Walker seat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9271891-B2
Application number	US-201414159178-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 20, 2014
Priority date	Jan 20, 2014
Publication date	Mar 1, 2016
Grant date	Mar 1, 2016

Abstract

A walker seat may include a seat bottom and a support structure. The seat bottom may include an anterior region, a posterior region, an upper side, and a lower side. The lower side may include a central segment retention portion. The support structure may include a central segment, a left-side segment, and a right-side segment. The central segment may be retained by the central segment retention portion. The left-side segment may be extendable from a left side of the central segment, whereby the left-side segment extends beyond a left side of the seat bottom. Similarly, the right-side segment may be extendable from a right side of the central segment, whereby the right-side segment extends beyond a right side of the seat bottom.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a seat bottom including:
an anterior region;
a posterior region;
an upper side; and
a lower side including a central segment retention portion; and

a support structure including:
a central segment retained by the central segment retention portion;
a left-side segment extendable from a left side of the central segment, whereby the left-side segment extends beyond a left side of the seat bottom, wherein the left-side segment is removably engageable with the left side of the central segment;
a right-side segment extendable from a right side of the central segment, whereby the right-side segment extends beyond a right side of the seat bottom, wherein the right-side segment is removably engageable with the right side of the central segment; and
a spring extending through the central segment, attached to the left-side segment, and attached to the right-side segment, wherein the spring comprises an elastic cord.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the central segment retention portion is located in the anterior region of the seat bottom.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the seat bottom further comprises an attachment portion in the posterior region of the seat bottom and configured to attach to an additional member, such that the seat bottom can rotate about the additional member.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a left-side segment retention portion configured to releasably retain the left-side segment; and
a right-side segment retention portion configured to releasably retain the right-side segment,
wherein the right-side segment retention portion and the left-side segment retention portion are located on at least one of the lower side of the seat bottom or the central segment.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the right-side segment retention portion and the left-side segment retention portion are located on the central segment.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the left side of the central segment includes a female portion;
the right side of the central segment includes a female portion;
the left-side segment includes a male portion configured to mate with the female portion of the left side of the central segment; and
the right-side segment includes a male portion configured to mate with the female portion of the right side of the central segment.

7. A method for operating a walker with a seat assembly, wherein the seat assembly includes a seat bottom and a support structure, and wherein the method comprises:
while the seat assembly is attached to the walker, rotating the seat bottom about the walker by more than 180 degrees from a first position;
extending the support structure from underneath the seat bottom to extend laterally past a left-side edge of the seat bottom and laterally past a right-side edge of the seat bottom;
resting the extended portions of the support structure on a right side of the walker and a left side of the walker to form a second position; and
wherein:
the seat bottom has a substantially vertical arrangement and is in front of the walker when the seat bottom is in the first position; and
the seat bottom has a substantially horizontal arrangement and is behind a front of the walker when the seat bottom is in the second position.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising attaching the seat assembly to the walker by mounting the seat assembly to the walker on the left side of the walker and on the right side of the walker.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
after said resting the extended portions of the support structure on a right side of the walker and a left side of the walker, raising the extended portions of the support structure off of the left side of the walker and the right side of the walker;
collapsing the support structure such that the support structure no longer extends laterally past the left-side edge of the seat bottom and laterally past the right-side edge of the seat bottom; and
while the seat assembly is attached to the walker, rotating the seat bottom about the walker by more than 180 degrees from the second position to the first position.

10. An apparatus comprising:
a mounting member including:
an elongated portion having a left side and a right side;
a left-side mounting structure on the left side of the elongated portion, wherein the left-side mounting structure is mountable to a walker; and
a right-side mounting structure on the right side of the elongated portion, wherein the right-side mounting structure is mountable to the walker;

a seat bottom including:
an anterior region;
a posterior region;
an upper side;
a lower side including a central segment retention portion in the anterior region; and
an attachment portion rotatably attached to the elongated portion of the mounting member; and

a support structure including:
a central segment retained by the central segment retention portion;
a left-side segment extendable from a left side of the central segment, whereby the left-side segment extends beyond a left side of the seat bottom, wherein the left-side segment is removably engageable with the left side of the central segment;
a right-side segment extendable from a right side of the central segment, whereby the right-side segment extends beyond a right side of the seat bottom, wherein the right-side segment is removably engageable with the right side of the central segment; and
a spring extending through the central segment, attached to the left-side segment, and attached to the right-side segment, wherein the spring comprises an elastic cord.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the elongated portion comprises a U-shape.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:
a left-side segment retention portion configured to releasably retain the left-side segment; and
a right-side segment retention portion configured to releasably retain the right-side segment,
wherein the right-side segment retention portion and the left-side segment retention portion are located on at least one of the lower side of the seat bottom or the central segment.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the right-side segment retention portion and the left-side segment retention portion are located on the central segment.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:
the left side of the central segment includes a female portion;
the right side of the central segment includes a female portion;
the left-side segment includes a male portion configured to mate with the female portion of the left side of the central segment; and
the right-side segment includes a male portion configured to mate with the female portion of the right side of the central segment.

15. An apparatus comprising:
a seat bottom including:
an anterior region;
a posterior region;
an upper side; and
a lower side including a central segment retention portion; and

a support structure including:
a central segment retained by the central segment retention portion;
a left-side segment extendable from a left side of the central segment, whereby the left-side segment extends beyond a left side of the seat bottom, and wherein the left-side segment is removably engageable with the left side of the central segment;
a right-side segment extendable from a right side of the central segment, whereby the right-side segment extends beyond a right side of the seat bottom, wherein the right-side segment is removably engageable with the right side of the central segment;
a left-side segment retention portion configured to releasably retain the left-sid

Assignees

• Medline Ind Inc

Inventors

• Andersen Margaret M
• Fong Brendan
• Wang Ben

Classifications

• A61H2201/1633

  Seat (A61H2201/0149 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61H2003/004

  Trays · CPC title

• A61H2201/0161

  Size reducing arrangements when not in use, for stowing or transport · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• A61G5/02

  propelled by the patient or disabled person · CPC title