Elevated Bathtub | The Roll In Bathtub Concept
Making a bathtub accessible for people with disabilities has always been a bit of a quandary. There are walk-in bathtubs but they’re not fully accessible because you have to walk into them. Tub transfer benches get you over the tub but not into them. Bath lift chairs can get you in but you still have to transfer onto and off of them. Kohler has their Elevance bathtub which is pretty neat but again requires transfers. Well what if you could combine a roll-in shower with a bathtub to make a roll in bathtub. Then you have the Elevated Bathtub concept by designers Zhang Jiangpeng and Zou Tao.
Raise The Wall
The Elevated Bathtub consists mainly of a bathtub floor, bathtub sidewalls, and a tower that houses the plumbing and lift mechanisms. The sidewalls would go up and down with a push of a button. When at the bottom, a strong seal would be made with the floor to ensure there is no leakage of water.
Operation
To begin use, the user would move the sidewalls to the top position. Then roll or walk onto the bathtub floor. I would recommend having a shower chair or stool to sit on for those who would not be able stand up from the floor. Once in position the user would then lower the sidewalls and fill the bathtub with water. After bathing the water is drained and the walls come up for an easy exit.
Conclusion
Elevated Bathtub is a very creative way of making a bathtub accessible. Probably won’t ever see the light of day in manufacturing terms but you never know. For more on Elevated Bathtub visit this link. To see more of Zhang Jiangpeng and Zou Tao’s portfolios, visit this link and this link.