GB2336528A

GB2336528A - Bath

Info

Publication number: GB2336528A
Application number: GB9808247A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Steven Martin; Neil Edmond Carden; Clifford Vincent Harrison
Original assignee: MEDEQUIP SUB 1 Ltd; Parker Bath Ltd
Current assignee: MEDEQUIP SUB 1 Ltd; Parker Bath Ltd
Priority date: 1998-04-21
Filing date: 1998-04-21
Publication date: 1999-10-27
Also published as: GB9808247D0

Abstract

A bath comprising a bath tub 10; a supporting structure for said bath tub 14; ground-engaging base means 17; elevating means 21 operable between said base means and said supporting structure, for elevating and lowering the supporting structure relative to the base means; bather-supporting means including a bather-supporting member; lifting means carried by said supporting structure, for raising and lowering the bather-supporting member relative to the bath tub and further providing for translatory movement of the bather-supporting member, when in a raised condition, between a first position in which it is disposed above the bath tub and a second position in which it is disposed above the ground alongside the bath tub; and locking means operable upon said translatory movement of the bather-supporting member from its first position above the bath tub, to effect locking of a part of said supporting structure relative to said base means.

Description

2336528 Title: BATH

Description of Invention

This invention relates to a bath.

More particularly the invention relates to a bath which as well as comprising the usual bath tub is provided with a lifting device which can be used for lifting a bather into and out of the bath tub as required. Such a lifting device is typically required to be used if a bather is physically disabled or infirm, such that he or she is unable to enter and leave the bath tub by the normal method of stepping over the side thereof In addition to raising and lowering of a bath er-supporting member such as a scat, the lifting device also provides for a translatory movement of the bather-supporting member, when it is in a raised position, between a location above the bath tub and a location above the ground alongside the bath tub. Thus a bather can sit on the seat when it is in a lowered position alongside the bath tub, and thereafter be lifted, moved to a position above the bath tub, and lowered into the bath tub for bathincy. After bathing, the bather can be lifted, moved from the position above the bath tub to the position above the ground alongside the bath tub, and lowered for leaving the seat.

A bath in accordance with the invention further has its bath tub able to be raised and lowered relative to the ground surface on wlilch it is installed. This facility is desirable so that a person attending on the bather in the bath, e.g. for assisting washing or for certain therapeutic purposes, does not have to bend over or kneel on the ground surface alongside the bath in order to do such things. Such kneeling or bending would not only be uncomfortable for the person having to do it, but is not acceptable as a working condition foisomeone who is employed to do such things.

c 2 It is broadly the object of the present invention to provide a bath having the facilities above set forth, and which is improved in respect of its construction and/or operation. The advantages of the invention will be described in more detail hereafter. According to one aspect of the invention, we provide a bath comprising: a bath tub; a supporting structure for said bath tub; ground-engaging base means; elevating means operable between said base means and said supporting structure, for elevating and lowering the supporting structure relative to the base means; bather-supporting means including, a bather- supporting member; lifting means carried by said supporting structure, for raising and lowering the bather-supporting member relative to the bath tub and further providing for translatory movement of the bather-supporting member, when in a raised condition, between a first position in which it is disposed above the bath tub and a second position in which it is disposed above the ground alongside the bath tub; and locking means operable upon said translatory movement of the bathersupporting member from its first position above the bath tub, to effect locking of a part of said supporting structure relative to said base means. The advantage of the provision of the locking means in a bath in accordance with the invention can be appreciated from a jonsideration of the fact that the bather-supporting means is carried by the supporting structure for the bath tub, and when the bath er- supporting member is in its second translatory position above the ground alongside the bath tub, and particularly when a bather is supported thereby, a laterally-unbalanced load is borne by the supporting structure. In effect, a substantial load is cantilevered out from the supporting structure. Whilst the supporting structure will, of course, be made 0 3 strong enough to bear such loads it will, unless it is made inordinately strong and rigid, be subject to some distortion. Whilst this is not going to affect the structural integrity of the bath and its operation, it may well be unacceptable visually, by giving an incorrect impression of flimsiness. This is of particular significance since a bath characteristically is long in relation to its width, and any twisting distortion as between its head end and its foot end can appear to be very significant.

Preferably the lifting means of the bather-supporting means comprises a lifting pillar which in plan view of the bath is disposed adjacent one end and one side of the bath. The locking means then preferably is disposed at the same end and towards or adjacent the opposite side of the bath.

The elevating means preferably comprises an elevating column which incorporates or is provided with a fluid-pressure operable piston and cylinder device, an electric motor driven actuator, or other poweroperable device for effecting raising and lowering of the support structure relative to the base means. Preferably such an elevating column is centrally disposed at the head end of the bath at which the bathersuppoiling means is provided. For raising and lowering the supporting structure at the opposite end (the foot end) of the bath, there is conveniently a connection by one or more elongate flexible tension elements such as wire cables with further elevating assemblies at the other end of the bath. Alternatively some other form of mechanical connection could be provided.

The locking means may comprise a locking column extending upwardly from the base means ad acent the elevatine, column and on the opposite side j C thereof from the lifting pillar, and a locking element connected to the lifting c) pillar so as to be rotationally moved about the locking column and to have I C locking engagement therewith when the angular movement of the output 0 member occurs to cause said translator---y movement of the bather- supporting member.

4 Conveniently the locking element is a locking collar embracing the locking column, and having an inwardly extending formation engaging with a groove or recess which extends lengthwise up and down the locking column but has a circumferentially extending portion at a lowest part corresponding to the fully lowered position of the supporting structure relative to the base means.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided interlock means operable to prevent at least one of raising and lowering movement of the lifting means of the bather-supporting means unless the bath tub is in its fully lowered position relative to the base means, and any raising and lowering of the bath tub unless the bather- supportin means is in its fully lowered position with the bather- supp oiling member in the bath tub.

These and other features of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating the principle parts of a bath in accordance with the invention; Figures 2 and 3) are simplified diagrammatic perspective views, showing the bath tub in, respectively, lowered and raised positions; Figures 4 and 5 are partly sectioned end elevation and plan views of part of the bath, illustrating the locking means thereof and its method of operation.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, the bath there illustrated comprises a bath tub indicated generally at 10, which has an upwardly facing concavity 11 and a peripheral flange 12 whose outer edge is generally rectangular in plan view and has a downwardly turned peripheral lip 13. The shape of the concavity 11 of the bath tub is one which is specifically designed for bathing by the frail, elderly or disabled, and is known, such a bath being available as the Parker "Sovereign" (trade mark) bath, from Sunrise Medical Limited, Parker Bath Division. The bath tub is preferably made of a plastics material or materials, e.g. a fibre-reinforced plastics material and an acrylic material.

Part of a supporting structure for the bath tub 10 comprises a rectangular frame 14 of elongate metal sections joined together. The supporting structure includes further structural members, not shown or not shown in detail in the drawings: such structural members may include a transverse member 15 beneath and supporting a foot part of the concavity of the bath. Also shown in broken lines in Figure 1 is a peripheral frame beneath the edge of the peripheral flange 12 of the bath tub, and a vertical frame member 16 at one end (the head end) of the bath, extending upwardly from the frame 14 to a frame member beneath the flange of the bath tub.

It will further be appreciated that the bath tub will be provided with water inlet and outlet fittings, not shown, and possibly other devices such as commonly are provided for bath tubs, e.g. a whirlpool device, a spray head, and so on.

The supporting structure and the bath tub carried thereby are able to be raised and lowered relative to a base means which engages the floor or ground surface at the place of installation of the bath. The base means comprises an elongate foot 17 at the head end of the bath which is a metal casting and extends transversely of the bath for substantially its entire width. At the foot end of the bath the base means comprises two pedestals 18 one at each side of the bath with posts 19 upstanding therefrom. A transverse member 20 carried by the frame 14 has openings through which the posts 19 extend so that the member 20 is guided for movement upwardly and downwardly of the posts 19. Linear bearings may be provided here. A telescopic elevatirig column indicated generally at 21 at the head end of the bath has a pail 22 secured to the foot 17 and a part 23 carried by a transverse frame inernber 24. The elevating column 21 incorporates a fluid pressure, e.g. hydraulically, operable ram for telescopically extending and contracting the elevating column and thereby raising and lowering the member 24 of the frame 14 relative to the foot 17.

6 For effecting raising and lowering movement at the foot end of the bath, corresponding to that effected at the head end of the bath, two elongate flexible tension elements, namely flexible wire cables, 25, 26 extend to elevating assemblies at the foot end. The cables are anchored at their respective one ends to the foot 17 from which they extend upwardly and over pulleys 27, 28 carried by the frame member 24, and thence lengthwise of the bath to the foot end thereof at which they extend under pulleys 29, 30 carried in the vicinity of the member 20, and upwardly to be anchored at their respective other ends to abutment members 3 1 at the upper ends of the posts 19. It will be appreciated from a consideration of the arrangement of the cables 25, 26 and the pulleys 27-30 that raisincy and lowering movement of the supporting structure at the C> C1 head end of the bath causes a corresponding such movement of the supporting structure relative to the base means at the foot end of the bath.

For operating the elevating column 21, the bath has an hydraulic power supply indicated generally at 32 and including a battery pack, an electric motor and pump, and a reservoir for hydraulic fluid. Suitable control means therefor will, of course, be provided. Such components may be mounted on a sliding tray or other movable or removable mounting member, to facilitate access thereto for servicing purposes. Such control means provides for raising and lowering of the supporting structure, as required, and also cooperates with interlock means as described hereafter. The control means may include a control panel at the end of a flexible electrical cable, so it can be operated at any convenient location by a person using the bath or by an assistant. As an alternative to the use of a fluid pressure operated elevating column, an electrically driven screw actuator or some other device could be provided.

The bath is further provided with bather-supporting means which, as described hereafter, facilitates entry to and exit from the bath for use thereof by a bather who might be infirm, e.g. through age, physically disabled, or othenvise unable to enter and leave the bath by stepping over the edge thereof.

7 Such bather-supporting means includes a bather-supporting member in the form of a seat 35 with one or two arm rests 36 which may be movable relative to the seat and/or removable therefrom. The seat 35 is carried by a support bar 37 which constitutes the output member of a lifting means comprising a lifting pillar 38 which at its lower end is carried by the frame member 24 at one end thereof, and extends upwardly through an aperture in the peripheral flange of the bath tub at a corner of the head end thereof. The lifting pillar 38 incorporates a fluid pressure operable ram or other lifting device, so that the seat can be raised and lowered, as required, relative to the bath tub. When in its fully raised position, the supporting bar 37 is able to be moved angularly about the axis of its vertically extending part, so that the seat is able to undergo a translatory movement in an arcuate path between a first position in which it is disposed above the concavity of the bath and a second position in which it is disposed above the ground alongside the bath. Lowering of the seat is able to take place when in either of these two positions, with the effect that the scat is lowered into the bath tub (in which position it is illustrated in broken lines in Figures 2 and 3) or lowered to a height at which a bather can sit on or all-ht from the seat outside the bath tub, in which position it is shown in Figure 1. Thus the overall operation of the bather- supporting means enables a bather firstly to sit on the seat when the latter is in its Figure 1 position, be raised, moved to a position above the bath tub, and lowered into the bath tub for bathing. In this position, the supportina structure and bath tub carried thereby may be elevated as a whole to facilitate access to the bather for washing or therapeutic purposes. After the bath tub has been returned to its lowered position, the bather can be raised out of the bath tub, moved to the position alon-side the bath tub, and lowered so as to be able to exit from the seat. Whilst the raising and lowering of the scat relative to the bath tub is effected by a power-operated lifting device in the lifting pillar 38, the angular movement of the support bar 37 when in its highest position does not require the exertion of 8 great force and thus may simply be done manually, although a power- operated actuating device may be provided for this purpose.

It will be appreciated that when the bather-supporting means including seat 35 is in its position in which it is shown in Figure 1, possibly with a bather occupying the seat, an unbalanced load is cantilevered out from the supporting structure of the bath tub, which may cause twisting thereof as between the head and foot ends of the bath tub. It will be appreciated that the bath is relatively long and narrow, and thus a small amount of twisting can seem substantial to the observer and give an undesired impression of lack of strength even though it is in fact more than sufficiently strong for the loads encountered in use.

Accordingly the bath is provided with locking means which is operable upon the commencement of translatory movement of the seat 35 from its position in which it is centred above the bath tub. The locking means comprises a locking column 40 connected to the foot 17 of the base means and extending upwardly therefrom, through an aperture in the fi-ame member 24 and a bush assembly 41 occupying such aperture. An annular locking collar 42 embracin. the column 40 is angularly movable about axlis 433 of the locking column 40, and also is movable lengthwise of the column 40. Thus as the supporting structure of the bath is raised and lowered, the column 40 slides through the bush assembly 41 and collar 42 which abuts the top of the bush assembly. The locking collar 42 has a peg 43 extending radially inwardly into its central aperture which peg engages in a oroove 44 which extends axially of the column 40 and at its lower end leads into a further groove pail 45 extending circumferentially of the column 40 pail of the way therearound. The position of the circumferentially extending groove pail 45 corresponds to the fully lowered position of the supporting structure of the bath, i.e. the peg 43 can enter such groove pail when abutting the bush assembly 41 with the suppoillil(y structure fully lowered. The locking collar 42 is connected by a flexible cable 46 to a member 47 in the lifting pillar 38 which is connected to the support bar 9 37 so as to move angularly with the latter when it thus moves about the axis 48 of its vertically extending part. The cable 46 forms a closed loop and there is adjustment means to ensure that the collar 42 is correctly aligned with the member 47.

Thus as soon as the scat 35 is moved from its position in which it is centred above the bath tub, the peg 43 which has been resting at the bottom of the groove 44 extending up and down the column 40 enters the circumferentially extending groove part 45. The collar is then prevented from any movement up the column 40. Since any twisting of the bath and its supporting structure, in terms of displacement of its head end relative to its foot end, would require a downwardly displacement of the lifting pillar 38 and hence a corresponding upward displacement of the part of the frame member 24 opposite the lifting pillar 38 and on the other side of the elevating column 23, such twisting cannot take place.

It is important for safe operation of the bath in respect of its elevating means and its bather-lifting means that the latter should be able to be operated only when the bath is in its fully-lowered position. Accordingly there is provided interlock means, including a detector in the form of a microswitch 50 carried by the peripheral flange 12 of the bath or a frame part moving therewith. The microswitch 50 is arranged to be operated by the top of the locking column 40, and only when it has been thus operated is a suitable control circuit enabled to control operation of the lifting pillar 38. Similarly a detector such as a microswitch is arranged to detect whin the seat is fully lowered into the bath tub in the position in which it is shown in Figures 2 and 3 3, and only in such condition is a control circuit enabled to cause the elevating column 21 to raise and lower the bath tub and its supporting structure as required.

A fin-ther safety feature is afforded by the provision of means preventing the lowerina of die bather-liffing means other than when the seat occupies one of its c two positions respectively centred above the bath tub and to one side of the bath tub. By preventing the seat from being lowered when it is at an intermediate position above or too close to the edge of the bath tub, a potential hazard of trapping between the seat and such edge is avoided. This may be achieved by mechanically preventing loweruig of the support bar unless it is in an appropriate p'fion, or by an electrical/electronic interlocking device utilising a detector for the osi c) position of the support bar or seat carried thereby and suitably connected in the control circuit for operation of the lifting pillar.

Yet a further safety feature which preferably is provided is a means for detecting the presence of any obstruction beneath the bath tub and the supporting structure therefore in the course of lowering thereof, in order to avoid the danger of trapping or crushing the foot, for example, of a person attending a bather. Whilst preferably the bath tub and its supporting structure are arranged that they do not approach so close to the floor surface on which the bath is installed to present such a hazard, it will be appreciated that such a hazard may exist at the head end of the bath where the elevating column and associated components are provided, and here the frame member 24 may be provided with a detector for detecting the presence of such an obstruction. Such a detector might comprise a movable detector bar, arranged to be displaced if an obstruction is encountered and operating a ni-icroswitch or the like suitably connected Mi the control circuit which controls operation of the elevating means of the bath.

It will be appreciated that modifications may be made without depaifing from the scope of the invention. For example, Uil referring to a'supporting structure of die bath tub, it will be appreciated that pail or possibly even all, of such a structure may be integral with the bath tub.

Whilst the arrangement of wire cables 25, 26 is a very convenient way of transmitting elevating movement fl-om the elevating column at the head of the bath C C1 to die elevatina assemblies at the foot of the bath, it will be appreciated that other c alternative arrangements could be provided. Any appropriate means of connection, e.g. by mechanical linkage, could be utilised.

It will further be appreciated that, whilst the arrangement above described of the locking means of the bath is particularly convenient, other alternative arrangements could be provided. Such an alternative arrangement may be wholly mechanically operated with a suitable mechanical connection to the bathersupporting means. Alternatively, an electrically-operated catch or latch device could be utilised, with the means for controlling operation thereof suitably incorporated in the control circuits of the bath.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for pei-forming the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof

1 12

Claims

1. A bath comprising:

a bath tub; a supporting structure for said bath tub; ground-engaging base means; elevating means operable between said base means and said supporting structure, for elevating and lowering the supporting structure relative to the base means; bather- supporting means including a bathersupporting memberlifting means carried by, said supporting structure, for raising and lowering the bather-suppoi-ting member relative to the bath tub and further providing for translatory movement of the bathersupporting member, when in a raised condition, between a first position in which it is disposed above the bath tub and a second position in which it is disposed above the ground alongside the bath tub; and locking means operable upon said translatory movement of the bathersupporting member from its first position above the bath tub, to effect locking of a pail of said supporting structure relative to said base means.

2. A bath according to Claim 1 wherein said lifting means comprises a Z> lifting pillar disposed adjacent one end and one side of the bath.

1 3. A bath according to Claim 2 wherein said locking means is effective between said supportin- structure and base means at the same end of the bath 0 as said lifting pillar and towards or adjacent the opposite side of the bath therefrom, 13 4. A bath according to Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein said lifting pillar includes an output element which carries the bather-supporting member and which is angularly movable about an upwardly extending axis of the lifting pillar to effect arcuate said translatory movement of the bather- supporting member.

5. A bath according to Claim 4 wherein the locking means comprises a locking column extending upwardly fi-om the base means, and a locking element connected to the lifting pillar so as to be angularly moved about the locking column with said angular movement of the output member thereof, and to have locking engagement with the locking column when such angular movement of the output member occurs.

6. A bath according to Claim 5 wherein said locking element comprises a locking collar embracing the locking column, and having a formation engaging a groove in the locking column extending lengthwise thereof and having a portion extending circumferentially thereof for preventing movement of the collar lengthwise of the locking column.

c) 7. A bath according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the C 0 elevatina means comprises an elevating column incorporating a poweroperable 0 0 C device for effecting raising and lowering of the support structure relative to the base means.

8. A bath according to Claim 7 wherein said elevatin. column is 0 c connected by one or more elongate flexible tension elements with further elevating assemblies at other parts of the bath.

14 9. A bath according to claim 7 or claim 8 wherein said elevating column is centrally disposed at the head end of the bath, at which the lifting pillar is disposed.

10. A bath according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising interlock means operable to prevent operation of the lifting means unless the supporting structure is in its fully lowered position relative to the base means.

11. A bath according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising interlock means operable to prevent any raising and lowering of the supporting structure unless the bather- supp oiling means is in a fully lowered position with the bather-supporting member in the bath tub.

12. A bath comprising: a bath tub; ground-engaging base means; elevating means for elevating and lowering the bath tub relative to the base means; bather-suppoiling means including a bather-supporting member; lifting means for raising and lowering the bather-supporting member relative to the bath tub and further providing for translatory movement of the bathersupporting member, when in a raised condition, betseen a first position in which it is disposed above the bath tub and a second position in which it is disposed above the ground alongside the bath tub; and interlock means, operable to prevent at least one of operation of the liftine, means unless the bath tub is in its fully lowered position relative to the base means, and raising and lowering of the bath tub unless the bather- supporting means is in a fully lowered position with the bather- supporting member in the bath tub.

A bath substantially as hereinbefore described with references to the accompanying drawings.

13.

14. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.