GB2344047A

GB2344047A - Lifting device for use in a bath

Info

Publication number: GB2344047A
Application number: GB9913500A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Daniel Waller; Anthony Bernard Grace
Original assignee: Sunrise Medical Ltd
Current assignee: Sunrise Medical Ltd
Priority date: 1998-11-27
Filing date: 1999-06-11
Publication date: 2000-05-31
Also published as: GB9913500D0; GB9825934D0

Abstract

A lifting device comprising a base 10 for disposition in a bath; a seat comprising a seat base member 40 and a backrest member; and means for effecting raising and lowering movement of said seat relative to the base; wherein said seat base member is able to be moved relative to the backrest member between an in-use position in which it extends transversely of the backrest member and a further position in which it extends more nearly parallel to the backrest member.

Description

Title: LIFTING DEVICE FOR USE IN BATH Description of Invention This invention relates to a lifting device which is intended to be used in association with a bath and which comprises a seat on which a person can sit to be lowered into and lifted out of the bath as required. Such a lifting device facilitates use of a conventional bath by a person who might be infirm or disabled and for whom conventional entry to and exit from a bath presents difficulties.

A preferred lifting device in accordance with the invention additionally provides for reclining movement of a backrest of the seat relative to a seat base member which lies generally horizontally in use, such reclining movement being able to take place when the seat has been lowered to reach or approach its lowermost position. This enables the user to have his or her upper body immersed in water in the bath to a greater extent than would otherwise be the case.

It is broadly the object of the present invention to provide a lifting device for use with a bath, which is of improved construction and operation compared with such devices as generally known hitherto. Further features and avantages of the lifting device will be more particularly pointed out hereafter.

According to one aspect of the invention, we provide a lifting device comprising : a base for disposition in a bath; a seat comprising a seat base member and a backrest member; and means for effecting raising and lowering movement of said seat relative to the base; wherein said seat base member is able to be moved relative to the backrest member between an in-use position in which it extends transversely of the backrest member and a further position in which it extends more nearly parallel to the backrest member.

The ability of the seat base member to move from its in-use position, in which it extends transversely of the backrest member at an orientation which usually will be more or less horizontal, to a position in which it extends generally parallel to the backrest member, enables a substantial reduction in the volume occupied by the lifting device, which is useful for storage purposes.

Preferably further the base of the lifting device includes a part or parts which is/are movable between an operative position in which the bottom of a bath can be engaged and a further position in which it/they extend generally parallel to the backrest member.

The ability of both the seat base member and the base of the lifting device to move in such a way provides a very great reduction in the volume occupied by the lifting device. It will be appreciated that a bath may be required to be used both by an infirm or disabled person and also by ablebodied persons who do not wish to use the lifting device: it is thus a substantial avantage that the lifting device is able to occupy a small space for storage when removed from the bath.

Preferably the movement of both the seat base member and the part (s) of the base of the lifting device between their in-use and storage positions is pivotal.

Preferably the lifting device further comprises guide means extending upwardly from the base and able to undergo reclining movement relative thereto between a first, generally upright, orientation and a second, more inclined, orientation; a support member which cooperates with the guide means for raising and lowering movement relative to the guide means, and which carries the seat; and actuating means operable to effect said movement of the support member relative to the guide means.

The guide means preferably comprises two elongate guide members which are spaced from one another laterally of the lifting device, and are connected at their lower ends to the base of the device for said reclining movement relative thereto. Preferably the guide members are pivotally connected to the base, and there is spring means for resisting reclining movement of the guide members relative to the base.

The guide members conveniently are channel-section members, e. g. extrusions, with open sides of the channel sections facing one another. The support member preferably is of elongate configuration being disposed between the guide members and having means engaging the guide members to guide the support member for movement lengthwise of the guide members. Such means preferably comprises rotatable members such as rollers, provided at the ends of shafts extending laterally outwardly from the support member to the guide members.

The actuating means preferably comprises an actuator of elongate configuration, connected between the base of the lifting device and a part of the support member remote from such base. Preferably the actuator is a screw type of actuator, operated by an electric motor. By reversing the motor of such an actuator, the actuator may be extended or contracted as required.

A part of the actuator connected to the support member and moving therewith relative to the guide members may include a stop member with which the seat base member is cooperable to limit movement of the seat base member relative to the backrest member and defme the in-use position thereof. The seat base member may then be arranged, in the course of lowering movement of the seat relative to the base, to contact the base of the lifting device and disengage from said stop member to permit further contraction of the actuator causing reclining movement of the guide members relative to the base.

Thus, in effect, there is provided reclining control means which has the effect of retaining the guide means in its first orientation when the support member is raised, and which is operable in response to the seat base member's reaching a lowered position for permitting the guide means and backrest member to undergo said reclining movement.

Alternatively the connection between at least the base member of the seat and the support member may provide for relative movement therebetween from a first, lower, position of the seat base member relative to the support member and a second, upper, position thereof ; and a reclining control means comprises abutment means cooperating to hold said support member in a generally upright orientation relative to the seat base member but to permit reclining movement of said support member and guide means in response to said relative movement between the seat base member and support member when the seat base member is in its lowered position.

Preferably the cooperating abutment means comprises a first abutment member on or associated with the seat base member and a second abutment member on or associated with the support member, said abutment members being engageable to prevent reclining movement of the support member relative to the seat base member when the seat base member is in said first position relative to the support member and disengaging to permit reclining movement of the support member relative to the seat base member in the course of movement of the seat base member relative to the support member towards said second position of the seat base member relative to the second member. Such movement of the seat base member relative to the support member may be caused when, in the course of lowering of the seat, the seat base member is prevented from further such lowering movement by encountering the base of the lifting device or some other obstruction to such movement.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the support member may have associated therewith a further means engaging the guide members, e. g. further rollers at the ends of an additional, lower, lateral shaft, and which is arranged to enter recess means in the base when the support member is at its lowermost position and to remain in such recess means while the guide members undergo reclining movement. Such engagement with the recess means can be used to provide a positive stop for lowering movement of the support member relative to the guide members, after which further operation of the actuating means in the lowering sense causes the guide members to be reclined against the action of the spring means resisting such reclining.

The recess means preferably comprises recess formations which are continuations of the channel sections of the guide members when they are in their generally upright orientation.

To enable reclining movement of the guide members to take place after the recess means have been entered by the further rollers, the shaft carrying such further rollers has to be carried itself by a member which is pivotable relative to the support member, since the latter reclines with the guide members. Such a pivotable member may be carried on one of said lateral shafts extending outwardly from the support member to the guide members, which shaft lies, when the support member is fully lowered, coaxial with the axis about which the guide members are pivotally movable relative to the base. The seat base may then be carried by a member which also is pivotable about the said one of the shafts extending outwardly from the support member.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which : Figure 1 is a perspective view, fi-om the rear, of part of a first embodiment of lifting device in accordance with the invention; Figures 2 and 3 are side elevations of the lifting device of Figure 1, in two positions the device is capable of assuming in use; Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views from the rear of part of a further embodiment of lifting device in accordance with the invention, in two operative positions ; Figures 6 and 7 are side elevations of the lifting device of Figures 4 and 5, in two operative positions; Figures 8 and 9 are perspective views respectively from front and rear of a further embodiment of lifting apparatus in accordance with the invention.

The lifting apparatus shown in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings comprises a base 10 which is intended to be placed within a bath and to rest on the bottom surface of the bath. The base 10 conveniently is a casting of an aluminium alloy. At the rear of the base there are two laterally spaced rearwardly extending limbs 11, 12 provided with respective flexible plastics or rubber "sucker"discs 13,14 respectively, for holding the base in the position in which it is placed in the bath. At the forward end of the base 10 there are two laterally spaced forwardly extending limbs which are not visible in Figure 1 but of which one is indicated at 15 in Figure 2. The limbs as 15 have sucker discs as 16 at their free ends, and are pivotally connected as indicated at 17 to the base 10 to enable them to be pivoted upwardly as required. It will be appreciated that the internal surface of a bath usually is smooth and more or less shiny so sucker discs as 13, 14,16 are able to grip the bath sufficiently firmly to ensure the lifting device does not move under the forces likely to be impose on it in use.

The base 10 has guide means in the form of two laterally spaced guide members 20,21 pivotally connected thereto. The guide members have bosses at their lowermost ends which pivotally cooperate with bosses on the base casting 10: in respect of the guide member 21 in Figure 1 the boss thereon is indicated at 22 and the corresponding boss on the base casting at 23. The corresponding bosses for the guide member 20 are not so clearly visible and are not identified. The pivotal connections provide for movement of the guide members between a first, generally upright, orientation in which they are shown in Figures 1 and 2 and a second, reclined, orientation in which they are shown in Figure 3. The limits of such movement are set by a protruding lug 48 beneath the boss 23 at the lower end of each guide member, engaging in an arcuate recess 50 in the base 10. The pivotal connections preferably have spring means e. g. spiral springs accommodated in the pivot bosses 22 and/or 23 to bias the guide members to the more upright position in which they are shown in Figure 2. The guide members are of generally C-shaped channel section with the openings into the interior of the channel section facing one another, and conveniently are extrusions of e. g. an aluminium alloy.

Between the guide members 20,21 there is disposed an elongate support member 24 which is of generally U-shaped channel section, e. g. conveniently also an extrusion. Two shafts 25,26 extend laterally through the support member 24 and into the interior of the side members 20,21 where the shaft 25 carries rollers 28 and the shaft 26 carries rollers 29. The shafts 25,26 extend through apertures in opposite walls of the support member 24 which are elongated in the direction of the length of the support member; this is clearly seen at 30 in respect of the shaft 25. At its lowermost end, the support member 24 carries an abutment block 31.

By virtue of the shafts 25,26 and rollers 28,29 carried thereby, the support member 24 is guided for raising and lowering movement in the direction lengthwise of the guide members 20,21 while remaining substantially parallel thereto. For effecting such movement, an actuator 33 is connected between the base 10 and the uppermost end of the support member 24: the actuator 33 is a telescopically extendible and contractible device incorporating a screw thread mechanism and driven through suitable reduction gearing by an electric motor 34. The drawings show one part 35 of the actuator at its lowermost end pivotally connected to the base 10 at 36, while the other part 37 of the actuator, moveable relative to the part 35, is pivotally connected to the support member 24 at 38.

A seat is carried by the support member 24: the seat comprises a backrest member which has been omitted from the drawings for clarity but is carried by the support member 24, and a seat base member indicated in outline at 40 which may be upholstered with a waterproof cushioning material. The seat base member has a structural frame 41 which has two laterally spaced plate-like frame members 42,43 through which extend the shaft 26 so that the seat base member is pivotally connected to the support member 24. Spacing members (not shown) extend upwardly from the shaft 26 to the shaft 25 so that the distance between these shafts is fixed. A further shaft 44 extends between the plates 42,43 and carries an abutment roller 45. The abutment roller 45 is positioned to engage the rear face of the abutment block 31 to prevent the support member 24 from pivoting rearwardly in the reclining direction relative to the seat base member 40. On the other hand, relative pivotal movement between the seat base member and support member in the opposite direction is possible, i. e. the seat base member can be pivoted upwardly from the illustrated position until it lies generally parallel to and in front of the support member.

Telescopic extension and contraction of the actuator 33 moves the support member 24 and with it the seat can-ied thereby upwardly and downwardly with respect to the guide members 20,21. The range of movement provided is sufficient to lift and lower the seat base member 40 from an upper position more or less level with the rim of a typical bath and a lower position approaching the bottom of the bath. As the lowermost position of the seat base member is approached, however, the seat base member encounters and abuts the base 10 or any other obstruction which may be in the bath.

Further contraction of the actuator 33 continues to move the support member downwardly (which is possible by virtue of elongated apertures as 30 through which the shafts 25,26 extend) until the abutment roller 45 has cleared the surface of the abutment block 31. When this has taken place, the support member is able pivotally to move rearwardly relative to the seat base member in the reclining direction, and further contraction of the actuator causes this to take place.

Upon extension of the actuator from its fully contracted position, initially the guide members 20,21 and the support member 24 guided thereby are returned to the more nearly upright position shown in Figure 2. Then further extension of the actuator causes the support member and seat carried thereby to be raised.

Referring now to Figures 4 to 7 of the drawings, these show a further embodiment of lifting device which has many similarities of construction and operation to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3. Accordingly those parts of this further embodiment which correspond in form and/or function to parts in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3 will be described only briefly hereafter, and identified by the same reference numerals as previously used but with the addition of 100.

Thus the embodiment of Figures 4 to 7 comprises a base 110, rearwardly extending limbs 111, 112 having sucker discs 113, 114, and forwardly extending limbs as 115 with sucker discs as 116. Pivotal connections 117 are provided in the limbs 115. Guide members 120,121 are pivotally connected to the base at bosses as 122,123. Lugs as 148 engaging in recesses as 150 limit the reclining movement of the guide members.

A support member 124 between the guide members 120,121 carries shafts 125,126 with rollers 128,129 engaging the guide members. In this embodiment, however, the shafts 125,126 do not pass through elongate apertures in the support member 124. An actuator 133 with an electric motor 134 has a part 135 pivotally connected to the base 110 and a further part 137 pivotally connected to the support member 124 at 138.

A seat comprises a backrest member 165 (seen in Figures 4 and 5 only) carried by the support member 124 and a seat base member 140. The seat base member has a structural frame with two laterally spaced frame members 142, 143, through which the shaft 126 extends so that the seat base member is pivotally connected to the support member 124. The frame members 142,143 extend upwardly and rearwardly (when the seat base member is in its horizontal, in-use, position as illustrated) to ear portions 160.

The part 137 of the actuator has clamped to it at its lowermost end a seat stop member 161. This has a laterally extending stop bar 162 which is engageable by the ears 160 on the seat base member, providing an abutment which limits pivotal movement of the seat base member in the clockwise sense, with reference to Figures 6 and 7, about the shaft 126. This establishes the inuse position of the seat when it is raised above the base of the device.

As in the first embodiment of the invention described above, telescopic extension and contraction of the actuator 133 moves the support member 124 and with it the seat carried thereby upwardly and downwardly relative to the guide members 120,121.

Figure 6 shows the seat base member at an upper position which will usually be more or less level with the rim of a typical bath. At the lowermost position of the seat, the seat base member encounters and abuts the base 110 of the lifting device, and such a position is shown in Figure 4. Such contact with the base 110 is arranged so that the seat base member 140 is caused to pivot slightly in the anti-clockwise sense (with reference to Figures 6 and 7) about the shaft 126, so that the ears 160 are moved downwardly away from the stop bar 162 by a small distance. The clearance thus created is sufficient to allow the stop bar 162 to be moved, on further contraction of the actuator, rearwardly and downwardly over the edge of the ears 160 causing the support member 124 and with it the guide members 120,121 and the seat backrest carried by the support member to be reclined. The start of such reclining movement is shown in Figure 5, with the stop bar 162 just clearing the edges of the ears 160.

Ultimately the position shown in Figure 7 is reached, with the guide members 120,121 and parts carried thereby substantially reclined from the relatively upright position.

On extension of the actuator from its fully contracted state, initially the support member 124 and the guide members 120,121 are retumed to the more nearly upright position. Further extension of the actuator causes the support member and seat carried thereby to be raised. The stop bar 162 has reached, before such raising takes place, the position shown in Figure 4 in which it maintains the substantially horizontal in-use position of the seat base member.

Referring now to Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings, these show yet a further embodiment of lifting device in accordance with the invention, which again has similarities of construction to those above described. It comprises a base 210 which has limbs carrying sucker discs as previously described. Guide members 220,221 are pivotally connected to the base at bosses 222,223. Lugs engaging in recesses (not shown) are provided to limit the pivotal movement of the guide members between substantially upright and reclined orientations, as described above in relation to the previous embodiments.

A support member 224 between the guide members carries spaced shafts 225,226, with rollers 228,229 engaging the facing channel-sections of the guide members. An actuator 233 is provided, connected between the base 210 and the upper end of the support member 224, as above described.

The seat in this embodiment comprises a backrest member 265 carried by the support member 224, and a seat base member 240 with a structural frame including two laterally spaced frame members 242,243 which extend upwardly at the rear of the seat base member and are pivotally carried by the shaft 226. The frame members 242,243 are joined by a web 270.

The shaft 226 further carries a member 271 which itself carries a further laterally outwardly extending shaft 272 having rollers 273, 274 at its ends. The rollers 273,274 engage the channel-sections of the guide members 220,221 and at the lowermost position of the support member relative to the guide members enter and are received in recess formations one of which is indicated at 276 in the base 210 and respectively forming continuations of the channel sections of the guide members generally beneath the bosses 222,223. When the rollers 273,274 have entered the recess formation, the shaft 226 is coaxial with the axis about which the guide members are able to pivot relative to the base.

It will further be noted that the web 270 abuts the member 271 to limit downward pivotal movement of the seat base member about the shaft 226.

In the course of lowering movement of the support member 224 and the seat backrest member and base member carried thereby, by appropriate operation of the actuator 233, the engagement of the rollers 273,274 in the recess formations as 276 in the base provides a stop which prevents further lowering movement of the support member. Because the shaft 226 is then coaxial with the pivot axis of the guide members, further movement of the actuator in the same sense causes the guide members and with them the support member cas-yins the backrest member of the seat to be reclined, whilst the base of the seat remains in the same orientation, with the web 270 between the frame members 242,243 of the seat base member abutting the member 271 whose orientation does not change relative to the base 210.

When the actuator is operated in the other sense, i. e. expanded, it firstly moves the guide members and the seat backrest member carried by the support member engaging the guide members to the more nearly upright position, and when such position has been reached further operation of the actuator in the same sense causes the support member to be raised relative to the guide members. The rollers 273, 274 can only enter the facing channel sections of the guide members when the guide members have been moved to their substantially upright orientations, to align with the recess formations as 276 in the base 210.

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 performing 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.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A lifting device comprising: a base for disposition in a bath; a seat comprising a seat base member and a backrest member; and means for effecting raising and lowering movement of said seat relative to the base; wherein said seat base member is able to be moved relative to the backrest member between an in-use position in which it extends transversely of the backrest member and a further position in which it extends more nearly parallel to the backrest member.
2. A lifting device according to Claim 1, wherein the base of the lifting device includes a part or parts which is/are movable between an operative position in which the bottom of a bath can be engaged and a further position in which it/they extend generally parallel to the backrest member.
3. A lifting device according to Claim 2, wherein the movement of both the seat base member and the part (s) of the base of the lifting device between their in-use and storage positions is pivotal.
4. A lifting device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lifting device further comprises guide means extending upwardly from the base and able to undergo reclining movement relative thereto between a first, generally upright, orientation and a second, more inclined, orientation; a support member which cooperates with the guide means for raising and lowering movement relative to the guide means, and which carries the seat; and actuating means operable to effect said movement of the support member relative to the guide means.
5. A lifting device according to Claim 4, wherein the guide means comprises two elongate guide members which are spaced from one another laterally of the lifting device, and are connected at their lower ends to the base of the device for said reclining movement relative thereto.
6. A lifting device according to Claim 5, wherein the guide members are pivotally connected to the base.
7. A lifting device according to Claim 6, wherein there is spring means for resisting reclining movement of the guide members relative to the base.
8. A lifting device according to Claim 5, wherein guide members are channel-section members, e. g. extrusions, with open sides of the channel sections facing one another.
9. A lifting device according to Claim 8, wherein the support member is of elongate configuration being disposed between the guide members and having means engaging the guide members to guide the support member for movement lengthwise of the guide members.
10. A lifting device according to Claim 9, wherein rotatable members are provided at the ends of shafts extending laterally outwardly from the support member to the guide members.
11. A lifting device according to Claim 4 or any claim appendant thereto, wherein the actuating means comprises an actuator of elongate configuration, connected between the base of the lifting device and a part of the support member remote from such base.
12. A lifting device according to Claim 11, wherein the actuator is a screw type of actuator, operated by an electric motor.
13. A lifting device according to Claim 11 or Claim 12, wherein a part of the actuator connected to the support member and moving therewith relative to the guide members includes a stop member with which the seat base member is cooperable to limit movement of the seat base member relative to the backrest member and define the in-use position thereof.
14. A lifting device according to Claim 13, wherein the seat base member is arranged, in the course of lowering movement of the seat relative to the base, to contact the base of the lifting device and disengage from said stop member to permit further contraction of the actuator causing reclining movement of the guide members relative to the base.
15. A lifting device according to any one of Claims 4 to 12, wherein the connection between at least the base member of the seat and the support member provides for relative movement therebetween from a first, lower, position of the seat base member relative to the support member and a second, upper, position thereof ; and a reclining control means comprises abutment means cooperating to hold said support member in a generally upright orientation relative to the seat base member but to permit reclining movement of said support member and guide means in response to said relative movement between the seat base member and support member when the seat base member is in its lowered position.
16. A lifting device according to Claim 15, wherein the cooperating abutment means comprises a first abutment member on or associated with the seat base member and a second abutment member on or associated with the support member, said abutment members being engageable to prevent reclining movement of the support member relative to the seat base member when the seat base member is in said first position relative to the support member and disengaging to permit reclining movement of the support member relative to the seat base member in the course of movement of the seat base member relative to the support member towards said second position of the seat base member relative to the second member.
17. A lifting device according to any one of Claims 4 to 12 comprising further means engaging the guide members and arranged to enter recess means in the base when the support member is at its lowermost position, and to occupy such recess means while the guide members undergo reclining movement from their first to their second orientation.
18. A lifting device according to Claim 17 as appendant to Claim 10, wherein said further means engaging the guide members comprises rotatable members at the ends of a further, lower, lateral shaft.
19. A lifting device according to Claim 18 wherein said further shaft is cas-sied by a member pivotable relative to the support member.
20. A lifting device according to Claim 19 wherein said pivotable member is carried by one of said shafts extending outwardly from the support member to the guide members, said one shaft being coaxial with the pivot axis of the guide members when the support member is fully lowered.
21. According to any one of Claims 17 to 20 wherein said recess means comprises recess formations which are continuations of the channel sections of the guide members when they are in their generally upright orientation.
22. A lifting device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1-3, Figures 4-7 or Figures 8-9 of the accompanying drawings.
23. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.