IT201600097377A1 - Reclining electric chair with protection - Google Patents

Description

"Reclining electric chair with protection"

DESCRIPTION

Field of the invention

The present invention refers to an electric chair; in particular, the present invention refers to a reclining electric chair equipped with movable mechanical parts which allow said chair to assume various positions and equipped with parts suitable for protecting said mechanical parts, the purpose of which is to prevent access to the parts. moving, making it safer.

State of the art.

Electric recliners have long been known. They typically consist of a base that rests on the floor, a seat that rests on this base, a movable platform or footboard placed in the front and a movable backrest placed in the rear, in which said platform and this backrest are connected to the seat and can be moved by mechanical means that can be activated by the user seated on this seat. These mechanical means allow the platform and the backrest to assume the most appropriate positions from time to time according to the user's momentary needs, such as the positions of relaxation, reading, reclined backrest, bed, standing.

During handling, the mechanisms that allow this movement are accessible from the outside and therefore there is a real risk that pets or children enter the rear or side of the chair during handling, with consequent crushing and entrapment between the moving parts. . This risk is increased by the fact that the user positioned on the chair is not able to visually check whether any pet or child has entered between these parts designed to be set in motion by the user himself.

In addition, there is an additional risk that children or incapable people misuse the chair when it is unattended, with the consequent risks, activating the movement of the mechanical parts even in unsafe conditions.

Therefore, the Applicant of this patent application has found the need to provide an electric chair equipped with devices that prevent or make safe such movement of the mechanical parts of the chair itself.

To overcome these problems, the Applicant has implemented a mechanical protection of the side, rear and footboard parts, which prevents access to the moving parts, avoiding the mechanical risks of crushing and entrapment. Summary of the invention

In a first aspect, the present invention refers to an electric chair like the one indicated in claim 1.

The Applicant of the present application has in fact surprisingly found that a reclining chair which has a rear part, a front part and two lateral parts for connection between said rear part and said front part, and which is constituted by a base which rests on the ground, a seat portion for the user connected to said base, a movable footboard placed in the front part of the chair and connected to said seat, a movable backrest placed in the rear part of the chair and connected to said seat, mechanical means that can be activated by the user which allow each of said backrest and of said footboard to be moved from a first to a second position of its own, and vice versa, characterized by the fact that said armchair is further provided with at least one protection device adapted to protect said mechanical means,

is able to protect these mechanical means and at the same time to prevent objects, pets or children from accidentally inserting themselves between these mechanical means, with the consequent risk of their entrapment and crushing during the phases in which the footboard and / or the backrest of the chair of the present invention are moved by said mechanical means.

In this context, the term "reclining chair" means any device on which a user can sit, such as, for example, an armchair, chair, or the like, and such that the backrest and / or footboard of that chair are capable of to assume various angles, to allow the user various positions while sitting on the chair, such as the positions of relaxation, reading, reclined back, bed, standing.

Preferably, said reclining chair is powered by connection to the electrical network, although armchairs powered by other energy sources, such as batteries, solar panels, etc. are also provided.

Preferably, said chair is provided with such a device for protecting the mechanical means arranged in the rear part of the chair; more preferably, said chair is also provided with such a protection device arranged in each of the two side parts of the chair.

In this way, these protective devices of the mechanical means are arranged in all parts of the chair (rear and the two sides) not directly visible to the user. Therefore, thanks to the presence of these protection devices, the user can safely activate the movement of the footboard and backrest by mechanical means, being certain that in the meantime no objects, animals or children have been inserted between these mechanical means. .

Preferably, each of said at least one protection device is constituted by a cylinder, arranged substantially horizontally with respect to the ground and fixed in correspondence with the upper part of said mechanical means.

In this way, since this cylinder is positioned on the upper part of the mechanical means, all these mechanical means are protected by this protection device and it is therefore not possible to access from the outside to tamper with or accidentally damage this cylinder.

Preferably, said cylinder is fixed to an element of said base facing outwards, positioned above said mechanical means.

Preferably, a protective fabric element arranged substantially vertically with respect to the ground, therefore orthogonal with respect to the cylinder itself, is fixed to said cylinder.

In this way, said protective element extends vertically from said cylinder downwards, so as to protect said mechanical means placed behind it.

Preferably, said cylinder is provided with a tensioning device capable of allowing the unwinding of said protective fabric element and subsequent rewinding around said cylinder during the operation of said mechanical means.

In this way, said protective element is able to wind / unwind around / from said cylinder, following the lowering / lifting movement of the cylinder itself when operated by the mechanical means that move the footboard and the backrest.

Preferably, said tensioning device is placed inside the cylinder.

Preferably, said protection element is unwound / rewound with adequate tension.

This facilitates this unwinding / rewinding of the protection element.

Preferably, said protective fabric element is of the curtain type.

Preferably, said curtain-like protective element is fixed below said base.

In this way the protective element slides vertically between said cylinder and said base.

Preferably, said protective fabric element is perforated or substantially transparent.

In this way it is possible to see beyond this protective element, for a possible visual verification.

In another embodiment, said at least one device for protecting the mechanical means consists of a metal or plastic plate arranged so as to occupy at least a portion of at least one side part of the chair, in correspondence with the mechanical means that determine the movement of said footboard. In this way, the small moving parts of the mechanical means that determine the movement of said footboard are protected.

In yet another embodiment, said at least one protective device of the mechanical means consists of the combination of both said metal or plastic plate and said cylinder to which a protective fabric element arranged substantially vertically with respect to the ground is fixed. More preferably, this combination of protection devices is arranged so as to substantially occupy the entire side part of the chair.

In this way, there is a greater protection of the mechanical means otherwise from the side of the chair.

Preferably, the electric chair of the present invention further comprises a locking device suitable for allowing the voluntary activation / deactivation of said mechanical means.

In this way, accidental activation of mechanical means is prevented, effectively preventing a child or an incapable person from using the chair improperly when it is unattended, with the resulting risks. Preferably, said mechanical means are able to move said footboard from a first non-use position, in which the footboard is arranged in a substantially vertical way or in any case such that it cannot be used by the user of the chair to rest his feet on it, to a second proper position of use, in which the footboard is arranged substantially horizontally or in any case inclined to the point that it can be used by the user of the chair as a support on which to rest the feet, and vice versa from the second position to the first position.

More preferably, said mechanical means are capable of positioning said footboard in an intermediate position between said first position of non-use and said second position of use.

In this way, for example, it is possible to position the footboard in a position that facilitates the standing of the user who was sitting on the chair.

Preferably, said mechanical means are able to move said backrest from a first position, called reading position, in which the backrest is arranged in a substantially vertical way or in any case such that it can be used by the user in order to stay in a comfortable sitting position, to a second relaxation position, in which the backrest is arranged in a substantially horizontal way or in any case inclined to the point such as to allow the user of the armchair to lie down almost as if he were in a bed.

More preferably, said mechanical means are capable of positioning said backrest in an intermediate position between said first reading position and said second relaxing position.

In this way, for example, it is possible to position the backrest in an appropriate position according to the momentary needs of the user.

Preferably, said mechanical means capable of moving said footboard are also capable of simultaneously moving said backrest.

In this way, the movements of the footboard and the backrest are coordinated so that the user can perform, for example, the action of standing from the chair in an optimal way, thus minimizing the efforts required on the legs and back. or that it can stay in the relaxed position while having good foot rest on the footboard.

In one embodiment, the chair of the present invention is provided with a motor so that the movement of the backrest and the footboard occur simultaneously.

Alternatively, in another embodiment, the chair of the present invention is equipped with two motors that can separately drive the movement of the backrest and the footboard.

Preferably, said mechanical means capable of moving said footboard and / or said mechanical means capable of moving said backrest can be activated by the user by means of a remote control, operating with batteries or with electrical power.

In a second aspect, the present invention refers to a reclining chair like the one indicated in claim 9.

The Applicant of the present application has in fact surprisingly found that a reclining chair which has a rear part, a front part and two lateral parts for connection between said rear part and said front part, and which is constituted by a base which rests on the ground, a seat portion for the user connected to said base, a movable footboard placed in the front part of the chair and connected to said seat, a movable backrest placed in the rear part of the chair and connected to said seat, mechanical means that can be activated by the user which allow each of said backrest and of said footboard to be moved from a first to a second position of its own, and vice versa, characterized by the fact that said armchair further comprises a locking device adapted to allow the activation / deactivation of said mechanical means.

In this way, the accidental activation of mechanical means is prevented, effectively preventing a child or an incapable person from using the chair improperly when it is unattended, with the consequent risks. Preferably, said locking device is a mechanical key switch. In this way, greater safety is obtained in the use of the chair, as only the user (or his person) in possession of this mechanical key is able to insert the key in this locking device in order to use the mechanical means provided to the chair of the present invention.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will be better highlighted by examining the following detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment, illustrated by way of non-limiting example, with the support of the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an overall view of an embodiment of a reclining electric chair according to the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a detail of an embodiment of a protection device of the mechanical means positioned in the rear part of the chair shown in Figure 1 during a phase of movement of the chair;

Figure 3 shows the detail of Figure 2 during a second movement phase of the chair;

Figure 4 shows a detail of an embodiment of another device for protecting the mechanical means positioned in one of the two side parts of the chair shown in Figure 1;

Figure 5 simultaneously shows the detail of Figure 2 and the detail of Figure 4;

- Figure 6 shows a detail of the buttons and icons available on the remote control that activates the movements of the footboard and the backrest of the chair of Fig. 1; Figure 7 shows a preferred embodiment of a locking device consisting of a mechanical key switch, of the chair of Fig. 1.

Detailed description

The following detailed description refers to a particular embodiment of the reclining electric chair of the present invention, without limiting its content.

With reference to Figures 1-7, a reclining chair is described; with particular reference to Fig. 1 a reclining armchair 10 is shown as a whole from the outside in which the backrest 1, the footboard 2, the seat area 3, and the two lateral parts 5,6 which culminate with the two corresponding armrests 7,8 placed above the seating area 3. The seating area 3 is positioned on a base (not shown in Fig. 1) which in turn rests on the ground. Fig. 1 also shows a remote control 4 with which it is possible to activate the mechanical means (not shown in the figures) that determine the movement of the footboard 2 and / or of the backrest 3. The reclining chair 10 is powered by the mains current through cable 9; the armchair 10 is also provided with a pocket 11 in which to store the remote control 4 when not in use. In this Fig. 1 the armchair 10 is shown completely lying on the floor, without either the backrest or the footboard being in a reclined position.

With particular reference to Figs. 2 and 3, an embodiment of the device for protecting the mechanical means of the chair of the present invention is shown. Fig. 2 in fact shows the rear part of the chair 10 in the phase of moving the mechanical means so that the chair has the rear part in its maximum extension and inclined so as to be higher than the front part. These mechanical means are protected by the protection device, indicated in its complexity with 12, consisting of the cylinder 13, arranged horizontally and fixed to a portion of the base of the chair, and by the protective element 14 in perforated fabric arranged substantially vertically with respect to the ground and fixed at the bottom to a bar 15 parallel to the cylinder 13 and in contact with the ground surface on which the chair 10 rests. The protective element 14 therefore extends vertically so as to protect in height the whole area occupied by mechanical means and therefore to prevent the accessibility from the outside to said mechanical means. It is therefore avoided that pets, children or any object can accidentally enter the area of action of the mechanical means during their operation, thus avoiding crushing and entrapment with consequent damage to people, animals or things. The protective element 14, being perforated, also allows a visual verification beyond it in the area of the mechanical means (partially visible behind the protective element 14).

Fig. 3 is similar to Fig. 2 but shows a movement phase of the mechanical means for which the chair is in an intermediate extension phase between the phase shown in Fig. 2 of maximum rear extension and the extension phase nothing shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 3 only the lower portion of the protective element 14 can be seen, while the cylinder that was visible in Fig. 2 (indicated with 13) is not visible, as it is covered by the rear part of the chair 10 in this handling phase.

With particular reference to Fig. 4, a side part of the chair of the present invention is shown in which the protective element 14 of the mechanical means 17 is visible, the protection device 14 being fixed at the bottom to the bar 15 and at the top to a cylinder which is not visible in Fig. 4, but similar to that indicated with 13 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 also shows a metal plate 16 arranged so as to occupy at least a portion of the side part of the chair; in this way the combination of the protective element 14 and the plate 16 help to provide protection from the side of the chair to the mechanical means 17 which determine the movement of the backrest 1 and the footboard 2.

Fig. 5 shows in axonometry both the side part of the chair shown in Fig. 4, in which the protective element 14 and the plate 16 are visible, and a portion of the rear part shown in Fig. 2, in which the protective element 14 to protect the mechanical means 17.

Fig. 6 shows in detail a remote control 4 through which the user can operate the mechanical means; in particular in the embodiment shown in Fig. 6 the remote control has buttons a, b, c, d provided with icons representing the position of the chair which can be obtained by pressing that particular button a, b, c, d. In this embodiment which provides for the remote control 4 shown in Fig. 6, the chair of the present invention is equipped with two motors which can move the backrest 1 and the footboard 2 separately, which allow the bed position, the relaxation position, the reclined backrest position, reading position, standing position and 10 cm vertical lifting in the natural position.

In fact, by pressing the button a (bed position) the mechanical means is activated which raises the footboard 2 and tilts the backrest 1 offering a relaxation position before reaching the bed position; by pressing button b (lift), if the chair is in the natural position (shown in Fig. 1), it raises vertically by 10 cm and then tilts forward until it reaches the standing position; pressing button c (natural position) activates the mechanical means that brings the chair back to the "natural" position (shown in Fig. 1); finally, by pressing the button d (footboard lifting) the mechanical means that raises the footboard is activated.

Whenever the chair 10 is raised or lowered following the actuation of a mechanical means 17 by pressing one of the buttons a, b, c, d provided on the remote control 4, the protective element 14 in curtain fabric is wraps or unwinds around the cylinder 13 so that the protection device 12 follows the movement of the chair 10 in its entirety, without creating obstacles to the movement of the chair itself and at the same time maintaining its protective function of the mechanical means 17.

In this way, the protection device 12 prevents pets, children or any object from being crushed or trapped in the mechanical means during their movement of the chair.

Obviously, in other embodiments of the remote control 4 other buttons are available which allow the activation of other mechanical means, or a combination thereof, such as for example to activate the backrest alone, the backrest and the footboard at the same time. , or that the footboard is raised with an anticipated movement with respect to the backrest in order to offer the user a reading position before reaching the relaxation position.

Fig. 7 shows in detail an embodiment of a locking device 18, consisting of a switch provided with a mechanical key 22 shown in the various preferred embodiments with round 19, square 20 or rectangular 21 section.

This locking device 18 is positioned on one of the armrests 7,8; in another embodiment, the locking device can be positioned on the outside of the backrest. 1 In the rest position, the key 22 is not inserted and the switch is open, preventing the mains power supply from activating the mechanical means 17. In this way, by acting on the control 4 no movement of the chair 10 is obtained. with greater safety in the use of the chair itself, since only the user (or whoever is acting on his behalf) in possession of this mechanical key 22 is able to insert the key itself in this locking device 18, rotate the key 22 and close the switch in order to use the mechanical means 17 supplied with the chair 10 of the present invention.

Of course, many modifications and variations of the described preferred embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, still remaining within the scope of the invention.

Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments described, illustrated only by way of non-limiting example, but is defined by the following claims.

Claims (10)

Claims. 1. Reclining armchair (10) which has a rear part, a front part and two lateral parts for connection between said rear part and said front part, and which consists of a base that rests on the ground, a seat portion (3) for the user connected to this base, a movable footboard (2) placed in the front part of the chair and connected to said seat, a movable backrest (1) placed in the rear part of the chair and connected to said seat (3), mechanical means (17) which can be activated by the user which allow each of said backrest (1) and said footboard (2) to be moved from a first to a second position, and vice versa, characterized by the fact that said armchair (10) is provided furthermore of at least one protection device (12) adapted to protect said mechanical means (17). Reclining chair (10) according to claim 1, wherein said chair is provided with such a protective device (12) of the mechanical means (17) arranged in the rear part of the chair, and with such a protective device (12) arranged in each of the two side parts of the chair. 3. Reclining chair (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of said at least one protection device (12) consists of a cylinder (13), arranged substantially horizontally with respect to the ground and fixed at the upper part of said mechanical means (17), and in which a protective fabric element (14) is fixed to said cylinder (13) and is arranged substantially vertically with respect to the ground so as to prevent access to said mechanical means (17) from the outside. 4. Reclining chair (10) according to claim 3, wherein said cylinder (13) is provided with a tensioning device capable of allowing the unwinding of said protective fabric element (14) and subsequent rewinding around said cylinder ( 13) during the operation of said mechanical means (17). Reclining armchair (10) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein said protective element (14) made of fabric is of the curtain type. Reclining armchair (10) according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein said protective element (14) made of fabric is perforated or substantially transparent. Reclining chair (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one protective device (12) of the mechanical means (17) consists of a metal or plastic plate (16) arranged so as to occupy at least one portion of at least a lateral part of the chair, in correspondence with the mechanical means (17) which determine the movement of said footboard (2). 8. Reclining chair (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, which further comprises a locking device (18) adapted to allow the activation / deactivation of said mechanical means (17). 9. Reclining armchair (10) which has a rear part, a front part and two lateral parts for connection between said rear part and said front part, and which consists of a base that rests on the ground, a seat portion (3) for the user connected to this base, a movable footboard (2) placed in the front part of the chair (10) and connected to said seat, a movable backrest (1) placed in the rear part of the chair (10) and connected to said seat , mechanical means (17) that can be activated by the user which allow each of said backrest (1) and said footboard (2) to be moved from a first to a second position, and vice versa, characterized in that said armchair (10 ) further comprises a locking device (18) adapted to allow the activation / deactivation of said mechanical means (17). Reclining chair (10) according to claim 9, wherein said locking device (18) is a mechanical key switch (22).