Abstract:
A wheelchair lift assist mechanism ( 10 ) is provided that includes a structure having a seat portion ( 18 ) and comprised of a seat ( 20 ) inter-connected with a tube ( 22 ) a bar ( 24 ) and bracket ( 30 ) fastened by bolts ( 28 ) joined to a handle ( 26 ) and attachable to a wheelchair ( 12 ). The mechanism ( 10 ) capable of supporting and boosting a patient ( 14 ) to a standing position by an assistant ( 16 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present application relates to lift assist mechanisms in particular to those mechanisms attached to wheelchairs. 
     In today&#39;s society there are many individuals who have the ability to ambulate but are not capable of going from a sitting to a standing position from a wheelchair or a regular armchair. Without the use of a lift or the assistance of two or more adequately trained persons the individual is confined to the chair. This is a very sad situation when many willing volunteers, friends and family are available to assist the elderly and infirm. 
     Manual and hydraulic lifts are available as separate freestanding transfer systems. These systems, however, require at least one trained operator to use them and are owned at great expense. 
     Various attempts have been made to provide lift assists to the configuration of a wheelchair. In most instances, however, the configurations result in costly specialized, custom constructed wheelchairs. No configuration is available for a standard designed wheelchair, as used today in the majority of hospitals, clinics and nursing facilities. 
     Accordingly there is a need for a wheelchair lift assist mechanism easily fit to an existing wheelchair or armchair and simple to use by a single untrained volunteer, friend or family member. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In at least one aspect of the present application a mechanism for assisting an individual out of a wheelchair from a sitting position is provided, the mechanism comprising: a seat portion; at least one bar pivotally attached to the seat portion; one or more handles extending outward from the at least one bar; and an attachment mechanism attachable to an arm of the wheelchair, the attachment mechanism pivotally attached to the at least one bar between the seat portion and the one or more handles. 
     In one embodiment, the seat portion comprises a seat having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, and wherein the at least one bar is pivotally attached to at least one of the first and the second sides of the seat at a pivot point. 
     In one embodiment, the pivot point is located between a front of the seat and a back of the seat. 
     In one embodiment, the pivot point is located off center toward the back of the seat. 
     In one embodiment, the mechanism comprises a first bar pivotally attached to the first side of the seat and a second bar pivotally attached to the second side of the seat. 
     In one embodiment, the seat comprising a plurality of tubes and a fabric fastened to the tubes, each of the tubes extending from a front of the seat to the back of the seat. 
     In one embodiment, the attachment mechanism comprises a J shaped bracket. 
     In one embodiment, the attachment mechanism is pivotally attached at a point on the one or more bars between the seat portion and the one or more handles such that when attached to an arm of the wheel chair the one or more bars is oriented from about 35 degrees to about 55 degrees to a horizontal upward and toward the rear of the seat. 
     In another aspect, a mechanism for assisting an individual out of a wheelchair from a sitting position, the mechanism comprising: a seat portion comprising a seat having a first side and a second side opposite the first side; a first bar and a second bar, the first bar pivotally attached to the first side of the seat and the second bar pivotally attached to the second side of the seat, each of the bars attached at a pivot point located between a front of the seat and a back of the seat off center toward the back of the seat; one or more handles extending outward from the at least one bar; and an attachment mechanism attachable to an arm of the wheelchair, the attachment mechanism pivotally attached to the at least one bar between the seat portion and the one or more handles. 
     Additional aspects of the present invention will be apparent in view of the description which follows. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the wheelchair lift assist mechanism. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a back view thereof. 
         FIG. 4  is a left side view thereof. 
         FIG. 5  is a right side view thereof. 
         FIG. 6  is a top view thereof. 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom view thereof. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an assist mechanism, in use, in it&#39;s rest position. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an assist mechanism, in use, in an articulated position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-7 , various views of the wheelchair lift assist mechanism  10  according to at least one embodiment of the present mechanisms disclosed herein is show. A wheelchair  12  or any type of armchair can be manufactured inclusive of a mechanism  10  or the mechanism  10  can be retrofit to any existing wheelchair  12  or armchair. 
     The mechanism  10  includes a seat portion  18 , one or more bars  24 , and one or more handles  26 . The one or more bars  24  are pivotally attached on either side of the seat portion  18  at a pivot point. The one or more handles  26  extend outward from the one or more bars  24  opposite the pivot point. The mechanism  10  further includes at least one attachment mechanism  30  or other means for pivotally connecting the mechanism  10  to the armrest of the wheelchair. 
     In at least one embodiment, the seat portion  18  includes a seat  20  that is made of relatively flexible fabric material. It is understood that the seat  20  may be made of a rigid material or any other suitable material known in the arts. The fabric seat  20  is fastened to one or more tubes or rods  22  extending from the front to the rear of the seat portion  18 . 
     The one or more bars  24  may be pivotally connected to tubes  22  by bolts  28 . While the pivot point could be created at any point along the tube  22 , in the preferred embodiment the pivot point is set slightly off center of the tube  22  toward the back of the mechanism  10 . While in operation this creates the forward tilt of seat  20  when a vertically downward force is applied to the one or more handles  26 , which acts to properly erect the patient  14  with the help of assistant  16 . 
     The one or more bars  24  are also connected to the at least one attachment mechanism  30 , which in one embodiment is a J shaped bracket pivotally attached to the one or more bars  24  with a bolt  28 . The J shaped bracket forms a second pivot point in line with bracket  30 , which is hung from one or more arms of wheelchair  12 . The bracket  30  can conform to a variety of arm shapes and is shown as conforming to a cylindrical shape, in a preferred embodiment. A bolt  28  fixes the bracket  30  to the arm of the wheelchair  12  in an appropriate location, universally adjustable from chair to chair. The bars  24  are positioned at an approximate angle of 45 degrees to the horizontal upward and toward the rear of the mechanism, typical in most installations, and could be within a range of plus or minus 10 degrees. 
     One or more handles  26  are fixed to one or more bars  24  in a secure manor. Any type of rigid material such as steel, aluminum, plastic or other materials well known in the arts could be used for this construction. 
     The operation of the mechanism  10  according to at least one embodiment of the mechanisms discussed herein is described with reference to  FIGS. 8-9 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 8  a patient  14  is sitting at rest in a wheelchair  12  and is being tended by an assistant  16 . The mechanism  10  is in use in a rest position. The seat  20  conforms to the horizontal rest spot of the wheelchair  12 . The bars  24  are positioned at an approximate angle of 45 degrees to the horizontal, typical in most installations, and could be within a range of plus or minus 10 degrees. Results are a modest, unobtrusive, simple to install mechanism  10  that is capable of providing comfort for the patient  14 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 9  a patient  14  is standing, being moved to this position by a vertical downward pressure provided by the assistant  16  via the handles  26 . The pressure is transferred through bars  24  to tubes  22  respectively raising seat  20  which tilts forward raising and ejecting patient  14  to a standing position. Results are ease of use by an untrained assistant  16  that is providing a force capable to assist an ambulatory patient  14  to stand. 
     While the foregoing invention has been described in some detail for purposes of clarity and understanding, it will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, from a reading of the disclosure, that various changes in form and detail can be made without departing from the true scope of the invention.