Patent ID: 12257199

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG.1shows a schematic view of a bathtub lift1according to the invention. The bathtub lift1essentially consists of a floor plate2, which, in case of use, rests on the bathtub floor, or is spaced apart from it by means of feet, a seat plate3for a user, a scissor system21for the most stable force transmission from the used seat plate3to the floor plate2, and a back plate4, which supports a driven adjustment device5. This adjustment device5is formed by a drive6either motorically, in particular, electromotively driven and causes a particularly vertical adjustment of the seat plate3relative to the floor plate2. According to the invention, the adjustment device5either acts on the scissor system21or on the floor plate2, in particular, on the floor plate2by means of a position- or length-variable body16. By moving or extending the position- or length-variable bodies16—for example, as a linear motor or a rack17—along the double arrow, it varies the distance between floor plate2and the seat plate3. In a retracted state of the position- or length-variable body16, the seat plate3is in a position close to the floor plate; in extended state, it is in a position far away from the floor plate, wherein the position- or length-variable body16applies force onto the floor plate2in a contacting manner. For extending and retracting of the position- or length-variable body16in a more stable manner, a region18is provided in the floor plate2, into which one end of the position- or length-variable body16engages and is therefore secured against slipping. The region18may be formed according to the invention as a recess, a groove, a stop or an indentation. According to the invention, the seat plate3is flat and ergonomically designed to the furthest extent possible on the upper side facing away from the floor plate2—of the seating surface8—so that both sitting as well as lying on the seat plate3is possible for the user without loss of comfort. According to the invention, no elevation is provided on this side, as it is provided in prior art for connection with the back plate4. For this purpose, according to the invention, the back plate4is arranged on the seat plate3in a detachable manner and can be pivoted towards this.

FIG.2shows a first embodiment of the invention in four sub-figures.

InFIG.2a, in schematic side view, a seat plate3with an articulated back plate4in two angular positions towards the seat plate3is shown. The surface8forms the seating surface, which is smooth, flat or ergonomically shaped. The locking device7can be recognized, which is arranged on the side in this exemplary embodiment so that the back plate4grips around the seat plate3with two arms14. Although this arrangement is preferred, an arrangement of the locking device7inside or below the seat plate3would also be according to the invention. A locking bolt9′ as positively locking part9and a passage opening10′ as a positively locking part10can be recognized, which are each part of the locking device7. This position is shown inFIG.2bmore precisely.

InFIG.2b, the coaxial arrangement of locking bolts9′ and passage opening10′ can be recognized. In this arrangement, the locking device7can be unlocked by pressing the locking bolt9′ against a force in the direction of the seat plate3, whereby the back plate4can be removed. The shown position corresponds to a position of the seat plate3that is the closest to the floor plate with a retracted rack, or with a rack in a position, in which it does not exert any more force onto to the floor plate.

Two stops13as well as a curved sliding surface11of the seat plate3and a correspondingly curved sliding surface12of the back plate4can be recognized. A position of the back plate4is shown, in which this with the seat plate3encloses a maximum obtuse angle, in particular, 140°. The front stop13limits the lower limit of the angle, in particular, to 100°. With great advantage, the invention thus allows for a front stop13that increases the stability of the device. The back plate4with the seat plate3is connectable and detachable within this angular range. An assisting person therefore does not have to look for a certain angular position, thereby being of a great advantage, but rather an approximate angular position is sufficient to connect the two parts or to detach them from one another.

FIG.2cshows the locked position in a detailed view. This position is assumed automatically as soon as the adjustment device removes the seat plate3from the floor plate, i.e. having raised it. The seat plate3is pulled up from the back plate4, which for its part, in turn, supports the adjustment device5provided with a drive6, by means of which pressure is applied onto the floor plate via the extending rack17(seeFIG.1). According to the invention, the passage opening10′ is designed with two axial sections with different radius, wherein the smaller radius is also greater than the radius of the locking bolt9′. This results in a radial play of the locking bolt9′ in the passage opening10′ so that the back plate4can be lifted or removed from the seat plate3in general in proportion to this play. This can also be recognized by the distance between the two sliding surfaces11,12. In other words, a removal of the back plate4is only possible if the seat plate3is arranged as close as possible on the floor plate so a user is already in a bathtub and is secured by the bathtub walls. This also means that the seat plate3is pulled up to the locking bolt9′, which are therefore dimensioned accordingly.FIG.2dshows a partially sectioned rear view of the device according to the invention in the region of the connection of the back plate4and the seat plate3.

The radially stepped axial progression of the passage opening10′ with a radially larger, outer and a radially smaller inner axial section can be recognized. Both sections are larger in diameter than the locking bolt9′, which is, in turn, greater in diameter at its outer end than at its inner end. This embodiment of the passage opening10′ allows for the locking bolt9′ to be pressed and moved into a locked position, as is shown here. Furthermore, the locking bolt9′ in the seat plate3received in a bore hole as well as a spring23can be recognized, in particular a spiral spring, which acts on the locking bolt9′ shown and the locking bolt9′ can be brought into its withdrawn release position against its force. Instead of the spring23shown, any other elastic body is also according to the invention, for example, an elastomer body.

In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the locking bolt9′ is designed to be central, in particular however, designed to be retractable at the push of a button. The retraction can be performed by an electric motor or also, for example, mechanically via an articulated rod or the like. This has the advantage that direct access to the locking device7located in the bathtub is not required; a reaching into the bath water by the assisting person is avoided, thereby being of a great advantage.

An upward sliding surface15is arranged at the lower end of an arm14of the back plate4, which upward sliding surface15causes a pressing in of the locking bolt9′ in the case of coupling the back plate4to the seat plate3automatically. When inserting the back plate4from above, the locking bolt9′ is pressed in through the upward sliding surface15and jumps back into a position locking both plates together as soon as the back plate4is pushed onto the seat plate3so that the passage opening10′ is above the locking bolt9′.

A rack17, a drive6as well as toothed gears20arranged in between are shown, which are used, on the one hand, as a transmission and, on the other hand, as a force transmission from the drive6to the rack17. Being of a particularly great advantage, in this embodiment, two racks17are provided so that, due to their contact points spaced apart from each other on the floor plate near the feet, a particularly stable bathtub lift with maximum usage comfort results.

FIG.3shows a schematic view of an adjustment device5according to the invention. The adjustment device5is arranged on a side of the back plate4facing the user so that a user can lean on the back plate4without obstructing the adjustment device5and having to suffer loss of comfort. The adjustment device5comprises two position- or length-variable bodies16and a drive6. The drive6can be motorized, in particular, electromotively, or be a manual-drive system. The position- or length-variable bodies16are formed in the exemplary embodiment shown as racks17, wherein the two racks17are equally formed in particular and are arranged in parallel to one another. For this purpose, these are arranged equidistantly to the outer sides of the back plates4. By means of the drive6, the bodies16can be varied in their position at least relative to the back plate4. The racks17designed to be variably positionable via toothed gears20by means of the drive6. For a uniform varying of position of both racks17, a transmission19is provided, which interacts with the drive6and the racks17in the form of a plurality of toothed gears20in such a way that the one drive6drives the two racks17uniformly. This is solved in the exemplary embodiment shown in that the drive6drives a small toothed gear20, which is effectively engages into a large toothed gear20in order to enable a particularly efficient force and speed transmission. A first toothed gear20is connected to the large toothed gear20in a torque-proof manner, in particular, manufactured as a single piece with it, which engages into one of the racks17. A second toothed gear20engages into a first toothed gear20, which rotates in an opposing manner towards the first toothed gear20and, in this way, the second rack17drives the first rack17to the same extent as the first toothed gear20.

The provision of two non-centered racks17instead of a single, central position- or length-variable body16, in more difficult drive situations, has the advantage of a better distribution of the load arranged on the seat plate (not shown) onto the floor plate (also not shown) so that, on the one hand, the risk of a bending the floor plate—possibly up to the tub floor—is minimized and, on the other hand, the force application results closer to the tub-side feet of the floor plate. Simultaneously, the individual racks may have narrower dimensions than in the case of a single rack17. Instead of the racks17shown in this exemplary embodiment, any other embodiment is also according to the invention that has two components adjustable to vary their effective length, for example, telescopic tubes, linear drives and the like.

FIG.4respectively shows an embodiment of a guide24according to the invention. The first embodiment shown inFIG.4aprovides a groove formed within the floor plate2and/or seat plate3, in which the guide24is arranged. In this embodiment, the guide24is designed as rack27, in which a toothed gear28engages, which is connected to a shaft26rotatably mounted on the scissor arms22in a torque-proof manner. The shaft26is rotatably mounted, in particular, at the end25of the scissor arm22. A scroll wheel29is also rigidly connected to the shaft26, which roller is guided and/or rolls in a groove within the floor plate2and/or seat plate3. Thereby, the toothed gear28and the scroll wheel29can be connected to each other. According to the invention, the load with the weight force of a user is always on the scroll wheel29, while the toothed gear28only engages into the rack27to the extent that an orderly rolling and thereby an orderly shearing together and away of the scissor arms22is possible. For this purpose, the end25is fork-shaped so that the toothed gear28and the scroll wheel29can be arranged between the prongs of the fork-shaped end25. With this advantageous embodiment, the stability of the bathtub lift according to the invention is again significantly increased since the scissor arms22are each guided in the racks27and can only be moved synchronously via the shaft26. Simultaneously, the load transfer of the scissor arms22is carried out with advantage via the scroll wheel29or the groove in such a way that the stability is increased overall. Being of particular advantage, the invention provides this combination of a guide24and a toothed gear28, and that being both in the floor as well as in the seat plate, thus at each end of the scissor arms22regardless of whether they point to the floor plate or seat plate.

FIG.4bshows an embodiment in which a guide groove30is provided in the floor plate2and/or seat plate3, in which an end25of a scissor arm22is guided in a movable manner. The guide groove30is designed in such a way that the end25of the scissor arm22can only be shifted linearly at an axis. For this purpose, the floor plate2and/or seat plate3has/have a handle, at the protruding end of which the guide24is arranged in the form of a rack27. In this rack27, toothed gear28engages, which is arranged on a rotatable shaft26arranged on the scissor arms22. Also, the guide24can be arranged directly on the floor plate2or the seat plate3, meaning the floor plate2or seat plate3have no handle. In this case, according to the invention, all mentioned alternatives have in common that the toothed gear28is not loaded with the weight force of the user to the furthest extent possible, but together with the rack27, is only used to guide24and thus to shear the scissor arms22together and apart.

The following reference numerals are part of the description:1bathtub lift2floor plate3seat plate4back plate5adjustment device6drive7locking device8surface9positively locking part9′ locking bolt10positively locking part10′ passage opening11seat plate sliding surface12back plate sliding surface13stop14arm15upward sliding surface16position- or length-variable body17rack18region19transmission20toothed gear21scissor system22scissor arm23spring24guide25end26shaft27rack28toothed gear29scroll wheel30guide groove