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Backrest for bariatric chairBackrest for bariatric chair description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060208554, Backrest for bariatric chair. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention relates to chairs for use by overweight persons and, in particular, to the design of backrests for such chairs. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Unlike a person of regular stature and proportion, a bariatric patient often has an abundance of flesh around the lower torso (e.g. hip, waist, buttocks, thighs, etc.) which protrudes outward from the perimeter of the lower body. Due to this additional flesh on bariatric patients, the typical backrest designs used on most chairs that provide adequate support for the general adult population are inadequate for bariatric patients. Since the extra flesh around the lower torso of bariatric patients occupies and bottoms-out on the lower backrest, the occupant is pushed forward and upwards. This produces an unsupported gap between the upper torso and the upper-backrest and also between the lower thighs, behind the knee, and the leading edge of the seat. [0003] In the case of non-tilting and non-reclining chairs, which encompass currently available bariatric shower and commode chairs, most designs incorporate a backrest which does not provide lower back support and only provides a narrow backrest supporting the upper lumbar region. The disadvantages of this design is that often the excess flesh of the bariatric patient wedges into the opening of the lower backrest making it uncomfortable for the occupant while sitting, as well as making it uncomfortable for the occupant to exit the chair. These issues are exaggerated even more when the open lower backrest design is used on tilting and reclining positioning chairs. This is because, when tilted and reclined, the occupant is pulled into the rear of the backrest and seat thus compounding the wedging effect of the lower torso into that backrest space even further. In addition, this type of backrest design creates a potential fall hazard. Even when upright, a bariatric occupant in a chair with a backrest that only supports the lumbar region, and does not support the upper back, must exert themselves so as not to relax their posture and lean back too far to keep them from falling over the top edge of the backrest. There is also psychological anxiety issues associated with bariatric chairs with backrests with only a lumbar support. Although many bariatric chairs are tested and qualified to hold patients in excess of 700 lbs, the bariatric patient the chair is intended for may not perceive the chair to be sufficiently safe to sit in, either because of the chair's insubstantial appearance or from the lack of security and support the chair provides once seated. [0004] On tilting and reclining bariatric chairs typically used for lounge seating (ie. non-shower and non-commode chairs), the typical solution has been to use heavily padded backrest upholstery thereby allowing any excess flesh to be accommodated by the passing and this allowing the entire back to be supported. However, the problem with this solution has been that padding is prone to bottoming out, meaning that when the padding is compressed excessively, it will not provide uniform support, especially in areas where parts of the occupant may be forced up against the rigid structural core of the backrest. In addition, since padding usually consists of thick foam it does not allow heat or moisture to escape. This is not only uncomfortable, but in conjunction with any excessively high pressure points, will eventually lead to pressure sores (ie. decubitus ulcers) if the occupant is left in that position for prolonged periods of time. Also, on a practical-level, heavily padded surfaces do not lend themselves to shower and commode applications since they create a potential for infection risk due to the possibility for fluids to stagnate in and around padded interfaces. As well, thick padding is prone to covering much of the occupant's skin thereby obstructing access to different parts of the body to clean and wash adequately. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a chair comprising a base frame; a seat coupled to the base frame and including a seating surface; and a backrest coupled to either the base frame or the seat, including a backrest front surface, the backrest front surface including an upper backrest front surface including an upper backrest front surface portion; and a lower backrest front surface including a lower backrest front surface portion; wherein the upper backrest front surface portion is disposed, or is positionable to be disposed, forwardly of the lower backrest front surface portion by a horizontal distance of at least 3 inches; and wherein each of the upper backrest front surface portion and the lower backrest front surface portion is disposed in a vertical plane having a vertical plane normal axis which is perpendicular to a normal axis of a plane tangent to the most forwardly disposed front surface of the backrest front surface. [0006] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a chair comprising a base frame; a seat coupled to the base frame and including a seating surface; and a backrest coupled to either the base frame or the seat, including a backrest front surface, the backrest front surface including an upper backrest including an upper backrest front surface having an upper backrest front surface segment, wherein the upper backrest front surface segment has a width of at least 24 inches; and a lower backrest including a lower backrest front surface; wherein each portion of the upper backrest front surface segment is disposed with a respective portion of the lower backrest front surface in a respective vertical plane having a vertical plane normal axis which is perpendicular to a normal axis of a plane tangent to the most forwardly disposed front surface of the backrest front surface; and wherein each portion of the upper backrest surface segment is also disposed, or is positionable to be disposed, forwardly of the respective portion of the lower backrest front surface by a horizontal distance of at least 3 inches. [0007] In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a chair comprising a base frame; a seat coupled to the base frame and including a seating surface; and a backrest coupled to either the base frame or the seat, including a backrest front surface, the backrest front surface including an upper backrest front surface; a lower backrest front surface; and a merged front surface, wherein an upper backrest front merging surface of the upper backrest front surface extends upwardly from the merged front surface, and a lower backrest front merging surface of the lower backrest front surface extends downwardly from the merged front surface such that the upper backrest front surface merges with the lower backrest front surface at the merged front surface; wherein each of a portion of the upper backrest front merging surface, a portion of the merged front surface, and a portion of the lower backrest front merging surface is disposed in a vertical plane having a vertical plane normal axis which is perpendicular to a normal axis of a plane tangent to the most forwardly disposed front surface of the backrest front surface; and wherein an upper backrest front merging surface portion plane is tangent to the upper backrest front merging surface portion and a lower backrest front merging surface portion plane is tangent to the lower backrest front merging surface portion, wherein the upper backrest front merging surface portion plane has a front face which defines a first angle relative to and above the lower backrest front merging surface portion plane, wherein the first angle is greater than 10 degrees, and wherein the merged front surface portion is disposed forwardly, or is positionable to be disposed forwardly, of a portion of the lower backrest front surface by a horizontal distance of at least 3 inches, wherein the lower backrest front surface portion is disposed in the vertical plane. [0008] According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a chair comprising a base frame; a seat coupled to the base frame and including a seating surface; and a backrest coupled to either the base frame or the seat, including a backrest front surface, the backrest front surface including an upper backrest front surface; a lower backrest front surface; and a merged front surface including a merged front surface segment, wherein an upper backrest front merging surface of the upper backrest front surface extends upwardly from the merged front surface and a lower backrest front merging surface of the lower backrest front surface extends downwardly from the merged front surface, such that the upper backrest front surface merges with the lower backrest front surface at the merged front surface; wherein each portion of the merged front surface segment is disposed with a respective portion of the lower backrest front merging surface and with a respective portion of the upper backrest front merging surface in a respective vertical plane, and wherein the respective vertical plane has a respective vertical plane normal axis which is perpendicular to a normal axis of a plane tangent to the most forwardly disposed front surface of the backrest front surface; and wherein the respective portion of the upper backrest front merging surface is tangent to a respective upper backrest front merging surface portion plane and the respective portion of the lower backrest front merging surface is tangent to a respective lower backrest front merging surface portion plane, wherein the respective upper backrest front merging surface portion plane has a front face which defines a first angle relative to and above the respective lower backrest front merging surface portion plane, wherein the first angle is greater than 10 degrees; and wherein each portion of the merged front surface segment is disposed forwardly, or is positionable to be disposed forwardly, of a respective portion of the lower backrest front surface by a horizontal distance of at least 3 inches, wherein the respective lower backrest front surface portion is disposed in the respective vertical plane; and wherein the merged front surface segment has a width of at least 24 inches. [0009] According to yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a chair comprising a base frame; a seat coupled to the base frame and including a seating surface; and a backrest coupled to either the base frame or the seat, including a backrest front surface, the backrest front surface including an upper backrest front surface; a lower backrest front surface; and a merged front surface, wherein the lower backrest front surface merges with the upper backrest front surface at the merged front surface; wherein a merging surface portion of the upper backrest front surface extends upwardly from a portion of the merged front surface, and a merging surface portion of the lower backrest front surface extends downwardly from the merged front surface portion, and wherein each of the upper backrest front merging surface portion, the merged front surface portion, and the lower backrest front merging surface portion is disposed in a vertical plane having a vertical plane normal axis which is perpendicular to a normal axis of a plane tangent to the most forwardly disposed front surface of the backrest front surface; wherein an upper backrest front merging surface portion plane is tangent to the upper backrest front surface merging portion and a lower backrest front merging surface portion plane is tangent to the lower backrest front surface merging portion, wherein the upper backrest front merging surface portion plane has a front face which defines a first angle relative to and above the lower backrest front merging surface portion plane, wherein the first angle is greater than 10 degrees; and wherein a merged front surface portion plane is tangent to the merged front surface portion, and wherein the merged front surface portion is disposed, or is positionable to be disposed, above a seating surface portion of the seating surface by a distance of at least 8 inches, wherein the seating surface portion is disposed in the vertical plane and is also disposed in the merged front surface portion plane. [0010] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a chair comprising a base frame; a seat coupled to the base frame and including a seating surface; and a backrest coupled to either the base frame or the seat, including a backrest front surface, the backrest front surface including an upper backrest front surface; a lower backrest front surface; and a merged front surface, wherein the lower backrest front surface merges with the upper backrest front surface at the merged front surface, and wherein a merging surface portion of the upper backrest front surface extends upwardly from a portion of the merged front surface, and a merging surface portion of the lower backrest front surface extends downwardly from the merged front surface portion; and wherein each of the upper backrest front merging surface portion, the merged front surface portion, and the lower backrest front merging surface portion is disposed in a vertical plane having a vertical plane normal axis which is perpendicular to a normal axis of a plane tangent to the most forwardly disposed front surface of the backrest front surface; and wherein an upper backrest front merging surface portion plane is tangent to the upper backrest front merging surface portion and a lower backrest front merging surface portion plane is tangent to the lower backrest front merging surface portion, wherein the upper backrest front merging surface portion plane has a front face which defines a first angle relative to and above the lower backrest front merging surface portion plane, wherein the first angle is greater than 10 degrees, and wherein a two-dimensional space is disposed in the vertical plane and is defined or is definable between: (i) the lower backrest front surface, (ii) the seating surface, and (iii) the upper backrest front merging surface portion plane, such that the space has an area of at least 30 inches.sup.2. [0011] According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a chair comprising a base frame; a seat coupled to the base frame and including a seating surface; and a backrest coupled to either the base frame or the seat, including a backrest front surface, the backrest front surface including an upper backrest front surface; a lower backrest front surface; and a merged front surface including a merged front surface segment, wherein an upper backrest front merging surface of the upper backrest front surface extends upwardly from the merged front surface and a lower backrest front merging surface of the lower backrest front surface extends downwardly from the merged front surface, such that the upper backrest front surface merges with the lower backrest front surface at the merged front surface; wherein each portion of the merged front surface segment is disposed with a respective portion of the lower backrest front merging surface and with a respective portion of the upper backrest front merging surface in a respective vertical plane, wherein the respective vertical plane has a respective vertical plane normal axis which is perpendicular to a normal axis of a plane tangent to the most forwardly disposed front surface of the backrest front surface; and wherein the respective portion of the upper backrest front merging surface is tangent to a respective upper backrest front surface merging portion plane and the respective portion of the lower backrest front merging surface is tangent to a respective lower backrest front surface merging portion plane; and wherein the respective upper backrest front merging surface portion plane has a front face which defines a first angle relative to and above the respective lower backrest front merging surface portion plane, wherein the first angle is greater than 10 degrees; and wherein each portion of the merged front surface segment is tangent to a respective merged front surface segment portion plane, and wherein each portion of the merged front surface segment is disposed, or is positionable to be disposed, above a respective seating surface portion by a distance of at least 8 inches, and wherein the respective seating surface portion is disposed in the respective vertical plane and is also disposed in the respective merged front surface segment portion plane; and wherein the merged front surface segment has a width of at least 24 inches. [0012] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a chair comprising a base frame; a seat coupled to the base frame and including a seating surface; and a backrest coupled to either the base frame or the seat, including a backrest front surface, the backrest front surface including an upper backrest front surface; a lower backrest front surface; a merged front surface including a merged front surface segment, wherein an upper backrest front merging surface of the upper backrest front surface extends upwardly from the merged front surface and a lower backrest front merging surface of the lower backrest front surface extends downwardly from the merged front surface, such that the upper backrest front surface merges with the lower backrest front surface at the merged front surface; wherein each portion of the merged front surface segment is disposed with a respective portion of the lower backrest front merging surface and with a respective portion of the upper backrest front merging surface in a respective vertical plane, wherein the respective vertical plane has a respective vertical plane normal axis which is perpendicular to a normal axis of a plane tangent to the most forwardly disposed front surface of the backrest front surface; and wherein the respective portion of the upper backrest front merging surface is tangent to a respective upper backrest front merging surface portion plane and the respective portion of the lower backrest front merging surface is tangent to a respective lower backrest front merging surface portion plane, wherein the respective upper backrest front merging surface portion plane has a front face which defines a first angle relative to and above the respective lower backrest front merging surface portion plane, wherein the first angle is greater than 10 degrees; and wherein, a two-dimensional space is disposed in the respective vertical plane and is defined or is definable between: (i) the lower backrest front surface, (ii) the seating surface, and (iii) the respective upper backrest front merging surface portion plane, such that the space has an area of at least 30 inches.sup.2, and wherein the merged front surface segment has a width of at least 24 inches. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0013] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: [0014] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a bariatric chair having an armrest assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; [0015] FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a bariatric chair having an armrest assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; [0016] FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of a bariatric chair having an armrest assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; [0017] FIG. 4 is a rear elevation view of a bariatric chair having an armrest assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; [0018] FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a bariatric chair having an armrest assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; [0019] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an armrest assembly of a chair according to an embodiment of the present invention; [0020] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of an armrest assembly of a chair according to an embodiment of the present invention; Continue reading about Backrest for bariatric chair... 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