VehiCLE

Hinged Shower Tranfer Bench

The Hinged Shower Transfer Bench was brought to VehiCLE as an idea.  The issue was that current shower transfer benches do not allow for a curtain to be closed, and the ones that do are too difficult for many users to operate, especially those with limited dexterity.  The idea was to created a hinged platform to enable the user to transfer safley into the tub, then lift the platform and close the curtain.  

The main design challenge was to create a mechanism that was adjustable to most tubs of different heights and widths without sacrificing functionality or stability. Our design allows for infinite adjustment to interface with the lip of the tub, as well as incremented adjustent of the overall bench height. 

Our friction hinge mechanism allows for the user to set the desired amount of resistance in the hinged platform, and also ensures that the platform can hold in any desired position.  

The plastic componenets were milled out of ABS, and steel tubes were bent to allow the arch for a curtain to pass through.  Our design enables the user to easily pull the curtain closed after transfer. 

  

  

  

Next Steps

The Hinged Shower Transfer Bench is currently being reviewed by an industry partner. In the future, all of the plastic components could be molded, which would allow for tighter tolerances and higher levels of precision.


U.S. Patent Application: 16/951,326 (VA ID: 2019-670)

Technology Transfer Specialist: Rebecca Holmes (rebecca.holmes@va.gov)

Hinged Shower Transfer Bench Techlink Webpage: Improved shower tub transfer bench with backrest and supporting arm | TechLink (techlinkcenter.org)