Back support, orientation mechanism and method

• US 8,567,863 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2011
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sunrise Medical Us LLC (Sunrise Medical Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Aspen Seating LLC
• Inventors: Hetzel, Thomas R., Stevens, Rex, Roemmich, Bruce D., Maurus, Steven C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brindley, Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US13/039,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20120223560A1
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 297/440.2, 297/284.4, 297/284.5, 297/354.11, 297/354.12
• US Class Current: 297/284.4
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1048 for the back-rest
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1064 adjusting the depth of the seat
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1067 adjusting the backrest relative to the seat portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/12 Rests specially adapted therefor, e.g. for the head or the feet
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/122 for the back
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/481 Method
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A back support is pivotally oriented to locate a pivot point relative to posterior superior iliac spines of a seated user, such that when an upper portion of the back support contacts the upper torso of the user and moves to a desired angular orientation to balance the upper torso over the pelvic area, the back support transfers support to the posterior superior iliac spines to maintain the pelvic skeletal structure in alignment. A lower portion of the back support angularly contacts, supports and confines gluteal and buttocks tissue of the user independently of the degree of pivotal orientation of the upper portion.

Claims

1. Apparatus for supporting a back support from a frame of a seating device with the back support adaptively contacting an upper torso of a user when a pelvic skeletal structure of the user is supported from a seat support located on the frame of the seating device with gluteal and buttocks tissue of the user located above a rear portion of the seat support, comprising:

a substantially rigid back shell adapted to orient and retain the back support to contact and support the upper torso and posterior superior iliac spines of the pelvic skeletal structure of the user, the back shell having a lower edge; and

a back support orientation mechanism connected between the back shell and the frame of the seating device to adaptively position and orient the back support relative to the upper torso and the posterior superior iliac spines of the user while the pelvic skeletal structure is supported from the seat support, and wherein;

the back support orientation mechanism includes a pivot mechanism which is operative to pivot the back shell about a pivot point;

the back support orientation mechanism is operative to adaptively position the lower edge of the back shell below a reference extending between the pivot point and posterior superior iliac spines while the pelvic skeletal structure is supported from the seat support and to adaptively position the lower edge of the back shell above a substantial majority of the gluteal and buttocks tissue;

the back support includes a back support cushion;

the back support cushion includes an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion is retained by the back shell to adaptively contact the upper torso and to adaptively transfer support to the posterior superior iliac spines, the lower portion of the back support cushion extends from the upper portion of the back support cushion to a position below the lower edge of the back shell to adaptively contact the gluteal and buttocks tissue of the user;

the back support cushion includes at least one stay member which extends within the back support cushion from the upper portion to the lower portion, the stay member adjustably orienting the lower portion at a predetermined angular orientation relative to the upper portion independently of a pivot orientation of the back shell and the upper portion retained by the back shell, the stay member resisting changes in and maintaining the predetermined angular orientation of the lower portion relative to the upper portion of the back support cushion and the back shell.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the back support orientation mechanism positions the lower edge of the back shell at a location no lower than necessary to adaptively transfer support through the back support to the posterior superior iliac spines.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the lower edge of the back shell tapers transversely inward and upward, with an uppermost position of the lower edge centered adaptively approximately at a sacrum of the pelvic skeletal structure when the pelvic skeletal structure is supported from the seat support and the back support contacts the upper torso to transfer support to the posterior superior iliac spines of the pelvic skeletal structure.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the stay member is elongated and has an upper part and a lower part, the lower part is bendable with respect to the upper part to adjust the lower portion of the back support cushion at the predetermined angular orientation relative to the upper portion of the back support cushion.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the back support cushion further comprises:

an envelope cover surrounding the cushion, the envelope cover including a front cover piece adapted to contact the upper torso of the user and a rear cover piece contacting the back shell; and

wherein;

the upper part of each stay member is retained in a pocket connected to the rear cover piece.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein the back support cushion further comprises:

a flexible contour platform located within the envelope cover adjacent to and in front of the rear cover piece and the stay member;

pelvic support wedges located within the envelope cover and connected to the contour platform at a position within the upper portion of the cushion, the pelvic support wedges adapted to induce support on tissue adjacent to iliac crests of the pelvic skeletal structure of the user when the user is seated on the seat support; and

a layer of padding material located within the envelope cover in front of the contour platform and the pelvic support wedges and behind the front cover piece.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein:

the upper part of each stay member is retained within the upper portion of the cushion in a substantially immovable relationship to the back shell when the upper portion of the cushion is retained by the back shell.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the back support cushion includes pelvic support wedges located within the upper portion of the back support cushion which are adapted to induce support on iliac crests of the pelvic skeletal structure of the user.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the seating device is a wheelchair which has a frame that includes upright canes; and

the back support orientation mechanism operatively connects the back shell to the canes.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the back support orientation mechanism further comprises:

an attachment bracket connectable to the frame;

an attachment assembly connectable to the back shell; and

an adjustment assembly operative between the attachment bracket and the attachment assembly to establish adjustable movement and retention of the attachment assembly relative to the attachment bracket in forward and backward directions, and in upward and downward directions, and in forward and backward pivotal directions, and wherein;

the adjustment assembly establishes the movement and retention in all of the forward and backward directions, in the upward and downward directions and in the forward and backward pivotal directions independently of any movement and retention in any of the other directions.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the adjustment assembly comprises:

a pair of movement brackets connected to one another and between the attachment bracket and the attachment assembly and movable with respect to one another and the attachment bracket and the attachment assembly, the movement of one of the movement brackets moving the attachment assembly in the forward and backward directions with respect to the attachment bracket, and the movement of the other one of the movement brackets moving the attachment assembly in the upward and downward directions with respect to the attachment bracket, and the attachment assembly pivoting in the forward and backward pivotal directions relative to one of the movement brackets.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the attachment assembly comprises:

a latch assembly which is operative to selectively connect the back shell to the adjustment assembly and to selectively disconnect the back shell from the adjustment assembly.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the attachment assembly further comprises:

a back shell attachment bracket connectable to the back shell and including a pair of protruding attachment pins; and

a latch assembly including a receiver body defining an opening for receiving the attachment pins, the latch assembly further including a latch receiver pivotally mounted within the receiver body to move between a first position in which at least one of the latch pins is retained within the opening and a second position in which the one latch pin is released for movement out of the opening.

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein:

the latch receiver permits a predetermined range of pivoting movement of one latch pin relative to the other latch pin while the latch pins are retained within the opening in the first position.

15. Apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the attachment assembly further comprises:

an adjustable stop connected to the receiver body and operatively interacting with the latch receiver in the first position to limit and adjust the predetermined range of pivoting movement.

16. Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the seating device is a wheelchair, the frame of the wheelchair comprises a cane, the attachment bracket is adapted to connect to the cane, and the attachment bracket further comprises:

a clamp body portion adapted to contact one side of the cane;

a hinged clamp arm pivotally connected to the clamp body portion to move the clamp arm toward the clamp body portion; and

a retainer operative between the clamp body portion and the hinged clamp arm to hold the clamp arm pivoted against one side of the cane while the other side of the cane contacts the clamp body portion.

17. Apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the attachment bracket further comprises:

a contact member operatively connected to the clamp body portion to extend from the clamp body portion in an adjustable amount to contact the cane upon pivoting movement of the hinged clamp arm, the contact member spacing the cane from the clamp body portion while maintaining contact of the hinged clamp arm with the cane.

18. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein:

each elongated stay member is defined by an upper part and a lower part;

the upper part of each stay member is retained within the upper portion of the cushion;

the lower part of each stay member is retained within the lower portion of the cushion;

the lower part of each stay member extends at an angle with respect to the upper part of the stay member; and

the angle of the lower part of each stay member with respect to the upper part of each stay member adaptively retains the lower portion of the cushion in supportive contact with the gluteal and buttocks tissue of the user.

19. Apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein:

the angle at which the lower part of the stay member extends with respect to the upper part of the stay member is approximately the same angular orientation at which the lower portion of the cushion extends with respect to the upper portion of the cushion.

20. Apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein:

each stay member comprises bendable material; and

the angle at which the lower part of the stay member extends with respect to the upper part of the stay member is established by a bend in the stay member between the upper and lower parts.

21. Apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein:

the upper part of each stay member is retained against substantial movement within the upper portion of the cushion by support transferred from the back shell.

22. Apparatus as defined in claim 18, further comprising:

an envelope cover surrounding the cushion, the envelope cover including a front cover piece adapted to contact the upper torso of the user and a rear cover piece adapted to contact the back shell; and

wherein;

the upper part of each stay member is retained in a pocket connected to the rear cover piece.

23. Apparatus as defined in claim 22, further comprising:

a flexible contour platform located within the envelope cover adjacent to and in front of the rear cover piece and the stay member;

pelvic support wedges located within the envelope cover and connected to the contour platform at a position within the upper portion of the cushion, the pelvic support wedges adapted to induce support on iliac crests of the pelvic skeletal structure of the user when the user is seated on the seat support; and

a layer of padding material located within the envelope cover in front of the contour platform and the pelvic support wedges and behind the front cover piece.

24. Apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein:

the upper part of each stay member is retained within the upper portion of the cushion in a substantially immovable relationship relative to the back shell when the upper portion of the cushion is retained by the back shell.

25. Apparatus as defined in claim 18, further comprising:

at least two stay members within the cushion; and

a flexible contour platform extending within the upper and lower portions of the cushion, the portion of the contour platform extending within the lower portion of the cushion including a notch adaptively formed adjacent to a sacrum of the pelvic skeletal structure of the user when the user is seated on the seat support, the notch providing relief from pressure on the sacrum, one of the stay members contacting each portion of the contour platform on opposite lateral sides of the notch.

26. Apparatus as defined in claim 25, further comprising:

pelvic support wedges connected to the contour platform at a position within the upper portion of the cushion, the pelvic support wedges adapted to induce support on tissue adjacent to iliac crests of the pelvic support structure of the user; and

an adjustable connection between the pelvic support wedges and the contour platform to permit adjusting the position of the pelvic support wedges on the contour platform while connecting the pelvic support wedges to the contour platform.

27. Apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein the seating device is a wheelchair.

28. A method comprising:

using the apparatus defined in claim 1 to support the back support from the frame of the seating device with the back support contacting the upper torso of a user when the pelvic skeletal structure of the user is supported from the seat support located on the frame of the seating device with gluteal and buttocks tissue of the user located above a rear portion of the seat support by actions comprising;

supporting the upper torso of the user with the back shell and upper portion of the back support cushion;

supporting the posterior superior iliac spines of the pelvic skeletal structure of the user with a lower marginal area of the back shell adjacent to the lower edge of the back shell to maintain a desired alignment of the pelvic skeletal structure while the user is seated on the seat support;

pivoting the back shell about the pivot point to change the angular orientation of the back shell and the upper torso of the user without substantially changing the support on the posterior superior iliac spines from the lower marginal area of the back shell adjacent to the lower edge of the back shell;

positioning the lower edge of the back shell below a reference extending between the pivot point and posterior superior iliac spines and above a substantial majority of the gluteal and buttocks tissue of the user when seated on the seat support; and

orienting the lower portion of the back support cushion at the predetermined angular orientation relative to the upper portion of the back support cushion retained by the back shell to contact and support the gluteal and buttocks tissue of the user below the posterior superior iliac spines.

29. A method as defined in claim 28, further comprising:

adjusting the predetermined angular orientation of the lower portion of the back support cushion relative to the upper portion of the back support cushion to establish supportive contact of the lower portion of the back support cushion with the gluteal and buttocks tissue.

30. A method as defined in claim 28, wherein the seating device is a wheelchair and the frame includes a cane of a wheelchair.

31. A method comprising:

using the apparatus defined in claim 1 to support the back shell from the frame of the seating device by actions comprising;

connecting an attachment bracket of the back support mechanism to the frame;

connecting an attachment assembly of the back support mechanism to the back shell;

adjusting the attachment assembly relative to the attachment bracket in each of forward and backward directions, upward and downward directions and forward and backward pivotal directions independently of any adjustment in any of the other two directions; and

retaining the attachment assembly and the attachment bracket in a final predetermined position established from independently adjusted directions of the attachment assembly and the attachment bracket.

32. A method as defined in claim 31, wherein the seating device is a wheelchair and the frame includes a cane of the wheelchair.

33. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the back support cushion is formed by the actions comprising:

forming the upper portion of the back support cushion;

forming the lower portion of the back support cushion to extend from the upper portion; and

extending each stay member between the upper and lower portions to orient the lower portion at the predetermined angular orientation relative to the upper portion.

34. An apparatus as defined in claim 33, wherein the seating device is a wheelchair.

35. A method comprising:

using the apparatus defined in claim 1 to fit the back support cushion to the upper torso of the user of the seating device without adversely affecting support for posterior superior iliac spines of the pelvic skeletal structure of the user when the user is seated on the seat support with gluteal and buttocks tissue located above a rear portion of the seat support by actions comprising;

attaching the back shell to the frame to pivot about the pivot point;

adjusting a vertical position of the back shell on the frame to position the lower edge of the back shell below a reference extending between the pivot point and the posterior superior iliac spines and above a substantial majority of the gluteal and buttocks tissue when the user is seated on the seat support;

adjusting the pivoted orientation of the back shell about the pivot point to extend the back shell at an angle for balancing the weight of the upper torso over the pelvic skeletal structure without inducing forces that push the pelvic skeletal structural forward or induce the upper torso to fall forward while maintaining support on the posterior superior iliac spines, independently of the pivoted orientation of the back shell;

temporarily attaching at least one elongated stay member to the back shell with the upper part of each stay member adjoining the back shell and the lower part extending below the lower edge of the back shell;

replicating with the temporary attachment of each stay member to the back shell a position of the upper part of each stay member within the back support cushion when the back support cushion is retained against the back shell;

adjusting an angle of the lower part of each stay member relative to the upper part of each stay member to align the lower part of each stay member at the predetermined angular orientation to contact and support the gluteal and buttocks tissue below the lower edge of the adjusted height back shell while the back shell extends at the adjusted pivot orientation and support is maintained on the posterior superior iliac spines, the lower part of each stay member angled relative to the upper part of each stay member to establish the predetermined angular orientation to support and confine the gluteal and buttocks tissue when the user is seated on the seat support;

disconnecting each temporarily attached stay member from the back shell;

assembling each disconnected stay member into the back support cushion to occupy substantially the same position in the assembled back support cushion relative to the back shell that each stay member occupied when temporarily attached to the back shell; and

retaining the assembled back support cushion against the back shell.

36. A method as defined in claim 35, further comprising:

bending the lower part of each stay member extending below the lower edge of the back shell to establish the predetermined angular orientation.

37. A method as defined in claim 36, further comprising:

temporarily attaching a flexible contour platform relative to the back shell with the back shell adjusted to the pivoted orientation, the temporary attachment of the contour platform replicating a position of the contour platform relative to each stay member within the assembled back support cushion when the back support cushion is retained against the back shell.

38. A method as defined in claim 37, further comprising:

temporarily attaching each stay member to the back shell and temporarily attaching the contour platform relative to the back shell with hook and loop material.

39. A method as defined in claim 37, further comprising:

disconnecting the temporarily attached contour platform before disconnecting each temporarily attached stay member; and

assembling the disconnected contour platform into the back support cushion to occupy substantially the same position within the assembled back support cushion that the contour platform occupied when temporarily attached relative to the back shell.

40. A method as defined in claim 39, further comprising:

attaching pelvic support wedges to the temporarily attached contour platform at positions adjacent to the back shell to provide support for iliac crests of the pelvic skeletal structure of the user when the user is seated on the seat support;

disconnecting the temporarily attached contour platform after the pelvic support wedges have been attached to the contour platform; and

assembling the disconnected contour platform with the attached pelvic support wedges into the back support cushion to occupy substantially the same positions that the contour platform and pelvic support wedges occupied when the contour platform was temporarily attached relative to the back shell.

41. A method as defined in claim 40, further comprising:

temporarily attaching the pelvic support wedges to the temporarily attached contour platform to evaluate the placement of the pelvic support wedges relative to the iliac crests of the pelvic skeletal structure of the user; and

maintaining the attached position of the pelvic support wedges to the contour platform upon obtaining a desired placement of the pelvic support wedges.

42. A method as defined in claim 40, further comprising:

confining components of the back support cushion within an envelope cover of the back support cushion; and

assembling each disconnected stay member into the back support cushion by inserting each stay member into a pocket formed in the envelope cover to confine each stay member at a location which replicates the position of that stay member when temporarily attached to the back shell.

43. A method as defined in claim 42, further comprising:

assembling the contour platform and the attached pelvic support wedges into the back support cushion by placing the contour platform adjacent to each stay member within the envelope cover.

44. A method as defined in claim 43, further comprising:

inserting a layer of padding material adjacent to the contour platform within the envelope cover.

45. A method as defined in claim 37, wherein the seating device is a wheelchair and the frame includes canes.