Vehicular seat for handicapped and elderly persons

• US 4,600,239 A
• Filed: 05/06/1985
• Issued: 07/15/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rosemarie R. Kraft
• Original Assignee: Rosemarie R. Kraft
• Inventors: Gerstein, Milton S., Kraft, Rosemarie R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lyddane, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, Peter R.
• Application Number:
  US06/730,494
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• Field of Search: 297/330, 297/346, 297/349, 297/433, 297/434, 248/425, 5/81 B, 5/81 R, 296/65 R
• US Class Current: 297/344.23
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2220/16 Buses
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 3/06 Transfer using ramps, lifts or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/245 for handicapped persons

Abstract

A vehicular seat for handicapped and elderly persons is disclosed which is readily accommodated in any type of conventional vehicle, such as automobile, van, bus and the like. The vehicular seat is given three degrees of freedom of movement, the first degree being a rotary one in a horizontal plane about a shiftable vertical axis of rotation, the second being a rectilinear one in a horizontal plane, and the third being rotary in a horizontal plane about a fixed vertical rotary axis. The three degrees of freedom allow for angular positioning of the seat proper relative to the ajar door, so as to ensure minimal interference between the person being seated and the frame and ajar door of the vehicle. The seat proper is provided with a pair of leg rests, each being independently maneuverable and locked in place by a manually-rotatable lever detent which has a lower end having an arcuate cut-out portion for receiving therein one detent rod of a plurality of parallel detent rods, each rod spanning the width of the rear surface of the leg rest to position each leg rest at a desired pivotal orientation.

Claims

1. A vehicular seat for handicapped and elderly persons, comprising, in combination:

a seat proper having a bottom portion;

first means operatively connected to said seat proper for mounting said seat proper for rotation about a first vertical pivot axis;

said first means comprising a carriage mounted for reciprocal movement, and also comprising a pivot means upstanding from said carriage rotatably mounting said seat proper for rotation about said first vertical pivot axis;

second means mounting said carriage for reciprocal movement, said second means comprising a horizontal track means;

said carriage of said first means having means for guided movement along said said track means so as to define a horizontally-shiftable first vertical pivot axis;

third means for rotatably mounting said track means of said second means for rotation about a second vertical pivot axis;

said third means comprising an upstanding pivot shaft defining said second vertical pivot axis, said pivot means being laterally movable relative to said pivot shaft to thereby define an adjustable, eccentric rotation of said seat proper relative to said upstanding pivot shaft, so that said seat proper may be angularly adjusted to the position of the open door of the vehicle, and also be adjusted so that, depending upon its position along said track means, its position relative to the opening of the door of the vehicle may be changed and preset;

said upstanding pivot shaft and said pivot means being substantially in axial co-linear alignment for normal uses of said seat proper when said seat proper is positioned within the vehicle and not projecting outwardly of the vehicular door, so that said pivot shaft and pivot post rotate as one unit without eccentric rotation of said seat proper;

means for selectively and fixedly positioning said seat proper in a desired relative rotational orientation with respect to said track means, whereby said seat proper may be rotated relative to said carriage means and said track means to orient said seat proper at any desired angular position with respect to said track means; and

means for mounting the lower portion of said pivot shaft to the frame of the vehicle to which said seat proper is to be mounted.

2. The vehicular seat for handicapped and elderly persons according to claim 1, wherein said track means comprises a track in which said means for guided movement of said carriage reciprocate, said track having a first end and a second end spaced from said first end;

said first end of said track comprising a first upstanding abutment stop means and said second end of said track comprising a second upstanding abutment stop means;

said abutment stop means defining the horizontal limits of conjoint movement of said carriage and said seat proper;

said track comprising a pair of telescopingly-arranged track elements, one said track element be mounted for sliding movement within the other of said track elements, so that said one track element may be alternatively extended and retracted in order to change the effective length of said track, whereby said track can be accommodated in any type and size of vehicle, so that the rotation of the track and, therefore, the seat, can be accomplished more efficiently and safely.

3. The vehicular seat according to claim 2, wherein said track further comprises means for fixedly securing said track elements at a desired plurality of relative positions;

each of said track elements comprising an upper roof portion for preventing said means for guided movement from escaping therefrom, so that once said seat proper is extended along said track to its outward-most position, the bending moments created by a person sitting on said seat proper are counteracted by said upper roof portions of said track elements in contact with said means for guided movement.

4. The vehicular seat according to claim 1, wherein said means for fixedly positioning said seat proper in a desired relative rotational orientation comprises an annular plate fixedly mounted to the underside of said seat proper, said annular plate having a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes, said annular plate having a diameter greater than the width of said seat proper so that at least two diametrically-opposed portions of said annular plate project beyond the side-edge faces of said seat proper, so that a person sitting on the seat can gain access to the holes therein;

said carriage comprising an upper portion having a similar series of circumferentially-spaced holes that are alignable with said circumferentially-spaced holes of said annular plate; and

a plurality of detent pins for insertion through the mutually-aligned circumferentially-spaced holes of said annular plate and said upper portion of said carriage, so that said seat may be locked in a desired angular orientation relative to said carriage.

5. The vehicular seat according to claim 1, further comprising at least one pivotal leg rest having a first end pivotally attached to the front portion of said seat proper and a second end from said first end;

and means for selectively positioning said leg rest at a plurality of desired angular orientations relative to said front portion of said seat proper and comprising a pivotal lever arm having a first end pivoted to the underside of said seat proper rearwardly of said front portion to which said leg rest is pivoted, and a second end remote from said first end having freedom for pivotal movement thereby;

said second end of said pivotal lever arm comprising a bifurcated end;

said leg rest comprising a plurality of rear, parallel detent bars spaced from the rear surface of said leg rest a distance allowing said second end of said pivotal lever arm to abut thereagainst when said second end of said pivotal lever arm is inserted between two adjacent ones of said detent rods, so that when said second end of said pivotal lever arm abuts against said rear surface of said leg rest, the leg rest and said pivotal lever arm are locked in place without any relative pivotal movement therebetween being possible;

said bifurcated second end of said pivotal lever arm also allowing for engagement in a desired one of said plurality of detent rods, so as to allow additional intermediate positions of said leg rest relative to said front portion of said seat proper, an upper portion of said bifurcated second end of said pivotal lever arm being in contact with the lower portion of a detent rod above the detent rod to which it is secured when said bifurcated end is engaged with a desired one of said detent rods, the contact therebetween preventing any relative movement between said leg rest and said pivotal lever arm to thus lock in place said leg rest at a desired one of the positions relative to said front portion of said seat proper, without any additional locking structure necessary to keep said leg rest at a desired one of said chosen angular positions relative to said front portion of said seat proper.

6. The vehicular seat according to claim 5, wherein said leg rest comprises a pair of rearwardly extending, oppositely-disposed side plates between which the opposite ends of each said detent rod is mounted in spaced relationship from said rear surface of said leg rest;

each of said side plate extending rearwardly and away from a respective side edge surface of said rear surface of said leg rest.

7. The vehicular seat according to claim 1, further comprising buttressing means for buttressing said seat proper when it is extended outwardly of the ajar vehicular door and a person is seated thereupon, said buttressing means comprising a rigid bar having a first end pivotally connected to a rear underside surface portion of said seat proper, and a second end having a cam follower;

said means for mounting said pivot shaft to the frame of said vehicle comprising an arcuate channel in which said cam follower moves to limit the movement thereof and to confine the movement thereof to a desired path;

said arcuate channel having a first end adjacent a first side edge surface of said seat proper and a second end arcuately spaced from said first end toward an oppositely disposed second side edge surface of said seat proper, so that as said seat proper is rotated, said cam follower moves in said arcuate channel to thereby absorb any bending moments created on said seat proper by a person being seated thereon.

8. A vehicular seat for handicapped and elderly persons to aid in their entry into the vehicle and egress therefrom, comprising:

a seat upon which a person may sit;

a carriage pivotally mounting the underside of said seat for rotation in a first horizontal plane, said carriage comprising a vertical pivot pin for rotatably mounting said seat for said rotation in said horizontal plane;

track means mounting said carriage for reciprocal movement in a second horizontal plane, such that said carriage may be moved back and forth;

upstanding pivot means for pivotally mounting said track means for conjoint rotation with said carriage about a vertical pivot axis, such that said seat may be rotated in a first horizontal plane singly, may be reciprocated back and forth along said track means, and may be rotated conjointly with said track means about said vertical pivot axis, such that said seat may be given any degree of freedom of movement which may combined with any other degree of freedom of movement thereof;

means for driving said carriage along said track means in reciprocal fashion;

said vertical pivot axis and said pivot pin normally being in coaxial alignment during normal positioning of said seat in the vehicle thereof, said pivot pin being horizontally-shiftable within a horizontal plane relative to said vertical axis to thereby allow eccentric revolution of said pivot pin about said vertical axis;

said track means comprising a first track element, and a second track element telescopingly mounted within said first track element for selected and fixed extension therefrom, and means for selectively and fixedly positioning said second track element relative to said first track element for a selected, fixed extension therefrom, to thereby vary the stroke of reciprocating travel of said carriage;

said first track element having a first stop member at one end thereof for limiting the movement of said carriage in one direction, and said second track element having a second stop member at one end thereof for limiting the reciprocal travel of said carriage in the other direction thereof;

said carriage comprising means for movement in said first and second track elements, whereby said seat may be adjusted to the size of an opening of the vehicle; and

to the angle of the ajar door thereof, whereby said seat may be projected outwardly of said vehicle at an angle most propitious to the seating of an elderly or handicapped person thereon.

9. A vehicular seat for elderly and handicapped persons to allow easy seating in a vehicle, comprising:

seat means upon which a person may sit;

carriage means mounting said seat means for reciprocal movement in a horizontal plane, said carriage comprising pivot means for pivotally rotating said seat means about a vertical axis;

said seat means comprising at least one leg rest portion having a first end pivotally connected to a front portion of said seat means and a second end remote from said first end, and means for adjustably positioning said at least one leg rest portion at a plurality of relative angular positions;

said leg rest portion comprising a pair of side walls projecting from opposite side edges thereof to limit lateral movement of a leg resting thereupon, and a pair of rearwardly extending side wall surfaces, said leg rest portion further comprising a plurality of parallel detent rods mounted between said rearwardly-extending side wall surfaces;

said means for adjustably positioning said leg rest portion in a plurality of adjustable positions comprising a first lever arm pivotally connected to an underside surface portion of said seat means, and a second end remote from said first end thereof and comprising a C-shaped cut-out for reception therein of one of said detent rods;

said leg rest portion comprising a substantially flat plate upon which the leg rests, said plate comprising a front surface and a rear surface, said plurality of detent rods lying rearwardly of said rear surface of said plate;

said plurality of detent rods being spaced an equal distance from said rear surface of said plate, the spacing between adjacent ones of said detent rods allowing for the insertion therethrough of said second, C-shaped end of said lever arm such that said second end of said lever arm abuts against said rear surface of said flat plate for intermediate positions of said leg rest portion, whereby a plurality of adjustable and fixed positions of said leg rest portion are achievable by the insertion of said C-shaped second end of said lever arm into one of said plurality of detent rods or between adjacent ones of said plurality of detent rods;

said C-shaped opening of said second end of said lever arm having at least one edge surface thereof that abuts against said rear surface of said plate when said C-shaped cut-out is inserted into one of said plurality of detent rods to thereby prevent the downward pivotal movement of said leg rest portion thereby, said second end of said lever arm when positioned between adjacent ones of said detent rods preventing also the downward rotation of said leg rest portion by the contact of said second end against said rear surface of said plate and against an adjacent upper one of said detent rods.