Bathing device

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The object of the invention is to provide a bathing device which renders more convenient the taking of all the above mentioned types of baths, particularly, but not exclusively, in a domestic environment.
According to the invention we provide a bathing device comprising a cabinet having an upper casing part with an access opening, means at least substantially to close the opening, a seat within the upper part on which a person can sit, and means providing an aperture through which the head of the person can project, and a lower casing part containing a reservoir for water, a heating element, means to supply water from the reservoir to the heating element to generate steam, means to supply water from the reservoir to the interior of the cabinet to wash a person, a holding tank for used water, and means to collect the used water and deliver it to the holding tank.
A heating means may be provided to heat the water in the reservoir or the water delivered from the reservoir for washing.
Control means may be provided to permit of heating air within the cabinet, for feeding water intermittently to a heating element to provide a sauna bath, for feeding water continuously to the heating element to provide a Turkish bath and for feeding water for washing.
Preferably, said control means and/or heating means are provided in said lower casing part.
The lower casing part may comprise a top wall surrounded by a downwardly depending side wall, the top wall having two recesses formed therein one of which provides said water reservoir and the other of which provides said holding tank.
The top wall may have an upwardly projecting part which extends into the interior of the upper casing part and is adapted to provide an electrical supply means to the heating element.
Preferably, the upper and lower casing parts are made as mouldings in suitable synthetic plastics material such as grp.
Preferably, the closure means for the access opening comprises a flexible sheet which substantially closes the opening except for a region which provides the said aperture through which the person's head may project