Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Tubs – Convenience accessories
Patent
1988-04-01
1990-03-06
Recla, Henry J.
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Tubs
Convenience accessories
4564, 5 81R, 5 83, 414541, 414921, A47K 312, A61G 710
Patent
active
049053272
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to means and equipment for giving handicapped persons or persons with reduced mobility or elderly persons access to water in a bathtub with complete independence and without effort.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The devices according to the invention have the following purpose:
(a) to enable a handicapped person or a person with reduced mobility or an elderly person to enter or leave his bath-tub without effort and completely independently,
(b) to be extremely simple, economic and to operate on tap water, and
(c) not to require any maintenance.
The foregoing objects are achieved by provision of a device for enabling persons with reduced mobility to enter and leave a bath tub, comprising an upper collar, a lower collar, a vertical column secured to the ceiling by the upper collar and to the floor by the lower collar, a jack for holding the column under compression for making the column completely rigid, and a support assembly mounted on the column for pivotal and vertical sliding motion. The support assembly comprises a member having first and second ends and a bend therein, a guide tube secured in the bend and having a side surface, first and second guide rings disposed in the first and second ends, respectively, of the member, a water-activated jack in fluid communication with the water tap of the bath tub and secured to a side surface of the guide tube, a roller mounted on the jack and resting on a track in the lower collar, and a seat supported on a seat supporting arm mounted in a bracket secured to the back of the support assembly.
In one aspect of the invention, the distance of the seat from the vertical column and the support assembly can be adjusted by a bracket.
In another aspect of the invention, the seat is provided with an extension pivotably mounted thereto for holding the bather's legs in a horizontal position.
A better understanding of the disclosed embodiments of the invention will be achieved when the accompanying detailed description is considered in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which like reference numerals are used for the same parts as illustrated in the different figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1A is a front elevational view with parts broken away of a device according to the invention for enabling persons with reduced mobility to enter and leave a bath tub, the raised position of the device being shown in dotted lines;
FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 1A, taken along line A--A;
FIG. 2A is a front elevational view of the device shown in FIG. 1A, with the lower position of the device shown in dotted lines;
FIG. 2B is a side elevational view of the support assembly of the device; and
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the device of FIG. 1A, with alternate positions of the seat shown in dotted lines.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The device according to the invention is made up of simple dismountable components as shown in the accompanying drawings.
It is made up of two principal parts, a guide and support column (1) and a support assembly (7). The guide and support column (1) is made of steel treated against corrosion or stainless steel, e.g. 45 mm in diameter, column (1) rests on the ground at one end and is held compressed by a screw jack (2) and pinned to a collar (3) secured (4) to the ceiling at the other end, thus giving a completely stable column. The bottom part is secured by a second collar (5) fixed to the ground (6), which also serves as a track for a roller (13). When thus secured, the column is extremely rigid. It can be either in one piece or telescopic. To facilitate rotation of the support assembly (7), the column is secured e.g. 10 cm from the edge of the bath, and 20 cm from the wall perpendicular to the edge of the bath tub, as shown in FIG. 2A. The support assembly (7) comprises a square or cylindrical tube welded in a "U" or "C" section member where plastic guide rings (8) are secured to the ends. Alternatively they can be replaced by ball sleeves
REFERENCES:
patent: 3291261 (1966-12-01), Robb
patent: 3413662 (1968-12-01), Stayton
patent: 4400032 (1983-08-01), de Polo
patent: 4733418 (1988-03-01), Luther
Boublil David
Fetsuga R. M.
Recla Henry J.
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