Bathing seat structure for use in a bathtub

The present invention provides a bathing seat structure for use in a bathtub, wherein the legs frame enables fixed positioning of the base, and the base enables fixed positioning of the seat cushion. The base is provided with two freeing mechanisms, a lever, and a rolling device. After pulling open the lever, the rolling device enables the seat cushion to rotate. The two freeing mechanisms must be pressed to a predetermined depth and must be pressed simultaneously, only then can the seat cushion be shifted laterally, thus preventing inadvertent contact and causing displacement of the seat cushion. The rolling device uses a two-tier centrifugal configuration, thereby supporting equal distribution of a person's weight to achieve smooth rotation with no inclining of the seat cushion, and thus extending the serviceable life of the rolling device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a bathing seat structure for use in a bathtub, and more particularly to a bathing seat structure for use in a bathtub that uses freeing mechanisms that must be pressed to a predetermined depth; moreover, the two freeing mechanisms must be pressed simultaneously, only then can a seat cushion be shifted laterally, thus preventing inadvertent contact and causing easy displacement of the seat cushion. A rolling device uses a two-tier configuration of upper rollers and lower rollers, wherein the upper rollers and the lower rollers are respectively configured at a distance from a pivot connecting centre, thereby supporting equal distribution of a person's weight to achieve smooth rotation with no inclining of the seat cushion, and thus extending the serviceable life of the rolling device.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

The main functions of conventional bathing seat structures for use in a bathtub of the prior art enable a physically challenged person to sit thereon and allow a caregiver to bathe the person, with the bathing seat disposed so as to traverse a bathtub. The bathing seat is fitted with a legs frame or supporting frame to serve as a frame for fixed positioning on the bathtub. The bathing seat also comprises a rotatable seat cushion and a base able to shift laterally. The seat cushion is mounted on the base, and the base is further mounted on the legs frame, thus, a physically challenged person can be shifted laterally by means of the base and rotated by means of the seat cushion, thereby facilitating a caregiver in assisting the person to bathe without needing to bodily move the physically challenged person, therefore eliminating the need to for great effort and preventing injury to the physically challenged person.

However, the seat cushion and the base of conventional bathing seats for use in a bathtub only use a single layer of roller members, which are concentrated on a central pivot area, which easily results in uneven inclination of the seat cushion and heavy wear on the roller members. Hence, the conventional bathing seats have the shortcoming of hindered motion of the seat cushion. In addition, the base is mounted on the legs frame using a fastening device, with some of the fastening devices using a rotating handle as the fastening operation, and some using a traction device to free the fastening device. Accordingly, the fastening device is inconvenient for the caregiver with regard to operation thereof, and has further shortcomings such as the rotating handle being frequently unwittingly touched, thereby loosening the fastening device, whereas the traction device easily traps the fingers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, conventional bathing seats for use in a bathtub easily result in uneven inclination of the seat cushion and heavy wear on the roller members, and thus have the shortcoming of hindered motion of the seat cushion. Moreover, operation of the fastening device is inconvenient and causes distress for an invalid's caregiver.

Hence, a bathing seat structure for use in a bathtub of the present invention comprises:

A legs frame, which is assembled from a plurality of bars and can be placed within a bathtub or disposed so as to traverse a bathtub. The legs frame is fitted with two top cross bars, which are provided with a plurality of positioning holes, and spring members and positioning plugs are disposed within each of the top cross bars, wherein the positioning plugs protrude external of the positioning holes.

A base, which comprises an upper plate and a lower plate; the lower plate is pin connected to the legs frame, and the bottom portion of the lower plate is provided with a plurality of pin connecting tubes that are mounted on the exterior of the top cross bars, wherein the two front-end pin connecting tubes are respectively configured with a freeing mechanism. The upper plate is joined to the seat cushion, and a rolling device is fitted between the upper plate and the lower plate. The upper plate is provided with an upper through hole, and the lower plate is provided with a lower through hole. The upper plate is fitted with a lever, which is provided with a spring and a clasp post, wherein the clasp post inserts into the upper through hole and the lower through hole.

A seat cushion, which is joined to the upper plate of the base, and the bottom portion of the seat cushion is fixedly positioned with a bolt that enables mounting a spring thereon.

The present invention is characterized in that: each of the freeing mechanisms comprises a press button, a spring, and a stud bolt, wherein the press button is provided with a press column, the spring is mounted on the press column, and the stud bolt combines internally with the press column. Each of the pin connecting tubes is externally configured with a protruding body, which is internally provided with a through hole. The through hole is internally provided with an inner push edge and an outer push edge. The stud bolt is provided with a bolt head; the inner push edge stops the bolt head of the stud bolt when externally pushed thereon, and the outer push edge enables fixed positioning of a plug cap. The plug cap is internally provided with an inner push ring and an internal through hole, wherein the spring butts atop the inner push ring and the internal through hole enables the stud bolt to pass therethrough. Pressing down on the press button connectively drives the stud bolt and the bolt head, whereupon the bolt head pushes atop and causes the positioning plug to retract from within the positioning hole, which is thus subjected to the natural restoring force of the spring. The rolling device comprises a plurality of upper rollers, a circular plate, and a plurality of lower rollers. The bottom surface of the upper plate is provided with a plurality of bottom positioning slots, and the upper rollers are disposed in the bottom positioning slots. The top surface of the lower plate is provided with a plurality of top positioning slots, and the lower rollers are disposed in the top positioning slots. The circular plate is centrally pivot connected between the upper plate and the lower plate, and pulling the lever causes the clasp post to separate from the upper through hole. The base is internally provided with a two-tier configuration of the upper rollers and the lower rollers, wherein the upper rollers and the lower rollers are spread around the centre of the circular plate, thereby enabling smooth rotation on the lower plate of the base.

The primary object of the present invention lies in providing an operation of the two freeing mechanisms which must be pressed to a predetermined depth; moreover, the two freeing mechanisms must be pressed simultaneously, only then can the seat cushion be shifted laterally, thereby preventing inadvertent touching and easily causing displacement of the seat cushion.

A second object of the present invention lies in providing the rolling device with a two-tier configuration of the upper rollers and the lower rollers, wherein the upper rollers and the lower rollers are configured at a distance from a pivot connecting centre, thus supporting equal distribution of a person's weight to achieve smooth rotation with no inclining of the seat cushion, thus extending the serviceable life of the rolling device.

To enable a further understanding of said objectives and the technological methods of the invention herein, a brief description of the drawings is provided below followed by a detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 5 and 7, which show the present invention comprising a legs frame10, a base20, and a seat cushion30, wherein the legs frame10is assembled from a plurality of bars11and can be placed within a bathtub or disposed so as to traverse a bathtub. Two top cross bars12are fitted to the legs frame10(forming a top frame as shown inFIG. 4), and each of the top cross bars12is provided with a plurality of positioning holes121and two stop external rings122. Spring members13and positioning plugs131are respectively configured within the top cross bars12(seeFIG. 7), wherein the positioning plugs131protrude external of the positioning holes121. The base20comprises an upper plate21and a lower plate22(seeFIGS. 2, 3, 5), wherein the upper plate21is joined to the bottom portion of the seat cushion30, and the bottom portion of the seat cushion30is fixedly positioned by means of a bolt31, which enables mounting a spring311thereon. The lower plate22is pin connected to the legs frame10, and the bottom portion of the lower plate22is fitted with four pin connecting tubes221that are used to mount the lower plate22on the top cross bars12, thereby enabling displacement of the lower plate22on the two top cross bars12on top of the legs frame10. The two ends of each of the top cross bars12are respectively configured with the stop external rings122, which enable stopping displacement of the pin connecting tubes221of the lower plate22. The two front-end pin connecting tubes221are each configured with a freeing mechanism23(seeFIGS. 3 and 7), wherein the freeing mechanism23comprises a press button231, a spring232, and a stud bolt233. The press button231is provided with a press column234, and the spring232is mounted thereon. The stud bolt233combines internally with the press column234, and each of the pin connecting tubes221is externally configured with a protruding body2220, which is internally provided with a through hole2221. The through hole2221is internally provided with an inner push edge2222and an outer push edge2223. The stud bolt233is provided with a bolt head2331, the inner push edge2222stops the bolt head2331of the stud bolt233when externally pushed thereon, and the outer push edge2223enables fixed positioning of a plug cap235. The plug cap235is internally provided with an inner push ring2351and an internal through hole2352, wherein the spring232butts atop the inner push ring2351and the internal through hole2352enables the stud bolt233to pass therethrough. Pressing down on the press button231connectively drives the stud bolt233and the bolt head2331, whereupon the bolt head2331pushes atop and causes the positioning plug131to retract from within the positioning hole121. Hence, apart from the natural restoring force of the spring232, the spring member13within the top cross bar12also pushes on top of the positioning plug131and outwardly displaces the stud bolt233, which restores the press button231to its original position. In addition, the lower portions on two sides of the seat cushion30are each fitted with an armrest bar34.

Referring toFIGS. 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7, which show a rolling device24fitted between the upper plate21of the base20and the lower plate22, wherein the upper plate21is provided with an upper through hole211, and the lower plate22is provided with four lower through holes2210(which are respectively set at a ninety degrees angle to the four sides). The upper plate21is provided with a lever32that is fitted with a clasp post33, and the lever32butts against the spring311at the bottom portion of the seat cushion30. The clasp post33inserts into the upper through hole211and the lower through hole2210. The rolling device24comprises a plurality of upper rollers241, a circular plate242, and a plurality of lower rollers243. The bottom surface of the upper plate21is provided with a plurality of bottom positioning slots212, and the upper rollers241are respectively disposed in the bottom positioning slots212. The top surface of the lower plate22is provided with a plurality of top positioning slots222, and the lower rollers243are disposed in the top positioning slots222. The circular plate242is centrally pivot connected between the upper plate21and the lower plate22, and pulling the lever32causes the clasp post33to separate from the lower through hole2210. The two-tier configuration of the upper rollers241and the lower rollers243is configured within the base20and enables smooth rotation of the seat cushion30on the lower plate22of the base20.

According to the above-described improved structure of the bathing seat structure for use in a bathtub of the present invention, during operation, the bars11of the legs frame10are placed inside a bathtub or disposed so as to traverse a bathtub, enabling level placement of the bathing seat in or on a bathtub. A person can sit on the seat cushion30, and a caregiver can laterally displace or rotate the seat cushion30according to actual needs. To enable lateral displacement of the seat cushion30, the press buttons231are first concurrently pressed, which connectively drive the respective stud bolts233and the bolt heads2331, whereupon the bolt heads2331push and cause the respective positioning plugs131to retract from within the positioning holes121. At which time, the positioning plugs131are not wedged in the through holes2221of the pin connecting tubes221and the seat cushion30can be laterally displaced a distance on the top cross bars12of the legs frame10. Re-pressing the press buttons231causes the positioning plugs131to again retract, enabling the seat cushion30to be laterally displaced until the pin connecting tubes221contact the respective stop external rings122, which stops further displacement of the seat cushion30(seeFIGS. 9, 10), whereupon the positioning plugs131spring back and again become wedged inside the respective through holes2221within the protruding bodies2220, thereby causing the seat cushion30to be fixedly positioned once more, assuring safety and preventing inadvertent sliding.

If the bathing seat needs to be rotated, the lever32is pulled open (seeFIG. 6), which connectively causes and upwardly separates the clasp post33from the lower through hole2210, and because the upper plate21is fixed to the seat cushion30, the seat cushion30is able to rotate through ninety degrees, 180 degrees, or 270 degrees on the upper portion of the lower plate22by means of the rolling device24(seeFIG. 8). Releasing the lever32causes the clasp post33to downwardly insert into the lower through hole2210, thereby fixed positioning both the lower plate22and the upper plate21and correspondingly fixed positioning the seat cushion30at one of the specified angles, thus meeting actual needs of a caregiver and facilitating bathing the front, side, or back of an invalid.

Referring toFIG. 11, which shows a lower portion on only one side of the seat cushion30fitted with the single armrest bar34, which is facilitates in and out and displacement of an invalid. Referring toFIG. 12, which shows the bathing seat with the legs frame10with only a pair of legs on one side thereof and a clamping device40fitted on the legs frame10opposite the single armrest bar34. The clamping device40, which is able to clamp onto a bathtub, belongs to well-known technology in the art, and thus not further detailed herein.

The present invention primarily provides the pin connecting tubes221respectively configured with a freeing mechanism23which adopts a pressing method. Moreover, the two freeing mechanisms23need to be concurrently pressed to a predetermined depth and must be concurrently moved, only then can the seat cushion30be shifted sideways, thereby preventing inadvertently touching the freeing mechanisms23and easily causing displacement of the seat cushion30. Furthermore, the present invention uses the two-tier configuration of the upper rollers241and the lower rollers243, wherein the upper rollers241and the lower rollers243are respectively configured at a distance from the centre of the circular plate242and spread around the periphery thereof, which enables supporting the seat cushion30and equal distribution of a person's weight thereon to achieve smooth rotation with no inclining of the seat cushion30, thus extending the serviceable life of the rolling device24.