AU726656B2 - Bath construction - Google Patents

Description

S. *000 .00 P/00/0 II Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE

SPECIFICATION

STANDARD~

PATENT

Invention Title: BATH

CONSTRUCTION

Applicant: EASY WAY BATH PTY

LIMITED

S.

5 4 SeS.

S.

SS

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: BATH

CONSTRUCTION

This invention relates to a new and improved bath construction.

The bathing of invalids, hospital patients and the like is very difficult since with standard bath constructions it is necessary for the attendant, nurse or other assistant to bend over at most difficult angles during the bathing procedure. On the other hand it must be relatively easy for the patient to enter and leave the bath.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a bath construction where the bath may be maintained in a standard position to allow a patient to enter and leave the bath but raised to an elevated position during bathing.

According to the present invention, there is provided a bath construction including a bath, a bath holding frame supporting said bath, a base frame, a plurality of supporting members to support said bath holding frame above Ssaid base frame, and actuating means to move said bath holding frame between bath lowered and bath raised positions The bath of the present invention may be of any suitable size and depth and be made of any .i :z matria such as is known in theart suitable material such as is known in the art. In one example a metal bath is employed. Importantly large baths to incorporate invalid patients can be used in accordance with the present invention.

A suitable bath holding frame may be made of metal such as aluminium which is of light weight. The bath holding frame may be designed to fit beneath the rim of the bath and therefore be of substantially rectangular formation as necessary to support the bath suspended from the frame.

C:"WMNWORDUENLAIkJRIhODEL\P

ROVBATH.[O

The base frame may be made of metal and preferably aluminium to provide a base support for the bath construction. The base frame may be similar in shape and size to the bath holding frame. Preferably the base frame is substantially rectangular and may include one or more strengthening members extending between four base frame members. A plurality of frame supporting members extend between the base frame and bath holding frame. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention four frame supporting members are provided, two on either side of the bath holding frame. Each pair of frame supporting members preferably cross over and are connected by a pivot member to provide supporting legs to the frame.

The frame supporting members are preferably made of metal. Aluminium is preferred due to its light weight. The frame supporting members are each pivotally connected at one end to the base frame and at the other to the bath holding frame. A U-shaped connecting member and associated pivot 15 pin may be employed for this purpose. Thus in the preferred example four such connecting members are provided on the base frame and four on the bath holding frame to accept the ends of the frame supporting members.

A pair of guide slots may be provided, one on each side of the bath frame and one on each side of the base frame to receive ends of the frame supporting members of and the preferred connecting members slidably mounted therewithin. Thus, four of the connecting members located at one end of the bath construction are slidably mounted while the four of the connecting members at the other end of the bath construction are fixably mounted to the associated frame. Thus, as the bath is moved between its lowered position and its raised position the connecting members slide within the guide slots allowing the frame supporting members to move in a scissors movement about the pivot pins.

The apparatus of the present invention preferably includes abutment means extending between frame supporting members from either side of the bath

C:IWINWORDUENLAIWMJR\ODEL\PROVBATH.DOC

construction. This may be provided by an abutment member, such as an aluminium bar extending from one side to the other but those skilled in the art will appreciate that other abutment means may be provided. Preferably the abutment bar is supported at either end by wing members depending from the associated supporting member such that the abutment member extends below the bath without interfering therewith as it is raised between its lowered and raised positions.

Preferably the actuating means of the present invention is a means capable of varying its length. The actuating means is connected at one end either directly or indirectly to the base frame and at the other to the abutment o. means. While an hydraulic ram may be employed as an actuating means it has been found preferable to use a screw actuator as is known in the art. A suitable actuator is that known as the LINAK actuator. Preferably the o 15 actuator is operated by an electric motor and this may be an electric motor operating at low voltage such as 24 volts. For this purpose a transformer may be provided in association with the apparatus. In addition a battery may be included to ensure operation of the apparatus during a power failure.

20 The actuator means may be operated to push the abutment means to cause the supporting members to move within the guide slots and as they are fixed at the opposite end to raise the bath from its lowered to its raised position.

The actuator means may be adjusted in association with the apparatus to allow for adjustment of the position of the bath at both its lowered and its raised positions.

Supporting legs may be provided for the base frame and preferably four supporting legs are provided, one at each corner thereof. The supporting legs may be adjustable in height so that the frame can be placed on the floor and the height adjusted, importantly without the need to penetrate the floor covering. This is important to ensure maintenance of cleanliness and

C:\WINWORD\JENLAI\MJR\NODEL\PROVBATH.DOC

avoiding of water penetration as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

A bath skirt may be provided in a form depending from the bath holding frame. A complimentary inverted skirt may be provided in connection with the base frame thus to ensure that as the bath moves between its lowered and its raised position the internal mechanism remains shrouded.

A flexible drainage tube or the like may be connected to the water drainage hole in the bath, being of sufficient length to allow the bath to move between its raised and lowered positions.

Water taps may be provided, in situ as required and preferably at a height above the bath when in its raised position.

In order better to understand the principles of the present invention embodiments thereof will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be appreciated that detail given in relation to the a. embodiments is not limiting on the invention as described herein.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a bath assembly having the bath .i removed so that the workings can be more easily understood.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the bath assembly shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the bath assembly shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the bath assembly shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 in an intermediate position.

C:XWINWORDUENLAf\MJR\NODEL\PROVBATH.DOC 6 Figure 5 is a perspective view of the bath assembly shown in the preceding Figures in its lowered position.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a bath assembly with a bath shown in broken lines.

Figure 7 shows a completed bath assembly.

In the drawings there is shown a bath 11 connected to a flexible drain tube 12.

Bath 11 is supported by a bath holding frame 12 which is comprised by a *pair of longitudinally extending frame members 13 and 13' and a pair of S.laterally extending frame members 14 and 14'. These frame members 15 combine to form the frame 12 which is adapted to fit beneath the rim flange of the bath 11 as can be seen in Figure 6.

The base frame shown generally at 15 may be of any suitable shape and configuration that allows for proper support of the structure. In the drawings there is shown a rectangular base frame 15 including a pair of longitudinal base frame members 16 and 16' and a pair of lateral base frame members 17 and 17'. A plurality of supporting legs 18 may be provided and preferably these are adjustable in height to allow for adjustment of the apparatus on to a floor and to be levelled as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

To this end the supporting legs 18 may include a screw threaded attachment to the base frame Frame supporting members 19 and 19' and 20 and 20' extend between the base frame 15 and the bath holding frame 12. The frame supporting members are connected by a pivot pin or axel 21 and 21'. Connecting members 22 connect ends of the frame members 19 and 19' and 20 and

C:\WINWORDUENLAIXJRODELROVBATH.DOC

to the longitudinal base frame members 16 and 16' and the longitudinal frame members 13 and 13' as illustrated. In one example a channel and axel arrangement is used as shown. Similar connecting members 23 connect the other ends of the supporting members to the frame members 13 and 13' and base frame members 16 and 16'. However, the connecting members 23 are slidably mounted with respect to the relative frame members. For this purpose slide slots or tracks 24 are provided. It will be seen that the connecting members 23 are slidably mounted within tracks 24.

The tracks 24 are provided at one end of the base frame 15 and bath supporting frame 12 as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art so that as the bath supporting frame 12 is raised the connecting members 23 slide within the tracks 24.

actuator 26 is mounted on the base frame member 17. A suitable 15 actuator is that known as a LINAK actuator operated by an electric motor.

For this purpose a transformer may be provided (not shown) to provide the necessary voltage such as a 24 volt supply. The actuator is mounted to an abutment means shown generally at 27 in Figure 1. The abutment means Smay include an abutment member or bar 28 to which the actuator 26 is pivotably connected as shown. The abutment member is mounted to the frame supporting members 19 and 19' between the pivot axial 21 and 21' Sand connecting members 23. Wing members 29 and 29' which may be of any shape and dimension are provided so that the abutment member 28 is positioned below the frame supporting members 19 and 19'. This is important to avoid interference with the bath 11 and to allow baths of significant depth to be used, such as baths of a depth of between 330mm to up to 410mm in depth.

Bath skirt 31 may be provided together with a complimentary inverted skirt 32 so that in use mechanism of the bath apparatus is not visible.

C:\WINWORDUENLAIJRXNODELROVBATHDOOC

8 The apparatus of the present invention may be installed without difficulty.

The legs 18 may be adjusted so that the apparatus can sit on a floor and be levelled without the need to penetrate the flooring. The apparatus is positioned beneath taps or otherwise associated with an available water supply. The flexible draining tube 12 is connected to a drainage outlet. The actuator 26 may be adjusted to ensure that the bath in its lowered position is at a satisfactory height such as 620mm and so that in its raised position the height is in the order of 920mm. In operation the actuator is controlled to lower the apparatus as shown in Figure 5. The actuator is then activated to push against the abutment member 28 which in turn causes the supporting members 19 and 19' to move and the connecting members 23 to slide within the tracks 24. This causes the bath supporting frame 12 to be raised. The location of the abutment member 28 suspended below the bath ensures that .a bath of satisfactory depth can be used without interfering with the actuator "15 26.

Thus, it will be seen that the bath construction of the present invention provides an apparatus that can be transported to a premises and installed Swithout difficulty. There is no need to penetrate the floor coverings. Any suitable tap arrangement to provide hot and cold water may be associated with the bath and standard draining pipes can be employed, save for the need for a flexible pipe to allow movement of the bath between its lowered and raised positions. The bath may be moved from room to room in a hospital as required and in particular the apparatus may be adjusted easily to allow for the bath to be raised and lowered to the appropriate positions as required. Normally the bath will be pre-adjusted to be at 620mm at its lowest position and about 920mm at its raised position, but this is easily adjusted by adjustment of the actuator as required.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that many variations and modifications may be made to the above described construction and arrangements of

C:\WINWORDWENLAIJR\ODEL\PROVBATH.DOC

parts without departing from the spirit of the present invention as defined in the claims herein.

0 4 0* 0* 4* 4 0 4 *0 4* 4 .0 0* 0 4000 0 00*0 00 4 0 0000 00 0 0~ 00

C:AWINWORDJENA\JRODELTROVBATH.DOC

Claims (6)

1. 2. A bath construction as claimed in claim 1, wherein said actuating means is a screw activator.
2. 3. A bath construction as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, including a plurality of supporting legs whereby said base frame may be adjustably supported on a floor.
3. 4. A bath construction as claimed in any preceding claim, including a skirt depending from said both holding frame.
4. 5. A bath construction as claimed in claim 4, including an inverted skirt extending 00•••25 from said base frame, so that as said bath is moved between its raised and lowered 0 0. positions, the internal mechanism is shrouded.
5. 6. A bath construction as claimed in claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore
6. 9. described with reference to the drawings. DATED: 17 February, 2000 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK p R' torneys for: Y WAY BATH PTY LTD