CA2065555A1

CA2065555A1 - General purpose chair

Info

Publication number: CA2065555A1
Application number: CA002065555A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Poul Christiansen
Original assignee: CASALA-WERKE CARL SASSE G.M.B.H. & CO. KG
Current assignee: Casala-Werke Carl Sasse & Co KG GmbH
Priority date: 1992-01-20
Filing date: 1992-04-08
Publication date: 1993-07-21
Also published as: DE4201349A1; JPH06253939A

Abstract

S u m m a r y : ABSTRACT.
General Purpose Chair.

A general purpose chair, particularly for infirm and handicapped people, is provided with a framework having legs, a seat, a back rest, and an arm rest. In order to make the height of the seat, the inclination of the seat, and the inclination of the back rest adjustable, as well as to assist the individual when getting Up, the seat (10), either with or without the arm rests (14) and/or the back rest (12), can be adjusted in its height and/or in its inclination, and the arm rests are either attached solidly or are designed to fold back to the sides.

Figure 1-b

Description

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. _. I .
Ge~eral Purpo~ Chair The invention relates to a general purpose chair in accordance with the introductory portion of Claim 1.

The task of the invention consists of creating a chair for infirm, handicapped and older people, which can be adjusted to the various requirements and in which, in particular, the height of the seat, the inclination of the seat, and the inclination of the bac~ rest can be adjusted, particularly to provide help when getting bac~ up again. Furthermore, additional devices, such as slide aids in the case of chair~ with rollers, footstool~ and~or foot supports, which can be displaced and, if necessary, extended a~ well, are also . 206s~$S

case number 92,104 2 Reference: 774/23 present, as well as arm rests and supports for the head, neck and shoulder, which can be folded back.

This task is solved by means of the construction in accordance with the characterizing porti~n of Claim l.

Advantageous and suitable further constructions are stated in the sub-claims.

The invention will be explained in greater detail by means of the appended diagrams.

These depict the following:

Figures 1-a, 1-b: A chair with aids for getting up, with an adjustable seat, which is depicted both in a basic position (Figure 1-a), and in an adjusted position (getting-up posit-ion) (Figure l-b);

Figure 2: A chair with an adjustable back rest;

Figure 3-a, 3-b: A chair with arm rests which can be folded down, depicted both in the normal position of use (Figure 3-a), as well as in the folded-down position (Figure 3-b);

2o6~ss~

case number 92,104 3 Reference: 774/23 Figure 4: A chair with extendable footstool or foot support;

Figure 5: A chair with a combined, activatable back rest and a footstool or foot support;

Figure 6: A chair with lateral head supports, the so-callPd "ear units'~;

Figure 7: A chair with shoulder supports;

Figure 8: An adjustable seat attachment;

Figure 9-a, 9-b: A chair with a table tray clamped to the arm rests, depicted both in a view from the front (Figure 9-a), as we-l as in a lateral view (Figure 9-b);

Figure 10: A chair as an armchair, with rollers;

Figure 11: A chair, as an armchair with several functions, in a schematic functional diagram; and:

Figure 12-a, 12-b: A footstool which can be used in a chair in accordance with one of the Figures 1 to ll.

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Case number 92,104 4 Reference: 774/23 To the extent applicable, the same components ~f the chair are provided, in the diagrams, with the same reference numbers.

The diagrams depict a chair (2~ with a framework (8l with legs ~4, 6), and with a seat (10), a back rest ~12) and arm rests (14).

Figure 1 (Figure 1-a and Figure 1-b) depicts an adjustable elevating mechanism (16) for the adjustment of the height and the inclination of the seat (10), particularly for help when getting up. The lower ends (18, 20) of the adjusting bars (22, 24) can be positioned, in a rotatable manner, around the bolts (28, 30) which are attached to the longitudinal supports (26). The longitudinal supports (26) are attached to the legR (4, 6) below ~he seat (10).
The lower, rear ends (20) of the adjusting bar (24) each have a longitudinal guide unit (32), into which the rear bolt (30) is gui~ed i~ a rotatable and displaceable manner. The lower ends (18, 20) of the adjusting bars (22, 24) have extensions (34, 36) with which a spreading device (38) engages. The spreading device is activat~d by means a hydraulic cylinder which can ~e activated by means of a motor.

The upper e~dQ (40, 42) of the adjusting bars (2~, 24~ are po~it-ioned in a rotatable manner on the rail~ (44) which ara positioned below the seat (10). The forward, upper endY (40) are ~upporte~, around fixed pivot pinæ (46), in a rota~able maRner, while the rear, upper ends (42) are supported, in a rotatabl~ and d~splace-cas~ number 92,104 5 Reference: 774/23 able manner, by means of bolts (48) in the longitudinal guide units(50) for the rails (44). By acti~ating th~ spreading device (3~), the seat can be moved out of the position depicted in Figure 1-a and into the position depicted in Figure 1-b, as well as into any intermediary position. Getting up from the chai~ is particularly facilitated by raising the seat to the front. The seat can thereby be adjusted alone or with the arm ~ests; the back rest remains unchanged. The seat can, however, be adjusted together with the back rest, but without the arm rests. In addition, the seat can be adjusted along with the arm rests and the back rest. The various possibilities are indicated in Figure 1-b. The level of the inclination and the sitting position can be adjusted by changing the rotating/connecting point (52) between both of the adjustiny bars (22, 24). For this purpose, the adjusting bars (22, 24) have several insertion holes (54, 56).

Figure 2 depicts a chair with adjustment o~ the back rest (12).
The back rest (12) i8, for this purpose, positioned in a pivotable manner, by means o~ a swivelling axis (60), on the seat (10~ or on the fram0work (8~, and has a projection (6~) which projects beyond the swivelling axis (60), with which a spreadi~g devic~ (64) engages, which device can be activated manually, or which device consists of a motor-operated hydraulic cylinder, as is depicted in Figure 2.

2 ~ 5 S

Case number 92,104 6 Reference: 774/23 Figures 3-a and 3-b depict a chair (2) with arm rests (14) which can be folded down. ~or this purpose, the arm rests are attached to the chair by means of longitudinal bar strips (71) and covered folding hinges (70), approximately at the level of the seat (10).
In the position of use, the arm rests can be locked to the chair by means of the locking device (72). A removable bracket (74) (depicted in dotted lines in Figure 3-a), which can be inserted through the borings (76) of the longitudinal bar strip (71) and into the tapped blind borings (78) of the framework, is particu-larly suited for use as a locking device.

Figure 4 depicts a chair (2) with extendable footstool (80). The footstool is attached to an adjusting mechanism (8~), which is attached below the seat (10) to the rails (82). Through the activation of the adjusting mechanism (84) by means of a spreading device (86), the footstool can be moved out or moved in. The spreading device (86) can be activated manually or, as depicted here, by mean~ of a motor-operated hydraulic cylinder.

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Case number 92,104 7 Reference: 774/23 Figur~ 5 ~epicts a chair (2) with a lever/spreading device (90) for the combined activation of an adjusting mechanism ~92) for moving the footstool (80) out or in, and of a lever (94) for adjusting the inclination of the back rest (12).

The chair can be adjusted, in regard to height, by means of base units (lO0), into which the chair legs (~, 6) can be inserted;
compare: Figure 2. For this purpose, several holes (104) posit-ioned one above the other, and, in the leg units (4, 6), borings which can be oriented with the same, with or without internal threading, are provided within the base unit shafts (102). The desired height position can be determined with the help of threaded bolts (106).

Figure 6 depicts a chair in the for~ of an armchair, with lateral head supports (110)~ so-called "ear unitsn, which are attached to both ends of a bracket (112), which can be clamped onto the back rest (12) or can be slid onto the back rest.

Figure 7 depicts the bracket (112) in accordance with Figure 6, rotated by 180, in a deeper po~ition on the back re~t (12), for _ use as a shoulder rest tlll)A

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case number 92,104 8 Reference: 774/23 Figure 8 schematically depicts a seat attachment, in which attach ment screws (120) can be displaced into oblong holes (122) of a shell unit (124~, and can be screwed into threaded borings (126) of the seat (10). By means of this construction, the seat (10) can be displaced horizontally.

Figures 9-a and 9-b depict a chair ~2~ as an armchair with arm rests (14), onto which the table tray (160) is clamped. If the table tray (160) is not used, it can be suspended on the rear side of the ch~ir on the framework (8), as is depicted, in Figure 9-b, by dotted lines.

Figure lO depicts a chair (2) as an armchair with rollers (150) for use as a wheel chair. The chair is provided, on its rear side, with a sliding aid (152), as well as with a footstool (154), which is depicted in the folded-up condition (solid line) and, in dotted line, in the foldQd-down condition. An arm rest (14) is provided with a holder (156) for a walking cane (158).

Although the diagram~ contain variou~ figures for different adju~-ing mechanisms, it i~ to be understood that a comhination of all possibilities for adjustment can be provided in a chair, as is depicted for a number of functions in Figur~ 11. Figur~ 11 depicts a chair (2) with an aid for getting up, wh~ch corresponds to the construction in acccrdan~e with Figure l, in which the adjusting mech~nis~ i~, for rea~ons of clarity, not d~p~ct~d. Ap~rt from the 206~

Case number 92,104 ~ Reference: 774/23 basic position (170), two additional positions (172 and 174), which are inclined *orward, are depicted. The chair is equipped, furthermore~ with an inclination adjustment of the back rest (12), corresponding to the construction in accordance with Figure 2, in which here, too, for reasons of clarity, the adjusting device is not depicted; only two inclination adjustments (176 and 178) are depict~d. The chair has, furthermore, foldable arm rests (14) corresponding to the construction in accordance with Figure 3, and can be adjusted in height, corresponding to the construction in accordance with Figure 2. Furthermore, the chair is, in accordance with Figure ll, equipped with an extendable footstool (80) corresponding to the construction in accordance with Figure 4, whereby the adjusting mechanism (84) is schematically drawn in.
Apart from the completely extended position (180), a partially extended position (182) is also schematically depicted.

In place of a hydraulic-motor activation of the variouQ adjustment mechanisms, a manual activation by means of laterally-po~itioned lever (130), which iQ indicated schematically for the adjusting m~chanis~ in Figure 2, is also pos~ible ac well.

Figures 12-a and l~-b depict a footstool (190) which can b~ u~ed in a chair, in accordance with one of th2 Figure~ ~ to 11, which has ._ ~
a framework (192) with four legs (194), a bæaring ~urface (196), which is inclined forward, for a foo~ cushion (198), as well as a foot support (2 ~ ) which is inelined forward. Th~ goot cushion ,7 2 0 6 ~

Case number 92,104 lO Reference: 774/23 (198) consists of two parts ~202 and 204), the forward part (2043 of which is constructed in approximately the shape of a wedge. In the position which is depicted in Figure 12-a, the wedge-shaped part (204) forms a support which is level with the part (202). In the position folded back, which is depicted in Figure 12-b, the part (204) forms, along with the forward, oblique surface (206) of the part (202), an oblique leg/foot support surface which drops off towards the front.

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Claims

1) General purpose chair, particularly for infirm and handicapped people, is provided with a framework which has legs, a seat, a back rest, and an arm rest, characterized in that, the seat (10), either with or without the arm rests (14) and/or the back rest (12), can be adjusted in its height and/or in its inclination, and the arm rests are either attached solidly or are designed in such a manner as to be folded back to the sides, and/or an extendable footstool or foot support (80) is provided.

Case number 92,104 Reference: 774/23

2) General purpose chair in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that, the seat (10), either with or without the arm rests (14) and/or with the back rest (12), is positioned on an adjustable elevating mechanism (16); that, the rear, lower ends (20) of the adjusting bar (24) are positioned, in a rotatable and displaceable manner, on the longitudinal supports (26) which are attached to the leg units (4, 6); that, the forward, lower ends (18) of the adjusting bar (22) are supported in a rotatable manner on the longitudinal supports (26); that, the lower ends (18, 20) of the adjusting bars (22, 24) have extensions (34, 36) protrud-ing beyond the pivot points, with which a spreading device (38) engages; that, the upper, forward ends (40) of the adjusting bars (22) are supported, in a rotatable manner, on the rails (44) which are attached below the seat (10); and that, the upper, rear ends (42) of the adjusting bars (24) are attached to the rails (44) in a rotatable and displaceable manner.

3) General purpose chair in accordance with claim 2, characterized in that, the lower, rear ends (20) of the adjusting bar (24) are each equipped with a longitudinal guide unit (32), into which a bolt (30) which is attached to the longitudinal supports (26) is guided; and that, the rails (44) under the seat (10) each have, in the rear area, a longi-tudinal guide unit (50) for the mounting accommodation of a Case number 92,104 Referenee: 774/23 bolt (48) which is attached to the upper ends (42) of the rear adjusting bar (24).

4) General purpose chair in accordance with claim 2, characterized in that, the spreading device (38) is a hyd-raulic cylinder with an electrical motor drive unit, or else it can be activated manually by means of a lever which is positioned on the side of the chair.

5) General purpose chair in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that, for the adjustment of the inclination of the back rest (12), the back rest (12) is positioned, in a pivotable manner, on the seat (10) or on the framework (8), and has an extension (62) protruding beyond the swivelling axis (60), with which extension an activating device (64) engages.

6) General purpose chair in accordance with claim 5, characterized in that, the activating device is a motor-operated hydraulic cylinder, or else it is a device which can be activated manually by means of a lever which is positioned to the side of the chair.

Case number 92,104 Reference: 774/23

7) General purpose chair in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that, the footstool or the foot support (80) is positioned on an adjusting mechanism (84), which is positioned underneath the seat (10) and can be activated by means of a motor-operated hydraulic cylinder, or else manually, by means of a lever.

8) General purpose chair in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that, the arm rests (14) are positioned underneath the seat level, or at the level of the seat, by means of folding hinges (70) on the framework (8) or on the seat (10), and can be locked to the chair (2) in the upright position, and folded against the chair.

9) General purpose chair in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, the back rest (12) has an adjustable neck support.

10) General purpose chair in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, the back rest is provided with lateral head supports (110).

Case number 92,104 Reference: 774/23

11) General purpose chair in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, the back rest is provided with lateral shoulder supports (111).

12) General purpose chair in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, the chair is equipped with rollers (150).

13) General purpose chair in accordance with claim 12, characterized in that, the chair (2) is equipped with a sliding aid (152).

14) General purpose chair in accordance with claim 13, characterized in that, the sliding aid (152) is a bar attached to the chair on its rear side.

15) General purpose chair in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, a holder (156) for crutches (158) is placed on the chair.

Case number 92,104 Reference: 774/23

16) General purpose chair in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, a table tray (160), which can, when removed, be suspended from the rear side of the chair on the framework (8), can be clamped to the arm rests.

17) General purpose chair in accordance with. one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in order to adjust the height of the chair, base units (100), which are adapted to the leg units (4, 6), and into which the legs units can be inserted, are provided, the base shafts (102) of which have several holes (104) which can be aligned with the legs, with borings provided either with or without internal threading, whereby threaded bolts are provided for fixing the height position which is specifically adjusted, and which can be inserted through the holes, and can be screwed through, or into, the borings.

18) General purpose chair in accordance with claim 8, characterized in that, for the locking of the arm rests, a U-shaped bracket (74), which can be inserted through borings of a bar strip (71) of the arm support, and can be inserted into tapped blind borings which can be oriented with these borings, is provided within the framework (8) of the chair.

Case number 92,104 Reference: 774/23

19) General purpose chair in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, the seat (10) can be displaced horizontally on the framework (8), or else it is mounted to a shell unit (124), and is positioned on this shell unit in a horizontally displaceable manner.

20) General purpose chair in accordance with claim 19, characterized in that, the seat (10) is attached to the framework (8) or to the shell unit (124) with the help of screws (120), which can be screwed into the oblong holes (122) of the framework or of the shell unit, in a displaceable manner, and can be screwed into the threaded borings (126) of the seat (10).

21) General purpose chair in accordance with claim 9 or 10, characterized in that, a bracket (112) is provided, which is equipped, on both ends, with cushioned elements (110) which project approximately perpendicularly, for use as lateral head supports or lateral shoulder supports, and which can be clamped onto the back rest (12), or can be slid up against the back rest.

Case number 92,104 Reference: 774/23

22) General purpose chair in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized by a separate footstool, which has a framework (192) with two leg units (194) and a bearing surface ~ (196) inclined forward, for a foot cushion (198), as well as a foot support (200) which is attached to the front, and is inclined to the front.

23) General purpose chair in accordance with claim 22, characterized in that, the foot cushion (198) consists of two parts (202 and 204), the forward part (204) of which is constructed in approximately the shape of a wedge, and is connected, in a hinge-like manner, at its rear side, with the part (202), in such a manner that the wedge-shaped part (204), in the position folded forward, forms a level bearing surface with the part (202) and forms, in the position folded back and against the part (204), with the forward, oblique surface (206) of the part (202), an oblique surface which drops off to the front.