GB2202437A

GB2202437A - Apparatus for use in assisting a patient to bathe

Info

Publication number: GB2202437A
Application number: GB8806962A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Joseph A O'loughlin
Original assignee: J & S O Loughlin Ltd
Current assignee: J & S O Loughlin Ltd
Priority date: 1987-03-26
Filing date: 1988-03-23
Publication date: 1988-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 2008-03-23
Also published as: IE870457L; GB8806962D0; GB2202437B; DE3809965A1

Description

P5127GB-H/JU/ac 220243'7 1 APPARATUS FOR USE IN ASSISTING A PATIENT TO

BATHE The present invention relates to apparatus for use in ass isting a physically or mentally handicapped person, hereinafter referred to as a patient, to bathe. In particular the invention relates to apparatus comprising a patient support means movable between a position in which the patient may bathe and a position in which the patient may mount or dismount, and hoisting means for moving the patient support means between these two positions.

Apparatus of the type described is commercially available which consists of a support column, a pivoting arm mounted on the column, and a patient support means in the form of a chair or bed mounted at the end of the pivoting arm, and hoist means for moving the pivoting arm to bring the chair or bed into and out of the bath. An example of this kind of apparatus is disclosed in U.K. Patent Specification No. 1,515,358 (Mecanaids Limited), which describes a support column secured by a steel mounting plate to the bathroom floor, a pivoting arm, and a chair. There are a number of disadvantages associated with this kind of apparatus. For example it takes up considerable space in the bathroom which is inconvenient for other users of the bathroom. It cannot be readily moved from one bathroom to another, for example if the patient wishes to go on holidays. When it includes a chair it can be used only by patients who are able to sit upright, and it is difficult to dry, powder or dress the patient.

Apparatus of the type described is commercially available in which the patient support means comprises a bed or a chair which remains over the floor of the bath, and the hoist means comprises a hydraulic mechanism sitting on the floor of the bath which can be operated to raise the bed or chair up to the level of the top of the bath to allow the patient to mount or dismount, and to lower the bed or chair down into the bath to allow the patient to bathe. Examples of this kind of apparatus are disclosed in European Patent Specification No. 0,131,741A (Peter

Schmidt GmbH), which describes a platform or bed supported on the hydraulic mechanism, and European Patent Specification No. 0,193,730A (Peter Schmidt GmbH), which discloses a chair instead of the platform or bed. There are a number of disadvantages associated with this kind of apparatus. For example, operation of the hydraulic system requires sufficient water pressure, which is not always available. The hydraulic mechanism is expensive. The apparatus must be removed from the bath to enable an able-bodied person to use the bath.

1 1 t The object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus of the type described above.

The invention provides apparatus for use in assisting a patient to bathe, comprising a flexible sheet or membrane movable between a position in which the patient may bathe and a position in which the patient may mount or dismount, and a pair of rollers and roller mounting means for mounting the rollers one along each side of the bath, the sheet being connected between the rollers and the rollers 1 being operable to unwind the sheet to the bathing position and to wind the sheet to the mounting and dismounting position.

Apparatus in accordance with the invention is relatively inexpensive and is simple to operate and is thus suitable is for patients outside of hospitals.

Advantageously, one of the rollers is readily detachable from one side of the bath. Receiving means may be provided on the other side of the bath to receive the detached roller. This enables the roller to be detached, and the roller and sheet to be moved to the other side of the bath, and thereby allows the bath to be used normally by an able-bodied person.

Advantageously, a drive transmission is provided to enable the two rollers to be rotated simultaneously at the same speed in opposite directions so as to wind or unwind the sheet, the drive transmission comprising a drive shaft extending across one end of the bath, a worm at each end of the drive shaft, the two worms being of opposite sense, and a worm wheel at the corresponding end of each roller for cooperating with the respective worm. This is a particularly simple and effective drive transmission which makes the apparatus easy to use.

Advantageously, there is sufficient inertia present in the apparatus to prevent the flexible sheet unwinding accidentally under the weight of a patient, the inertia being provided by a high gear ratio between the drive shaft and the rollers.

Advantageously, the mounting means are readily detachable. This allows the apparatus to be transferred f rom one bath to another.

The invention will now be described more particularly, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a perspective view of one construction of apparatus according to the invention.

is The principal components of the apparatus will now be described. The apparatus comprises a flexible sheet 1; two parallel rollers 2a,2b extending one along each side of the bath 100; a crank 3 for operating the rollers to wind or unwind the sheet; a housing 4 across one end of the bath which serves to locate the rollers and which contains a drive transmission (not shown) for transmitting the drive from the crank to the rollers so that they rotate simultaneously at the same speed in opposite directions; a cross member 5 at the other end of the bath for locating the rollers; and securing means (not shown) for securing the apparatus in position.

The use of the apparatus to assist a patient to bathe will now be described. The patient must be assisted by another person. The crank 3 is operated to wind the sheet 1 onto the rollers 2a,2b and thus stretch the sheet across the top of the bath 100. The bath 100 is filled with water from the taps 101. To enable the bath 100 to be filled while the sheet 1 is in the upper position, there is a gap between the end of the sheet and the end of the bath. The patient mounts the sheet 1. The patient may either lie on the sheet 1, or may sit upright, possibly with help from the assistant. The assistant then operates the crank 3 to unwind the sheet 1 from the rollers 2a,2b and then lower the patient down into the bath 100. As the sheet 1 reaches the surface of the bath water, the bath water flows in over the ends of the sheet. The crank 3 is operated until the sheet 1 rests on the floor of the bath. After bathing, the bath water is let run out. The crank 3 is then operated to wind the sheet 1 onto the rollers 2a,2b bringing the patient back up out of the bath 100. When the sheet 1 is again stretched across the top of the bath, any water draining off the patient drains out through perforations 6 provided for that purpose. The patient may be dried, powdered, and dressed while still on the sheet 1. The patient then dismounts.

The apparatus may also be used to assist a patient to take a shower instead of a bath. In this case, the patient is lowered a part only of the way into the bath 100. The shower is then turned on. The water from the shower drains away from the ends of the sheet, and also through the perforations 6.

The bath 100 may be used in the normal way by an able- bodied person with minimum inconvenience. The able-bodied person simply detaches the outer roller 2b, and secures the outer roller and sheet 1 on the far side of the bath 100 out of the way. For this purpose the outer roller 2b is made readily detachable, and receivers 7 are provided on the far side of the bath.

The apparatus may be easily moved from bath to bath. The securing means (not shown) which are readily releasable, are released and the apparatus is then disassembled into three parts, namely; the housing 4; the cross member 5; and the rollers 2a,2b and sheet 1. These parts may be easily transported to another location, reassembled, and secured in position.

The apparatus can be fitted to a bath irrespective of the location of the bath within the bathroom, and in particular the constraints which are imposed by the position of the bath relative to the bathroom walls. To allow the apparatus to be operated from either side of the bath, the crank 3 is connectable to either end of the drive transmission. To allow the crank 3 to rotate freely through a full circle even when the bath adjoins walls on three sides, the crank may be connected to the drive transmission by means of a right angle connection piece (not shown) so that the crank no longer rotates in a vertical plane parallel to the side of the bath, as shown in the drawings, but instead rotates in a vertical plane parallel to the end of the bath.

For safety reasons, when not in operation, the crank handle 3a may be pivoted from the operational position at right angles to the crank arm 3b as shown in the drawing, to an inoperational position in alignment with the crank arm 3b.

is The drive transmission, which is not shown, will now be described. The transmission comprises a drive shaft within the housing 4, a worm at each end of the drive shaft, the two worms being of opposite sense, and a worm wheel at the corresponding end of each roller for cooperation with the respective worm.

To prevent the sheet unwinding accidentally under the weight of the patient, the apparatus is made inert. inertia is provided by a high gear ratio, for example 20:1, between the drive shaft and the roller.

In an alternative construction, for hospital use, where i is necessary to wind and unwind the sheet quickly, the 1 c tl gear ratio may be reduced and inertia may be instead provided by means of a brake. Furthermorer the apparatus may be power driven by an electric motor (not shown).

The apparatus may be provided with an additional support (not shown) for the patient. The additional support may comprise a rigid patient support member extending centrally along the sheet 1, and may also comprise a back rest or support.

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Claims

CLAIMS !k 1. Apparatus for use in assisting a patient to bathe, comprising

a flexible sheet or membrane movable between a position in which the patient may bathe and a position in which the patient may mount or dismount, and a pair of rollers and roller mounting means for mounting the rollers one along each side of the bath, the sheet being connected between the rollers and the rollers being operable to unwind the sheet to the bathing position and to wind the sheet to the mounting and dismounting position.

Apparatus according to Claim 1, in which one of the rollers is readily detachable from one side of the bath to enable the roller and sheet to be moved to the other side of the bath so as to allow the bath to be used normally by an able-bodied person.

Apparatus according to Claim 2, in which receiving means are provided on the other side of bath for receiving the detached roller.

I - 11 1 4. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims,in which a drive transmission is provided to enable the two rollers to be rotated simultaneously at the same speed in opposite directions so as to wind or unwind the sheet, the drive transmission comprising a drive shaft extending across one end of the bath, a worm at each end of the drive shaft, the two worms being of opposite sense, and a worm wheel at the corresponding end of each roller for cooperation with the respective worm.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, in which sufficient inertia is present to prevent the flexible sheet unwinding accidentally under the weight of a patient, the inertia being provided by the gear ratio between the drive shaft and the rollers.

6. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the mounting means are readily detachable to allow the apparatus to be transferred from one bath to another.

7. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the flexible sheet includes perforations so that water draining off the patient's body may drain through perforations.

10.

8. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims.in which the flexible sheet includes a longitudinally extending centrally disposed rigid support member for additionally supporting the patient.

9. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims.in which a hand operable crank is provided for driving the drive shaft.

Apparatus according to Claim 9.in which the hand crank may be connected to the drive shaft in either one of two different orientations, in one of which the hand crank is rotatable in a vertical plane parallel to the sides of the bath, and in the other of which the hand crank is rotatable in a vertical plane parallel to the ends of the bath.

Apparatus according to Claim 9 or Claim 10, in which the hand crank may be connected to either end of the drive shaft, thereby enabling the same apparatus to be used for different baths.

ol 12. Apparatus for use in assisting a patient to bathe, substantially as described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

L 13. Any novel feature or combination of features described herein.

W1 Published 1988 at The Patent Office, State House, 6W1 High Holborn, London WC1R 4TP. Purther copies =Lay be obtained from The Patent OMOG, Sales Branch, St Mary Cray, Orprl, Kent BR5 3RD. Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd, St Mary Cray, Kent, Con. 1187.