Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Tubs – Convenience accessories
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-14
2001-07-10
Fetsuga, Robert M. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Tubs
Convenience accessories
C004S578100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06256806
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to transfer benches and more particularly to a collapsible, portable, transfer bench.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
on ambulatory persons which include paraplegics face numerous problems in carrying out activities of daily living such as dressing, toiletry, showering, getting into and out of vehicles, buildings and bathing. One of the major problems is merely gaining entry into a conventional bathroom and/or car because of the narrow door ways. Once inside, gaining access to a conventional toilets, bathtubs and/or seats within cars may be very difficult.
Non ambulatory persons often must be lifted from a wheelchair to a bed where they can be most easily undressed and lifted by an attendant and placed into the wheel chair and transported to the bathroom. The non ambulatory person is then lifted from the wheel chair and often carried through the narrow door way and then placed onto a Comdt seat for toiletry or onto a chair which has been placed in the bathtub or shower stall for a bath or shower.
The repeated lifting of the non ambulatory persons causes a lot of physical strain on the attendant and increases the possibility of back strain as well as the danger of accidents such as lifting and falling.
In addition, a non ambulatory person must often be lifted from the wheel chair and into the car through the narrow passageway of the door of the car and once again requires great lifting effort from the attendant and the need for additional persons to attend on the non ambulatory person.
There are several patents which disclose various chair and track arrangements which facilitate the use of bathroom facilities. For example, Thomas, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,253,203 and 4,359,791 disclose a collapsible bench. Bailey, U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,445 disclose a shower chair assembly. Hancock, U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,479 discloses a shower chair. Davies, U.S. Pat. No. 4,168,549 discloses a seat for use with a bathing device and Myers, U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,591 discloses a shower Comdt chair and transfer track.
Although there are a number of devices to assist amputees and invalids into baths in addition to those listed above, often amputees and invalids are unable to move themselves into and out of the bath with ease and require a great amount of assistance and lifting. Although the prior devices have proved to have a number of advantages, there are also a number of disadvantages, for example, they are too heavy, not easily managed and not easily installed and some are very elaborate and expensive in structure. Therefore, there is a need for a collapsible transfer bench which is easily set up but also can easily be collapsed and is portable enough to be able to put into a suitcase and be able to move from one location to the other and used for transfer of non ambulatory persons into and out of bathtubs, Comdt as well as automobiles and beds.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention a collapsible transfer bench comprises
(a) a moveable seat; and
(b) a frame collapsible between an extended position and a collapsed position, wherein in said extended position said frame supporting said seat and cooperatively adapted for said seat to be moveable along said frame, and in said collapsed position said collapsible transfer bench portable enough for one person to transport said bench from one location to the other.
Preferably said seat being collapsible between an extended and a collapsed position.
Preferably said frame is collapsible by folding said frame between said extended position and said collapsed position.
Preferably said frame further comprises channels foldable between said extended and said collapsed position.
Preferably said frame further comprises legs foldable between said extended position and said collapsed position.
Preferably said seat is adapted to rollably move along said channels.
Preferably said seat includes a back, sides and a bottom, all collapsible between an extended position and a collapsed position.
In a presently preferred embodiment the present invention a collapsible transfer bench comprises
(a) a frame moveable between an extended position and a collapsed position, said frame including at least one channel;
(b) a seat adapted to receive and support a person, said seat cooperatively and moveably engaging said channel such that in said extended position said seat moves longitudinally along said channel and in said collapsed position said frame is portable enough for one person to transport said frame from one location to the other.
Preferably said frame further comprises a leg means for supporting said frame and said seat.
Preferably said leg means comprises legs moveable between an extended position and a collapsed position, such that in said collapsed position said frame is transportable by one person from one location to another.
Preferably said seat being moveable between a seat extended position and a seat collapsed position, such that in said collapsed position said frame together with said seat is portable enough to be transportable by one person from one location to another.
Preferably said seat includes a back, sides and a bottom, all collapsible and moveable between an extended position and a collapsed position.
Preferably said seat is adapted to rollably engage with and move longitudinally along said channel.
Preferably said channel includes a first channel section and a second channel section including a joining means for joining together the sections at distal ends thereof, such that in the extended position the two sections form a continuous longitudinal section and in the collapsed position the two sections fold upon each other for transportation.
Preferably said joining means includes a hinge for pivotally connecting first channel section and second channel section.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 328490 (1992-08-01), Crawford
patent: D. 395852 (1998-07-01), Ditommaso
patent: 4168549 (1979-09-01), Davies
patent: 4253203 (1981-03-01), Thomas
patent: 4391006 (1983-07-01), Smith
patent: 4941218 (1990-07-01), McCartney
patent: 5373591 (1994-12-01), Myers
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