Adjustable head support for a chair

Abstract

The head support unit may be attached by attachment means (13) to a chair, e.g. a wheel chair. A set screw (15) permits vertical adjustment. The head rest (19) may be horizontally moved by the user into the desired position. This movement takes place without a recognizable movement in vertical direction. The head rest (19) is carried by a slender lever parallelogram (18) which is operatively connected by a flexible Bowden-cable (21) to the motor (23) located at a distance on the chair. This flexible connection (21) permits not only to put the motor (23) at a suitable location away from the head of the user, but does also not hinder a vertical adjustment of the head rest (19) by means of the vertical support bar (11) and the set screw (15).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention is directed to an adjustable head support for a chair, in particular for a wheel chair or a raising wheel chair.

[0002] The U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,036 discloses a wheel chair, and more particularly a wheel chair which can elevate its occupant from a sitting position to a standing position. On a vertically adjustable rod or support bar a piece of square tube is welded in which a square tube on which a head rest is mounted can be horizontally moved and arrested at the desired position. It has the disadvantage that for the user sitting in the wheel chair it is not possible to adjust the head rest.

[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 3,730,589 discloses a wheel chair provided with a vertical bar on which a head rest is connected with a clamp. This clamp is of a design permitting vertical and horizontal adjustment of the head rest. In the vertical plane also an angular adjustment of- the head rest is possible (column 2, line 65 to column 3, line 5)....

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0015] The head rest unit 10 shown in the FIGS. 1 to 3 comprises a vertical adjustable support bar which can be moved vertically in a guide 13, which is attachable to the chair 12. The support bar 13 can be arrested in the desired position by a set screw 15 or the like. The support bar 11 is at the top provided with a plate 17 carrying the mechanism 18 for horizontal adjustment of a head rest 19. The device 18 is a lever mechanism connected by a mechanical connection device 21 to an actuator 23, e.g. a linear motor. The actuator 23 can be remote controlled by the user of the chair. In the embodiment shown the connection device 21 is a so called Bowden-cable. As is well known, a Bowden-cable comprises a wire 25 and a sheating 27.

[0016] The lever mechanism 18 may have a single lever connected to the head rest 19. However, on the embodiment shown the lever mechanism 18 is a lever parallelogram. This lever parallelogram 18 comprises a first lever 33 and a second lever 35 which have a c...

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention is directed to an adjustable head support for a chair, in particular for a wheel chair or a raising wheel chair.

[0002] The U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,036 discloses a wheel chair, and more particularly a wheel chair which can elevate its occupant from a sitting position to a standing position. On a vertically adjustable rod or support bar a piece of square tube is welded in which a square tube on which a head rest is mounted can be horizontally moved and arrested at the desired position. It has the disadvantage that for the user sitting in the wheel chair it is not possible to adjust the head rest.

[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 3,730,589 discloses a wheel chair provided with a vertical bar on which a head rest is connected with a clamp. This clamp is of a design permitting vertical and horizontal adjustment of the head rest. In the vertical plane also an angular adjustment of- the head rest is possible (column 2, line 65 to column 3, line 5)....

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0015] The head rest unit 10 shown in the FIGS. 1 to 3 comprises a vertical adjustable support bar which can be moved vertically in a guide 13, which is attachable to the chair 12. The support bar 13 can be arrested in the desired position by a set screw 15 or the like. The support bar 11 is at the top provided with a plate 17 carrying the mechanism 18 for horizontal adjustment of a head rest 19. The device 18 is a lever mechanism connected by a mechanical connection device 21 to an actuator 23, e.g. a linear motor. The actuator 23 can be remote controlled by the user of the chair. In the embodiment shown the connection device 21 is a so called Bowden-cable. As is well known, a Bowden-cable comprises a wire 25 and a sheating 27.

[0016] The lever mechanism 18 may have a single lever connected to the head rest 19. However, on the embodiment shown the lever mechanism 18 is a lever parallelogram. This lever parallelogram 18 comprises a first lever 33 and a second lever 35 which have a c...

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