Mobile Shower Unit

Abstract

A collapsible and portable cleaning unit. The unit is preferably designed to provide a private shower experience that is comparable to a shower experience for a permanent shower installed at a location, such as a bathroom in a dwelling. This inventive shower unit is designed to be fully portable in a self contained collapsed mode that is substantially contained within the overall footprint of the unit. The unit includes a substantial self supporting base structure and a cap that secures to the base structure to protect the internal components and seals for storage. This unit includes a supportive base that has a pan for directing and containing water from the shower. The unit is designed to provide height clearance that is substantially comparable to showers that are in permanent facilities and/or dwellings.

1 . A collapsible and portable cleaning unit comprising:
 a collapsed position;   an expanded position;   a base including a perimeter and a water removal system having an exit opening and at least one exit water path;   a top including a perimeter and a water dispersion system having a dispersion device and at least one entrance water path;   a shower curtain operatively attached to the top; and   a collapsible frame fixed to the base and top, the collapsible frame having a plurality of stanchions, each stanchion including a base end rotatively attached to the base, a top end rotatively attached to the top, and a middle joint spaced between the base end and the top end and configured to positioned the top end proximate to the bottom end for said stanchion when the cleaning unit is in the collapsed position.   
     
     
         2 . The cleaning unit of  claim 1 , wherein for each of the plurality of stanchions the attachment of the base end to the base, the attachment the top end to the top, and the middle joint are hinge joints restricting movement of said stanchion to a plane. 
     
     
         3 . The cleaning unit of  claim 1 , further including
 a joint fastener shaped to lock the middle joint when cleaning unit is in the expanded position;   at least one closure fastener operative between the top and base to secure the top to the base when in the collapsed position; and   a carrying handle positioned on the top.   
     
     
         4 . The cleaning unit of  claim 1 , the frame further including a first stanchion, a second stanchion, a third stanchion, a four stanchion, a first support bar fixed between the first stanchion and the second stanchion and a second support fixed between the third stanchion and the four stanchion. 
     
     
         5 . The cleaning unit of  claim 4 , the frame further including a first rotatable support bar removably attached to the second stanchion and rotatively attached to the third stanchion. 
     
     
         6 . The cleaning unit of  claim 5 , the frame further including a second rotatable support bar removably attached to the second stanchion and rotatively attached to the base. 
     
     
         7 . The cleaning unit of  claim 1  wherein the top further includes an external shell and ribs positioned in the external shell. 
     
     
         8 . The cleaning unit of  claim 1 , wherein the dispersion device is a shower head and the at least one entrance water path is water inlet pipe operatively connected to the shower head. 
     
     
         9 . The cleaning unit of  claim 1 , wherein the top includes a thickness and the dispersion device and the at least one entrance water path are contained within that thickness. 
     
     
         10 . The cleaning unit of  claim 9 , wherein the shower curtain is attached to a portion of the frame positioned within the thickness of the top. 
     
     
         11 . The cleaning unit of  claim 1 , wherein the base further includes a collection cavity positioned to face the top and a substantially planner bottom positioned opposite the collection cavity, the exit opening being a drain in the base and the at least one exit water path is a channel in the bottom extending from the drain to the perimeter of the base. 
     
     
         12 . The cleaning unit of  claim 1 , wherein the water dispersion system, water removal system, shower curtain, and collapsible frame are contained within the perimeter of the base and within the perimeter of the top in both the collapsed position and the expanded position. 
     
     
         13 . A collapsible and portable cleaning unit comprising:
 a collapsed position;   an expanded position;   a base including a perimeter and a water removal system having an exit opening and at least one exit water path;   a cap including a perimeter and a water dispersion system having a dispersion device and at least one entrance water path;   a shower curtain operatively attached to the cap; and   a collapsible frame fixed to the base and the cap, the collapsible frame having a plurality of stanchions where each stanchion includes at least one rotational location positioned to contain the collapsible frame within the perimeter of the base and the perimeter of the cap when in the unit is in the collapsed position and in the expanded position.   
     
     
         14 . The cleaning unit of  claim 13 , wherein each stanchion includes a base end rotatively attached to the base, a cap end rotatively attached to the cap, and a middle joint spaced between the base end and the cap end, the middle joint configured to positioned the cap end proximate to the bottom end when the cleaning unit is in the collapsed position. 
     
     
         15 . The cleaning unit of  claim 13 , wherein the water dispersion system, water removal system, and the shower curtain are contained within the perimeter of the base and within the perimeter of the top in both the collapsed position and the expanded position. 
     
     
         16 . The cleaning unit of  claim 13 , the frame further including:
 a first, second, third, and four stanchions;   a first support bar fixed between the first stanchion and the second stanchion;   a second support fixed between the third stanchion and the four stanchion;   a first rotatable support bar removably attached to the second stanchion and rotatively attached to the third stanchion; and   a second rotatable support bar removably attached to the second stanchion and rotatively attached to the base.   
     
     
         17 . The cleaning unit of  claim 13 , wherein the base further includes a collection cavity positioned to face the cap and a substantially planner bottom positioned opposite the collection cavity, the exit opening being a drain in the base and the at least one exit water path is a channel in the bottom extending from the drain to the perimeter of the base. 
     
     
         18 . A collapsible and portable cleaning unit comprising:
 a collapsed position;   an expanded position;   a top including a perimeter, a thickness, and a water dispersion system having a dispersion device and at least one entrance water path, the dispersion device and the at least one entrance water path being contained within the thickness;   a base including a perimeter, substantially planner bottom, a collection cavity positioned to face the top, and a water removal system, the water removal system having an exit opening in fluid communication with at least one exit water path, the at least one exit water path extending from the exit opening to the perimeter of the base;   a shower curtain operatively attached to the top;   a collapsible frame fixed to the base and top, the collapsible frame having a plurality of stanchions, each stanchion including a base end rotatively attached to the base, a top end rotatively attached to the top, and a middle joint spaced between the base end and the top end and configured to positioned the top end proximate to the bottom end for said stanchion when the cleaning unit is in the collapsed position, and the rotative attachment of the top end, the rotative attachment of the bottom end and middle joint are positioned to contain the collapsible frame within the perimeter of the base and the perimeter of the cap when in the unit is in the collapsed position and in the expanded position   the water dispersion system, water removal system, shower curtain, and collapsible frame are contained within the perimeter of the base and within the perimeter of the top in both the collapsed position and the expanded position.   
     
     
         19 . The cleaning unit of  claim 18 , the frame further including:
 a first, second, third, and four stanchions;   a first support bar fixed between the first stanchion and the second stanchion;   a second support fixed between the third stanchion and the four stanchion;   a first rotatable support bar removably attached to the second stanchion and rotatively attached to the third stanchion; and   a second rotatable support bar removably attached to the second stanchion and rotatively attached to the base.   
     
     
         20 . The cleaning unit of  claim 19 , wherein for each of the plurality of stanchions the attachment of the base end to the base, the attachment the top end to the top, and the middle joint are hinge joints restricting movement of said stanchion to a plane. 
     
     
         21 . The cleaning unit of  claim 20 , further including
 a joint fastener shaped to lock the middle joint when cleaning unit is in the expanded position;   at least one closure fastener operative between the top and base to secure the top to the base when in the collapsed position; and   a carrying handle positioned on the top   the top having an external shell and ribs positioned in the external shell.