GB2325152A

GB2325152A - Improvements relating to chairs

Info

Publication number: GB2325152A
Application number: GB9810107A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stuart Moore
Original assignee: HELPING HAND Co
Current assignee: HELPING HAND Co
Priority date: 1997-05-14
Filing date: 1998-05-13
Publication date: 1998-11-18
Also published as: GB9810107D0; GB9709736D0

Abstract

A chair features a legrest 4 can be raised and lowered about a pivot linkage generally indicated at 21, which comprises two pivoted levers 22 and 23. The lever 22 is pivotally attached to a part 24 of a support frame for the seat 3. A shaft 24A is located within the part 24 for slidable movement therewithin and is pivotally attached at 25 to the other pivot lever 23. As the legrest 4 is raised the shaft 24A is pulled out of the part 24 whilst the levers 22 and 23 pivot about their pivot axes until the fully extended condition is achieved. A wing nut 26 is provided to fix the shaft 24A in a desired position. The chair also features adjustable dismountable armrests and an adjustable backrest.

Description

Improvements relations to Chairs This invention is concerned with improvements to the adjustability of chairs to improve the comfortable nature of the seating to suit the requirements of a particular user.

Wide ranging adjustment is particularly valuable for chairs for invalids.

According to the invention, from one aspect, there is provided a chair with an adjustable footrest wherein the footrest is pivotally mounted onto part of the chair frame via a two lever pivot linkage and a shaft is pivotally mounted on part of one of the levers and slides into a sleeve on the chair frame.

This linkage arrangement allows the footrest to be extended in a secure manner and so that it can be co-extensive with the chair seat. Locking means is ideally provided to fix the shaft within the sleeve at a desired position.

From a further aspect the invention provides a chair with adjustable arms wherein each arm is carried on a support frame which can be moved between alternative positions in the forwards or rearwards direction with respect to the chair base.

The forward and rearward adjustment of the positioning of the arms can be carried out to suit persons of differing sizes or to enable the arm position to be related to the particular attitude of the chair in use. Ideally locking means (for example a fixing bolt) can be provided to secure the arms in the alternative positions. The support frame for each arm can be provided with vertical adjustment members to enable the height of the arm to be modified and again suitable locking means can be provided. Another adjustment can be provided by forming the frame with sideways adjustment members enabling the arm to be moved towards or away from the centre of the chair.

From a still further aspect the invention provides a chair backrest adjustment mechanism comprising a pivot bar at the base of the backrest and a fixing plate having a portion secured to the pivot bar and provided with a series of fixing formations which are all set at the same radius from the axis of the pivot bar to co-operate with a complementary fixing formation at a point on the chair frame.

It is greatly preferred that the fixing plate portion should define an arch of approximately 900, thus enabling the backrest to be moved between an upright condition and a totally supine condition where the backrest is co-extensive with the chair seat.

Preferably the complementary formation on the chair frame will be releasable from the fixing formations on the fixing plate portion by operation of a foot pedal. Ideally the fixing formations will comprise holes or slots in the fixing plate portion and the complementary fixing formation will then comprise a boss to locate within any one of the holes or slots. If desired this construction could be reversed in design.

The invention may be performed in various ways and a preferred embodiment will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a general view of an invalid chair with the internal workings exposed; Figure 2 illustrates the chair of Figure 1 but with covering material applied over the working parts; Figures 3, 4 and 5 are views of an arm of the chair shown in Figure 1, with the arm set in varying positions; Figures 6 and 7 are views of a detail of the chair of Figure 1 illustrating a footrest support; Figure 8 is a view illustrating a detail of a backrest adjustment mechanism of the chair of Figure 1; and Figure 9 illustrates the chair of Figure 2 in a modified attitude.

The chair shown in Figure 1 comprises a basic framework 1 mounted on wheels 2 and supporting a seat 3, a legrest 4 and a backrest 5. Arms 6 are provided to either side of the seat 3. A jack 7 can be raised and lowered to alter the tilt of the seat 3.

As can be seen particularly from Figures 3, 4 and 5 each arm 6 is removable and can be adjusted between a number of positions to suit the requirements of the user. A padded arm member 8 is set on a framework 9 which has a pair of upright struts 10 connected by a horizontal member 11. As can be seen by comparing Figures 3 and 4 the framework 9 can be detached from a cross member 12 of the chair frame by lifting out a locking bolt 13 (which can be secured by a lock nut 14). The framework 9 can then be moved to a new locating position 15 on the cross member 12. Additionally shafts 16 can be raised and lowered within the struts 10 and can be fixed in desired positions by locking levers 17 to adjust the height of the padded armrest 8. Horizontal adjustment of the padded armrest 8 is achieved by sliding shafts 18 within sleeves 19 which again are provided with locking levers 20. By this means a wide degree of adjustment of the positioning of the padded armrest 8 can be achieved.

The legrest 4 can be raised and lowered about a pivot linkage generally indicated at 21. This comprises two pivoted levers 22 and 23. The lever 22 is pivotally attached to a part 24 of a support frame for the seat 3. A shaft 24A is located within the part 24 for slidable movement therewithin and is pivotally attached at 25 to the other pivot lever 23. As the legrest 4 is raised the shaft 24A is pulled out of the part 24 whilst the levers 22 and 23 pivot about their pivot axes until the fully extended condition shown in Figure 7 is achieved. A wing nut 26 is provided to fix the shaft 24A in a desired position.

Fixing of the backrest 5 in a desired position is achieved by the mechanism shown in Figure 8. The backrest 5 is pivotally mounted to the chair frame 1 by a pivot bar 27. Extending from one end of the bar 27 is a curved locking plate 28 formed with a series of slots 29. A boss 30 is movable with respect to a part 31 of the chair frame 1 by operation of a pedal 32. When the boss 30 is drawn away from the row of slots 29 the backrest 5 can be tilted to any desired angle and held there by releasing the boss 30 to locate into another of the slots 29. As can be seen the construction of the locking plate 28 is such that the backrest can be moved through a maximum of approximately 900, enabling the backrest 5 to be brought into line with the seat 3 (as shown in Figure 9).

Claims

1. A chair with an adjustable footrest wherein the footrest is pivotally mounted onto part of the chair frame via a two lever pivot linkage and a shaft is pivotally mounted on part of one of the levers and slides into a sleeve on the chair frame.

2. A chair according to Claim 1, wherein locking means is provided to fix the shaft within the sleeve at a desired position.

3. A chair with adjustable arms wherein each arm is carried on a support frame which can be moved between alternative positions in the forwards or rearwards direction with respect to the chair base.

4. A chair according to Claim 3, wherein a fixing bolt or other locking means is provided to secure the arms in the alternative positions.

5. A chair according to Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein the support frame for each arm is provided with vertical adjustment members to enable the height of the arm to be modified.

6. A chair according to Claim 5, wherein locking means is provided for the adjustment members.

7. A chair according to any one of Claims 3 to 6, wherein the frame has sideways adjustment members enabling the arm to be moved towards or away from the centre of the chair.

8. A chair incorporating a backrest adjustment mechanism comprising a pivot bar at the base of the backrest and a fixing plate having a portion secured to the pivot bar and provided with a series of fixing formations which are all set at the same radius from the axis of the pivot bar to co-operate with a complementary fixing formation at a point on the chair frame.

9. A chair according to Claim 8, wherein the fixing plate portion defines an arc of approximately 900, thus enabling the backrest to be moved between an upright condition and a totally supine condition where the backrest is co-extensive with the chair seat.

10. A chair according to Claim 8 or Claim 9, wherein the complementary formation on the chair frame is releasable from the fixing formations on the fixing plate portion by operation of a foot pedal.

11. A chair according to any one of Claims 8 to 10, wherein the fixing formations comprise holes or slots in one of the two parts comprising the fixing plate portion and the complementary fixing formation and a boss is provided on the other of the two parts to locate within any one of the holes or slots.

12. A chair adjustable footrest assembly, adjustable arm assembly or backrest adjustment assembly substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.