Patent Description:
Wheeled seats are commonly used in environments ranging from business offices to surgical rooms. Wheeled seats often use caster wheels that are pivotal to a plurality of directions to allow the seat to move easily in any direction. Often, many caster wheels are used for a wheeled seat to ensure that the seat will roll in any direction and remain stable for the user to sit thereon.

Some wheeled seats implement brakes on one of the caster wheels to prevent movement. These brakes are typically applied on the wheel individually. If the user applies the brakes of only one of the caster wheels, the seat can often still move or otherwise pivot around the locked wheel. To address this issue, the user must separately apply the brakes of multiple caster wheels individually to ensure the seat will not substantially move once locked. Further, unlocking the wheeled seat requires the user to separately identify which of the caster wheels are locked and disengage the lock on each of the caster wheels individually.

The present invention relates to a brake assembly comprising the features of claim <NUM>.

One exampleof this embodiment has a switch arm coupled to the brake switch to pivot about a brake switch axis as the brake switch transitions between the engaged and disengaged position. One aspect of this example has a pushrod pivotally coupled to the switch arm at one portion and pivotally coupled to a cross member at another portion. In part of this aspect, the cross member is coupled to a first brake engagement assembly of the first caster assembly and to a second brake engagement assembly of the second caster assembly to selectively apply brakes to the corresponding wheels of the first and second caster assembly when the brake switch is in the engaged position. In one element of this part, the first and second brake engagement assemblies are pivotal about a brake axis and the cross member is offset from the brake axis.

Another example of this embodiment has a catch mechanism that selectively maintains the brake switch in the engaged position. Yet another example has a support column and a seat section coupled to the base section. One aspect of this example includes a back section.

The above-mentioned aspects of the present invention and the manner of obtaining them will become more apparent and the disclosure itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of the embodiments of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:.

The embodiments of the present invention described below are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed in the following detailed description. Rather, the embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may appreciate and understand the principles and practices of the present invention.

In this regard, the invention is illustrated in the several figures, and is of sufficient complexity that the many parts, interrelationships, and sub-combinations thereof simply cannot be clearly or meaningfully illustrated in a single patent-type drawing. Accordingly, several of the drawings show in schematic, or omit, parts that are not essential in that drawing to a description of a particular feature, aspect or principle of the invention. Thus, the best mode of one embodied feature may be shown in one drawing, and the best mode of another feature will be called out in another drawing.

Referring now to <FIG>, a wheeled seat <NUM> is illustrated. The wheeled seat <NUM> may have a substantially horizontal seat section <NUM> and a substantially vertical back section <NUM>. While a back section <NUM> is shown and illustrated herein, this disclosure also contemplates embodiments that do not have a back section <NUM> at all. In this configuration, the seat section <NUM> may be utilized like a stool.

The wheeled seat <NUM> may have a support column <NUM> that couples the seat section <NUM> to a base section <NUM>. The support column <NUM> may telescopically couple the seat section <NUM> to the base section <NUM> and selectively reposition a height of the seat portion <NUM> relative to the base section <NUM>. In one aspect of this disclosure, the length of the support column <NUM>, and in turn the height of the seat section <NUM>, may be altered utilizing seat positioning pedals <NUM>. The seat positioning pedals <NUM> may be positioned proximate to the user's feet as the user sits on the seat portion and faces a forward direction <NUM>.

The base section <NUM> may have a front caster assembly <NUM> and a first and second rear caster assembly <NUM>, <NUM>. While the base section <NUM> is illustrated having three caster assemblies <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, this disclosure also contemplates embodiments wherein the base section has more than three caster assemblies. More specifically, one embodiment may have four caster assemblies while another embodiment may have five caster assemblies on the base section. Further still, yet another embodiment may have more than five caster assemblies as part of the base section. Accordingly, this disclosure considers any number of caster assemblies as part of the base section.

In <FIG>, a brake switch <NUM> is illustrated in a disengaged orientation and in <FIG> the brake switch <NUM> is illustrated in the engaged position. When the brake switch <NUM> is in the disengaged position, all the caster assemblies <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> may be free to both rotate about respective caster axes and roll on caster wheels. However, when the brake switch <NUM> is in the engaged position, at least two of the caster assemblies <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> may have a braking force applied thereto. The braking force may inhibit one or both of the rotation of the corresponding caster wheel about the caster axis and the rolling of any wheels coupled to the braked caster. In one non-exclusive example, when the brake switch <NUM> is engaged, a braking force is applied to both the first and second rear caster assembly <NUM>, <NUM> to resist both rotation about the corresponding caster axis and rolling on the corresponding wheel.

By braking at least two of the caster assemblies <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> when the brake switch <NUM> is engaged, the user may easily substantially restrict the wheeled seat <NUM> from moving relative to an underlying surface by actuating the singe brake switch <NUM>. More specifically, since the brake switch <NUM> engages two of the caster assemblies <NUM>, <NUM>, the wheeled seat <NUM> is substantially restricted from any movement relative to the underlying surface.

The brake switch <NUM> may be conveniently positioned along a portion of the base section <NUM> that is positioned between the user's feet. More specifically, the brake switch <NUM> may be positioned on a central caster support <NUM> that extends along a substantially central vertical plane defined through a central portion of the seat section <NUM>. In this orientation, when the user sits in the seat section <NUM> facing the forward direction <NUM>, the user will naturally place a foot on either side, or in front of, the central caster support <NUM>. Accordingly, the brake switch <NUM> will be position close to the user's feet for easy actuation between the engaged and disengaged orientation.

The seat section <NUM> may be rotationally coupled to the base section <NUM>. That is to say, the base section <NUM> rotates with the seat section <NUM>. Accordingly, the central caster support <NUM>, and in turn the brake switch <NUM>, may remain proximate to the user's feet even after the user rotates the wheeled seat <NUM>.

The brake switch <NUM> may also move a minimal displacement <NUM> between the engaged and disengaged position. The minimal displacement <NUM> may be a distance that allows the user to easily transition the brake switch <NUM> between the disengaged and engaged state without requiring substantial movement of the user's leg. This may be advantageous in situations wherein the user's leg is positioned proximate to or under a device such as an operating table or chair. The minimal displacement <NUM> may allow the user to transition the brake switch <NUM> between the disengaged and engaged positioned while the user's leg remains proximate to, or under, the operating table or chair.

Referring now to <FIG> and <FIG>, the brake switch <NUM> is illustrated without covering positioned there around. The brake switch <NUM> may be pivotally coupled to a frame <NUM> of the base section <NUM>. More specifically, the brake switch <NUM> may be pivotally coupled to the frame <NUM> about a brake switch axis <NUM>. The brake switch <NUM> may pivot about the brake switch axis <NUM> as it is repositioned between the disengaged and engaged position.

The brake switch <NUM> may also have a switch arm <NUM> extending radially away from the brake switch axis <NUM>. As the brake switch <NUM> pivots about the brake switch axis <NUM>, a pushrod <NUM> may be moved in a pushrod direction <NUM>. The pushrod <NUM> may be a mechanical linkage from the switch arm <NUM> to an intermediate arm <NUM> that is coupled to and extends radially away from an intermediate shaft <NUM>. The intermediate shaft <NUM> may be pivotally coupled to the base section <NUM> via one or more bearing or bushing assembly <NUM>. The bearing or bushing assemblies <NUM> allow the intermediate shaft <NUM> to rotate as the pushrod <NUM> moves in the pushrod directions <NUM> responsive to movement of the brake switch <NUM>. In short, as the brake switch <NUM> moves from the disengaged position to the engaged position, a torque is applied to the intermediate shaft <NUM>.

The intermediate shaft <NUM> may have a first end with a first link <NUM> and a second end with a second link <NUM>. The first link <NUM> may rotationally couple the intermediate shaft <NUM> to a first caster shaft <NUM> and the second link <NUM> may rotationally couple the intermediate shaft <NUM> to a second caster shaft <NUM>. The first caster shaft <NUM> may extend to a braking assembly of the first caster assembly <NUM> and the second caster shaft may extend to a braking assembly of the second caster assembly <NUM>. Both the first and second caster shaft <NUM>, <NUM> may have one or more bearing or bushing positioned to rotationally couple the corresponding shaft <NUM>, <NUM> to the base section. Further, both shafts <NUM>, <NUM> may terminate at a corresponding brake arms that extend radially from the corresponding shafts <NUM>, <NUM>. The brake arms may contact a lock pin or plunger of the corresponding caster assembly <NUM>, <NUM> to selectively apply a multi axis brake thereto.

As the brake switch <NUM> is transitioned from the disengaged position to the engaged position, the pushrod <NUM> may be moved in the pushrod direction <NUM> towards the intermediate shaft <NUM>. In turn, the intermediate shaft <NUM> will rotate as the pushrod <NUM> moves the intermediate arm <NUM> therewith. The rotational motion of the intermediate arm <NUM> is transferred to the first and second caster shafts <NUM>, <NUM> through the first and second links <NUM>, <NUM>. Finally, the rotational motion of the first and second caster shafts <NUM>, <NUM> is transferred to a linear force acting on the lock pin or plunger via the brake arms at the corresponding first and second caster assemblies <NUM>, <NUM>.

The brake assembly described herein simultaneously applies a braking force to the first and second caster assemblies <NUM>, <NUM> to prevent both rotation of the caster assemblies <NUM>, <NUM> and rolling of the caster assemblies <NUM>, <NUM>. As a person having skill in the relevant art appreciates, locking two caster assemblies of a multi-caster base allows the base to be substantially restricted from any movement relative to an underlying surface. Accordingly, while a three caster assembly system is shown and described, this disclosure could also be applied to embodiments with more caster assemblies. Further still, a braking force may be applied to more than two caster assemblies utilizing the teachings of this disclosure. Accordingly, this disclosure contemplates applying the teachings discussed herein to any number of caster assemblies and applying the braking force to more or fewer caster assemblies then those described herein.

Referring now to <FIG>, another embodiment of a caster braking assembly <NUM> is illustrated with the support section removed. The caster braking assembly <NUM> may be part of the base section <NUM> of the wheeled seat <NUM> or part of any other device that has a caster assembly such as a surgical stool, wheeled bed, wheeled stand, or the like. Further, the caster brake assembly <NUM> may utilize the brake switch <NUM> and linkages <NUM> to selectively engage brakes of the caster assemblies <NUM>, <NUM>. More specifically, the brake switch <NUM> may pivot about the brake switch axis <NUM> to move the pushrod <NUM> in substantially the same way described herein with reference to <FIG>. However, the caster brake assembly <NUM> of <FIG> pivotally couples the pushrod <NUM> to a cross member <NUM>. The cross member <NUM> may be coupled to a first brake engagement assembly <NUM> on one end and to a second brake engagement assembly <NUM> on the other end. The first and second brake engagement assembly <NUM>, <NUM> may be pivotally coupled to the corresponding first and second rear caster <NUM>, <NUM> to pivot relative thereto about a brake axis <NUM>.

The brake engagement assemblies <NUM>, <NUM> may have a brake shaft that extends into the corresponding caster assembly <NUM>, <NUM> to selectively apply a brake to the corresponding wheel of the caster assembly. In one non-exclusive example, the brake assembly <NUM>, <NUM> may have a plunger or the like that is selectively applied against the wheels of the caster assembly to thereby prevent rotation of the wheels relative to the caster assembly. In this configuration, the pivotal location of the brake engagement assemblies <NUM>, <NUM> may determine whether the plunger is applied to the corresponding wheels. In other words, the brake engagement assemblies <NUM>, <NUM> may rotate about the brake axis <NUM> to selectively apply a braking force to the corresponding wheels of the caster assemblies <NUM>, <NUM>.

The cross member <NUM> may be offset from the brake axis <NUM> but otherwise coupled to the brake engagement assemblies <NUM>, <NUM> to pivot about the brake axis <NUM>. In this configuration, as the brake switch <NUM> is manipulated to move the pushrod in either direction <NUM>, the cross member <NUM> may pivot about the brake axis <NUM> to thereby pivot the brake engagement assemblies <NUM>, <NUM> to selectively apply the brakes of the caster assemblies <NUM>, <NUM>. Further, a return spring or springs <NUM> may be coupled to the cross member <NUM> on one end and to a frame member of the base section <NUM> on the other end. The return spring <NUM> may provide a springed force to the cross member <NUM> urging the cross member <NUM> to a released position wherein the caster assembly <NUM>, <NUM> brakes are not applied. The brake switch <NUM> may be depressed to pivot about the brake switch axis <NUM> and move the pushrod <NUM> to overcome the spring force applied by the springs <NUM>. As the brake switch <NUM> is depressed the pushrod <NUM> may pivot the cross member <NUM> about the brake axis <NUM> into a braked position wherein brakes of the brake assemblies <NUM>, <NUM> are applied to the corresponding wheels.

The brake switch <NUM> may have a catch mechanism <NUM> therein to selectively maintain the brake switch <NUM> in the depressed position. The brake switch <NUM> may engage the catch mechanism <NUM> as it transitions towards the depressed position to thereby engage the catch mechanism <NUM> to hold the brake switch <NUM> in the depressed position until the catch mechanism <NUM> is released. The catch mechanism <NUM> may be released by applying an additional downforce on the brake switch <NUM> to release the brake switch from the depressed position and allow the brake switch <NUM> to pivot about the brake switch axis <NUM> to release the brakes of the brake engagement assemblies <NUM>, <NUM>.

The caster assemblies <NUM>, <NUM> may be similar to the caster device illustrated and described in <CIT>, the contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. In this example, the brake engagement assemblies <NUM>, <NUM> may have a polygonal shaft <NUM> or the like that acts as the operating tool for the caster to selectively reposition a spindle within the caster assembly <NUM>, <NUM> to selectively apply a brake to the wheels thereof.

While a particular caster assembly is illustrated and discussed herein, this disclosure contemplates applying these teaching to any type of caster assembly wherein activating a single switch applies a braking force to multiple casters. Accordingly, many different types of caster assemblies may be coupled to the brake engagement assemblies <NUM>, <NUM> to allow movement of the pushrod <NUM> to selectively apply brakes to the corresponding caster assemblies.

While exemplary embodiments incorporating the principles of the present disclosure have been disclosed herein, the present disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Instead, this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the disclosure using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this disclosure pertains.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular illustrative embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting.

Claim 1:
A caster braking assembly (<NUM>) for a wheeled seat (<NUM>), comprising
a base section;
a first caster assembly (<NUM>) coupled to the base section (<NUM>) and having at least one wheel;
a second caster assembly (<NUM>) coupled to the base section (<NUM>) and having at least one wheel; and characterized by
a brake switch (<NUM>) pivotally repositionable between an engaged position and a disengaged position and positioned on a central caster support (<NUM>) configured to be positioned between a user's feet; and
a front caster assembly (<NUM>) pivotally coupled to the base section (<NUM>) at the central caster support (<NUM>) and extending in the front direction;
wherein, the brake switch (<NUM>) is positioned along the central caster support (<NUM>) that extends along a substantially central vertical plane defined through a central portion of a seat section (<NUM>);
wherein, when the brake switch (<NUM>) is in the engaged position at least one wheel of both the first caster assembly (<NUM>) and the second caster assembly (<NUM>) are substantially restricted from rotating.