JP2007307049A - Elevating and lowering device for bathing person - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an elevating and lowering device (lifter) for a bathing person which is applicable even to a small-scale bathroom for a home use or the like and a round bathing service vehicle without needing large-sized and expensive equipment investment. <P>SOLUTION: The elevating and lowering device for a bathing person comprises an air bag 31 arranged inside a bathtub 7 to be expanded by supplying an air pressure to the inside, an air pressure generation source 6 for supplying the air pressure to the air bag, and a mount 32 to be vertically moved by the expansion and contraction of the air bag. The air pressure generation source is a hydrate decomposer for producing water and oxygen by heating and decomposing an oxygen hydrate 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an improvement of a lifter used when bathing a care recipient such as an elderly person or a physically handicapped person in a bathtub, and particularly uses a gas pressure generated when decomposing hydrate such as oxygen hydrate. Then, the present invention relates to a lifting device for bathers that can reduce the labor of a caregiver by raising and lowering a pedestal arranged in a bathtub, and can enhance the safety of bathers.

As a means to reduce caregiver's effort or improve safety when bathing elderly people, physically disabled people, sick people, etc. A lifter is known that hangs a pedestal on which a bather is placed so as to freely move up and down. However, when installing a lifter, a large support structure made of steel and an electric crane are required, so it is not possible to avoid an increase in the size, weight, and cost of the entire device, making it suitable for household use. Absent.
Patent Document 1 discloses a lifter composed of a bag body that expands and contracts by fluid pressure. In this invention, the lifter is placed in the bathtub, and when the bath is taken, the lifter upper surface is raised to a height that reaches the uppermost surface of the bathtub peripheral wall by supplying air and hot fluid into the lifter and inflating it. In this state, the care recipient is placed on the upper surface of the lifter. Next, the fluid is extracted from the lifter and contracted to allow the bather's body to enter the bathtub, and then hot water is supplied into the bathtub.

However, in this conventional example, when the upper surface of the lifter is raised in a state where hot water is filled in the bathtub, most of the hot water flows out of the bathtub due to the lifter whose volume has expanded. Then there is no hot water in the bathtub. Then, the lifter is contracted and the bather is lowered into the bathtub, and then the bath is filled with hot water. Causes it to worsen.
In addition, a pump for filling and removing fluids such as air and hot water into and out of the bag-like lifter is indispensable. Therefore, if this lifter is applied to a bathtub installed in a traveling bath service car, it will be pumped to the service car. As a result, it becomes necessary to secure a space for mounting the vehicle and to secure a power source for driving the pump, resulting in an increase in size and cost of the service vehicle.
JP 2003-102803 A

As described above, the conventional lifting device used to reduce caregiver's labor and increase safety when taking caregivers to bathe, the related equipment other than the bathtub becomes larger and more expensive. Because of this problem, it was not suitable for home bathrooms or in-car bathtubs.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional circumstances, and can be applied to small bathrooms for home use and cyclic bathing service vehicles without large and expensive capital investment. The object is to provide a lifting device.

  Furthermore, in the present invention, as an air pressure generating source for generating air pressure for inflating the air bag, hydrates (ice-like substances in which gas molecules and water molecules are combined) such as oxygen hydrate are heated and decomposed. By using a hydrate decomposition apparatus that generates water and oxygen (gas), a useful gas generated by the hydrate decomposition apparatus, for example, oxygen is injected into the bath water to realize a jet bath, or The purpose is to fill the bathroom with oxygen (gas) to recover the fatigue of the bather and promote blood circulation.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention according to claim 1 is provided with an airbag that is disposed in a bathtub and inflates by supplying air pressure to the inside thereof, and contracts by deflating the air, and supplies the airbag. An air pressure generating source that generates air pressure to be generated and a pedestal that moves up and down by the expansion and contraction of the airbag, and the air pressure generating source heats hydrate that is an ice-like substance in which gas molecules and water molecules are combined. In addition, the hydrate decomposition apparatus generates gas and water by decomposition.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, a part of the airbag is fixed in the bathtub, and the height position of the pedestal is set in an arbitrary amount in the bath water according to the amount of expansion and contraction of the airbag. It is configured so that it can be set to a position.
The invention of claim 3 is characterized in that, in claim 1, the airbag is configured to float on the bath water in the bathtub when inflated.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first, second, or third aspect, the airbag is composed of a plurality of independent units, and the air pressure supplied to the individual units can be individually adjusted. Features.
A fifth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that in any one of the first to fourth aspects, a guide mechanism for stabilizing the raising and lowering of the pedestal is provided.
A sixth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in any one of the first to fifth aspects, the gas constituting the hydrate is oxygen.
A seventh aspect of the invention is characterized in that in any one of the first to sixth aspects, a gas injection mechanism is provided for supplying the gas vented from the airbag into the bathtub.

The invention of claim 8 provides the air bag and the pedestal according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the airbag and the pedestal are provided with a flow space for the bath water to flow in the vertical direction when the airbag and the pedestal move up and down. It is characterized by that.
According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to eighth aspects, the cold water generated by the hydrate decomposition apparatus is supplied to an appropriate position in the airbag.
A tenth aspect of the present invention is that, in any one of the first to ninth aspects, the bathtub is configured by an airbag that expands by supplying air pressure therein and contracts by degassing the air. Features.

  According to the elevating device for bathers according to the present invention, an airbag installed in a bathtub is inflated by utilizing oxygen (gas) generated when hydrates such as oxygen hydrate are decomposed. Since the pedestal for bathers placed on the upper surface is raised, the caregiver's labor when bathing a care recipient without using a large and heavy lifter can be reduced, and safety can be improved. It becomes possible. In particular, it is possible to prevent drowning accidents that are likely to occur when the caregiver takes a look. Therefore, it can be applied to private bathrooms and traveling bathing service cars.

The air bag is composed of multiple units, and the air pressure of each unit can be adjusted individually, so that the posture of the bather riding on the air bag can be adjusted to the optimal state, or the affected area has caused inflammation etc. Other body parts can be immersed in hot water in a state where the water is raised above the hot water surface.
On the other hand, when the pedestal is lowered by extracting and contracting a gas such as oxygen from the airbag, the extracted oxygen or the like can be injected into the bathtub as bubbles for the jet bath. Moreover, the bubble which consists of useful gas, such as this oxygen, can anticipate the effect suitable for mental and physical health improvement of a bather.

In the case of adopting a configuration in which an air bag is activated using an oxygen generator, in addition to an electricity charge for operating the apparatus, there is a cost such as a water charge for obtaining bath water separately. As a result, the running cost can be kept low as much as electricity and water charges can be reduced. The oxygen generator generates noise during operation, but the apparatus of the present invention generates less noise.
In addition, the oxygen generator is a high-pressure gas facility using a cylinder filled with high-pressure oxygen, but the hydrate decomposed by the hydrate decomposer does not become as high as in the case of an oxygen cylinder. Easy to handle.

  In addition, since a part of the gas such as oxygen generated by the hydrate decomposition device is supplied into the bath water to generate bubbles, an expensive device such as an oxygen generator is not required and the cost of the entire system is reduced. In addition, while keeping running costs low, it is possible to realize a jet bath that injects oxygen into the bath water in the bathtub to improve the health of bathers. Moreover, in addition to the original massage effect of the jet bath, mental health and physical health can be improved by requiring care recipients to suck oxygen.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a bathing system including a bather lifting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, description will be made using oxygen hydrate as an example of the hydrate to be used.
The bathing system 1 shown in this figure is decomposed by heating the hydrate tank 3 for storing the oxygen hydrate 2 and heating the oxygen hydrate 2 supplied from the hydrate tank 3 (including placing it at room temperature). And a hydrate decomposition device (air pressure generation source) 6 that generates oxygen (gas) 4 and water 5 having a high pressure, and an elevator 30 that installs oxygen 4 generated by the hydrate decomposition device 6 in a bathtub 7. An oxygen supply pipe (bubble water injection mechanism) 8 for supplying to the gas and an operation switch (not shown) are provided.
In addition, the water supply pipe | tube 9 which jets the water (oxygen water) 5 produced | generated by the hydrate decomposition | disassembly apparatus 6 as washing water vigorously as needed and wash | cleans the inside of a recirculation circuit, the bathtub 7, etc. is provided. Also good.

The hydrate tank 3 is made of a heat-insulating material, and is provided with cooling means (temperature adjusting means) for preventing decomposition of the hydrate 2 as necessary.
The hydrate decomposition apparatus 6 includes a decomposition tank 10 formed of a sealed cylindrical container as shown in FIG. 2 and an oxygen hydrate that is arranged from above and below the decomposition tank 10 and is supplied from the hydrate tank 3. The network 11 on which the rate 2 is placed and the oxygen hydrate 2 placed on the mesh 11 are decomposed by sprinkling hot water (or room temperature water) 12 from the upper part of the decomposition tank 10 to have a high pressure. A water spray pipe 13 that separates water (decomposed water = high-concentration oxygen water) 5 and oxygen 4 and high-pressure water (decomposed water) 5 stored in the lower part of the decomposition tank 10 is taken out and supplied as shown in FIG. A water take-out pipe 14 that supplies the pipe 9 and injects it as washing water; a pump 15 that is connected to the water take-out pipe 14 and pumps out water (decomposed water) 5 stored in the lower part of the decomposition tank 10; Water 5 pumped by 15 A heat exchanger 16 that heats the hot water 12 and an oxygen extraction pipe 17 that takes out the high-pressure oxygen 4 stored in the upper part of the decomposition tank 10 and supplies it to the oxygen supply pipe 8 and supplies it into the bath water in the bathtub 7. And.

Prior to the start of the decomposition treatment, tap water or the like may be filled in the decomposition tank 10 in advance, and the tap water or the like may be pumped up by the pump 15 and used for watering from the sprinkler pipe 13 in the initial stage of operation. .
In addition, you may comprise so that the bath water in a bathtub may be supplied in the decomposition tank 10 from the water spray pipe 13, and the oxygen hydrate 2 may be decomposed | disassembled.

The hot water 12 heated by the heat exchanger 16 is jetted from the water spray pipe 13 into the decomposition tank 10 by the discharge force of the pump 15.
By operating an operation switch (not shown) with the oxygen hydrate 2 supplied from the hydrate tank 3 placed on the net 11 in the decomposition tank 10, the pump 15 and the heat exchanger 16 are started to operate. And start producing water. Prior to the start of the decomposition process, the water 5 (or tap water previously charged) stored in the lower part of the decomposition tank 10 by natural decomposition due to the outside temperature is pumped out by the pump 15 and heated by the heat exchanger 16. Water is sprinkled from the sprinkling pipe 13 into the decomposition tank 10 as hot water 12 to promote the decomposition of the oxygen hydrate 2, and the decomposition tank is passed through a route of oxygen extraction pipe 17 → oxygen supply pipe 8 → tub 7 (elevating device 30). Oxygen 4 having a high pressure stored in the upper part of 10 is supplied to the lifting device 30 in the bathtub 7. Alternatively, oxygen 4 is supplied into the bath water to generate bubbles in the bath water to enable a jet bath. Separately from this operation, the water 5 having a high pressure obtained by the decomposition treatment is taken out through the water extraction pipe 14, and the water is sprayed through the water supply pipe 9 so that it can be reheated and the inside of the tub, It can also be washed.

  FIG. 3 is a detailed configuration explanatory view of a bathing system including an elevating device. The elevating device 30 is expanded and filled by fixing a part (bottom part) in the bathtub 7 and supplying air pressure therein. Air bag 31 that contracts by extracting air, hydrate decomposition device 6 as an air pressure generation source that generates air pressure to be supplied into air bag 31, and nursing care that moves up and down by inflation and contraction of air bag 31 A pedestal 32 for mounting a person (a bather), an operation switch (not shown), and the like.

The airbag 31 is a bellows-type bag made of a flexible material having sufficient heat resistance and durability, such as rubber and vinyl, and is inflated by the pressure of oxygen supplied from the hydrate decomposition apparatus 6. It is comprised so that the base 32 fixed to the upper surface may be raised (air jack). By opening and closing the valve 8a disposed in the middle of the oxygen supply pipe 8, the amount of oxygen supplied to the airbag 31, that is, the oxygen pressure in the airbag is adjusted. In addition, in order to stabilize the track | orbit at the time of the base 32 moving up and down, you may arrange | position the pantograph type and other guide mechanisms 35 between the bottom part of a bathtub and a base as needed.
In addition, you may utilize the upper surface of airbag 31 itself as a base, without providing the special base 32. FIG.

  When the pedestal 32 is a member different from the airbag, the pedestal 32 may be fixed to the upper surface of the airbag or may be configured to be separable. In addition, it is preferable to use a non-slip material. If the pedestal is made of a material with a certain degree of hardness, the body balance of the bather is stabilized and the bath can be taken with peace of mind. In short, it is preferable to devise so that the bather can easily sit by devising the thickness, surface shape, and material of the pedestal. For example, by allowing the base portion corresponding to the bather's head to protrude in a pillow shape in advance, bathing in a comfortable and comfortable posture is possible even for bedridden care recipients.

  Further, an oxygen extraction pipe 40 for lowering the pedestal 32 by extracting oxygen from the air bag 31 is connected to an appropriate position of the air bag 31, and oxygen is extracted by opening and closing a valve 40a provided in the middle of the air extraction pipe 40. The height can be adjusted while adjusting the amount and lowering the pedestal 32. The oxygen vented from the vent pipe 40 may be released into the bathroom, or may be connected to a jet pipe 41 for a jet bath, which will be described later, and injected into the bath water in the bathtub. The exhaust pipe 40, the valve 40a, and the injection pipe 41 constitute a gas (oxygen) injection mechanism.

  By operating an operation switch (not shown), each of the valves 8a and 40a can be controlled to arbitrarily adjust the inflation (amount) and the deflation (amount) of the airbag. As the operation switch, a switch that can be operated by the bather itself may be provided in addition to the switch that is mainly operated by the caregiver. Further, an emergency switch for inflating or deflating the airbag in an emergency is provided as necessary.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the oxygen hydrate 2 stored in the hydrate tank 3 is supplied to the hydrate decomposition device 6 for decomposition, and the oxygen 4 having a high pressure generated in the decomposition process is bathed. 7 is supplied and inflated in the air bag 31 to adjust the height position of the pedestal 32 so that the caregiver P on the pedestal enters and leaves the bathtub and reduces the caregiver's labor during bathing. Like to do. Furthermore, the safety of the body can be increased by ensuring the stability of the body when taking caregivers into and out of the bathtub and during bathing.

  That is, the caregiver assists the care recipient after opening the valve 8a and raising the pedestal 32 to a high position by operating the operation switch when placing the care recipient in the bathtub. After being transferred onto the pedestal 32, the valve 40a is opened and the airbag 31 is contracted to lower the pedestal 32 so that bathing is possible. The height position of the care recipient during bathing, that is, the immersion state of the body in the bath water can be arbitrarily adjusted by adjusting the valves 8a and 40a to change the air pressure in the airbag. When the care recipient is taken out of the bath after bathing, the valve 8a is opened to increase the internal pressure in the airbag 31, the pedestal 32 is raised, and the caregiver assists after stopping at the most comfortable height. Take it out of the bathtub.

  It should be noted that by configuring the air bag 31 so that the volume when the air bag 31 is inflated is minimized, it is considered that hot water in the bathtub does not flow out of the layer due to the air bag inflating. Specifically, for example, the airbag is formed of an annular bag body, and the lower surface of the base 32 is supported by the upper surface of the annular bag body. By configuring in this way, the amount of hot water when the pedestal 32 carrying the care recipient P is lowered to the bottom of the bathtub is too small and the care recipient's body is exposed to the air and feels cold. The trouble of breaking down is lost.

Alternatively, the airbag is composed of a plurality of columnar bodies extending in the vertical direction, and a space (flow space) in which the hot water can flow in the vertical direction is formed between the columnar bodies, so that the hot water is removed from the bathtub when the pedestal is raised and lowered. It can prevent overflowing.
Alternatively, the airbag and the pedestal are provided with a large number of holes (flow spaces) extending vertically so that hot water flows in the vertical direction through the holes. If comprised in this way, since the hot water in a bathtub will move in a hole when raising and lowering the airbag and base in a raise position, it will not overflow from a bathtub.

  In addition, by configuring so that the cold water 5 generated by the hydrate decomposition apparatus 6 can be supplied and stored (or circulated) only locally in the airbag 31, a specific part of the body of the bather, for example, only the head Can be cooled. Specifically, the cold water 5 generated by the hydrate decomposition apparatus 6 is configured to be supplied to a cold water supply path (not shown) disposed inside (or outside) the airbag 31 via the water extraction pipe 14. At the same time, cold water is supplied from the cold water supply path to a cold water reservoir provided at a specific portion of the airbag corresponding to the pillow portion, and only the temperature of the pillow portion is lowered.

  Further, in this embodiment, the airbag inflated by oxygen does not always float on the bath water due to buoyancy, but the height position of the base 32 in the bath water according to the weight of the bather and the oxygen pressure to be filled. Therefore, the height position of the pedestal 32 in the bath water can be adjusted to the optimum and safe state according to the difference in the physical condition of the care recipient.

The lifting device of the present invention can be applied to a small bathroom for home use or a traveling bath service car without large and expensive capital investment. Furthermore, it can be used not only for business purposes such as public baths and hot spring facilities, but also for medical purposes in hospitals and the like.
In addition, the lifting device of the present invention is used not only for bathing elderly people, disabled people, sick people, etc., but also for bathing so that the injured part does not touch the bath water when bathing a person who is injured at a specific part of the body. It is also suitable in the case of making it.
In addition, in preparation for emergencies such as when the bather is drowning or feeling uncomfortable, the airbag is rapidly inflated to raise the pedestal and raise the bather from the hot water (not shown) You may make it arrange | position an emergency switch in the proper place of a bathtub.

Furthermore, the air bag is composed of a plurality of units, and the air pressure of each unit can be adjusted individually, so that the height position of the upper surface of a specific unit is different, and the body is straddled over each unit. It is also possible to optimize the posture of the person in need of care. For example, it is possible to adjust the height position of each unit so that the head can be raised, the upper body can be raised, the legs can be raised, or the bath can be bathed in a horizontal or supine posture.
As the unit, an arbitrary shape such as a columnar body (for example, a honeycomb body) extending in the vertical direction, a rectangular parallelepiped, or the like can be assumed. Alternatively, the portion where the head abuts in accordance with the shape of the human body is configured in a pillow shape, and the shape of each unit is made different so that other portions can be easily seated or lying down.
When the airbag is composed of a plurality of units, the pedestal arranged on the upper surface of the airbag may be divided for each unit, and when the pedestal is composed of a flexible material, the pedestal is formed on the upper surface of all the units. A single pedestal may be additionally provided.

Furthermore, when a person who cannot place the leg in the bath due to inflammation of the local part of the body, for example, the leg, takes only the air pressure of the unit in the position corresponding to the leg when taking a bath. It can also be configured so that the legs are raised above the surface of the hot water so that it is higher than the unit, and the affected area is not immersed in the hot water.
In addition, by supplying a part of hot water in the bathtub to the oxygen hydrate in the hydrate decomposition apparatus 6 to promote decomposition, the generation of oxygen can be promoted and the rising speed of the pedestal can be increased.

FIG. 3 further shows a jet bath system 50 constituting the bathing system according to the present invention.
The jet bath system 50 shown in this figure receives and decomposes the hydrate tank 3 having heat retention for storing the oxygen hydrate 2 and the oxygen hydrate 2 supplied from the hydrate tank 3, and has a high pressure. A hydrate decomposition apparatus 6 that generates oxygen 4 having water and water (oxygen water) 5, an oxygen supply pipe 26 that takes in the oxygen 4 generated by the hydrate decomposition apparatus 6 and leads it to the mixing unit 25, and an oxygen supply pipe 26 The ejector (bubble water) is connected to the hydrate decomposition apparatus 6 and mixed with the oxygen 4 by sucking ambient air by using the negative pressure generated when the oxygen 4 is discharged into the oxygen supply pipe 26 from the hydrate decomposition apparatus 6 at a high speed. 27) and a pump that mixes air containing oxygen 4 in the mixing section 25 by sucking the bath water 52 from the water inlet 51 provided in the bathtub 7. The hot water 56 containing oxygen and air is generated by heating the bath water 52 containing oxygen and air, which is disposed between the bubble water injection mechanism) 54 and the pump 54 and the discharge port 53 and supplied from the pump 54. And a heat exchanger 55.

The pump 54 can inject the hot water 56 heated by the heat exchanger 55 into the bathtub 7 from the discharge port 53 by the discharge force.
When oxygen is discharged from the airbag 31 in an inflated state and contracted by operating a valve 40 a provided in the exhaust pipe 40, the oxygen exhausted from the exhaust pipe 40 is supplied to the injection pipe 41 and discharged from the discharge port 53. It is sprayed into the bathtub and exhibits a massage function as a jet bath and an oxygen supply function.

Further, by operating a pump 54 by operating an operation switch (not shown) in a state where there is bath water in the bathtub 7, the bath water 52 in the bathtub 7 is sucked into the injection pipe 41 from the water suction port 51, and the mixing section By passing through a route 25 (pumping circulation circuit) 25 → pump 54 → heat exchanger 55 → discharge port 53, it is possible to perform high pressure cleaning of the cooking circulation circuit.
Alternatively, the oxygen water generated in the hydrate decomposition apparatus 6 may be supplied to the injection pipe 41 and used as cleaning water.

In this embodiment, the negative pressure in the oxygen supply pipe 26 generated by the oxygen 4 having a high pressure generated by decomposing the oxygen hydrate 2 supplied from the hydrate tank 3 by the hydrate decomposition apparatus 6 is used. Then, the ejector 27 is operated to suck ambient air into the oxygen supply pipe 26. At the same time, by sucking the bath water 52 from the water inlet 51 of the bathtub 7 by the pump 54, oxygen and air are mixed in the bath water 52 in the mixing section 25, and 35% or less, for example, which does not harm the human body, for example About 20-30% oxygen 4 is included. Thereafter, the hot water 56 is heated by the heat exchanger 55 to have a comfortable temperature suitable for the bath water, and is jetted together with bubbles from the discharge port 53 into the bath water 52 in the bathtub 7. At this time, the bath can be carried out with bath water containing bubbles to be ejected.
The ejector 27 is a means for adjusting the oxygen concentration to be mixed in the bath water. However, the ejector 27 is not an essential constituent element, and the oxygen supply amount is adjusted by adjusting the oxygen supply amount by arranging a valve (not shown) in the oxygen supply pipe 26. You may comprise so that a density | concentration may be adjusted.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the ejector 27 is operated using the negative pressure generated by the oxygen 4 having a high pressure generated by the decomposition process in the hydrate decomposition apparatus 6, and the surrounding air is supplied with oxygen. While sucking into the pipe 26, the bath 54 sucks the bath water 52 from the water suction port 51 of the bathtub 7 by the pump 54, mixes oxygen and air with the bath water in the mixing unit 25, and bath water 52 in the bathtub 7 from the discharge port 53. Since the fuel is injected vigorously, the cost of the entire system is kept low by eliminating the need for an expensive device such as an oxygen generator, and the running cost is reduced by not purchasing expensive oxygen. The bath water 52 containing an appropriate concentration of oxygen 4 can be injected as a jet bath to improve the mental health and physical health of the bather.

  Further, in this embodiment, by operating the pump 54 in a state where the bath is filled with bath water, it is possible to perform high-pressure washing on the pipe body and the inside of the bathtub constituting the additional cooking circuit. Further, in an empty state in which the bath water 52 is discharged from the bathtub 7, the oxygen water generated in the hydrate decomposition apparatus 6 is additionally cooked and supplied to the pipe body and the bathtub constituting the circulation path, thereby providing these. High pressure cleaning is possible.

Next, FIG. 4 is a configuration explanatory view of a lifting device used in a bathing system according to another embodiment of the present invention. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and demonstrated to the same part as FIG.
The lifting device 30 according to this embodiment is characterized in that the airbag 31 is configured to float on the bath water 52 in the bathtub 7 when inflated.
The airbag 31 is a flexible bag made of rubber, vinyl, or the like, and is expanded on the bath water 52 by being expanded by oxygen generated by the hydrate decomposition apparatus 6 and supplied through the oxygen supply pipe 8. It is configured to rise. A pedestal 32 is disposed on the upper surface of the airbag 31. The pedestal 32 or the airbag 31 is configured to move up and down through a fixed stable track by a guide mechanism 60 provided in the bathtub 7. Or you may make it ensure the stable raising / lowering track | orbit by raising / lowering the side peripheral surface of a base or the airbag 31 along the inner wall of the bathtub 7. FIG.

Since the lifting device 30 according to this embodiment uses a floating bag-like airbag to float on the bath water by buoyancy during inflation, the structure of the airbag itself is simplified and the volume during inflation is small. can do. In particular, since the airbag is levitated using the buoyancy of the bath water, the oxygen pressure required to levitate the airbag is small.
Moreover, the air bag and the pedestal are sunk in the bathtub when the bathtub 7 is filled with hot water, and the airbag and the pedestal are lifted by inflating the airbag with oxygen. Thus, it is possible to shift the care recipient to a state where the care recipient can easily be moved onto the pedestal. In this process, a large amount of hot water is not discharged from the bathtub, and after putting a care recipient on the pedestal, the body can be immediately put into the bath water by venting the air bag and sinking the pedestal .
The height position of the pedestal in the bath water can be easily adjusted by adjusting the air pressure in the airbag.

Also in this embodiment, in preparation for emergencies such as when the bather drowns or feels uncomfortable, such as when feeling uncomfortable, the airbag is rapidly inflated to raise the pedestal and remove the bather from the hot water. An emergency switch (not shown) to be raised can be placed at a proper position in the bathtub.
Further, the airbag 31 is composed of a plurality of units so that the air pressure of each unit can be individually adjusted, so that the height position of the upper surface of a specific unit is different, and the body straddles over each unit. It is also possible to optimize the posture of the care recipient who is lying down. For example, it is possible to adjust the height position of each unit so that the head can be raised, the upper body can be raised, the legs can be raised, or the bath can be bathed in a horizontal or supine posture.
In addition, when a person who cannot place the leg in hot water due to inflammation in the local part of the body, for example, the leg, takes only the air pressure of the unit in the position corresponding to the leg when taking a bath. It can also be configured so that the legs are raised above the surface of the hot water so that it is higher than the unit, and the affected area is not immersed in the hot water.

The elevating device according to each of the embodiments described above can be introduced by incorporating it later without modifying the existing bathroom. Therefore, it is easy to introduce into the bathroom of each home at low cost.
In addition, the bathtub itself is inflated by filling with air supplied from the hydrate decomposition apparatus, and is used as a bathtub to be mounted on a traveling bathing service car by adopting an air bag-like configuration that shrinks by extracting air. This is extremely convenient. In other words, when not in use, it can be evacuated and made compact, while it can be configured to be inflated and filled with hot water only during use, and the portability can be improved. In addition, it is possible to move the bathtub in the contracted state outside the vehicle and inflate it at the installation site outside the vehicle and put hot water into the bath, so there is no need to provide bathing facilities inside the vehicle, and there is no need for a car that can be used for patrol services. Cost can be reduced.

When the bathtub itself is configured as an airbag, the bathtub and the lifting device (airbag) disposed inside the bathtub are configured to be inflated and contracted separately.
Furthermore, the lifting device of the present invention provides convenience when a parent takes a bath together with an infant in a home bath. For example, if a parent leaves the tub while washing his hair outside the tub, the infant's body may cool down and the infant may be placed alone in the tub. There is a risk of drowning in the bath water. In such a case, if you raise the bottom of the bathtub in advance by using a lifting device and keep the water depth shallow, there is no worry about drowning, and you can continue washing your own hair without worrying about cooling the infant's body. can do.

  In addition, when using an adult bathtub to bathe an infant about a few months after birth, an adult located outside the bathtub may bathe in the bathtub filled with hot water while holding the infant. If there is a lot of water, it is dangerous to slip your hand and drop the baby into the hot water. In such a case, if you use the bathtub equipped with the lifting device of the present invention and raise the pedestal to an appropriate height position and place the baby on the pedestal, the hand will slip and the infant will slip. There is no risk of drowning if dropped. It also reduces the fatigue level of adults bathing.

Furthermore, the present invention can achieve the object by setting the pedestal to an appropriate height when a healthy person takes a half-body bath or takes a bath while reading.
Alternatively, the shape of the airbag may be devised so that the airbag is partly adhered or wrapped around a body part that is not soaked in hot water or not desired to be heated. At this time, it is also possible to cool the body part by supplying cold water generated by the hydrate decomposition apparatus into the airbag in contact with the body part.

  In each of the above embodiments, an example in which oxygen hydrate is used as an example of a hydrate has been described. However, hydrates that can be used in the hydrate decomposition apparatus of the present invention are water molecules that are gas molecules that are not harmful to the human body. As long as it is a hydrate as an ice-like substance having a structure encompassed by

It is a schematic block diagram of the bathing system provided with the raising / lowering device for bathers which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram of a hydrate decomposition apparatus. It is detailed structure explanatory drawing of the bathing system provided with the raising / lowering apparatus of this invention. It is composition explanatory drawing of the raising / lowering apparatus used for the bathing system which concerns on other embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Bathing system, 2 ... Oxygen hydrate, 3 ... Hydrate tank, 4 ... Oxygen (gas), 5 ... Water, 6 ... Hydrate decomposition | disassembly apparatus (pneumatic pressure generation source), 7 ... Bath, 8 ... Oxygen supply pipe, 8a ... Valve, 9 ... Water supply pipe, 10 ... Decomposition tank, 11 ... Net, 12 ... Warm water, 13 ... Sprinkling pipe, 14 ... Water extraction pipe, 15 ... Pump, 16 ... Heat exchanger, 17 ... Oxygen extraction pipe, 25 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS Mixing part, 26 ... Oxygen supply pipe, 27 ... Ejector, 30 ... Elevator, 31 ... Air bag, 32 ... Base, 35 ... Guide mechanism, 40 ... Deaeration pipe, 40a ... Valve, 41 ... Injection pipe, 50 ... Jet Bus system, 51 ... water inlet, 52 ... bath water, 53 ... discharge port, 54 ... pump, 55 ... heat exchanger, 56 ... warm water, 60 ... guide mechanism.

Claims (10)

An airbag that is disposed in a bathtub and inflates by supplying air pressure to the inside and contracts by extracting air, an air pressure generating source that generates air pressure to be supplied to the airbag, and inflation of the airbag A pedestal that moves up and down by contraction,
The air pressure generation source is a hydrate decomposition apparatus that generates gas and water by applying heat to a hydrate that is an ice-like substance in which gas molecules and water molecules are combined to decompose. Lifting device.   A part of the airbag is fixed in the bathtub, and the height of the pedestal can be set at an arbitrary position in the bath water according to the amount of expansion and contraction of the airbag. The elevating device for bathers according to claim 1, wherein   The elevator for a bather according to claim 1, wherein the airbag is configured to float on the bath water in the bathtub when inflated.   The bather according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the airbag is composed of a plurality of independent units, and the air pressure supplied to each unit can be individually adjusted. lift device.   The bathing device lifting apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a guide mechanism for stabilizing the lifting and lowering of the pedestal.   The bathing person lifting apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the gas constituting the hydrate is oxygen.   The elevating device for bathers according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a gas injection mechanism for supplying the gas extracted from the airbag into the bathtub.   The bathing according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the airbag and the pedestal are provided with a flow space for the bath water to flow in the vertical direction when the airbag and the pedestal are moved up and down. Lifting device for the elderly.   The elevating device for a bather according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein cold water generated by the hydrate decomposition device is supplied to an appropriate place in the airbag.   The bath tub according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the bath is configured by an airbag that expands by supplying air pressure therein and contracts by extracting air. lift device.

Images