Bathtub-insertable lifting apparatus
AssigneeSchmidt & Lenhardt GmbH & Co. oHG
InventorPeter Schmidt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The lift platform (16) of a lifting apparatus (10) can be raised and lowered by means of an hydraulically operated lifting device (12). The back rest (18) can be swivelled backwards and forwards by a swivelling means (19), which is likewise hydraulically operated. Both working devices (12, 19) are connected to a multi-valve housing (20), which is located beneath the lift platform (16) and which has no manual control means at all. The valves are triggered hydraulically by remote control. For this purpose, a manual control unit (30) with a number of built-in servo valves is connected to the multi-valve housing (20) via a flexible cable (28), which contains a number of thin control hoses and an hydraulic water supply hose.
Claims11
Lifting apparatus (10) for insertion in a bathtub for handicapped persons, comprising:
- a bottom frame (13);
- a lift platform (16);
- a guide frame (14) connecting the lift platform (16) to the bottom frame (13);
- a hydraulic lifting device (12) with valve means (20) for activating the lifting device to raise and lower the lift platform by action of the guide frame on the bottom frame;
- the valve means (20) being located completely beneath the lift platform (16) and comprising at least two remotely operable working valves;
- a manual control unit (30) connected to the valve means (20) via at least three flexible hoses (36, 38);
- the manual control unit (30) comprising a first servo valve (34) and a second servo valve (34), the first and second servo valves being of substantially identical design and being manually operable;
- a common actuator (58) for selectively actuating said first and second servo valves;
- each of the servo valves (34) comprise a valve seat (86), means defining a control chamber (102) on one side of the valve set and a pressure chamber (80) on an opposite side of the valve seat, the control chamber (102) of the first servo valve (34) being connected to one of the flexible hoses (36, 38), the control chamber (102) of the second servo valve (34) being connected to a second one of the flexible hoses (36, 38), and the pressure chamber (80) of the first servo valve (34) and the pressure chamber (80) of the second servo valve (34) being commonly connected to a third one (38) of the flexible hoses;
- means for applying a restoring force to close each servo valve;
- a discharge line (40) for discharge from the manual control unit;
- each one of the servo valves (34) being biased into a closed position by the means for applying the restoring force, in which closed position the control chamber (102) is connected to the discharge line (40) and upon actuation of the actuator (58) against the restoring force, the one of the servo valve is moved into an open position, in which the control chamber (102) is sealed towards the discharge line (40) and connected to the pressure chamber (80).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.