GB2561243A

GB2561243A - Support

Info

Publication number: GB2561243A
Application number: GB1705667.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Toule Keith
Original assignee: Doddington R&d Ltd
Current assignee: Doddington R&d Ltd
Priority date: 2017-04-07
Filing date: 2017-04-07
Publication date: 2018-10-10
Anticipated expiration: 2037-04-07
Also published as: GB2561243B; GB201705667D0

Abstract

A support for supporting a person comprises a base 10, a support leg 30 having one end pivotally connected to a first portion of the base 10 and having an opposite end connected to a seat 34, and at least one support arm 40 having one end pivotally connected to a second portion of the base and having an opposite end releasably engaged with a portion of the support leg between the two ends. The first and second portions of the base 10 are spaced apart from one another. The support leg 30 is moveable between a first position in which the support leg 30 is retained in an erect position substantially away from the base by the support arm 40, and a second position in which the support leg 30 is in position substantially against the base 10 (see figure 2). The support is advantageous as it supports a person in a substantially upright position. The user can chose to sit completely on the seat 34, but preferably can lean against it, thereby using the support as a sort of prop.

Description

(71) Applicant(s):

Doddington R&D Ltd

Blackmoor Cottage, Doddington, Lincoln, LN6 4RR, United Kingdom (72) Inventor(s):

Keith Toule (74) Agent and/or Address for Service:

LOVEN Patents & Trademarks Limited

Wragby Road, Sudbrooke, Lincoln, Lincolnshire,

LN2 2QU, United Kingdom (51) INT CL:

A47C 9/02 (2006.01) A47C 4/18 (2006.01) A47C9/10 (2006.01) (56) Documents Cited:

DE 008123589 U US 5199763 A

US 4614378 A (58) Field of Search:

INT CLA47C Other: WPI, EPODOC (54) Title of the Invention: Support

Abstract Title: Support for a person to lean against (57) A support for supporting a person comprises a base 10, a support leg 30 having one end pivotally connected to a first portion of the base 10 and having an opposite end connected to a seat 34, and at least one support arm 40 having one end pivotally connected to a second portion of the base and having an opposite end releasably engaged with a portion of the support leg between the two ends. The first and second portions of the base 10 are spaced apart from one another. The support leg 30 is moveable between a first position in which the support leg 30 is retained in an erect position substantially away from the base by the support arm 40, and a second position in which the support leg 30 is in position substantially against the base 10 (see figure 2). The support is advantageous as it supports a person in a substantially upright position. The user can chose to sit completely on the seat 34, but preferably can lean against it, thereby using the support as a sort of prop.

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- 1 SUPPORT

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a support, particularly a support suitable for supporting a person.

Background to the Invention

People are often required to work standing up or in a substantially upright position. For example, people operating machinery may work at a bench for hours at a time. Similar surgeons, perform operations whilst standing. Also in leisure activities, such as watching sports, people are required to stand in order to get the best view. Inevitably this puts a great deal of strain on the leg muscles, and joints, as well as the postural muscles of the torso. After a period of time it can become uncomfortable, and over a period of days it can lead to injury.

The obvious answer is to provide some form of seat, such as a chair or a stool. Chairs and stools are not a satisfactory solution though, as they do not allow the user to continue working or viewing whilst substantially upright. The user must be seated on the chair or stool when using these items, and this lowers their overall height. Tall stools are available, but as they require the user to be seated the users leg protrude forwards, and are therefore not suitable for working at height comfortably for long periods.

It has been known for works to use stools but not in their intended mode of operation in order to overcome this problem. IN such instances instead of sitting on the stool the user will lean against the stool, so that he or she is in a substantially upright position but propped up by the stool. Unfortunately this is a dangerous arrangement because whereas a stool or chair is configured to support downward forces, they are not configured to support lateral forces. Therefore by leaning on stools or chairs, there is a danger that they will slide sideways causing the user to fall over.

Another problem associated with chairs and stools is that they take up space and can be awkward to work round when in a busy working environment, such as a workshop, or theatre, or when the user needs to be mobile, for example when watching cricket or football or when shooting.

- 2 There has now been devised a support for a supporting a person which mitigates or substantially overcomes the above referenced and other disadvantages associated with the prior art.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention provides a support for supporting a person comprising a base a support leg having one end pivotally connected to a first portion 10 of the base and having an opposite end connected to a seat, at least one support arm having one end pivotally connected to a second portion of the base and having an opposite end releasably engaged with a portion of the support leg between the two ends, wherein the first and second portions of the base are spaced apart from 15 one another, and the support leg is moveable between a first position in which the support leg is retained in an erect position substantially away from the base by the support arm, and a second position in which the support leg is in position substantially against the base.

The support according to the invention is advantageous primarily because it supports a person in a substantially upright position. The user can chose to sit completely on the seat, but preferably can lean against it, thereby using the support as a sort of prop. In such an instance, a substantial part of the weight of the individual is taken off their feet and legs. The body weight of the user is therefore supported for long periods leaving him or her free to operate machinery or go about their usual business over long periods without any negative bodily side effects. Also, as the support is moveable between a first erect position and a second lowered position, the support is thereby foldable, which makes it easy to package up and/or transport whilst occupying a minimal amount of space.

-3The inventors have also surprisingly found that the support can support at least 70 percent of the users body weight. The support is also particularly useful for disabled people.

The support arm may be slidably engaged with the support leg. This pro5 vides a mechanism which allows the support to move from the first position to the second position.

The support leg or the support arm may comprise a locking means configured to lock the position of the end of the support arm with the support leg. This has the benefit that the support leg and the support arm can be locked with respect to each other to further prevent collapse of the support, when not required. Thus the angles of the support arm and the support leg with respect to the base can be locked. Preferably the locking means is releasable. This allows the lock to be removed for when the support is required to move from the first position to the second position.

The locking means may comprise a locking pin which engages both the support arm and the support leg. Such a pin includes a screw, or bolt or bar or the like. By engaging both the support arm and the leg it prevents movement of one relative the other.

The support leg may be extendible lengthwise, such that the distance of the seat from the base is variable. This allows the height of seat from the base to be altered, to allow for users of different heights to use the support. It also means that the seat can be positioned for the greatest comfort.

The support leg may be telescopic.

The seat may be pivotally connected to the support leg, such that the angle of the seat with respect to the base is variable. This further increases the comfort of the support to the user and allows the seat to move as the user moves about also.

The support arm may comprise a triangular body which is engaged with the support leg at one of the apices of the triangle. This improves the stability of the support.

The support arm may comprise two arm members arranged triangularly with respect to the base, each arm member having one end connected to a por-4tion of the support leg between the two ends of the support leg, and having opposite ends connected to separate portions of the base, the separate portions being spaced apart from one another. This is another way of improving the stability of the support.

In order to allow movement from the first position to the second position and vice versa the connections between the base and the support leg, the base and the support arm, and the support arm and the support leg are required to be pivotal. These connections may therefore comprise a ball and socket arrangement or a bracket and hinge pin.

The support arm may be connected to the support leg by a housing which houses a portion of the support leg. The support arm may therefore be indirectly connected to the support leg.

The housing may be slidably connected to the support leg. This allows the support leg to move from the first position to the second position by sliding the housing, down the support leg towards the base.

The housing may comprise a locking means configured to lock the position of the housing with the support leg. This has the benefit that the support leg and the support arm can be locked with respect to each other to prevent collapse of the support, when not required. Thus the angles of the support arm and the support leg with respect to the base can be locked. Preferably the locking means is releasable. This allows the lock to be removed for when the support is required to move from the first position to the second position.

The locking means may comprise a locking pin which engages both the support arm and the support leg. Such a pin includes a screw, or bolt or bar or the like. By engaging both the housing and the support leg it prevents movement of the support arm with respect to the support leg.

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts and in which:

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the support in the first position.

Figure 2 shows the support as shown in Figure 1 in the second position.

- 5Detailed Description of the Illustrated Embodiment

In figure 1 the support is generally designated 1. The support 1 comprises a base 10, a support leg 30, and a support arm 40.

The base 10 comprises three disc shaped pads 11, 12, 13 interlinked by connecting members 14, 15, 16. The connecting members 14, 15, 16 and the pads 11, 12, 13 are all in contact with the ground in normal use. In the centre of each pad, 11, 12, and 13 there is mounted a bracket 17, 18, 19. Each bracket

17, 18 and 19 are substantially similar to each other and mounted to each pad by one or more retaining bolts (not shown). Bracket 18 is formed with a centre channel for receiving one end of a support leg 30. Brackets 17 and 19 are formed with a centre channel for receiving one end respectively of bracket 17,

18, 19 is formed with a centre channel for receiving support arm members 41 and 42 respectively. Pins are inserted through the brackets and through the parts of the members 41,42 and leg 30 that engage with the brackets, in order to retain the respective members and leg and also to provide a hinge (see later for detail).

The support leg 30 comprises a first tubular section 31 and a second tubular section 32. The second tubular section 32 is telescopically mounted within one end of the first tubular section 31. The first tubular section 31 has an opposite end pivotally mounted to the bracket 18. To achieve this a hole is drilled through the ends of the section 31 and the pin in the bracket 18 extends though the bracket and the hole. The support leg 30 is therefore freely able to rotate above the base 10. The bracket 18 is aligned such that the support leg 30 engages with the bracket 20 when the support 1 is in the second position (see later as shown in figure 2). By moving the section 32 within the section 31 the overall length of the leg 30 can be adjusted. Once the correct length is obtained, it can be fixed by the placement of a bolt through holes 33 in the walls of the section 31 and through any one of predrilled corresponding holes in the walls of the section 32. Other locking mechanisms are also possible, such as spring loaded pins on the section 32 which are pushed inwards when the pins and holes 33 are not aligned, but when the holes and the pins are aligned the pins

- 6protrude through the holes and fix the section 31 with respect to section 32. Attached to the exposed end of the section 32 is a seat 34. The seat 34 is pivotally mounted to the end of the section 32. In the example shown the seat 34 is rigid board with padding on one face and a mounting bracket on the opposite face. The angle of the seat 34 with respect to the section 32 is adjustable and can be fixed. To achieve this a bolt may be introduced though the pivot mounting on the seat 34 and extends through a similar pivot mounting on the end of the section 32. The seat angle can be adjusted and when the required angle is achieved the bolt can be tightened to fix the angle.

The support leg 30 is retained in the upright position shown (the first position) by the support arm 40. In the example shown, the arm 40 is made up of two arm members 41 and 42. Alternatively the members 41 and 42 may be formed as a single arm. Both the members 41 and 42 have one end pivotally mounted to the brackets 17 and 19 respectively. The pivotal mounting is sub15 stantially as described above for the mounting of the section 31 to the bracket 18. The opposite ends of each of the members 41 and 42, are pivotally connected to a collar 43. The collar 43 is a tubular body which extends around the end of the first tubular section 31. The collar 43 is slidingly engaged with the first tubular section 31, but can be fixed in position using one or more spring loaded pins 44 on the section 31 which extend through corresponding holes 45 on the collar 43 (see figure 2 for detail). On the figures only a single pin 44 is shown, but there are actually a number of pins 44 distributed along the length of the section 31, so that the collar 43 can be fixed at different heights on the section 31. This allows the angle of the section 31 (and support 30) to be fixed as required.

The position of the support 1 as shown in Figure 1 is described as the first position. In this position the support leg 30 is held in a substantially erect position with respect to the base 10. In this position the user can rest or lean or sit on the seat 34 and a proportion of their body weight is supported by the sup30 port 1. This advantageously leaves the user free to tend to the tasks at hand for long periods without undue strain on their lower limbs. Once the user has finished with the tasks at hand and wishes to pack the support away for conven- 7ient storage, or carry it to another position, it can be folded from the first position to the second position as shown in Figure 2. In the second position the support leg 30 and the arms 41 and 42 are held substantially against the base. The support 1 hence adopts a substantially flat space saving profile.

To initiate the movement from the first position to the second position (see direction of dotted arrows in figure 1), the retaining pin 44 preventing the collar 43 from sliding up and down the section 31 is removed or released. The collar 43 is then moved slidingly towards the pad 12 of the base 10 along the section 31. As the collar 43 moves it pulls with it the arms 41 and 42, which be10 ing of fixed length, cause the support leg 30 to rotate about the base. The angle of each of the support 30, the arm 41 and arm 42 with the base thereby gets less and less until the support leg 30 engages with the retaining bracket 20. The bracket 20 has two resiliently deformable sides, which are pushed apart when the section 32 engages with them. When the section 32 is pushed fully down15 wards, two inwardly directed jaws then protrude around the section 32 and prevent it from being released easily. The whole support 1 is thus held in the second position. Movement from the second position back to the first position can be effected by the reverse operation of the above, starting by first prizing apart the jaws which allows release of the section 32 from the bracket 20.

The support as described above, because it has three pads as a base, essentially provides a tripod type arrangement which provides inherent stability to the support on rough ground.

Claims

1. A support for supporting a person comprising a base a support leg having one end pivotally connected to a first portion of the base and having an opposite end connected to a seat, at least one support arm having one end pivotally connected to a second portion of the base and having an opposite end releasably engaged with a portion of the support leg between the two ends, wherein the first and second portions of the base are spaced apart from one another, and the support leg is moveable between a first position in which the support leg is retained in an erect position substantially away from the base by the support arm, and a second position in which the support leg is in position substantially against the base.

2. A support according to claim 1, wherein the support arm is slidably engaged with the support leg.

3. A support according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the support leg or the support arm comprises a locking means configured to lock the position of the end of the support arm with the support leg.

4. A support according to claim 3, wherein the locking means comprises a locking pin which engages both the support arm and the support leg.

5. A support according to any preceding claim, wherein the support leg is extendible lengthwise, such that the distance of the seat from the base is variable.

6. A support according to any preceding claim, wherein the support leg is telescopic.

7. A support according to any preceding claim, wherein the seat is pivotally connected to the support leg, such that the angle of the seat with respect to the base is variable.

8. A support according to any preceding claim, wherein the support arm comprises a triangular body which is engaged with the support leg at one of the apices of the triangle.

-99. A support according to any preceding claim, wherein the support arm comprises two arm members arranged triangularly with respect to the base, each arm member having one end connected to a portion of the support leg between the two ends of the support leg, and having opposite ends connected to

5 separate portions of the base, the separate portions being spaced apart from one another.

10. A support according to any preceding claim, wherein any of the connections comprises a ball and socket arrangement.

11. A support according to any preceding claim, wherein any of the 10 connections comprises a hinge.

12. A support according to any preceding claim, wherein the support arm is connected to the support leg by a housing which houses a portion of the support leg.

13. A support according to claim 12, wherein the housing is slidably 15 connected to the support leg.

14. A support according to claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the housing comprises a locking means configured to lock the position of the housing with the support leg.

15. A support according to claim 14, wherein the locking means com20 prises a locking pin which engages both the support arm and the support leg.

Intellectual

Property

Office

Application No: GB1705667.2 Examiner: MrPaulMakin