GB2425724A

GB2425724A - Suction member release mechanism for bath lift

Info

Publication number: GB2425724A
Application number: GB0508105A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gary Rosser
Original assignee: Mountway Ltd
Current assignee: Mountway Ltd
Priority date: 2005-04-22
Filing date: 2005-04-22
Publication date: 2006-11-08
Also published as: GB0508105D0

Abstract

A bath lift 1 has a seat 8 moveable between raised and lowered positions. It is attached to the floor of a bath by at least one suction member 6 and incorporates a mechanism for its release. This includes a linkage connected to the suction member and a user operable portion, or actuator, located in the upper portion of the lifting assembly. Preferably two linkages are provided and are preferably vertical elongate members. Two upstanding guide posts 7 may mount the seat, with the linkages possibly extending in or adjacent to the posts. Pushing the actuator may cause upward or downward displacement of the linkages leading to displacement of the suction members. The linkages preferably include pivoting means for translating downward movement of the linkage into upward movement of the suction member. The actuator may include an upper portion of the elongate member of the linkage, preferably including a lever. Preferably a chassis 5 supports the seat and the suction member is mounted thereon. In use, actuation by a user relieves the suction by displacement of a suction member, thus allowing the lift to be removed from the bath safely.

Description

I

Bath Lifts with Suction Member Release Mechanism This invention relates to detachable bath lifts with a suction member release mechanism.

Bath lifts are well-known devices enabling e.g. elderly, invalid or handicapped persons to be transported between a lower, bathing position and an upper position from which the user can mount and dismount the device.

Such devices comprise a moveably mounted seat which is moveable between the lower and upper positions by way of an appropriate lifting mechanism.

Typically, a bath lift is provided with a plurality of suction feet which enable the device to be releaseably secured in position on the floor of a bath. The present invention is derived from the realisation that a problem exists with the removal of such bath lifts from a bath in which it resides. In particular, in order to release the bath lift it is necessary to release the vacuum in the suction feet. To do this either requires a substantial force to be applied to the bath lift or requires a person to lift the suction feet themselves in order to release the suction effect.

Both of these solutions are undesirable, It may well be impossible or dangerous for a person to apply sufficient force to the bath lift to release the suction.

Furthermore, the applied force may be great enough to cause damage to the bath lift. The operation of lifting the suction feet themselves requires a person to bend over and reach down into the bath. This is a potentially dangerous operation which can cause injury to the person. It is a particularly difficult operation to per-form if the person in question is elderly, invalid or handicapped.

It is known to attach short lengths of string or like material to the suction feet to facilitate the removal of the suction feet from the floor of the bath. However, because the length of the string is short, the person must still bend over and reach into the bath in order to release the suction feet.

The present invention, in at least some of its embodiments, overcomes the above described problem, and permits the suction between suction feet and the bath floor to be released by a user without having to bend over a bath to access the bath floor or to apply substantial force to the bath lift.

According to the invention there is provided a bath lift including a moveably mounted seat, the seat being moveable between a raised position and a lowered position by a lifting mechanism, at least one suction member for securing the bath lift to the floor of a bath, and a suction member release mechanism; in which the suction member release mechanism includes at least one mechanical linkage in operative connection to at least one suction member, each mechanical linkage having user operable suction release actuation means located in the upper portion of the bath lift, wherein actuation by a user of the actuation means moves the mechanical linkage so as to cause a displacement of the at least one suction member in operative connection to the mechanical linkage, thereby lessening or releasing the suction between the at least one suction member and the floor of the bath.

Preferably the bath lift includes more than one, preferably two, mechanical linkages.

The actuation means may be located in the upper half, preferably the upper quarter, of the bath lift. Conveniently, the actuation means is disposed on an upwardly facing surface of the bath lift.

Generally, the bath lift includes at least one, preferably two, upstanding guide posts on which the seat is moveably mounted. In a preferred embodiment, a mechanical linkage extends in or adjacent to a guide post. It is especially preferred that the mechanical linkage extends in the guide post, which provides a convenient housing for the mechanical linkage.

An actuation means may be disposed on an upper surface of a guide post.

A mechanical linkage may be adapted so that pulling its actuation means causes displacement of the at least one suction member in operative connection to the mechanical linkage.

In an alternative embodiment, a mechanical linkage is adapted so that pushing its actuation means causes displacement of the at least one suction member in operative connection the mechanical linkage.

Preferably, a mechanical linkage includes a generally vertically extending elongate member. In this instance, the mechanical linkage may be adapted so that upward movement of the elongate member causes displacement of the at least one suction member in operative connection to the mechanical linkage.

Alternatively, the mechanical linkage may be adapted so that downward movement of the elongate member causes displacement of the at least one suction member in operative connection to the mechanical linkage. In one such embodiment, the mechanical linkage includes pivoting means for converting the downward movement of the elongate member into upward movement of a suction member engaging means thereby to cause displacement of a suction member.

The actuation means associated with the elongate member may include an upper portion of said elongate member. In such embodiments, displacement of a suction member can be accomplished by pushing or pulling the upper portion of the elongate member. A handle may be provided to facilitate such actions.

The actuation means may include a lever.

Typically, the bath lift includes a chassis supporting the moveably mounted seat and having the at least one suction member mounted thereon.

The chassis may indirectly support the moveably mounted seat such as via guide posts depending upwardly from the chassis.

Embodiments of bath lifts in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is an exploded view of a prior art bath lift; Figure 2 shows (a) a first embodiment of the invention and (b) an enlargement of the encircled portion of (a); Figure 3 shows (a) a second embodiment of the invention and (b) an enlargement of the encircled portion of (a); and Figure 4 shows (a) a third embodiment of the invention, (b) an enlargement of the lower encircled portion of (a), and (c) an enlargement of the upper encircled portion of (a).

Figure 1 shows an exploded view of a typical prior art bath lift shown generally at I and attendant rechargeable battery 2 insertable within a docking end of a control panel 3 itself releasably securable to a cradle 4 which may be mounted, for example, on a wall surface of a bathroom next to a bath (not shown).

The bath lift I comprises a chassis 5 in the form of a yoke and associated suction feet 6 by which the chassis 5 may rest on the bottom of the bath.

Extending from the chassis 5 are a pair of guide pillars 7 onto which is slideably mountable a seat 8 having a backrest 8a from the rear of which extend a pair of guide collars 9 dimensioned to be received on the guide pillars 7. A mounting spigot 10 also extends from a central, upper region of the backrest 8a and onto which may be mounted by bolts (not shown) the upper end I la of a lift actuating mechanism shown generally at II, the lower end 11 b being receivable within a correspondingly-shaped recess in an upper, rear portion 5a of the chassis 5.

The upper and lower ends 11 a, 11 b are axially moveable relative to each other via an electric motor and gear assemble (not shown) contained within a housing 11 c to thereby raise and lower the seat 8 in a conventional manner.

Extendable side panels 12 are provided on respectively opposite sides of the seat 8 in order to allow a user of the bath lift 1 to slide onto and off the seat 8 when in its raised position relative to the chassis 5.

In operation, the control panel 3 is electrically connected to the lift actuating mechanism 11 by wires (not shown) and by virtue of the upper end 11 a of the actuating mechanism 11 being attached to the slideably mounted seat 8 via the centrally disposed spigot 10 the lift actuating mechanism 11 is able to raise and lower the seat 8 as desired.

Figures 2 to 4 show how a prior art bath lift of the type described with reference to Figure 1 can be modified in order to provide a bath lift of the present invention. Figure 2(a) shows a pair upstanding guide pillars 20 which are mounted on a chassis 22. Underneath the chassis 22 are disposed suction feet 24, 26. For ease of presentation, other features of the bath lift are not shown in Figure 2 (or Figures 3 and 4), however the skilled reader will readily appreciate that the other features of the bath lift might correspond to the features depicted in Figure 1 or to other designs. Thus, it is likely - although not essential - that further suction feet are provided. The guide pillars 20 each house a generally vertically extending elongate member 28. The top end 28a of each elongate member 28 extends from the upper surface 20a of its respective guide pillar 20.

The bottom ends 20b of the elongate members 28 are each in connection with a suction foot 24, 26. The connection between the elongate member 28 and its associated suction foot 24, 26 can be made in any suitable manner. The elongate member 28 can protrude into a suction foot 24, 26, and most conveniently connection is achieved by moulding a suction foot onto the elongate member. Alternatively, the elongate member might be secured into an aperture in a suction foot by adhesive. Other ways of placing the elongate member in operative connection to a suction foot would readily suggest themselves to the skilled reader. Figure 2(b) shows the region of the bath lift in which the elongate member connects to a suction foot in more detail. In use, a person pulls upon the top end 28a of an elongate member 28, producing an upward displacement of the elongate member 28 which causes a displacement of its associated suction foot 24, 26, thereby lessening or removing the suction between the suction foot and the floor of a bath (or any other substrate) to which the suction foot is adhered. In this way, a user can conveniently detach the suction feet from the floor of the bath by way of a simple operation which takes place around the upper portion of the bath lift. Thus, the user does not have to undertake the at best inconvenient operation of bending over the side of a bath.

In general, it is only necessary to detach a pair of suction feet in the manner shown in Figure 2: once the suction feet have been detached, it is a relatively simple operation to detach the remaining suction feet by way of pivoting the bath lift about the floor of the bath. However, it is possible to extend the suction feet release mechanism provided by the present invention so as to lessen or remove the suction between further suction feet and the floor of the bath. This can be done by way of extending the mechanical linkage provided by the invention.

Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of the invention in which suction feet are detached from the floor of the bath by way of a push mechanism.

Identical numerals are used to denote features that are shared between Figures 2 and 3. As with the first embodiment of the invention depicted in Figure 2, the guide pillars 20 each house a vertically extending elongate member 28 having a top end 28a which protrudes out of an upper surface 20a of its associated guide pillar 20. The bottom ends 28b of the elongate members 28 are each connected to a pivoting mechanism 30 which pivots around a pivoting point 32. The other end of the pivoting mechanism 30 is connected to a suction foot engaging member 34 which in turn is in connection with a suction foot 24, 26. The suction foot engaging member 34 can be connected to the suction feet 24, 26 using the methods described above in relation to the first embodiment of the invention. In use, the top ends 28a of the elongate members 28 are pushed by a user, causing downward displacement of the elongate members 28. which is converted into upward movement of the suction foot engaging members 34 thereby causing a displacement of the suction feet 24, 26 which results in lessening or removal of the suction between the suction feet 24, 26 and a bath floor to which they are adhered.

Figure 4 depicts a third embodiment of the invention which shares a number of the features of the first embodiment of the invention; identical numerals are used to denote such shared features. The third embodiment is a variant of the first embodiment in which the upper ends 28a of the elongate members 28 are each connected to levers 36. In use, a user depresses the levers 36, which action causes upwards displacement of the elongate members 28 thereby causing a displacement of the suction feet 24, 26 in a manner analogous to that described with respect to the first embodiment in the invention.

The levers 34 represent a convenient way to enable a user to actuate the suction feet removal process. In the third embodiment depicted in Figure 4 the motion of the levers is used to pull the elongate members upwards. It is also possible to provide bath lifts in which levers are operated by a user in order to produce a pushing motion of the elongate members so as to cause a displacement of the suction feet and thereby lessen or remove the suction between the suction feet and a bath floor. For example, the second embodiment of the invention might be adapted by way of providing suitable levers.

Further adaptations, variations and embodiments which enable a user to lessen or remove the suction between one or more of the suction feet and the floor of a bath by an operation which is actuated at the upper portion of the bath lift would suggest themselves to the skilled reader. The elongate members might extend adjacent to the guide pillars (possibly in a subsidiary housing) or even at locations removed from the guide pillars. However, it is preferred that the elongate members extend within the guide pillars, since this arrangement provides protection for the elongate members and allows the present invention to be implemented without causing substantial alteration to conventional bath lift designs. In principle, the elongate member might be replaced or augmented by other mechanical components, such as gears and pulleys. However, the use of elongate members has the advantage of operational simplicity. Handles might be provided at the top of the mechanical linkage in order to facilitate actuation of the suction feet removal process. Other embodiments, for example systems which are actuated by pressing a button, or winch-like systems actuated by e.g. rotating a handle, might be envisaged.

Claims

Claims 1. A bath lift including a moveably mounted seat, the seat being

moveable between a raised position and a lowered position by a lifting mechanism, at least one suction member for securing the bath lift to the floor of a bath, and a suction member release mechanism; in which the suction member release mechanism includes at least one mechanical linkage in operative connection to at least one suction member, each mechanical linkage having user operable actuation means located in the upper portion of the bath lift, wherein actuation by a user of the actuation means moves the mechanical linkage to cause a displacement of the at least one suction member in operative connection to the mechanical linkage, thereby lessening or releasing the suction between the at least one suction member and the floor of the bath.
2. A bath lift according to claim 1 including more than one, preferably two, mechanical linkages.
3. A bath lift according to claim 1 or claim 2 including at least one, preferably two, upstanding guide posts on which the seat is moveably mounted.
4. A bath lift according to claim 3 in which a mechanical linkage extends in or adjacent to a guide post.
5. A bath lift according to claim 3 or claim 4 in which an actuation means is disposed on an upper surface of a guide post.
6. A bath lift according to any preceding claim in which a mechanical linkage is adapted so that pulling its actuation means causes displacement of the at least one suction member in operative connection to the mechanical linkage.
7. A bath lift according to any preceding claim in which a mechanical linkage is adapted so that pushing its actuation means causes displacement of the at least one suction member in operative connection the mechanical linkage.
8. A bath lift according to any preceding claim in which a mechanical linkage includes a generally vertically extending elongate member.
9. A bath lift according to claim 8 in which the mechanical linkage is adapted so that upward movement of the elongate member causes displacement of the at least one suction member in operative connection to the mechanical linkage.
10. A bath lift according to claim 8 in which the mechanical linkage is adapted so that downward movement of the elongate member causes displacement of the at least one suction member in operative connection to the mechanical linkage.
11. A bath lift according to claim 10 in which the mechanical linkage includes pivoting means for converting the downward movement of the elongate member into upward movement of a suction member engaging means thereby to cause displacement of a suction member.
12. A bath lift according to any one of claims 8 to 11 in which the actuation means associated with the elongate member includes an upper portion of said elongate member.
13. A bath lift according to any preceding claim in which the actuation means includes a lever.
14. A bath lift according to any preceding claim including a chassis supporting the moveably mounted seat and having the at least one suction member mounted thereon.
15. A bath lift substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.