GB2248547A

GB2248547A - Movable seat for use in bath or shower

Info

Publication number: GB2248547A
Application number: GB9022183A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roy Parker
Original assignee: Parker Bath Ltd
Current assignee: Parker Bath Ltd
Priority date: 1990-10-12
Filing date: 1990-10-12
Publication date: 1992-04-15
Anticipated expiration: 2010-10-12
Also published as: GB9022183D0; GB2248547B

Abstract

In a unitary water-tight bath and/or shower cabinet 1 having upstanding walls 2, 3, 4 with an access opening 5 for a user and incorporating a bath-tub 12 and/or a shower 7, a seat 8 for a user is mounted for movement through the said access opening 5 between an operative position within the cabinet 1 and a mounting/dismounting position outwardly the roof. Preferably the seat is further arranged for vertical movement within the tub into and out of the water in use. The seat is suitably mounted on a vertical shaft which is axially rotatable about a pivot 10 and vertically movable. <IMAGE>

Description

"Baths and Showers" This invention relates to baths and showers for disabled people.

Viewed from one aspect the invention provides a unitary watertight bath and/or shower cabinet for installation in a suitable space in a home or like location, the cabinet having upstanding walls with an access opening for a user and incorporating a bath-tub and/or a shower, and a seat for a user which is mounted for movement through the said.access opening between an operative position within the cabinet and a mounting/ dismounting position outwardly thereof.

In one form of the invention the cabinet is a shower cabinet, incorporating a wall-mounted shower fitting and a shower tray. In another form the cabinet is a bath cabinet incorporating a bath-tub, and is then preferably provided also with a wall-mounted shower fitting.

The said seat may, in the case of a shower cabinet, be mounted only for horizontal movement between its operative and mounting/dismounting positions. For example it could be slidably mounted on a horizontal track. Preferably however it is mounted for pivotal movement in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis, which axis may best be located adjacent the said access opening and to one side thereof. Such movement of the seat does not need to be powered, as it can readily be effected manually, by the user (if able) or by a helper In the case of a bath (or bath and shower) cabinet, however, it is desirable that the seat should also be capable of up and down movement so as to enable a disabled user to be lowered into the bath and lifted out again.In such a cabinet, therefore, the seat is preferably mounted both for horizontal movement through the said access opening as aforesaid, at a level above the edge of the bath-tub, and for vertical movement into and out of the tub. Preferably the arrangement is then such that the seat is sufficiently clear of the edge of the tub when positioned outwardly of the cabinet that it may then be lowered somewhat to its mounting/dismounting position without fouling the tub edge, whereby the tub edge may be of a conventional height (for sufficient depth within the tub) whilst at the same time the seat is low enough for easy mounting and dismounting, in particular by lateral movement from and to a wheelchair.

Such movability of the seat may conveniently be achieved by mounting it from a vertically movable shaft which is also rotatable about its axis to move the seat horizontally. The vertical movement of the seat could conceivably be effected by a helper, for example by means of a manually rotated pinion acting on a rack to move the seat up and down. Preferably, however, the up and down movement of the seat is powered, for example hydraulically, or by mains water pressure, or by an electric actuator.

Bath and/or shower cabinets according to the invention will be provided as a unitary watertight structure, ready for installation in a suitable space in a home or other building. The cabinet structure will be of a substantially rigid, self-supporting, nature, preferably made of glass reinforced plastics material.

Although the walls of a cabinet according to the invention will usually be of sufficient height for showering by means of a wall-mounted shower fitting, this is not essential in that, as already discussed, the scope of the invention extends to a bath cabinet which does not incorporate a wall-mounted shower, and in which the walls could of course be of less height.

Two embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shower cabinet according to the invention; Figures 2, 3 and 4 are respectively a front elevation, a transverse vertical section, and a plan view of the shower cabinet of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a perspective of a bath and shower cabinet according to the invention; and Figures 6 to 8 are views similar to Figures 2 to 4 but showing the cabinet of Figure 5.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 4, a shower cabinet according to the invention comprises a substantially rigid, self-supporting, watertight body 1 made of glass reinforced plastics material and having a rear wall 2, two side walls 3 and 4, and an access opening 5 defined between the front edges of the side walls. The floor 6 forms a shower tray, and a vertically adjustable shower fitting 7 is mounted to the rear wall 2.

A seat 8 for a disabled user is mounted on a horizontal arm 9 in cantilever fashion from a vertical shaft 10 which is itself mounted in suitable bearings in a housing 11, integral with the side wall 4. The seat 8 is thus movable in pivoting fashion, about the vertical axis of the shaft 10, through the access opening 5, between an operative (showering) position within the cabinet, shown in full lines, and a mounting/dismounting position shown in ghost lines, outwardly of the cabinet.

In the latter position, a disabled user may readily be moved laterally on to the seat from a wheel chair, and back again. The seat is freely pivotable between the two positions shown, its movement being effected by the disabled user if he or she is capable of so doing, or by a helper if not. Mechanical means (not shown) may be provided for releasably securing the seat in its operative and mounting/dismounting positions, if desired. In use, a user's body may be at least partially dried while he is still in the cabinet.

Referring now to Figures 5 to 8, a bath and shower cabinet according to the invention is similar in many respects to the shower cabinet of Figures 1 to 4; those parts which are the same or which serve the same function are given the same reference numerals and will not be described again. A bath-tub 12 forms an integral part of the structure, and the seat 8 is mounted for up and down movement in the tub as well as being pivotally mounted as in the first embodiment.Thus the shaft 10, as well as being rotatable about its axis, is mounted for powered vertical movement so that the seat is movable (looking at one sequence of movements by way of example) from a mounting/dismounting position outside of the cabinet, shown in full lines in Figure 6 and in ghost lines in Figure 5 and on the right of Figure 7, up to a position where it can clear the front edge of the tub, then in through the access opening 5 to the other position shown in ghost lines in the Figure 7, then down into the tub to the position shown in full lines in Figures 5 and 7 and in ghost lines in Figure 6. A disabled user can thus be fully immersed in the bath and then lifted out of the water and his body at least partially dried, when still located over the tub, before pivoting the seat back to the mounting/dismounting position. In the mounting/dismounting position the seat is at a suitable level for a user to be moved laterally onto it from a wheel chair. The vertical drive for the shaft 10 may be of any convenient kind, but is preferably provided by a vertical hydraulic jack (not shown) rigidly mounted to the cabinet body structure below the rim region 12 of the tub (Figure 5). Of course, if only the shower is to be used, the user does not have to be lowered into the tub.

In both of the above described embodiments the structure of the cabinet is preferably such that the seat can be mounted at either side of the access opening, depending on what arrangement is more convenient at the point of installation. For this reason the waste outlet of the bath-tub, and the taps (not shown), are preferably centrally located.

Of course, a shower curtain may be fitted across the access opening 5 in either embodiment.

Claims

1. A unitary water-tight bath and/or shower cabinet for installation in a suitable space in a home or like location, the cabinet having upstanding walls with an access opening for a user and incorporating a bath-tub and/or a shower, and a seat for a user which is mounted for movement through the said access opening between an operative position within the cabinet and a mounting/dismounting position outwardly thereof.

2. A cabinet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said seat is mounted for pivotal movement through the said access opening in a horizontal plane, about a vertical axis located adjacent the access opening and to one side thereof.

3. A cabinet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cabinet is a shower cabinet.

4. A cabinet as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cabinet is a bath cabinet incorporating a bath-tub and the said seat is further arranged for vertical movement within the tub into and out of the water in use, and for vertical movement outside of the tub to and from said mounting/dismounting position.

5. A cabinet as claimed in claim 4, wherein the seat is mounted on a vertical shaft which is axially rotatable and vertically movable.

6. A cabinet as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein a waste outlet of the bath-tub and taps for the bath-tub are centrally located.

7. A cabinet as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein movement of the seat is powered.

8. A bath and/or shower cabinet substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings.

9. A bath and/or shower cabinet substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 5 to 8 of the drawings.