GB2429151A

GB2429151A - Bath board

Info

Publication number: GB2429151A
Application number: GB0616180A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Turner
Original assignee: Nottingham Rehab Ltd
Current assignee: Nottingham Rehab Ltd
Priority date: 2005-08-17
Filing date: 2006-08-15
Publication date: 2007-02-21
Also published as: GB0616180D0; GB0516817D0

Abstract

A bath board 2 is disclosed comprising an upper element 4 and two bracket assemblies 6,8 secured thereto, at least one of said bracket assemblies comprising a first hard moulded ridged bracket element 12 and a second bracket element 10 provided with a softer ridged portion.

Description

Bath board The present invention relates to an improved bath board

incorporating an improved bracket means for securing the bath board to a bath.

Bath boards are used by the elderly or otherwise infirm as an aid to bathing.

A bath board is located across a top of a bath to provide a stable surface on which to sit. The user may either remain on the bath board to wash or shower (over the bath) or can transfer from the bath board to a bath seat, placed within the bath, to wash. It is important that bath boards can be secured to the bath to provide stability and to prevent the bath board slipping when in use. Similar apparatus is used for showers and is sometimes referred to as a shower board. References herein to a bath board should be understood to include reference to a shower board as appropriate.

It is known to utilise moveable and lockable brackets to secure the bath board to the bath. Such brackets may conveniently be divided into two categories; those that use two locking points (one to each end of the bath board) and those that use four locking points (two to each end of the bath board).

Generally speaking those allowing four locking points are more useful since they allow, by way of independent adjustment of each bracket, fixing around the curved ends of a the bath and so allow a user to sit as far back as possible. This allows more room for washing, in particular if the user is transferring to a bath seat within the bath. However, each time the board is fitted four separate adjustments must be performed. Not only is this a time consuming task, but it is also not one with which the elderly or otherwise infirm are comfortable in performing.

By virtue of having fewer fixing points, bath boards with two fixing points are preferred as overcoming these difficulties.

Known designs of bath boards having bracket assemblies with two fixing positions incorporate a fixed bracket assembly slidable backwards and forwards. However, such bath boards are only for use suitable within that portion of the bath having parallel sides. To overcome this difficulty it is known to provide a board having bracket assemblies that may be rotated to allow fixing around curves. This gives a similar flexibility of positioning as a four bracket bath board, but with only two fixing points.

It is known for bath board bracket assemblies to rely upon a hand wheel/locking screw. Such bracket assemblies are tightened by hand to lock the bracket down mechanically. Such bath board bracket assemblies feature hard mouldings that incorporate ridged sections so that when locked in a parallel position the bracket assembly is very secure. However, should the ridges be out of line ("an angled position"), that is when a part of the bracket assembly is rotated, for example to account for a curve of a bath, the bracket assembly requires a high degree of mechanical tightening to be secure. For reasons similar to those given for a four bracket board, such a bath board then becomes unsuitable for the intended user namely the elderly or otherwise infirm (for example an arthritis sufferer).

It is an advantage of the present invention that it provides for an improved bath board having two bracket assemblies that may usefully be utilised by the elderly or otherwise infirm.

According to the present invention a bath board comprises an upper element and first and second bracket assemblies secured thereto, at least one of said first and second bracket assemblies comprising a first hard moulded ridged bracket element and a second bracket element provided with a softer ridged portion.

This has as an advantage that when fixed in a parallel arrangement, stability is provided, but also when used in an angled position the hard moulded ridged element will bite into softer ridges portion of the second bracket element thereby providing stability though with less force being required to tighten the bracket elements together.

Preferably the softer ridged portion is provided as an insert in the second bracket element.

Preferably the hard moulded ridged bracket element is fixedly connected to the upper element and the second bracket element is releasably securable to the hard moulded ridged bracket element. Alternatively, the second bracket element is fixedly connected to the upper element and the hard moulded ridged bracket element is releasably securable to the second bracket element.

Preferably the softer ridged portion is formed from an elastomer.

Preferably the second bracket element is releasably secured to the hard moulded ridged bracket element by a hand wheel.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 shows a detail of a bracket assembly; Figure 4 shows the bracket assembly of Figure 3 in an exploded position; and Figure 5 shows a detail view of a third embodiment of the present invention.

Referring first to Figure 1 there may be seen a first embodiment of a bath board 2 in accordance with the present invention. Like parts will be referred to by like reference numerals throughout.

The bath boards 2 shown in the Figures are inverted to show features of the invention. However, references to upper or lower herein should be construed with reference to a bath board 2 in use on a bath.

The bath board 2 comprises an upper element 4 and first and second bracket assemblies 6,8 secured thereto. The upper element 4 may take any suitable form. For example it may comprise a slatted board variant of width suitable for a bath (or shower) or a blow moulded board.

In Figure 1 the first bracket assembly 6 is shown in the parallel position and the second bracket assembly 8 is shown in the angled position.

Each bracket assembly 6,8 comprises an upper bracket element 10 and a lower bracket element 12.

In each of the illustrated embodiments, the upper bracket element 10 is generally elongate and extends across the upper element 4 substantially parallel to an end of the upper element 4, that is laterally. The upper bracket element 10 is moulded from any suitable plastics material. The upper bracket element 10 is provided with an insert of relatively soft material.

Conveniently this relatively soft material is an elastomer. In the embodiment of Figures 2 to 4, the insert 20 is formed as a washer located between the lower and upper brackets. It will be understood that inserts of other shape and configuration are possible.

The lower bracket element 12 is substantially L shaped in which a first limb of the lower bracket element 12 comprises two feet 14. Each of the feet 14 is provided with an elastomeric member 16 having a ridged surface. In use the elastomeric member 16 will be pressed against a wall of a bath (not shown) to provide secure purchase for the bath board 2. The second limb of the lower bracket element 12 is generally planar and includes an elongate opening 18 therein. The second limb of the lower bracket element 12 is further provided with plurality of ridges.

Each bracket assembly 6,8 is completed by means to secure the lower bracket to the upper bracket. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1 a hand wheel 22 is used. In the embodiment shown in Figures 2 to 4 a nut and bolt assembly 24 is used. In each case, a central shaft of the fixing means 22,24 extends through the elongate opening 18 in the lower bracket element 12.

In use, the lower bracket element 12 is moved to position the ridged surface of the elastomeric members 16 on the feet 14 of the lower bracket element 12 in position to contact a bath wall. When the upper and lower bracket elements 10,12 are fixed in a parallel arrangement, stability is provided as the ridges in the elastómeric insert 20 of the upper bracket element 10 are in line with the ridges of the lower bracket element 12. However, when the upper bracket element 10 and the lower bracket element 12 are disposed in an angled position the lower bracket element 12 will bite into the soft material of the insert 20 in the upper bracket element 10 thereby providing stability though with less force being required to tighten the upper and lower bracket elements 10,12 together than is required in known embodiments of bath board.

An alternative embodiment of a bath board 2 in accordance with the present invention is shown in Figure 5. In this embodiment an upper bracket 10 includes an insert 20 formed of a relatively soft material such as an elastomer. The insert is provided with a plurality of ridges 22. The upper bracket element 10 is secured to the upper element 4 by any suitable means such as screws or rivets. It may be seen that the upper bracket element does not extend across the width of the upper element 4. A lower bracket element 12 is provided formed from a suitable hard material, for example formed as a moulded plastics part. The lower bracket element is also provided with a number of ridges 24.

As in the other embodiments when the upper and lower bracket elements 10, 12 are fixed in a parallel arrangement, stability is provided as the ridges 22 in the elastomeric insert 20 of the upper bracket element 10 are in line with the ridges 24 of the lower bracket element 12. However, when the upper bracket element 10 and the lower bracket element 12 are disposed in an angled position the lower bracket element 12 will bite into the soft material of the insert 20 in the upper bracket element 10 thereby providing the stability sought.

Claims

1 A bath board comprises an upper element and first and second bracket assemblies secured thereto, at least one of said first and second bracket assemblies comprising a first hard moulded ridged bracket element and a second bracket element provided with a softer ridged portion.

2 A bath board according to claim 1, in which the softer ridged portion is provided as an insert in the second bracket element.

3 A bath board according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the hard moulded ridged bracket element is fixedly connected to the upper element and the second bracket element is releasably securable to the hard moulded ridged bracket element.

4 A bath board according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the second bracket element is fixedly connected to the upper element and the hard moulded ridged bracket element is releasably securable to the second bracket element.

A bath board according to any of claims 1 to 4, in which the softer ridged portion is formed from an elastomer.

6 A bath board according to any of claims 1 to 5, in which the second bracket element is releasably secured to the hard moulded ridged bracket element by a hand wheel.