Wheelchair with Support Seat

The wheelchair in this invention has a seat which pivots at the front and raises the user from the seated position to a near-standing or standing position and vice-versa. The power of the seat is from a spring which is put in tension when the user sits in the chair. When the user is in the seated position the chair is latched in the �down� position. This energy is stored until the user releases the latch and bends forward. This decreases the effective moment about the pivot point and the seat assists the user to move from the seated position to a near-standing position or standing position. The seat is then latched in the �up� position. In this way, the user can more easily rise and walk or can stay supported by the chair the near-standing or standing positions.

Benefits
The user can more easily rise and walk or can stay supported by the chair in the near-standing or standing position and access items normally out of reach. The Wheelchair with Support Seat reduces the stress on nursing aids lifting patients in and out of wheelchairs by allowing much of the weight of the patient to be lifted or lowered into the chair by the stored energy in the spring. The Wheelchair with Support Seat reduces the impact on the user when moving into the seated position and allows the user to gently move into the seated position.

Stage of Development
A patent (US 5513867) has been issued from the US Patent and Trademark Office.
This technology is seeking partners for development-manufacturing-sales-etc of the working-final-etc product. It is available for developmental research support/licensing under either exclusive or non-exclusive terms.

Additional Info
*http://www.mech.utah.edu/PEOPLE/faculty/bloswick/bloswick.htm

Inventor(s): Ben Shirley, Eric King, Donald Bloswick

Type of Offer: Licensing



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