A chair for shower
The foldable shower chair addresses installation costs and usability issues by transferring load bearing to the support structure through mounts and reinforcement, enabling cost-effective installation and improved support during showers.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- VYY PTE LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-01-14
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-23
AI Technical Summary
Shower chairs require costly renovations due to incompatible wall configurations and lack support during the entire shower process, increasing installation costs and limiting usability.
A foldable shower chair with a frame, upright portion, and pivotable arms that transfer load bearing to the support structure via mounts and reinforcement members, allowing for adjustable legs and arms that provide additional support and structural strength.
Reduces installation costs by adapting to diverse wall configurations without renovation and enhances user support throughout the shower process, supporting heavier loads and providing comfort.
Smart Images
Figure SG2025050031_23072026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] A CHAIR FOR SHOWER
[0002] Technical Field
[0003] The present invention relates, in general, to bathroom aids and more particularly to a chair for shower.
[0004] Background
[0005] Shower chairs are often provided in bathrooms of persons with mobility problems. To save space, installation of foldable shower chairs in such bathrooms is preferred. Quite often, however, some form of bathroom renovation is required when installing a foldable shower chair due to incompatible wall configurations such as, for example, partition walls and hollow block walls, which are typically non-load-bearing. The renovation costs significantly increase the overall installation costs for the shower chair.
[0006] Another issue of shower chairs is that shower chairs are not suitable for use throughout the entire shower process. A conventional shower chair simply provides a seat for a user to sit on, however user struggles to find support to be positioned on the seating area and to change positions during the shower process. One of the solutions is to install a separate wall mounted grab bar in the bathroom to assist the shower process, but this is likely to increase installation costs.
[0007] It would therefore be desirable to provide a chair for shower that can address at least one of the aforementioned problems.
[0008] Summary
[0009] Accordingly, in a first aspect, the present invention provides a chair for shower, comprising a frame comprising a seat support portion and an upright portion; a leg member attached to the seat support portion of the frame; an upright mount configured to mount the upright portion of the frame to the support structure; and an arm pivotably attached to the upright portion of the frame. As described in the preferred embodiment, advantageously, configuration of the upright mount may allow load bearing on the arm (e.g., when a user leans on the arm of the chairs to change positions or use the arm of the chairs as support) to be transferred to the upright portion of the frame and eventually to the support structure via theupright mount. In this way, the chair may withstand greater load and has improved structural strength.
[0010] Preferably, the arm may comprise a stop provided at a distal end of the arm. The stop of the arm further helps to transfer some of the load bearing on the arm to the support structure by friction through abutment of the distal end of the arm against the support structure such that the arm is able to support an even heavier weight.
[0011] Preferably, the arm may further comprise an armpad for providing a cushioning effect for comfort when a user grabs the arm for support or rests an arm on the armpad.
[0012] Preferably, the arm may further comprise a U-shaped grab bar in order to provide compressive resistance to the load applied onto the arm and thereby helps prevent deformation of the arm.
[0013] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a chair for shower, comprising a frame comprising a seat support portion; a leg member attached to the seat support portion of the frame; a mount configured to mount the frame to a support structure; and a reinforcement member configured to couple the mount to the leg member. As described in the preferred embodiment, advantageously, configuration of the reinforcement member may allow at least some load bearing on the seat support portion (e.g., when a user sits on the chair) to be transferred from the support structure to the leg member.
[0014] Preferably, the frame may be a foldable frame, and wherein the leg member may be pivotally attached to the seat support portion of the frame. Advantageously, the foldable configuration allows the chair to be installed in bathrooms with space constraints.
[0015] Preferably, the leg member may comprise a plurality of front legs, and optionally a plurality of rear legs. The plurality of front legs (and rear legs) may provide support to the chair.
[0016] Preferably, a height of at least one of the plurality of front legs or rear legs may be adjustable. The adjustable arrangement of at least one of the plurality of front legs or rear legs allows the chair to be mounted to areas where the floor is not entirely flat.
[0017] Preferably, the leg member may further comprise at least one stretcher extending across a pair of the front legs or rear legs. Advantageously, the at least one stretcher may act as a brace between corresponding pairs of the front legs and the rear legs.Preferably, the reinforcement member may comprise a plurality of buttresses configured to couple the mount to the corresponding front leg, wherein each buttress comprises a proximal end proximate to the mount and a distal end extending away from the mount and coupled to the corresponding front leg.
[0018] In one embodiment, the proximal end of each buttress may be coupled directly to the mount.
[0019] In another embodiment, the proximal end of each buttress may be coupled directly to the seat support portion of the frame.
[0020] More preferably, each buttress may further comprise a bend formed between the proximal end and the distal end. The bend in each of the buttresses allows the chair to fold.
[0021] Preferably, the mount may comprise one back mount plate both coupled to the plurality of front legs; or two back mount plates each coupled to the corresponding front leg. Depends on the configuration of the support structure, different configurations of the mount may be used. The back mount plates are secured to the support structure, thereby minimising a risk of injury from any protruding parts on the mounts when the chair is in a folded position.
[0022] More preferably, the mount may further comprise two side mount plates each coupled to the corresponding front leg. Advantageously, the side mount plates may provide additional side support to the chair.
[0023] More preferably, a distal corner of each side mount plate may be chamfered to form a chamfered edge. The chamfered edge may minimise a risk of injury from protruding sharp corners on both side mounts, for example, when the chair is in a folded position.
[0024] Preferably, the frame further comprises an upright portion.
[0025] More preferably, the chair may comprise at least one arm pivotably attached to the upright portion of the frame. Advantageously, the at least one arm may serve as a grab bar for persons with mobility problems, thereby doing away with the need to provide a separate grab bar and thus providing cost and space savings.
[0026] More preferably, the at least one arm may comprise a stop provided at a distal end of the at least one arm. The stop allows some of the load applied onto the at least one arm be transferred to the support structure by friction through abutment of the distal end of the at least one arm against the support structure and this helps increase a load bearing ability of the at least one arm.More preferably, the at least one arm may comprise a U-shaped grab bar. The U-shaped grab bar provides compressive resistance to the load applied onto the at least one arm and thereby helps prevent deformation of the at least one arm.
[0027] More preferably, the at least one arm may comprise a first arm and a second arm, each of the first and second arms being pivotably attached to corresponding upright portion of the frame, and wherein the first and second arms are singularly formed. Provision of the first and second arms as a singular unit facilitates operation of the at least one arm, allowing the first and second arms to be simultaneously raised or lowered together in a single operation.
[0028] Preferably, the chair may comprise a backrest attached to the upright portion of the frame. The backrest provides back support for the user, allowing the user to lean back against the chair if required.
[0029] Preferably, the seat support portion comprises a seat. The seats allows a user to sit on the chair with comfort.
[0030] Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating byway of example the principles of the invention.
[0031] Brief Description of the Drawings
[0032] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0033] FIG. 1 A is a perspective back view of a chair in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0034] FIG. 1 B is a schematic front view of the chair of FIG. 1 A;
[0035] FIG. 1C is a schematic side view of the chair of FIG. 1A mounted to a support structure in an unfolded position;
[0036] FIG. 1D is a schematic side view of the chair of FIG. 1A in a folded position;
[0037] FIG. 2A is a schematic front view of a chair in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;
[0038] FIG. 2B is a schematic back view of the chair of FIG. 2A;
[0039] FIG. 2C is a schematic side view of the chair of FIG. 2A mounted to a support structure in an unfolded position;FIG. 2D is a schematic side view of the chair of FIG. 2A in a folded position;
[0040] FIG. 3A is a schematic side view of a chair in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention;
[0041] FIG. 3B is a schematic top view of the chair of FIG. 3A;
[0042] FIG. 3C is a back view of the chair of FIG. 3A;
[0043] FIGs. 4A and 4B are schematic side views of an embodiment of a mount screw; FIGs. 5A and 5B are schematic top and bottom views of a seat;
[0044] FIGs. 6A, 6B and 6C are front, top and perspective back view of a back rest; and FIG. 7A and 7B are photographs illustrating different set-ups for performing load tests on a chair of the present invention.
[0045] Detailed Description of Exemplary Embodiments
[0046] The following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. The present invention is illustrated by way of example and is not limited by the accompanying figures, in which like references indicate similar elements. It is to be understood that the drawings are not to scale and have been simplified for ease of understanding the invention. It is to be understood that the same or equivalent functions may be accomplished by different embodiments that are intended to be encompassed within the scope of the invention.
[0047] Referring to FIGS. 1A-1D, a chair 10 for shower according to a first embodiment is shown. The chair 10 includes a frame 12 comprising a seat support portion 120; a leg member 14 attached to the seat support portion 120 of the frame 12; a mount 16 configured to mount the frame 12 to a support structure 18; and a reinforcement member 20 configured to couple the mount 16 to the leg member 14. The chair 10 allows the reinforcement member 20 to transfer loads bearing on the seat support portion 120 (e.g. a user seating on the chair 10) away from the support structure 18 to the leg member 14.
[0048] The frame 12 is a foldable frame, and the leg member 14 is pivotally attached to the seat support portion 120 of the frame 12, as illustrated in Fig. 1D. Advantageously, the foldable configuration allows the chair 10 to be installed in bathrooms with space constraints. The foldable design also allows quick setup and takedown and is convenient for use. The seat support portion 120 is an area formed by the frame 12 that allows a user to sit on.The chair 10 is provided in its full form including an upright portion 130. Two arms 134 are pivotably attached to the corresponding upright portion 130 of the frame 12. Advantageously, the arms 134 serve as a grab bar. Each arm 134 includes a stop 138 provided at a distal end of the arm 134 and / or a U-shaped grab bar 131. The stop 138 allows some of the load applied onto the arm 134 be transferred to the support structure 18 by friction through abutment of the distal end of the arm 134 against the support structure 18 and this increases a load bearing ability of the arm 134. The U-shaped grab bar 131 provides compressive resistance to the load applied onto the arm and thereby helps prevent deformation of the arm 134. An armpad 135 is attached to the arm 134, the armpad 135 is best illustrated in FIG. 1C. The armpad 135 provides a cushioning effect for comfort when a user grabs the at least one arm 134 for support or rests an arm on the armpad 135. The armpad 135 is made of polyamide for easy maintenance while the arm 134 is made of stainless steel for strength.
[0049] The leg member 14 includes a plurality of front legs 140 and a plurality of rear legs 142. A height of at least one of the plurality of front legs or rear legs is adjustable or retractable for about ±20 mm. A height adjustment mechanism 144 is provided at at least one of the plurality of front legs 140 or rear legs 142. Each of the front legs 140 further includes an anti-slip rubber tip 145 at a tip of the corresponding front leg 140. The height adjustment mechanism 144 allows the chair 10 to be mounted to areas where the floor is not entirely flat thus the chair 10 remain its balance in areas such as bathroom with a sloping floor. This further allows the chair 10 to be adjusted for different uses, for example, by adjusting the front legs 140 to be longer than the rear legs 142, the center of gravity of the chair 10 can shift towards the support structure 18 such that a user sitting on the chair 10 can lean backwards to the support structure 18 with lesser risks of slipping away from the chair. The leg member 14 includes a stretcher 146 extending across a pair of the front legs 140 or rear legs 142. Advantageously, the at least one stretcher 146 may act as a brace between corresponding pairs of the front legs and the rear legs, helping to reinforce the front legs140 and / or the rear legs 142.
[0050] The reinforcement member 20 includes a plurality of buttresses 200 configured to couple the mount 16 to the corresponding front leg 140, wherein each buttress comprises a proximal end 201 proximate to the mount 16 and a distal end 202 extending away from themount 16 and coupled to the corresponding front leg 140. The reinforcement member 20 is formed of stainless steel.
[0051] As shown in FIG. 1C, each buttress 200 comprises two bends 204 formed between the proximal end 201 and the distal end 202, forming a zig-zag shape buttress. The bends 204 in each of the buttresses 200 advantageously allow the chair 10 to fold completely, i.e. , about 90 degrees (°) parallel to the support structure 18, as illustrated in FIG. 1D and to unfold perpendicular to the support structure 18, as illustrated in FIG. 1C.
[0052] In the first embodiment as shown in FIGs. 1A-1D, the mount 16 includes two back mount plates 162 each coupled to the corresponding leg member 14. The back mount plates are secured to the support structure 18 (i.e., a wall), thereby minimising a risk of injury from any protruding parts on the mounts 16 when the chair 10 is in a folded position. The back mount plates 162 is installed at a distance of about 30mm away from the rear leg 142 of the chair 10. Furthermore, the proximal end 201 of each buttress 200 is coupled directly to the seat support portion 120 of the frame 12, as illustrated in FIG. 1C.
[0053] A second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGs. 2A-2D, and features similar to the first embodiment are not repeated for simplicity. In the second embodiment, the mount 16 includes one back mount plate 160 coupled to the leg member 14 (i.e., a plurality of front legs). The mount further includes two side mount plates 164. The back mount plate 160 and the two side mount plates 164 are formed of a piece of sheet metal, bent into shape, so as to increase a strength of the mount 16. Furthermore, a distal corner of each side mount plate 164 is chamfered to form a chamfered edge 166. Advantageously, the chamfered edge 166 minimises a risk of injury from protruding sharp corners on both side mount plates 164 when the chair 10 is in the folded position. Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 2C, each buttress 200 comprises a bend 204 formed between the proximal end 201 and the distal end 202. The proximal end of each buttress 200 is coupled directly to the mount 16. The chair 10 may still be folded completely as illustrated in FIG. 2D with only one bend 204. In addition, referring to FIG. 2B, the two arms 134 are connected with a bar 133. The two arms 134 are singularly formed such that the two arms may be simultaneously raised or lowered together in a single operation. Advantageously, connecting both the first and second arms 134 into a singular unit increases load-bearing capabilities of the first and second arms 134 by spreading a loadapplied on one or both the first and second arms 134 across the bar 133 connecting both the first and second arms 134.
[0054] A third embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGs. 3A to 3C, and features similar to the first two embodiments are not repeated for simplicity. In the third embodiment, the mount 16 is referred to as a seat mount 36 for mounting the seat support portion 320 of the frame to the support structure 38. The chair 30 further comprises an upright mount 37 configured to mount the upright portion 330 of the frame to the support structure 38. Accordingly, the force exerted on the arm 334 can be transferred to the upright portion 330 of the frame and eventually to the support structure 38 via the upright mount 37.
[0055] In FIG. 3B, the backrest is omitted for simplicity. The arm 334a illustrates the connection to the upright portion 330 of the frame in an unfolded position and the arm 334b illustrates the arm in a folded position. The two arms 334a, 334b may be independently raised or lowered to accommodate different positions of the user. The upright mount 37 includes an upright supporting structure 371. The upright supporting structure 371 is a L-shaped structure and is secured to the support structure 38 using wall screw(s) and plug(s). FIG. 3C shows how the upright supporting structure 371 of the upright mount 37 is attached to the upright portion 330 of the frame. The arm 334a is secured to the upright portion 330 with a bolt 372, a washer 373 and a nut 374. The bolt 372, the washer 373 and the nut 374 are formed of stainless steel. The bolt 372 provides additional support to the connection between the arm 334a and the upright portion 330. Each arm 334 further includes a stop 338 provided at a distal end of the arm 334. The stop 338 further allows some of the load applied onto the arm 334 be transferred to the support structure 38 by friction through abutment of the distal end of the arm 334 against the support structure 38 and this increases a load bearing ability of the arm 334. To unfold the chair 10, the seat support portion 120 of the chair 10 is pivoted and lowered to a first position as shown in FIGs. 1C, 2C and 3A, where the seat support portion 120 is substantially perpendicular to support structure 18 (e.g., a wall). At the same time, the leg member 14 (e g., a pair of front legs) pivotably attached to the seat support portion 120 are pivoted and lowered until the leg member 14 (i.e. , the pair of front legs) rest on a ground. The leg member 14 (e.g., the pair of front legs) supports a mass of a user, thereby reducing a loading applied to the support structure 18.As can be seen from FIGs. 1D and 2D, the chair 10 is folded when not in use. To fold the chair 10, the seat support portion 120 of the chair 10 is pivoted and raised to a second position where the seat support portion 120 is substantially parallel to the support structure 18 (e.g., a wall). At the same time, the leg member 14 (e.g., a pair of front legs) pivotably attached to the seat support portion 120 are pivoted and raised until the leg member 14 (e.g., the pair of front legs) are similarly substantially parallel to the support structure 18. In a folded position, a footprint of the chair 10 is reduced, providing more useable space within a bathroom for movement and cleaning.
[0056] Mount screws 126 are used on the back mount plates 160 / 162 or the upright supporting structure 371 to install the chair 10, 30 to fasten the frame 12 to the support structure 18, 38, i.e., a wall. Each mount screw 126 has a length of about 40 to 50 mm to ensure that the frame 12 is secured to the support structure 18. The mount screws may be of various designs, for example, a threaded screw as shown in FIG. 4A together a wall plug as shown in FIG. 4B. The dimension of the back mount plates 160 / 162 or the upright supporting structure 371 can be customised depending on the wall configuration. In the first embodiment as shown in FIG. 1A, four mount screws 126 are used on each mount plate to mount the frame 12 to the support structure 18. In the second embodiment as shown in FIG. 2B, six mount screws 126 are used to securely fasten the frame 12 to the support structure 18. In the third embodiment as shown in FIG. 3C, only one mount screw 126 is required to fasten the upper portion 330 of the frame to the support structure38. The mount 16, 36, 37 is formed of a piece of sheet metal, bent into shape. Advantageously, the metal material further increases a strength of the mount 16.
[0057] FIGs. 5A and 5B show an example of a seat. The seat support portion 120 may include a seat 122 provided at the seat support portion 120. The seats 122 provides additional comfort for the user to sit on. The seat 122 may have a dimension of about 460mm width and about 375mm depth. The seat 122 may include some drainage holes 123 to prevent slipping and allow water to drain. The drainage holes 123 may have a diameter of about 20mm. The seat 122 may also include a X-shaped reinforcement structure 125 provided at the bottom of the seat 122 to provide additional support to the seat 122 so as to increase the loads that the seat 122 can carry. The seat 122 may be formed with a polymer material such as polyamide for easy maintenance. Referring back to FIGs. 1C and 2C, screws and washers 124 are providedto fasten the seat 122 to the frame 12. Friction generated by the washers allows the chair 10 to remain in a folded state when not in use.
[0058] FIGs. 6A, 6B and 6C show an example of a backrest 132. The backrest 132 may be attached to the upright portion 130, 330 of the frame 12. The backrest may be slightly curved to fit the body shape of the user for them to lean back against the chair 10, 30. There may be holes 136 fabricated at one side of the backrest 132 to strengthen the backrest 132.
[0059] The chair 10 may be provided in the form of a stool (not shown) without requiring the upright portion 130, the backrest 132 and the arms 134. It should also be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the chair 10 is not limited by the number of arms provided, pr the number of front legs 140 and / or rear legs 142. For example, the chair may be provided with only one arm or more than two front legs 140 and / or rear legs 142 may be provided.
[0060] It should also be apparent that the chair 30 may not comprise the seat mount 36, since the seat portion 320 may be supported by the leg member 14 i.e. front legs and rear legs. The upright mount 37 may also have a different design, for example, a mount plate or a shape that follows the design of the upright portion 330 instead of a L-shaped structure. Although not shown in the drawings, the chair 10 shown in the embodiments of Figs 1A to 2D may also be equipped with the upper mount 37.
[0061] As is evident from the foregoing discussion, the present invention provides a shower chair that is able to reduce reliance on the support structure 18 to provide the required structural load support, the chair 10 is able to accomodate diverse wall configurations, including, for example, partition and hollow block walls. Being adaptable to diverse wall configurations, the chair 10 of the present invention may be installed whenever needed without requiring wall reconstruction. By reducing the need for wall reconstruction when installing the chair, significant cost savings and a significant reduction in installation lead time may be achieved.
[0062] Experimental ResultsA series of load tests were performed on the chair 10 using the set-up as shown to verify a load-bearing ability of the chair 10, 30.
[0063] Referring now to FIG. 7A, the load tests were performed by applying different loads to a midpoint of one of the arms 134, 334 of the chair 10, 30 and a summary of the test results is provided in Table 1 below.
[0064] Table 1: _ Results of Load Tests
[0065]
[0066] The load tests demonstrate that the at least one arm 134, 334 is able to support a load of 150 kilograms (kg) or more.
[0067] Referring now to FIG. 7B, the load tests were performed by applying different loads to a midpoint of the seat area of the seat support portion 120 and a summary of the test results is provided in Table 2 below.
[0068] Table 2: Results of Load Tests
[0069]
[0070] The load tests demonstrate that the seat support portion 120 is able to support a load of 300 kilograms (kg) or more.
[0071] While preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be clear that the invention is not limited to these embodiments only. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions and equivalents will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as described in the claims. Further, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and theclaims, the words "comprise", "comprising" and the like are to be construed in an inclusive as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of "including, but not limited to".
Claims
CLAIMS1. A chair for shower, comprising:a frame comprising a seat support portion and an upright portion;a leg member attached to the seat support portion of the frame;an upright mount configured to mount the upright portion of the frame to the support structure; andan arm pivotably attached to the upright portion of the frame.
2. The chair of claim 1 , wherein the arm comprises a stop provided at a distal end of the arm.
3. The chair of claim 1 or 2, wherein the arm further comprises an armpad.
4. The chair of any one of claim 1 to 3, wherein the arm further comprises a U-shaped grab bar.
5. A chair for shower, comprising:a frame comprising a seat support portion;a leg member attached to the seat support portion of the frame;a mount configured to mount the frame to a support structure; anda reinforcement member configured to couple the mount to the leg member.
6. The chair of claim 5, wherein the frame is a foldable frame, and wherein the leg member is pivotally attached to the seat support portion of the frame.
7. The chair of claim 5 or 6, wherein the leg member comprises a plurality of front legs, and optionally a plurality of rear legs.
8. The chair of claim 7, wherein a height of at least one of the plurality of front legs or rear legs is adjustable.
9. The chair of claim 7 or 8, wherein the leg member further comprises at least one stretcher extending across a pair of the front legs or rear legs.
10. The chair of any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the reinforcement member comprises a plurality of buttresses configured to couple the mount to the corresponding front leg, wherein each buttress comprises a proximal end proximate to the mount and a distal end extending away from the mount and coupled to the corresponding front leg.
11. The chair of claim 10, wherein the proximal end of each buttress is coupled directly to the mount.
12. The chair of claim 10, wherein the proximal end of each buttress is coupled directly to the seat support portion of the frame.
13. The chair of any one of claims 10 to12, wherein the each buttress further comprises a bend formed between the proximal end and the distal end.
14. The chair of any one of claims 7 to 13, wherein the mount comprises:one back mount plate coupled to the plurality of front legs; ortwo back mount plates each coupled to the corresponding front leg.
15. The chair of claim 14, wherein the mount further comprises two side mount plates each coupled to the corresponding front leg.
16. The chair of claim 15, wherein a distal corner of each side mount plate is chamfered to form a chamfered edge.
17. The chair of any one of claims 5 to 16, wherein the frame further comprises an upright portion.
18. The chair of claim 17, further comprising at least one arm pivotably attached to the upright portion of the frame.
19. The chair of claim 18, wherein the at least one arm comprises a stop provided at a distal end of the at least one arm.
20. The chair of claim 18 or 19, wherein the at least one arm comprises a U-shaped grab bar.
21. The chair of any one of claims 18 to 20, wherein the at least one arm comprises a first arm and a second arm, each of the first and second arms being pivotably attached to corresponding upright portion of the frame, and wherein the first and second arms are singularly formed.
22. The chair of any one of claims 18 to 21, further comprising a backrest attached to the upright portion of the frame.
23. The chair of any one of claims 5 to 22, wherein the seat support portion comprises a seat.