Patents by Inventor Francois Laffin

Francois Laffin has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20060012147
    Abstract: A stand-up type wheelchair for handicapped and sick people comprises a chassis (2) supporting an articulated structure (12) which includes a seat, a foot-rest, a chair-back, and two symmetrical lateral articulated systems. Each system includes a first deformable polygon contributing to the support of the seat, a second deformable polygon, contributing to the support of the foot-rest, a chair-back quadrilateral (four-bar linkage) (35) articulated on the first quadrilateral, and a manoeuvring assembly (40), which includes a first lever (41), a second lever (43), and a manoeuvring handle (49). The manoeuvring handle (49) is articulated firstly on the second lever (43) and/or the first lever (41), and secondly on the first quadrilateral by means of a connecting-rod (55) whose first extremity is connected by a pivot to the first quadrilateral and whose second extremity is connected by a pivot (58) to the manoeuvring handle (49).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2005
    Publication date: January 19, 2006
    Inventor: Francois Laffin
  • Publication number: 20050040688
    Abstract: The body support chair for physically challenged and disabled persons comprises a frame supporting an articulated structure comprising a seat, a foot rest, a back and two symmetrical lateral systems. Each articulated system comprises a first deformable quadrilateral (17), a second deformable polygon, a back assembly and a maneuvering assembly. The chair comprises, in addition, means (60) for automatic modification of the inclination (?) of the back of the chair with respect to the vertical direction in the sagittal plane between the lowered and verticalized positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Publication date: February 24, 2005
    Inventor: Francois Laffin
  • Publication number: 20050039302
    Abstract: A universal handle comprising a handle body having a U-shaped gripping zone (51), open at its center (52), having two arms (53) connected by a bar (54) offering, all three, a support back for the palm of the hand or the fingers of the user. The handle comprises in addition a control member: which is arranged on the inside of the opening (52) of the gripping zone (51) of the body of the handle and open at its center in such a fashion as to comprise a U-shaped gripping zone corresponding to the gripping zone (51) of the handle and having two arms connected by a bar, all three offering a support zone for the fingers of the user's hand; and that it is adapted for exercising a force on an element to be controlled when the handle (49) is grasped by the user's hand at one or another of the three gripping zones formed by the two arms (53) and the bar (54) of the body of the handle associated with the control element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Publication date: February 24, 2005
    Inventor: Francois Laffin
  • Publication number: 20050035648
    Abstract: The body support chair for the physically challenged and disabled comprises a frame supporting an articulated structure comprising a back, a seat, a foot rest (33) supported by two uprights and means for holding the legs, at least in part immovable. The holding means comprise: two cross-members, each fitted on an upright (27) of the foot rest for extending into a working position (T) towards the front of the chair and provided in the front part with fastening means (80) arranged in the working position (T) at a corresponding distance from the upright (27); and an immovable front support element for the user's two legs, fitted on the fixation means (80) of the cross-members, in such a fashion as to extend between the cross-members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Publication date: February 17, 2005
    Inventor: Francois Laffin
  • Publication number: 20050006878
    Abstract: According to the invention, the body support chair comprises two symmetrical lateral articulated systems (13), each comprising: a first deformable polygon or quadrilateral (17); a second deformable polygon or quadrilateral (26); a back assembly (35) articulated on the first quadrilateral (17); and a maneuvering assembly interposed between the first quadrilateral and the frame; The chair is characterized in that for each maneuvering assembly, the position of the maneuvering handle (49) is adjustable between the ends of the second lever (43).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Publication date: January 13, 2005
    Inventor: Francois Laffin