POSTURE SEATING SYSTEM

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a seating system with postural control.

[0002] In particular, a postural system according to the present invention is of the type comprising a seat, a backrest, at least one footrest and at least one armrest, in which the seat comprises two independent femoral sections each equipped with a lateral femoral containment surface. A system of this type is described in EP1827345B1. ITFI20090241 discloses a postural seating system according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0003] The main purpose of the present invention is to propose a seating system with postural control which offers greater possibilities of adaptation and adjustment with respect to the specific needs of the user, thus realizing a particularly simplified structure both from a constructive and functional point of view, consequently entailing advantages on the one hand for the manufacturer and on the other hand for the user. A further objective of the present invention is to offer the possibility of equipping existing seating systems with a more versatile attachment mechanism for the armrest and footrest.

[0004] These and further advantages and characteristics of the present invention will be more and better evident from the following description and with reference to the attached drawings, to be interpreted in an exemplary and non-limiting sense, and in which: Fig.1 is a top view of a possible example of embodiment of a seating system in accordance with the present invention in a first configuration of use, in which the backrest is not shown. Fig.2 is a side view of the seating system of Fig. 1, without the backrest. Fig.3A is a perspective view of the seating system of Fig. 1, in which the backrest is represented. Fig.3B is an enlarged detail of Fig.3A. Fig.4 is a top view of the seating system of Fig. 1 in a further configuration of use, in which the backrest is not shown. Fig.5 is a side view of the seating system of Fig.4, without the backrest. Fig.6 is a perspective view of the seating system configured as in Fig.4 in which the backrest is represented. Figures 7A-7C represent possible arrangements of the attachments in accordance with the present invention. Fig.8 is a further view of a seating system according to the present invention. Fig.9 is a further perspective view of a seating system according to the present invention. Fig. 10 is a bottom view of the seat. Fig. 11 is a detail of Fig.9.

[0005] Reduced to its essential structure and with reference to the figures of the attached drawings, a seating system according to the present invention comprises a seat (1), a backrest (2), at least one footrest (3) and at least one armrest (4).

[0006] More specifically, the seat (1) is formed by a base (10) with an upper side (12) and a lower side (13). On the upper side (12) of the base (10) two femoral sections (11D, 11S) are mounted, each of which is formed by a surface constrained to the base (10) so that it can be rotated around an axis perpendicular to the same base (10). Said femoral sections (11D, 11S) consist of two separate surfaces parallel to the base (10). Each of said femoral sections (11D, 11S) is constrained to the base (10) by means of a screw with a respective knob (30) acting through a slot (31) formed in the femoral section, so that they can be rotated by an angle (J), freely adjustable according to the desired spread, around an axis perpendicular to said base (10) and fixed in the chosen adjustment.

[0007] In the form shown in Fig. 8, each of said femoral sections (11D, 11S) is constrained to the base (10) in such a way as to also allow the translation of the same femoral sections independently from each other. In this form, each of the said femoral sections (11D, 11S) is constrained to the base (10) also by means of a screw with a respective knob (3x) passing through a longitudinal slot (3y) and the slot (31) is formed by a lateral branch of a second longitudinal slot (3z). Each screw (3x) defines the rotation axis of the respective femoral section, while the longitudinal slots (3y, 3z) guide its longitudinal sliding. Therefore, the position of each femoral section (11D, 11S) can be adjusted independently of the position of the other femoral section (11S, 11D) both in depth and in rotation (angle "J").

[0008] The seat (1) can be fixed on any suitable support, such as the frame of a wheelchair. The lower side (13) of the base (10) will therefore be configured, in a per se known way, to be constrained to said support.

[0009] The seat (1) can also be equipped with two lateral pelvis containment surfaces (120, 121).

[0010] On the external side of the said femoral sections (11D, 11S) there are two femoral containment surfaces (110, 111), while on the internal side of each femoral section (11D, 11S) there are two abductor containment surfaces (112, 113)).

[0011] On the external part of each of the femoral containment surfaces (110, 111) two attachments (A, B) are arranged in a reciprocal horizontal (Fig.7A), vertical (Fig.7B) or oblique (Fig, 7C) alignment, and configured so as to ensure the assembly of a footrest platform (70) by means of a rod (71) constrained on one side to an attachment (A, B), and on the other side to the footrest platform (70). For example, the connection of the rod (71) to the attachment (A) or (B) and the connection of the platform (70) to the rod (71) can be made by means of two corresponding screw knobs (72) and (73) that can be connected one to the attachment (A) or (B), and the other to an attachment (D) provided for this purpose on a lateral appendage of the platform (70).

[0012] Said attachments (A, B, D) can be formed as screw attachments. The attachments (A) and (B) can be formed, for example, on a plate (P) which in turn is fixed on the external side of the femoral containment surface (11D, 11S).

[0013] The rod (71) has a slot (74) designed to allow the sliding of the footrest (70), in order to adjust the height thereof from the ground according to the needs and anatomical conformation of the user.

[0014] On each of the two external sides of the base (10) there is a further attachment (C) configured so as to allow the assembly of the armrest (4), by means of a rod (40) to which said armrest (4) is fixed by means of two screw knobs (41, 42). The rod (40) has a slot (43) made to allow adjustment of the height of the armrest (4). The additional attachment (C) is further back than the other attachments (A, B). Therefore, in the context of this description, the attachment (C) is a rear attachment, while the attachments (A, B) are front attachments.

[0015] When the armrest (4) is fixed to the attachment (C), by changing the angle (J), i.e. by adjusting the angular position of at least one femoral section (11D / 11S) on the base (10), the footrest (70) follows the rotation of the femoral section (11D / 11S) without the armrest (4) changing position.

[0016] In other words, by binding the armrest (4) to the attachment (C), it is possible to adjust the position of the two femoral sections (11D, 11S) with respect to the base (10) avoiding the displacement of the armrest (4) which remains in the initial position being it constrained to the rear attachment (C) formed on the base (10).

[0017] The support of the foot on the platform (70) and of the forearm on the armrest (4) are therefore guaranteed without the need for further adjustments.

[0018] The aforesaid configuration is shown in Figs 1-3B.

[0019] Advantageously, it is possible to lock the armrest (4) to the attachment (B) by locking the rod (40) to the same attachment (B). In this configuration, by adjusting the position, i.e. the angle or angular opening, of the femoral sections (11D, 11S) with respect to the base (10), and therefore varying the width of the angle (J), the armrest (4) and the footrest (70) follow the rotation of the respective femoral section (11D / 11S).

[0020] In other words, a further advantageous configuration of the present invention foresees the possibility of adjusting the two femoral sections (11D, 11S), thus varying the amplitude of the angle (J) and at the same time the position of the armrest (4) together with the footrest (70).

[0021] Also in this case, the support of the foot on the platform (70) and of the forearm on the armrest (4) are guaranteed without the need of further adjustments.

[0022] This further configuration is illustrated in Figs. 4-6.

[0023] The position of the backrest (2) is adjustable, with per se known adjustment means, along a corresponding rear support (20), as schematically indicated by the double arrow "F2".

[0024] Said support (20) is constrained to the base (10) by means of two arms (21) hinged to corresponding appendages (101) of the base (10) on whose external side the rear attachments (C) of the seat itself are formed. Therefore, the backrest (2) can be adjusted in height along the support (20) and can be reclined relative to the base (10).

[0025] Furthermore, the backrest (2) can be arranged in a more or less advanced position with respect to the seat (1). For example, with reference to Figs. 9 and 10 of the attached drawings, to move the backrest (2) in depth on the base (10), it is necessary to adjust the position of the appendages (101), to which the backrest is connected as previously mentioned, and the position of the bracket (23) for attaching the backrest recline piston (24) to the backrest. In order to move the bracket (23), it is necessary to act on the screws connecting the same bracket to the base (10) and reinsert them in the selected holes among those (H, K, L) specially formed in the base (10). Similarly, in order to move the appendages (101), it is necessary to act on the screws connecting the appendages to the base (10) and reinsert them in the holes (M, N, P) specially formed in the base (10).

[0026] With this configuration, the position of the rear attachment (C) changes as the position of the backrest (2) changes.

[0027] On the rear side of the backrest (2) a headrest can be mounted if required, not visible in the drawings.

[0028] From the foregoing description it is evident that a postural sitting system according to the present invention is a system comprising a seat (1), at least one footrest (3), at least one armrest (4), in which said seat (1) is formed by a base (10) comprising a lower side (13) and an upper side (12) and comprises two femoral sections (11D, 11S) mounted on the upper side of the base (10), with the possibility of rotating by an angle (J) around an axis perpendicular to said base (10), and on the external side of which two femoral containment surfaces (110, 111) are mounted, and in which the seat (1) comprises at least two front attachments (A, B) on the external of at least one of said femoral containment surfaces (110, 111), one of which front attachments is configured to connect the footrest (3) to it, while another front attachment is configured to allow the armrest (4) to be connected to it; and a rear attachment (C) mounted on the external side of the seat, in a rearward position, and also configured to allow you to connect the armrest (4).

[0029] Although the front attachments are two in number in the accompanying drawings, it is understood that, more generally, these attachments can in any case be mor than two in number. For example, said front attachments can also be three or four in number to offer further possibilities for mounting the footrest and the armrest on each side of the seat.

[0030] The attachments (A, B, C) not used for connecting the armrests or footrests, i.e. the attachments that remain available after connecting these elements, can be advantageously used for connection of accessories such as, for example, an IV pole, a knee containment appendix (accessories not shown in the attached drawings) or others.

[0031] In practice, the details of execution can in any case vary in an equivalent manner as regards the individual elements described and illustrated, without thereby departing from the idea of the solution adopted and therefore remaining within the limits of the protection granted by this patent in accordance with the following claims.

Claims

1. Postural sitting system comprising a seat (1), at least one footrest (3), at least one armrest (4), wherein said seat (1) is formed by a base (10) comprising a lower side (13) and an upper side (12) and comprises two femoral sections (11D, 11S) mounted on the upper side of the base (10), with the possibility of rotating by an angle (J) around an axis perpendicular to said base (10), and on whose external side are mounted two femoral containment surfaces (110, 111), system characterized in that the seat (1) comprises at least two front attachments (A, B) on the external part of at least one of said femoral containment surfaces (110, 111), one of which front attachments is configured to connect the footrest (3) to it, while another front attachment is configured to allow the armrest (4) to be connected to it; and a rear attachment (C) mounted on the outer side of the seat, in a rearward position, and also configured to allow the armrest (4) to be connected to it.

2. System according to claim 1 characterized in that the footrest (3) is fixed to one front attachment and the armrest (4) is fixed to another front attachment, such that, by rotating a femoral section (11D, 11S) with respect to the base (10), i.e. by varying the amplitude of said angle (J), the armrest (4) and the footrest (3) both follow the rotation of the femoral section (11D / 11S).

3. System according to any of the previous claims characterized in that the armrest (4) is connected to the rear attachment (C), while the footrest (3) is connected to a front attachment whereby, by rotating a femoral section (11D / 11S), the footrest (3) follows the rotation of the femoral section (11D / 11S) without the armrest (4) changing position.

4. System according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that it is further provided with a backrest (2).

5. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the armrest (4) is mounted with the possibility of adjusting its position on a respective support (40).

6. System according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the footrest (3) comprises a foot support (70) mounted with the possibility of adjusting its position on a respective support (71).

7. System according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the said front attachments (A, B) are reciprocally disposed along a horizontal, vertical or oblique direction.

8. System according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the backrest (2) is adjustable in depth and / or inclination and / or height with respect to the base (10).

9. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the backrest (2) is connected to the base (10) by means of two appendixes (101) on the outer side of which said rear attachment (C) is formed.