Patent ID: 6533353
Filing Date: 2003-03-18
Classification: A61G,Y10S

Abstract:
A lift chair comprising:a chair base; a chair frame pivotally attached to said chair base for pivotal movement about a horizontal frame axis positioned adjacent to a lower forward position of the chair frame; a seat pad and a backrest pad connected to the chair frame; an actuator connected to said chair base and to the chair frame for pivoting the chair frame about said horizontal frame axis; a left hinge assembly pivotally connecting a left arm rest to the chair frame for pivotal movement about a single horizontal arm rest axis adjacent to a left arm rest rear portion and including a plurality of left ratchet teeth; a left arm rest with a left arm rest rear end attached to the left hinge assembly; a right hinge assembly pivotally connecting a right arm rest to the chair frame for pivotal movement about said single horizontal arm rest axis adjacent to a right arm rest rear portion and including a plurality of right ratchet teeth; a right arm rest with a right arm rest rear end attached to the right hinge assembly; a left bolt assembly connected to the left hinge assembly and including a left bolt spring biased toward engagement with the plurality of left ratchet teeth to hold the left arm rest in selected positions about said single horizontal arm rest axis; a right bolt assembly connected to the right hinge assembly and including a right bolt spring biased toward engagement with the plurality of right ratchet teeth to hold the right arm rest in selected positions about said single horizontal arm rest axis; a left bolt lockout pivotally mounted on the left hinge assembly for pivotal movement about said single horizontal arm rest axis, a left bolt lockout pin attached to the left hinge assembly that forces the left bolt lockout into a left bolt lockout position in which the left bolt is held out of contact with the left ratchet teeth, and a left bolt lockout release pin attached to the left hinge assembly that forces the left bolt lockout into a left bolt unlocked position in which the left bolt is freed to engage the plurality of left ratchet teeth; a right bolt lockout pivotally mounted on the right hinge assembly for pivotal movement about said single horizontal arm rest axis, a right bolt lockout pin attached to the right hinge assembly that forces the right bolt lockout into a right bolt lockout position in which the right bolt is held out of contact with the right ratchet teeth, and a right bolt lockout release pin attached to the right hinge assembly that forces the right bolt lockout into a right bolt unlocked position in which the right bolt is freed to engage the plurality of right ratchet teeth; wherein a left arm rest forward end is raised manually to a left arm rest upper position to pivot the left bolt lockout into the left bolt lockout position and the left arm rest forward end is lowered manually to the left bolt unlocked position; and wherein a right arm rest forward end is raised manually to a right arm rest upper position to pivot the right bolt lockout into the right bolt lockout position, and the right arm rest forward end is lowered manually to the right bolt unlocked position.