Wall Mounted Lift Chair

Abstract

A wall mounted lift chair for assisting users with lowering themselves to the bottom surface of a bathtub or raising themselves out of the bathtub. The lift chair has a first frame securely attached to a wall at one end of the bathtub. A second frame is slidably adjacent to the first frame to support a seat assembly having a chair on which the user sits while moving and bathing. A lift mechanism connects the second frame to the first frame and moves the second frame between an upper position at a top edge of the bathtub and a lower position at the bottom surface of the bathtub. The seat assembly pivots outward for ease of getting on the chair and a lower chair section pivots upward when not in use. Preferably, the lift mechanism is electrically powered and the controls are on an arm member attached to the chair.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A. Field of the Invention

The field of the present invention relates generally to lift apparatuses that are configured to support an injured or physically incapacitated person while raising and lowering him or her into a tub enclosure or the like. More specifically, this invention relates to such lift apparatuses that are configured as a chair or like seating device upon which the person sits while bathing. Even more specifically, this invention relates to such lift apparatuses that are mounted to a wall to assist users getting into and out of a bathtub or the like.

B. Background

Many people enjoy taking a bath in a bathtub or otherwise sitting in a tub-like enclosure filled or partially filed with water, including bathtubs which have jetted water spray, spas and like tub enclosures, for cleaning and/or therapeutic purposes. As commonly utilized in homes, apartments, hotels, motels, hospitals and other living quarters, bathtub and similar tub enclosures are generally oval or rectangular shaped with a peripherally disposed sidewall that rises substantially vertically above the bottom of the tub on which the person sits. Spas and the like often have a seat or shelf-like projection that serves as the seat. Most bathtubs and some spas are located in separate rooms, such as a bathroom, and are positioned with at least one end of the bathtub or spa adjacent to one of the walls that form the room. For purposes of the present disclosure, bathtubs, spas and other bathtub-like enclosures that are positioned next to a wall, whether part of a bathroom or not, are collectively referred to herein as “bathtubs”. One benefit of sit in bathtubs, as opposed to showers which the person must stand in while bathing, is that the person can sit in the water while he or she soaks the lower portion of his or her body.

To utilize a bathtub for bathing purposes, a person first gets into the bathtub by stepping over one of its sidewalls and then lowers himself or herself, often by supporting at least some of his or her weight on the sidewalls, to a sitting position on the bottom of the bathtub. When bathing is completed, he or she must rise up from the bottom of the bathtub, usually while supporting his or her weight on the sidewall of the bathtub, and then step back over the sidewall of the bathtub onto the bottom of the bathroom. For most persons, getting in and out of, sitting in and raising up in bathtub is not difficult. In fact, by utilizing support rails or other support fixtures, most people are able to step over the sidewall of the bathtub to get into or out of the bathtub. For many people, however, the act of sitting down in the bathtub or rising up from the sitting position is very difficult, if not somewhat impossible, and often cannot be accomplished on their own due to the inability to lower themselves to the bottom of the bathtub and/or inability to pull themselves up from bottom of the bathtub. These problems are frequently encountered by elderly and disabled persons.

Statistics show that elderly and disabled people are more frequently injured while trying to get into or out of a bathtub than younger and/or fully abled persons. Problems associated with moving in and out of a bathtub for the aged or disabled are generally due to the loss of physical capabilities and poor design, from such a person's viewpoint, of the bathtub and its associated enclosure. For example, the elderly or disabled generally have more difficulty bending over and kneeling down and are often constrained by limited reach and poor grip strength. In addition, many elderly and disabled persons may have poor balance, which adversely affects their stability. These physical limitations can negatively impact the ability of the elderly or disabled person to transfer himself or herself into or out of a bathtub. In order to compensate for loss of physical capabilities, such persons may over-exert themselves, which can seriously affect their safety.

Persons who are unable to easily and safely transfer in and out of a bathtub must either abandon tub-oriented bathing or have assistance from family members and/or other care givers for such bathing. For those who have had to abandon bathing in a bathtub, such abandonment typically represents a major loss of enjoyment for the person. For those persons who rely on a care giver to move them in and out of a bathtub, such reliance can represent a significant loss of independence. In addition, many care givers consider getting another person in and out of a bathtub as one of the hardest tasks they perform. The relatively narrow space and awkward layout of most bathrooms often makes it difficult to for the care giver to easily assist another person with the movements necessary to get the person into or out of a seating position in the bathtub. In addition, poor balance and the lack of strength can result in a well-placed fear of falling that negatively impacts the person's ability to enjoy the bathing experience. Awkward bathtub shapes and slippery conditions can greatly add to problems of getting into and out of a bathtub and assisting others with such tasks.

A number of prior part patents are directed to apparatuses that are configured to assist a person in a bathtub with lowering himself or herself into the bathtub and then raising himself or herself up from the bathtub so he or she may exit the bathtub. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,397,409 to Sherlock, et al. discloses a relatively complex bath lifting system that comprises a seat attached to a guiding assembly, a lifting assembly and a lifting power system. The seat is raised and lowered inside a bathtub by the lifting device positioned inside the bathtub as it is guided by the guiding assembly from an upper position above one sidewall of the bathtub to a lower position near the bottom of the bathtub. The preferred lifting power system comprises a fluid control system, a leverage system and a return mechanism. U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,146 to O'Brien, et al. discloses a elevating bath system comprising a vertically displaced seat that is supported by a frame structure configured to fit within the bathtub and utilize household water pressure to elevate and lower the user. The lifting force is provided by a lifting bladder arrangement and the frame structure serves as a linear guide for the up and down travel of the seat. U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,509 to Richards discloses an apparatus for assisting persons in and out of a bathtub comprising a base having suckers that attach to the bottom of the bathtub, a lifting column supported by the base, a seat supported by the base and an electrically powered actuator to raise and lower the seat relative to the base. The lifting column is a telescopically configured with the upper portion thereof that extends and retracts to raise or lower the seat relative to the bottom of the bathtub. U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,585 to Cox discloses a bath lift comprising a U-shaped frame supported by the upper edges of the bathtub sidewalls, a seat supported by the frame and a lowering/raising mechanism that lowers and raises the seat relative to the frame. The lowering/raising mechanism comprises webbing tapes that interconnect the seat with parallel winding shafts that are rotatably supported on the frame and turned by separate electric motors to raise and lower the seat assembly in a windlass-fashion. U.S. Pat. No. 5,978,984 to Gobbers, et al. discloses a bathtub lift apparatus comprising a seat supported by a scissor-like frame that is operated by a drive mechanism to lower or raise the seat inside the bathtub. The backrest of the seat can be tilted backward when the seat is at its lower position for comfort of use and tilted upright when the seat is at its upper position for ease of exiting the bathtub. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 392,808 discloses a bath lift device that comprises a free-standing frame that rests on the bottom of a bathtub, a seat that has folded arm extensions and a power mechanism that moves up and down on the vertical portion of the frame to raise and lower the person sitting on the seat.

Although the prior art does disclose various bath lifting apparatuses that are utilized to lower a person into a bathtub for bathing and then to raise them for exiting the bathtub, these devices are not widely available despite the large number of people who could benefit from such apparatuses. What is needed, therefore, is an improved bath lift apparatus that is configured to lower a person to or near the bottom of the bathtub for bathing and to raise the person to or near the top of the bathtub upon completion of the bath to assist the person in exiting the bathtub. Such an improved bath lift apparatus should comprise a seat that moves up and down relative to the bathtub to allow the user to easily and safely lower himself or herself toward the bottom the bathtub for bathing and raise himself or herself to the top of the bathtub when he or she desires to exit the bathtub. The improved bath lift apparatus should attach to a wall adjacent one end of the bathtub and allow the seat to pivot in relation to the bathtub for ingress and egress from the bathtub. The preferred apparatus should be easy to use, easy to install and adaptable to a wide range of bathtubs and bathrooms.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The wall mounted lift chair of the present invention provides the benefits and solves the problems identified above. That is to say, the present invention discloses a lift chair which attaches to a wall adjacent one end of a bathtub to lower the user toward the bottom of the bathtub for bathing and raise the user to the top of the bathtub to assist in exiting the bathtub. The improved lift chair of the present invention allows the user to easily and safely move between a position at the top of the bathtub and a position at the bottom of the bathtub without having a care giver assist him or her in such movement. The seat of the lift chair moves up and down relative to the bathtub and pivots at or near the top of the bathtub for ease of ingress and egress. In the preferred embodiment, the lift chair of the present invention is configured so as to be easy to install, easy to use and adaptable to a wide variety of different bathtubs and the like that have a wall at one end thereof.

In a primary embodiment of the present invention, the wall mounted lift chair generally comprises a first frame that attaches to a wall at one end of a bathtub or the like, a second frame that is slidably disposed relative to the first frame, a seat assembly pivotally mounted to the second frame and an electrically powered moving mechanism that moves the seat assembly and user up and down inside the bathtub. In the preferred embodiment, the first frame has at least a first upright frame member and a second upright frame member that are held in spaced apart relation by one or more cross-members and the second frame is slidably disposed against the first frame. Preferably, the seat assembly is pivotally attached to the second frame for ease of getting into and out of the bathtub and it comprises a chair having an upper chair section and a lower chair section, with at least the lower chair section being configured to be placed in a bathing chamber of the bathtub. The moving mechanism is attached to the first frame and is configured to move the seat assembly, which is attached to the second frame, between an upper position above a top edge of the bathtub and a lower position at or near the bottom surface of the bathtub. Preferably, the chair of the seat assembly is moved above an upper surface of the bathtub when in its upper position. In the preferred embodiment, the moving mechanism has a lift mechanism which operatively interconnects the second frame and the first frame so as to raise and lower the second frame and operatively move the seat assembly in response to operation of the moving mechanism. The moving mechanism can comprise a hydraulic motor hydraulically connected to a one or more hydraulic rams located behind and under the chair on which the user sits to move the seat assembly up and down. Alternatively, an electrically powered chain-drive mechanism can be utilized. Preferably, the seat assembly has one or more chair frame members that connect the upper chair section to the second frame, with at least one of one or more chair frame members being pivotally attached to the second frame to selectively dispose the chair over an upper surface of the bathtub. In the preferred embodiment, the lower chair section of the chair is pivotally disposed relative to the upper chair section so it may be folded upward and out of the way for persons using the bathtub who do not require the assistance of the lift chair.

Accordingly, the primary aspect of the present invention is to provide a wall mounted lift chair for use with bathtubs that has the advantages discussed above and which overcomes the disadvantages and limitations associated with prior art apparatuses for lowering and raising a person into and out of a bathtub.

It is an important aspect of the present invention to provide a wall mounted lift chair that allows the user to easily, safely and conveniently lower himself or herself from the top edge of the bathtub to the bottom of the bathtub for bathing and then raise the user back to the top of the bathtub when he or she is ready to exit the bathtub.

It is also an important aspect of the present invention to provide a wall mounted lift chair for use with bathtubs that has a frame component which mounts to a wall adjacent one end of a bathtub, a seat which lowers and raises a user relative to the bathtub and a moving mechanism which lowers and raises the seated user relative to the bottom of the bathtub.

It is also an important aspect of the present invention to provide a wall mounted lift chair that has a seat which pivots relative to a frame that mounts to a wall at one end of the bathtub for ease of entering and exiting the bathtub.

It is also an important aspect of the present invention to provide a wall mounted lift chair that has a seat which folds out of the way when it is not necessary to utilize the lift chair for entering or exiting a bathtub.

Another important aspect of the present invention is to provide a wall mounted lift chair that is easy to install, easy to use and adaptable to a wide variety of bathtubs and bathrooms.

The above and other aspects and advantages of the present invention are explained in greater detail by reference to the attached figures and the description of the preferred embodiment which follows. As set forth herein, the present invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, mode of operation and combination of the above presently described and understood by the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiments and the best modes presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:

FIG. 1 is an end perspective view of a wall mounted lift chair that is configured according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention with the seat shown in its upper position;

FIG. 2 is an end perspective view of the wall mounted lift chair of FIG. 1 with the seat in its lowered position for bathing;

FIG. 3 is an end perspective view of the wall mounted lift chair of FIG. 2 with the seat removed to better illustrate the remaining components thereof;

FIG. 4 is an end perspective view of the wall mounted lift chair of FIG. 1 with the seat shown in the pivoted position for ease of ingress and egress from the bathtub; and

FIG. 5 is an end perspective view of the wall mounted lift chair of FIG. 1 with the seat in its folded position when use of the lift chair is not needed for bathing;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the figures where like elements have been given like numerical designations to facilitate the reader's understanding of the present invention, the preferred embodiments of the present invention are set forth below. The enclosed text and drawings are merely illustrative of one or more preferred embodiments and, as such, disclose one or more different ways of configuring the present invention. Although specific components, materials, configurations and uses are illustrated, it should be understood that a number of variations to the components and to the configuration of those components described herein and in the accompanying figures can be made without changing the scope and function of the invention set forth herein. For instance, although the figures and description provided herein show a certain configuration for the bathtub and the components of a preferred embodiment of the lift chair, those skilled in the art will readily understand that this is merely for purposes of simplifying this disclosure and that the present invention is not so limited.

A wall mounted lift chair that is configured pursuant to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown generally as 10 in the figures. As set forth in more detail below, the wall mounted lift chair 10 is configured for use with a bathtub 12 having a wall 14 that is adjacent or at least generally adjacent a first end 16 of the bathtub 12. Typically, the first end 16 will be opposite a second end 18, at least for generally rectangular or oval shaped bathtubs 12, that has the bathtub faucet and fluid controls, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 5. As well known in the art, a conventional bathtub 12 has, depending on its shape, one or more peripherally disposed upright sidewalls 20 that surround a bottom surface 22 on which the user normally sits while taking a bath or stands if the bathtub 12 is also configured with shower components (not shown). The sidewalls 20 are generally somewhat vertically disposed, at least on the outside of the bathtub 12, with a top edge 24 that defines a peripherally disposed upper surface 26 along the sidewalls 20. The sidewalls 20, bottom surface 22 and top edge 24 of bathtub 12 define a bathing chamber 28, open along the upper surface 26, in which the user sits while he or she is bathing. Typically, bathtub 12 has a generally rectangular or elongated oval shape and a plurality of the sidewalls 20 are positioned next to a wall of the bathroom or other room in which the bathtub 12 is located. Although other shapes of bathtub 12 can be utilized with chair lift 10, an elongated shape, typically rectangular or oval, will generally be preferred. For purposes of the present invention, one of the sidewalls, shown as 20a, at one end of bathtub 12 must be adjacent wall 14 on which chair lift 10 is securely mounted, as set forth below. In the preferred embodiment, the sidewall 20a that is adjacent wall 14 is at the first end 16 of bathtub 12, such that the chair lift 10 is mounted away from the faucet and other bathtub controls, as shown in the figures.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, chair lift 10 generally comprises a first frame 30 that is securely attached to wall 14 adjacent the first end 16 of bathtub 12 above sidewall 20a, a second frame 32 that is slidably disposed relative to first frame 30, a seat assembly 34 that is mounted to the second frame 32 and a moving means 36 having a lift mechanism 38 that operatively interconnects the second frame 32 with the first frame 30 for moving the seat assembly 34 (with the user sitting thereon) up and down between its upper position 40 at or near the top edge 24 of bathtub 12 and its lower position 42 at or near the bottom surface 22 of bathtub 12, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. As set in more detail below, the chair lift 10 generally moves the user into and out of the bathing chamber 28 of bathtub 12 so he or she may take a bath without having to lower himself or herself in and out of the bathtub 12. As described above, for may elderly, disabled or incapacitated persons, the act of lowering oneself to a sitting position on the bottom surface 22 of bathtub 12 and then raising oneself from that sitting position can be difficult, if not impossible, to accomplish without assistance from a care giver. Even with a care giver, the configuration of the typical bathroom and bathtub 12 can cause difficulties for the user and care giver. The chair lift of the present invention significantly eases the user's transition from a standing position to a sitting position at or near the bottom surface 22 of the bathtub 12 for bathing and then the transition from the sitting position at the bottom surface 22 back to a position where the user can more easily exit the bathtub 12.

As shown in the figures, first frame 30 comprises at least one upright frame member that is attached to the wall 14 adjacent sidewall 20a in a manner that securely supports lift chair 10 at or above the top edge 24 of the first end 16 of bathtub 12. In the preferred embodiment of lift chair 10, the first frame 30 comprises a pair of upright frame members, namely first upright frame member 44 and second upright frame member 46, that are held in spaced apart relation by an upper cross-member 48 and a lower cross-member 50, as best shown in FIG. 3 (with the seat assembly 34 removed from lift chair 10), to configure the first frame 30 with an elongated rectangular shape. The use of the pair of upright frame members 44/46 provides more weight distribution and support for the seat assembly 34 and the user sitting thereon than the use of a single upright frame member. Although the upright frame members 44/46 can be attached to wall 14 in spaced apart relation without cross-members 48/50, the cross-members 48/50 will generally provide more stability for chair lift 10 during installation and when in use by the user for bathing. In a preferred embodiment, the lower cross-member 50 is positioned on and supported by the upper surface 26 of the sidewall 20a that is adjacent to the wall 14, as shown in FIGS. 1 through 5.

In one embodiment, the frame member 30 is securely mounted to the wall 14, typically to the studs which support the wall 14, with the use of one or more brackets at each of upright frame members 44/46 such that the brackets interconnect the upright frame members 44/46 with wall 14. If preferred, one or more brackets can also be utilized with the upper cross-member 48 and/or lower cross-member 50 to securely mount these components to wall 14 so as to additionally secure first frame 30 to wall 14. Alternatively, though generally not preferred, only the cross-members 48/50 can be attached to wall 14 to mount first frame 30 to the wall 14. As will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, a wide variety of brackets and or other attachment devices can be used to mount first frame 30 to wall 14, including the use of screws, bolts or other connectors that directly attach one or more of the frame members 44-50 to wall 14.

The second frame 32, which comprises a plurality of frame members 52, is slidably disposed relative to the first frame 30 such that it will move up and down along the first frame 30 to move the seat assembly 34, which is attached to the frame members 52 of second frame 32, up and down between the upper position 40 and the lower position 42. As best shown in FIG. 3, the engaging mechanism 38 interconnects the second frame 32 with the component of the moving mechanism 36 mounted on first frame 30 such that when the moving mechanism 36 is operated the second frame 32, with the seat assembly attached thereto, will move up and down to move the user into and out of the bathing chamber 28 of bathtub 12. The frame members 52 that make up the second frame 32 can be disposed in a variety of different configurations. In the preferred embodiment, the frame components 52 are configured to effectively track along the upright frame members 44/46 of first frame 30, with the width of second frame 32 being approximately the same as the length of the cross-members 48/50 or the spacing between the upright frame members 44/46, as best shown in FIG. 3, to provide additional support for the user sitting on seat assembly 34.

In the preferred embodiment, the seat assembly 34 comprises a pair of chair frame members 54 and a chair 56 having an upper chair section 58 securely attached to the chair frame members 54 and a lower chair section 60 pivotally attached to the upper chair section 58 and/or the chair frame members 54, as best shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5. As will be readily understood by those skilled in the art, the user will sit on the upper surface of the lower chair section 60 and lean against the outwardly facing surface of the upper chair section 58 during use of chair lift 10 of the present invention. The chair 56 should be made out of materials that can function well in a wet environment, as the components thereof will be exposed to water while in use in the bathing chamber, and which are comfortable for the user to sit on and lean against while he or she is bathing. In a preferred embodiment, the upper 58 and lower 60 chair sections are made out of acrylic and/or other plastic materials. Various other materials will be generally suitable for use with chair 56. The back side of the upper section 58 of chair 56 is securely attached to the chair frame members 54 utilizing connectors, such as screws, bolts, rivets or the like, adhesives, welding or other devices and/or processes suitable for the materials utilized for chair frame members 54 and chair 56.

In the preferred embodiment, one of the chair frame members 54 of the seat assembly are pivotally connected to the second frame 32 to allow the user to pivot the chair 56 approximately 90° such that the seating position is facing away from the bathtub 12, as shown in FIG. 4. The pivoting of chair 56 is useful to assist the user with getting on and off of the lift chair 10 of the present invention, particularly those users who have to move from a wheelchair to the bathtub 12. A variety of pivoting devices can be utilized to allow the seat assembly 34 to pivot relative to second frame 32. In one embodiment, one or more hinges 62 are utilized to pivotally connect one of the chair frame members 54 to the second frame 32, as best shown in FIGS. 1-3 and 5. Although the figures show a pair of hinges 62, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that one strong hinge or more than two hinges can be utilized. Any such hinges 62 or other pivoting mechanism should be sized and configured to support the weight of the seat assembly 32 and the anticipated user sitting on the lower chair section 60 of chair 56 above the upper surface 26 of bathtub 12 and while the user is moved between the upper position 40 and lower position 42 during the use of lift chair 10 while bathing. In another embodiment, the pivoting mechanism can comprise one or more hydraulic rams or other powered devices that provide powered pivot action for the seat assembly 34. The powered mechanism can be connected to the same source of power and operated by the same controls that moves the seat assembly 34 up and down. The side of seat assembly 34 generally opposite the side having the hinges 62 or other pivoting mechanism should have a locking latch or other secure locking mechanism (not shown) that allows the seat assembly 34 to securely lock in its use position with the chair 56 disposed above the sidewall 20a next to the wall 14. In this manner, the user would first disengage the locking mechanism to allow the seat assembly 56 to pivot to the position shown in FIG. 4 and then, while sitting in the chair 56, the user would pivot the seat assembly 34 back to the position shown in FIG. 1 with his or her legs in the bathing chamber 28 of bathtub 12 ready to operate the lift chair 10 to lower himself or herself to at or near the bottom surface 22.

Preferably, the seat assembly 34 also includes seat belt assembly comprising a belt 64 and a buckle 66, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, to allow the user to secure himself or herself to the chair 56 or a care giver to secure the user to chair 56 so as to prevent the user from sliding off of the lift chair 10 during use thereof to take a bath. As will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, a wide variety of different types of seat belt assemblies can be utilized with the seat assembly 34 of lift chair 10. The preferred embodiment of the seat assembly 34 also includes an arm member 68 that extends outward from the chair 56, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. The arm member 68 provides two functions. First, the arm member 68 helps prevent the user from sliding off the lower chair section 60 while he or she is sitting in chair 56 when it is in its pivoted position, shown in FIG. 4, and moving to the upper position 40 shown in FIG. 1. Second, the arm member 68 provides a location where the control mechanism 70 can be placed to allow the user to control the movement of the seat assembly 34 as it moves up and down and, if applicable, as it pivots outward and inward. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the control mechanism 70 is a joystick type of device. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, a variety of devices can be utilized for control mechanism 70, including one or more buttons, balls or the like or a combination of such devices.

In the preferred embodiment, the seat assembly is configured to allow the lower chair section 60 to pivot upward against the upper chair section 58, as shown in FIG. 5, so that the lift chair 10 can be substantially out of the way if someone wishes to take a bath in bathtub 12 without lift chair 10. The lower chair section 60 can be pivotally attached to the upper chair section 58 and/or to the chair frame members 54. Alternatively, the chair frame members 54 can be configured to pivot relative to the second frame 32. Typically, it will be preferred that when the lower chair section 60 is pivoted upward, as shown in FIG. 5, that the outwardly facing surface thereof, which is the lower surface of the lower chair section 60 when in use, is smooth and relatively comfortable so a person sitting in bathtub 12 without using lift chair 10 can lean his or her head against the lower chair section 60 while enjoying a bath.

As set forth above, the seat assembly 34 is moved up and down on first frame 30 by a moving means 36 that slidably connects the second frame 32 to the first frame 30. In a preferred embodiment, moving means 36 comprises a pair of opposite facing brackets 72 attached to the inside surfaces of the first 44 and second 46 upright frame members, as shown in FIGS. 1-5. The brackets 72 support a hydraulic ram assembly 38 that is positioned behind and below the chair 56 and which moves the seat assembly 34 up and down to raise and lower the second frame 32 with the seat assembly 34 attached thereto and a user sitting on the lower chair section 58. A motor 74, which for the hydraulic ram assembly is a hydraulic motor, pressurizes fluid and directs it through hose 76 to power the hydraulic ram system 38. The hydraulic motor 74 connects to a source of power (i.e., an outlet 78) via power cord 80. The various components and the configuration of such hydraulic systems 38 are well known in the art and are incorporated herein. In another embodiment, moving means 36 comprises a chain-drive lift mechanism 38 that is powered by an electric motor 74, which connects to the lift mechanism 38 via a cable. The configuration for such moving means 36 are also well known in the art. The hydraulic or electric motor 74 and other electrical components must be selected to be usable in a wet environment as it is very likely they will be exposed to water from the bathtub 12. In a preferred configuration, the motor 74 will be placed on or near the floor below or behind a commode that is located near the bathtub 12.

In use, the lift chair 10 of the present invention is installed on a wall 14 that is adjacent one end of a bathtub 12, such as the first end 16 shown in the figures. One or more of the frame members 44-50 of the first frame 30 are securely attached to the wall 14, typically to the studs or other support members behind the wall. When not in use, the lift chair 10 is typically stored with the lower chair section 60 of the seat assembly folded upward, as shown in FIG. 5. When the user desires to take a bath, he or she approaches the bathtub 12 and folds down the lower chair section 60 to place the seat assembly 34 of the lift chair 10 in its upper position shown in FIG. 1. Typically, the chair 56 is then pivoted outward, as shown in FIG. 4, so the user can sit on the lower chair section 60. The user then rotates the seat assembly 34, with himself or herself sitting on the chair 56, around until the chair 56 is facing the opposite end of the bathtub 12, which is shown as the second end 18 in the figures, and the chair frame members 54 engage the locking mechanism on the far side of the second frame 32. In an alternative use, the user can step over the outside sidewall 20 and enter the bathing chamber 28 with the seat assembly 34 in the upper position 40 and sit on the lower chair section 60 inside bathtub 12. In either use, once the user sits on the chair 56, he or she should secure the loose end of the seat belt 64 to the buckle 66 to prevent falling off of the seat assembly 34 while it is moving. Once the user is secured in a sitting position on the lower chair section 60 at the upper position 40, he or she operates the control mechanism 70 to lower the seat assembly and himself/herself to the lower position 42 at or near the bottom surface 22 of the bathtub 12 and takes a bath. When the user is done bathing, he or she operates the control mechanism 70 to raise the seat assembly 34 and himself/herself to back to the upper position 40. The user can unbuckle the seat belt assembly and raise up and exit the bathtub 12 directly by stepping back over the sidewall 20 or first unlock the locking mechanism and pivot the seat assembly 34 outward and exit outside of the bathtub 12.

While there are shown and described herein a specific form of the invention, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited, but is susceptible to various modifications and rearrangements in design and materials without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In particular, it should be noted that the present invention is subject to modification with regard to any dimensional relationships set forth herein and modifications in assembly, materials, size, shape and use. For instance, there are numerous components described herein that can be replaced with equivalent functioning components to accomplish the objectives of the present invention.

Claims

1. A chair lift for a bathtub having a sidewall adjacent a wall, said chair lift comprising:

a first frame mounted to said wall, said first frame comprising at least one upright frame member;

a second frame slidably disposed relative to said first frame;

a seat assembly attached to said second frame, said seat assembly having a chair with an upper chair section and a lower chair section, at least said lower chair section of said chair configured to be placed in a bathing chamber of said bathtub; and

a moving means attached to said first frame for moving said seat assembly between an upper position at or near a top edge of said bathtub and a lower position at or near the bottom surface of said bathtub, said moving means having a lift mechanism operatively interconnecting said second frame and said first frame to raise and lower said second frame so as to operatively move said seat assembly in response to operation of said moving means.

2. The chair lift of claim 1, wherein said moving means moves said seat assembly from an upper position above said top edge of said bathtub to said bottom surface.

3. The chair lift of claim 1, wherein said first frame comprises a first upright frame member and a second upright frame member in spaced apart relation.

4. The chair lift of claim 3, wherein said first frame further comprises one or more cross-members interconnecting said first upright frame member and said second upright frame member.

5. The chair lift of claim 1, wherein said second frame is adjacent to said first frame.

6. The chair lift of claim 1, wherein said seat assembly is pivotally attached to said second frame so as to dispose said chair over an upper surface of said bathtub.

7. The chair lift of claim 1, wherein said seat assembly further comprises one or more chair frame members attached to said second frame, said chair attached to said one or more chair frame members.

8. The chair lift of claim 7, wherein at least one of said one or more chair frame members is pivotally attached to said second frame so as to dispose said chair over an upper surface of said bathtub.

9. The chair lift of claim 1, wherein said lower section is pivotally disposed relative to said upper chair section.

10. The chair lift of claim 1, wherein said moving means comprises at least one bracket disposed on at least one of said first upright frame member and said second upright frame member.

11. The chair lift of claim 1, wherein said lift mechanism is powered by an electric motor connected to a source of electric power.

12. The chair lift of claim 1, wherein said lift mechanism is a chain-drive lift mechanism.

13. A chair lift for a bathtub having a sidewall adjacent a wall, said chair lift comprising:

a first frame mounted to said wall, said first frame comprising at least a first upright frame member and a second upright frame member, said second upright frame member in spaced apart relation to said first upright frame member;

a second frame slidably disposed against said first frame;

a seat assembly attached to said second frame, said seat assembly having a chair with an upper chair section and a lower chair section, at least said lower chair section of said chair configured to be placed in a bathing chamber of said bathtub; and

a moving means attached to said first frame for moving said seat assembly between an upper position above a top edge of said bathtub and a lower position at or near the bottom surface of said bathtub, said moving means having a lift mechanism operatively interconnecting said second frame and said first frame to raise and lower said second frame so as to operatively move said seat assembly in response to operation of said moving means.

14. The chair lift of claim 13, wherein said seat assembly is pivotally attached to said second frame so as to dispose said chair over an upper surface of said bathtub.

15. The chair lift of claim 13, wherein said seat assembly further comprises one or more chair frame members attached to said second frame, said upper chair section attached to said one or more chair frame members.

16. The chair lift of claim 15, wherein at least one of said one or more chair frame members is pivotally attached to said second frame so as to dispose said lower section of said chair over an upper surface of said bathtub.

17. The chair lift of claim 13, wherein said lower chair section is pivotally disposed relative to said upper chair section.

18. A chair lift for a bathtub having a sidewall adjacent a wall, said chair lift comprising:

a first frame mounted to said wall, said first frame comprising at least a first upright frame member and a second upright frame member, said second upright frame member held in spaced apart relation to said first upright frame member by one or more cross-members;

a second frame slidably disposed against said first frame;

a seat assembly pivotally attached to said second frame, said seat assembly having a chair with an upper chair section and a lower chair section, at least said lower chair section of said chair configured to be placed in a bathing chamber of said bathtub; and

a moving means attached to said first frame for moving said seat assembly between an upper position above a top edge of said bathtub and a lower position at or near the bottom surface of said bathtub, said moving means having a lift mechanism operatively interconnecting said second frame and said first frame to raise and lower said second frame so as to operatively move said seat assembly in response to operation of said moving means.

19. The chair lift of claim 18, wherein said seat assembly further comprises one or more chair frame members interconnecting said upper chair section and said second frame, at least one of one or more chair frame members pivotally attached to said second frame so as to dispose said chair over an upper surface of said bathtub.

20. The chair lift of claim 19, wherein said lower chair section of said chair is pivotally disposed relative to said upper chair section.