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US 2013/0257014 A1Published application
Reactive headrest system for disabled individuals
AssigneeWiSys Technology Foundation, Inc.
InventorCharles Joseph Stephens
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A headrest assembly for assisting individuals with hypertonic extension pattern provides a pivoting support that better matches the pivoting motion of the patient's head in backward extension. A restoring spring absorbs and dissipates the energy of the extension and provides adjustable spring restoring force.
Claims20
A headrest assembly comprising:
- a base bracket adapted to attach to a seat to support a pivot element proximate to a back of a seated patient's neck, the pivot element defining a substantially horizontal pivot axis substantially parallel to a support face of a seat back;
- a headrest support attached to the pivot element at a proximal end to pivot about the horizontal axis of the pivot element and extending upward therefrom to a distal end, the headrest support providing a mounting surface between the distal end and proximal ends for receiving a headrest cushion, the mounting surface facing a back of the seated patient's head;
- and
- a spring assembly attached between the base bracket and the headrest support biasing the headrest support to a neutral upright position when the headrest support is pivoted backward away from the seated patient.
1 more element
A wheelchair comprising:
- a seat assembly having a substantially horizontal seat surface adjacent to an upstanding seat back as supported by a seat frame and wheels attached below the seat assembly to the seat frame to support the seat assembly thereabove for rolling movement on the wheels;
- a base bracket adapted to attach to the seat assembly to support a pivot element proximate to a back of a seated patient's neck, the pivot element defining a substantially horizontal pivot axis substantially parallel to a support face of the seat back;
- a headrest support attached to the pivot element at a proximal end to pivot about the horizontal axis of the pivot element and extending upward therefrom to a distal end, the headrest support providing a mounting surface between the distal end and proximal ends for receiving a headrest cushion, the mounting surface facing a back of the seated patient's head;
- and
- a spring assembly attached between the base bracket and the headrest support biasing the headrest support to a neutral upright position when the headrest support is pivoted backward away from the seated patient.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.