US20080148473A1

US20080148473A1 - Bathing chair with fixing device

Info

Publication number: US20080148473A1
Application number: US11/646,087
Authority: US
Inventors: Yu-Wen Cheng
Original assignee: Eagle Health Supplies Inc
Current assignee: Eagle Health Supplies Inc
Priority date: 2006-12-26
Filing date: 2006-12-26
Publication date: 2008-06-26

Abstract

A bathing chair with a fixing device comprises front and rear frames, connected by connecting rods, each having a horizontal bar and feet, several gliding blocks, a seat, positioning devices mounted on ends of the horizontal rods, and, for each positioning device, a holding device, mounted on one of the gliding blocks. Thereby the seat is held fixed on either end of the horizontal rods.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a bathing chair with a fixing device, particularly to a bathing chair with a fixing device which allows to fix a movable seat in any desired position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a bathing chair positioning system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,940,905 comprises a front frame 21; a rear frame 22; several gliding blocks 3; a seat 4; a handle 5; and fixing devices 6, 6 a. The front and rear frame rods 21, 22 are shaped like the inverted letter U, reaching across a bathtub 1. The front and rear frame rods 21, 22 have horizontal rods 23, 24 passing over an edge 11 of the bathtub 1 at a vertical distance and feet 231, 241. A right connecting rod 25 a and a left connecting rod 25 b connect the horizontal rods 23, 24 at right and left ends thereof. The seat 4 is a plate of roughly rectangular shape and is mounted on the horizontal rods 23, 24, being movable along the horizontal rods 23, 24. Each of the gliding blocks 3 is connected with the seat 4 on a lower side thereof and has a through hole 31, allowing the gliding blocks 3 to glide along the horizontal rods 23, 24. A backrest 41 is connected to the seat 4 by two L- shaped link rods 42 a, 42 b. The link rods 42 a, 42 b have horizontal extensions 421 a, 421 b, which are fastened to the gliding blocks 3. Thereby, the seat 4 is enabled to glide along the horizontal rods 23, 24. The handle 5 is a rod which is shaped like the inverted letter U and is fastened to the front and rear frame rods 21, 22 at left ends thereof, reaching higher than the seat 4 for providing a hold when the seat 4 is moved along the horizontal rods 23, 24. The fixing devices 6, 6 a are made of plastics or another suitable soft material and are shaped like strips. The fixing devices 6, 6 a have fixed ends 61, 61 a and holding ends 66, 66 a. The fixed ends 61, 61 a are fastened by bolts to the link rods 42 a, 42 b of the seat 4, respectively. The holding ends 66, 66 a are held on the right and left connecting rods 25 a, 25 b, as needed. At the holding ends 66, 66 a, the fixing devices 6, 6 a have endpieces 68, 68 a from lower sides of which holding elements 67, 67 a extend away, respectively. Fastening elements 63, 63 a are attached to endpieces 62, 62 a at the fixed ends 61, 61 a and are in turn fastened to the link rods 42 a, 42 b to prevent shifting of the fixing devices 6, 6 a. Before sitting down on the seat 4, a user pulls up the holding end 66, so that the holding element 67 is held on the right connecting rod 25 a. For bathing, the user releases the holding element 67, which subsequently becomes detached from the right connecting rod 25 a. The seat 4 is shifted leftward until a leftmost position over the bathtub 1, with the holding element 67 a being held on the left connecting rod 25 b.
A conventional bathing chair assists elderly and handicapped people to enter and leave a bathtub safely and conveniently. However, manual fixing of the position of the seat 4 is awkward, and there is a risk of inadvertent releasing of the seat 4.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a bathing chair with a fixing device which prevents inadvertent shifting of the seat during bathing.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a bathing chair with a fixing device which allows to fix the seat conveniently.
For achieving the objects, the present invention comprises front and rear frames, connected by connecting rods, each having a horizontal bar with lateral positioning holes on ends thereof and feet, several gliding blocks, a seat, positioning devices mounted on ends of the horizontal rods, and, for each positioning device, a holding device, mounted on one of the gliding blocks. Each positioning device has an elastic element and a bolt. Each holding device has a pressing element and aholding element. When one of the gliding blocks glides over one of the bolts, the pressing element thereof presses the bolt inward, until the bolt engages with the holding element, so that the seat is fixed. An unblocking device allows convenient unblocking of the seat.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the bathing chair of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the bathing chair of the present invention.

FIGS. 3 a-3 c are sectional views of the positioning and holding devices of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the unblocking device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the holding device of the present invention in the second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the holding device of the present invention in the third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the holding device of the present invention in the third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the holding device of the present invention in the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 9 (prior art) is a perspective view of a conventional bathing chair.

FIG. 10 (prior art) is an exploded perspective view of a conventional bathing chair.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in FIGS. 1-4, the bathing chair with a fixing device of the present invention has a structure which is about the same as the conventional bathing chair shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, having front and rear frame rods 21 a, 22 a with horizontal rods 23 a, 24 a, with other structural parts being denoted accordingly. The bathing chair with a fixing device of the present invention further comprises positioning devices 7 and a holding devices 9, each holding one of the gliding blocks 3 a, fixing the seat 4 on the horizontal rods 23 a, 24 a. In the following, a detailed description is given, taking the front frame rod 21 a as an example.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 a-3 c, the horizontal rod 23 a of the front frame rod 21 a has two ends with lateral positioning holes 233 a, each of which accommodating one of the positioning devices 7. Two feet 231 a are connected with the front frame rod 21 a at the two ends thereof.
Each of the positioning devices 7 comprises: an elastic element 72, which is a C-shaped plate spring, mounted inside of the horizontal rod 23 a; and a bolt 71, set on a far end of the elastic element 72 and passing through one of the positioning holes 233 a.
The gliding blocks 3 aeach carry one of the holding devices 9. Each of the holding devices 9 comprises: a pressing element 91, which is an inclined or curved surface at an edge of the through hole 31 a of one of the gliding blocks 3 a; and a holding hole 92, bored through a periphery thereof at a central position.
Referring again to FIGS. 3 a-3 c, when the gliding block 3 a glides towards the bolt 71, the pressing part 91 presses the bolt 71 inward, so that the bolt 71 does not protrude from the positioning hole 233 a anymore. As soon as the gliding block 3 a has reached an end position, the bolt 71 enters the holding hole 92, fixing the gliding block 3 a. For moving the gliding block 3 a, the bolt 71 is manually pressed on and thus retreats into the horizontal rod 23 a.
As shown in FIG. 4, an unblocking device 8 allow convenient unblocking of the gliding block 3 a. The unblocking device 8 comprises: two lugs 81, extending from the periphery of the gliding block 3 a on opposite sides of the holding hole 92; an axis 83, passing through the two lugs 81; and a lever arm 82, attached to the axis between the two lugs 81.
For unblocking the gliding block 3 a, the lever arm 82 is manually pressed on, causing the bolt 71 to retreat into the positioning hole 233 a.
Referring to FIG. 5, the present invention in a second embodiment has gliding blocks 3 b and, for each of the gliding blocks 3 b, a holding device 9 b, comprising a pressing part 91 b, which is an inclined or curved surface at an edge the gliding block 3 a, and a blocking element 93, mounted on an outer side of the positioning device 7. When the gliding block 3 b, being moved, reaches the position of the bolt 71, the pressing element 91 b presses the bolt 71 inward, until the gliding block 3 b is placed between the bolt 71 and the blocking element 93 and held there.
The blocking element 93 has further embodiments, e.g., a screw 94 as shown in FIG. 6, a ring as shown in FIG. 7, or an end of the foot 231 a as shown in FIG. 8.
While preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A bathing chair with a fixing device, comprising:

a front frame and a rear frame, reaching across a bathtub, being connected by right and left connecting rods and having horizontal rods which pass over an edge of said bathtub, at least one of said horizontal rods being a positioning rod, with each positioning rod having ends with lateral positioning holes;

a seat, which is a plate of roughly rectangular shape and is mounted on said horizontal rods;

several gliding blocks which are connected with said seat on a lower side thereof and glide along said horizontal rods;

for each of said positioning rods, a positioning device, further comprising an elastic element, mounted inside of said positioning rod, and a bolt, set on a far end of the elastic element and passing through one of the positioning holes; and

for each positioning device, a holding device, mounted on one of said gliding blocks and further comprising

a pressing element, which is an inclined or curved surface at an edge of one of said gliding blocks, and a holding element, bored through a periphery thereof at a central position;

wherein, when one of said gliding blocks glides over one of said bolts, said pressing element thereof presses said bolt inward, until said bolt engages with said holding element, so that said seat is fixed.

2. A bathing chair with a fixing device, comprising:

for each of said positioning rods, a positioning device, further comprising

an elastic element, mounted inside of said positioning rod, and a bolt, set on a far end of the elastic element and passing through one of the positioning holes; and

a pressing element, which is an inclined or curved surface at an edge of one of said gliding blocks, and a blocking element, fastened to said positioning bar outside of said positioning device;

wherein, when one of said gliding blocks glides over one of said bolts, said pressing element thereof presses said bolt inward, until said gliding block is placed between said bolt and said blocking element, so that said seat is fixed.

3. The bathing chair with a fixing device of claim 1, wherein said holding element is a holding hole.

4. The bathing chair with a fixing device of claims 1, wherein said pressing element is an inclined or a curved surface.

5. The bathing chair with a fixing device of claims 2, wherein said pressing element is an inclined or a curved surface.

6. The bathing chair with a fixing device of claim 1, wherein, for each positioning device, a blocking element is fastened to said positioning bar outside of said positioning device.

7. The bathing chair with a fixing device of claims 1, wherein said elastic element is a C-shaped plate spring.

8. The bathing chair with a fixing device of claims 2, wherein said elastic element is a C-shaped plate spring.

9. The bathing chair with a fixing device of claims 1, wherein each holding device has an unblocking device.

10. The bathing chair with a fixing device of claims 2, wherein each holding device has an unblocking device.

11. The bathing chair with a fixing device of claim 9, wherein said unblocking device comprises two lugs, extending from a periphery of one of said gliding blocks on opposite sides of said holding element of said holding device; an axis, passing through said two lugs; and a lever arm, attached to said axis between said two lugs.

12. The bathing chair with a fixing device of claim 10, wherein said unblocking device comprises two lugs, extending from a periphery of one of said gliding blocks on opposite sides of said holding element of said holding device; an axis, passing through said two lugs; and a lever arm, attached to said axis between said two lugs.