US20020101102A1

US20020101102A1 - Chair having forward tilting device

Info

Publication number: US20020101102A1
Application number: US09/771,606
Authority: US
Inventors: Horng Chang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-01-30
Filing date: 2001-01-30
Publication date: 2002-08-01

Abstract

A chair includes a base having two rear posts, two pairs of levers having rear ends pivotally secured to the posts and having two lever members located above the other two lever members. A seat has two front legs extended downward and pivotally secured to the front ends of the levers with pivot axles for allowing the seat to move up and down relative to the base. An actuating device is disposed on the base and coupled to the front end of the seat for elevating the seat relative to the base and for rotating the legs of the seat and for tilting the seat relative to the base.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a chair, and more particularly to a chair having a forward tilting device for facilitating the standing up of the disabled person from the chair.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical chairs may include an elevating device for elevating the seat portion or the seat cushion of the chair. However, the seat portion may not be tilted forward such that the disabled persons also may not easily stand up from the elevated chair.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional chairs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a chair including a forward tilting device for facilitating the standing up of the disabled person from the chair.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a chair comprising a base including a rear portion having a pair of posts extended upward therefrom, two pairs of levers including a rear end pivotally secured to the posts respectively, and each including a front end, and each including a first lever member located and provided above a second lever member, a seat including a front portion having a pair of legs extended downward therefrom and pivotally secured to the front ends of the pairs of levers with pivot axles for allowing the seat to move up and down relative to the base, the seat including a bracket disposed on the front portion thereof and located forward of the legs, and an actuating device disposed on the base and coupled to the bracket for elevating the seat relative to the base and for rotating the legs of the seat relative to the first levers and for tilting the seat relative to the base.

The legs each includes a lower end, the seat includes a rear portion and includes a pair of stays secured between the rear portion of the seat and the lower ends of the legs.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings. [0009]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a skeleton of a chair in accordance with the present invention; [0010]
FIG. 2 is a partial exploded view of the chair; and [0011]
FIGS. 3, 4, [0012] 5 are plane schematic views illustrating the operation of the chair.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. [0013] 1-3, a chair in accordance with the present invention comprises a base 2 including a pair of posts 21 extended upward from the rear portion thereof, and including a bar 22 provided in the middle or the rear portion thereof. Two pairs of levers 17, 18 have the rear ends pivotally secured to the posts 21 with pivot pins 23. An elevating or actuating device 7 is secured on the base 2, such as secured to the bar 22 of the base 2, and may be a hydraulic actuator, a pneumatic actuator, or a motor 7 coupled to a motor-actuated retractable and extendible actuator 71 for actuating the actuator 71 to elevate and to tilt a seat portion 1 of the chair.
The [0014] seat 1 includes a rear beam 14, and a front beam 16, and two legs 15 extended downward from the front portion of the seat 1, and two stays 13 secured between the rear portion of the seat 1 and the lower ends of the legs 15. A lower beam 12 is secured between the lower ends of the legs 15 The front ends of the levers 17, 18 are pivotally secured to the legs 15 with pivot axles 27, 28, and the lever 17 is located above the leg 18 and preferably parallel to the leg 18 such that the legs 15 and thus the seat 1 may be moved up and down relative to the base 2 by the pivotal movement of the levers 17, 18 relative to the legs 15 and the posts 21. The seat I includes a bracket 161 secured and provided in the front and middle portion thereof. A foot support 4 is attached to the front portion of the seat 1 for supporting the feet of the users. A seat back 3 is secured to the rear portion of the seat 1.
As best shown in FIGS. [0015] 3-5, the free end of the actuator 71 of the actuating device 7 is pivotally secured to the bracket 161 of the seat 1 with a pivot shaft 73. The bracket 161 is located in front of or forward of the legs 15.
In operation, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the [0016] seat 1 and the user may be elevated by the actuating device 7 and by the pivotal coupling of the levers 17, 18 between the posts 21 of the seat 2 and the legs 15 of the seat 1, when the actuating device 7 applies a force against the bracket 161 of the seat 1. When the seat 1 and the legs 15 have been elevated to a predetermined height relative to the base 2 and when the actuating device 7 further applies a force against the bracket 161, the legs 15 may be forced to rotate relative to the lever 17 about the pivot axle 27 and the lower ends of the legs 15 may be forced to move rearward (FIG. 5) because the bracket 161 is located forward of the legs 15 and the pivot axles 27, 28, such that the seat 1 may be tilted forward and such that the user may be facilitated to stand up when the seat 1 is tilted forward.
Accordingly, the chair in accordance with the present invention includes a forward tilting device for facilitating the standing up of the disabled person from the chair. [0017]
Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. [0018]

Claims

I claim:

1. A chair comprising:

a base including a rear portion having a pair of posts extended upward therefrom,

two pairs of levers including a rear end pivotally secured to said posts respectively, and each including a front end, and each including a first lever member located and provided above a second lever member,

a seat including a front portion having a pair of legs extended downward therefrom and pivotally secured to said front ends of said pairs of levers with pivot axles for allowing said seat to move up and down relative to said base, said seat including a bracket disposed on said front portion thereof and located forward of said legs, and

an actuating device disposed on said base and coupled to said bracket for elevating said seat relative to said base and for rotating said legs of said seat relative to said first levers and for tilting said seat relative to said base.

2. The chair according to claim 1, wherein said legs each includes a lower end, said seat includes a rear portion and includes a pair of stays secured between said rear portion of said seat and said lower ends of said legs.