GB2197636A

GB2197636A - Device for lifting disabled persons

Info

Publication number: GB2197636A
Application number: GB08627944A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Geoffrey Whittle; David Geoffrey Whittle
Original assignee: Hockley Plate & Metal Co
Current assignee: Hockley Plate & Metal Co
Priority date: 1986-11-21
Filing date: 1986-11-21
Publication date: 1988-05-25
Also published as: GB8627944D0

Abstract

A device for lifting disabled persons e.g. in association with a bath tub, comprises a chair (10) in which a disabled person sits, the chair (10) being connected via a linkage (16) to a lifting means (17), the lifting means (17) comprising a fluid operated actuator which acts between a first fixed base part (18) and a second movable part (19) to which the linkage (16) is secured so that the chair (10) and hence the disabled person can be lifted by pressurising the actuator. An adjustable pump handle 27 may be used by the person in the chair to pressurize actuator. The actuator may comprise telescopic inner and outer members with hexagonal configurations 22, 23 to prevent swinging of the chair about the actuator except at substantially fully telescopic configurations of the actuator parts. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Device for lifting disabled persons.

Description of Invention This invention relates to a device for lifting disabled persons.

According to the invention we provide a device for lifting disabled persons, the device comprising a chair in which a disabled person sits, the chair being connected via a linkage to a lifting means, the lifting means comprising a fluid operated actuator which acts between a first fixed base part and a second movable part to which the linkage is secured.

Thus the chair and hence the disabled person can be lifted by pressurising the actuator.

Preferably the actuator is a hydraulic actuator and manually operable pump means are provided to pressurise the actuator to lift a disabled person.

The pump means may include a manually engageable handle conveniently positioned for operation by a person sitting in the chair, or by a nurse or other attendant person.

Alternatively, or in addition, the position of the handle may be adjustable to facilitate operation of the pressurising means.

The actuator may be a single acting actuator in which case means may be provided to relieve the pressure within the actuator to permit the chair, and hence the disabled person, to be lowered. The relief means may be actuated via a handle suitably positioned or movable to a suitable position for operation by a person sitting in the chair or an attendant person.

The lifting means is particularly suitable for lifting a disabled person into a bathtub. The movable part of the lifting means and hence the linkage and chair may be swingable relative to the fixed part of the lifting means when the chair and hence the disabled person are lifted adjacent the bathtub, to enable the disabled person to be swung over the bathtub. Thereafter the pressure within the actuator can be relieved to lower the disabled person in the chair into the bathtub.

Preferably the first and second parts of the lifting means have coopeating formations which prevent such swinging movement until the first and second parts are relatively moved by the actuator to a release position in which the swinging movement is permitted. For example the release position may comprise a position of maximum or near maximum lift achieved by the lifting means.

In one embodiment, the first and second parts comprise telescopic parts, one of the parts having an external configuration over a major portion of its length which co-operates with the internal configuration of the other part to prevent swinging movement of the two parts. When the two parts are fully, or nearly fully telescoped outwardly relative to one another by the actuator, the portion of the length of the one part which does not have this configuration, permits swinging movement.

For example, the first part may comprise the inner fixed part and may have a hexag'or)al outer configuration over a major portion of its length, and the outer movable second part may have a hexagonal inner configuration.

The first fixed part may comprise a base plate which is adapted to be permanently secured to a floor or plinth adjacent the bathtub for example, although preferably the base plate is adapted to be releasahly secured to the support plate which may be permanently fixed to the floor or plinth. Thus for example in a hospital, support plates may be provided adjacent a plurality of bathtubs, and the base plate engoged with the appropriate support plate to provide the lifting device adjacent a desired bathtub.

The invention will now be described with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE I is a front view of a lifting device in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the lifting device of Figure 1, and, FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the device of Figures 1 and ?.

Referring to the drawings, a device for lifting a disabled person comprises a chair 10 including a seat portion II and a back 12, and arm supports 1 3.

The chair is supported via a linkage 16 on a lifting means 17 which comprises a first inner part 18 and a second outer part 19, the linkage 16 being supported in cantilever fashion.

The part 18 of the lifting means 17 is fixed relative to a base plate 20, the base plate being bolted to a support plate 2 1 which is permanently secured to the floor or a plinth, in a position where the device is to be used.

In the present example, the device is intended for lifting a disabled person in and out of a bathtub which is indicated in figure 1 in dotted lines at 21. The first and second parts 18 and 19 are telescopic, the inner part 18 having a hexagonal outer configuration 22 which co-operates with a hexagonal inner configuration 23 of the outer part 19. Thus as the parts 18 and 19 telescope relatively outwardly, the parts are prevented from rotating relative to one another. However, the hexagonal configuration of the inner part 19 extends over a major portion of the length of the part 18 only, the remainder being of cylindrical configuration as indicated at 24 in Figure 3.

The arrangement is such that when the parts 18 and 19 are fully, or near fully extended, the parts 18 and 19 can relatively swing to enable the chair 10 to be swung from a position adjacent the bathtub 21, over the bathtub. The two parts 18 and 19 are then telescoped relatively inwardly to permit the choir 18 to be lowered into the bathtub 21 to enable the disabled person to bathe.

To achieve lifting and lowering of the chair 10, a hydraulic actuator is provided inside the lifting means 17, which acts between the two parts 18 and 19. The actuator is of the single acting type, which can be pressurised by means of a manually operable pump 26. The pump 26 is operated by means of a handle 27 which is preferably positioned so as to be operable both by a person sitting in the chair 10, or by an attendant person such as a nurse. The handle 27 is moved up and down about a pivot P, the upper position being shown in dotted lines in figure 2 and the lower position being shown in full lines in figure 2, to increase the pressure with the actuator.

As the actuator is increasingly thus pressurised, the two parts 1 8 and 19 of the lifting device 17 will be telescoped outwardly as previously described.

To release the pressure within the actuator, a further manually operable handle 28 is provided, which again preferably extends to a position convenient for operation by a person sitting in the chair or an attendant person.

It can be seen that the support plate 21 is generally triangular to provide a large support area and is secured by a plurality of fasteners 30 to the floor, to give rigidity. As shown, the base plate 20 is bolted to the support plate 21 via bolts 31, although any other releasable connection between the base plate 20 and support plate 21 could be provided.

The chair 10 is of the type including a frame 33 which both supports the back 12 and seat II portions which may conveniently be provided by a polyproplene or other plastic moulding, the frame 33 being connected directly to the linkage 16.

The seat portion 11 has a central opening 34 to facilitate washing the underside of a person sitting in the chair 10.

Many modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

A chair 10 of an entirely different configuration could be provided to suit disabled persons having particular types of disablement. The linkage 16 could be of an alternative configuration, and need not be supported from the lifting means 17 in cantilever fashion as described.

Instead of a hydraulic actuator to act hetween the first fixed part 18 and the second movable part 19, any other fluid operated actuator could be provided.

Any desired means for preventing relative rotation between the parts 18 and 19 as the chair 10 is lifted, may be provided as an alternative to the hexagonal co-operating formations described.

Instead of the handles 27 and 28 extending to positions convenient for both a person sitting in the chair 10, or an attendant person, to operate the pump means and pressure relief means, if desired the positions of the handles 27 and 28 may be adjustable so as to move the handles to any convenient position for example to suit a particular type of disablement of a person sitting in the chair 10.

The lifting means 17 need not be columnar as illustrated and described, but could be of another configuration.

Although the lifting device has been described in relation to lifting a disabled person into a bathtub 21, it will be appreciated that the device may be used for lifting disabled persons for other purposes.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, or a class or group of substances or compositions, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

I. A device for lifting disabled persons, the device comprising a chair in which a disabled person sits, the chair being connected via a linkaqe to a lifting means, the lifting means comprising a fluid operated actuator which acts between a first fixed base part and a second movable part to which the linkage is secured.
2. A device according to claim I wherein the actuator is a hydraulic actuator.
3. A device according to claim I or claim 2 wherein manually operable pump means are provided to pressurise the actuator to lift the chair.
4. A device according to claim 3 wherein the pump means includes a manually engageable handle positioned for operation by a person sitting in the chair.
5. A device according to claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the position of the handle is adjustable to facilitate operation of the pressurising means.
6. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the actuator is a single acting actuator, means beinq provided to relieve the pressure within the actuator to permit the chair, and hence the disabled person, to he lowered.
7. A device according to claim 6 wherein the relief means is actuated via a handle for operation by a person sitting in the chair or an attendant person.
8. A device according to claim 6 wherein the position of the handle for the relief means is movable to facilitate operation by a person sitting in the chair.
9. A device according to any one of the precedinq claims wherein the movable part of the lifting means and hence the linkage and chair is swingable relative to the fixed part of the lifting means when the chair is fitted.
10. A device according to claim 9 wherein the first and second parts of the lifting means have co-operating formations which prevent swinging movement until the first and second parts are relatively moved by the actuator to a release position in which the swinging movement is permitted.
11. A device according to claim 10 wherein the release position comprises a position of maximum or near maximum lift achieved by the lifting means.
12. A device accordina to claim 10 or claim 11 wherein the first and second parts comprise telescopic parts, one of the parts having an external configuration over a maior portion of its length which co-operates with the internal configuration of the other part to prevent swinging movement of the two parts until the two parts are fully, or nearly fully telescoped outwardly relative to one another by the actuator when a portion of the length of the one part which does not have this configuration, permits swinging movement.
13. A device according to claim 12 wherein the first part comprises the inner fixed part which has a hexagonal outer confiauration over a major portion of its length, and the outer movable second part has a hexaaonal inner configuration.
1/1. A device according to any one of the precedinq claims wherein the base plate is adapted to be permanently secured to the support plate permanently fixed to a floor or plinth.
15. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 13 wherein the base plate is adapted to be relessahly secured to the support plate.
16. A device according to any one of the precedinq claims in combination with a bath tub.
17. A device substantially as hereinhefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanving drawings.
18. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein and/or shown in the accompanying drawings.