Bath lift

Details Bath lift Bath lift

1999-11-30

2001-07-10

Huson, Gregory L. (Department: 3751)

Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons

Tubs

Convenience accessories

C004S561100, C004S563100, C004S564100, C004S565100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06256807

ABSTRACT:

This invention concerns a bath lift for lifting persons into and out of a bath.
A large number of people encounter difficulties getting into and especially out of baths. A number of bath lifts are currently available. Many of these have proved somewhat unsatisfactory for a number of reasons, such as: occupying too much space, being difficult to operate, and particularly by a user; being not sufficiently stable; requiring considerable installation time and hence costs; or being too expensive for the limited usefulness of most of the bath lifts on offer.
According to the present invention there is provided a bath lift, the bath lift comprising a lifting arrangement mountable to a wall or fixture, and a seating means mountable on the lifting arrangement, the lifting arrangement comprising means for selectively moving the seating means in a generally vertical direction, whereby to permit a person to be lowered into a bath or raised out thereof, the seating means being pivotally movable in a generally horizontal plane relative to the lifting arrangement, and the seating means being selectively mountable on the lifting arrangement to face in either a one or an opposite direction.
The seating means is preferably mountable on the lifting arrangement to be freely pivotally movable about a generally horizontal axis. Means may be provided to prevent the seating means from pivoting rearwardly beyond a predetermined point, and said pivotting preventing means may comprise an engagement member locatable behind the seating means irrespective of whether the seating means is facing in a one or an opposite direction.
Bath engagement means may be provided on the underside of the seating means engageable with the side, end and/or base of a bath to allow the seating means to move thereover during raising or lowering. Said bath engagement means may comprise one or more roller means or similar.
The seating means may comprise a base and a back part, and the base may be pivotally mounted to the back part so as to be movable into an out-of-use position generally parallel to the back part.
An arm rest may be provided on the back part, part way along the length thereof, and the arm rest may be pivotally mounted on the back part to be selectively movable in and out of an in-use position.
Rib reinforcements and/or openings may be provided in the seating means. Means may be provided for blowing air through the seating means on to a person seated thereon, whereby to provide a spa-type effect.
Also according to the invention there is provided a bath lift, the bath lift comprising a lifting arrangement and seating means mountable thereto, the lifting arrangement comprising means for selectively moving the seating means in a generally vertical direction whereby to permit a person to be lowered into a bath or raised out thereof, the seating means being engageable with a lifting part of the lifting arrangement, which lifting part is selectively movable in a generally vertical direction so as to raise or lower the seating means.
In addition to the above paragraph, the bath lift may also be according to any of the six paragraphs preceding the above paragraph.
The seating means may be mountable on a holding part of the lifting arrangement which is freely slidably locatable in a generally downwards direction on the lifting part, whereby the seating means and said holding part can be located on the remainder of the lifting arrangement or removed therefrom, simply by movement in a generally vertical direction.
Said holding part may comprise an elongate sleeve. Said lifting part may comprise a sleeve threadably mounted on an elongate threaded member. The top end of the lifting part is preferably engageable with the holding part to cause raising and lowering thereof. Non-rotatable engagement means may be provided between the holding and lifting parts, and a respective non-circular section projection may be provided on one of said parts locatable in a correspondingly shaped recess in the other of said parts. The seating means is preferably mountable on a carriage mounted on said holding part.
Alternatively, the seating means may be mountable on the lifting part. Said lifting part may comprise a sleeve threadably mounted on the elongate threaded member. The seating means is preferably mountable on a carriage mounted on said lifting part.
Cover means may be provided for the threaded member above and/or below the seating means. The cover means may comprise a flexible sleeve or sleeves locatable around the threaded member. The sleeve or sleeves may have a bellows configuration.
The threaded member may be mounted on a motor, and extendible substantially vertically therefrom in use.
An elongate projection may be provided on the carriage for mounting the seating means, and the seating means preferably comprises a sleeve in which the elongate projection is locatable to permit free pivotal movement of the seating means. The carriage may also mount the engagement member, which preferably comprises a further elongate member which may be cranked.
The lifting arrangement may comprise a track or tracks in which a part of the carriage is movable during raising or lowering of the seating means. Preferably two tracks are provided, and a plurality of roller means or similar may be provided on the carriage, engageable respectively in the track or in respective tracks.
The lifting arrangement preferably comprises a frame member which has a generally L-shaped cross-section in plan view, with the tracks desirably provided respectively at the free ends of the limbs of the L. Channels may be provided at the free ends of the limbs of the L to define the tracks.
The frame member may be directly mountable to a wall or fixture. Alternatively, the frame member may be mountable on the floor so as to be upstanding therefrom. Means may be provided for engagement between the frame member and an adjacent bath to substantially prevent relative movement therebetween. The engagement means may be adjustable. The engagement means may comprise a generally L-shaped member engageable over the side of the bath. The engagement means may comprise a further member mountable on the frame member at a required height, and formed to adjustably mount a limb of the L-shaped member. The further member may comprise an elongate socket and locking means to receive a limb of the L-shaped member therein. A plurality of spaced holes may be provided along the height of the frame member to receive the further member at a required height.
As an alternative to direct mounting a mounting bracket may be provided. The mounting bracket preferably also has a generally L-shaped cross-section in plan view, and the frame member may be slidably mountable thereon.
The lifting arrangement preferably comprises a motor which may include reduction gearing. The motor may be mains operable or batteries may be provided therefor.
In one arrangement the lower end in use of the frame member is enclosed so as to be generally only upwardly open. The motor is preferably slidably located in said lower end of the frame member.
In an alternative arrangement the upper end of the frame is enclosed, and the motor is removably located therein.
Control means may be provided for the bath lift, and the control means are preferably waterproof and may be arranged so as to be hand-held if required by a person on the seating means. The control means may be arranged such that the lifting arrangement automatically stops when the seating means reaches a predetermined upper or lower position. The upper and/or lower positions may be variable.
The invention further provides a bath lift assembly, the assembly comprising two bath lifts according to any of the preceding twenty one paragraphs, the bath lifts being mountable spaced from each other adjacent a bath, with a support member extending between each bath lift and movable into and out of the bath by virtue of synchronised operation of the bath lifts, whereby to permit a supine or partially supine person to be lowered into a bath.
The invention still further provides a toil

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