AU654477B2 - Pool lifter - Google Patents

Description

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5*5 Name of Applicant Address of Applicant Actual Inventor Address for Service I I I -I I Ian W-.ROBERTS GRANT ADAMS COMPANY Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Level 9 NATIONAL MUTUAL CENTRE 144 Edward Street Brisbane, Queensland, 4000

AUSTRALIA.

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0 5.00 S S S. S S. COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR THE INVENTION ENTITLED: "POOL LIFTER" S. S S S

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S. S S The following statement is a full description of the invention including the best method of performing it known to the applicant.

THIS INVENTION relates to a pool lifter.

Swimming and hydro-therapy is recommended for the rehabilitation of many types of surgical patients and for the disabled. The difficulty is lowering the persons into, or lifting them from, the pool or spa.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple, yet efficient, "lifting" apparatus for such patients.

It is a preferred object that the patient be able to operate the unit themselves.

It is a further preferred object that the apparatus is powered by a low voltage (eg. 12V/24V DC) electric motor.

Other preferred objects will become apparent 15 from the following description.

In a broad aspect, the present invention 1 resides in a pool lifter including: a base frame mountable at or adjacent the side of a swimming pool or spa; a substantially vertical column on the base, rotatable about its vertical axis; a movable carriage within the column; means to move the carriage vertically within the column; 25 an arm extending substantially laterally from the carriage; and a seat means at the distal end of the arm; so arranged that as the carriage moves within the column, the seat means is raised above, or 30 lowered into, the water in the pool or spa.

The term "seat means" shall be hereinafter used to include a seat, a platform or a stretcher.

Preferably, the column is rotatable on the base by means of a turntable. Means may be provided to rotate the column relative to the base. The column may be circular or rectangular in plan view and may have an elongate vertical slot through which the arm passes.

Preferably, the carriage has rollers which engage the inner face of at least one wall of the column.

The carriage is preferably moved in the column by one or more travelling nuts which engage a vertical rotating screw (eg. a ball screw), which may be driven by an electric or hydraulic motor or other suitable drive. The carriage may also be raised or lowered by a telescopic hydraulic or pneumatic ram mounted within the column.

Preferably, an attachment plate is mounted on the carriage and this plate extends through the slot in the column to support the arm (the arm may be fixed or hingedly connected to the attachment plate about 15 vertical and/or horizontal axes).

Preferably, the arm has a substantially vertical portion and the seat is attached to the lower end of that portion.

see To enable the invention to be fully understood, a preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show a part-sectional side view of the lifting apparatus.

The lifting apparatus 10 is mounted adjacent the coaming 11 of a swimming pool P, which has a water 25 level 12.

.o A base plate 13 is bolted to the coaming by four bolts 14 and is provided with a vertical splindle 15, on which is rotatably mounted a hub 16 with a peripheral flange 17. A mounting plate 18, within the 30 tubular column 19, is bolted to the flange 17 so that the tubular column 19 is rotatable abouts its vertical axis. (An electric motor, operable by a remote control unit, may be provided to rotate the column 19, eg. via a worm and gear or a rack and pinion drive assembly).

The column 19 is rectangular (or square) in plan view and has pair of side walls 10 and a rear wall 21. The front of the colu .in has a pair of front panels 22, spaced by a vertical slot 23.

A vertical ball-screw shaft 24 is journalled for rotation within the column 19 in bearings (not shown) and is selectively rotatable by an electric motor and reduction gear box assembly. Preferably, the electric motor 26 is a 12V or 24V reversible electric motor which may be connected to a lead acid accummulator (not shown) located within the lower portion of the column 19.

A carriage assembly 27 is provided within the column 19 and has a body 28 with wheels or rollers 29 which bear on the inner faces of the front panels 22 and wheels 30 which bear on the inner faces of the rear wall 15 24. A pair of travelling nuts 31 on the body 28 engage the shaft 24 to cause the carriage assembly 27 to travel within the column 19 as the shaft 24 is rotated.

An attachment plate 32 extends substantially horizontally from the body 28 of the carriage assembly, passing through the slot 23 between front panels 32.

A Z-shaped leg 33 has an upper horizontal arm 34 hingedly mounted via a pin 35, to a pair of brackets S 36 on a mounting plate 37 which has a pivot pin 38 received in a vertical bush 39 on the attachment plate 32. Guides 40 at the distal end of the mounting plate 37 locate the arm 34 on the mounting plate 37 when the arm is in its lowered position shown. The pivot pin 38 enables the mounting plate 37 to be rotated above a vertical axis.

*30 A seat assembly 41 (or platform or stretcher) is releasably mounted on the lower horizontal foot 42 of the leg 33.

The operation of the unit can be controlled by the person sitting in the seat assembly 41 via a remote control unit which may control the lifting motor 26 driving the screw-threaded shaft 24, and the motor which rotates the column 19.

The operation of the unit will now be described. The seat 41 is raised (as shown in the drawing) and the column 19 is rotated so that the seat assembly 41 is away from the pool P.

The seat assembly 41 may be lowered; if required, to enable the patient to sit on, or be placed on, the seat assembly 41.

The column 19 is rotated until the seat assembly 41 is above the water and the lifting motor 26 is operated to cause the shaft 24 to rotate, the carriage assembly 27 travelling downwardly within the column 19 until the seat assembly 41 (and the patient) 15 enters the water in the pool P.

*To remove the patient from the pool P, the S sequence is reversed.

The invention provides a simple, efficient apparatus for lowering patients into, and lifting patients from, swimming pools or spas without the exercise of heaving lifting by the medical or support staff. As the electric motors are only 12V or 24V DC, e 0 there is no likelihood of electric shock.

If required, an emergency braking system may 25 be provided for the carriage assembly 27 should the unit ever fail.

Various changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments described and illustrated without 3 departing from the scope of the present invention 30 defined in the appended claims.

Claims (7)

1. A pool lifter including: a base frame mountable at or adjacent the side of a swimming pool or spa; a substantially vertical column on the base, rotatable about its vertical axis, said column being formed with an elongate vertical slot; a moveable carriage within the column; means to move the carriage vertically within the column; an arm extending substantially laterally from the carriage and through said elongate slot in said column, and a seat means at the distal end of the arm; the arrangement being such that as the carriage moves within the column, the seat means moves relative to, so as to be raised above, °oooo S* or lowered into, water in the pool or spa.

2. A lifter as claimed in Claim I wherein: the column is rotatably mounted on a turntable including a spindle fixed to the base and a rotatable hub on which is mounted the column. oo

3. A lifter as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein: °the carriage has rollers which engage an inner face of at least one wall of the column. 1:

4. A lifter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein: a vertical rotating screw shaft is rotatably journalled in the column and is driven by a motor and gear reduction assembly; and at least one traveller nut is mounted on the carriage in driving engagement with the shaft to move the carriage vertically within the column as the shaft is rotated.

A lifter as claimed in claim 1, wherein: an attachment plate is mounted on the carriage and the arm is pivotally mounted on the attachment plate for movement about respective vertical and/or horizontal axes.

6. A lifter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein: the arm supports a substantially vertical leg with a substantially horizontal foot; and the seat means is releaseably attached to the horizontal foot.

7. A pool lifter as claimed in claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing. DATED this 15th day of September 1994 BREAKSPEAR ENGINEERING PTY LIMITED e BY: I (,7 /Patent Attoeys for te Applicant Patent Attorneys for the Applicant 9