Patent Application
20170246061
The disclosure relates to lift devices and more particularly pertains to a new lift device for lifting a user out of a wheelchair.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a wheelchair. The wheelchair has a pair of seats and a frame. Each of the seats is hingedly coupled to the frame. Each of the seats is positionable in a stored position having each of the seats being horizontally oriented on the frame. Each of the seats is positionable in a lifted position having the each of the seats hinging upwardly from the upper front member. A lifting unit is coupled to the wheelchair. The lifting unit selectively urges each of the seats between the stored position and the lifted position. Thus, the lifting unit may lift a user thereby facilitating the user to exit the wheelchair.
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 the arm rests 20 may be positioned in a first position having each of the arm rests 20 being aligned with an associated one of the seats 14. Each of the arms rests 20 may be positioned in a second position having each of the arm rests 20 extending outwardly with respect to the associated seat 14. Each of the arm rests 20 is removable from the frame 16.
Each of the seats 14 is hingedly coupled to the frame 16. The frame 16 has an upper front member 30 and a lower front member 32. Each of the seats 14 has a front edge 34, a rear edge 36 and a bottom surface 38. The front edge 34 corresponding to each of the seats 14 is hingedly coupled to the upper front member 30 and the user may sit on each of the seats 14. Each of the seats 14 is positionable in a stored position having each of the seats 14 being horizontally oriented on the frame 16. Each of the seats 14 is positionable in a lifted position having each of the seats 16 hinging upwardly from the upper front member 30.
A pair of foot rests 40 is provided. Each of the foot rests 40 may include an arm 42 and a plate 44. The arm 42 corresponding to each of the foot rests 40 may slidably engage the frame 16. Thus, each of the foot rests 40 may be removably coupled to the wheelchair 12. The plate 44 corresponding to each of the foot rests 40 may support one of the user's feet.
A lifting unit 46 is coupled to the wheelchair 12 and the lifting unit 46 is operationally coupled to each of the seats 14. The lifting unit 46 selectively urges each of the seats 14 between the stored position and the lifted position. Thus, the lifting unit 46 may lift the user thereby facilitating the user to exit the wheelchair 12. The lifting unit 46 may assist the user to move between the wheelchair 12 and a bed.
The lifting unit 46 comprises a pair of pistons 48. Each of the pistons 48 may comprise a hydraulic piston or the like. Each of the pistons 48 is coupled between the lower front member 32 and the bottom surface 38 corresponding to an associated one of the seats 14. Each of the pistons 48 has a distal end 50 with respect to the lower front member 32. The distal end 50 corresponding to each of the pistons 48 is positioned adjacent to the rear edge 36 corresponding to the associated seat 14. Each of the pistons 48 urges the associated seat 14 into the lifted position having the rear edge 36 of the associated seat 12 being urged upwardly from the frame 16. Thus, each of the seats 14 may lift the user upwardly out of the wheelchair 12.
A reservoir 52 is coupled to the frame 16 and the reservoir 52 may contain a fluid 54. The fluid 54 may comprise hydraulic oil or the like. A pump 56 is coupled to the frame 16. The pump 56 is fluidly coupled between the reservoir 52 and each of the pistons 48.
The pump 56 selectively urges the fluid 54 from the reservoir 52 into each of the pistons 48. Thus, each of the pistons 48 urges the associated seat 14 into the lifted position. The pump 56 selectively draws the fluid 54 out of each of pistons 48 into the reservoir 52. Thus, each of the pistons 48 urges the associated seat 14 into the stored position. The pump 56 may comprise an electrically controlled hydraulic pump or the like.
A switch 58 is coupled to the frame 16 and the switch 58 may be manipulated. The switch 58 is electrically coupled to the pump 56. The switch 58 actuates the pump 56 to selectively position the seats 14 between the stored position and the lifted position. A power supply 60 is coupled to the frame 16. The power supply 60 is electrically coupled to the switch 58 and the power supply 60 comprises at least one battery 62.
In an alternative embodiment 64 as shown in
In use, the user sits on each of the seats 14 when each of the seats 14 is in the stored position. The wheelchair 12 facilitates the user to be mobile in the convention of wheelchairs 12. The switch 58 is manipulated to raise each of the seats 14 into the lifted position. Thus, user is lifted outwardly from the wheelchair 12 thereby reducing a chance of injury while the user exits the wheelchair 12. The user sits against the seats 14 when the seats 14 are in the lifted position. The switch 58 is manipulated to lower each of the seats 14 into the stored position. Thus, the user is lowered into the wheelchair 12.
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.
