EP0430777A1 - Portable case convertible into an arm-chair - Google Patents

Abstract

The portable suitcase convertible into an armchair comprises two separable half-shells (1, 2) which can be mounted back to back in an adjustable manner by complementary assembly means. One of the half-shells (2) comprises two articulated elements (7, 8) mounted around the parallel axes situated on two opposite sides of the half-shell so as to form in the deployed position bearing surfaces of the chair thus assembled . Application: intervention of dentists in patients, humanitarian missions and disaster medicine, military health services, medical assistance for sports events and communities, etc. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a portable suitcase which can be converted into an armchair.

In recent decades, the evolution of medical sciences has made it possible to extend the average lifespan from 45 to 75 years. In France, the percentage of the population over the age of 60 rose from 6.74% in 1950 to 17.60% in 1981.

It is therefore necessary to provide more medical care to this specific population of elderly people who do not always have the physical ability to travel to receive care.

In the particular field of oral care, the intervention of dentists in the homes of the elderly would constitute an appropriate response to the needs of the latter. This requires a mobile system adapted as regards not only the instrumentation, but also an armchair adapted to allow the realization of care in optimum comfort for the patient and the practitioner.

From a more general point of view, the majority of Western countries have, at a minimum, one dentist per 5000 inhabitants. On the other hand, in a large number of underdeveloped countries, for example in Somalia, in Tanzania, in Ruanda, there is less than one native dentist with a diploma per million inhabitants. In these countries, given the financial resources available for health, the dental surgeon should settle in bush dispensaries or go to the locals to treat oral disease.

Mention should also be made of the need for oral care for the disabled, who are often penalized by their inability to travel to the dentist.

The object of the present invention is to solve the problems mentioned above by proposing a simple, light and practical portable system for carrying out oral care outside specialized establishments or dental offices.

The invention also aims to provide a portable system which can be used in a wide variety of fields of intervention, such as humanitarian missions and disaster medicine, military health services and medical assistance for sports events and communities.

The portable system, according to the invention, consists of a convertible case provided with two semi-shells complementary to each other. When the suitcase is closed, the two half-shells are mounted face to face to enclose a volume in which one can have for example an air mattress, a seat for the practitioner, small instrumentation ...

According to the invention, the two half-shells are separable and each provided on the back with an assembly means. After having separated the two half-shells, the first half-shells are first placed horizontally on the ground with its back facing upwards. The second half-shell is then placed back to back on the first half-shell and assembled using the respective assembly means of the two half-shells. An adjustment means is associated with the assembly means for adjusting the relative position of the assembled half-shells.

The second half-shell comprises a first element articulated around an axis located at one side of the half-shell and being able to be folded towards the inside and the outside of the half-shell, a second element articulated around a axis parallel to the first and located on the opposite side of it.

In the unfolded position of the articulated elements, the assembly forms a chair whose base is constituted by the first half-shell and whose seat is constituted by the second half-shell completed by the two articulated elements unfolded as bearing surfaces for the legs and the patient's back. The orientation and the inclination of the seat relative to the base can be adjusted by means of the assembly means and the adjustment means. Means can be provided for adjusting the inclination of the articulated elements with respect to the second half-shell in order to be able to adapt the inclination of the backrest and the footrest of the chair. For greater comfort, an air mattress can be placed in its inflated state on the seat support surface, this mattress being able to be transported in its deflated state in the initial suitcase before being converted into a wheelchair.

Means for assembling the half-shells can be constituted by ribs and grooves, complementary to one another, provided on the respective backs of the half-shells. The back of the first shell preferably has a depression, the shape of which conforms substantially to that of the back of the second half-shell, in order to better distribute the forces undergone by the half-shells, when a patient is lying on the armchair thus converted.

The adjustment means can be provided by a blocking device which can vary the friction between the joining means or block the joining means by an attached element.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective de la valise convertible selon l'invention;
• la figure 2 est une vue éclatée de la valise de la figure 1 avec deux demi-coques séparées;
• la figure 3 est une vue de côté du fauteuil monté à partir de la valise des figures 1 et 2.

The invention will be better understood on studying the detailed description of an exemplary embodiment of the invention taken without any limitation being implied and illustrated by the appended drawings in which:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of the convertible suitcase according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is an exploded view of the bag of Figure 1 with two separate half-shells;
• FIG. 3 is a side view of the chair mounted from the bag of FIGS. 1 and 2.

As illustrated in the figures, the portable suitcase consists of a first half-shell 1 and a second half-shell 2, of complementary shape to each other, assembled face to face by enclosing a volume to contain Items. The suitcase is substantially ovoid in shape and provided with a handle 3 on a lateral side of the first half-shell.

The first half-shell 1 has a depression 4 on the back, the surface of which is curved in the same way as the back of the second half-shell 2. A longitudinal groove 5 is formed on the depression 4 of the first half-shell 1. The groove 5 is of constant section and the width of the bottom is greater than the width of its opening. On the back of the second half-shell 2 is provided a curved longitudinal rib 6, of shape complementary to the groove 5 of the first half-shell.

The suitcase is provided with other means, not shown, for holding together the two half-shells 1 and 2 and the opening of the suitcase like a conventional suitcase.

The second half-shell 2 comprises two articulated elements 7 and 8 mounted opposite one another around the parallel axes which are located on the two end sides of the half-shell 2. Preferably, the articulated elements 7, 8 are produced in the form of curved plates of determined length, so that in the folded position, they conform to the shape of the inner face of the half-shell 2, the two free ends 7a and 8a being located at the end tipped at the bottom of the inside of the half-shell 2.

To carry out the conversion of the suitcase into an armchair, the half-shells 1 and 2 are first separated. Then the first half-shell 1 is laid flat on the ground, the depression 4 of the half-shell 1 being oriented to the top. The second half-shell 2 is then placed with its back down on the depression 4 of the first half-shell 1, the curved longitudinal rib 6 on the back of the second half-shell 2 sliding inside the groove 5 of the first half-shell 1. The half-shells 1 and 2 are thus assembled back to back with the possibility of changing the inclination of the second half-shell 2 with respect to the first half-shell 1 using the groove 5 and the rib 6.

The first articulated element 7 is then unfolded towards the outside of the second half-shell 2 to a limit position shown in FIG. 3, this limit position can be adjusted by an appropriate means not shown to change the inclination of the 'element 7 relative to the half-shell 2. It is the same for the second articulated element 8. The articulated elements 7 and 8 may include locking means to strengthen their mechanical strength in the deployed position. This provides a support surface for receiving a patient lying on the chair.

Preferably, the chair 9 thus obtained is used in combination with a soft mattress, such as an air mattress, so as to have a more comfortable patient reception surface. This mattress may include handles on the lateral edges for carrying the patient.

The articulated element 7 may include an end portion 7b which can be pivoted so as to form an adjustable headrest support. As shown in FIG. 3, the articulated element 7 can serve as a support for a retractable and removable shelf 10 to allow the doctor to deposit his tools.

The inclination of the chair can be adjusted by means of the play between the rib 6 and the groove 5 provided on the back of the half-shells 1 and 2. This inclination can be locked in indeterminate positions using any known locking means in itself. Furthermore, for the sake of adjusting the height of the chair, the first half-shell 1 may include a retractable base 11 as illustrated in FIG. 3. A small telescopic lamp mounted on one side of the first articulated element 7 may also be provided. lighting necessary for the doctor's intervention.

At the end of the doctor's intervention, the chair can be converted back into a portable suitcase in which the doctor takes all his instruments and the deflated air mattress. It thus considerably widens the field of intervention in the service of patients.

Claims (6)

Convertible suitcase comprising two half-shells (1, 2) of complementary shape to each other, characterized in that the half-shells are detachably mounted and each have on the back an assembly means (5, 6) allowing their mounting back to back, that the first half-shell (1) has on the back a depression (4) whose shape corresponds to the shape of the back of the second half-shell (2), and that the means assembly (5, 6) of the half-shells is associated with a device for locking the relative position of the two half-shells. Convertible suitcase according to claim 1, characterized in that the second half-shell (2) comprises two articulated elements (7, 8) mounted on two opposite sides around the parallel axes, and that said articulated elements are curved plates lying end to end in the folded position at the bottom and inside of the second half-shell (2), and in the unfolded position constitute additional bearing surfaces at the bottom of the second half-shell (2) for receiving a person. Convertible suitcase according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the assembly means consist of a groove (5) on the depression (4) of the first half-shell (1) and by a rib (6) on the back of the second half-shell (2), the mounting of the back-to-back half-shells being carried out by the introduction of the rib (6) in the groove (5) of complementary shape whose relative movement results in a change in inclination of the second half-shell (2) relative to the first half-shell (1). Convertible suitcase according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first half-shell (1) has a retractable base in the extension of its opening, so that when the first half-shell (1) is placed on the floor with the back up, you can adjust the height of the first half-shell (1) and therefore of all the elements that form a chair converted from said suitcase. Convertible suitcase according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the first articulated element (7) comprises a free end part (7b) which can be pivoted and whose inclination is adjustable. Convertible suitcase according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that at least one of the articulated elements (7, 8) comprises means for adjusting the inclination of its unfolded position.

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