Abstract:
A pool lift comprises an actuator to lower and raise a seat carrying a user into and out of a pool. The seat is mountable to the actuator for either leftward or rightward movement, enabling use in a variety of pool configurations. The seat further folds when not in use to minimize the footprint of the device.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to lift seats for pools, and more particularly to an improved pool lift seat. 
         [0002]    Accessibility for pools, both swimming and therapeutic pools, is enhanced by employing a lift device, such as a lift seat, to assist with entry to and exit from the pool. 
         [0003]    It would be helpful to have a lift seat that was easy to use, and adaptable to different configuration requirements. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    In accordance with the disclosure, a system and method provide a pool lift seat that is adapted for both left and right side mounting relative to a support. 
         [0005]    Accordingly, the present disclosure provides an improved system and method and pool lift seat for providing accessibility to pools. 
         [0006]    The subject matter of the present technology is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. However, both the organization and method of operation, together with further embodiments thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like elements. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a rear view of a pool seat in accordance with the present disclosure; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the pool seat in a retracted and in an extended position; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a partially disassembled view of the chair and lift assembly; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the lift mechanism; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a view of the seat and lift portion separated; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a view of the lift mechanism with the seat removed; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged view of the seat adjustment bolts of  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a view of the lift mechanism; 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is an enlarged view showing seat mounting holes; 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  is a top view of the system in a retracted position; 
           [0017]      FIG. 11  is a top view of the system in an extended into the pool position; 
           [0018]      FIG. 12  is a partially exploded view of the seat with optional arm rests; 
           [0019]      FIGS. 13 ,  14  and  15  are views of the optional wheel kit for ease of movement of the seat and lift; 
           [0020]      FIGS. 16 ,  17 ,  18 ,  19 ,  20  and  21  illustrate steps to move the seat from a right side mounting configuration to a left side mounting configuration; 
           [0021]      FIG. 22  is an exploded view of the folding seat portion of the lift seat; 
           [0022]      FIGS. 23 ,  24 ,  25  and  26  are front perspective, side, back and rear perspective views of the seat in an open position; 
           [0023]      FIGS. 27 and 28  are front and rear perspective view of the seat in a partially folded position; and 
           [0024]      FIG. 29  is a front perspective view of the seat in a fully folded up position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0025]    The system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a lift seat with raising and lowering mechanism to allow a user to be lifted into or out of a pool. 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a rear view of a pool seat together with  FIG. 2 , a side view of the pool seat in a retracted and in an extended position, the seat comprises a lift assembly  12  with attached seat  14 . The lift assembly supports the seat and is operative to tilt to the side to move the seat to the side and lower the seat into the water  16  of the pool. 
         [0027]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , an exploded view of the lift assembly and seat, the seat  14  comprises a back  18  supported by two upwardly extending back members  20 , the back members interfacing with support members  22  that mount horizontal seat portion  24  thereon. Leg members  26  extend away from the front of the seat at a downward angle and carry foot rest  28  at the ends thereof distal from the seat. 
         [0028]    The lift assembly  12  comprises a mounting base member  30  to which a somewhat vertically oriented beam  32  hingedgly mounts by means of hinge  34 , allowing rotation of the support beam about axis  35 . The upper end of the beam  32  carries a chair mount  36  which is adapted to rotate about axis  38  and to attach to chair  14  by use of chair attachment beam  40 . Extensible actuator  42  attaches between an upper end of the support beam and a mounting member  44  positioned at an edge of the base member that is distal from the hinge  34 . Extension of the actuator  42  causes the support beam to rotate towards the direction of the pool, carrying the chair with it, moving the chair towards the pool. The rotational movement of the chair mount  36  allows the chair to remain level while the support beam is rotating. A battery pack  46  is mountable to the structure of the device and powers operational controls for raising and lowering of the chair. 
         [0029]    Referring now to  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , mounting base member  30  carries two upwardly extending mounting tabs  48  which have mounting holes, a lower pair of mounting holes receiving double end threaded stud  50  therethrough, suitably mounted by use of washers and nuts. The stud  50  also passes through corresponding holes in the lower end of actuator arm assembly  52 . Support arm  54  mounts at it lower end through a mounting hole to a stud member that fits in the upper hole of the right mounting tab  48 . 
         [0030]    The lower portion of actuator arm assembly  52  extends horizontally at a slight upward angle, and includes a vertical arm component that extends upwardly about twice to three times the distance of the horizontal extent, carrying a seat mount bushing  56  which rotationally mounts seat mount assembly  58  to the upper portion of the actuator arm by use of control axel assembly  59 , comprising an axel with threaded end attached to an axel plate with suitable mounting holes. 
         [0031]    Rearwardly extending tabs  60  on the horizontal portion of the actuator arm assembly have  2  mounting holes defined therein which mate with corresponding holes on the bottom of an actuator cage assembly  62 , suitably mounting by use of bolts, washers and nuts. A linear actuator  64  mounts at the upper end thereof to the top of actuator cage assembly  62  and at the lower end, to two upwardly extending flanges  66  via use of left and right bolts  68 ,  70  which mount via nuts and washers to corresponding receivers in the bottom of the actuator. A controller/battery pack  72  for driving the actuator mounts to the side of  62  by use of mounting flange  74 . 
         [0032]    In operation, with reference to  FIG. 5 , a rear side partially exploded view, the seat mounts to seat mount assembly  58  via use of bolt  76  that passes through holes  78  in a seat back flange and corresponding holes  80  in the seat mount assembly  58 . 
         [0033]    Operation of the device involves extension of the actuator  64  which causes the actuator arm  52  to pivot on stud  50 , carrying with it the seat, which is maintained in a level position by operation of the axel plate and bushing  56  and their attachment to the seat mount assembly.  FIG. 2  illustrates the seat in the upper position at the left, and in the lowered, in the pool position at the right. 
         [0034]    Adjustment of the seat so that it is level is accomplished, with reference to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , by loosening bolts  82 ,  84  and adjusting the seat mount assembly  58  to a desired position, then re-tightening the bolts. 
         [0035]    Adjustment of the mounting height of the seat is accomplished, with reference to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , by changing the mounting hole through which the bolt  76  is passed, either bottom hole  86 , middle hole  88  or top hole  90 , in the illustrated embodiment. 
         [0036]      FIGS. 10 and 11  are top views of the system in use,  FIG. 10  with the seat in the retracted position,  FIG. 11  with the seat extended into the pool. 
         [0037]    Exemplary measurements in  FIG. 10  and  FIG. 11  are as follows: 
         [0038]    Clear deck space  162  adjacent the seat,  48  inches (measurement  164 ) by 36 inches (measurement  166 ) 
         [0039]    Distance from mounting hole  168  to pool edge  170 , 12.5 to 17 inches 
         [0040]    When fully extended, the distance from the outer edge of the mounting base to the most distal edge of the seat  172  is 62 inches 
         [0041]    Distance from the rear most mounting tab  48  to the front edge of the foot rest on the seat  174 , 50 inches 
         [0042]    Distance  176  from the back of the seat assembly to the front edge of the foot rest, 41 inches 
         [0043]    In use, the following steps are performed to transfer a user to the water.
       Check battery level of lift operator to ensure charge is adequate for operation (at least 50% charge recommended).   Use the buttons on the hand control or control unit front panel to raise the seat to the deck loading/unloading position as shown in  FIG. 10 .   Transfer user onto the seat, ensuring that the user&#39; s weight is centered on seat. Optional armrests can be rotated up if necessary.   Fasten Seat Belt or optional stability vest   Position shoulder straps onto shoulders and attach straps to clips on bottom panel of the stability vest—pull shoulder straps tight.   Use the hand control or control unit front panel to lower the seat into the water, illustrated in  FIG. 11 . The waterproof hand control can remain connected to seat if user is operating lift.   Unfasten Seat Belt or unfasten optional stability vest   When finished in the pool, return to the seat, ensuring user&#39; s weight is centered on seat.   Fasten Seat Belt or optional stability vest.   Use the buttons on the hand control or control unit front panel to return the seat to the deck loading/unloading position.   Unfasten Seat Belt or optional stability vest.   Transfer off of the seat       
 
         [0056]      FIG. 12  illustrates the seat with optional armrests  92  that attach to the back of the seat. The armrests can rotate on arc  94  to raise and lower. 
         [0057]    For ease of moving the chair lift into place, for example for removing for storage during off season, a set of wheels may be provided, illustrated with reference to  FIGS. 13-15 . The wheels are illustrated in a stored position in  FIG. 13 , while they are illustrated as lowered in  FIG. 14 . Referring to  FIG. 15 , the wheel assembly comprises left and right lift arms  96 ,  98  which rotationally mount wheels  100  at the distal ends thereof, suitably via a nut and bolt assembly. At the innermost ends of the lift arms, mounting holes are provided to allow attachment to the bolts  68  and  70 , and pull pins  102  are received in corresponding holes  104  in the lift arms, the engagement of the pins with the holes and the rearwardly extending tabs  60  providing a position locking function to lock the lift arms in either of the raised or lowered positions. Thus, to move the chair lift, the wheels are lowered by pulling the pins  102 , lowering the wheels, and then re-inserting the pins into holes  104  to lock the wheels in the extended position. The lift seat apparatus may then be tilted to roll on the wheels and be moved as desired. 
         [0058]    A feature of the lift seat in accordance with the disclosure is that the side to which the lift lowers, left or right, can be changed, as shown in  FIGS. 16-19   
         [0059]    First, as shown in  FIG. 16 , you remove the two lock nuts at  106  from the top pivot assembly. 
         [0060]    Next, you remove the lock nut from the end of the control axle  59  at  108 . 
         [0061]    Then, you slide the seat arm off of the control axle at  110  and remove the bolts from the support arm and control axle at  112 . 
         [0062]    Next, carefully rotate the support arm out of the way. 
         [0063]    Referring to  FIG. 17 , at  114  you remove the lock nut that secures the bottom of the support arm to the base assembly. 
         [0064]    At  116 , you slide the support arm off the stud and set aside, and remove the thrust bushing from the stud at  118 . 
         [0065]    Referring now to  FIG. 18 , continuing, you now insert the control axle into the actuator arm from the opposite side of the lift at  120 , and slide the Seat Arm back over the axle from the other side. Now, align the holes for the hardware and replace the bolts, with washers back through the components as pictured at  122 . Note that the thrust bushing is to be placed between the support arm and control axle. Next, at  124  and  126 , use the nuts to secure the bolts installed and secure the control axle using the thrust bushing, washer, and lock nut. 
         [0066]    Now with reference to  FIG. 19 , tighten the bolt passing through the support arm up until snug at  128 , then and additional ¼″ turn. The other bolt can be tightened until the seat arm and control axle are secured tightly together. 
         [0067]      FIG. 20  shows that you now attach the tension arm onto stud with the thrust bushing placed between the base bracket and support arm at  130 . Secure the support arm using the washers, and lock nut. 
         [0068]    Finally, with reference to  FIG. 21 , switch the control box to the opposite side by removing the screw and detaching the control box from the mounting bracket  132 . This allows access to the screws holding the mounting bracket to the lift frame. Finally at  134  remove both the screws and replace the mounting bracket to the opposite side of the frame with the screws installed on the opposite side of the frame. 
         [0069]      FIG. 22  is an exploded view of the folding seat portion of the lift seat, wherein the seat back and lower portions  178 ,  180  are mounted to upper seat tubes  182  and lower seat tubes  184  respectively. A pair of seat bracket members  186  is mounted to the rear of each tube  184  by use of nut/bolt combination  188  passing through corresponding holes in the tube. The upper tube portions mount to the brackets via nut/bolt combinations  190 ,  192 . A removable pin  194  passes through corresponding holes in one of the brackets, serving to lock the seat in either the lowered or raised positions by interaction of the pin with the walls of tube  184 . 
         [0070]      FIG. 23 , a front perspective of the seat in the lowered position, illustrates the pin  194  in position, while  FIGS. 24 and 25  are side and front views of the lowered position seat. In  FIG. 26 , a rear perspective views of the seat in the lowered position, the interaction of the pin  194  with the seat tube  184  may be observed, where the pin abuts the bottom of the seat tube, preventing folding of the seat. 
         [0071]      FIGS. 27 and 28  are front and rear perspective view of the seat in a partially folded position, where the pin  194  is removed to allow the seat to be folded upwardly. 
         [0072]      FIG. 29  is a front perspective view of the seat in a fully folded up position, with the pin  194  returned to a locking position, where the interaction of the pin and a face of the tube  184  blocks the seat from being opened. In this position, the pin and tube touch on a face of the tube on the opposite side of the tube from the contact position in the view of  FIG. 26 . 
         [0073]    Suitable dimensions of an exemplary system are as follows: 
         [0074]    Base portion width  140  ( FIG. 1 ), 14 inches 
         [0075]    Base portion edge to seat edge  142 , 37 inches 
         [0076]    Base portion edge to foot rest edge  144 , 54 inches 
         [0077]    Pool deck to top of lift mechanism  146  ( FIG. 2 ), 42 inches 
         [0078]    Pool deck to top of seat  148 , 38.75 inches 
         [0079]    Height of seat above pool deck  150 , depending on installation, 18 inches or 17 inches 
         [0080]    Setback of installation from pool edge  152 , either 17 inches or 14.75 inches 
         [0081]    Clearance of lift mechanism from pool deck edge when fully extended  154 , either 1.25 inches or 2.25 inches (depending on setback value  152 ) 
         [0082]    Deck to water distance  156 , 0 to 6 inches for setback  152  of 17 inches or 7 inches for setback  152  of 14.75 inches 
         [0083]    Seat bottom to top of water when seat is fully extended  158 , 18 inches 
         [0084]    Distance from seat edge to pool edge  160 , 14 to 18 inches. 
         [0085]    Accordingly, an improved lift seat is provided that is effective to lift users into and out of pools. The lift conforms to ADA clearance requirements for pool lifts, and can be mounted for left or right side operation, making it adaptable to different pool requirements. 
         [0086]    While plural embodiments of the technology have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the broader aspects. The appended claims are therefore intended to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the technology.