Lift chair

Details Lift chair Lift chair

1999-09-07

2001-04-10

Cuomo, Peter M. (Department: 3624)

Chairs and seats

Movable bottom

Tiltable

C297SDIG001

Reexamination Certificate

active

06213554

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a improved lift chair that allows handicapped or other individuals to be assisted from an assumed initial sitting position to a substantially vertical or standing position and more particularly to a lift chair having rocking or gliding capability when the chair seat is in a recumbent position.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is often difficult, if not impossible at times, for handicapped or older individuals to assume a standing position from a recumbent position; that is, from a sitting posture.
To that end, a number of so-called “lift” chairs have been developed which assist seniors or handicapped individuals to achieve a standing position from the chair using a motorized mechanism to incline or otherwise move the chair seat.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,201, issued to Casey et al., a free standing chair can be converted into a lift chair using a stationary base to which the chair is attached as well as a compact lift mechanism. The lift mechanism includes a motorized assembly mounted from the front of the chair to tilt the forward end thereof upon activation of the motor.
A desire in industry persists for lift chairs which incorporate other salient features found in conventional chair counterparts. Prior to the invention, for example, it has not been possible to provide a safe and reliable lift mechanism for a rocking or adjustable reclining chair.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of the present invention to overcome the above stated problems relating to lift chairs known in the art.
It is another primary object of the present invention to provide a lift chair which reliably allows the user to more easily assume a substantially vertical or standing orientation.
It is another primary object of the present invention to provide a lift chair which can be manufactured using a simple and reliable mechanism design.
It is a further primary object of the present invention to provide a lift mechanism for a rocking and/or reclining chair which is both safe and reliable.
Therefore and according to a preferred aspect of the present invention, there is provided a lift chair comprising: a chair frame portion, a stationary base portion disposed beneath the chair frame portion, and a motorized lift mechanism attached to the base portion which causes the seat of the chair to be moved between a first seated position and a second tilted position.
The motorized lift mechanism is supported at the rear of the stationary base section and engages the front of a movable lift frame so as to move the chair seat both upwardly and forwardly, thereby tilting the seat to permit the user to more easily assume a standing position from an initial recumbent position.
Moreover, and prior to initiation of the lift mechanism, the chair is capable of freely gliding or rocking back and forth longitudinally. After the lift mechanism has been engaged, however, the rocking mechanism of the chair is disabled to protect the user.
A feature of the present invention is the ability of the chair to reliably be raised and tilted forward from an initial recumbent position, thereby allowing the user to more easily assume a vertical orientation.
Another feature of the present invention is that the chair can be moved back and forth longitudinally in a gliding or rocking mode when the lift mechanism is not engaged, in which rocking motion is prevented automatically after the lift mechanism has been engaged by the user.
Another feature is that the chair seat back can be reclined independently of the stationary base or the lift frame of the chair.
An advantage of the chair is that the rocking motion can be disabled automatically upon activation of the lift mechanism, and enabled when the lift mechanism has returned the chair to a recumbent position.
These and other objects, features, and advantages will be apparent from the following Detailed Description which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4083599 (1978-04-01), Gaffney
patent: 5024486 (1991-06-01), Auel
patent: 5061010 (1991-10-01), LaPointe
patent: 5641201 (1997-06-01), Casey et al.
patent: 5895093 (1999-04-01), Casey et al.
patent: 5931532 (1999-08-01), Kemmerer et al.

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