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.

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.