Chair for the elderly

• US 5,312,161 A
• Filed: 12/27/1991
• Issued: 05/17/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Suzanne P. Mars
• Original Assignee: Suzanne P. Mars
• Inventors: Mars, Suzanne P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bonifanti, J.
• Application Number:
  US07/815,550
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 297/430, 297/431, 297/423, 297/423.2, 297/423.21
• US Class Current: 297/423.2
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/506 of adjustable type
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/62 Accessories for chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/626 directly under the seat
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/14 Standing-up or sitting-down aids

Abstract

A chair specially adapted for providing added comfort and support to an elderly person is provided. The chair includes a seat member and arm rests which are disposed laterally of the seat member. A support frame is provided for supporting the seat member and the arm rests. The support frame includes a base frame defining a hollow cavity. A foot support assembly for supporting the feet and leg portions of the elderly person are provided. The foot support assembly is slidable relative to the base frame and has the capacity to be selectively stored in the hollow cavity of the base frame when the foot support assembly is not in use.

In a preferred example of the present invention, the base frame has a rear edge and the foot support assembly includes a platform slidably connected to the base frame. Substantial portions of the hollow cavity are covered by the platform when the same is disposed in a storage position and the rear edge of the platform is disposed proximate to the rear edge of the base frame when the platform is disposed in the storage position. Preferably, the foot support assembly includes a sub-assembly for slidably moving the platform relative to the hollow cavity defined by the base frame.

Claims

1. A chair especially adapted for providing added comfort and support to an elderly person, the chair comprising:

a seat member disposed at a vertical elevation of about 20-21 inches above the surface on which the chair is resting;

arm rests being disposed laterally of the seat member, the arm rests disposed at a vertical elevation of about 28-29 inches above the surface on which the chair is resting;

support means for supporting the seat member and the arm rests, the support means including a base frame defining a hollow cavity;

foot support means for supporting the feet of the elderly person, the foot support means being disposed at a vertical elevation of about 4-5 inches above the surface on which the chair is resting, the foot support means being slidable in a horizontal plane relative to the base frame, and the foot support means having the capacity to be selectively stored in the hollow cavity of the base frame when the foot support means is not in use; and

back rest means for supporting the back of the elderly person, the back rest means including a first section and a second section, wherein the first and second sections are integrally connected, and wherein the first and second sections, in combination, are configured to define a shape substantially similar to the contour of the lumbar area of the elderly person'"'"'s back.

2. The chair of claim 1, wherein the first section is angled relative to the vertical by a first predetermined angle, wherein the second section is disposed above the first section, and wherein the second section is angled relative to the vertical by a second predetermined angle.

3. The chair of claim 2, wherein the second predetermined angle is about 10°

-20°

.

4. A chair especially adapted for providing added comfort and support to an elderly person, the chair comprising:

a seat member disposed at a vertical elevation of about 20-21 inches above the surface on which the chair is resting, the seat member being disposed at an angle of about 2°

-12°

relative to a horizontal plane;

arm rests being disposed laterally of the seat member, the arm rests disposed at a vertical elevation of about 28-29 inches above the surface on which the chair is resting;

support means for supporting the seat member and the arm rests, the support means including a base frame defining a hollow cavity;

foot support means for supporting the feet of the elderly person, the foot support means being disposed at a vertical elevation of about 4-5 inches above the surface on which the chair is resting, the foot support means being slidable in a horizontal plane relative to the base frame, and the foot support means having the capacity to be selectively stored in the hollow cavity of the base frame when the foot support means is not in use; and

wherein a substantial portion of the foot support means is disposed at the same angle relative to a horizontal plane as the seat member.

5. A chair especially adapted for providing added comfort and support to a elderly person, the chair comprising:

a seat member being angled relative to a horizontal plane and having a front edge, the seat member being disposed at a vertical elevation of about 20-21 inches above the surface on which the chair is resting;

arm rests being disposed laterally of the seat member, the arm rests disposed at a vertical elevation of about 28-29 inches above the surface on which the chair is resting;

support means for supporting the seat member and the arm rests, portions of the support means and the arm rests being disposed forwardly of the front edge of the seat member to facilitate lowering and raising of the elderly person into the chair, the support means including a base frame defining a hollow cavity having an opening;

foot support means for supporting the feet of the elderly person, the foot support means being disposed at a vertical elevation of about 4-5 inches above the surface on which the chair is resting, the foot support means being slidable in a horizontal plane relative to the base frame, and the foot support means being selectively stored in the hollow cavity of the base frame; and

back rest means for supporting the back of the elderly person, the back rest means having a first section and a second section, the first section being integrally connected to the second section, and the first and second sections being configured to assume the contour of a lumbar portion of the elderly person'"'"'s back.

6. The chair of claim 5, wherein the seat member is disposed to an angle of about 2°

-12°

relative to a horizontal plane.

7. The chair of claim 6, wherein a substantial portion of the foot support means is disposed at the same angle relative to a horizontal plane as the seat member.