A seat is disclosed herein having a backrest, a base for receiving a posterior of a human user, and an incline adjuster having a shaft, a lever, a follower, and a rack the shaft being moveable to swing the lever to cause a follower into or out of locking engagement with the rack, an arrangement being such that when the follower is in an unlocked disposition the rack can move to adjust an incline of the backrest and the base.

A wheelchair includes a frame, a seat attached to the frame, a first forward wheel on a first side of the frame and a second forward wheel on a second side of the frame, a first rearward wheel on the first side of the frame and a second rearward wheel on the second side of the frame, a first drive wheel on the first side of the frame positioned intermediate between the first forward wheel and the first rearward wheel and a second drive wheel on the second side of the frame positioned intermediate between the second forward wheel and the second rearward wheel, and actuators to independently control the vertical position of the first forward wheel relative to the frame, the vertical position of the second forward wheel relative to the frame, the vertical position of the first rearward wheel relative to the frame, the vertical position of the second rearward wheel relative to the frame, the vertical position of the first drive wheel relative to the frame and the vertical position of the second drive wheel relative to the frame.

A configurable assistive device comprising: a platform; at least three wheels; and, at least three independent leg mechanisms, each respective leg mechanism coupled to the platform and a respective one of the at least three wheels, each respective leg mechanism configured to move the platform relative to the respective wheel for positioning the platform at an elevation and for inclining the platform to an inclination to configure the assistive device into one of a plurality of configurations.

A patient support apparatussuch as a bed, chair, cot, stretcher, or the likeincludes a frame, support surface, movable component, an actuator, and a controller. The actuator includes a motor, an encoder, a spindle, an extendable arm, multiple power switches, and a position switch. The controller estimates a position of the extendable arm based on motor encoder signals and updates the position estimate when the arm triggers the position switch. The power switches cut power to the motor without intervention by the controller when the extendable arm triggers either of the power switches. In some embodiments, the motor is a brushless DC motor. In still other embodiments, multiple position switches are adapted to be open in different ranges of position, and the controller determines which range the extendable arm is located in based on the state of the position switches.

A transfer apparatus for receiving the chair seat of a wheelchair and supporting the chair seat in the base of a washing enclosure. The transfer apparatus has a chair support member including a chair support track section that can be positioned in the washing enclosure base, a bridge portion with a bridge track section that is movably mounted to the chair support member. The transfer apparatus includes a lock system usable to secure the bridge portion in an in-use position and engaged with the wheelchair. A first lock inhibits rotational motion of the bridge portion. The first lock includes a retractable locking member that is biased to an extended, locking position. A second lock is usable to prevent longitudinal separation of the bridge portion and the wheelchair. The first and second lock can be automatically engaged when the bridge portion is moved to the in-use position.

The subject of the invention is a lift which is mainly used in wheelchairs to change the position of the seat and thus to change the position of a person sitting in the wheelchair. On the known scissor lift there is attached an upper frame consisting of a horizontal fixed part 1 and a tilting plate 2 attached to arms 3. In the fixed part 1 of the upper frame, tilting arms 5 are pivotally mounted on axle 4, with the other end pivotally mounted on axle 6 in arms 3 of the tilting plate 1, driven by the actuator 7 mounted in fixed part 1 of the upper frame. Actuator 7 through the levers of the cam tilting system drives tilting arms 5. The tilting plate 2 can be tilted in both directions around axle 6 that is around the attachment point of the arms 3 in the tilting arms 5. The tilting drive in both directions is the actuator 7 which is mounted with one end in the fixed part 1 of the upper frame and the other end is mounted in the lever of the cam tilting system of the tilting arms 5. In arms 3 of the tilting plate 2 there are placed control strips 8 with front 9 and rear pins 10 at the ends, longitudinally movable in arms 3 so that in one end position the rear pins 10 of each control strip 8 are locked in the hooks 12 of the connector 11then the tilting plate 2 is tilted backwardsbackwards tilt is forced because the connectors 11 are locked with the arms 3 and the pin 13 moves in the guide 14the front ends of the arms 3 rise because the front pins 9 do not bind the tilting arms 5 with the arms 3. In the second end position, the front pins 9 of each control bar 8 are locked in the front hooks 15 in the tilting arms 5, so the extension of the piston rod 7 causes the tilting arms 5 mounted in the axles 4 together with the arms 3 locked with them to rotate around this axle 4 and then the rear ends of the arms 3 rise and the seat tilts forward.

A reversible seating mechanism includes a frame and a cross member pivotally supported on the frame for rotational movement in a plane generally parallel to the frame to define a tilt angle. A mounting plate is pivotally supported on the cross member for rotational movement in a plane generally parallel to the cross member to define one of a forward and rearward facing orientation. The mounting plate is moveable on the cross member to be oriented to the tilt angle. A tilt limiter restricts movement of the mounting plate between the forward and rearward facing orientations until the tilt angle is adjusted to a preset angle. The tilt limiter limits a forward facing tilt angle to an angle less than a rearward tilt angle.

An office-type chair includes a base, a height-adjustable pedestal extending upward from the base, a seat assembly including a rear seat part and a front seat part, and a linkage system connecting the pedestal to the seat assembly. The linkage system is adapted to pivot the seat assembly between a lowered position to serve as a task chair and an elevated position to serve as an elevated sitting support. A backrest arrangement may extend from the seat assembly. In the lowered position, the front and rear seat parts are both generally horizontally oriented. In the elevated position, the rear seat part may have a slight forward tilt and be positioned higher than in the lowered position, and the front seat part may extend at a downward angle relative to the rear seat part.

The invention relates to a seating assembly (100) comprising a basic frame (101), a seat unit (102), and a back-support unit (103) wherein the seat unit and the back-support unit have a common pivoting axis (P) with respect to the frame at the level of the hip joint. Hence, based on human body like biomechanics and physiognomy, the seating assembly, particularly for ergonomic chairs or wheelchairs, provides a highly improved seating comfort, even with therapeutic effect.

A seat positioning system includes a base frame having a pair of forward slots and a pair of rear slots, and a seat frame having a front end and a back end. The seat frame is coupled to the base frame and movable relative to the base frame. A first pair of linkages is slideably coupled to the pair of forward slots and connects the frames. A first pair of locking devices has a locked configuration adapted to prevent the first pair of linkages from sliding relative to the pair of forward slots and an unlocked configuration adapted to allow the first pair of linkages to slide relative to the pair of forward slots. A second pair of linkages slideably is coupled to the pair of rear slots and connects the frames. An actuator is pivotally connected to both the seat frame and the base frame and is configured to extend and contract to move the seat frame relative to the base frame.