AU2006201447A1 - Moveable footrest - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT (Original) APPLICATION NO:

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RELATED ART: NAME OF APPLICANT: ACTUAL INVENTOR(S): ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: INVENTION TITLE: William Gregory Dartnall William Gregory Dartnall LORD AND COMPANY, Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys, of 4 Douro Place, West Perth, Western Australia, 6005, AUSTRALIA.

"MOVEABLE FOOTREST ASSEMBLY" DETAILS OF ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION NO'S: AUSTRALIAN PROVISIONAL PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 2005901736 FILED ON 8 April 2005 The following Statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me/us: O TITLE S"MOVEABLE FOOTREST ASSEMBLY" The present invention relates to a moveable footrest assembly.

Many seating devices, such as wheelchairs, commodes or similar seating or transportation devices require footrests on which the user can place their feet. As the 4 people using such devices often have difficulty moving, the footrests are required to Sbe moveable between an in-use position and a non-use position in which they are out of the way, to allow the user to enter and exit the chair without obstruction, thereby reducing the possibility of sustaining injury.

These types of moveable footrests are usually connected to a front member of the chair with some type of pivotal arrangement. A problem with known arrangements is that the method of connection utilises mechanical means that protrude from the member to which the footrest attaches. Such protrusions can result in injury to the user should the user's leg or body part come into contact with the mounting device.

This problem is particularly likely to occur when the user of the chair has difficulty in controlling their own movement, as is often the case with user's of such rehabilitation or mobility devices, such as the elderly, disabled or unwell.

The present invention attempts to overcome at least in part the aforementioned disadvantages of previous moveable footrests.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a moveable footrest assembly being attachable to a member of a seating device comprising an engagement means secured to said member and a footrest support member attachable to the engagement means, wherein the footrest support member is moveable with respect to or disengageable from the engagement means such that the footrest support member is thereby moveable from an in-use position to a non-use position and the engagement means is located on a first side of said member being opposed to the direction of entry and exit of the seating device.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a moveable footrest assembly in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the moveable footrest assembly of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a top view of the moveable footrest assembly of Figure 1; Figure 4 is rear view of the moveable footrest assembly of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the moveable footrest assembly of Figure 1 on a chair with the footrest in an in-use position; Figure 6 is a perspective view of the moveable footrest assembly of Figure 1 on a chair with the footrest in a non-use position; Figure 7a is a perspective view of the moveable footrest assembly in the position shown in Figure Figure 7b is a perspective view of the moveable footrest assembly in a position moving between that of Figure 5 and that of Figure 6; Figure 8a is a perspective view of the moveable footrest assembly of Figure 7a with portions of the mechanism cut away; Figure 8b is a perspective view of the moveable footrest assembly in a position between that shown in Figure 7a and that shown in Figure 7b, with portions of the mechanism cut away; and Figure 8c is a perspective view of the moveable footrest assembly of Figure 7b with portions of the mechanism cut away.

Referring to the Figures, there is shown a moveable footrest assembly 10 comprising an engagement means 30 for attaching a footrest support member 12. The footrest support member 12 supports a footrest 14. The footrest support member 12 extends from and is supported by a member of a chair 16. In the embodiment shown in the Figures, the member comprises a vertical elongate member 18 adjacent the front of the chair 16. The engagement means 30 secures the footrest support member 12 to the vertical elongate member 18. The engagement means 30 is located on the vertical elongate member 18 on a first side of the vertical elongate member 18, the first side being toward the rear of the chair 16, or in a direction opposite to the direction of entry or exit of a user of the chair.

The footrest support member 12 includes a first portion 20 arranged to extend from a point adjacent a second side of the vertical elongate member 18 when the footrest support member 12 is in an in-use position (as shown in Figure The second side of the vertical elongate member 18 is the side from which a user will enter or exit the chair. 16 The first portion 20 comprises a first elongate member 22 arranged to extend from a first end thereof adjacent the vertical elongate member 18 generally horizontally and forwardly of the vertical elongate member 18. The footrest support member 12 includes also a footrest mounting portion 24. The footrest mounting portion 24 extends from a second end of the first elongate member 22 generally downwardly and the footrest 14 is mounted to a lower end thereof.

The footrest support member 12 also includes a second portion 26 comprising a second elongate member 28. The second elongate member 26 is arranged in the same orientation as the first elongate member 22 and below the first elongate member 22.

That is, the second elongate member 28 extends from a first end adjacent the first side of the vertical elongate member 18 when the footrest support member 12 is in the inuse position, to the footrest mounting portion 24 at a second end thereof.

First and second connecting members 32 and 34 are provided extending from each of the first and second elongate members 22 and 28 respectively. The first and second connecting members 32 and 34 extend from a side of the respective first and second elongate member 22 and 28 such that the first and second connecting members 32 and 34 extend around the vertical elongate member 18 when the footrest support member 12 is in the in-use position and engage with the engagement means In the embodiment shown in the Figures, the engagement means 30 includes a pin 36 extending from the vertical elongate member 18 from the first side thereof having an up-turned distal end 38. The upturned distal end 38 is received within a hole 40 in the first connecting member 32 such that the first connecting member 32 can pivot about the pin 36.

The engagement means 30 also includes a plate member 42 extending outwardly from the first side of the vertical elongate member 18. The plate member 42 is positioned such that when the pin 36 is received in the hole 40 of the first connecting member 32, the second connecting member 34 is located directly above the plate member 42. The second connecting member 34 further includes a stud 44 that is received within an opening in the plate member 42 when the pin 36 is located in the hole 40, such that the second connecting member 34 is pivotable about the plate member 42.

The first and second connecting members 32 and 34 extend around the vertical elongate member 18 on the outer side of the chair 16 as shown in Figures 5 and 6. The pivotal connection between the first and second connecting members 22 and 28 and Sthe pin 36 and plate member 42 respectively allows the footrest support member 12 to Spivot between the in-use position in which the first and second elongate members 22 0 and 28 (and therefore the footrests 14) extend out from the second side of the vertical elongate member 18, as shown in Figure 5, and a second non-use position in which the first and second elongate members 22 and 28 extend out to the side of the chair 16 (as shown in Figure thus allowing a user to enter or exit the chair 16.

SAs the engagement means 30 is located on the first side of the vertical elongate member 18, when the footrest support member 12 is in a non-use position, the engagement means 30 is out of the way, thereby reducing the possibility of a body part of the user coming into contact with the engagement means and potentially causing injury.

The moveable footrest assembly 10 is also provided with a means to secure the footrest support member 12 in the in-use position. The means includes a rounded protrusion 46 on a lower side of the second connecting member 34. The rounded protrusion 46 is arranged to be received in an aperture 48 in the plate member 42 when the footrest support member 12 is in the in-use position (as shown in Figure 8a).

Further the stud 44 is provided with a nut 50 to engage with a threaded portion at the distal end of the stud 44 and a spring 52 mounted about the stud 44 between the nut 50 and the plate member 42. In use, the spring 52 provides a force against the plate member 42 that pulls the second connecting member 34 downwardly against the plate member 42. When the footrest support member 12 is rotated to the in-use position, the force of the spring 52 pulls the second connecting member 34 downwardly so that the rounded protrusion 46 moves into the aperture 48, thus preventing the footrest support member 12 from swinging back out of the in-use position.

The spring 52 is tensioned such that with the application of a suitable amount of force to the footrest support member 12 in a direction toward the side of the chair 16, the rounded protrusion 46 will ride up and out of the aperture 48, compressing the spring 52 slightly, thus allowing the footrest support member 12 to be moved to the non-use position.

Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention. For example, it will be appreciated that the various elements of the footrest assembly 10 may be constructed of any suitable material.

Claims (11)

1. A moveable footrest assembly being attachable to a member of a seating device comprising an engagement means secured to said member and a footrest support member attachable to the engagement means, wherein the footrest support member is moveable with respect to or disengageable from the engagement means such that the footrest support member is thereby moveable from an in-use position to a non-use position and the engagement means is located on a first side of said member being opposed to the direction of entry and exit of the seating device.

2. A moveable footrest assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said member on the seating device comprises a vertical elongate member, the footrest support member includes a first portion extending outward from a second opposed side of the vertical elongate member in the in-use position and a first connecting member is provided extending in the in-use position from a first end of the first portion adjacent the second side of the vertical elongate member, around the vertical elongate member to attach to the engagement means.

3. A moveable footrest assembly in accordance with claim 2, wherein the footrest support member includes a second portion below the first portion extending outwardly from the second opposed side of the vertical elongate member in the in-use position and a second connecting member is provided extending in the in-use position from a first end of the second portion adjacent the second side of the vertical elongate member, around the vertical elongate member to attach to the engagement means.

4. A moveable footrest assembly in accordance with claim 3, wherein the footrest support member includes a footrest mounting portion on which a footrest is provided, the footrest mounting portion extending generally downwardly from a second end of the first portion and being connected to second ends of the first and second portions.

A moveable footrest assembly in accordance with claim 4, wherein the engagement means includes a pin extending outwardly from the vertical elongate member having an upturned distal end, the distal end of the pin being receivable in a hole in the first connecting member such that the first connecting member is pivotable about the pin.

6. A moveable footrest assembly in accordance with claim 5, wherein the engagement means includes a plate member extending outwardly from the vertical elongate member, the plate member having an opening such that a stud provided on the second connecting member is received in the opening when the pin is received in the hole on the first connecting member such that the second connecting member is pivotable about the plate member.

7. A moveable footrest in accordance with any of the preceding claims, wherein a means is provided to secure the footrest support member in the in-use position.

8. A moveable footrest assembly in accordance with claim 6, wherein the second connecting member is provided with a protrusion on a side adjacent the plate member and the plate member is provided with an aperture into which the protrusion is received when the footrest support member is in the in-use position to restrict movement of the footrest support member from the in-use position.

9. A moveable footrest in accordance with claim 8, wherein the stud on the second connecting member is provided with a nut on a distal end thereof and a spring mounted about the stud, the spring engaging with the nut and the plate member such that the spring provides a force tending to pull the second connecting member towards the plate member such that the protrusion is pulled into the aperture on the plate member in the in-use position.

A moveable footrest in accordance with claim 9, wherein the protrusion is rounded such that application of sufficient force to the footrest support member in a direction towards the non-use position causes the rounded protrusion to ride up out of the aperture.

11. A moveable footrest substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying representations. DATED THIS 5 th DAY OF APRIL 2006. William Gregory Dartnall By his Patent Attorneys LORD AND COMPANY PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.