A method of making an article includes mixing a filler material and a polymer matrix material to produce a composite material, introducing the composite material produced by the mixing into a mold of a desired shape, and removing an article having the desired shape from the mold. The resulting article has a water absorption of less than about one percent and the filler material comprises vitreous china.

A bathtub providing safe egress from a slippery bathtub floor has a limited rectangular footprint and an optimized floor space is formed with a substantially planar base with a length and width that define the limited rectangular footprint and a front wall, a back wall, a first side wall and a second side wall integral with and extending substantially vertically upwards from the substantially planar base. Each of the front, back, first side wall and second side wall have minimal wall thicknesses to define the optimized floor space and the front wall has a substantially planar upper apron deck that extends inwardly from an outer substantially vertical front wall surface for a fixed amount in a substantially parallel relation to the substantially planar base.

A bathtub providing safe egress from a slippery bathtub floor has a limited rectangular footprint and an optimized floor space is formed with a substantially planar base with a length and width that define the limited rectangular footprint and a front wall, a back wall, a first side wall and a second side wall integral with and extending substantially vertically upwards from the substantially planar base. Each of the front, back, first side wall and second side wall have minimal wall thicknesses to define the optimized floor space and the front wall has a substantially planar upper apron deck that extends inwardly from an outer substantially vertical front wall surface for a fixed amount in a substantially parallel relation to the substantially planar base.

A bathtub providing safe egress by reducing slide forces extended on a user's feet upon a slippery bathtub floor, has a limited rectangular footprint, and an optimized floor space is formed with a substantially planar base with a length and width that define the limited rectangular footprint and a front wall, a back wall, a first side wall and a second side wall integral with and extending substantially vertically upwards from the substantially planar base. Each of the front, back, first side wall and second side wall have minimal wall thicknesses to define the optimized floor space and the front wall has a substantially planar upper apron deck for a fixed amount in a substantially parallel relation to the substantially planar base.

A bathtub providing safe egress by reducing slide forces extended on a user's feet upon a slippery bathtub floor, has a limited rectangular footprint, and an optimized floor space is formed with a substantially planar base with a length and width that define the limited rectangular footprint and a front wall, a back wall, a first side wall and a second side wall integral with and extending substantially vertically upwards from the substantially planar base. Each of the front, back, first side wall and second side wall have minimal wall thicknesses to define the optimized floor space and the front wall has a substantially planar upper apron deck for a fixed amount in a substantially parallel relation to the substantially planar base.

A water discharge device comprising a water discharge member formed with a slit-like discharge port and a discharge path, wherein the discharge path is formed with a reservoir chamber for holding, as reserve water, water flowing into the discharge path from its upstream side, and is formed with a constricting flow path that sends forth the reserve water in the reservoir chamber to the discharge port, and lateral surfaces on either side of the discharge path in its width direction are formed such that a path width of the discharge path spreads as approaching its discharge port side from its reservoir chamber side, and is formed such that the angle formed by an imaginary line paralleling the width direction of the discharge port and, on the lateral surfaces, a tangent line passing over the discharge port's opening rim is greater than or equal to 45 and less than 90.

A water discharge device comprising a water discharge member formed with a slit-like discharge port and a discharge path, wherein the discharge path is formed with a reservoir chamber for holding, as reserve water, water flowing into the discharge path from its upstream side, and is formed with a constricting flow path that sends forth the reserve water in the reservoir chamber to the discharge port, and lateral surfaces on either side of the discharge path in its width direction are formed such that a path width of the discharge path spreads as approaching its discharge port side from its reservoir chamber side, and is formed such that the angle formed by an imaginary line paralleling the width direction of the discharge port and, on the lateral surfaces, a tangent line passing over the discharge port's opening rim is greater than or equal to 45 and less than 90.

A wall structure for a composite tub includes a surface side for facing an interior of the tub, a polyurethane layer backing and attaching to the surface side, plumbing backing the polyurethane layer, and an encapsulation layer encapsulating the plumbing and backing and attaching to the polyurethane layer so that damage to the plumbing is minimized.

A wall structure for a composite tub includes a surface side for facing an interior of the tub, a polyurethane layer backing and attaching to the surface side, plumbing backing the polyurethane layer, and an encapsulation layer encapsulating the plumbing and backing and attaching to the polyurethane layer so that damage to the plumbing is minimized.

A wall-entry bathtub includes a basin, a shell defining an entryway to allow access into the basin, and an entry wall movable between a lowered position and a raised position, wherein the entry wall is substantially clear of the entryway in the lowered position and at least partially blocks the entryway in the raised position. The bathtub also includes first and second entry wall position sensors configured to sense the position of the entry wall and a controller in electronic communication with the first and second entry wall position sensors, wherein the controller is configured to control components of the bathtub based at least in part on the position of the entry wall.