EP0804134B1

EP0804134B1 - Rising seat for seating including toilets

Info

Publication number: EP0804134B1
Application number: EP94917070A
Authority: EP
Inventors: John Bernard Paxon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-05-24
Filing date: 1994-05-24
Publication date: 2001-02-28
Anticipated expiration: 2014-05-24
Also published as: DE69426784D1; EP0804134A1

Description

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a rising seat for chairs and settees and which can be readily adapted for use on toilets for handicapped people. Most rising seats or lift seats by which name they are widely known, are fitted to a frame on a chair and are operated by a spring or gas mechanism the angle and bulk of which is easily fitted into an existing chair where ample space permits bulky and at times heavy mechanisms to be used, and they are usually assembled during the manufacture of the furniture for which they are designed. For example; T.Wear Smith GB-A-2193886 teaches a torsion spring the end of which is coiled around and fixed to two torsion bars one being moveable by threading a bolt into the bar to move the bar and force spring upwards to increase its tension. Renray GB-A-1578395 teaches a number of springs one leg of each having fixed to it an adjustment means, the selected springs being inoperable by inserting a screw into adjustment means and forcing the spring leg/s away from the pivoted seat, thereby adjusting the resilience required for a pre-determined load. A Portable lift seat - GB-A-1,475,561, invented by a certain LASTINGENS INKOPSCENTRAL LIC EKONOMISK FORENSING, a Swedish corporate that teaches an 'auxilliary seat' comprising a 'U'-shaped & resilient spring locking wire pivotly mounted at its inner end portions for pivotting in a plane essentially parallel with the base board so that outward swing of the one or other limb causing bending of the spring locking wire thereby tending to displace its middle portion from a locking position to a free position etc etc etc. ... emphasis being placed on the method by which a top rising section may be released and then locked to a downwards position, and how springs can be removed or added by the user. It would appear to be very useful for a sitter who wishes to change his mind about rising from the seat and decides instead to remain seated.

The advantage of a portable lift seat; providing it is fairly simple in its construction and which can be adjusted easily by the user to suit his weight without the need to have a supply of additional springs or other parts to fix to the riser seat, and which can be kept stable on a chair seat for example, include : the practical and economic aspects of using an existing chair without having to purchase a more expensive chair with built-in lift- seat mechanism and, being portable and easily adjustable preferably, it can be used in most chairs in the users house, and can even be carried on a journey for use in seating provided by other people. The current invention is easily adjustable without the use of a tool whether permanently or releaseably fixed to a chair or settee.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide a rising seat and one that raises the sitter easily from a sitting position and which lowers him gently into a sitting position from a standing position and which can be so located on an existing seat in a manner to ensure its stability when in use and one that can be readily adapted to suit the weight of most users, without removal or replacement of working parts.

According to the invention there is provided a rising seat for seating and toilets comprising in combination at least one torsion spring on a torsion bar, each leg of any selected spring being activated by its at least indirect contact with the inside surface of the rising seat's top and bottom sections said sections being pivotly-hinged together, and a means of rendering any selected number of springs ineffective by removing the pressure from the spring legs and then positioning a leg of each spring not required into one of any number of openings localised on at least one of the sections, such positioning/s preventing the top section from activating the said-positioned springs and so governing the degree of ease at which the top section is lowered on to the bottom section and enabling the user to select only the spring/s required to render the top section resilient enough to lower him gently into a sitting position and to raise him from a sitting position to a standing position. The degree of ease at which the top section is lowered may be governed by moving the torsion bar on which the spring/s is/ are placed, and the mechanism can be applied to a lift seat permanently fixed to seating or toilets. It incorporates a means of lowering the top section on to the bottom section free of resilience, for carrying if portable, or to give the appearance of a standard seat. The rising seat may have attached to its surface a suitable carrying handle. It may have a method of locking it down against the resilience of the spring and a method of adjustment to enable it to remain stable and effective irrespective of the width and depth of the seat in which it is placed. The invention shall now be described by way of example only by the following drawings in which:-

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG 1 is a side view of rising seat in a low position when not in use.

FIG 2 is a bottom underside view in perspective of top section of a rising seat that shows method of adjustment to a neutral position that enables top section to be lowered without resilience from the spring/s.

FIG 3 shows an open plan view in which a spring leg travels into a cavity over which it has been positioned when pressure is away from the spring leg, the cavity being in the top section, said cavity being covered.

FIG 4 is an underside view of top section opened out to expose both sections shows method of substituting a weaker spring mechanism for example for a stronger one.

FIG 5 is an underside view when top section is opened out with the bottom section of the rising seat. Neutralising the torsion spring is shown by moving the torsion bar on which the spring/s is/are located.

FIG 6 is an underside view - shows the method of increasing or decreasing the strength of a torsion spring.

FIG 7 is a side view open plan of torsion bar fixed away from edge of bottom section.

FIG 8 is a top view of method of determining the ease at which top section can be lowered using sliding base.

FIG 9 is a side view of hollowed out top section hinged on bottom section, or directly on to toilet.

FIG 10 shows a side view in open plan of rising seat located in a chair by tongue-shaped extension to the bottom section.

FIG 11 shows an open plan view of chair from front with bottom section of rising seat incorporating extended sides shaped to fit under arms of chair.

FIG 12 shows an underside view of bottom section with extendable sides to fit a wide chair.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG 1 shows seat 1 folded for carrying. The top section 2 of the rising seat shown as 2 may be lowered or folded or hinged down on to the bottom section 3 after neutralizing the resilient action of the torsion spring that in its'active' or positive mode is used to enable the user to lower himself gently on to the chair, the top section of the seat pivoting against the resilience of the said spring that also enables the sitter to raise himself from a sitting to a standing position. Pressure may be released from the spring by moving a part of the top and bottom sections away from the spring/s. Hinge is 4. Neutralizing the resilience of the spring is shown in FIGS 2 and 4. The hinge-pin 4 also acts as a torsion bar that is circular and rests across the ends of either section of the riser seat. Any selected number of torsion springs 5 are placed over the bar. The main body of the spring so coiled to leave ample room for contraction as weight is applied to the ends of the spring, one leg of each spring coming into contact at least indirectly with the inner face of the top section and the other leg coming into contact at least indirectly with the bottom section 3 as weight is applied and the top section 2 is pivoted downwards towards the bottom section. The angle of the torsion spring 5 is such that when the top section is opened outwards to form a configuration similar to that of an open book the spring/s can be moved along the torsion bar unhindered by the pressure of either board or section. In at least one of the boards from which the top section would preferably be made and from which the bottom section may be made and towards the surface of which one leg or two legs of the torsion spring is pointing is a cavity or opening 6 of a shape that will allow the leg or legs of the spring to fall as the top section of the rising seat is lowered. When the spring leg drops into the cavity 6 - See FIG 2 - the spring then has no surface against which it can be pressed to give the spring and the top board resilience when the top section is lowered so that the top section can thus be freely lowered to rest on the bottom section enabling it to be easily carried or to be placed in a chair without the top section being raised. The cavity 6 may be covered on the opposite surface of the rising seat 1 this being shown in FIG 3 - so that the leg of the spring does not dig into the face of the rising seat cover. The spring leg can be covered by a dome-shaped cover 7 that can be placed either over the area where the spring leg 5 would otherwise protrude or the whole of the top surface 2 of the rising seat as seen can be covered and then upholstered over the hard surface of a larger dome-shaped cover 7. The method of neuttralizing the effect of the spring can also be used for adjusting the resilience of the top section of the rising seat either by having blind-hole cavities of different depths that will decrease the tension of a spring by lengthening the distance between the end of the leg or point of contact of a spring in relation to the top section or by neutralizing totally the resilience of a selected number of springs of varying strengths, and positioning only that spring or springs of a predetermined strength so that it/ they become resilient only if its/their legs are positioned away from the cavities & on to a firm surface of the board around the said cavities. For example, ideally two springs would be used to raise the top section of the rising seat, such springs being joined together by a connecting wire or handle so that springs can be moved in one action by lifting the connecting wire & moving the springs connected by the connecting wire, or handle. See FIG 4. If there are three sets of springs for example comprising two springs per set, each set can be a different thickness and strength. Two sets 8 & 9 can be located with their legs over holes 10 & 11 so that they cannot be under resilience when the top section 2 of the rising seat shown is pressed down by the weight of the user, leaving the selected spring set 12 only to to be compressed on to the inner surface of one of the boards 3 as the top section board is lowered, the pressure of the board activating the resilience of the spring set 12 selected for the resilience needed to suit the weight of the user; the selection of the springs can either be numerical or by thickness of the spring/s that could be calibrated to suit a variance in body weights. The spring can instead be located on the torsion bar 4 so that when the torsion bar or hinge-pin, if also used as a hinge-pin, on which the top section pivots on the bottom section, is moved one way or the other, it carries with it at least one spring that can, with the two boards opened out and free of pressure of the spring legs in that opened out position, be located over a cavity, so that when the top section is lowered on to the bottom section 3 no resilience is felt from that spring or set of springs in the cavities. Movement of the springs for adjustment or neutralizing the tension can be assisted by small rollers 13 on the spring legs if springs are near to the boards. Grooves are shown as 14 into which spring leg is placed to prevent slippage as shown in FIGS 4, 5 and 6. FIG 5: An alternative method of creating a neutral position that enables the top section to be lowered without resilience from the spring or springs is to move a separate torsion bar 15 on which the springs 5 would be located towards the centre of the board; in which the torsion bar can be fitted in a guide 16 fitted to one of the boards. As the torsion bar 15 is moved, preferably in guides 16 to stabilise its movement, so one of the ends or legs of at least one spring, depending on the number of springs placed on the torsion bar, is drawn away from one of the boards thereby neutralising the effectiveness of the spring when the top section 2 is lowered on to the bottom section 3 of the aforesaid rising seat both spring legs of each spring resting over one board only. To enable such movement of the torsion bar on which the springs are fitted it is necessary to use the existing hinge 4a only for pivoting the two sections or some other form of hinge in addition to a torsion bar on which the springs are located. If positive mode is required; Return of torsion bar is assisted if spring is bent upwards. The grooves for spring legs are shown as 14. To enable the top board to be lowered on to the bottom board cavities 17 are made in the board opposite to the board on which the torsion spring/s are fitted to enable the two legs of each spring to travel through the said cavities in the said board as the board is lowered.. The strengthening of individual torsion springs can be made by raising the spring 5 by locating at least one leg of the spring either directly or perhaps indirectly on a wedge-shaped base 18 with groove 14 that is moveable on the board by a screw mechanism 19 that holds the wedge in position under the spring when adjustment has been made as shown in FIG 6 in which the top section is 2, bottom section is 3, roller 13 and cavity is 6. The top section 2 may be placed on a hinge 4a (See FIG 7). The hinge being positioned two to four inches approximately away from the edge of the bottom section 3, that is to say the front edge, so that when the spring leg 5 travels through the cavity 6 the spring leg if in line or forming a large angle with its opposite leg will rest on the end of the bottom section when the top section is lowered freely without resilience from the spring, and will not jut out from the front of the rising seat. In FIG 8; when determining the degree of ease at which the top section 2 can be lowered on to the bottom section 3 of the rising seat shown, the spring 5 may be placed on the torsion bar 4 transversley, and spaced protrusions or blocks 20 on a sliding section 21 located under spring legs 5 selected by the user or they may be so moved away from the spring legs altogether so that the spring legs are positioned over gaps between the blocks so that when the top section is lowered on to the bottom section there is no resilience from the springs and it may be so folded down into a neutral position to facilitate its carrying. Gaps are shown as 22. Alternatively the blocks & gaps may be incorporated on a fixed section and the spring legs placed on to the blocks or over the gaps between the blocks as required by either sliding the springs along the torsion bar or by locating the springs to the torsion bar and moving the bar until the spring legs are aligned with the blocks or gaps between the blocks as required thereby determining the degree of ease at which the top section 2 can be lowered on to the bottom section 3. The gaps may be formed from cut-outs in a solid block that may be fixed to the inside face of one of the sections that is to say the top or bottom section or may be located to slide on one of the sections for positioning spring legs in the latter construction that would preferably be fixed transversely along the torsion bar. When used as a toilet seat 23 there shall be an opening in the top and bottom sections and at least one spring leg under the seat rim, its opposite leg resting on the toilet edge or attachment thereto. Top section 2, lower section 3 and hinge 4a (See FIG 9). In FIG 10 the rising seat 1 is kept firmly fixed to a chair 24 by a tongue-shaped extension 25 attached to or being part of the bottom section 3 of the rising seat and the extension is wedged between the seat of the chair and the vertical back of the chair 24. The same type of extension also shown as 25 in FIG 11 can be used to protrude over the chair seat and under the arm/s such room generally being found for that purpose in most lounge-type seating and also in many types of lighter seating and chairs in which the arms are filled in to the seat of the chair the extensions ideally being placed under such arm where the arm joins the chair seat and the said extensions being fixed one on each side of the rising seat . The chair is shown as 24. In FIG 12 the bottom section 3 of the rising seat shown can be made adjustable by having an adjustable frame 26 for example that can be moved outwards into the sides and/or back of the chair 24 in which it is resting. This adjustment facility could be affectively utilised in a chair that might be otherwise too wide for the rising seat. The sections may be padded with foam and covered by material tacked on to them.

Claims

A Rising Seat for seating and toilets comprising in combination:-

(a) at least one torsion spring (12) on a torsion bar (4) each leg of each spring being activated by its at least indirect contact with the inside surface of the rising seats top section (2) and bottom section (3), said sections being pivotly-hinged together, and

(b) a means of rendering any selected number of springs ineffective by removing the pressure from the spring legs and then positioning a leg of each spring (5) or (8)& (9) not required into one of any number of openings (6 )or (10) &(11)localised on at least one of the sections, such positioning/s preventing the top section (2) from activating the said positioned springs and so governing the degree of ease at which the top section is lowered on to the bottom section (3) and enabling the user to select only the spring/s required (12) to render the top section resilient enough to lower him gently into a sitting position and to raise him from a sitting position to a standing position.
A Rising Seat as claimed in Claim 1 characterised by the torsion spring being located on a hinge-pin (4) that also acts as a torsion bar (4)
A Rising Seat as claimed in Claim 1 characterised by the torsion spring (5) being located on a torsion bar (15) that is separate from the hinge (4)
A Rising Seat as claimed in Claim 1 characterised by the top section (2) being opened outwards to form the configuration with the bottom section (3) of an open book to remove pressure from the legs of the springs (8),(9) and (12) to facilitate the positioning of at least one of the springs.
A Rising Seat as claimed in Claim 1 characterised by moving an area (not shown) of the section/s (2) and/or (3) on which the spring/s is/are at least indirectly resting away from the leg of any spring not required to govern the ease at which the top section can be lowered on to the bottom section.
A Rising Seat as claimed in Claims 1, 2 and 3 characterised by a torsion spring (5) fixed to a torsion bar (4) that when moved across the rising seat carries the spring/s attached thereto to the required position.
A Rising Seat as claimed in Claims 1 and 8 characterised by spring (5) : being moved along a torsion bar (4) to position one of its legs over a cavity(6) or at least indirectly on to the firm surface of the sections (2) or (3)
A Rising Seat as claimed in Claims 1 and 2 characterised by springs (5) (8) (9) and (12) which are a slide fit along a fixed torsion bar.
A Rising Seat as claimed in Claims 1 and 20 characterised by at least one cavity (6 )(FIG 2) in at least the bottom section (3) into which cavity/cavities the spring/s travel/s as the top section is lowered thereby rendering all so-positioned springs inoperable, thus enabling the top section (2) to be lowered on to the bottom section free from pressure by the top section on to spring/s thereby neutralising the resilience of the so-positioned spring/s and facilitating carriage of the rising seat.
A Rising Seat as claimed in Claim 1 characterised by positioning spring legs(12) on to the firm inside surface of the top & bottom sections (2) & (3) to govern the ease at which the top section is lowered on to the bottom section necessitating weight of the user to lower the top section against the springs resilience.
A Rising Seat as claimed in Claims 1 and 3 characterised by moving the torsion bar (15) on which at least one spring (5) is located away from the edge of the bottom section (3) and out of reach of the top section (2) thereby ensuring that no resilience is created by the springs during the initial lowering of the top section, and resilience being prevented as the top section is lowered further towards the bottom section by holes(17) at least in the bottom section through which holes the legs of the springs (5) travel thereby rendering the springs inoperable.
A Rising Seat as claimed in Claim 1 characterised by joining not less than two springs (8) together to form a set of springs to facilitate the movement of more than one spring in one operation.
A Rising Seat as claimed in Claim 1 characterised by grooves (14) into which grooves a leg of each spring (12) is located to prevent slippage of the spring legs as the top section (2) is lowered towards the bottom section (3)
A Rising Seat as claimed in Claims 1 and 9 characterised by a cap (7) over the cavity (6) into which cavity the spring leg travels (5) said cap preventing the leg of the spring penetrating the filling in the rising seat.
A Rising Seat as claimed in Claim 1 characterised by a wedge (18) on which the spring (5) is resting, said wedge being adjustable towards or away from the spring in relation to its coil by an adjustment screw (19) thereby increasing or decreasing the resilience of the said spring the opposite end of the spring being positioned at least indirectly on the firm surface of the opposite section.
A Rising Seat as claimed in Claim 1 characterised by a carrying handle. (FIG 1)
A Rising Seat as claimed in Claim 1 characterised by the top section being hinged (5) away from the front edge of the bottom section (3) (FIG 7)
A Rising Seat as claimed in Claim 1 characterised by the springs (8) (9) and (12) being transversely located on the torsion bar.
A Rising Seat as claimed in Claim 1 characterised by blocks (20) on the inside face of the rising seat over which said blocks the selected spring legs (5) are located. when resilience is required to the top section (2)
A Rising Seat as claimed in Claims 1 and 19 characterised by gaps ( 22) between blocks (20) into which a leg of each spring selected by the user falls free of resilience as the top section 2 is lowered, thereby rendering selected springs inoperable, said blocks being fixed or located to slice on one of the sections.
A Rising Seat as claimed in Claim 1 characterised by the sections being hollowed out to form the top section seat (2) for a toilet, the aforesaid rising seat being fixed by its bottom section (3) to the toilet on to which at least indirectly rests one end of the torsion spring/s its other end resting at least indirectly under the top section that is hinged (4) to the bottom section (3) at the front of the toilet.(23)
A Rising Seat as claimed in Claim 1 characterised by the top section (2) and the bottom section (3) being made from two boards of rigid material at least indirectly hinged together.
A Rising Seat as claimed in Claims 1 and 22 characterised by the bottom section (3) being shaped to wedge (25) under the sides/back of a seat (24)
A Rising Seat as claimed in Claims 1 and 22 characterised by an extendable bottom section (26) to fit up to the inside face of the arms on a large chair (24)
A Rising Seat as claimed in Claim 1 characterised by fitting it into the seating area of a seat in place of standard seating.