WO1997032510A1

WO1997032510A1 - Bath

Info

Publication number: WO1997032510A1
Application number: PCT/GB1996/000497
Authority: WO
Inventors: James Bissett
Original assignee: Vallance, Lesley, Anne
Priority date: 1996-03-05
Filing date: 1996-03-05
Publication date: 1997-09-12

Abstract

A bath assembly (10) comprises a bath tub (12) pivotally mounted for movement between an inclined entry/exit position (Figure 8) and a bathing position (Figure 1). A bather support in the form of a seat (32) or platform (96) is located in the bath (12) and is also movable between an entry/exit configuration and a reclined bathing configuration, on movement of the bath (12) from the entry position to the bathing position. In use, a user gains entry to the bath (12) while in the entry position. The bath (12) is then moved to the bathing position and filled with water. After the user has bathed and the water has drained away, the bath (12) may be moved to the exit position.

Description

BATH

This invention relates to a bath, and in particular to a bath which may be tilted to facilitate entry and exit from the bath for infirm or disabled persons .

There have been a number of proposals for arrangements for assisting entry and exit from a bath, including the provision of tilting baths, one of which is described in US-A-4, 530, 121, to Penney. The disclosed bath includes a swing seat suspended from the bath lip, such that when the bath is tilted to a vertical position a person may sit in the seat, the bath then being lowered to the horizontal position, in which the swing seat lies adjacent the bath floor. The back portion of the seat may then be unlocked to allow the person to recline in the bath, however movement between the seated position and the reclined position in the bath may require substantial effort. Further, the location of the pivot axis at one end of the bath would require the bath to be located in a relatively large room such that it would not be possible to provide the bath in, for example, the bathrooms of most domestic dwellings.

Other forms of tiltable bath tubs are disclosed in US- A-4,592,099, to Zellner. The disclosed tubs are pivotally supported on a horizontal pivot near the tub rim, the pivot axis being either lengthwise of the tub and midway of the ends of the tub. A bather support platform is provided within the tub and is independently supported such that the support platform remains stationary while the tub pivots.

Other bathing arrangements are described in US-A-4,280, 234 to Sax, and EP-A-0 330 636 in the name of almros Holding, Inc.

According to the present invention there is provided a bath assembly comprising a bath mounted for pivotal movement between an entry position and a bathing position, and a bather support mounted in the bath and being moveable between an entry configuration and a reclined bathing configuration by pivoting of the bath between the entry position and the bathing position.

In use, a user gains entry to the bath while in the entry position. The bath is then moved to the bathing position and filled with water. After the user has bathed and the water has drained away, the bath may be moved to the exit position. Mounting the bather support within the bath minimises the volume occupied by the assembly and may obviate the need for structures which extend above the lip of the bath tub, facilitating use of the bath in the normal manner by able-bodied persons.

Preferably, the bath is pivotally mounted about a lateral axis intermediate the bath ends. Most preferably, the pivot axis is located centrally of the bath. This reduces the forces necessary to move the bath between the entry and bathing positions, minimises the space requirements the bath, and permits fixed mounting of the water supply taps or faucets. In a first embodiment the bather support may define a seat in the entry configuration, such that the user may step into the bath, sit down on the bather support, and then recline as the bath moves to the bathing position. In a second embodiment, the bather support may define a planer support surface in the entry configuration, one end of the support lying level with or above the bath lip such that a person, preferably lying on a support, may be slid, for example, from a hospital trolley or gurney, into the bath and onto the bather support. This arrangement obviates the need for any lifting when moving a person into or from the bath. Preferably, the bather support includes friction reducing means, such as rollers or bearings, to facilitate sliding the user into and out of the bath.

Preferably, the bather support is mounted in the bath such that rotation of the bath is converted to linear motion of the bather support relative to the bath. This may be achieved by providing means for restraining the bather support against linear movement such that rotation of the bath, and the corresponding linear translation of the parts of the bath spaced from the pivot axis, may be utilised to change the configuration of the bather support. Conveniently, the bather support may be restrained by one or more guides extending substantially vertically through the pivot axis of the bath.

In the first embodiment, the bather support may include a seat portion and a leg support portion pivotally connected thereto, the seat portion having a front part engaging the restraining means and a rear part slideably engaging the bath floor, the leg support portion having a front part engaging the bath and being restrained against linear movement relative thereto, such that pivoting of the bath from a bathing position to an inclined entry position results in the front part of the seat portion being lifted relative to the bath floor. The bather support may also include a back rest pivotally connected to the seat portion and having a rear part engaging a rear wall of the bath or a track or guide extending therefrom, such that movement of the bath towards the entry position tends to raise the back rest .

In the second embodiment, a lifting member may be pivotally connected to a front portion of the bather support and have its free end engaging a front part of the bath and restrained against linear movement relative thereto, such that pivoting of the bath to the inclined entry position results in the front of the bather support being lifted relative to the bath floor, to maintain the bather support in a substantially horizontal position.

When mounted on an existing floor, the bath will tend to be mounted somewhat higher than a conventional, fixed bath, to accommodate pivoting of the bath. This also provides an advantage if the user requires assistance while bathing, particularly with the second embodiment; if used in a hospital, the height of the bath may be selected such that an assisting nurse may stand at the side of the bath, without having to bend or kneel.

Movement of the bath may be achieved by any suitable means including manual controls, a hydraulic motor and an electric motor. Preferably, the bather support is removable, to facilitate cleaning and also permitting the bath to be used by able bodied persons in the conventional manner.

The bath may be lockable in the entry position, to prevent movement of the bath as the user enters or exits the bath.

This and other aspects of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a bath in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of the bath of Figure 1 with a side panel removed;

Figures 3 and 4 are side and plan views of a bather support of the bath of Figure 1, respectively; Figure 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Figure 2

(on same sheet as Figures 9 and 10) ;

Figures 6, 7 and 8 are sectional views of the bath of Figure 1 illustrating movement of the bath from the bathing position to the entry and exit position; Figures 9 and 10 are side and end views of a bath in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 11 is a side view of a bath in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention; Figure 12 is a sectional view of the bath of Figure 11 in the bathing position;

Figure 13 is a sectional view of the bath of Figure 11 shown in the entry and exit position;

Figure 14 is a sectional view of the bath of Figure 11 in the entry and exit position and also illustrating a gurney for use in transferring a patient into the bath;

Figures 15 and 16 are plan views of elements of a bather support for the bath of Figure 11; and

Figures 17 and 18 are end and side views of frames for use in conjunction with the bather supports in the bath of Figure 11. Reference is first made to Figure 1 of the drawings which illustrates a bath assembly 10 including a bath tub 12 mounted for movement between a bathing position (as shown) and an entry and exit position (see Figure 8) . In this example the bath is located within panelling 14, Figure 2 of the drawings illustrating the assembly 10 with the side panelling removed. The bath 12 is pivotally mounted between a pair of upstanding posts 16 which are secured to the floor 18. In this example the bath is manually moveable by means of a wheel 20 which rotates a gear wheel 22 engaging a gear segment 24 fixed to the bath 12. A smaller wheel 26 is also provided for operation of a bath locking pin 28.

The bath is connected to flexible waste outlet 30, though the faucets providing the hot and cold water supply for the bath may be rigidly mounted, for example, on an adjacent wall, above the bath pivot axis.

Removably located within the bath 12 is a bather support 32 as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings. In this embodiment, the support 32 is formed of three pivotally connected parts: a seat portion 34, a back support portion 36 and a leg support portion 38. The free end of the back support 36 is provided with a pair of rollers 40 which engage guides 42 provided in the side walls in the bath, as shown in Figure 6 of the drawings. Further, the seat portion 34 includes cut-outs 44 to receive respective vertical restraining guides 46 which extend inside the bath 12 parallel to the posts 16. Guide engaging rollers 48 are mounted on the underside of the seat portion 34. The restraining guides 46 are rigidly mounted to the respective posts 16 such that the guides remain in the vertical position as the bath is pivoted between the bathing position and the entry and exit position, as will be described with reference to Figures 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings.

Figure 5 of the drawings illustrates the arrangement for mounting the bath 12 on the posts 16. It will be noted that the bath 12 is mounted, via bearings 56, on a pin 58 fixed to and extending inwardly from the upper end of the respective posts 16. The pin 58 also provides the mounting for the restraining guides 46.

Figure 6 illustrates the bath 12 in the bathing position and with the bather support 32 in the reclined configuration, that is the back support 36 is inclined and the seat and leg support 34, 38 are substantially horizontal and lie adjacent the bath floor. It will be noted that the free end of the leg support portion 38 is located within a recess 50 provided in the lower front corner of the bath 12 which permits rotation of the leg support 38 relative to the bath 12, but does not permit linear movement therebetween.

On pivoting of the bath towards the entry and exit position the rollers 48 on the s°at 34 restrict linear movement of the seat portion 34 r tive to the bath 12. Combined with the linear restraint cf the leg support 38 in the recess 50, pivoting of the bath 12 in direction A (see Figure 7) causes the forward edge of the seat 34 to be lifted from the bath floor, in direction B. The rollers 49 on the rearward edge of the seat 34 thus run down the bath floor, across a suitably reinforced floor section 52. This movement of the seat portion 34 pulls the lower end of the back support 36 forwardly relative to the bath. On reaching the entry and exit position, as illustrated in Figure 8, the seat 34 is supported in a substantially horizontal position, the back support 36 is substantially perpendicular to the seat 34, and the leg support 38 has been brought to a position such that it is inclined rearwardly from the front edge of the seat 34. In this position a bather can easily raise or lower themselves from the seat 34, using the bath sides for support. Also, the end wall of the bath 54 is inclined such that it lies on the floor while the bath is in the entry and exit position such that the user may walk on the bath wall 54, which is preferably provided with a non-slip surface. From the above description it will be apparent that the bath assembly 10 is of relatively simple construction and of fairly compact dimensions, such that the assembly 10 may be accommodated in a conventional bathroom within the length of a conventional bath. Further, the configuration of the bather support 32 is such that the user is fully supported while being moved from the seated position, in the entry and exit configuration, to the reclined bathing position.

Reference is now made to Figures 9 and 10 of the drawings which illustrate a bath assembly 70 in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is substantially similar to the first embodiment described above, although electrically operated rather than manually operated. Thus, an electric motor 72 is mounted on the floor beneath the bath and is provided with a pulley wheel 74 around which a rope 76 passes. One end of the rope is attached to a bracket 78 at the rear corner of the bath while the other end of the rope is attached to a bracket 79 at the front corner of the bath. The arrangement is such that operation of the motor and rotation of the pulley wheel 74 pivots the bath, the motor being reversible such that the bath may be tilted towards the entry and exit position, or towards the bathing position. Reference is now made to the remaining Figures, which illustrate a bath assembly 84 in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention in which a bath tub 86 is pivotally mounted between two A-frames 88, and is additionally supported by semi-circular plates 90, the faces of which engage rollers 92 provided on the legs of the A-frames 88. The assembly 84 differs from the first described embodiment in that it is not intended that a user steps into the bath, rather the user is slid into the bath in a reclined position. To this end, the bather support comprises a support portion 94 for location in the bath 86 and a bather platform 96 (Figure 16) . The support portion 94 operates in conjunction with a support frame 98 having one end provided with rollers 100 for engaging the restraining guides 102, a cross member 104 for engaging and supporting the support portion 94, and lower end portions 105 for in location in the front corners of the bath. When the bath 86 is moved from the bathing position, as illustrated in Figure 12, to the entry and exit position, as illustrated in Figure 13, the engagement of the lower end of the support frame 98 in the corners of the bath and the engagement between the rollers 100 and the restraining guides 102 is such that the support frame 98 is lifted as the bath pivots, and thus lifts the forward end of the support portion 94. Thus, as the bath 86 pivots the support portion 94 remains in a substantially horizontal configuration and on reaching the entry and exit position lies at the level of the bath lip 108.

The height of the bath lip 108 in the entry and exit position is selected to be the same as the upper surface of a gurney 110, as illustrated in Figure 14 of the drawings. Thus, the bather platform 96 may be slid from the gurney 110 onto the support portion 94 in the bath. Both the support portion 94 and the gurney 110 are provided with rollers 112 to facilitate movement of the platform 96.

The platform 96 includes a back support portion 114 pivotally connected to a seat and leg support 116, such that the user need not lie completely flat on the platfo τt 96 while on the gurney 110 or in the bath 86. Also, t 2 bath front panel 118 is provided with a hook arrangement; 120 to engage the bath lip 108 while in the entry and exit position to ensure that there is no movement of the bath 86 as the user is moved into or out of the bath.

This embodiment of the present invention is primarily intended for use in hospitals and the like and allows patients to be bathed without having to be lifted into or out of the bath. The height of the bath may be selected to facilitate movement of patients between the gurney 110 and the bath 86 and also to allow nurses to assist the bather without having to kneel or bend.

It will be clear to those of skill in the art that the above-described embodiments are merely exemplary of the present invention and that various modifications and improvements may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A bath assembly comprising a bath mounted for pivotal movement between an entry position and a bathing position, and a bather support mounted in the bath and being movable between an entry configuration and a reclined bathing configuration by pivoting on movement of the bath between the entry position and the bathing position.

2. The bath assembly of claim 1 wherein the bath is pivotally mounted about a lateral axis intermediate the bath ends.

3. The bath assembly of claim 2 wherein the pivot axis is located centrally of the bath.

4. The bath assembly of claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the bather support defines a seat in the entry configuration, such that the user may step into the bath, sit down on the bather support, and then recline as the bath moves to the bathing position.

5. The bath assembly of claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the bather support defines a planer support surface in the entry configuration, one end of the support lying level with or above the bath lip such that a person may be slid from a hospital trolley or gurney into the bath and onto the bather support .

6. The bath assembly of claim 5 wherein the bather support includes friction reducing surfaces to facilitate sliding the user into and out of the bath.

7. The bath assembly of any of the preceding claims and further including means for restraining the bather support against linear movement such that rotation of the bath, and the corresponding linear translation of the parts of the bath spaced from the pivot axis, is utilised to change the configuration of the bather support.

8. The bath assembly of claim 7 wherein the bather support is restrained by one or more guides extending substantially vertically through a pivot axis of the bath.

9. The bath assembly of claim 7 or 8 wherein the bather support includes a seat portion and a leg support portion pivotally connected thereto, the seat portion having a front part engaging the restraining means and a rear part slideably engaging the bath floor, the leg support portion having a front part engaging the bath and being restrained against linear movement relative thereto, such that pivoting of the bath from a bathing position to an inclined entry position results in the front part of the seat portion being lifted relative to the bath floor.

10. The bath assembly of claim 9 wherein the bather support also includes a back rest pivotally connected to the seat portion and having a rear part engaging a rear wall of the bath or a track or guide extending therefrom, such that movement of the bath towards the entry position tends to raise the back rest.

11. The bath assembly of claim 7 or 8 wherein the bather support defines a planar support surface and a lifting member is pivotally connected to a front portion of the bather support and has its free end engaging a front part of the bath and restrained against linear movement relative thereto, such that pivoting of the bath to the inclined entry position results in the front of the bather support being lifted relative to the bath floor, to maintain the bather support in a substantially horizontal position.

12. The bath assembly of any of the preceding claims wherein the bather support is removable from the bath.

13. The bath assembly of any of the preceding claims wherein the bath is lockable in the entry position, to prevent movement of the bath as the user enters or exits the bath.