Patent Application
20230180968
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The disclosure relates to chair assemblies and more particularly pertains to a new chair assembly for facilitation of foot care. The present invention discloses a chair assembly for a shower enclosure which has a reclinable backrest and a selectively positionable footrest
The prior art relates to chair assemblies. Prior art chair assemblies include chair assemblies having positioning options for head supports, backrests, and leg supports for users in sitting or reclining positions. What is lacking in the prior art is a chair assembly for a shower enclosure which has a reclinable backrest in combination with a selectively positionable footrest.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a framework, which is configured to be selectively positioned in a shower enclosure. A seat is engaged to an upper end of the framework and is configured to seat a user. A backrest is hingedly engaged to rear of the framework, proximate to the upper end, so that the backrest is selectively reclinable. The backrest is configured to support a back of the user. A footrest is engaged to and extends from a front of the framework. The footrest is selectively positionable between the upper end and a lower end of the framework and is configured to support feet of the user to facilitate completion of hygienic and beautification tasks on the feet.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
Each of a plurality of feet 22 is engaged to a respective leg 16 distal from the frame 14. The feet 22 comprise rubber, silicone, or elastomer and thus are resiliently compressible so that the feet 22 are configured to frictionally engage a surface of the shower enclosure upon with the framework 12 is positioned. The feet 22 may be cup-shaped and thus configured to suctionally engage the surface.
A seat 24 is engaged to an upper end 26 of the framework 12 and is configured to seat a user. A backrest 28 is hingedly engaged to rear 30 of the framework 12, proximate to the upper end 26, so that the backrest 28 is selectively reclinable. The backrest 28 is configured to support a back of the user. The backrest 28 and the seat 24 may be molded so that the backrest 28 and the seat 24 are convex and thus configured to complement contours of buttocks and the back of the user. A plurality of apertures 32 is positioned in the seat 24 and the backrest 28 and is configured to drain water from the seat 24 and the backrest 28.
The backrest 28 comprises a first section 34 and a second section 36. The first section 34 is positioned proximate to the seat 24 and is substantially rectangularly shaped. The first section 34 is configured to support the back of the user. The second section 36 extends arcuately from and substantially coplanarly with the first section 34 distal from the seat 24. The second section 36 is configured to support a head and a neck of the user.
A pair of bars 38 is hingedly engaged to the framework 12. The backrest 28 is engaged to the pair of bars 38. Each bar 38 comprises a first segment 40 and a second segment 42. The first segment 40 is arcuate and is positioned proximate to the framework 12. The second segment 42 extends linearly from the first segment 40.
An actuator 44 is engaged to the framework 12 and is operationally engaged to the backrest 28. The actuator 44 is configured to be selectively actuated to hinge the backrest 28 relative to the framework 12. The actuator 44 may comprise a lever 46, or other actuating means, such as, but not limited to, depressible buttons, slide locks, and the like.
A footrest 48 is engaged to and extends from a front 50 of the framework 12. The footrest 48 is selectively positionable between the upper end 26 and a lower end 52 of the framework 12, as shown in
A pair of rods 54 is engaged to the upper end 26 of the framework 12 and extends transversely to the front 50 of the framework 12 toward the lower end 52 of the framework 12. The footrest 48 is engaged to the pair of rods 54 distal from the framework 12. Each rod 54 comprises a plurality of nested segments 56 so that the rod 54 is selectively extensible to adjust the footrest 48 relative to the seat 24. The footrest 48 may be hingedly engaged to the pair of rods 54. The footrest 48 is configured to be selectively hinged between a deployed configuration, as shown in
The plurality of nested segments 56 may comprise a lower segment 58, which is selectively extensible from an upper segment 60. The present invention also anticipates the plurality of nested segments 56 comprising more than two nested segments 56 and the upper segment 60 being extensible from the lower segment 58.
Each of a pair of first fasteners 62 is engaged to a respective upper segment 60. Each of a pair of second fasteners 64 is engaged to a respective lower segment 58. The second fastener 64 is complementary to the first fasteners 62 so that the second fastener 64 is positioned to selectively engage an associated first fastener 62 to fixedly position the respective lower segment 58 relative to an associated upper segment 60. The second fastener 64 may comprise a pin 66, which is spring-loaded. The associated first fastener 62 may comprise a plurality of holes 68. The present invention anticipates other fastening means for fixedly positioning the respective lower segment 58 relative to the associated upper segment 60, such as, but not limited to, flip lock clamps, twist lock rings, and the like.
The shower chair assembly 10 also may comprise a cover 70, as shown in
In use, the shower chair assembly 10 is positioned in a shower enclosure. The footrest 48 is adjusted to a comfortable position for the user, who then sits on the seat 24. The user then is positioned to perform hygienic and beautification tasks on their feet. If the hygienic and beautification tasks are to be performed by another person, the user can use the lever 46 to recline the backrest 28 to a comfortable position.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
