GB2156210A - Bath aid unit - Google Patents

Abstract

A bath seat (8) is supported by a folding frame of cross-leg structure (1-4) or parallelogram structure (fig 3) which rests on the bottom of a bath. The frame structure (1-4) is displaceable between raised (shown) and lowered position of the seat (8), springs (10) loading the seat (8) towards the raised position with a force just less than the weight of a person on the seat. A control circuit with a manually operable valve controls a flow of liquid relative to a piston cylinder unit to control the upward and downward displacement of the seat (8). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Bath aid unit The present invention relates to a bath aid unit, which for example is intended to enable disabled and elderly persons to bath more easily.

Various forms of bath aid units have been proposed, to make it easier for disabled or elderly persons to take a bath in a conventional kind of domestic bath, without requiring the assistance of another person and without making excessive physical demands on the person taking the bath.

One such bath aid unitcomprisesa chair-like arrangementwhich is positioned in the bath, being supported byan inflatable air cushion operated bya low-pressure air pump. Thus, the cushion is inflated so that the chair is disposed substantially level with the top ofthe side of the bath, where the user can slide on to the chair, and the air cushion can then be slowly deflated to permit the chair to be lowered gently and slowly into the bathwater. The operating procedure is reversed, by inflating the aircushion, to lift the user out ofthewater and back upto the level ofthe top of the bath, so that the person can then slide off the chair sideways and thus easily leave the bath.It will be appreciated however that such an arrangement is relatively complicated, in that it requires a source of low-pressure air such as a pump, while also requiring a guide arrangement to guide the chair unit in its upward and downward movements, for clearly an inflatable air cushion would not provide adequate lateral location and guidance forthe chair unit, on its own.

According to the present invention, there is provided a bath aid unit comprising a seat member on which a user can sit, a supportframe structure pivotally connected to the seat member and arranged to rest on the bottom of a bath, the support frame structure being displaceable between a first operating position in which the seat member is raised from the bottom ofthe bath and a second operating position in which the seat member is lowered at least substantiallyto the bottom ofthe bath, spring means urging the support frame structure and therewith the seat membertowards the first position, and control means for control of the movement ofthe seat member between itsfirstand second positions.

The control means may be of any suitable nature, for example mechanical, but in a preferred feature the control means is a fluid-operated control assembly. In that case, the bath aid unit preferably further comprises a restrictor and metering means in the fluid circuit, to throttle the flow offluid in the circuit, thereby to permit the seat member to move from its second position to its first position only at a restricted rate under the force of the spring loading.

Thus, the fluid circuit which is preferably a hydraulic circuit preferably includes a control valve which can be opened to permit a flow of fluid through the circuit whereby the seat member is moved from its first or raised position towards its second or lowered position ata rate controllable by operation of the control valve, and the circuitfurther includes a restrictor or throttle means for restricting orthrottling the flow offluid in the circuit when the seat member is to be displaced from its second or lowered position towards its first or raised position, the throttle means permitting the seat memberto move towards its first position only at a reduced and controlled rate, undertheforce of the spring loading.

The throttle means preferably includes a check valve means to prevent a flow of fluid in the direction corresponding to downward movement of the seat member, in order thereby to block the seat member against inadvertent downward movementwhenthe user is trying to get out ofthe bath.

With such an arrangement, in orderforthe person using the bath aid unit to get out of the bath without the assistance of another person, the user simply closes the control valve and, for example by grasping the sides ofthe bath, applies a slight downward force which, in conjunction with the force supplied by the spring loading, permitstheseatmemberto move upwardly in the bath, with the rate of movement thereof being controlled by the above-mentioned throttle means. The spring loading will thus provide an upward force for the seat member, whih corres ponds to the weight ofthe person using the bath aid unit, but less a force of for example around 14to 20 pounds.The user therefore only presses downwardly by such a force to permit the unit to lift him or her upwardly in the bath, to a position at which the seat member is level with the top ofthe bath so that the user can easily slide sideways and thus get out of the bath.

Embodiments of a bath aid unit according to the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic side view ofthe bath aid unit in the raised position, Figure 2 shows a plan view of the unit of Figure 1, partly cut away to show the details of the support frame structure and fluid circuit, and Figure 3 shows a modified form ofthe unit.

Referring firstly to Figure 1, the bath aid unit shown therein comprises a support frame structure as indicated generally by reference numeral 1.The structure 1 comprises first and second frame units, each frame unit comprising a pair of at least substantially parallel legs 2. The legs 2 of each frame unit are connected together at their upper ends by a transverse bar member orthe like, while a similar transverse bar member orthe like also interconnects the legs 2 of the respective frame unit, at or adjacent to the lower end thereof. The bar members atthe upperends of the respective frame units are indicated at 3 and 4 respectively in Figure 2.

As will be appreciated from viewing Figure 1, one of the frame units is narrowerthan the other frame unit whereby the narrowerframe unit is disposed within the legs 2 of thewiderframe unit, with the legs being joined together by suitable means such as a pivot pin diagrammatically indicated at 5, at the location at which the frame units cross each other. It will be seen therefore that the structure 1 comprises a pivotal leg arrangement generally similar to that used for example in a folding stool.

Disposed atthe lower ends of the legs 2 of one ofthe frame units aresoft rubberbuffermembers orcaps 6, while rotatably mounted at the lower ends of the legs 2 of the otherframe unit are rollers or wheels 7.

Itwill be noted thatthe wheeis 7 havesofttyres which will therefore not damage the surface of the bath in which the bath aid unit is placed, and similarly in regard to the non-slip end caps 6 on the bottom ends of the legs 2 ofthe other frame unit. The wheels 7 are mounted on the respective legs 2 in the mannerof a rocking bogey so as to permit the wheels to adapt to the angle ofthe surface ofthe bath in which the bath aid unit is placed.

The unit illustrated furthercomprises a seat member 8 which is made of a suitable material such as moulded plastics, wood, metal orformed in some othersuitable manner. Provided on the underside of the seat member8 are guide and mounting means for connecting the structure 1 to the seat member8. Thus, as shown in Figure 2, the seat member 8 may carry pivot mounting members of which one is indicated at 9, in which the bar member3 of one oftheframe units is rotatably carried, with a corresponding mounting member atthe other end of the member3.The bar member4 of the otherframe unit is carried by the seat member8 in such a way as to be displaceable in the lengthwise direction thereof, that is to say, from right to left or leftto right in Figures 1 and 2,for example in wear-resistant guides, in order to permit the structure 1 to be displaced between the raised position shown in Figure 1, and a collapsed position in which the seat member8 is moved downwardly towards the end caps 6 and supportwheels 7, in a mannerto be described hereinafter.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a tension spring which is connected at each end to respective ones of the frame units by suitable mounting lugs diagram- matically indicated at 11. The spring 10 will thus apply a spring loading to the frame units, urging them towardsthe raised position shown in Figure 1.The force of the spring 10 is such that, when a person sits on the seat member 8, the seat member 8 will move downwardly underthe full weight ofthe user, by a margin of for example about 14to 20 pounds, in other words, the force of the spring 10 fails to counterbalance the weight ofthe user byfrom 1 4to 20 pounds.

The force ofthe spring loading produced by the spring 10 may be adjustable in any suitable manner, to adapt the bath aid unitto the specific weight of the user.

It will be appreciated also that in the bath aid unit illustrated just one spring 10 is shown, but a further spring will usually be disposedforexample in a symmetrical arrangement on the other side ofthe seat member 8, to cause a balanced force to be applied to the frame units of the supportframe structure 1 .

The bath aid unitfurthercomprisesafluid-operated control cylinder 12 which is preferablyforexample a hydraulic piston-cylinder unit One end of the unit 12, for example the end ofthe cylinder member, is pivotally connected for example to the bar member 3 of the respective frame unitwhilethe other end of the unit 12, being thereforetheoutward end of the piston rodthereof, is similarly connected to the bar member 4ofthe other frame unit.

The unit 12forms part of a fluid circuit such as a hydraulic circuit, comprising a first conduit 13 which communicates with the cylinder member on one side ofthe piston (not visible) which is displaceable therein, a second conduit 14which similarly communicates with the cylinder member on the other side ofthe piston thereof, and a control valve 15 which, in the embodiment illustrated, is disposed in a conduit 16 interconnecting the conduits 13 and 14.

It will be appreciated that other forms of the hydraulic circuit may be employed, which do not therefore usethe specific conduit portions 13,14 and 16.

The control valve 15 is a flow control valve with operating lever17,which is operableto control the flow of operating fluid from one side ofthe piston to the other side thereof, as the piston moves in the cylinder member of the unit 12.

The circuitfurthercomprises a one-way restrictor or throttle and metering unit as diagrammatically indicated at 18, which is connected in parallel with the control valve 15 and the unit 12, between the conduits 13 and 14. The unit 18 is of such a construction that it totally prevents any flow of operating fluid therethrough in a given direction, while permitting a restricted or throttle flow of fluid therethrough in the other direction. The unit 18 thus provides a metering action to control the flow of fluid therethrough under given operating conditions.

The mode of use ofthe above-described construction is as follows: The unit, in the condition illustrated in Figure 1, is first placed in the bath. Then, the person wishing to take a bath transfers sideways from the adjacent side ofthe bath on to the seat member 8. The user then operates the lever 17 so as to permit a controlled flow offluid through the circuit 13,14,15, 16, whereby the piston ofthe unit 12 is able to slide within the cylinder memberthereof. As the weig ht of the user is about 14 to 20 pounds greaterthan thesetspring loading applied bythe springs 10 urging the seat member8 upwardly,the seat member 8 will move downwardly underthat difference in weight. Such downward movement can be suitably controlled by the user operating the valve 15 to permit the appropriate flow offluid from one side ofthe piston of the unit 12,to the other side. The user thus has total control over the rate of downward movement into the bathwater. Fu rthermore, that downward movement can be stopped at anytime, bysimpiy closing the control valve 15.

When the user of the unit wishes to leave the bath, he simply leaves the control valve 15 in the closed position, and applies an upward force corresponding to the difference in weight between his bodyweight and the upward spring loading applied to the seat member8 by the springs 10, for example by grasping the sides of the bath and applying a slight downward force. It will be appreciated that the buoyancy ofthe body ofthe user in the water in the bath will further facilitate generating the upward force required. As therefore the user pushes downwardly on the bath, but applying only a very slight physical force, he will rise, with the seat member rising underneath and with him by virtue of the force of the springs 10 supporting the major part of his bodyweight.Such movements of the seat member in an upward direction towards the position ofthe unit shown in Figure 1 is possible by virtue ofthe unit 18 permitting fluidtoflowtherethrough, from the appropriate side ofthe piston ofthe unit 12 to the other side. The unit 18 thus provides a metering action for the flow offluid, while also providing a stop action in that it totally prevents a flow offluid therethrough in the opposite direction to the direction in which the fluid flows as the seat member8 moves upwardly.With the valve 15 also closed, that is a safety measure insofarasthe bath aid unit is locked in any given position in the course of its movement in an upward direction, if for example the person sitting on the seat member should suffer from fatigue in the course of lifting himself out of the bath, and should wish to rest his full bodyweight on the seat member again.

It will be seen therefore that the above-described bath aid unit requires only simple components, and in particular has a closed fluid circuit which does not require anyform of pump or powerfluid source. The fluid used may be in particularwater.

In a modified embodiment however, it would also be possible to provide a secondary fluid-operated cylinder and a hand pump to supply a flow of power fluid to the secondary piston-cyiinder unit in orderto provide for powered upward movementofthe bath aid unit. Such a construction, which may be considered to be fully automatic in that it does not require physical assistance from the person using the unit to produce the upward movement, may be desirable for use by persons who sufferfrom very severe disablement.

Particularly when using a fully powered arrange- ment ofthe kind just referred to, it may be desirable to adopt a modified form ofthe support frame structure, as illustrated in highly diagrammatic form in Figure 3.

As shown therein, the unit comprises a stationary frame arrangement 100 which is fitted into the bath and which rests on the bottom ofthe bath itself.

Pivotally connected to the frame arrangement 100 are a pairof leg units 101,eachofwhich comprises a pair of leg portions 102 pivotally connected to the frame arrangement and interconnected by links 102', a pair of support portions 103 extending substantially at right angles to the respective leg portions 102, and a transverse member 104 interconnecting the support portions ofthe respective leg unit. The seat member 105, shown in dotted line, is carried on the transverse members 104 of the two leg units 101. Suitable springs are connected between the frame arrangement 100 and forexamplethe links 102', as diagrammatically indicated at 106 in Figure 3, urging the leg units from the lowered position shown towards the raised position, by pivotal movement ofthe units 101 in an anti-clockwise direction.Control cylinders as at 107 are suitably connected between the frame arrange mentandthe links orthe respective leg units, the cylinders being connected by suitable circuit means to a source 108 of powerfluid, for example a hydraulic fluid. The source 108 is illustrated at the position shown, only for convenience and by way of example, and may be for example a hand pump.

This form ofthe bath aid unit may further comprise a fluid control circuit of the same general configuration as that described above with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

Thus, in use ofthis embodiment, the user sits on the seat member 105 and moves downwardly into the water in the same manner as described above. To produce the upward movement however, the user simply provides for operation ofthe power fluid source 108 to cause the power cylinders 107 connected thereto to be extended so as to raise the leg units 102 by pivotal movement relative to the frame arrangement, therewith also lifting the seat member 105 and the person sitting thereon.

Referring again to Figures 1 and 2, it may be found that, when the support frame structure 1 is in the fully collapsed position in which the frame units are almost parallel to each other and the seat member 8 is thus almost on the bottom ofthe bath,the springs 10 do not really have adequate force to produce the initiai upward movement ofthe seat member 8, in spite of the lifting assistance applied bythe user pressing againstthe tops of the sides of the bath. In that case, a further spring may be incorporated in the frame structure, comprising for example a torsion-type spring as shown at 19 in broken lines in Figure 1.The spring which comprises first and second legs 20 which are urged rotationally away from each other by a coil portion 21 will thus tend to urge the legs 2 ofthe frame unittowards the raised position shown in Figure 1.

The spring 19 may be suitably encased in association with the adjacent parts of the legs 2, to obviate any risk ofinjuryto the person using the bath aid unit, due to breakage of the spring 19.

In addition, it will be noted that the legs 2 in Figures 1 and 2 are fairly closely adjacent to the edges of the seat member 8, as can best be seen from Figure 2. It may be desirable howeverforthe legs 2 to be displaced inwardly of the seat member, and thus moved closer towards each other, so thatthey are not readily accessible from the sides of the seat member 8. That would provide a safeguard against the user of the seat accidentally having fingers trapped between the legs 2 and other components ofthe unit in the course of the upward movement thereof.

It will be appreciated that other modifications and variations may be made in the above-described embodiments of the bath aid unit in accordance with this invention, without thereby departing from the scope of thins invention. For example, different forms of spring may be used, such as one or more compressionsprings,whilethenumberandarrange- ment ofthe springs may of course vary from that illustrated. Similarly, otherforms of fluid circuit and control arrangements may be employed. Likewise, the illustratedsupportframestructureofthecrossed-leg configuration has the advantage of simplicity, but other forms of supportframe structure may equally be well be employed, for example of a parallelogram type arrangement, similarforexampleto that shown in Figure3.

Claims (15)

1. A bath aid unit comprising a seat member on which a user can sit, a supportframe structure pivotally connected to the seat member and arranged to rest on the bottom of a bath, the support frame structure being displaceable between a first operating position in which the seat member is raised from the bottom ofthe bath and a second operating position in which the seat member is lowered at least substantialliy to the bottom ofthe bath, spring means urging the supportframe structure and therewith the seat membertowardsthefirst position, and control means for control ofthe movement ofthe seat between its first and second positions

2. A unit according to claim 1 wherein said control means is a fluid-operated control assembly.

3. A unit according to claim 2 wherein said control assembly comprises a fluid circuit including a restrictor and metering means to throttle the flow offluid in the circuit, thereby to permitthe seat member to move from its second position to its first position only at a restricted rate under the force ofthe spring loading.

4. A unit according to claim 2 wherein said control means is a hydraulic control system comprising a circuit including a control valve operable to permit of flow of hydraulicfluid in the circuit whereby the seat member is movable from its first position towards its second position at a rate controllable by operation of the control valve.

5. A unit according to claim 4 wherein said circuit further includes a throttle means forthrottling the flow offluid in the circuit when the seat member is to be displaced from its second position towards its first position, the throttle means permitting the seat memberto move towards its first position only at a reduced and controlled rate, undertheforce of the spring loading.

6. A unit according to claim 5wherein said throttle means includes a check valve means to prevent a flow offluid in the direction corresponding to downward movement ofthe seat member.

7. A unit according to claim 1 wherein said support frame structure comprises first and second leg units which are pivotallyconnectedtogetherin ascissor- like arrangement, pivotal scissor movement ofthe leg units relative to each other displacing the seat member between said first and second positions.

8. A unit according to claim 7 wherein said spring means includes at least one coil spring operatively connected between said first and second leg units.

9. A unit according to claim 8 wherein said coil spring is a tension spring disposed adjacent the underside of said seat member.

10. A unit according to claim 7, claim 8 or claim 9 and including an auxiliary spring means operable to assist initial movement of said leg unitsfrom said second position of said seat member.

11. A unit according to any one of claims 7 to 10 wherein the lower end of one said leg unit carries supportwhee's capable of rolling overthe bottom of a bath while the lower end ofthe other leg unit provides non-rolling support means.

12. A unit according to any one of claims 7 to 11 wherein the upper end of a said leg unit is pivotally connected to said seat member and the upper end of the other leg unit is slidable relative to said seat member as said seat member is displaced between said first and second positions.

13. A unit according to claim 1 wherein said supportframe structure comprises a fixed structure for resting on the bottom of a bath, and a pair of interconnected leg units connected to the fixed structure pivotally between said first and second positions of said support frame structure.

14. A bath aid unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

15. A bath aid unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 3 ofthe accompanying drawings.