Abstract:
An apparatus to automatically raise and lower a planar member, particularly a seat, that includes a number of pivotally connected support members, all attached directly or indirectly to a base member, one of the support members being mechanically actuable, vertically extending, and vertically extendable. The seat or planar member has a range of motion that is restricted to the middle portion of the base member, the base member having a portion extending forwardly therefrom.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/326,437, filed on Oct. 2, 2001. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates to an apparatus for raising and lowering a planar member, particularly a seat for moving a person from (and to) a seated position to (and from) a standing position. In one embodiment, it relates to an improved commode seat apparatus for lowering or raising a person in relation to a commode.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    There has been a long existing need to provide handicapped persons as well as the weak and infirm, such as post-operative patients in hospital care, with toilet facilities which are suitable for their use without assistance or with minimal assistance from hospital or home nursing personnel. Apart from obvious advantages of such a commode, including reducing the demands on the time of often overworked nursing personnel, the personal dignity that comes with self-sufficiency in areas of personal hygiene is immeasurable.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    This invention provides an apparatus to raise and lower a planar member, such as a seat, in relation to, for example, a commode positioned below the seat. The apparatus is configured with a base which extends forwardly from the front of the apparatus to support a user&#39;s standing weight, and the apparatus is attached to the commode. In one embodiment, a U-shaped brace is positioned over the commode and attached to the base. In one embodiment, a hydraulic cylinder, including an extendable and retractable rod, powers the movement of the seat relative to the base by actuating a vertically extendable and retractable, vertically disposed support member, acting in conjunction with additional, pivotally connected support members located rearward of the vertically disposed support member. When the vertically extendable member is extended, the seat pivots upwardly about a forward point on the seat which moves upwardly coincident with the first support member, as the seat is raised. Retracting the vertically extended member produces a reverse movement. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]    The invention will be described with reference to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the figures of which:  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 is a side plan view of an embodiment of an apparatus according the present invention;  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 is a front plan view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1; and  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 5 is a front plan view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1, including water connections.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]    The invention will now be described with reference to the figures, which illustrate a particular embodiment thereof. It will be appreciated that the spirit and scope of the invention is not limited to the embodiment selected for illustration. Also, it should be noted that the drawings are not rendered to any particular scale or proportion. It is contemplated that any of the configurations and materials described hereafter can be modified within the scope of this invention.  
         [0012]    Referring to FIGS. 1 through 5, a commode assembly  11  is shown adjacent a preferred embodiment of a lifting and lower apparatus  10  according to the present invention. In this embodiment, lifting and lowering apparatus  10 , according to the present invention, is used with commode assembly  11 , which includes a toilet tank  13  and a pot  12 , typically constructed of porcelain or the like. Apparatus  10  includes a base member  14 , typically formed from a sheet and/or lengths of metal or other rigid material, attached (e.g., by mechanical joint or weld) to tubing supports  16  located on opposite sides of pot  12 . Base  14  includes an opening  15  for accommodating commode  11  when apparatus  10  is in place adjacent commode  11  (see FIG. 3). Tubing supports  16  are connected by welding to the bottom surface of base  14 , as illustrated in FIG. 4, to provide rigidity. Lower brace member  20  is connected by welding to base  14 , as illustrated in FIG. 1, and includes movable connections to a brace member assembly  22  described below. In the embodiment illustrated, at least part of the top surface of base member  14  is textured with, for example, anti-skid strips  18 .  
         [0013]    In the embodiment shown, a lower brace member  20  is statically (as shown in FIG. 1) or movably (not shown) attached to an aft end of base member  14 . Lower brace member  20  secures an upper U-shaped brace member  22 , for example, using a hand operated fastener  24 . Hand operated fastener  24  includes a set screw (as shown in FIG. 1) or a quick release sleeve and pin mechanism (not shown). Upper U-shaped brace member  22  mounts to and extends around the top of the aft section of pot  12 , and is secured to lower brace member  20  on both sides of pot  12  (side view shown in FIG. 1, top view shown in FIG. 3). Braces  20  and  22  are slideable with respect to one another, which permits the height of upper U-shaped brace member  22  to be adjusted for securing apparatus  10  to commode  11 . Brace member  22  includes through-holes  23  to be placed adjacent existing holes on commode  11  typically located for receiving bolts  30  from a conventional toilet seat, as shown in FIG. 3. A conventional toilet seat cover may be hingedly attached to base portion  40   a  of seat assembly  40  through holes  39 .  
         [0014]    In this embodiment, apparatus  10  is easily moved into position adjacent commode  11  by lifting hand holds  26  (shown in FIG. 3) provided at the forward end of base  14 , and rolling apparatus  10  over commode  11  on wheels  28  (which may be retractable) mounted at the aft end of base  14  until through-holes  23  in upper U-shaped brace member  22  line up with the existing holes in commode  11  which are ordinarily used to secure a conventional toilet seat. Upper U-shaped brace member  22  will accommodate different heights of commodes  11  and heights of floor coverings by sliding upper U-shaped brace member  22  into lower brace member  20  and tightening hand operated fastener  24  after bolts  30  are secured in the existing holes  23  in the commode  11 . It will be appreciated from the foregoing that brace assembly  20  and  22  is adjustable in height as well as longitudinally, and when fixed in position prevents side to side and front to rear sliding movement about commode  11 .  
         [0015]    Turning now to a consideration of the lift assembly and associated linkage of apparatus  10  according to the present invention, in the embodiment illustrated, a first vertically oriented and telescopically extendable support member  31  comprises a hydraulic cylinder  32  attached at its cap end to base  14  on each side of apparatus  10  using a base assembly weldment  34  and a fastener  36 . A piston rod  38  of hydraulic cylinder  32  is pivotally attached to a seat assembly  40 , at a forward point thereon, and an actuating (second) support member  42  by a fastener  44 . An opposite end of actuating support member  42  includes a moveable connection such as a wheel  46 , which is attached by a fastener  48  to support member  42 . Wheel  46  is retained to base  14  by a retaining housing  50  attached, for example, by mechanical connection or a weld to base plate  14 . Retaining housing  50  accommodates an end of actuating support member  42  and will be discussed in more detail below. An intermediate (third) support member  52  is pivotally attached to base assembly weldment  34  at one end, pivotally attached to actuating (second) support member  42  at a pivot axis  54 , and pivotally attached to a seat (fourth) support member  56  at its opposite end. Intermediate (third) support member  52  translates movement between actuating (second) support member  42  and seat (fourth) support member  56 . One end of seat support member  56  is pivotally attached to seat assembly  40  at a rearward point thereon.  
         [0016]    As illustrated in FIG. 2, seat  40  is generally channel-shaped in cross section and is of one piece construction including a base portion  40   a  and side walls or arms  40   b . Base portion  40   a  includes a suitable opening centrally therein, as illustrated in FIG. 3.  
         [0017]    Attached to seat  40  is a control device  58  for controlling actuation of hydraulic cylinders  32  (on both sides of apparatus  10 ) to provide either raising or lowering of seat  40  relative to commode  11  as described in more detail below.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of the preferred embodiment of apparatus  10  showing seat  40  in the lowered positioned. In this embodiment, apparatus  10  is essentially symmetrical about a vertical axis  41  passing through toilet tank  13  and pot  12 , and most of the control linkage mechanism is duplicated at horizontally spaced locations on each side of commode  11 . More specifically in this regard, the only component that is not duplicated is activating/control device  58  and the three lines  72 ,  74 , and  82  connected to device  58 , described below.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 5 illustrates a front view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1, showing seat  40  in the lowered position, i.e., in the position shown in FIG. 2, and illustrates the hose connections required in order for hydraulic cylinder  32  to function properly. These hose connections typically comprise a cold water line  60 , that first enters the bathroom via the floor or a wall. Existing shut-off valve  62  provides the ability to turn off the flow of water to tank  13 . Valve  66  is provided as a means for delivering existing pressurized water to control device  58  via valve line  72 , and may be installed with a screw driver. Existing water line  68  is secured to tank  13  via nut  70 . An intermediate line  74  provides a connection between activating device  58  and a cylinder line  76 . This intermediate line  74  is connected to the cylinder line  76  via a “T” fitting  78 , and each end of the cylinder line  76  is connected to the cap end of each hydraulic cylinder  32  via a fitting  79 . This cylinder line  76  supplies water to each hydraulic cylinder  32 . A relief line  80  is connected to the head (rod) end of each hydraulic cylinder  32  via a fitting  79 , and vents into the pot  12  providing air relief for each hydraulic cylinder  32 . A discharge line  82  is connected to the control device  58 , and drains into tank  13  providing water discharge for each hydraulic cylinder  32 .  
         [0020]    Considering the overall operation of apparatus  10  of the invention, a first mode of operation is commenced when a user is seated on seat  40  in its lowered position, and the user&#39;s feet are resting on textured surface  18  of base member  14 . The user sets activating device  58  to a control position or setting to move seat  40  to the raised position shown in FIG. 1 from the lowered position shown in FIG. 2. In this seated position, activating device  58  causes water to flow from existing cold water line  60  to valve  66  into valve line  72 . The water flows from valve line  72  to intermediate line  74  in this setting of activating device  58 . The water flowing through intermediate line  74  is then diverted through “T” fitting  78  and into cylinder lines  76  on both sides of seat  40 , increasing pressure in each hydraulic cylinder  32  to cause piston rod  38  to be pushed outwardly to an extended position. Air in the head (rod) end of each hydraulic cylinder  32  is vented through relief line  80  into pot  12 . The outward movement of each piston rod  38  causes each actuating support member  42  to simultaneously move upwardly and to rotate about its pivot axis  54 . The movement of actuating support member  42  causes intermediate support member  52  to simultaneously move upwardly and to rotate about its pivot axis  54 . The movement of intermediate support member  52  causes seat support member  56  to simultaneously move upwardly, thereby causing seat  40  to simultaneously move to its raised position, as illustrated in FIG. 1, thereby raising seat  40  into an extended position.  
         [0021]    Retaining housing  50 , which is attached at base  14  and accommodates one end of actuating support member  42 , limits the travel of actuating support member  42 , to a horizontal plane. More specifically, when hydraulic piston rod  38  is housed inside cylinder  32  in its retracted position, lifting wheel  46  is positioned at the aft end of retaining housing  50 , and seat  40  is in its lowered position, as shown in FIG. 2. When piston  38  is pushed outwardly to an extended position, the simultaneous upward movement of actuating support member  42  causes wheel  46  to travel forward. The extent of the forward position of lifting wheel  46  is limited by the stroke of hydraulic cylinder  32 .  
         [0022]    As the foregoing discussion described, the movement is translated through linkage assembly  42 ,  52 , and  56 , as seat  40  is urged to its raised position as shown in FIG. 1. As limited by the stroke of hydraulic cylinder  32  and the longitudinally fixed positions of the lower ends of actuating support member  42  and intermediate support member  52 , seat  40  moves only vertically while pivoting at pivot point  44 , so that the weight of the user is kept over a middle portion of base  14 , aft of vertical plane  31 , i.e., aft of a forward portion of base  14  and forward of a rearward portion of base  14 . Retaining housing  50  retains lifting wheel  46  to prevent seat assembly  40  from exceeding vertical plane  31 , thereby limiting seat  40  to a position behind a significant portion of base  14 , where the user&#39;s feet are placed and where as the user stands, the user&#39;s weight is fully supported. This also stabilizes apparatus  10 , by preventing forward tipping or moving of apparatus  10 .  
         [0023]    By setting control device  58  to a position allowing pressure to be reduced in each hydraulic cylinder  32 , the weight of a user sitting on seat  40  (or the weight of the seat itself) forces each piston rod  38  back into hydraulic cylinders  32  to its retracted position. The water in each hydraulic cylinder  32  flows into cylinder line  76 , and is diverted through “T” fitting  78  and into intermediate line  74 . The positioning of the control device  58  allows the water to then flow through discharge line  82  which, in one embodiment, empties into tank  13 . The reduction in water pressure causes seat  40  to gradually move to the lowered position, thereby assisting the user down on seat  40 .  
         [0024]    In another embodiment, apparatus  10  can be moved, for example, by an electric motor/worm gear combination, actuating a vertically extendable first support member corresponding to member  31  in FIG. 1.  
         [0025]    Apparatus  10  of the present invention can be installed on any commode  11  that would fall in the category of standard (e.g. oval, elongated, or commercial), and is constructed to accommodate the differing heights and lengths of various commodes with the simple adjustment discussed above, i.e., the adjustments permitted by brace members  20  and  22  and hand operated fastener  24 , illustrated in FIG. 1.  
         [0026]    In the embodiment illustrated, apparatus  10  of the present invention can be used at any location where a water source is available or can be made available, and in this regard, the water source can be a simple garden hose.  
         [0027]    An apparatus as described herein, with a sling seat substituted for “seat”  40 , may be utilized to raise or lower a user into or out of any conventional chair that will accommodate the lifting apparatus described herein.  
         [0028]    Although the present invention has been described relative to specific exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various other forms of the invention may be devised without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The claims which follow should be construed to include all such forms and embodiments.