Abstract:
Devices are described that raise the height of the chair so that the effort to raise oneself from a sitting position is decre4ased. The device can be adapted to most any chair. Additionally the authors describe locking mechanism that prevents rocking or reclining to occur when the chairs are placed in the raised position.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    The present invention claims the benefit of Provisional Patent application Ser. No. 60/425,047 filed Nov. 8, 2002, the full disclosures are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention is an apparatus and method for assisting people with getting up out of a chair or couch. Chairs and couches are often lower to the ground than is the average person&#39;s length of their fibula (the distance from the knee to the foot). Because of this, the individual is required to add significant effort to get up from the chair. This can be very problematic for individuals with decreased physical capabilities (such as age, disease, etc.). The present invention utilizes a raising apparatus and method that allows the chair or couch or other person holding device to be raised a variety of different distances so that the individual requires less effort to raise them from the chair or couch.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    The present invention is a device and method for raising a chair or couch so that the user can more easily raise them from a sitting position. If you look at the height of a normal easy chair or couch, it is usually 14-15 inches up from the floor to the sitting platform.  
           [0005]    This is about 4 inches less than the normal floor to knee distance (fibular distance) of most individuals. This lowered platform makes it easy for one to sit into the chair, but requires some additional force as compared to a chair at a kitchen table that is usually higher than an easy chair. This additional force is usually not a big issue for most individuals, but for an individual is aged or diseased; this force can be significant in overcoming. An inventor of the instant invention is a physical therapist and deals with the elderly with ‘in home’ therapy often. He has recognized the need for a ‘riser’ to be placed under most normal ‘easy chairs’ that raises the sitting level to a height that makes it easier for the individual to get up from. I may also be necessary (especially in the case of a rocking chair or recliner chair) the height adjustment mechanism of the instant invention may also have a hook/lock mechanism that will prevent the chair from rocking or reclining either when the chair is merely raised and stationery or when the individual attempts to raise themselves. This hook mechanism may likely be a spring-loaded hook(s) that would attach to the raising platform and attachéto the mechanisms of the chairs to prevent rocking/reclining. This hooking mechanism could be empowered only when the individual wants to get into or out of the chair by attaching the hook(s) with a handle not dissimilar to the handle/lever on the side of a reclining chair. With this embodiment, the individual can maintain the rocking or reclining features of the chair while they are sitting, but can ‘lock’ or prevent the features of rocking or reclining while they are sitting into the chair or getting out of the chair. Additionally, this hook/lock mechanism may be necessary in the case of any chair or couch, just to keep the riser mechanism in place and attached t the chair or couch. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    [0006]FIGS. 1, 2,  3 , &amp;  4  are schematic illustrations of a device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.  
         [0007]    These illustrations show only some potential configurations of the present invention. Other parametric changes of the present invention can occur such as location of the force element on the device as well as the actual type of mechanism(s) or element used.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0008]    Several devices were manufactured and tested by the inventors of the instant invention. The first logically determined design was fabricated with wood. This initial design performed favorably once installed, but was heavy due to the density of the wood and was found to be prohibitive due to the weight of the device, especially for shipping and installation. This initial device was approximately thirty-six inches wide and thirty-six inches long and four inches high. This size accommodated all easy chairs tested. This first design was fabricated from one integral piece of wood. An iterative design also made of wood, was made from four separate pieces of wood that were placed under each leg of a four-legged chair. This improvement was well received, but it was desirable to continue to the design process and decrease the weight of the individual pieces. This decrease in weight of the apparatus would ease with placement of the apparatus under the furniture as well as aid in shipping and mobility of the apparatus to the user so that they would be more portable.  
         [0009]    Lighter weight materials were tested such as high-density open and closed cell foams made from polyethylene, silicone, polyurethane and Styrofoam. These materials proved to be vast great improvements over the wooded predicates. Because of the over all material and device performance, coupled with the low cost and easy availability, closed cell, high density polyethylene (HDPE) foam, it was chosen to further develop the furniture lifting device. Four individual pieces of develop HDPE were constructed of varying shapes and sizes. Four individual pieces of foam were chosen as a design preference because of the ease of installation, decreased cost and the decreased shipping cost (as opposed to the one large piece).  
         [0010]    Testing showed that a three to four inch rise of most chairs was optimal. This increase in height gave most individuals approximately a 22% increase in the height of the buttocks from the floor (assuming an approximate length from the foot to the knee of 18 inches).  
         [0011]    After several iterations, the preferred design was one of a rectangular shape with the approximate dimensions of four inches high, six inches wide and nine inches long (4″X6″X9″). The four inch increased height was tested with several individuals and was found to be the most appropriate height for raising the chair/couch and decreasing the force for the individual to get up and out of the chair. Additionally, the three to four inch increase still allowed most individuals to be able to keep their feet on the floor while seated.  
         [0012]    These HDPE foam rectanguloids/blocks were also fabricated of different HDPE densities. Densities of less than two pounds per cubic foot functioned, but depending upon the weight of the individual, took a greater ‘permanent set’ than was desired. The two pound and four pound HDPE closed cell foam was found to be optimal.  
         [0013]    When first placed under chairs or couches, the foam blocks were flat on all six sides. After use, it was found that small indentations were created in the top of the blocks and remained permanent indents and aided in removing them and replacing them under other chairs or couches. Devices were manufactured with small indents located centrally in the top (6″X9″) side. This was accomplished by removing a small, approximately 1-3″ circular piece of foam approximately 1″ deep. Alternatively, it was found that the dents were easily made by bringing the foam to near its melting point with a hot tip measuring approximately 2-3″ in diameter and pressing the hot tip centrally on the 6×9″ side. This pressure and heat formed a small indentation for placement of the legs of the chair or couch on the blocks. These indentations aided in installation of the blocks as well as gave more stability to the apparatus when placed under the furniture.  
         [0014]    It was found that these indentations in the top of the blocks allowed the user to more easily place the blocks under the furniture. Further, it was found desirable that the blocks be moved from one piece of furniture to another. These indents allowed this movement to be simple. It was also found that the user preferred to take these blocks with them when they traveled and thus removal and re-placement was a common occurrence and these indents became an integral part of the design.  
         [0015]    Turning now to the figures, FIG. 1 is a front FIG. 1B and back view FIG. 1A of a chair  1  with the furniture elevating blocks  2  of the instant invention being placed under each of the four legs  4  of the chair  1  and lifting or elevating the chair 3-4 inches.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 illustrates a torso/body  5  in the sitting position. In FIG. 2, the body is sitting in a position whereby the angle of the knees  8  approximate a right angle (90°). This is the position of the body when the elevating apparatus of the instant invention are used. The distance/height  6  of most individuals averages 18 inches.  
         [0017]    Turning now to FIG. 3, the authors have illustrated a body/torso  5  that would be sitting in an easy chair or couch where the knee angle  9  is significantly less than a right angle. This acute angle as reflected in FIG. 3 proves a toggle effect and a significant increase in the amount of work required for the individual to rise out of the lower lying piece of furniture. The distance  7  is decrease by 3-4 inches as compared to distance  6 , which creates this toggle effect and increases the work required to get out of the chair or couch.  
         [0018]    Turning now to FIG. 4 the authors have illustrated a reclining chair  10  in an isometric view with the four elevator blocks  2  placed under each of the four legs  4 .  
         [0019]    Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example, for purposes of clarity of understanding, it will be obvious that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the scope of the appended claims.