EP0198899A1

EP0198899A1 - Submersible elevator for persons with reduced mobility

Info

Publication number: EP0198899A1
Application number: EP19850905411
Authority: EP
Inventors: David Boublil
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-10-30
Filing date: 1985-10-28
Publication date: 1986-10-29
Also published as: WO1986002544A1; AU5062085A

Abstract

Dispositif permettant à des personnes à mobilité réduite de rentrer ou sortir de l'eau d'une piscine ou d'un bassin, sans aide et sans aucun effort, en toute sécurité. Il est constitué d'un flotteur étanche (1) en parti immergé de forme parallélépipédique, sur lequel est fixé un ensemble fauteuil pivotant et blocable (3) dans la position désirée. L'ensemble flotteur/fauteuil coulisse dans des rails de guidage (2) verticaux, solidaires de la structure de supportage (13) fixée au sol, sur le bord du bassin, mécaniquement (14, 15), ou par des ventouses pneumatiques (29) adhérant à des plaques d'amarrage (30, 31). En partie haute du flotteur, est prévu un orifice (9) qui sert, soit à l'arrivée en air comprimé pour vider le caisson de son eau, par les orifices inférieurs (8), soit pour la mise à l'air libre pour le remplissage du flotteur. L'ensemble selon l'invention est démontable et transportable. Cet ensemble peut être destiné à plusieurs domaines d'application, et, plus particulièrement, soit, à toutes personnes à mobilité réduite désirant avoir accés librement à des équipements sportifs, de loisirs ou de soins, soit, au monde industriel.Device allowing people with reduced mobility to get in and out of the water of a swimming pool or basin, without help and without any effort, in complete safety. It consists of a sealed float (1) partly submerged in a rectangular shape, on which is fixed a swivel and lockable chair assembly (3) in the desired position. The float / chair assembly slides in vertical guide rails (2), integral with the support structure (13) fixed to the ground, on the edge of the basin, mechanically (14, 15), or by pneumatic suction cups (29 ) adhering to mooring plates (30, 31). In the upper part of the float, an orifice (9) is provided which is used either for the arrival of compressed air to empty the box of its water, through the lower orifices (8), or for venting to filling the float. The assembly according to the invention is removable and transportable. This set can be intended for several fields of application, and, more particularly, either for all people with reduced mobility wishing to have free access to sports, leisure or healthcare equipment, or to the industrial world.

Description

SUBMERSIBLE ELEVATOR FOR PEOPLE REDUCED MOBILITY

The present invention relates to the field of means and materials for moving people to. reduced mobility, so as to. allow them to bathe in a swimming pool or a bass in, by their own means, that is to say, without assistance and without having to borrow an access ramp or ladder.

Currently existing equipment almost always requires one or more qualified operators. In addition, these materials operate, at least for most of them, with electric current, some known fuel, or., Hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders.

However, none of these materials allows. a disabled person to leave their wheelchair and be in the water on their own and do the opposite operation, without any help from anyone, without any effort to provide, safely, and without having to use a source energy other than compressed air, thus avoiding any risk of water pollution.

The device according to the invention a. the purpose: a) to allow people with reduced mobility to get in and out of the water, on their own, without the help of anyone and without making any effort, except to go from the wheelchair to swivel and lockable chair, in the desired position, of our lift; b) to facilitate the horizontal immersion of the bather in health centers, in particular in rehabilitation and thalassotherapy centers; c) to be simple and extremely safe, since it is based on the principle of lifts, by its guidance, and, of submarines by its submersibility, d) to be very economical; e) require no maintenance; f) be removable and transportable; g) to allow bathing in the supine position, by removing the seat and replacing it with a polyester "mattress" specially adapted for this purpose; h) to allow bathing to a blind person, thanks to a telescopic buoy; i) to be controlled, for ascent and descent by call buttons located at three points:

1. In the armrest of the swivel chair, an up button 19 and a down button 20.

2. On an upright flush with the water, a descent button 21 allowing the bather still in the water, to lower the elevator left in the high position by the previous user.

3. On the guardrail 17, a mounted button 22, to raise the elevator left in the low position by the previous user.

The device according to the invention consists of simple and removable elements, as shown in the accompanying drawings, FIGURE 1 to. 10 in which are composed as follows

- FIGURE 1 represents the whole of the elevator in perspective - FIGURE 2 represents the whole seen in profile and the two variants of the. support structure,

- FIGURE 3 represents the guidance elements of the float,

- FIGURE 4 represents the guide elements of the float according to another variant, - FIGURE 5 represents a float composed of frame and air cushion,

- FIGURE 6 shows a variant of the. support structure,

- FIGURE 7 represents the three-way T-valve in the supply position of the float with compressed air,

- FIGURE S represents the three-way T-shaped valve in the venting position of the float,

- FIGURE S represents the principle diagram of the operation of the submersible elevator, - FIGURE 10 represents the logical pneumatic diagram of operation of the control and call buttons of the elevator, 1) A float 1 of parelepeledic form, or another, comprising an upper orifice 9 and several lower orifices 8, with a volume of 150 to 250 liters, which can have two versions, either in the form of a sealed float, for use inspired by submarines, or a rigid frame 26, not waterproof on all its faces containing an air cushion 27 suitable for the. load and at. the. difference in level between the water and the edge of the basin. This float 26 is equipped with a pressure regulation system. The orifice 28 fills or empties the compressed air contained in the box 27. The float 1, whatever its. form and its. dimension, is trapped in a vertical guide cage 2, the amounts of which serve as vertical rails 2. The very shape of the float is scalable, it depends, on the one hand. difference in level between the water and the edge of the basin, and, on the other hand, aerodynamics and guiding elements sought, taking into account the resistance of the water and the rationalization sought by users. The image of the invention can be associated with a submarine, mounted on a vertical guided system,

like an elevator. 2) The guide cage 2 of the float 1 is an assembly, of rigid, metallic, plastic or other structure, which fulfills the role of elevator rails. This guide cage, hand held thanks to the connection plates 36 to a rigid support element 13, fixed on the. p1age of the pelvis, receives on the one hand, wheels 12 used to. the. handling of the assembly during assembly, and of adjustable lower stops 11, on the other hand. The number of side rails is variable; we can have for example a to. three ra.ils on each of the side faces, depending on the dimensions and loads of the float.

3) The swivel chair 3, ergonomically shaped, mounted on the float 1 must have its seat approximately 45 cm from the level of the edge of the basin (in the float high position}, it is made of plastic or polyester. armchair rests on the rotation neck 4 equipped with a locking handle 5. The pivoting mechanism, located inside the rotation neck 4, can be controlled manually by the handle 5 or by a pneumatic system, push button. The support skirt 6 can be of variable height, depending on the difference in level between the water and the beach. This is to provide the user in a wheelchair with a suitable seat height, situated about 45 cm above the level of the edge of the pelvis, so as to facilitate movement for the disabled person when changing seats. In the armrest of the chair is fitted either a manual three - way tap 18 or a pneumatic element with drawers, letting appear two x control, up 19 and down 20 buttons.

4) On the side of the chair is fixed a reel 23 equi é a small float 24 serving as a guide for a blind bather, or as a means of traction for certain hesitant people. The chair 3, equipped with all these elements, is mounted on the float 1, it is locked in position facing the pool during the descent or the. rise of the elevator, or back to the pool during the installation of the bather, thus offering him a secure support, when he leaves or returns to his wheelchair. 5) The support structure can have two variants, that is, a support structure 13, fixed to the ground on the one hand by embedding elements 14 located approximately 70 cm from the edge of the basin, and on the other hand by pads 15; on this support structure 13, guardrails 17 are mounted in end caps 16. Or, a support structure 34, fixed to the ground by pneumatic suction cups 23 adhering to mooring plates 38 sealed to the ground by fixings 31; On this support structure 34, guardrails 17 are mounted in end fittings 35. 6) A pneumatic control unit, mounted 19 and lowered 20, is fixed on the armrest of the swivel chair 3. A three-way T-valve 18 fills the same role. Connected to the upper orifice 3 of the float 1, the compressed air supply is made by two hoses 32 and 33 mounted upstream and downstream. By opening the three-way valve 18, or by pressing the up button 19, the compressed air enters the float 1 through the upper orifice 9, and drives out the water contained in the float through the lower orifices 8. The control elements are supplied with compressed air by the hose 32 on the one hand, and converge on the float by the hose 33 on the other hand. A pressure of a few hundred born from grams per cm, compressed air is enough. empty the float. The latter, lightened, rises in the high position against the stops 25. The operation of the valve 18 at the midpoint corresponds to the. rest position of the two tire control buttons 19 and 20, this is. say that the bet è. the open air and the compressed air supply are closed, the float 1 remains stationary in the initial position. The third position of the tap 18 corresponds to the descent button 20. The compressed air supply is closed and puts the float 1 in the open air, the water rushes into the float which becomes heavier and descends until to the lower stops 11, so that the seated bather is in the water up to the shoulders. A call button 22 fixed on the. guardrail 17 raises the elevator when it is submerged. A call button 21, placed è. a few centimeters from the surface of the water, è. range of the swimmer, brings the elevator down when it is in the high position.

7) Guidance, Figure 3, is provided by rollers 7, in the lateral and transverse directions, mounted on the float. These rollers 7 ensure perfect stability during maneuvers. The profile of the rollers 7 depends on the profile of the support cage 2, which can be in a tube or in the full shape of a cylindrical, square or rectangular shape. Next the. Figure 4, there may be a side roller and a transverse roller in the case where the. cage is U-shaped. Bumpers 10 are mounted under the rollers 7 so. come to bear on the lower stops 11, while protecting the rollers 7.

8) The three-way valve, Figure 7, supplies the float 1 with compressed air. P = pressure, fl = air supply to the float. Figure 8 puts the float in the open air, the air A contained in the float escapes outside. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing: the filling of the float 1 with compressed air, coming from the bottle R passing through the three-way valve 18 and through the upper orifice 9, to expel the water through the lower orifices 8; and, venting to fill the float 1 with the lower orifices 8. FIG. 10 is a pneumatic diagram exploiting the operating mode of the control buttons 19, 20, 21 and 22. The compressed air coming from the bottle R passes, on the one hand by a pressure regulator 40 which supplies the 4 control buttons 19, 20, 21 and 22, and, on the other hand, by a whole pressure regulator 41, intended for. supply the float to. the desired pressure, passing through the distributor 37, piloted on each side, by a cell 38, connected to the two up and down controls, on the one hand and on the other hand, the distributor controls an exhaust valve 33 , either in the filling position, or for a faster escape of the air contained in the float. The principle according to the invention can be summarized from the. as follows: it is therefore an assembly composed of a float 1, partially submerged, on which is fixed a swivel and lockable chair 3; this assembly is trapped in a guide cage 2 whose uprights serve as vertical rails. The whole is mounted on a support structure 13 fixed to the ground. The set is completely removable and transportable, thanks to. wheels 12 provided for this purpose. The operation of the submersible elevator is similar to that of a building elevator. It is controlled, either from the outside by call buttons, or from the inside by chair control buttons.

Claims

1 - Device allowing. people with reduced mobility to get in and out of the water of a basin, without any effort, without help and without having to borrow an access ramp or ladder, which it comprises: a) A waterproof float 1 , partly submerged, in the shape of a lepipedic or other wall, with an area varying from 0.5 to 1.5 m ² for example, which can be hollow in its central part, which can support several hundred kilos; it can be made of plastic, polyester, marine plywood, metal or, in another version, perforated sheet which would serve as a frame 26 which can receive air cushions 27, equipped with regulation systems, connected è. the end piece 28; the volume of the float, taking into account the problems associated with the height of the seat of the swivel chair 3, which can vary from 150 to 258 liters; this float slides like an elevator in vertical rails 2, thanks to guide rollers 7 fixed on the lateral faces of the float and, possibly, on the underside, thus ensuring perfect stability of the assembly, buffers 18 are mounted under the rollers 7, so as to come to bear on the lower stops 11, while protecting the rollers 7; b) a swivel chair 3, fixed on the float, is equipped with a rotation mechanism 4, lockable in the desired position by a lever 5 or a pneumatic control, mounted on a support skirt 6 which can be of variable height in order to '' ensure the correct seat height of the swivel chair relative to the seat of the wheelchair which is located on the edge of the pool when the bather is a person with disabilities sword; a tap is attached to the armrest of the chair. three T-ways 18, that is to say a pneumatic control unit revealing the two control buttons for raising 19 and lowering 20 of the float / faulty assembly 1; under one of the armrests is mounted a reel 23 fitted with a small buoy 24 which allows either. a blind person, or a hesitant person, to easily reach the wheelchair for the ascent; c) guide rails 2 are assembled so as to form a rigid structure equipped with wheels 12 in the lower part, in order to ensure good retention of the assembly against the wall and, also to facilitate handling during assembly or disassembly of the device, this guide assembly is fixed integrally in the upper part by connection plates 36, to a support structure 13 fixed to the ground, lower stops 11 are mounted on the guide rails 2 to adjust the depth of lowering of the assembly, the upper stops 25 mounted on the support structure 13 ensure the correct height of the swivel chair relative to the wheelchair;

2 - Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the float assembly 1 is designed so as to. offer a seat of the neighboring chair 45 cm high, above the edge of the swimming pool or basin, height which can be refined by the skirt 6. 3 - Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sufomersible elevator is controlled like a building elevator; it can be called up by the call button 22 placed on the safety railing 17 if the lift is in the low position; ordered fau pivoting winch 3 for lowering or raising by the control buttons 19 and 20 placed on the armrest; be called from the bather located in 1 e by pressing the button 21 which is located. proximity of the swimmer when the lift is in the high position; the control elements are supplied with compressed air by the hose 32 on the one hand, and converge towards the float by the hose 33, on the other hand.

4 - Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the swivel chair 3 is of ergonomic shape; made of plastic or polyester as well as its supports 5 and 6. The complete assembly being removable and replaceable by a specially suitable mattress to allow the horizontal immersion of the bather, especially for use in rehabilitation and thalassotherapy centers.

5 - Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a control unit is fixed on the armrest of the chair 3, it is equipped with two buttons 19 and 28 for raising and lowering FIGURE 18, call button 22 placed on the safety rail 17 and a call button 21 located above the water, supplied with compressed air passed by a pressure regulator 40 on the one hand and by a second pressure regulator 41 d on the other hand, intended to supply the float 1 through the upper orifice 9 at the desired pressure by passing through a distributor 37, piloted on each side by a cell 38 connected to the two control buttons, the distributor controls an exhaust valve 33 , either in the filling position, or for a faster escape of the air contained in the float. 6 - Device according to any one of claims previous, characterized in that the speed of ascent and descent of the elevator is adjustable, the average time for a maneuver, being evaluated at. approximately 7 to 9 seconds at a pressure of the order of 300 grams per cm ² , but which can be reduced or increased by means of a pneumatic system.

7 - Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the float is provided with an upper orifice 9 and with a certain number of lower orifices 8 at the front and at the rear of the lower face, face always submerged, the lower holes being intended for the admission and the escape of water from the float, as well as for the rapid evacuation of the water contained in the float during disassembly of the latter. 8 - Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support structure 13 fits into sleeves 14 sealed to the ground more than 70 cm from the edge of the basin, this support resting on fixing pads 15 flanged to the ground by screws, above the pads being placed end caps 16 into which interlock safety rails 17, and by the fact that, on the connecting bar of the front pads are mounted upper stops 25, in the front part of the support structure being provided a hooking system 36 of the entire lift, consisting of the float 1 fitted, and the guide cage 2.

9 - Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that another support structure fixing system 34 is produced by pneumatic suction cups 29 adhering to mooring plates 30 equipped with ground attachments 31, and provided with end fittings 35 for receiving the guardrail 17.

10 - Operation of the device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, by opening the three-way valve 18, FIGURE 7, or control buttons 19 or 22, the compressed air enters the float 1 through the upper orifice 9 and flushes out the water contained in the float 1 through the lower orifices 8, the float 1 lightened in its contents rising to the surface up to the upper stops 25; by operating the three-way stopcock in the neutral position, which corresponds to the non-use of the control buttons, the venting and the compressed air supply are closed, at this stage, the float remaining in its initial position ; by operating the tap 18, FIGURE 8, in the third position, which corresponds to the descent buttons of the. control 20 or 21, the float is vented to. at this moment the water rushing into the float 1 which becomes heavier and the stops 18 integral with the float come to rest on the lower stops 11.