EP2175821B1 - Stand-up unit for stand-up wheelchairs and chairs, particularly therapy chairs - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a Aufrichteinheit with a support and hinged to the support Aufrichtgestell having a seat support carrying a seat, a backrest support which carries a backrest, a first lever parallelogram to the backrest both in the sitting position and in the standing position of the User to maintain upright, and means for moving from the sitting position, the standing position, the backrest to the rear end of the seat when a change from the sitting position, the first lever parallelogram having a first double-armed parallelogram lever. Such erecting units are used, for example, in raising wheelchairs and therapy chairs.

Already the first designers of Aufrichtrollstühlen faced the problem that when erecting a relative movement between the seat and backrest surfaces and the body of the chair user can occur. The resulting shear forces can lead to decubitus in the stool. A relative movement between the seat and the body of the user arises when the axis of rotation of the seat does not coincide with the axis of rotation of the knee joint. In reality, the conditions are even more complicated because the knee joint does not perform a pure rotary motion. Rather, there is additionally a translational movement. Also, between the back of the user and the backrest, a relative movement takes place when the axis of rotation of the backrest does not coincide with the axis of rotation of the knee joint.

In order to avoid the undesirable relative movements described above, the inventor of one of the first erecting wheelchairs in 1969 had already come up with the idea of forming the seat and backrest by means of a plurality of cushioned rollers ( US 3,589,769 ). However, these Aufrichtrollstühle have not been successful. About 10 years later took place in the WO 79/00647 the proposal to lower the footrest when getting up, so as to avoid an unwanted relative movement between the seat and the body of the chair user. However, the disadvantage was the lack of stability of the footrest, which is articulated approximately at knee height of the user on Aufrichtgestell and slightly further down with a connecting link is pivotally connected to the chassis. This disadvantage will in the Aufrichtrollstuhl according to EP 0 815 822 thereby avoided that the footrest has a shaft which is guided in the chassis.

Many pamphlets show that the Aufstellrollstühle described there allow the user not completely upright standing. Rather, the user remains in a slight tilt, in which he exerts forces on the seat and backrest. Many designs of known wheelchairs rely on such forces to avoid deadlock or near-deadlock blocking of the erecting mechanism ( US 3,589,769 . US 4,623,194 . DE 26 25 046 . FR 2 529 456 and the corresponding one EP 0146 660 . EP 0 815 822 . EP 1 600 134 ).

As the patent literature further shows, virtually all the erecting wheelchairs proposed in the past 30 years make use of the lowering of the footrest use, but unwanted relative movement between the seat and the chair user is not always avoided ( FR 2 529 456 and the corresponding one EP 0 146 660 . US 4,623,194 . EP 0 815 822 and EP 1 600134 ). However, if the footrest has to be lowered when standing up, this presupposes that the footrest must be arranged relatively high in the sitting position. The wheelchair user sits thus much higher in the wheelchair than a non-disabled person on an ordinary chair.

In the US 4 054 319 . US 4,456,086 . US Pat. No. 6,125,957 Aufrichtrollstühle are already described, in which the height of the footrest in sitting and standing position is the same. In these examples, but the footrest is also relatively high on a chassis, also unwanted relative movements are not consistently avoided.

The DE 26 25 046 describes a Aufrichtstuhl, which can also serve as a therapy chair. It has a curve that is adaptable to the patient's ideal righting movements. Together with a guide link and a limit lever, this curve controls and limits the raising movement of the seat and backrest. The aim of this mechanism was to create virtually no relative movement between the user's body and the chair surface. However, this goal was not achieved by the mechanism described, because the axis of rotation between the backrest and seat is arranged at a relatively large distance from the hip joint of the chair user. Furthermore, the use of cams has the disadvantage that they are subject to great wear during operation. A disadvantage of this Aufrichtstuhls and known Aufrichtrollstühle also proves that when erecting the seat the chair users pushes forward, with the lower legs are pressed in the knee area with additional pressure against the necessary in most cases knee holder. This often causes an incorrect standing position. In the WO03 / 026550 Therefore, a mechanism is proposed to move the knee brackets forward when changing from the sitting to the erecting position. By such a mechanism but the Aufrichtstuhl is more expensive.

The EP 0146 660 shows a Aufrichtrollstuhl which has a chassis with an upright hinged thereto. The erecting frame has a seat support with a backrest support. Further, a first and a second lever parallelogram is provided. The first lever parallelogram maintains the backrest support both in the sitting and standing position of the user. The second lever parallelogram is used to lower the footrest. For this purpose, the first lever parallelogram has a double-armed parallelogram lever, of which one arm forms part of the second lever parallelogram. As previously mentioned, this upright wheelchair makes use of the lowering of the footrest, like virtually all of the roll-up wheelchairs proposed in the last 30 years. This has the disadvantage that the wheelchair user sitting on such a wheelchair much higher than a non-disabled person on an ordinary chair. This proves to be disadvantageous, for example, when sitting at a table, where on the one hand runs the risk of bumping his knees on the table top and on the other hand, sits much too high for activities such as writing or eating.

The rearing chairs considered so far provide for articulation in only two places. In the EP 1716 834 In contrast, an apparatus is described which has a plurality of hingedly connected members. These form an articulated system, which has an articulation in three places, so not only an articulation in the area of the knee joints and in the area of the hip joints of the user, but a further articulation also for the ankle joints. It is thus provided on each side of the apparatus a member which is hinged at the height of the ankles on a frame. To compensate for the weight of the user, springs and weights are provided ( Fig. 4 ). It is also proposed to pull the backrest over a cable by means of a cable running over two rollers and a weight hung from it. Another suggestion is to attach weights to the links, which are hinged at the height of the ankles on a frame pivoting forward and backward. The former proposal, which provides for a weight on a rope, is only suitable for stationary Chairs, but not for mobile Aufstellrollstühle. The second proposal to attach weights to the links at the level of the ankle is undesirable for erecting wheelchairs because it increases their overall weight. Also, the suggestion to direct the erecting rack to pivotable members rather than to a stationary support makes the system according to EP 1716 834 further unattractive for use with Aufrichtrollstuhl. In such cases, the erecting rack is usually hinged to a stationary support, which may be part of the chassis.

Furthermore, in the patent US 5,772,226 discloses a wheelchair with a stand-up with an articulated structure having with the frame by a lifting device consisting of a plurality of articulated links disclosed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a Aufrichteinheit which is suitable for Aufrichtrollstühle and therapy chairs and at least largely avoids the disadvantages described above. In particular, there should be virtually no relative movement between the thighs of the chair occupant and the seat when getting up and sitting down the user. Also between the back of the chair wearer and the backrest should take place as possible no relative movement. The erecting unit should allow the user to stand upright and provide him with a secure hold even in this position. Also, the armrest height should be both in sitting and standing position in a comfortable for the chair user situation. Finally, the erecting unit should have the lowest possible weight.

According to the invention, this is achieved in a Aufrichteinheit according to the type mentioned in that the first lever parallelogram has a second double-armed Parallelogrammhebel that the arms of the two double-armed Parallelogrammhebel with two other levers form a second lever parallelogram, that the common fulcrum of the two lever parallelograms on a lever is pivotally connected to a first location of the footrest and that the common pivot point of said further lever of the second parallelogram is pivotally connected to a second location of the footrest.

Thanks to the construction of the erecting unit according to the invention, virtually no relative movements take place between the user's body and the seat during erection, because during erection the seat is raised. That the footrest when changing from the Sitting position in the standing position does not have to be lowered, is particularly advantageous when using the Aufrichteinheit in Aufrichtrollstühlen. There, the footrest in the sitting position can be arranged relatively low, so that the wheelchair users are not much higher sits as a normal chair user, which is particularly beneficial when eating or working at a table.

Unlike the system of EP 1716 834 In the erecting unit described, the erecting frame is articulated not on pivotable members but on a stationary support, as is the case with most elevating wheelchairs. This has the advantage that further measures, such as weights on such pivotable members, are not necessary, and thus the total weight of the erecting unit can be kept small.

For therapy chairs, the footrest can be flat to the floor. The footrest can also be omitted. In this case, however, the support is expediently designed to be height-adjustable in order to permit adaptation to the user. Another advantage is that when erecting the legs of the chair wearer are not strongly pressed against the knee brackets. The knee holder therefore needs no mechanism to prevent this. Another advantage of the invention is that the erecting frame is suitable for use with various types of chassis.

Depending on the health of the user, the Aufrichteinheit can be used with or without linear drive. Conveniently, the linear drive between the support and the first lever parallelogram is arranged. Expediently, the first lever parallelogram has a third double-armed parallelogram lever, on whose arm the backrest support is displaceable. Next, the first double-armed lever is pivotally connected by means of a rod with the backrest support. When erecting the backrest support is therefore moved down so that no relative movement between the backrest and the back of the user takes place.

Between the footrest and the first lever parallelogram, a linear drive can be provided, which can be actuated by the user to get up and sitting down. For only slightly disabled users no motor drive is required. In any case, it is expedient to provide spring means to counteract the body weight of the user.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of the erecting unit provides that the lever, which is pivotally connected to the footrest, a first spring joint element, for example, a so-called ROSTA element, having, with the first Hebelparallelogrammhebel is coupled, and that the lever has a second spring joint element which is coupled to the footrest. In the sitting position, the spring elements are biased and endeavor to pivot the seat against the weight of the user upwards.

Advantageously, the spring joint elements generate after reaching a predetermined Schweriklage a force which counteracts the further pivoting of the seat upwards. This has the advantage that the joint play is canceled and the Aufrichtrollstuhl the user in a standing position ensures a secure fit. In contrast to most known erecting chairs, the user can stand fully upright.

Advantageously, the erecting frame on two seat frame, between which seat, backrest and footrest are arranged. This results in a particularly stable construction.

Figur 1:

Eine schematische Darstellung der Aufrichteinheit,

Figur 2:

eine perspektivische Darstellung eines eine Aufrichteinheit aufweisenden Aufrichtrollstuhls, seitlich von vorn betrachtet, zusammen mit der schematischen Darstellung eines Stuhlbenützer, wobei die Gelenke des Stuhlbenützers sichtbar sind,

Figur 3:

die Aufrichteinheit mit dem Stuhlbenützer in Sitzstellung,

Figur 4:

die Aufrichteinheit mit dem Stuhlbenützer beim Aufstehen oder Absitzen,

Figur 5:

die Aufrichteinheit mit dem Stuhlbenützer in Stehstellung,

Figur 6:

einen vergrösserten Ausschnitt aus Fig. 3 und

Figur 7:

einen vergrösserten Ausschnitt aus Fig. 5.

Figur 8:

einen Stuhl mit einer Aufrichteinheit,

Figur 9:

eine Ansicht des Aufrichtrollstuhls wie in Figur 1 aber seitlich von hinten betrachtet, und

Figur 10:

ein Aufrichtrollstuhl mit einem anderen Fahrgestell.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. It shows:

FIG. 1:

A schematic representation of the erecting unit,

FIG. 2:

a perspective view of a Aufrichteinheit having Aufrichtrollstuhls, viewed from the front side, together with the schematic representation of a chair user, the joints of the chair user are visible,

FIG. 3:

the erection unit with the chair user in sitting position,

FIG. 4:

the erection unit with the chair user when getting up or sitting down,

FIG. 5:

the erection unit with the chair user in standing position,

FIG. 6:

an enlarged section Fig. 3 and

FIG. 7:

an enlarged section Fig. 5 ,

FIG. 8:

a chair with a straightening unit,

FIG. 9:

a view of the upright wheelchair as in FIG. 1 but viewed from the side, and

FIG. 10:

a Aufrichtrollstuhl with another chassis.

The in the FIGS. 1 to 6 Aufrichteinheit 10 shown has a support 21 and hinged to the support Aufrichtgestell 13. In the illustrated embodiment, the Aufrichtgestell 13 has two side frames 15 (FIG. Fig. 2 . 9.10 ), between which seat 17, backrest 19 and footrest 24 are arranged. The side frames 15 have a Variety of levers on that in Fig. 1 are shown schematically. But it would also be possible to arrange a single such lever system centrally.

From the Figures 2 . 9 and 10 , which show the use of Aufrichteinheit in Aufrichtrollstühlen, also attached to the backrest support 25 armrests 18 are visible, as well as the knee brackets 20th

The construction of the erecting unit 10 is best seen in the schematic illustration in FIG FIG. 1 and the FIGS. 3 to 7 visible, which show the movement. The Aufrichtgestell 13 arranged on the support 21 has a seat support 23 which carries the seat 17, and a backrest support 25 which carries the backrest 19. Next, the erecting frame 13 has a first lever parallelogram 27 and a second lever parallelogram 29. The first lever parallelogram 27 serves to keep the backrest 19 upright both in the sitting position and in the standing position of the user. The second

Lever parallelogram 29 serves to move the seat 17 with respect to the footrest 24, which is arranged on the support 21, when changing from the sitting position to the standing position upwards. Further, means 30 are provided to move the backrest 19 to the rear end of the seat 17 when changing from the sitting position to the standing position. The person skilled in the art will appreciate that, when changing from the standing position to the sitting position, the movement proceeds in the opposite direction. To make a change from the sitting position to the standing position or vice versa, a linear drive 31 is provided between the support 21 and the first lever parallelogram 27. The linear drive 31 is articulated at 28 on the support 21 and at 32 on the lever 51. In addition to the linear drive 31 may occur a gas spring or other spring device, which compensates the body weight of the chair user. Federgelenkelemente prove, as described below with reference to the FIGS. 6 and 7 is described. A linear drive 31 can be dispensed with if the chair user has sufficient muscle power.

The first lever parallelogram 27 has the pivot points 33 to 36. The second lever parallelogram 29 has the pivot points 35, 37 to 39. The pivot point 35 is common to both Hebelparallelogrammen 27, 29. The first lever parallelogram 27 has four parallelogram 41, 49, 45, 23. Of these, three 41, 49, 45 are double-armed. The first (41) and the second (49) Parallelogrammhebel have arms 43, 53, which form with two other levers 55,57 the second lever parallelogram 29, with the fulcrum 38 is hinged at one point of the support 21. A lever 51 connects the common pivot 35 of the two Hebelparallelogramme 27, 29 articulated to the support 21 at 44th

The third parallelogram lever 45, which is located at the rear of the seat 17, has an arm 47 on which the backrest support 25 is slidably disposed. The displacement of the backrest support 25 serve means, for example in the form of a rod 30, which connects the first parallelogram lever 41 to the backrest support 25 in an articulated manner.

The FIGS. 3 to 5 and 6 and 7 show the movement sequence when changing from the sitting position to the standing position and vice versa. It can be seen that in these movements practically no relative movements take place between the body of the stool and the Stuhloberflächen. Thus, when changing from the sitting position to the standing position, the front edge of the seat 17 moves upwards and the backrest 19 downwards.

It has already been stated that it is expedient to compensate the body weight of the stool by a spring device. This can, for example, as in the EP 0 815 822 shown by a gas spring. Of particular advantage but turns out in the FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrated use of two spring joint elements 59, 61, for example of the type ROSTA, which are integrated in the lever 51. The spring joint member 59 connects the lever 51 with the support 21 and the spring joint member 61 connects the lever 51 with the first Parallelogrammhebel 41. In the sitting position ( Fig. 6 ) Both spring joint elements 59, 61 are biased and strives to pivot the seat 17 upwards until it reaches a pivotal position of about 55 degrees. From this position, the further pivoting takes place up to the end position of Fig. 7 against the force of the spring element 59, 61:

In the end position ( Fig. 5 and 7 ) seat 17 and backrest 19 are in a vertical position and allow the user - this in contrast to most known Aufrichtrollstühlen - a fully upright standing. There is no danger in this position that the Aufrichtmechanismus is blocked because of the dead center, because this is not reached in this position and, as just mentioned, the last part of the erection took place against a spring force, thereby supporting the spring joint elements 59, 61 stored energy pivoting back of the seat 17 in the Seat location. Another advantage of the spring joint elements 59, 61 is that they cancel the joint play and therefore seat 17 and backrest 19 provide the user in a fully upright standing position a firm grip.

The FIGS. 8 to 10 show a chair and two different Aufrichtrollstühle with a Aufrichteinheit 10. At the chair of Fig. 8 the erecting unit 10 is attached to a foot 63. On a footrest was omitted in this embodiment. For the use of the chair as a therapy chair, the support 21 could be made height adjustable, similar to the example already DE 26 25 046 suggests.

The FIGS. 9 and 10 show by way of example that various chassis 11 can be used.

Various changes are possible without departing from the inventive concept. So it is possible to use ROSTA elements other spring means for the same purpose.

• Die Aufrichteinheit 10 besitzt einen Support 21 und ein am Support 21 angelenktes Aufrichtgestell 13, welches einen Sitzträger 23 aufweist, der einen Sitz 17 trägt, und einen Rückenlehnenträger 25, der eine Rückenlehne 19 trägt. Weiter ist ein erstes Hebelparallelogramm 27 vorgesehen, um die Rückenlehne 19 in jeder Stellung aufrecht zu halten. Die Rückenlehne 19 ist vom ersten Hebelparallelogramm 27 mittels einer Stange 30 verschiebbar, damit beim Aufstehen oder Absitzen keine unerwünschte Relativbewegung zwischen Rückenlehne 19 und dem Rücken des Benutzers entsteht. Ein zweites Hebelparallelogramm 29 steuert die Bewegung des Sitzes 17 beim Aufstehen und Absitzen damit keine Relativbewegung zwischen dem Sitz 17 und dem Gesäss des Benutzers entsteht.

In summary, the following can be stated:

• The erecting unit 10 has a support 21 and a Aufrichtgestell 13 hinged to the support 21, which has a seat support 23 which carries a seat 17, and a backrest support 25 which carries a backrest 19. Further, a first lever parallelogram 27 is provided to hold the backrest 19 in any position upright. The backrest 19 is displaceable by the first lever parallelogram 27 by means of a rod 30 so that no unwanted relative movement between the backrest 19 and the back of the user arises when getting up or sitting down. A second lever parallelogram 29 controls the movement of the seat 17 when getting up and sitting so that no relative movement between the seat 17 and the buttocks of the user arises.

The erection unit can be provided with a foot as a chair, in particular as a therapy chair. The Aufrichteinheit can also serve as a Aufrichtrollstuhl connected to a chassis.

Claims (12)

1. Stand-up unit with a support (21) and a stand-up mount (13) which is articulated to the support (21) and has a seat carrier (23) carrying a seat (17), a backrest carrier (25) carrying a backrest (19), a first lever parallelogram (27) to hold the backrest (19) upright both in the sitting position and in the standing position of the user, and means (30) for moving the backrest (19) to the trailing end of the seat (17) during a change from the sitting position to the standing position, the first lever parallelogram (27) having a first double-armed parallelogram lever (41) and a second double-armed parallelogram lever (49), characterized in that arms (43, 53) of the two double-armed parallelogram levers (41, 49) form a second lever parallelogram (29) with two further levers (55, 57), in that the common pivot point (35) of the two lever parallelograms (27, 29) is connected in an articulated manner to a first point (44) of the support (21) via a third further lever (51) and in that the common pivot point (38) of the aforementioned two further levers (55, 57) of the second parallelogram (29) is connected to a second point of the support (21).
2. Stand-up unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the first lever parallelogram (27) has a third double-armed parallelogram lever (45), on the arm (47) of which the backrest carrier (25) is displaceable, and in that the first double-armed lever (41) is connected in an articulated manner to the backrest carrier (25) by means of a rod (30).
3. Stand-up unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that a linear drive (31) is provided between the support (21) and the first lever parallelogram (27).
4. Stand-up unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the third further lever (51), which is connected in an articulated manner to the support (21), has a first spring joint element (61) which is coupled to the first parallelogram lever (41) and in that the third further lever (51) has a second spring joint element (59) which is coupled to the support (21).
5. Stand-up unit according to claim 4, characterised in that, in the sitting position, the spring joint elements (59, 61) are biased and strive to pivot the seat (17) upward.
6. Stand-up unit according to claim 5, characterised in that the spring elements (59, 61) generate, after reaching a predetermined pivot position, a force which counteracts further upward pivoting of the seat (17).
7. Stand-up unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the stand-up mount has two seat frames (15) arranged between the seat (17) and backrest (19).
8. Stand-up unit according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised by spring means which generate, after reaching a predetermined pivot position, a force which counteracts further upward pivoting of the seat (17).
9. Chair with a stand-up unit having the features according to any one of claims 1 to 8 and a pedestal (63).
10. Chair according to claim 9, characterised in that the support (21) is height-adjustable.
11. Stand-up wheelchair with a chassis (11) and a stand-up unit according to any one of claims 1 to 8 fastened to the chassis (11).
12. Stand-up wheelchair according to claim 11, characterised in that a footrest (24) is arranged at the bottom on the support (21).

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