Integrated ophthalmic examination chair and positioning system

• US 5,580,023 A
• Filed: 05/18/1995
• Issued: 12/03/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Towa Medical Instruments Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: R H Burton Company
• Inventors: Wood, David E., Intrieri, Kevin W., Burton, Roy H.
• Primary Examiner(s): FOSS, J
• Application Number:
  US08/444,004
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 248/429, 248/424, 248/430, 297/344.14, 297/344.13, 297/344.11, 297/DIG. 4
• US Class Current: 248/430
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/18 Arrangement of plural eye-testing or -examining apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/42 with arrangement for propelling the support stands on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/425 along guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/02 Locking means
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/06 Arms

Abstract

An ophthalmic examination chair having an integrated positioning capability for providing wheel chair access to an associated instrument stand accommodating the examining of disabled patients. The chair has a seat member which is configured to receive a seated patient and is movable from a forward position spacing the seated patient at a predetermined distance from an eye examination target. A lower base member is provided as extending along a longitudinal axis between a forward end and a rearward end, and as having an upper and a lower surface. An upper carriage member, having a bottom surface and a top surface supporting the seat member thereon, is supported on the upper surface of the base member for movement between the forward and the rearward end thereof along the longitudinal axis to position the seat member at the forward position and at a rearward position providing access to the instrument stand by a wheel chair patient positioned at the predetermined distance from the eye examination target. A locking assembly is employed to releasably lock the carriage member in a forward orientation disposing the examination chair at the forward position, and in a rearward orientation disposing the examination chair at the rearward position.

Claims

1. An ophthalmic examination chair normally disposed at a forward position for use in conjunction with an instrument stand and movable therefrom to provide access at said forward position for a wheelchair comprising:

a seat member configured to receive a seated patient at said forward position;

a carriage member having a bottom portion and a top portion supporting said seat member thereon, and including at least a pair of spaced apart guide rollers mounted at said bottom portion, for supporting and guiding the movement of said seat member,

a base member extending along a longitudinal axis between a forward end and a rearward end, having an upper and a lower surface, a pair of spaced apart guide slots formed through said upper surface, extending in generally parallel relationship with said longitudinal axis and having side surfaces for receiving and movably supporting said carriage member guide rollers for moving said carriage and supported seat member into and a predetermined distance away from said forward position, said predetermined distance being selected to provide access for said wheelchair at said forward position, including a pair of spaced-apart guide channels, extending beneath in registry and open communication with a corresponding one of said guide slots, and a pair of guide members, each being slideably located within a said guide channel and fastened to said carriage member for retaining said carriage member upon said base member; and

a locking assembly for releasably locking said carriage member upon said base member.

2. The examination chair of claim 1 further comprising a forward stop member mounted to the upper surface of said base member at the forward end thereof, said stop member configured to abuttingly engage said carriage member to dispose said seat member at said forward position.

3. The examination chair of claim 1 further comprising a rearward stop member mounted to the upper surface of said base member at the rearward end thereof, said stop member configured to abuttingly engage said carriage member to dispose said seat member adjacent said base member rearward end.

4. The examination chair of claim 1 wherein:

said side surfaces are inwardly sloping and extend intermediate the forward and rearward ends of said base member generally parallel to said longitudinal axis; and

each of said guide rollers is vertically mounted to the bottom surface of said carriage member as having an axis of rotation generally parallel thereto, the outer periphery of each of said guide rollers having a profile configured to be received on the said side surfaces of said corresponding one of said guide slots.

5. The examination chair of claim 1 wherein said bottom portion of said carriage member is formed as having at least a pair of recesses each configured to receive a portion of a corresponding one of said rollers therewithin, said chair further comprising at least a pair of axles each having a first end supported within said carriage member and extending across a corresponding one of said recesses to second end supported within said carriage member, each of said axles rotatably supporting a corresponding one of said rollers intermediate said first and said second end.

6. The examination chair of claim 5 wherein each of said axles extends from said second end to a threaded terminal region fastened within a corresponding threaded aperture formed into said carriage member.

7. The examination chair of claim 1 wherein said locking assembly comprises:

a shaft pivotally mounted on said carriage member and extending to a bossed portion formed as having a first and second camming surface; and

a follower member connected to at least one of said guide members and movable by the pivoting of said shaft from a first position supported on said first camming surface disposing said one of said guide members in a freely slidable orientation within said guide channel to a second position supported on said second camming surface disposing said one of said guide members in all abutting orientation with said guide channel locking said carriage member in a fixed position with respect to said base member.

8. The examination chair of claim 7 wherein said locking assembly further comprises:

at least one elongate coupling member extending slidably through said follower member from a first end having a bearing surface to a second end fastened to said one of said guide members; and

a biasing assembly interposed between said bearing surface and said follower member, said biasing assembly normally biasing said follower member against said bossed portion of said shaft and being compressible into said bearing surface by the movement of said follower member disposing said one of said guide members in said abutting orientation with said guide channel.

9. The examination chair of claim 8 wherein said biasing assembly includes a compressible spring member coaxially received on said coupling member.

10. The examination chair of claim 9 wherein said spring member is formed of at least a pair of beveled washers, each of said beveled washers having a concave surface disposed opposing a corresponding concave surface of another said washer.

11. The examination chair of claim 1 wherein the lower surface of said base member is provided with a covering layer having a coefficient of static friction selected as effective to delimit any movement of said base member as said carriage member is moved along the longitudinal axis thereof.

12. The examination chair of claim 11 wherein said covering layer is formed of a polymeric material having a plurality of ribs oriented to extend generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said base member.

13. The examination chair of claim 1 wherein said base member upper surface is formed as having a widthwise extent configured to receive the rear wheels of the wheel chair thereon.

14. The examination chair of claim 13 wherein said base member forward end is formed as having a generally trapezoidal profile forming a pair of confrontation surfaces for abuttingly engaging the front wheels of the wheel chair.

15. The examination chair of claim 14 wherein said confrontation surfaces are inclined rearwardly for facilitating the movement of the rear wheels of the wheel chair onto said base member upper surface.

16. The examination chair of claim 3 wherein said examination chair is positioned to abuttingly engage the wheel chair for its positioning effective to space the patient therein at said predetermined distance from the eye examination target when said carriage member is in abuttable engagement with said rearward stop member.

17. The examination chair of claim 1 wherein said base member forward end is formed as having a generally trapezoidal profile configured to be received between the rear wheels of the wheel chair.

18. The examination chair of claim 1 wherein said lower base member is defined as having an outer periphery, at least a portion of which is formed as a rearwardly inclined surface.

19. The examination chair of claim 1 in which said predetermined distance is about 20 inches.

20. A method of providing access by patient in a wheel chair to an ophthalmic instrument stand having an associated examination chair and eye examination target, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing said examination chair as comprising;

a seat member configured to receive a seated patient and movable from a forward position spacing the seated patient a predetermined distance from the eye examination target;

a lower base member extending along a longitudinal axis between a forward end and a rearward end and having an upper and a lower surface; and

an upper carriage member having a bottom surface and a top surface supporting said seat member thereon, said carriage member being supposed on the upper surface of said base member for movement between the forward and the rearward end thereof along said longitudinal axis to position said seat member at said forward position and at a rearward position for providing access to the instrument stand by the patient in a wheel chair;

(b) moving said carriage member of said examination chair rearwardly along the longitudinal axis of said base member to move said seat member from said forward position to said rearward position;

(c) moving the wheel chair rearwardly over said base member of said examination chair; and

(d) positioning the wheel chair to space the patient therein at said predetermined distance from the eye examination target.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the wheel chair is moved rearwardly over said base member of said examination chair into an abutting engagement therewith positioning the wheel chair effective to space the patient therein at said predetermined distance from the eye examination target.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the wheel chair is moved rearwardly over said base member of said examination chair with the rear wheels of the wheel chair being received on the upper surface of said base member.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein said examination chair is provided as further comprising a locking assembly for releasably locking said carriage member in a forward orientation disposing said seat member at said forward position and in a rearward orientation disposing said seat member at said rearward position, said method further comprising the step after step (b) of locking said carriage member in said rearward orientation.