Sony files patent for adjustable bathtub
By Marc Perton 
posted April 23rd 2006 11:56AM
posted April 23rd 2006 11:56AM
Sony seems to have
decided that the traditional one-size-fits-all bathtub is ripe for a rethink, so the company has filed a patent
application for a tub that can be reshaped based on an owner's needs. Basically, it works like the detention-level
trash compactor; press a button and the walls of the tub close in or slide out, resulting in a wide and shallow tub, or
a narrow and deep one. We knew Sony was scrapping some lines of business, and
exploring others that might show more potential, but we had no idea they were going in this direction. Maybe Sir Howard just likes to take a good soak, and wants to make sure
he can do so in a brand-loyal manner.
I would be too afraid of the seals springing a leak as this thing moves back and forth...
Turn off all the garbage smashers on the detention level!!
This is good if you have small children and pets that you don't want in a big tub or a fat family member who needs more room in the tub than others.
Or maybe even extra room for a loved one ;)
Sadly, it seems something like this would be a big hit in the US market...
yes bring out all your fat jokes
Fat? What about us tall folks who like to soak? I'm not overly tall (6'4"), but that ain't short, either.
It's nigh impossible for me to fit comfortably in a normal tub.
And, while I'm more likely to just buy an oversized tub rather than some adjustable job like this thing, let's not forget those of us who are large in height, not only those in girth.
Aibo died for this....how sad....how truly sad!
This is an interesting concept. We would hate to be Sony when a child or elderly person is in the bath and accidentally gets stuck or worse. Hopefully Sony is developing quality safety features!
Actually, I think this could have a market for invalids, who can no longer get in and out of a tub, but could use a nice passive soak (showering properly may take more movement than they can manage alone). If this 'tub' could raise to be a perfectly flat surface someone with a walker could transfer themselves to, it would work, perhaps for a lower price than creating a walk-in or roll-in shower.
This has real commercial potential. I'm 6'4" and my wife is 5'2" so a ideal 'family' bath is out of the question. What happens now is that whoever is in the ascendency when we model the bathroom gets 'their' bath and the partner gets to choose the shower.
I think they might have the Japanese market in mind with this too - they LOVE their baths, and this seems like it would fit right into that
What they're not telling you is that this bathtub will ONLY play Bluray discs.
Oh, and just when you thought you were safe from DRM, this baby can detect the use of stolen hotel toiletries such as soap, shampoo, and bubble bath, and upon detection, will immediately drain the tub and render your hot water knob useless.
This is good thinking on their part ... when the PS3 and their iPod challengers bite the dust, they will have something to fall back on.
Most uncomfortable bath ever. Mayve I'm not seeing just exactly how it would work, but it would seem as though all the walls would need to be flat in order to seal, unless they were like an accordian type design. and most people have bathtubs fit right into the walls with the shower, how do the sides stay proper as the bath volume changes?
#2 Bahahahaha!
#11 If you look closely at the diagram, the walls are actually a membrane.
LOL, "...just likes to take a big soak..."
take a shower people. who wants to soak in their own dirt and scumminess anyway?
I can see a whole new angle for horror movies now...
Squished by tub!
Can someone verify this?
I looked up on the US Patent site as well as the link provided by the original authour of the article :
http://www.newscientist.com/blog/invention/2006/04/shape-shifting-bath.html.
He has posted http://tinyurl.com/hche6 as the supposed link to the actual patent app, however it points to a totally unrelated invention.
I couldn't locate any proof that this is in fact a real patent application by the so-called Sony engineer Tetsujiro Kondo.
Now they just need to make a device that moves the walls in your bathroom around so this will fit. I'm another tall guy that finds normal size tubs impossible to use, but from my experience at least, the size of a bathroom is dictated by the length of the tub. This would be of limited value in retrofit applications.
Not even a bathtub post is safe from haters showing up to bash the PS3/etc.
Sort your lives out people and spend more time actually playing the consoles you prefer rather than badmouthing the ones you don't.
Or simply just take your "witty comments" somewhere that it may still not be wanted, but at least expected, like the actual console/blu-ray/DRM posts.
it seems to only adjust width and depth, i didnt see anything on it about length. which means us tall people are still -not- in hot water. it would be handy for the dog, though. as for the safety thing, i think theres a limit to how far it would adjust. like, no closer together (the walls of it, i mean) than 2ft. but, im sure some moron will eventually figure out a way to screw it up and sue for it....:P
C3P0 GET US OUT OF HERE!!!!!!
I think this is a very good idea, but the thing is how big does your bathroom need to be for the biggest setting.