Beds – Support for users body or part thereof – Removable support specially adapted for seating
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-30
2001-11-20
Melius, Terry Lee (Department: 3628)
Beds
Support for users body or part thereof
Removable support specially adapted for seating
C005S655300, C297SDIG001
Reexamination Certificate
active
06317909
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention has two pump chambers mounted on two inflating chambers, a person seated on the pump chambers shifting the person's weight alternately from pump chamber to pump chamber to pump air alternately into the one of the inflating chambers from which the person's weight has been shifted away thus helping the person arise to a near standing position. Many people have difficulty arising from chairs because of weakness, pain, balance uncertainties, and other reasons. Part of their problem is that during the intermediate positions between a seated position and a near standing position they are unstable, unable to control their position, and fearful of falling. They need a device which will help them arise to a near standing position, which will provide stable support for the person all through the arising process, and which is fully controlled by the person. One solution to this problem is to provide an inflatable arising aid which is inflated by a pump actuated by a person seated on the pump by shifting their weight from side to side. Shifting one's weight from side to side is an easy for most people even for people with limited strength. The person's weight does the pumping work. The person is securely supported at all stages by the arising device, and the person can fully control the rate of inflation of the arising aid.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Various devices which help a person arise from a chair to a near standing position are available, and inflatable devices which help a person arise to a near standing position are shown in prior art. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,910 Murphy shows a chair with an in-built device inflated by an external electrically powered pump, and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,518 Pike shows a device which can be mounted on a chair and inflated by an external electrically powered pump. The severe problem of controlling the air flow rate is not addressed in either of these devices. Neither of these suggest that the person seated on the chair could actuate a pump by shifting their weight from side to side which solves the problem of controlling the air flow rate and eliminates the external air pump. Special purpose air pumping devices which are actuated on a seat are shown in prior art, but they are not adapted for general use nor for inflating an arising device. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,168,105 Nyberg shows an air pumping device used in an automobile where the pumping action comes from the bouncing motion of the person seated on the device as the automobile moves down a bouncy road. This is not adapted for general use and could not be used by a person to inflate a device to help the person arise as it would be uncomfortable and possibly dangerous for the person to bounce sufficiently on this device to inflate an arising aid. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,664,241 Sunday shows a seat cushion which when sat upon will discharge some air to aerate a bait bucket. Since a person has to arise to actuate this device it could not be used to inflate an arising aid. Neither of these devices suggest that a pump which is actuated by a person seated on the pump shifting their weight from side to side.
Several variations of pumps attached to rocking chairs are shown in prior art; for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 170,308 by Sell, in U.S. Pat. No. 402,026 by Marschall, in U.S. Pat. No. 757,447 by Friedland, and in U.S. Pat. No. 1,129,620 by Altheide. None of these suggest a pump actuated by a person seated on the pump shifting their weight from side to side. A front to back rocking motion is not compatible with the stability and control requirements of an arising device. The mechanical arrangements of these pumps designed for rocking chair pumps can not be used for a pump actuated by a person seated on the pump shifting their weight from side to side.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Objects of this invention comprise requirements listed in the following imperatives. Make an arising aid which can be inflated to help a person arise to a near standing position. Make an arising aid which securely supports the person throughout the arising process. Make an arising aid which is fully controlled by the person using the device. Make an arising aid with two pump chambers and two inflating chambers, which is actuated by a person seated on the pump chambers by shifting the person's weight from side to side. Pneumatically connect inflating chambers to the pump chambers so that air is pumped into an inflating chamber from which the person's weight has been shifted away. Make the pump and arising aid portable so that the person needing to use the arising aid can put the arising aid in place just before they need to use it.
Other objects will be comprehended in the drawings and detailed description, which will make additional objects obvious hereafter to persons skilled in the art. In summary one embodiment of this invention has a first pump chamber and a second pump chamber, each pump chamber having a one-way-valved inlet port and an outlet port and each pump chamber being biased to extend and inflate when no net external force acts on the chamber, and has a first inflating chamber located under the first pump chamber and a second inflating chamber located under the second pump chamber, each inflating chamber having a one-way-valved inlet port and having a valved outlet port, the second inflating chamber inlet port being pneumatically connected to the first pump chamber outlet port and the first inflating chamber inlet port being pneumatically connected to the second pump chamber outlet port, the inflating chambers being inflated by a person seated on the first pump chamber and on the second pump chamber shifting the person's weight alternately to the first pump chamber and then to the second pump chamber to alternately inflate respectively the second pump chamber and then the first pump chamber and to alternately pump air respectively into the first inflating chamber and into the second inflating chamber until the inflating chambers are inflated enough to help the person arise to a near standing position. Other equivalent embodiments will be comprehended in the drawings and detailed description, which will make additional equivalent embodiments obvious hereafter to persons skilled in the art.
REFERENCES:
patent: 757477 (1904-04-01), Friedland
patent: 1129620 (1915-02-01), Altheide
patent: 1168105 (1916-01-01), Nyberg
patent: 3477072 (1969-11-01), Frost
patent: 4629162 (1986-12-01), Porch{umlaut over (acu e)}
patent: 4905329 (1990-03-01), Heilner
patent: 4934002 (1990-06-01), Watanabe
patent: 4947500 (1990-08-01), Seiler
patent: 5361433 (1994-11-01), Vanzant
patent: 5375910 (1994-12-01), Murphy
patent: 5505518 (1996-04-01), Pike
patent: 5742957 (1998-04-01), Vanzant
patent: 5902011 (1999-05-01), Hand et al.
patent: 5918936 (1999-07-01), Murphy
patent: 5956787 (1999-09-01), James et al.
patent: 5988747 (1999-11-01), Jeans
Sammons Preston Catalog p. 287 Air Physics Lift Cushion (Date Unknown).
Melius Terry Lee
Santos Robert G.
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