CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a PCT International Application of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/281 ,831 , filed November 23, 2009, and U.S. Application

No. _/ , which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.

61/399,745, filed July 16, 2010.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to relates to lift chairs which are used to aid in going from a seated position to a standing position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are several lift chair products that are currently in use in the marketplace. Typically, these lift chairs have a single flat seat which is lifted and rotated to allow the user to exit the chair with minimal effort: Additionally, the seat angle allows the occupant's back to be tilted forward, but the hips and knees remain significantly behind the lower legs and feet, which means the occupant's center of gravity also remains behind the occupant's lower legs and feet, limiting the person's ability to safely exit from the chair. This presents an even greater problem particularly with the elderly whose muscles and coordination have diminished with age.

Accordingly there exists a need for an improved lift chair which allows the user to safely enter and exit the chair, and go from a seated position to a standing position, or vice versa.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a lift chair which allows the seated occupant to have a significantly more accommodating angle when transferring to a standing position to reduce the possibility of accidentally falling forward or ineffectively managing the weight transfer to a metal walker. Among other needs, the present invention specifically addresses the areas of hip or knee related mobility problems, especially among the elderly and obese, who may be living alone or want a degree of independence that does not require assistance from other individuals.

The present invention is a chair having a first seat portion and a second seat portion pivotally connected to the first seat portion. The first seat portion and the second seat portion are movable between a first position and a second position, and the first seat portion and second seat portion are disposed in substantially the same plane when the first seat portion and the second seat portion are in the first position. The present invention also includes an actuator for moving the first seat portion and the second seat portion between the first position and the second position, and when the actuator is actuated, the first seat portion pivots relative to the second seat portion such that the first seat portion is located in a different plane relative to the second seat portion.

Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lift chair in a first or lowered position, according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a lift chair, with the first seat portion positioned at a reward angle as the lift chair begins to move toward a raised position, according to the present invention;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a lift chair in a second or raised position, according to the present invention;

Figure 4 is a bottom perspective view of a lift chair in a first or lowered position, according to the present invention; Figure 5 is a rear perspective view of a lift chair in a second or raised position, according to the present invention;

Figure 6 is a bottom perspective view of a lift chair in a second or raised position, according to the present invention;

Figure 7 is a second rear perspective view of a lift chair in a second or raised position, according to the present invention;

Figure 8 is a perspective side view of a lift chair in a first or lowered position, according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 9 is a perspective front view of a lift chair in a first or lowered position, according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 10 is a perspective front view of a lift chair in a second or raised position, according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 11 is a perspective side view of a lift chair in a second or raised position, according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and

Figure 12 is a perspective top view of a lift chair in a first or lowered position, according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.

A stand-up chair according to the present invention is shown in the Figures generally at 10. The chair 10 includes a first seat portion 12 and a second seat portion 14. The first seat portion 12 is connected to the second seat portion 14 with a first hinge 16. The first hinge 16 extends along the entire width of the seat portions 12,14 as shown in the Figures. Also connected to the first seat portion 12 is a backrest 18; the backrest 18 is fixedly connected to the first seat portion 12, and does not move relative to the first seat portion 12. The backrest 18 includes at least one armrest 20 for supporting the arm of an occupant when sitting in the chair 10. The armrest 20 is also used for support when getting out of the chair 10 to stand up.

Connected to the second seat portion 14 is front cross member 36, and connected to the front cross member 36 is a first front support member 22 and a second front support member 24. The front cross member 36 is connected to the second seat portion 14 with a second hinge 26. The second hinge 26 extends along the entire length of the second seat portion 14 in a similar manner to the first hinge 16. Connected to the first front support member 22 is a first V-bracket 28, and connected to the second front support member 24 is a second V-bracket 30. The brackets 28,30 are used for supporting the first and second front support members 22,24.

Located underneath the first seat portion 12 and the second seat portion 14 in a first pivot bracket 32, and a second pivot bracket 34. The first pivot bracket 32 is pivotally connected to the first V-bracket 28 through a nut and bolt connection, shown generally at 80, having a bolt 82 extending through an aperture formed as part of the first pivot support bracket 32, a washer 84, an aperture formed as part of the first V-bracket 28, and a nut 86.

The second pivot bracket 34 is pivotally connected to the first seat portion 12 and the second V-bracket 30. The second pivot bracket 34 is pivotally connected to the second V-bracket 30 through another nut and bolt connection, shown generally at 88, having a bolt 90 extending through an aperture formed as part of the second pivot bracket 34, a washer 92, and an aperture formed as part of the second V-bracket 30, and a nut 94.

Each of the pivot brackets 32,34 are also pivotally connected to a rear transverse seat support beam 110. The rear transverse seat support beam 110 is part of the first seat portion 12, and connects to a first seat support beam 112 and a second seat support beam 114. The seat support beams 112,114 are connected to a front transverse seat support beam 140. More specifically, there is a nut and bolt connection, shown generally at 116, having a bolt 118 extending through an aperture formed as part of the first pivot bracket 32, a washer 120, an aperture formed as part of a first flange 122, an aperture formed as part of a second flange 124, and a nut 126; the flanges 122,124 are connected to the rear transverse seat support beam 110. There is another nut and bolt connection, generally shown at 128, having a bolt 130 extending through an aperture formed as part of the second pivot bracket 34, a washer 132, an aperture formed as part of a third flange 134, an aperture formed as part of a fourth flange 136, and a nut 138; the flanges 134,136 are connected to the rear transverse seat support beam 110.

As mentioned above, connected to the second hinge 26 and the front support members 22,24 is a front cross member 36. Connected to the front cross member 36 is a first upper support member 38 and a second upper support member 40. The second hinge 26 is also connected to a lower transverse seat support beam 142, and the lower transverse seat support beam 142 is connected to a third seat support beam 144 and fourth seat support beam 146. Both of the seat support beams 144,146 are connected to an upper transverse seat support beam 148, where the upper transverse seat support beam 148 is connected to the first hinge 16.

There is also a pair of rear support members, a first rear support member 42 connected to the first upper support member 38 and the first V- bracket 28, and a second rear support member 44 connected to the second upper support member 40 and the second V-bracket 30. There is also a rear cross member 46 connected to both rear support members 42,44 to provide additional stability and structural support to the chair 10. Providing additional structural support for the chair 10 is a lower cross member 48 connected to the first and second V-brackets 28,30. The lower cross member 48 is also used to support an actuator 50 for changing the positions of the first seat portion 12 and the second seat portion 14. The actuator 50 is pivotally connected to the lower cross member 48 and a first upper cross member 52 which is part of the first seat portion 12. Additionally, there is a second upper cross member 54 which is connected to each of the pivot brackets 32,34 to provide additional stability to the chair 10, and also help to ensure the brackets 32,34 pivot in unison.

The actuator 50 in this embodiment includes an electric motor 56 connected to the first upper cross member 52, an upper telescoping member 58, and a lower telescoping member 60 pivotally connected to the lower cross member 48. The electric motor 56 has a bracket 96, and the bracket 96 is positioned between two upper flanges 98 connected to the center 100 of the first upper cross member 52. A bolt 102 extends through the upper flanges 98 and the bracket 96 as shown in Figure 4, and has a threaded connection with a nut 104. The lower cross member 48 has two lower flanges 106, and the end of the lower telescoping member 60 is located between the lower flanges 106. A bolt 108 extends through the lower flanges 106 and the lower telescoping member 60 into a nut 109, and connects the lower telescoping member 60 to the flanges 106.

Located in one of the armrests 20 is a switch 62 which controls the actuator 50, and therefore the operation of the electric motor 56 for changing the chair between the first and second position.

In operation, the chair 10 is movable between a first or lowered position, as shown in Figure 1 , and a second or raised position, as shown in Figure 3, and any position there between. When in the first position, the seat portions 12,14 are in substantially the same plane relative to one another, and the lower telescoping member 60 is substantially and concentrically disposed within the upper telescoping member 58. Also, the center of gravity of the occupant sitting in the chair 10 is positioned substantially over the seat portions 12,14, as opposed to their lower legs and feet.

When the chair 10 is in the first position, and the occupant of the chair 10 would like to stand up, the actuator 50 is actuated by the switch 62 to move the chair 10 to the second position; the electric motor 56 is then actuated and applies force to the lower telescoping member 60, driving the lower telescoping member 60 out of the upper telescoping member 58. The upper telescoping member 58 is connected to the first seat portion 12 near the first upper cross member 52. The pivot brackets 32,34 are connected at their lower ends to the forward frame of the chair 10 or V-brackets 28,30, and at their upper ends near the rear of the first seat portion 12. As pressure is put on the first upper cross member 52 near the center of the seat portion 12, the pivot brackets 32,34 begin their movement along an arc forward, pivoting at the point of connection at the V-brackets 28,30. This causes the seat portion 12 to lift off of the upper support members 38,40 initially at a rearward angle of about ten degrees. The pivot brackets 32,34 pivot relative to the V- brackets 28,30 and to the first seat portion 12.

The pivot brackets 32,34 move in unison; the first pivot bracket 32 pivots relative to the first seat portion 12 and the first V-bracket 28, and the second pivot bracket 34 pivots relative to the first seat portion 12 and the second V-bracket 30. As the seat portions 12,14 lift off of the upper support members 38,40, the first seat portion 12 and second seat portion 14 pivot relative to each other about the first hinge 16, and the second seat portion 14 pivots relative to the front cross member 36 about the second hinge 26 because the seat portions 12,14 begin to move forward. At the same time, the pivot brackets 32,34 pivot relative to the V-brackets 28,30 and to the first seat portion 12. This causes a shift in the occupant's center of gravity to shift upward and toward the front of the chair 10, and therefore shift the center of gravity to a location above the occupant's knees and feet. This essentially shifts the weight of the occupant to a location over the knees and feet, allowing the occupant to exit the chair 10 in a controlled manner, and thus improving the user's mobility while exiting the chair 10.

The force applied to the first seat portion 12 is from the actuator 50 applying force to the first upper cross member 52. As the electric motor 56 continues to drive the lower telescoping member 60 out of the upper telescoping member 58, the seat portions 12,14 and the pivot brackets 32,34 continue to pivot the seat portions 12,14 until the chair 10 is in the second position. When in the second position, the seat portions 12,14 are substantially perpendicular relative to one another, and the second seat portion 14 is substantially vertical. The first seat portion 12 is substantially parallel to the ground when in the first position, and is also substantially parallel to the ground when in the second position. This allows the occupant of the chair 10 to place their knees and lower legs underneath their body such that the occupant's center of gravity is above their knees and feet. Essentially, when the chair 10 is moved from the first position to the second position, the occupant's center of gravity is shifted forward and upward from being behind their knees and lower legs to being above their knees and lower legs, allowing the occupant to exit the chair 10 with minimal effort and maximum safety.

When it is desired to move the chair 10 from the second position back to the first position (i.e. when an occupant desires to sit in the chair 10), the user can simply rest against the first seat portion 12, and the armrests 20. At this point, the user's center of gravity is underneath their body, and the switch 62 is merely activated to actuate the electric motor 56, and move the lower telescoping member 60 back into the upper telescoping member 58, thereby causing the pivot brackets 32,34 to again pivot relative to the to the V- brackets 28,30 and to the first seat portion 12, the second seat portion 14 to pivot relative to the front cross member 36, and the seat portions 12,14 to pivot relative to one another. The chair 10 moves from the second position, as shown in Figure 3, back to the first position, as shown in Figure 1.

Another feature incorporated into the present invention is an angle positioning feature. This improves the occupant's stability in the chair 10 during actuation of the chair 10 since it acts to cradle the user back in the chair 10. During the transition from the first position to the second position, the first seat portion 12 and the armrests 20 angle rearwardly (where the rear transverse seat support beam 110 is at a lower position in relation to the front transverse seat support beam 140) as the chair 10 begins to move toward the second position. This is best shown in Figure 2. In this embodiment, the angle 150 the first seat portion 12 and armrests 20 move is greater than zero, is generally between zero and fifteen degrees, and is preferably about ten degrees. This movement is incorporated into the design of the chair 10 to allow the single switch 62 and actuator 50 control all of the movement of the chair 10. This additional feature allows the occupant to use the chair 10 in an angled position if desired, and also helps to secure the occupant in the chair 10 as the chair 10 is moved toward the second position. Thus, the occupant's stability is improved when moving towards the second position and mobility is improved at the end of actuation when entering and exiting the chair 10. This angle positioning feature also removes some of the load from the occupant's spine, improving the comfort of the chair 10 when the occupant is sitting in the chair 10 for extended periods of time.

It can be seen in the Figures that there is a fabric, shown generally at 64, which is used to cover various portions of the chair 10. There are also two side panels 66 which cover the upper support members 38,40, as well as the V-brackets 28,30 as well as other various components underneath the chair 10. Including the fabric 64 and side panels 66 not only improves the appearance of the chair 10, but also helps in preventing objects from entering the area underneath the chair 10 from the sides of the chair 10. Any type of fabric or fiberboard materials may be used and attached to the chair 10 to provide a more finished look, and further hide the actuator 50 from view when looking at the side of the chair 10, as well as hide the wire which extends from the motor 56 through the chair 10, as shown in the Figures.

Note that the user sits on the first seat portion 12 and the second seat portion 14 when sitting in the chair 10. Having this "split-seat" has several advantages. In Figures 2, and 4-6, when the chair 10 is in the second position and configured to aid a person in standing up, the second seat portion 14 is substantially vertical in relation to the ground, and is substantially perpendicular to the upper support members 38,40; this positioning provides a stop position where the motor 56 ceases to extend the lower telescoping member 60 out of the upper telescoping member 58. Having the second seat portion 4 being in a substantially vertical position allows the user to position their legs underneath their body (without any interference from the second seat portion 14) to provide a more postural position when exiting the chair 10, more easily facilitating the shift in the center of gravity for exiting the chair 10. The motor 56 and telescoping members 58,60 are all surrounded by the first and second V-brackets 28,30, the upper support members 38,40, the front support members 22,24, and the rear support members 42,44.

A second embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figures 8- 12, with like numbers referring to like elements. In the first embodiment shown in Figures 1-7, the seat portions 12,14 were substantially of the same size. In this embodiment, the seat portions 12,14 are not of equal size, such that the first seat portion 12 is larger than the second seat portion 14. In this embodiment, the first seat portion 12 has a depth of approximately eleven inches, and the second seat portion 14 has a depth of approximately eight inches, but it is within the scope of the invention that the seats may be of other sizes as well. Additionally, the height of the seat portions 12,14 in the first position in this embodiment is approximately eighteen inches, whereas in the previous embodiment the height of the seat portions in the first position is approximately nineteen inches. This allows for the occupant's feet to touch the ground throughout the movement of the chair 10 between the first position and the second position.

This embodiment of the invention also differs from the first embodiment in that there are no V-brackets 28,30. Instead there is a first vertical support member 68 and a second vertical support member 70. The first vertical support member 68 is connected to the first upper support member 38 and a first lower support member 72. The second vertical support member 70 is connected to the second upper support member 40 and a second lower support member 74. Additionally, the first lower support member 72 is connected to both the first front support member 22 and the first rear support member 42; the second lower support member 74 is connected to both the second front support member 24 and second rear support member 44. Also in this embodiment, instead of being connected to the V-brackets 28,30, the lower cross member 48 is connected to the lower support members 72,74.

The first pivot bracket 32 is connected to the first vertical support member 68, and the second pivot bracket 34 is connected to the second vertical support member 70. As with the previous embodiment, the first seat portion 12 and the armrests 20 are substantially parallel with the ground when the chair 10 is in the second position, and the second embodiment also includes the angle positioning feature as mentioned in the first embodiment. Because the first seat portion 12 is larger, this accommodates an occupant of larger size, and also provides greater support for the occupant when the chair 10 is in the second position. The backrest 18 is also larger in this embodiment, compared to the first embodiment. The larger backrest 18 and the larger first seat portion 12 allow for the backrest 18 and seat portion 12 to be in the form of a of a COMFORTweb® type of material, providing for greater comfort.

It can also be seen in Figure 11 that the actuator is positioned closer to the front of the chair 10 such that the telescoping members 58,60 of the actuator 50 are substantially vertical, providing maximum support for the occupant of the chair 0. This helps to ensure that the stress placed on the telescoping members 58,60 is primarily plane or compressive stress, and that any bending or shear stress on the telescoping members 58,60 is minimized when the chair 10 is in the second position. With regard to both embodiments, the first seat portion 12 is able to be parallel to the ground in both the first position and the second position by defining the combined length of the telescoping members 58,60 (in the second position) being equal to the combined height of one of the upper support members 38,40 from the ground and the depth of the second seat portion 14 (i.e. one of the seat support beams 144,146). In this embodiment, the actuator 50 has a retracted length of about 15.25 inches, and a length of about 23.25 inches when the chair 10 is in the raised position. The length is defined as the distance between the portion of the bracket 96 of the electric motor 56 that connects to the upper flanges 98 and the portion of the telescoping member 60 that connects to the lower flanges 106. However, it is with the scope of the invention that the actuator 50, pivot brackets 32,34 and the seat portions 12,14 may be varied in size, as long as the first seat portion 12 is parallel to the ground in both the lowered position and the raised position.

A fabric 78 is connected to both seat portions 12,14 as shown in Figures 0 and 11 , which prevents the occupant's limbs or other objects from becoming trapped between the seat portions 12,14. Furthermore, while this embodiment of the chair 10 is shown without the side panels 66, the frame portions 76, which are connected to the armrests 20, are still shown in the Figures.

It should be noted that the invention described above is similar in operation to the invention described in co-pending U.S. Application No.

, titled "Lift Chair," to William Lipford, filed contemporaneously herewith on November 23, 2010, the entire specification of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.