GB2509049A

GB2509049A - A chair with a pivoting armrest to improve access

Info

Publication number: GB2509049A
Application number: GB1219818.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Spencer
Original assignee: James Spencer & Co Ltd
Current assignee: James Spencer & Co Ltd
Priority date: 2012-11-05
Filing date: 2012-11-05
Publication date: 2014-06-25
Also published as: GB201219818D0

Abstract

A chair with an armrest 12 pivotally moveable between a support position and a position which allows improved access to the chair for a user wherein the pivot point of the armrest 12 is located adjacent to a back portion 6 of the chair and a front end of the armrest 12 is free. The armrest 12 may pivot between a horizontal position and a vertical position and be formed of metal covered with fabric. The chair may have a base portion 8 which can be moved forward or backward relative to the back portion 6. The chair may be provided with castors or wheels which may be brought into contact with the ground by tilting the chair. The chair may also have telescopic height adjustable legs which utilise pins engaging with apertures. The device is designed to allow an elderly or disabled person to move into or out of the chair more easily.

Description

The invention to which this application relates is a chair of a type which allows movement from and to the same, for infirm and/or disabled persons in particular, to be more easily a chic re d.

The provision of chairs for infirm, physically and/or mentally disabled persons, is well known and there is always a need to take into account potential hazards, the potential misuse of the chair, as well as providing a chair with improved utility for the user. This is particularly the case for persons who wish to move to and from the chair from a bed or wheelchair.

Typically, while it is possible to remove a side frame from the wheelchair or the bed, the arm of the chair itself acts as a significant constraint to the ease of movement of a person to and from the chair. Conventionally, in order to overcome this problem, the wheelchair or bed is placed in front of the chair and the user is required to slide and pivot onto the chair or, alternatively, a slide board can be shaped in a curve so as to allow a portion of the slide board to be placed on the chair and another portion to be placed onto the base of the wheelchair or bed and allow the person to transfer between the same via the slide board. This is in itself represents a hazardous movement which can cause injury to the person and/or damage to the apparatus and therefore does not represent a satisfactory solution.

A further problem is that, in many instances, chairs for use by infirm and/or disabled persons, are required to be used in environments where cleanliness is important but is difficult to maintain and therefore there is a need for the chair to allow minimal opportunity for the collection of dirt and the like so as to prevent infection and particularly, in environments such as nursing homes and hospitals.

The aim of the present invention is therefore to prove a chair of a form which allows improved transfer between the chair and another support structure such as another chair, a wheelchair and/or a bed. A further aim is to provide a chair with further improvements which allow the same to be acceptable for use in hazardous environments and also to be range taking in respect of the size of the person which may use the chair.

Tn a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a chair, said chair including a back portion and a base portion, which, in combination, act as means to support a person sitting on the chair, and at least one support arm wherein said support arm can be moved between a first, support position and a second position to allow improved access to and from the chair for a person.

In one embodiment, the movement between the first and second positions is achieved by moving the arm about a pivot axis, which, typically, is located at/or adjacent to the back portion of the chair such that the opposing end of the arm, is free.

In one embodiment, the chair includes first and second, spaced arms, and at least one, but typically both, of the arms are pivotally movably between said first and second positions.

Typically, when an arm is in the in-use position, the same lies in a substantially hori2ontal plane and at a height from the base so as to receive and support a persons arm in a comfortable location when sitting on the chair.

Typically, when iii the second position, the arm is in a substantially vertical plane and therefore does not act as a barrier to allow a person to slide sideways onto the chair base from another support structure such as a wheelchair or bed.

Tn one embodiment, the arms are formed of a metal, preferably stainless steel, for hygiene purposes.

Tn one embodiment, the metal may be selectively covered by fabric and/or padding to form the external surface of the arms.

Typically, the pivot assembly for each arm is formed to include at least one stop so as to allow the arm, when moved to an in-use position, to be maintained in that in-use position with respect to downward movement thereof.

Typically, the pivot assembly is provided so as to form an assembly which resists the ingress of dirt therein.

In one embodiment, when the arms are moved to the second position, the longitudinal axis of the same lies in a plane which is in line with, or to the rear of, the back portion of the chair.

Typically, the back and base portions are provided as separate upholstered portions, each mounted on a common support frame.

In one embodiment, the base portion is provided to be selectively moveable between a position at which the rear of the base portion lies at/or adjacent to the back portion, and a position at which the rear of the base portion is spaced forwardly from said back portion, and to positions intermediate the same SC) as to allow the chair to be range taking to allow comfortable use by persons of different sizes.

In one embodiment the back portion includes, at its lower end, a sloped external face which causes the movement of debris and liquid therefrom so as to flow away from the frame at the location between the frame and the back portion.

In one embodiment, at least one, but preferably two of the legs of the chair, have casters or wheels mounted thereon which are contactable with the support surface to allow the movement of the chair on the casters along the support surface.

In one embodiment, the casters are brought into contact with the support surface by moving the chair to a particular angle with respect to the support surface.

In one embodiment, the chair legs are formed of two portions, a first portion which is located as part of the frame of the chair and a second portion which is adjustably moveable with respect to the longitudinal axis of the first portion in order to allow' the length of the leg, and hence height of the chair base portion, to be adjusted. Typically, the second portion is provided with a series of apertures at spaced locations to allow the selective location of an engagement member therewith to allow the second portion to be secured at a particular location with the first portion.

Specific embodiments of the invention are now described with reference to the accompanying figures wherein: Figure 1 illustrates a view' of the chair in accordance with one embodiment of the invention in a first position; Figure 2 illustrates a view of the chair of Figure 1 with an arm of the same in a second position;

S

Figures 3 illustrates the manner in which the transfer of a person between the chair when in the position of Figure 2, and another structure in the form of a wheelchair, can be achieved; Figures 4a-q illustrate in greater detail, the pivot assembly for an arm of the chair; and Figures 5a and b illustrate slide tracks to allow adjustment of the chair base.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2, there is illustrated a chair in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

The chair, (2), includes a frame (4), which is typically formed of epoxy coated metal, a back portion (6) (shown in broken lines in Figure 1) connected to the frame and a base portion (8) (shown in broken lines in Figure 1) which is also connected to the frame as illustrated. The chair also includes arms (10, 12) which are located on the frame, via respective pivot assemblies 14 located to the rear to the back portion (4).

Nach of the arm portions are pivotally movable from the first, in-use, position shown in Figure 1 to the second position in which one of the arms 12 is shown iii Figure 2. The pivot axis (16) of the pivot assemblies 14 lie to the rear of the rear face (18) of the back portion 6 and this therefore allows the arms to be completely removed from the area of the seat in front of the back portion, when they are in the second position and therefore the same do not act as a barrier to movement of the person to and from the base or back of the seat from either side of the seat.

Also shown, in Figure 2, in broken lines, is the base portion in a second position in which the same has been moved with respect to the frame such that the front 20 of the base portion extends outwardly from the front of the frame and thereby ailows the chair to provide a comfortable seating position for persons of a larger si2e.

Tn order to achieve this the base portion is moveable with respect to guide tracks 22 which are formed on the frame or base portion and which are engaged with guide means formed on the other of the base portion or frame and which are shown in more detail on Figures 5a and b which show the base removed and the slide tracks 22 each accept a bolt (not shown) provided on the underside of the base which can be selectively tightened in a position along each of the slide tracks 22 so as to allow the selective positioning of the base with regard to the frame and therefore allow the chair to be range taking.

The height of the seat can be adjLlsted as each of the legs is formed of first and second portions such that the second portion (24) is located within the first portion (26) and is selectively moveable with regard to the longitudinal axis 28 of the same to a number of positions which are dictated by the location of a series of apertures 30 lines on the second portion 24, each of which is threaded and can receive a threaded bolt (32) which passes through an aperture 34 in the first portion 26 so as to allow the length of the legs to be selected and secured and hence the height of the chair to be selected.

The rear legs 36 of the chair include wheels, rollers or castors 38 mounted thereon which are positioned such that when the chair is moved to a particular angle with regard to the support surface, the wheels will contact with the support surface and thereby allow the chair to be wheeled across the support surface.

Figures 4a-q illustrate the pivot assembly 14 for each of the arms in greater detail and shows how there is provided a stop member 38 which locates in a slot 39 and prevents the arm from being pivotally moved beyond the in-use position shown in Figure 1 downwardly and therefore allows the arm to be strong and weight taking and be in the correct position to allow comfortable support for the arms of a person when sitting on the chair. The parts of the pivot assembly are secured in position by means of a shaft 41 provided on the arm 12 and which passes through an aperture 43 in the frame part and is secured via a locking nut 45.

The ability to move the arms of the chair to the second position, allows improved ease of movement of the person between the chair and another structure such as a wheelchair or bed 40 as shown in Figure 3 as the person can be moved to and from the chair from the side as indicated by arrow (42) in Figure 3. This avoids the need for the movement of the person between the chair and the wheelchair or bed to include a rotational component as would conventionally be the case and avoids the need for a slide board to be provided and thereby greatly improves the utility of the chair, especially to infirm or disabled per s C) n 5.

Claims

Claims 1. A chair, said chair including a back portion and a base portion, which, in combination, act as means to support a person sitting on the chair, and at least one support arm, wherein said support arm can be moved between a first, support position and a second access position to allow improved access for a person to and from the chair and the movement between the first and second positions is achieved by moving the arm about a pivot assembly located at, or adjacent to, the end of the same and said pivot assembly located at, or adjacent to, the back portion of the chair and the opposing end of the arm is free.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the chair includes first and second spaced arms and at least one of the arms is * , : pivotally moveable between said first and second positions. -* .
3. A chair according to claim 1 wherein when the arm is in the S.....

* first position, the arm lies in a substantially horizontal plane and * at a height from the base so as to support a persons arm when *:c: sitting on the chair.
4. A chair according to claim 1 wherein when the arm is in the second position the same lies in a substantially vertical plane.
5. A chair according to claim 1 wherein the arms are formed of metal covered by fabric and/or padding to form the external surface of the same.
6. A chair according to claim I wherein the pivot assembly includes at least one stop so as to allow the arm, when moved to the first position to be maintained in that position and prevent further movement of the arm towards the base portion.
7. A chair according claim 1 wherein when the arm is moved to the second position, the longitudinal axis of the same lies in a plane which is in line with, or to the rear of the back portion of the chair.
8. A chair according to claim 1 wherein the back and base portions are provided as separate upholstered portions mounted on a common support frame.
9. A chair according to claim 1 wherein the base portion is provided to be selectively moveable between a position in which the rear of the base portion lies at or adjacent to the back portion and a position at which the rear of the base portion is spaced forwardly from said back portion and to positions intermediate the same.
10. A chair according to claim 1 wherein the back portion * includes at its lower end a sloped external face. * * -S

** tS 55 *
11. A chair according to any of the preceding claims wherein the chair is *provided with castors or wheels mounted thereon to contact with a support surface to allow the movement of the chair along the support surface.
12. A chair according to claim 11 wherein the castors or wheels are brought into contact with the support surface by moving the chair to a particular angle with respect to the support surface.
13. A chair according to any of the preceding claims wherein the chair legs are formed of at least two portions, a first portion which is located as part of the frame of the chair and a second portion which is adjustably moveable with respect to the longitudinal axis of the first portion in order tb allow the length of the leg, and hence height of the chair base portion from a support surface, to be adjusted.
14. A chair according to claim 13 wherein the second portion is provided with a series of apertures at spaced locations to allow the selective location of an engagement member therewith to allow the second portion to be secured at a particular location with the first portion. 0S * . . * * * S * * S * * * -a.* .. S I. -