U.S. patent application number 10/702466 was filed with the patent office on 2004-07-01 for easy riser chair lifter apparatus and methods for use.
Invention is credited to Dubrul, William Richard, Tomaszewski, Matthew.
Application Number | 20040124681 10/702466 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32659310 |
Filed Date | 2004-07-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040124681 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dubrul, William Richard ; et
al. |
July 1, 2004 |
Easy riser chair lifter apparatus and methods for use
Abstract
Devices are described that raise the height of the chair so that
the effort to raise oneself from a sitting position is decre4ased.
The device can be adapted to most any chair. Additionally the
authors describe locking mechanism that prevents rocking or
reclining to occur when the chairs are placed in the raised
position.
Inventors: |
Dubrul, William Richard;
(Redwood City, CA) ; Tomaszewski, Matthew;
(Saline, MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
William R. Dubrul
1105 Maywood Dr.
Belmont
CA
94002
US
|
Family ID: |
32659310 |
Appl. No.: |
10/702466 |
Filed: |
November 7, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60425047 |
Nov 8, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
297/330 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 1/032 20130101;
A47C 1/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/330 |
International
Class: |
A47C 001/02 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A device comprising: a solid geometric element with a generally
flat bottom; a top that can be placed under the legs of a piece of
furniture; whereby the distance from the top to the bottom of the
device lifts the furniture to increase the distance from the
floor.
2. The device according to claim 1 wherein the increased distance
is more than two inches.
3. The device according to claim 1 wherein the furniture is a
chair.
4. The device according to claim 1 wherein the furniture is one of
a couch or bed.
5. The device according to claim 1 wherein the solid geometric
element comprises a material that will take a set due to the weight
of the furniture when loaded.
6. The device according to claim 1 wherein the geometric element
comprises separate elements equal to the number of legs on the
furniture.
7. The device according to claim 1 wherein the geometric element
comprises cavities in the top to fit the legs of the furniture.
8. The device according to claim 5 wherein the geometric element is
high density foam with a density greater than 1.5 pounds per cubic
foot of foam.
9. The device according to claim 5 wherein the geometric element is
high density polyethylene with a density of 2 pounds per cubic foot
of foam.
10. The device according to claim 5 wherein the geometric element
is high density polyethylene with a density of 4 pounds per cubic
foot of foam.
11. The device according to claim 5 wherein the geometric element
comprises a number of elements equal to the number of legs on the
furniture.
12. The device according to claim 5 wherein the geometric element
is high-density polyethylene foam.
13. A method for placing a geometrical element under the legs of
furniture: selecting a device comprising a relatively solid
geometric element with a generally flat bottom; a top that can be
placed under the legs of a piece of furniture; positioning the
element at a chosen location under the furniture; and raising the
furniture a distance from the floor.
14. A method for placing a geometrical element under the legs of
furniture: selecting a device comprising a relatively solid
geometric element with a generally flat bottom; a top that can be
placed under the legs of a piece of furniture; positioning the
element at a chosen location under the furniture; and raising the
furniture a distance from the floor greater than one inch.
15. A method for placing a geometrical element under the legs of
furniture: selecting a device comprising a relatively solid
geometric element made of high density foam with a generally flat
bottom; a top that can be placed under the legs of a piece of
furniture; positioning the element at a chosen location under the
furniture; and raising the furniture a distance from the floor.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present invention claims the benefit of Provisional
Patent application Ser. No. 60/425,047 filed Nov. 8, 2002, the full
disclosures are incorporated herein by reference.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention is an apparatus and method for
assisting people with getting up out of a chair or couch. Chairs
and couches are often lower to the ground than is the average
person's length of their fibula (the distance from the knee to the
foot). Because of this, the individual is required to add
significant effort to get up from the chair. This can be very
problematic for individuals with decreased physical capabilities
(such as age, disease, etc.). The present invention utilizes a
raising apparatus and method that allows the chair or couch or
other person holding device to be raised a variety of different
distances so that the individual requires less effort to raise them
from the chair or couch.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention is a device and method for raising a
chair or couch so that the user can more easily raise them from a
sitting position. If you look at the height of a normal easy chair
or couch, it is usually 14-15 inches up from the floor to the
sitting platform.
[0005] This is about 4 inches less than the normal floor to knee
distance (fibular distance) of most individuals. This lowered
platform makes it easy for one to sit into the chair, but requires
some additional force as compared to a chair at a kitchen table
that is usually higher than an easy chair. This additional force is
usually not a big issue for most individuals, but for an individual
is aged or diseased; this force can be significant in overcoming.
An inventor of the instant invention is a physical therapist and
deals with the elderly with `in home` therapy often. He has
recognized the need for a `riser` to be placed under most normal
`easy chairs` that raises the sitting level to a height that makes
it easier for the individual to get up from. I may also be
necessary (especially in the case of a rocking chair or recliner
chair) the height adjustment mechanism of the instant invention may
also have a hook/lock mechanism that will prevent the chair from
rocking or reclining either when the chair is merely raised and
stationery or when the individual attempts to raise themselves.
This hook mechanism may likely be a spring-loaded hook(s) that
would attach to the raising platform and attachto the mechanisms of
the chairs to prevent rocking/reclining. This hooking mechanism
could be empowered only when the individual wants to get into or
out of the chair by attaching the hook(s) with a handle not
dissimilar to the handle/lever on the side of a reclining chair.
With this embodiment, the individual can maintain the rocking or
reclining features of the chair while they are sitting, but can
`lock` or prevent the features of rocking or reclining while they
are sitting into the chair or getting out of the chair.
Additionally, this hook/lock mechanism may be necessary in the case
of any chair or couch, just to keep the riser mechanism in place
and attached t the chair or couch.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIGS. 1, 2, 3, & 4 are schematic illustrations of a
device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present
invention.
[0007] These illustrations show only some potential configurations
of the present invention. Other parametric changes of the present
invention can occur such as location of the force element on the
device as well as the actual type of mechanism(s) or element
used.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0008] Several devices were manufactured and tested by the
inventors of the instant invention. The first logically determined
design was fabricated with wood. This initial design performed
favorably once installed, but was heavy due to the density of the
wood and was found to be prohibitive due to the weight of the
device, especially for shipping and installation. This initial
device was approximately thirty-six inches wide and thirty-six
inches long and four inches high. This size accommodated all easy
chairs tested. This first design was fabricated from one integral
piece of wood. An iterative design also made of wood, was made from
four separate pieces of wood that were placed under each leg of a
four-legged chair. This improvement was well received, but it was
desirable to continue to the design process and decrease the weight
of the individual pieces. This decrease in weight of the apparatus
would ease with placement of the apparatus under the furniture as
well as aid in shipping and mobility of the apparatus to the user
so that they would be more portable.
[0009] Lighter weight materials were tested such as high-density
open and closed cell foams made from polyethylene, silicone,
polyurethane and Styrofoam. These materials proved to be vast great
improvements over the wooded predicates. Because of the over all
material and device performance, coupled with the low cost and easy
availability, closed cell, high density polyethylene (HDPE) foam,
it was chosen to further develop the furniture lifting device. Four
individual pieces of develop HDPE were constructed of varying
shapes and sizes. Four individual pieces of foam were chosen as a
design preference because of the ease of installation, decreased
cost and the decreased shipping cost (as opposed to the one large
piece).
[0010] Testing showed that a three to four inch rise of most chairs
was optimal. This increase in height gave most individuals
approximately a 22% increase in the height of the buttocks from the
floor (assuming an approximate length from the foot to the knee of
18 inches).
[0011] After several iterations, the preferred design was one of a
rectangular shape with the approximate dimensions of four inches
high, six inches wide and nine inches long (4"X6"X9"). The four
inch increased height was tested with several individuals and was
found to be the most appropriate height for raising the chair/couch
and decreasing the force for the individual to get up and out of
the chair. Additionally, the three to four inch increase still
allowed most individuals to be able to keep their feet on the floor
while seated.
[0012] These HDPE foam rectanguloids/blocks were also fabricated of
different HDPE densities. Densities of less than two pounds per
cubic foot functioned, but depending upon the weight of the
individual, took a greater `permanent set` than was desired. The
two pound and four pound HDPE closed cell foam was found to be
optimal.
[0013] When first placed under chairs or couches, the foam blocks
were flat on all six sides. After use, it was found that small
indentations were created in the top of the blocks and remained
permanent indents and aided in removing them and replacing them
under other chairs or couches. Devices were manufactured with small
indents located centrally in the top (6"X9") side. This was
accomplished by removing a small, approximately 1-3" circular piece
of foam approximately 1" deep. Alternatively, it was found that the
dents were easily made by bringing the foam to near its melting
point with a hot tip measuring approximately 2-3" in diameter and
pressing the hot tip centrally on the 6.times.9" side. This
pressure and heat formed a small indentation for placement of the
legs of the chair or couch on the blocks. These indentations aided
in installation of the blocks as well as gave more stability to the
apparatus when placed under the furniture.
[0014] It was found that these indentations in the top of the
blocks allowed the user to more easily place the blocks under the
furniture. Further, it was found desirable that the blocks be moved
from one piece of furniture to another. These indents allowed this
movement to be simple. It was also found that the user preferred to
take these blocks with them when they traveled and thus removal and
re-placement was a common occurrence and these indents became an
integral part of the design.
[0015] Turning now to the figures, FIG. 1 is a front FIG. 1B and
back view FIG. 1A of a chair 1 with the furniture elevating blocks
2 of the instant invention being placed under each of the four legs
4 of the chair 1 and lifting or elevating the chair 3-4 inches.
[0016] FIG. 2 illustrates a torso/body 5 in the sitting position.
In FIG. 2, the body is sitting in a position whereby the angle of
the knees 8 approximate a right angle (90.degree.). This is the
position of the body when the elevating apparatus of the instant
invention are used. The distance/height 6 of most individuals
averages 18 inches.
[0017] Turning now to FIG. 3, the authors have illustrated a
body/torso 5 that would be sitting in an easy chair or couch where
the knee angle 9 is significantly less than a right angle. This
acute angle as reflected in FIG. 3 proves a toggle effect and a
significant increase in the amount of work required for the
individual to rise out of the lower lying piece of furniture. The
distance 7 is decrease by 3-4 inches as compared to distance 6,
which creates this toggle effect and increases the work required to
get out of the chair or couch.
[0018] Turning now to FIG. 4 the authors have illustrated a
reclining chair 10 in an isometric view with the four elevator
blocks 2 placed under each of the four legs 4.
[0019] Although the foregoing invention has been described in some
detail by way of illustration and example, for purposes of clarity
of understanding, it will be obvious that certain changes and
modifications may be practiced within the scope of the appended
claims.
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