US2652883A - Supplemental seat for dental chairs and the like - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 22, 1953 l.. c. HoLTzENDoRl-F SUPPLEMENTAL SEAT FOR DENTAL CHAIRS AND THE LIKE Filed May 8, 1950 INVENTOR L. C. HOLTZENDORFF ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 22, 1953 SUPPLEMENTAL SEAT FOR DENTAL CHAIRS AND THE LIKE Lucian C. Holtzendorlf, Valdosta, Ga. Application May 8, 1950, Serial No. 160,694 3 Claims. (Cl. 155-131) This invention relates to a supplemental seat for dental chairs and the like.

In the treatment of their teeth, dentists encounter diiiiculty in treating small children, not only because of their size, but also because of their habit of slumping in a chair and restlessly squirming. There is nothing in the conventional dental chair to prevent a child from slumping down or wriggling sideways in a chair.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a very simple supplemental seat which can be arranged on the conventional dental chair seat, and which will force a child to sit upright and remain substantially in one position.

A further object is to provide such a supplemental seat which can be arranged in position on the seat of a dental chair or the like, and which will remain in proper position without the use of straps or any other fastening elements.

A further object is to provide such a supplemental seat having an upwardly projecting portion which must be straddled by the legs of a child, thus making it substantially impossible for the child to slide or wriggle sideways in the chair.

A further object is to provide such a device which is very simple in construction and economical to manufacture, and which may be very easily placed in position on the dental chair and removed therefrom for storage in a limited space.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawing, I have shown one embodiment of the invention. In this showing,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dental chair showing the present device in position thereon,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device, and

Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring to Figure 1, the numeral I Il designates as a whole a dental chair, although it will become apparent that the present invention is not limited to use with a chair of this particular type, but may be used with other chairs, for example, barber chairs. The chair I is provided with a seat II, back I2, arms I3 and supporting pedestal I4. In most structures of this character, each arm is carried by the upper end of a suitable support I5, while the back I2 is carried by the upper ends of a pair of supports IG. In a denta1 chair, the back I2 is provided at the top thereof with the usual head rest I'I.

I'he device forming the subject matter of the present invention comprises a body which may be formed of any suitable material such as solid wood, plywood, plastic or the like. This y body is substantially semi-circular in shape as shown in Figure 2, corresponding generally to the back portion of the conventional dental chair seat I I. At points equidistantly spaced on opposite sides of the center of the back edge 2l of the body, such edge contacts with the supports I t as indicated in Figure 2.

At opposite sides, the body is provided with lateral projections 22 adapted to lie behind the supports I5, as indicated in Figure 2. The width of the body 2li between the arms I5 is such that the edges of the body are contactible with the arms I5 to prevent transverse movement of the body. The forward edge 24 of the body 2i] may be extended forwardly as at 25 to increase the forward and rear dimension of the body 20 to increase the stability of the supplemental seat.

Centrally of the Width of the body 26, and toward the forward edge thereof, is arranged a horn or abutment indicated by the numeral 26. This horn may be of the shape shown in Figures 2 and 3, the forward and rear ends being curved substantially semi-circularly as at 21 to increase the comfort of the device in use and to eliminate any sharp edges which might be injurious. The horn 26 may be formed of wood as shown in Figure '3 and may be secured in position on the base 20 by wood screws 28 or other suitable fastening elements. The entire body 20 and horn 26 may be molded as an integral unit from a suitable plastic material. If desired, the entire body and horn may be covered as at 30 with leather, flexible sheet plastic or the like to improve the ornamental appearance of the device and to provide it with a softer surface. Obviously the top of the seat body 2li and the horn 2B may be padded, if desired.

Operation The device may be very quickly and easily placed in position by tilting the back of the body upwardly relative to the front, tilting one side of the body downwardly, and inserting such downwardly tilted side beneath the corresponding chair arm I 3 and between the supports I5 and I6. The opposite side of the body is then lowered and the body moved toward such side of the chair, whereupon the back edge 2l is 10W- ered into position on the seat II. The body 20 may be removed by reversing such procedure.

With the seat 20 in position, engagement of the back edge 2| with the supports IS prevents rearward movement of the seat 20. The arrangement of the projections 22 just back of the supports l5 prevents forward movement of e'ther or both sides of the supplemental seat. The width of the seat or body adjacent the forward edge thereof approximates the distance between the arms I5, and accordingly, these arms serve as stops to` prevent transverse movement of the seat relative to the chair. A child sits upon the seat 20, straddling the horn 2B, and this horn, engaging the upper portions of the legs of the child near the crotch, prevents the child from slumping down and sliding forwardly over the chair. The horn 26 also sliding or wriggling sideways' on the seat, and accordingly, the device serves most effectively to hold the child in proper position tov` facilitate-.the performance of dental work.

The seat is comfortable for the child to use, there being no discomfort `introduced through the use of the horn 26. Moreover, by forcing a child to sit with his back erect, and with the slight elevation afforded by the body 20, all except the smallest children will be better positioned for the resting of the head against the head rest I1. In this connection, it may be noted that the supplemental seat may be made of any desired thickness, for example, an inch or more. Moreover, the broad surface of the body 20 presented to the dental seat Il and the reduced weight of a child compared to the weight of an adult results in a reduced sinking of the body 20' relative to the upholstered seat Il. Thus a child will sit relatively higher in `a chair` to a degree greater than the thickness of the body 29.

The device, as stated, may be easily placed in position and removed. It is of very simple construction and accordingly may be economically manufactured. Since the deviceis relatively thin, it can be readily stored in a limited space when not in use.

I claim:

1. A supplemental seatv for dental and similar` chairs provided with a seat having a semicircular rear portieri, arms and supports therefor, and a back and supports therefor, comprising a body adapted to be arranged on the seat of the chair, and a horn carried by and projecting upwardly from said body between the sides thereof and toward the forward edge thereof to be straddled by the legs of a person sitting on said body, the back edge of said body being substantially semi-circular to correspond generally to the shape of the chair seat and to engage against supports for body at opposite sides thereof and adjacent the front of the body having lateral projections engageable with supports for the chair arms.

prevents therchild from.

the back of the seat, said' 2. In combination with a dental or similar chair having a seat, Iand having arms and a back provided with upwardly extending supports, a supplemental seat comprising a relatively flat body having back edge portions contactible with the back supports to limit rearward movement of said body, said body having opposite lateral projections rearwardly of the chair arm supports and engageable therewith to limit forward movement of said body relative to the chair, and a horn carried by and projecting upwardly from said body intermedi-ate the width and toward the forward edge of the body to be straddled by the legs of a person seated upon said body, said horn being arranged substantially rearwardly of the forwardedge of the chair seat.

. 3. In combination with a dental or like chair having a seat, and having arms and a back provided withv upwardly extending supports, a supplemental seat comprising a relatively at body theV rear edge of which is engageable with the supports for the backof the chair to limit rearward movement of said body, the supports for the arms being arranged substantially forwardly of the back supports and the sides of the chair being open reawardly of said arm supports, said body having opposite lateral projections arranged rearwardly of and adjacent the arm supports and engageable therewith to prevent forward movement of said body relative to the chair, said bodyt being of a width adjacent the arm supports approximating the distance between such supportsv to prevent transverse movement of said body relative to the chair, and a horn carried by and projecting upwardly from said body intermediate the width thereof and toward the front of said body and adapted to be straddled by the legs of a person seated upon said body, said horn being arranged substantially rearwardly of the forward edge of the chair seat.

LUCIAN C. HOLTZENDORFF.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 930,074 Jaspersen Aug. 3, 1909 1,247,161 Silverman Nov. 20, 1917 1,444,521' Pearl Feb. 6, 1923 1,452,911 Gronsdahl Apr. 24, 1923 2,307,709 Ooton Jan. 5, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country DateA 151,557 Great Britain Sept. 30, 1920

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