BATH SEAT ASSEMBLY

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a bath seat assembly for assisting persons into and out of a bath tub.

BACKGROUND ART

Incapacitated or invalid persons, such as the aged, infirm, paraplegics and others with physical disabilities, often experience difficulties getting into and out of a bath tub. For many such persons, the operation of bathing can be quite dangerous and they are unable to enter and leave the bath tub unassisted. Nurses in particular are frequently required to lif patients, particularly elderly patients, into and out of baths. Those confined to wheelchairs also require the assistance of others when bathing. Nurses and other helpers often risk injury to themselves, eg. back sprain, when lifting patients into and out of a bath.

Furthermore, the shape of the common bath tub, and its slippery surface, make it notorious as a common cause or site of many accidents in the home. Serious and sometimes fatal accidents are known to have occurred when persons have slipped and fallen when manoeuvring into or out of the bath tub. Injuries such as broken arms, legs, hips or ribs resulting from a fall can leave elderly or infirm persons stranded in the bath.

Various devices have been proposed to assist persons to get into and out of the bath tub. Australian patent application no. 23310/84 discloses a wall mounted elevatable

bath seat which enables the seated bather to be gradually Towered into the bath and raised therefrom. However, wall mounted lifting devices are complex in construction and hence expensive. Furthermore, the devices need to be installed by professional trades persons and may not be suitable in all bathrooms. The devices are permanent fixtures and, in the event that they are removed, unsightly and unhygienic holes will remain in the wall.

Australian patent application 83837/82 describes a device for lifting invalids in bath tubs which uses collapsible bellows to raise and lower a plate or stretcher on which the bather rests. The collapsible bellows are inflated by a household water supply such as taps. The disadvantage with bellows is that while they provide vertical force for lifting the bath stretcher, they tend to wobble and thus are laterally unstable. For this reason, scissor linkages are provided in and/or around the collapsible bellows to provide the required support. As such linkages operate in soapy water, the pivot joints are susceptible to corrosion and clogging. Further, the whole apparatus is cumbersome and heavy to use.

The applicants earlier patent application 18992/88 describes a self-supporting inflatable bath seat having an inflatable bladder, and a seat portion on top of the inflatable bladder, the bladder being characterised in that it comprises a plurality of upright tubes spaced around its

^" .circumference, the tubes being inflatable with air or water.

The bladder is of a special design to allow it to be inflated

with the minimal amount of water or air. As the bladder must be made specially for this application, it increases the overall cost of the product.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for assisting a person into and from a bath which may substantially overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.

In one form, the invention resides in an apparatus for assisting a person into and from a bath, said apparatus comprising a frame assembly adapted to be positioned in a bath and supported by a bottom wall of the bath, said frame assembly including at least one guide member extending upwardly in use, a bath seat slidably connected to the at least one guide member for movement between a raised position adjacent an upper portion of the bath and a lowered position adjacent a lower portion of the bath, and an inflatable bladder operatively associated with the bath seat to move the bath seat between the raised and lowered positions upon inflation or deflation of the bladder.

The frame assembly suitably includes a plurality of leg members to facilitate the apparatus to be free standing.

The plurality of leg members may include front leg members and rear., leg members. Suitably, a pair of spaced front leg members and a pair of spaced rear leg members are provided.

The ^* front leg members are suitably interconnected by one or more interconnecting members. Suitably, an

interconnecting member extends between lower ends of respective front leg members and the interconnecting member may also be engagable with a support surface such as a bath floor. Similarly, the rear leg members may be interconnected by one or more interconnecting members. Suitably, a lower interconnecting member extends between lower ends of the rear leg members and may be engagable with a support surface. Upper ends of the rear leg members may also be interconnected by an upper interconnecting member.

Suitably, the. front leg members and rear leg members are interconnected by side interconnecting members. The side interconnecting members may extend from adjacent upper portions of the front leg members- to an intermediate- portion of the rear leg members. The side interconnecting members can assist in providing a rigidity to the frame assembly and may also function as arm rests when the bath seat is in the lowered position.

The frame assembly may be stabilised against movement along the bath by one or more movement inhibiting members. The movement inhibiting members may comprise suction pads which can secure the frame assembly to a bottom wall of the bath. Alternatively, the movement inhibiting member may include an anti-slip pad formed from suitable material such as rubber. In a further alternative, a non-slip mat may be placed between the apparatus and a bottom wall of the bath onto, which the apparatus is positioned.

A support means may be provided to support the

inflatable bladder and especially a lower portion thereof. The support means may be supported by the frame assembly. The support means suitably comprises a support platform to support a bottom wall of the inflatable bladder. The support means may extend between the front and rear leg members adjacent lower portions thereof and is suitably supported by the leg members or respective interconnecting members.

The at least guide member is suitably located adjacent the rear leg members. Suitably, a plurality and preferably two such guide members are provided. The or each guide member suitably extends between the lower interconnecting member and upper interconnecting member interconnecting the rear leg members. It is preferred that the or each guide member is secured to the rear leg members and/or respective interconnecting members. The or each guide member may be inclined.

Preferably, the or each guide member has a substantially cylindrical outer configuration. It is further preferred that the parts of the frame assembly such as the leg members and interconnecting members are formed from interconnecting tubes.

The bath seat suitably includes one or more connecting portions which can be slidably connected to the at least one guide member thereby slidingly connecting the bath seat.. thereto. The connecting portions preferably comprise collars extending at least partially about a respective guide member. It is preferred that a number of collars are coupled to each respective guide member.

The connecting portions are suitably coupled to a back support portion of the bath seat.

Various invalid retaining accessories such as security belts may be associated with the bath seat or the apparatus. The bath seat may be formed from moulded plastics material to resist corrosion or degradation upon repeated immersions into the bath water. The bath seat may include drainage apertures or ridges to allow water to drain from the seat with a person seated thereon. In the manner described above, the bath seat can slide up and down relative to the guide member while still being coupled thereto. It should be appreciated however that other types of connections between the bath seat and the frame assembly can be made. The bath seat may be pivotally connected to the at least one guide member to enable it to be swung to one side of the bath so that a person can be seated thereon and then subsequently swung back into the bath. Alternatively, the bath seat may include a pivoting portion to allow a person to pivot to the side of the bath to facilitate exit from the bath seat when the bath seat is in the raised position.

The inflatable bladder is preferably located below the bath seat and preferably between the bath seat and the support means. The inflatable bladder is typically formed of a flexible fluid impervious material and preferably is substantially inextensible. The inflatable bladder may comprise plastics, rubber, metallic foil or combinations thereof. The bladder may encapsulated in a flexible

inextensible surround of fabric or mesh material to inhibit over inflation.

Preferably, a pressure relief valve is associated with the inflatable bladder to prevent overinflation of the bladder. The pressure release valve may be in the form of a constricted opening in the bladder.

The bladder may comprise a single inflatable body or a plurality of separate inflatable bodies which may be interconnected. The bladder may comprise a bellows-type configuration. The bladder may be inflated by any suitable source of pressurized fluid, suitable fluid including compressed air or more preferably pressurized water. Preferably, the bladder is filled by a source of pressurized water which suitably comprises tap water. The bladder may be fixed to the frame assembly and/or bath seat or may be formed separately therefrom. Preferably, the bladder comprises a cylindrical inflatable body which may be tapered such that upon deflation the bladder collapses onto itself.

The bladder may be inflated or filled through an inlet coupled to a source of pressurized fluid through a suitable supply conduit. The supply conduit may extend partially through a portion of the frame assembly. Preferably, a valve is associated with the conduit to regulate fluid entry into the inflatable bladder. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In order that the invention may be more fully understood a preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus - according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2a is a side section elevation- view of the apparatus of Figure 1 in a lowered position . Figure 2b is a side section elevation view of the apparatus of Figure 2a in a raised position.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Referring to Figure 1 there is disclosed an apparatus for assisting a person into and from a bath. The apparatus 10 comprises a frame assembly 11, a bath seat 12 and an inflatable bladder 13.

The apparatus is dimensioned to allow it to be positioned into a bath tub shown generally as 14.

Frame assembly 11 is formed from a number of interconnecting tubes and includes a pair or spaced front leg members 15a, 15b and a pair of spaced rear leg members 16a, 16b.

Lower portions of front leg members 15a, 15b are interconnected by a transverse interconnecting member 17. In the embodiment, front leg members 15a, 15b and interconnecting member 17 are formed form a unitary tubular member. Interconnecting member 17 engages with a bottom wall 18 of bath tub 14 in use.

Lower portions of rear leg members 16a, 16b are interconnected by a lower transverse interconnecting member 19 and upper parts of rear leg members 16a, 16b are interconnected by an upper transverse interconnecting member

20.

Upper portions of front leg members 15a, 15b are connected to intermediate portions of rear leg members 16a, 16b by side interconnecting members 21a, 21b. The side interconnecting members 21a, 21b function as arm rests for a person when bath seat 12 is in the lowered position, and provides rigidity to the frame assembly.

A support means in the form of a platform 22 extends between interconnecting members 17 and 19 and is secured thereto. Platform 22 provides support for the bottom wall of inflatable bladder 13.

A pair of spaced guide members 23 (only one shown in the Figures) is located between lower interconnecting member

19 and upper interconnecting member 20 and comprises a generally cylindrical tubular body. Upper and lower ends of guide members 23 are secured to interconnecting members 19 and

20 respectively.

Bath seat 12 in the embodiment comprises a seating portion 25 and a back support portion 24. The seat is typically moulded from plastics material and can include drainage apertures 26 to drain any fluid from the seat portion

25.

As more clearly illustrated in Figures 2a and 2b, the rear of back support portion 24 includes a pair of spaced connecting portions in the form of collars 27 which are in linear alignment and which extend about a respective guide member 23. Although not illustrated .in the drawings, a second pair of collars extend about the second guide member.

Inflatable bladder 13 comprises a generally

cylindrical hollow body which in the embodiment is formed from vinyl plastic.

^• Bottom wall 28 of bladder 13 is supported by platform 22 while top wall 29 of bladder 13 abuts under seat portion 25 and can be connected thereto.

Bladder 13 includes a fluid inlet 30 connected to a supply conduit 31 which extends through side interconnecting member 21a and to a source of pressurized fluid such as a water tap 32. A valve 33 is conveniently located adjacent the end of interconnecting member 21a to allow it to be easily manipulated by a person seated on the bath seat.

To prevent over inflation of bladder 13, a pressure release valve 34 is provided adjacent an upper portion of the bladder to which is connected a short length of conduit 35. Valve 34 is permanently open but has a constricted diameter thereby allowing inflatable bladder 13 to be inflated but not overinflated.

In use, the apparatus can be placed inside bath with interconnecting members 17 and 19 supporting the apparatus from the floor of the bath. The _. inflatable bladder is connected to a bath tap via supply conduit 31. As the bladder is filled with water, the bath seat rises from the position shown in Figure 2a to the position shown in Figure 2b. The bladder is dimensioned such that when it is inflated, the bath seat, .is approximately the same level as the rim of the bath tub. A person can . sit on the bath .seat and switch off valve 33 whereby the weight of the person results in water flowing through pressure release valve 34 thereby deflating the

bladder to move the bath seat from the position shown in Figure 2b to the position shown in Figure 2a. It should be appreciated however that instead of pressure release valve 34, a further outlet valve may be used (not shown) to empty bladder 13. When the person has finished bathing, valve 33 is opened to allow water to flow into the inflatable bladder thereby moving bath seat 12 back to its position shown in Figure 2b at which time the person may alight from the bath.

The apparatus according to the invention has several advantages. Firstly, the apparatus is portable and is not bolted or otherwise fixed in a non-removable fashion to the bath or a bath surround portion. The apparatus is lightweight and can be easily placed into a bath. The apparatus is freestanding and does not require additional braces or struts to position it in a bath tub. The apparatus is formed from relatively few simple parts and is therefore inexpensive to manufacture and less susceptible to breakdown.

The apparatus although particularly suitable for a bath tub can also be used for spa tubs, therapeutic baths and other bathing devices which are difficult to enter into or exit from by frail or elderly people.

It should be appreciated that various other changes or modifications may be made to the embodiment described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.