Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Closet head – foot – and body rests
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-30
2001-12-04
Phillips, Charles E. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Closet head, foot, and body rests
Reexamination Certificate
active
06324705
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to commode chairs and more particularly pertains to a new commode chair with enhanced user support for reducing pressure concentration points on the body of the user while providing enhanced support of the body of the user.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of commode chairs is known in the prior art. The primary users of such commode chairs often have some type of physical disability that impairs the freedom of movement of the user. Because of their disabilities, commode chair users can find it difficult, if not impossible, to sense and react to the occurrence of points of excessive and prolonged pressure on the user's body. For example, two points where pressure may concentrate on the buttocks of the user are the areas of flesh surrounding the trochanter and ishial areas of the skeleton. The exposure to the pressure for a prolonged period can lead to a break down of the user's skin, and may produce open sores that can become infected and even lead to amputations of the legs of the user.
Commode chairs heretofore known have included various structures for reducing the supportive pressure exerted on the buttocks of the user. Commode chairs having cushions with enhanced padding, and even inflatable cushions have been devised for reducing the likelihood of problems caused by excess concentrations of pressure on the skin of the user. One concern with cushions that exert less pressure on vulnerable points of the user's body is that these softer cushions tend to provide less firmness for the user, and thus the user tends to feel less stable in the chair. The reduced stability can be of a significant concern to users who do not have full control of their bodies, since these users are less able to react to situations such as, for example, leaning too far in a lateral direction with respect to the commode, or even in a rearward direction toward the rear of the commode. The lessened stability problem appears to be the greatest for the inflatable cushions, since the air within the cushion tends to not provide any significant resistance to these lateral or rearward movements. The air cushions may be provide even less stability when the interior air pressure of the cushion is reduced in order to provide a softer cushion, as compared to higher interior air pressure cushions.
The commode chair with enhanced user support according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of reducing pressure concentration points on the body of the user while providing enhanced support of the body of the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of commode chairs now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new commode chair with enhanced user support construction wherein the same can be utilized for reducing pressure concentration points on the body of the user while providing enhanced support of the body of the user.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new commode chair with enhanced user support apparatus which has many of the advantages of the commode chairs mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new commode chair with enhanced user support which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art commode chairs, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a commode chair for enhancing sitting comfort on a commode, and including a seat assembly, a support assembly, and a bladder. The seat assembly supports the buttocks of a user, and comprises a platform having an upper surface and a lower surface. The support assembly is mounted on the platform assembly for engaging an upper rim portion of the bowl portion of a commode. The bladder has an interior for holding a quantity of air therein. The bladder is mounted on the upper surface of the platform, and the bladder has an upper extent for supporting the buttocks of a user and a lower extent adjacent to the upper surface of the platform. The upper extent is spaced above the lower extent with a cushion of air therebetween.
Preferably, an arm rest assembly may be provided for supporting the arms of a user seated on the seat assembly and for providing the user with enhanced lateral support when the user rests his or her arms on the arm rests. Also preferably, a back rest assembly may be provided for providing rearward support for the user. Further, the bladder may have a substantially U-shaped configuration with a rear portion and side portions extending forwardly from the rear portion, and the side portions of the bladder have a gap therebetween forming a channel from the central opening to the front of the platform.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new commode chair with enhanced user support apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the commode chairs mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new commode chair with enhanced user support which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art commode chairs, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new commode chair with enhanced user support which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new commode chair with enhanced user support which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new commode chair with enhanced user support which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such commode chair with enhanced
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