US 4,884,841 AGranted

Seating assistance device

OwnerRobert E. Holleyinventor

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Abstract

A device for assisting invalids into and from a seated position, e.g., over a toilet. The device has a frame and a seat hingedly attached at the front thereof to a support member which is vertically slidable on the frame. A stop is associated with the hinge to prevent the seat from pivoting below the horizontal attitude. An extendable arm is connected at one end to the frame and, at the other end thereof, to the seat between the hinge and the center of gravity. Control means selectively activates extension of the arm to initially vertically elevate the seat in the horizontal attitude, and then to pivot the seat upwardly to assist an individual seated thereon into a standing position; or activates retraction of the arm to initially pivot the seat into a horizontal attitude, and then to vertically lower the seat in a horizontal attitude to assist an individual into a seated position. The extendable arm may be electrically, pneumatically or hydraulically operated, and the device may be portable and adapted to be positioned over a conventional toilet.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A device for assisting an individual with a weakened lower body condition into and from a seated position, comprising:

a frame;
a seat member adapted to support the weight of the individual seated thereon, said seat member generally defining a longitudinal center of gravity;
hinge means connected to said seat member adjacent to an end thereof forward of said center of gravity for pivoting a rearward portion of said seat member upwardly with respect to a forward portion thereof;
stop means operatively associated with said hinge means for preventing said rearward seat member portion from pivoting below a horizontal attitude;
means for supporting said hinge means on said frame, said support means being vertically slidable between uppermost and lowermost positions;
extendable arm means pivotally connected to said seat member forward of said center of gravity for releasably urging said seat member vertically upward;
and
control means for activating said arm means to raise said seat member in a horizontal attitude with said support means sliding from said lowermost position to said uppermost position, and with said support means in said uppermost position, to pivot said seat member about said hinge means to elevate said rearward seat member portion relative to said forward seat member portion, and for deactivating said arm means to pivot said elevated rearward seat member portion about said hinge member into a horizontal attitude with said support means in said uppermost position, and with said seat member in said horizontal attitude to lower said seat member with said support means sliding from said uppermost position to said lowermost position.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.