GB2411830A

GB2411830A - A bath seat adapter

Info

Publication number: GB2411830A
Application number: GB0405419A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roy Nicholas Mcdine
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-03-11
Filing date: 2004-03-11
Publication date: 2005-09-14
Also published as: GB0405419D0

Abstract

Apparatus that allows a bath seat comprising a belt for lifting a bather in and out of the bath that is conventionally attached to a wall and/or floor, to be used with a conventional bath without the need for the bath seat to be attached to the wall and/or floor. Preferably the apparatus comprises a 'U' shaped frame that sits on the rim of the bath where one arm of the frame is attached to the winch mechanism for the belt, whether this be the winch mechanism that was originally attached to the wall or the winch mechanism that is incorporated into a seated platform that is attached to the floor and the opposing arm secures the end of the belt to a safety rail 8 attached to the arm. The frame may be adjustable to fit various sized baths. The arm rest on either side of the bath, brackets 4 and 14 provide stable attachment of the arm to the rim of the bath and the winch/seat platform and may have non-slip flexible pads 13 underneath the arms.

Description

1 241 1830

BELT-BATHER ADAPTOR

This invention relates to a belt-bather adaptor.

Belt-bathers are a specific type of bath seat, allowing a person to raise and lower themselves to the very bottom of the bath. They normally are permanently fixed to the wall and usually the floor adjacent to a bath, being either: a) A wall-mounted motorised winch, having an integrated powered retractable lift belt, and wherein an attachment is provided on the floor at the opposite side of the bath for securement of the lift belt.

b) A wall-mounted motorised winch, having an integrated powered retractable lift belt, and wherein an attachment is provided by way of a hinging 'U' frame resting on the opposite edge of the bath for securement of the lift belt.

c) A seat platform mounted adjacent one side of the bath, the platform having an integrated powered retractable lift belt, and wherein an attachment is provided on the opposite side of the bath for securement of the lift belt to the wall.

Types (a) and (c) can be adapted by way of this adaptor, although attached diagrams relate specifically to the type (c) version.

Type (b) could be adapted similarly, but would not be as stable, due to the hinged frame specific of the type.

The benefits of the invention are: i. To adapt eitlle,: a. v311-mou,te, belt-bather or sea. platform belt bather, whereby no permanent fixing to the wall or floor is necessary.

ii. The adaption is particularly beneficial where a non-supporting wall is adjacent to the bath.

iii. If the adapted belt-bather is no longer needed it can be removed from the bathroom without leaving any building work necessary. Making the aid suitable for short-term use, such as hotels, homecare patients etc. iv. The belt-bather adaptor is width adjustable to suit the varying widths of conventional baths currently in use.

v. The belt-bather adaptor is designed to be universal to suit ether right or left handed bath layouts.

According to the present invention there is provided a 'U' frame specifically adapted for use with a conventional bath, the 'U' frame comprising of a crossbar with width adjustable arms resting on either side of the bath, brackets are provided on one arm to provide stable attachment to the winch or seat platform, and wherein an attachment is provided on the opposite arm for securement of the lift belt.

It is preferable that the lift belt attachment is combined with a safety rail to provide reassurance to the user.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 shows in perspective, a seat platform fitted to the belt-bather adaptor, sited beside a conventional bath with the powered belt taut to accept the user.

Figure 2 shows in perspective, the belt-bather adaptor ready to accept a seat platform.

Referring to Figure 1 the belt-bather adaption comprises of a seat platform 1 placed next to the bath 2, adjusted to the correct height. The seat platform sides have Tee- slots 3 to allow anchorage of adaptor brackets 4, the slots of the adaptor brackets 4 allow the seat platform 1 to be adjusted firmly against the bath side edge. The seat platform 1 has an integrated powered retractable lift belt 5, terminated with a location bar 6 this securely fitted into the lift belt channels 7 of the safety rail 8. The lift belt 5 can be adjusted for tautness by winding the excess belt clockwise around the location bar 6, prior to slotting into the lift belt channels 7. By operating the hand-controls 9 of the seat platform 1, the lift belt 5 raises and lowers a person into and out of the bath 2.

Referring to Figure 2 the belt-bather adaptor comprises of a crossbar 10 with width adjustable arms 11 and 12 protruding left and right. The arms 11 and 12 are bolted to the crossbar through variable position holes, thereby providing necessary width adjustment so that the arms 11 and 12 rest evenly on the bath 2 upper edges. On the underside of both arms 1 1 and 12 are non-slip flexible pads 13, which prevent marking of the bath surface. The safety rail is secured to either the left or right arm 11 or 12 depending on the bath orientation, so that the safety rail 8 is mounted on the wall side of the bath. On the opposite arm to the safety rail 8 is mounted the adaptor brackets 4 and the stabiliser brackets 14. Both the adaptor brackets 4 and the stabiliser brackets 14 have adjustment to ensure the belt-bather adaption can be securely mounted to the bath.

Claims

1. A free-standing belt-bather adaption for use with either a wallmounted belt- bather or seat platform belt bather, adapted for use with a conventional bath, whereby no permanent fixing to the wall or floor is necessary.

2. Specifically, a 'U' frame specifically adapted for use with a conventional bath, the U' frame comprising of a crossbar with width adjustable arms resting on either side of the bath, brackets are provided on one arm to provide stable attachment to the winch or seat platform, and wherein an attachment is provided on the opposite arm for securement of the lift belt.

3. A bath seat substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1-2 of the accompanying drawing.