Heavy lift chair

• US 7,090,297 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2004
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: La-Z-Boy Incorporated
• Original Assignee: La-Z-Boy Incorporated
• Inventors: Resovsky, Andrew C, Mohn, Michael E, LaPointe, Larry P
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US10/964,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20060076813A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 297/344.12, 297/344.17, 297/326, 297/325, 297/330, 297/85, 297/DIG.10, 297/338, 297/339
• US Class Current: 297/330
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/12 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/14 Standing-up or sitting-down aids
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 297/10 Occupant-arising assist

Abstract

A power-assisted heavy lift chair comprises a base assembly. A chair frame is supported on the base assembly. A lift mechanism communicates with the base assembly and the chair frame, and is operable to actuate the chair frame between first and second positions. A transformer provides electrical power to an electric motor. The electric motor provides rotational power to the lift mechanism at a first rate to lift and/or lower the chair frame. The electric motor draws current from the transformer according to a load upon the chair frame. The rate that the electric motor lifts and/or lowers the chair frame depends upon the voltage provided by the transformer. The transformer is operable to provide a generally constant voltage regardless of the current draw of the electric motor. Therefore, the electric motor lifts and/or lowers the chair at a constant rate independent of the load on the chair.

Claims

1. A power-assisted heavy lift chair comprising:

a base assembly,

a chair frame supported on the base assembly,

a lift mechanism that includes a rotational shaft, the rotational shaft communicating with the base assembly and the chair frame, and being operable to raise and lower the chair frame between raised and lowered positions;

a transformer that receives a first voltage from a power supply and is operable to output a second voltage at a constant value independently of the current;

an electric motor that draws current from the transformer according to a load on the chair frame, receives the second voltage, and provides rotational power to the lift mechanism via the rotational shaft at a first rate according to the second voltage independently of the current;

wherein the rotational shaft rotates at a rate dependently of the second voltage and independently of a load on the chair so that the lift chair raises and lowers at a constant rate.

2. The power-assisted heavy lift chair of claim 1 wherein the base assembly further comprises:

a first frame member that is stationary; and

a second frame member that is actually attached to the first frame member and fixedly attached to the chair frame, wherein the lift mechanism communicates with the first frame member and the second frame member.

3. The power-assisted heavy lift chair of claim 1 wherein the second voltage is a DC voltage.

4. The power-assisted heavy lift chair of claim 1 further comprising a heating element that provides heat to one or more areas of the heavy lift chair.

5. The power-assisted heavy lift chair of claim 4 wherein the transformer is further operable to output a third voltage.

6. The power-assisted heavy lift chair of claim 4 wherein the third voltage is an AC voltage.

7. The power-assisted heavy lift chair of claim 4 wherein the heating element receives the third voltage.

8. The power-assisted heavy lift chair of claim 7 further comprising an electrical power controller that receives the second voltage and the third voltage from the transformer.

9. The power-assisted heavy lift chair of claim 8 wherein the electrical power controller is operable to distribute the second voltage to the electric motor and the third voltage to the heating pad.

10. The power-assisted heavy lift chair of claim 9 wherein the electrical power controller is operable to stop distributing the third voltage to the heating pad if the electric power controller is distributing the second voltage to the electric motor.

11. The power-assisted heavy lift chair of claim 4 further comprising one or more switches for controlling power to the heating pad and the electric motor.

12. The power-assisted heavy lift chair of claim 11 wherein the switches are located on an arm of the chair frame.

13. The power-assisted heavy lift chair of claim 11 wherein the switches are located on a control device that is electrically connected to the heavy lift chair.

14. The power-assisted heavy lift chair of claim 1 wherein the lift mechanism is operable to actuate the chair frame from the first position to the second position within a threshold of a first period and is operable to actuate the chair frame from the second position to the first position within said threshold.

15. The power-assisted heavy lift chair of claim 14 wherein the chair frame is operable to support a load and the lift mechanism is operable to actuate the chair frame from the first position to the second position within the threshold and is operable to actuate the chair frame from the second position to the first position within the threshold independent of the load.

16. A power-assisted heavy lift chair comprising:

a base assembly;

a chair frame supported on the base assembly that is operable to support a load;

a lift mechanism that communicates with the base assembly and the chair frame, and that is operable to actuate the chair frame between first and second positions within a threshold of a first period independent of the load;

an electric motor that communicates with the lift mechanism and provides rotational power to the lift mechanism;

a transformer that receives an AC voltage from a power supply and is operable to output a constant DC voltage;

wherein

the electric motor receives the constant DC voltage and draws current from the transformer according to a load on the chair frame, wherein the electric motor provides the rotational power at a first rate according to the constant DC voltage.