A drive assembly for a bath aid unit

摘要

A drive assembly comprises a guide tube 1 within which are mounted a plurality of portions (eg bobbins) 5 connected together in a longitudinal direction by a cable 6. The bobbins 5 pivot transversely to the longitudinal direction, thereby allowing the assembly to negotiate a curve portion 2 in the guide tube 1. Drive means 8 comprises a drive motor (eg electric motor) 9 which rotatably drives a screw-threaded rod 20 engaged with a nut 11 that, in turn, pushes the bobbins 5 around the curve portion 2 and causes the bobbins 5 to extend from free end 3 so as to apply a thrust drive force which raises or lowers a seat 16 of a bath aid unit having a scissor-type frame structure 15. The drive motor 9 is sealed watertight and the remainder of the components can be readily immersed in water, for example the bobbins 5 may be made of polypropylene. The column structure 22 has a support 21 which ensures that the column is rigid and a spring may be provided to bind the bobbins 5 together.