Patent Publication Number: US-9849050-B2

Title: Wheelchair lift assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Field of the Disclosure 
     The disclosure relates to lift devices and more particularly pertains to a new lift device for lifting a user out of a wheelchair. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a wheelchair. The wheelchair has a pair of seats and a frame. Each of the seats is hingedly coupled to the frame. Each of the seats is positionable in a stored position having each of the seats being horizontally oriented on the frame. Each of the seats is positionable in a lifted position having the each of the seats hinging upwardly from the upper front member. A lifting unit is coupled to the wheelchair. The lifting unit selectively urges each of the seats between the stored position and the lifted position. Thus, the lifting unit may lift a user thereby facilitating the user to exit the wheelchair. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a wheelchair lift assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a right side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a left side in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a back view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of an alternative embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 7  thereof, a new lift device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 7 , the wheelchair lift assembly  10  generally comprises a wheelchair  12  that may support a user. The wheelchair  12  has a pair of seats  14 , a frame  16 , a backrest  18  and a pair of arm rests  20 . The backrest  18  is removably coupled to the frame  16 . Each of the arm rests  20  is rotatably coupled to the frame  16 . The backrest  18  may include a pair of pipes  22  that each slidably engages a pair of sleeves  24  on the frame  16 . Each of the arm rests  20  may include a pair of shafts  26  that each slidably engages a pair of receivers  28  on the frame  16 . 
     Each of the arm rests  20  may be positioned in a first position having each of the arm rests  20  being aligned with an associated one of the seats  14 . Each of the arms rests  20  may be positioned in a second position having each of the arm rests  20  extending outwardly with respect to the associated seat  14 . Each of the arm rests  20  is removable from the frame  16 . 
     Each of the seats  14  is hingedly coupled to the frame  16 . The frame  16  has an upper front member  30  and a lower front member  32 . Each of the seats  14  has a front edge  34 , a rear edge  36  and a bottom surface  38 . The front edge  34  corresponding to each of the seats  14  is hingedly coupled to the upper front member  30  and the user may sit on each of the seats  14 . Each of the seats  14  is positionable in a stored position having each of the seats  14  being horizontally oriented on the frame  16 . Each of the seats  14  is positionable in a lifted position having each of the seats  16  hinging upwardly from the upper front member  30 . 
     A pair of foot rests  40  is provided. Each of the foot rests  40  may include an arm  42  and a plate  44 . The arm  42  corresponding to each of the foot rests  40  may slidably engage the frame  16 . Thus, each of the foot rests  40  may be removably coupled to the wheelchair  12 . The plate  44  corresponding to each of the foot rests  40  may support one of the user&#39;s feet. 
     A lifting unit  46  is coupled to the wheelchair  12  and the lifting unit  46  is operationally coupled to each of the seats  14 . The lifting unit  46  selectively urges each of the seats  14  between the stored position and the lifted position. Thus, the lifting unit  46  may lift the user thereby facilitating the user to exit the wheelchair  12 . The lifting unit  46  may assist the user to move between the wheelchair  12  and a bed. 
     The lifting unit  46  comprises a pair of pistons  48 . Each of the pistons  48  may comprise a hydraulic piston or the like. Each of the pistons  48  is coupled between the lower front member  32  and the bottom surface  38  corresponding to an associated one of the seats  14 . Each of the pistons  48  has a distal end  50  with respect to the lower front member  32 . The distal end  50  corresponding to each of the pistons  48  is positioned adjacent to the rear edge  36  corresponding to the associated seat  14 . Each of the pistons  48  urges the associated seat  14  into the lifted position having the rear edge  36  of the associated seat  12  being urged upwardly from the frame  16 . Thus, each of the seats  14  may lift the user upwardly out of the wheelchair  12 . 
     A reservoir  52  is coupled to the frame  16  and the reservoir  52  may contain a fluid  54 . The fluid  54  may comprise hydraulic oil or the like. A pump  56  is coupled to the frame  16 . The pump  56  is fluidly coupled between the reservoir  52  and each of the pistons  48 . 
     The pump  56  selectively urges the fluid  54  from the reservoir  52  into each of the pistons  48 . Thus, each of the pistons  48  urges the associated seat  14  into the lifted position. The pump  56  selectively draws the fluid  54  out of each of pistons  48  into the reservoir  52 . Thus, each of the pistons  48  urges the associated seat  14  into the stored position. The pump  56  may comprise an electrically controlled hydraulic pump or the like. 
     A switch  58  is coupled to the frame  16  and the switch  58  may be manipulated. The switch  58  is electrically coupled to the pump  56 . The switch  58  actuates the pump  56  to selectively position the seats  14  between the stored position and the lifted position. A power supply  60  is coupled to the frame  16 . The power supply  60  is electrically coupled to the switch  58  and the power supply  60  comprises at least one battery  62 . 
     In an alternative embodiment  64  as shown in  FIG. 6 , each of said seats  14  has an inwardly facing edge  66 . The inwardly facing edge  66  corresponding to each of said seats  14  has a concavely arcuate portion  68 . The concavely arcaute portion  68  corresponding to each of the seats  14  forms a circular opening  70  extending through the seats  14 . A pan  72  is slidably positioned beneath the seats  14  and the pan  72  is aligned with the circular opening  70 . Thus, the pan  72  may collect waste from the user when the user sits on the seats  14 . 
     In use, the user sits on each of the seats  14  when each of the seats  14  is in the stored position. The wheelchair  12  facilitates the user to be mobile in the convention of wheelchairs  12 . The switch  58  is manipulated to raise each of the seats  14  into the lifted position. Thus, user is lifted outwardly from the wheelchair  12  thereby reducing a chance of injury while the user exits the wheelchair  12 . The user sits against the seats  14  when the seats  14  are in the lifted position. The switch  58  is manipulated to lower each of the seats  14  into the stored position. Thus, the user is lowered into the wheelchair  12 . 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.