, showing only one example of this inven
tion.
[0045]
The plastic sheet plan designs 1 and 2 have rounded
[0032] The PVC sheet may be cut into three or more shapes
or parts and these are then welded together to form the body
cut out ?aps or wings 6 and 7.
[0046] It can be seen in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 that when the
corners are cut out of the supple plastic PVC sheet that they
are rounded 15 and not cut out at right angles. This is done to
of the bath. A 6 kW high frequency welding method is used
prevent any weak points forming at these comers, because
This manifests itself as small tears at the comer edges.
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these will eventually result in small tears appearing at the
is going to be welded on the other side of the piece 1 in exactly
corner after some extensive usage.
the same way except that there are two wings 5 cut out and so
[0047] The thickness of the transparent PVC sheet 1 and 2
is 0.75 mm, in this version of the invention, but the thickness
the edges 3 and 5 will now be combined with edge 4. This is
can vary from 0.5 to 0.75 m. If the PVC sheet has a greater
thickness than 0.75 mm the bath would be too dif?cult to fold
away. A balance must be found between the thickness of the
plastic sheet and the ability to fold it up. If the thickness is 0.5
m, it would be very easy to fold up into a smaller shape but
then when the bath is ?lled with water it will expand above 1
cm outwards, even though once the vessel is emptied it will
regain its original shape again.
[0048]
The polyurethane plastic, or any other plastic with
embedded ?bres, are very strong and so the thickness needed
wouldbe from 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm. Some ofthese plastics have
also got excellent hydrolysis qualities in that they can easily
withstand boiling water being poured onto them and pres
sures applied to the plastic at the same time. These are the type
of conditions that the bath would normally be subjected to.
Most of these types of plastic are already made opaque during
the manufacturing process. These types of plastics also would
not expand when ?lled with water because the embedded
?bres keep the bath’s shape completely. However, when a
point or comer is formed they are not as strong as the supple
PVC and will form a hole when the comer is scraped on a
carpet, whereas the supple PVC will only form a hole when
scraped on a hard material like cement. Also, when the supple
PVC is folded it does not retain the folds, whereas these types
done to ensure that the completed structure will have an
extension 17 as shown in FIG. 8. This is constructed so that a
person can lean backwards comfortably and have a relaxing
bath.
[0053] The plastic sheet 1 and 2 and all the wings 6 and 7
must be cut out according to a set pattern so that for example,
the plastic does not cover the tube connectors 11 as shown in
FIG. 4 because this may make the bath too slippery when a
person leans on the structure when they get in and out of the
bath. When the design is done correctly as shown in FIG. 8, it
will also be relatively easy to insert the aluminium tubing ?rst
into the welded plastic sleeves 6 and 7 and then into the tube
connectors 11, 8, 12. The tube connector 13 can be added last
and are just clipped onto the exposed aluminium tube 21.
[0054] In this representation of the invention there are
twenty-eight aluminium tubes, 16, 18 and 20 of ?ve varying
sizes, as can be seen in FIG. 6 and in FIG. 7. The sizes range
from 84 mm to 472 mm. The diameters of the tubes are one
inch or 25 .4 mm and the inside thickness is 18 SWG or 1.219
mm. The aluminium tubing is very robust and can withstand
the weight of almost any person. It is well-known from the
internet and other sources that aluminium is a passive metal
and so does not corrode easily. It merely forms an aluminium
oxide shell and once this has occurred no further corrosion or
of plastic do. They are also more expensive and use a different
interaction with the environment takes place. Even so to pro
tect the aluminium even further, or to allow colouring of the
welding method than that used by the supple PVC.
aluminium tubing, the tubes are subjected to either anodising
[0049] If transparency is an issue the clear supple PVC may
have decals or plastic stickers added to the outside of the bath,
which may stick to the bath panes by way of a suction mecha
product may be made more commercial.
nism. The camping bath is though, primarily designed to ?t
into either a small side room of a large family tent, or more
typically in a utility tent, which has its own privacy built in.
The supple PVC is also manufactured in a range of colours.
The PVC plastic is widely available and is manufactured to
come in large rolls of ?lm or sheeting.
[0050] The plastic sheets 1 and 2 are welded together using
a high frequency welding method. This means that the two
or powder coating. By colouring the aluminium tubes, the
[0055] Anodising the aluminium may lead to cracks form
ing after many uses because the aluminium is going to be
submerged in water, so it preferable that the aluminium is
powder coated. Powder coating increases the resistance to
ultraviolet rays, and corrosion, and also allows dyeing of the
aluminium without causing the paint to form blisters. The
powder is a type of plastic polymer and may have particle size
ranging from 30-50 micrometers. The powder coating con
tains only the powder and a resin or glue, but no solvent like
sheets are overlaid by approximately 1 cm and then the seam
ordinary paint and is therefore less harmful to the environ
is heated when it is subjected to a frequency ranging from
ment because it causes less pollution.
13-100 MHZ and with a machine with a power rating of at
what the very strong seam 19 looks like after it has been
[0056] In order to cover the tubing the powder coating has
a softening temperature of 80 degree Celcius, a melting tem
perature of 150 degrees and is cured at 200 degrees. The ?nal
procedure forms a type of skin so that the ?nished product
welded, is in FIG. 8.
[0051] The ?rst pieces to be welded are the ?aps or wings 6
will have a consistent surface appearance and colour, as well
as a smooth texture, and will also be able to withstand knocks
least 6 kW. Because of the high power rating a three phase
socket is needed for the welding machine. An example of
and 7. These rounded cut out wings are folded over and then
and abrasions. The powder coating is applied electro statically
welded to pieces 1 and 2, respectively. In this representation
before it is cured under heat.
[0057] The tube connectors 8, 11 and 12 in this represen
tation of the invention can be seen in FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG.
5. They are made of a preferably thermosoftening polymer or
of the invention there are six wings on the main plan sheet 1
and two each 7 on the side panels 2, one of which is shown in
FIG. 2. The aluminium tube pieces 14 and 20 will slide inside
these welded ?aps 6 and the aluminium tube pieces will slide
inside the welded ?aps 7 whenever the bath is assembled, as
shown in FIG. 8.
[0052]
To weld together the pieces 1 and 2, the PVC sheet
is ?rst folded along the lines 16 and then the edge 3 is com
bined with the edge 4, in such a way that they overlap by 1 cm
hard PVC, or a thermosetting plastic of some kind There are
many examples of tube connectors in use, but the difference
for this invention is that the connectors must be stronger and
tougher and not be prone to cracking or splitting, or have any
other stress fracture weaknesses, then those used in other
products. Tube connectors used for camping equipment or
before being subjected to the high frequency welding. Care
furniture may be prone to fractures even when they contain
has to be taken so that when these two sheets are welded
strengthening bars 10, as shown in the 360-degree, 9 tube
connector, 8 as in FIG. 3. The aluminium tubes will ?t quite
tightly into the socket 9 so that the structure is strong, but not
together, the ?aps 6 and 7 are situated on the inside of the bath
and not the outside. After this has been done another piece 2
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too tightly so that it cannot be easily taken apart again. The
tube connector or socket, 11 in FIG. 4, is a T-junction type and
this connector will need to be the strongest as it will take most
of the weight of the person, whenever he or she is getting in or
out of the bath. Typically an inner diameter of l 4 SWG would
be suitable to withstand the strain. The rounded sockets, 12 in
FIG. 5 are situated at the back of the bath to ensure that there
are no hard edges as a person leans back in the bath.
[0058] The clip 13 is attached to the tube 18 at the front and
back of the bath for added strength to the overall structure, as
can be seen in FIG. 6 and in FIG. 7. These ?gures also show
how the aluminium tubes ?t into all the connectors to make up
the structure of the bath. Another representation of this inven
tion could include a design where the tube sockets or junc
tions ?t inside the aluminium tubes. The overall effect of this
2. The bath as de?ned in claim 1 consists of thermosoften
ing plastic sheets that are welded together using a high fre
quency welding method to form the body of the bath.
3. The bath as de?ned in claim 1 consists of thermosoften
ing plastic sheets that may contain ?brous material and is
welded together using a suitable welding method to form the
body of the bath.
4. The bath as de?ned in claim 1 contain ?aps or wings that
have been cut out of a supple thermosoftening plastic sheet so
that they may be folded over and welded to the inside of the
body of the bath using a suitable heating welding method.
5. The bath as de?ned in claim 1 consists of a thermosoft
ening plastic sheet that has a thickness of at least 0.4 mm and
is in the range of 0.5 to 1 mm thick and if a thermosoftening
design is that it is very aesthetically pleasing because the
plastic containing ?bres is used the thickness may be in the
T-junction would not be visible anymore, except for a small
black band. This design may be more appealing to the eye and
region of 0.3 to 0.6 mm thick.
6. The bath as de?ned in claim 1 may contain a further
therefore could be more commercial. It may even be give a
stronger structure as the plastic connectors would now be
thermosoftening plastic pocket that is welded to the inside of
the body of the bath, or placed to the inside of the body of the
protected by the aluminium tubing.
bath, has a thickness in the region of 0.5 mm to contain a small
[0059]
pump so that the pump is be placed in an upright position.
7. The bath as de?ned in claim 1 is held upright by a
Even though the materials and manufacturing tech
niques and processes are well known, this invention is about
the combination of using these materials in a completely new
way and in a novel approach, which is not obvious. It is also
about thinking out different ways in which this collapsible,
portable camping bath can be useful and also how it can be
used. For example, how to ?ll a bath that is a temporary
structure, and also how the water is heated in a safe and
harmless way. It is also not going to be an expensive product.
Many other variations, modi?cations and the use of similar
materials, may become obvious, especially once the idea of
using a camping bath is established, but it is intended that they
will fall within the spirit and scope of this invention. The
representation as described earlier is meant to be an example
or illustration only, and as such variations and modi?cations
are intended to be included within the scope of the invention
as de?ned in the following claims.
What is claimed is:
1. A portable, collapsible, rectangular shaped or similar,
bath or receptacle, where the body of the bath is made out of
a thermosoftening plastic sheet, or a thermosoftening plastic
sheet with textile ?bres embedded in it or the ?bres are place
in a layerbetween two plastic sheets, in which a person can sit
and bathe in, whether an adult or a younger person, and the
body of the bath is held upright by a structure that is not part
of the plastic sheet.
structure that contains both rods or hollow tubes and tube
connectors or sockets.
8. The structure with respect to claim 7 is made of hollow
aluminium tubes or solid aluminium rods or any similar metal
that is lightweight, yet strong and does not corrode easily.
9. The structure with respect to claim 7 is made of an
acrylic or Perspex type plastic rods or hollow tubes, or any
similar hard plastic that is very strong.
10. The structure with respect to claim 7 consists of many
parts that can be connected together and then dislodged again,
so that no single part is bigger than approximately 550 mm
long and approximately 150 mm wide.
11. The structure with respect to claim 7 contain tube
connectors or junctions which may be made from any hard
plastic or similar material.
12. The structure with respect to claim 7 contain tube
connectors that are tough enough to withstand the stress or
strain fractures and cracks due to heated water and ultraviolet
light and the full weight of almost any person and is therefore
recommended to have an inner thickness of approximately 14
SWG or even to be solid.
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