WO2010125177A1

WO2010125177A1 - Doctor's chair including a backrest, a seat and a leg rest forming a reclining integral structure

Info

Publication number: WO2010125177A1
Application number: PCT/EP2010/055896
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alain Duteil; Roland Balluais
Original assignee: Promotal
Priority date: 2009-04-30
Filing date: 2010-04-30
Publication date: 2010-11-04
Also published as: FR2944956B1; FR2944956A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a doctor's chair including a seat (35), a backrest (34), a leg rest (36), and a frame (30) including at least one leg (33, 70) intended for resting on the floor, said seat (35), said backrest (34) and said leg rest (36) being rigidly connected to said frame (30). According to the invention, said backrest (34), said seat (35) and said leg rest (36) form an integral structure (37), and the chair includes at least one rail for guidance in an arc of circle (38), said integral structure (37) being movable relative to said frame (30) along said guide rail (38) between at least: a reception position in which said seat (35) extends from said backrest (34) in a tilted fashion towards the floor at an angle φ relative to the horizontal and said backrest extends in a tilted fashion relative to the vertical towards the rear of said chair; a seating position in which said seat (35) extends essentially parallel to the floor; a lying position in which said backrest (34) extends essentially parallel to the floor.

Description

Medical chair comprising a backrest, a seat and a legrest forming a monobloc tilting structure 1. Field of the invention

The field of the invention is that of medical furniture. More specifically, the invention relates to a chair for use in medical office, medical center and mobile medical unit.

The invention relates in particular to medical chairs in which patients can take place in order to undergo different examinations or treatments, such as for example a blood test. 2. Prior Art

Figures 1 and 2 schematically illustrate a medical chair according to the prior art.

As it appears in FIGS. 1 and 2, a medical chair comprises a seat 10, a backrest 11 and a legrest 12 carried by a frame 13.

The frame 13 has feet 14 for resting the chair on the floor.

The backrest 11 and the legrest 12 may be pivoted relative to the seat 10 to provide the patient taking place in the chair a multitude of positions including: a sitting position, illustrated in Figure 1, wherein the backrest 11 and the legrest 12 extend substantially in a vertical direction, and an elongate position, illustrated in Figure 2, wherein the backrest 11 extends substantially in a horizontal direction.

This type of medical chair is very commonly used in medical practices and other hospital premises including as a chair for the practice of medical procedures. They have the particular advantages of being particularly robust and relatively comfortable because they offer a plurality of positions of use.

This type of chair nevertheless has some disadvantages. 3. Disadvantages of prior art

The back 11 and the legrest 12 are rotatably mounted relative to the seat 10 which is fixed so as to offer several positions to the patient.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the distance (D) between the end of the backrest 11 and the rear foot 14, when the chair is in the extended position, is much greater than the distance (d) separating the end of the backrest 11 and the rear foot 14, when the chair is in a sitting position. So as to allow to place the chair in the extended position, it can not be back, at a distance less than the distance (D), a partition of a room in which it is installed. The chairs of this type therefore have the disadvantage of being particularly bulky. This is particularly troublesome because, according to the current trend, the size of the examination rooms or medical acts, that is to say the premises or mobile units where they are practiced, is increasingly reduced mainly for reasons for cost.

When a patient sits in a chair of this type and the chair is moved from one position to another, the backrest and legrest slide relative to the body of the patient. The patient is then in a situation of discomfort. In order to recover a comfortable position, he must move his body relative to the backrest, the seat and the legrest. An armchair of this type therefore has the disadvantage of being uncomfortable to use and uncomfortable for the patient who sits there.

The movements of the backrest and legrest are uncorrelated. Thus, the wheelchair user must successively maneuver the backrest and the legrest so as to ensure the passage of the chair from one position to another. An armchair of this type therefore also has the disadvantage of being impractical to handle. The seat of a chair of this type is inclined towards the ground toward the back. It can thus be relatively difficult, especially for elderly people or persons with reduced mobility, to get out of such a chair.

The architecture of this type of chair implies that they have a large number of corners. These chairs are relatively difficult to clean. Their use can thus pose problems in terms of hygiene.

The architecture of these chairs also implies that they have a large number of parts including articulated relative to each other. These chairs are also quite complex and relatively difficult to maintain.

4. Objectives of the invention

The invention particularly aims to overcome all or part of the disadvantages of the prior art.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide, in at least one embodiment, a medical chair which is compact.

The invention aims to provide, in at least one embodiment, such a chair that provides people taking place better comfort than that provided by the chairs of the prior art.

Another object of the invention is to implement, in at least one embodiment, such a chair that is easy to handle.

The invention also aims to provide such a chair in which it is particularly easy to install and which it is particularly easy to get out.

The invention also aims to provide, in at least one embodiment, such a chair that is easy to maintain and clean.

5. Presentation of the invention

These objectives, as well as others that will appear later, are achieved with the aid of a medical chair comprising a seat, a backrest, a legrest, and a frame comprising at least one foot intended to rest on the seat. floor, said seat, said backrest and said legrest being secured to said frame. According to the invention, said backrest, said seat and said legrest form a one-piece structure, and the chair comprises at least one guide rail arcuate, said one-piece structure being movable relative to said frame along said guide rail according to a multitude of positions including at least: a reception position in which said seat extends from said backrest in an inclined manner towards the ground at an angle φ relative to the horizontal and said backrest extends so inclined relative to the vertical rearward of said chair; a sitting position in which said seat extends substantially parallel to the ground; an elongate position in which said backrest extends substantially parallel to the ground.

Thus, the invention is based on a completely new and inventive approach that consists of joining the seat, the backrest and the legrest of a medical chair in a monobloc structure mounted movable relative to the chassis of the chair along a rail in an arc so as to provide at least one sitting position and an extended position.

The implementation of a chair with such an architecture implies that the distance separating the end of the backrest and the foot, when the chair is in the extended position, is only slightly greater than the distance separating the end of the backrest. and the foot, when the chair is in a sitting position.

An armchair according to the invention can thus be installed near a partition regardless of the position in which the monobloc structure (seated or extended position) is placed. A chair according to the invention therefore has the advantage of being compact. It responds to the current constraints of reducing the size of examination rooms and other medical practices, hospitals or mobile medical units in which it is intended to be installed.

Furthermore, the backrest, the seat and the legrest of a chair according to the invention constitute a one-piece structure and are fixed relative to one another. to others. Thus, when a patient takes place in the chair and the one-piece structure is moved from one position to another, the body of the patient does not slip relative to the backrest, the seat and the legrest. The comfort of the patient is therefore not affected by a change of position of the monoblock structure. It is not necessary that the patient moves his body along the monobloc structure after it has been moved so that it finds a comfortable position.

An armchair according to the invention therefore also has the advantage of being very comfortable.

In addition, the implementation of a monobloc structure ensures the passage from one position to another without the need to independently manipulate the backrest, the seat and the legrest.

Another advantage of an armchair according to the invention is that it is particularly easy to handle.

The implementation of a monoblock structure also induces that a chair according to the invention has relatively few corners. Indeed, the one-piece structure has a continuous surface while according to the prior art the surface defined by the backrest, the seat and the legrest is discontinuous.

Thus, another advantage of an armchair according to the invention is that it is easy to clean which is interesting especially in terms of hygiene. The implementation of a monoblock structure also induces a chair according to the invention has a limited number of moving parts relative to each other.

An armchair according to the invention thus also has the advantage of being easy to maintain. The fact that in the home position, the seat is inclined to the front of the chair towards the floor makes it easier to install a patient in the chair and its extraction. The fact that in this position the backrest extends inclined relative to the vertical towards the back of the chair also facilitates the installation of a patient in the chair. This contributes to improving the comfort of use of a chair according to the invention, in particular for elderly people and people with reduced mobility.

According to an advantageous characteristic, in said elongate position, said legrest extends above said backrest.

In the reclining position, the patient's feet in the chair extend over his head. The flow of blood towards the head is then favored. Such a position may for example be adopted in order to help a patient come back to him after losing consciousness during a discomfort. The lying position then constitutes an emergency position.

According to a preferred characteristic, the value of said angle φ is advantageously between 7 ° and 20 °, and preferably between all equal to 10 °.

According to an advantageous characteristic, said seat forms with said leg rest an angle α whose value is between 85 ° and 125 °, and preferably equal to 100 °. Angles of inclination of the backrest relative to the seat and the leg rest relative to the seat taken in these ranges of values can provide a monoblock structure able to comfortably accommodate people of various morphologies. A chair according to the invention thus has a great versatility in terms of home. According to a preferred aspect of the invention, in said seated position, said seat is inclined towards the ground towards said backrest by an angle θ with respect to the ground, the value of said angle θ being between 5 ° and 30 °.

In the sitting position, the seat is therefore slightly inclined towards the floor toward the rear of the chair. This helps to ensure a good maintenance of a patient taking place in the chair, and in particular to prevent it from sliding forward of the chair.

According to a preferred aspect of the invention, said guide rail is integral with said one-piece structure, and in that said frame comprises guide means cooperating with said rail. This implementation makes it possible to ensure the simple but effective way guiding and moving the monobloc structure.

In a variant, a medical chair according to the invention comprises means for motorized movement of said one-piece structure from one to the other of said positions. This improves the comfort of use of the chair by facilitating its handling.

A medical chair according to the invention advantageously comprises means for adjusting the height of said one-piece structure relative to the ground.

This improves the ergonomics of the chair. 6. List of figures

Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly on reading the following description of preferred embodiments, given as simple illustrative and non-limiting examples, and the appended drawings, among which: FIGS. 2 are diagrams of a medical chair according to the prior art in a sitting position and in an extended position; Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of a medical chair according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 illustrates a side view of the medical chair shown in Figure 3 placed in the home position; Figure 5 illustrates a side view of the medical chair shown in Figure 3 placed in a sitting position; Figure 6 illustrates a side view of the medical chair shown in Figure 3 placed in an extended position; - Figure 7 illustrates a perspective view of a medical chair according to a second embodiment of the invention.

7. Description of an embodiment of the invention

7.1 Recall of the principle of invention

The general principle of the invention is based on a completely new and inventive approach which consists in assembling the seat, the backrest and the legrest a medical chair in a monobloc structure movably mounted relative to the frame of the chair along an arcuate rail so as to provide a plurality of positions including at least a home position, a sitting position and a position elongate. Such a chair thus has the advantage of being compact and can be installed near a partition regardless of the position in which the monobloc structure (sitting or lying position) is placed. This is possible because the distance (D) between the end of the backrest and the back foot, when the chair is lying down, is only slightly greater than the distance (d) between the end of the backrest and the back foot, when the chair is in a sitting position.

An armchair according to the invention is also very comfortable because the implementation of the one-piece structure implies that it is not necessary for the patient to move his body along the monobloc structure after it has been moved so that that he finds a comfortable position.

The implementation of the monoblock structure also leads to facilitate the handling, cleaning and maintenance of a chair according to the invention.

7.2 Example of a First Embodiment of a Chair According to the Invention With reference to FIG. 3, a first embodiment of a medical chair according to the invention is presented.

As it appears in this FIG. 3, such a medical chair comprises a frame 30. The frame 30 comprises two lateral plates 31. These plates 31 are secured to one another by means of sleepers 32 and feet 33 in the form of from U.

This chair comprises a backrest 34, a seat 35 and a legrest 36. They are joined together in a fixed manner to form a monobloc structure 37. The seat 35 forms with the back 34 an angle β equal to 115 °. The seat 35 forms with the legrest 36 an angle α equal to 100 °. The one-piece structure 37 has a front face 371 and a rear face 372.

The front face 371 is intended to accommodate a patient. It is covered with a layer of soft material such as foam and a protective and aesthetic coating such as imitation leather. In a variant, the face 371 may be made of more compact materials and / or transparent radio for particular applications.

Two guide rails 38 are secured on either side of the rear face 372 of the monoblock structure 37. These guide rails 38 have an open circular arc shape towards the upper part of the medical chair.

The crosspieces 32 project from both sides of the lateral faces 31 of the frame 30.

Guiding means, integral with the frame, cooperate with the guide rails 38. These guide means comprise rollers 39 secured to rotate at each end of each crosspiece 32.

The guide rails 38 cooperate with the rollers 39 in such a way that the one-piece structure 37 is mounted movably relative to the frame 30 between at least: a home position illustrated in FIG. 4; a sitting position illustrated in Figure 5; an extended position illustrated in Figure 6.

The monobloc structure 37 is tilting.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the one-piece structure 37 is in the home position, the seat 35 extends from the backrest 34 inclined to the ground by an angle φ equal to 10 ° by report horizontally.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the one-piece structure 37 is in the seated position, the seat 35 is inclined towards the ground towards the backrest 34 by an angle θ with the ground. The value of the angle θ is equal to 5 °. As shown in FIG. 6, when the one-piece structure 37 is in the extended or malaise position, the legrest 36 extends above the backrest 34.

The one-piece structure 37 can be rotated from one position to the other manually. The chair comprises locking means in position of the monoblock structure 37. These locking means comprise a rack. In variants, they may include a self-locking system by friction or any suitable means that can maintain the position of the monobloc structure. 7.3 Example of a Second Embodiment of a Chair According to the Invention

In relation to FIG. 7, a second embodiment of a medical chair according to the invention is presented.

An armchair according to this second embodiment has a large number of similarities with a chair according to the first embodiment. The same reference signs are used to designate identical elements. A medical chair according to this second embodiment differs from a chair according to the first embodiment in that the frame has a single central foot 70. This central foot 70 comprises a post 71 and a base 72 intended to rest on the ground. The frame comprises an upper plate 73 to which is secured rotation pole 71 so that the one-piece structure 37 can be pivoted along a vertical axis.

The back 34 of the monobloc structure 37 has an inclined portion 74 forming a headrest. A one-piece structure comprising a headrest 74 can also be implemented in a chair according to the first embodiment. 7.4 Variants

According to a variant of the first and second embodiments, the one-piece structure 37 is mounted to move in translation along a vertical axis. Its height position can thus be adjusted. A medical chair according to this variant then comprises a frame comprising a lower portion and an upper portion to which the one-piece structure is secured, as well as means for adjusting the height of the one-piece structure 37. These lower and upper parts are movable on one side. compared to each other. The height adjustment means comprise a hydraulic system positioned between the lower and upper portions of the frame and acting to translate the monobloc structure along a vertical axis. In a variant, the hydraulic system may be replaced by a pneumatic or electrical system, by a rack system, by a chisel system or parallelograms, or by any other suitable means.

According to another variant of the first and second embodiments, the movement of the monoblock structure 37 from one position to the other is provided motorized manner.

A medical chair according to this variant comprises a motor whose shaft is connected to a sprocket engrainant on a rack integral with one of the guide rails. Other alternative solutions may be implemented to motorize the movement of the monoblock structure.

According to another variant of the first and second embodiments, a single rail may be implemented to guide the monoblock structure. In this case, the inique rail will be placed essentially in the axis of the chair.

According to other variants, the guide rail or rails may be integral with the frame and the rollers may be integral with the one-piece structure.

Claims

A medical chair comprising a seat (35), a backrest (34), a leg rest (36), and a frame (30) comprising at least one foot (33, 70) intended to rest on the ground, said seat (35), said backrest (34) and said legrest (36) being secured to said frame (30), characterized in that said backrest (34), said seat (35) and said legrest (36) form a one-piece structure (37), and in that it comprises at least one arcuate guide rail (38), said one-piece structure (37) being movable relative to said frame (30) along said guide rail (38). ) in a plurality of positions including at least: a home position in which said seat (35) extends from said backrest (34) inclined to the ground at an angle φ relative to the horizontal and said backrest extends inclined relative to the vertical rearward of said chair; - a sitting position in which said seat (35) extends substantially parallel to the ground; an elongate position in which said backrest (34) extends substantially parallel to the ground.

2. Medical chair according to claim 1, characterized in that, in said elongate position, said leg rest (36) extends above said backrest (34).

3. Armchair according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the value of said angle φ is between 7 ° and 20 °.

4. Medical chair according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said seat (35) forms with said leg rest (36) an angle α whose value is between 85 ° and 125 °.

5. Armchair according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, in said sitting position, said seat (35) is inclined towards the ground towards said folder at an angle θ relative to the ground, the value said angle θ being between 5 ° and 30 °.

6. Medical chair according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said guide rail (38) is integral with said one-piece structure (37), and in that said frame (30) comprises guiding means (39) cooperating with said rail (38).

7. Medical chair according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises means for motorized movement of said monobloc structure (37) from one to the other of said positions.

8. Medical chair according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises means for adjusting the height of said one-piece structure (37) relative to the ground.