SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention a support aid is provided including a support formation and a mounting means for mounting the support formation on a structure, the support formation being displaceable between an inoperative condition and an operative supporting condition wherein it provides a support for supporting a person.

The support formation may be in the form of a substantially planar member.

A handle may be provided on the support formation to facilitate gripping thereof by the person.

At least one slot in the planar member may be provided to define the handle or handles.

Preferably the slots extend along opposing longitudinal sides of the planar member.

In a preferred form of the invention, the planar member has a length which conforms to the width of a bath.

The mounting means may be mountable on a bathroom wall above a bath or on a shower wall.

The mounting means may include a pivot member to permit pivotal displacement of the support formation between an inoperative upright condition and an operative supporting condition wherein the support formation is arranged substantially horizontal relative to the surface or floor.

The mounting means may include a retaining member for retaining the support formation in either of the operative or inoperative conditions.

The mounting means may alternatively include a guide formation on which the distal end of the support formation is mounted.

A guide formation is preferably adapted to permit pivotal and lateral displacement of the support formation relative to the structure.

The guide formation may include a guide rail along which the support formation is slideably displaceable.

A locating means may be provided to retain the platform in a pre-determinable position on the guide formation.

A pivotable leg may be provided on the support formation for supporting the support formation in the operative supporting condition when the support aid is mounted, for example, in a shower.

The pivotable leg is preferably mountable to an underside free end portion of the support formation.

The support aid may include displacement means for respectively lowering or lifting a person in or out of a bath.

The displacement means preferably means a seat member.

The seat member may be arranged, in an elevated position, adjacent a longitudinal edge of the support formation and the displacement device for displacing the seat between a lowered and elevated position.

A back support may be mountable on the support formation for supporting the back of a person seated on the seat member.

A backrest may be mountable on the support formation for supporting the back of a person seated thereon in order to facilitate orthopaedic exercises in water. A baby bath or wash board may be mounted on the support formation for bathing a baby or washing of clothing or the like.

The backrest may include a locating formation which is shaped to be received complementally by the slot in the support formation.

The back support may be insertable into the slots from the underside of the support formation to provide a kick plate or divider in the bath.

Holding members may be arranged on the support formation for holding a mirror or a baby bath or securing medical equipment.

The holding members are preferably pivotally mountable on the support formation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS This invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : Figure 1 shows a schematic, 3-dimensionai view of a support aid in accordance with the invention ; Figure 2 shows a side view of a part of the support aid incorporating a leg ; Figure 3 shows a side view of a hoist for the support aid ; Figure 4 shows a front view of a backrest for the support aid ; Figure 5 shows a front view of a holding arrangement for the support aid ; Figure 6 shows a side view of a baby bath for the support aid ; and Figure 7 shows a side view of a washing arrangement for the support aid.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now in particular to figure 1, a support aid for supporting a person in a bath or shower in accordance with the invention is generally designated by reference numeral 10.

The support aid 10 includes a platform 12 which is pivotally mounted on a wall 13 above a bath 40 or on a wall of a shower via a mounting member 14, the platform 12 being displaceable (in the direction of arrow"A") between an inoperative upright condition and an operative supporting condition where it projects substantially horizontatty from the wall 13 to provide a support surface 15 for supporting a person when entering the bath or shower. The platform 12 is made from any suitable synthetic plastics material or rubber, steel, aluminium or resinous composite material, which is capable of supporting a person seated thereon. Handles 16, defined by slots 17 in the platform 12, extend along opposing longitudinal sides thereof to facilitate gripping of the platform 12 by a person. Mounting member 14 includes a backing plate 18 which is anchored to the wall 13 and a number of locating lugs 20 which project from the backing plate 18 and are received in recesses 22 in the distal end of the platform 12.

The platform 12 and mounting member 14 are pivotally inter-connected by shafts 24 which are pivotally journaled in the locating lugs 20 and thickened end portions 26 of the platform 12. A retaining member 28 is pivotally connected to the platform 12 via locating formations 30. The retaining member 28 has a slot 32 defined therein for receiving a complementary formation 34 on the backing plate 18 to retain the platform 12 in upright condition. In the supporting condition, a free end 36 of the retaining member 28 abuts against a base portion of the formation 34 to retain the platform 12 in the supporting condition wherein a free end portion of the platform rests on a side 38 of the bath 40.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the backing plate 18 is replaced by a parade) guide rail (not shown) which is anchored to the wall 13. The lower guide rail is pivotally journaled in the thickened end portions 26 which support and permit pivotal and sliding displacement of the platform 12 there along. Locating members (not shown) in the form of clamps arranged at least partially in the apertures defined in the thickened end portions 26 are provided to secure the platform 12 in a pre-determined position on the rail. Adjustment members (not shown) on the locating members for securing the platform 12 in position are pivotaiiy dispiaceabie between their operative securing an inoperative condition.

The support aid 10 can also include a leg 42 (figure 2) which is mounted pivotally via a pivotal mounting arrangement 44 on the under side of the platform 12 to support the platform 12 in the supporting condition when the support aid 10 is mounted in a shower. The leg 42 is dispiaceabte in the direction of arrow"B"between a supporting position wherein it depends vertically from and supports the platform 12 substantially horizontal above a floor and a stored position wherein the leg 42 is held by co-acting holding member 48 in a parallel relationship relative to the platform 12 when the platform 12 is in the upright inoperative condition.

The support aid 10 further inclues a displacement means in the form of a hoist 50 (figure 3) for respectively lowering or lifting a person in or out of the water in the bath 40. The hoist 50 includes a seat 52 which extends transversal outwards from a longitudinal side of the platform 12. Seat 52 has a pair of arms 54 which extend through slots in the back support 56. The arms 54 are slideably arranged of guide members 58 which depend from the platform 12. Displacement of the seat 52 in the direction of arrow"C"between the upper and lower positions is achieved by means of a hydraulically operable displacement device (not shown) which displaces a rod 60 which extends through the platform 12 at one end and which is connected at its other end to end portions of the arms 54. A rubber stopper 62 is located at each of the lower free ends of the guide members 58 to protect the base of the bath 40. Linkage arms 64 is pivotally connected at one end to a rear surface of the back support 56 and the opposing end of each linkage arm 64 has an enlarged shoulder portion 66 which abuts against the underside of the platform 12. A protruding portion 68 which forms an interface fit with the slot 17 when inserted therein.

The displacement device can alternatively comprise a screw shaft which is rotated manually or by a drive assembly, the arms 54 having complementary threaded bushes which permit screw threaded displacement of the seat 52 along the shaft when the shaft is rotated manually or by a mechanical or electrical power source.

A back rest 70 (figure 4) is mountable on the platform 12 for supporting the back of the person seated thereon. The back rest 70 includes shoulder and protruding portions 72 and 74 which are shaped respectively to abut against and be received complementarily by the slots 17 in similar manner to that of the linkage arm 64 described above. The protruding portions 74 have key ways 76 which in a mounted position on the platform 12 receive keys (not shown) therethrough to retain the back rest 70 in position on the platform 12. The back rest 70 can be inserted into the slots 17 from the under side of the platform 12 to provide a kick plate or divider member in the bath 40 for smaller young people.

Holding members 80 (figure 5) are arranged along the edges of the platform 12 for holding a drip stand, arm sling or mirror pivotally on the platform 12. The holding member 80 has guide members 82 and 84 which define channels 86 and 88 which are adapted slideably to receive a flat portion of a pin 98. The pin 98 (shown in dotted lines) has a flange 99 which bears against the holding member 80 in use. A circular section shaft portion 100 extends from the flange 99, the shaft portion 100 being adapted to receive complementary bushes 101 of a generally"U"-shaped hand rail 102 (shown in dotted lines) which extends transversally between and is mounted on a pair of opposing holding members 80. Attachments such as mirrors and/or medical equipment including a drip and sling arrangement for supporting a limb of a person can be mounted on the pins 98. Holes 89 and 91 are defined in the holding member 80 for receiving mounting pins.

The baby bath 90 (figure 6) or wash board 95 (figure 7) is pivotally mounted on platform 12. The baby bath 90 and wash board indude f ! anges 93 and 94 respectively.

Holes 91 and 92 defined in these flanges which line up with the holes in the holding member 47 and 48 of platform 12 to retain the baby bath 90 or wash board 95 in an operative position on platform 12 through pins (not shown). An inwardly displaceable plug (not shown) is provided on the baby bath 90 to allow water to flow therethrough out of the baby bath and into the bath 40 or shower.

In operation a person displaces the platform 12 from the inoperative upright position to the operative supporting position and secures the retaining member 28 in position. The person then places his hands on the handles 16 to support himself as he steps into the bath 40 or seats himself on a proximal part of the platform 12 to allow him to swing his legs over the rim of the bath 40 prior to entering the bath. A cushion (not shown) could be arranged on the platform 12 to elevate a person seated thereon to permit water restraining orthopaedic exercises to be performed thereon.

It will be appreciated that this invention is not limited to the precise constructural details as described above. For example, steps may be provided to assist a person to climb onto the platform. It will also be appreciated that the use of the support aid 10 is not limited to those applications in a bathroom as described above, for example it could also be used to aid persons climbing in or out of a bed.

It will accordingly be appreciated that many variations or modifications of the invention are possible without departing from the scope of the appended claims.