Service chair and rotatable operators seat

Abstract

A service chair and rotatable operators seat which may be used in such service applications as a barber chair, dentist chair or the like, and includes a seat and backrest mounted on a shaft, with an independently rotatable operators seat mounted on the shaft for accessing a person in the chair. In a preferred embodiment the operators seat is mounted on an air cylinder to facilitate a vertical cushioning adjustment of the operator and the operators seat is attached to the chair mount shaft by a telescoping seat mount and seat mount extension. In another embodiment footrests are provided on the seat mount and the operating seat is removable from the seat mount cylinder or alternative support for application to a conventional set of chair legs. In still another embodiment of the invention the seat mount cylinder or alternative seat support and cooperating telescoping footrest mount is provided with a roller to contact the supporting surface and facilitate ease in rotatably adjusting the operators seat with respect to the chair.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of and incorporates by reference U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/782,855, filed Mar. 17, 2006.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to service chairs such as dental and barber chairs and more particularly, to a service chair which is characterized in a first preferred embodiment by a fixed or rotatable chair having a backrest and footrest for receiving a person in seated position and an operators seat rotatably attached to the chair for supporting an operator and facilitating positioning of the operator, typically in a 360-degree circle, around the service chair. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the operators chair is characterized by an adjustable seat mount and seat mount extension combination which receives a seat mount air cylinder carrying the operators seat to facilitate vertical adjustment and cushioning of the operators seat during use. A roller may also be provided at the bottom end of the seat mount cylinder or on a wheeled support extending from the cylinder, to better facilitate rotation of the operators seat around the service chair. In another preferred embodiment of the invention the operators seat may be telescopically mounted on a seat support and wheel mount fitted with a wheel at the bottom end for the same purpose. A pair of footrests may also be provided on the seat mount for additional comfort of the operator when the operator is seated on the operators seat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the service chair and rotatable operator's seat of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the service chair and rotatable operators seat illustrated in FIG. 1, more particularly illustrating a preferred 360-degree rotation of the operators seat with respect to the service chair;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view, partially exploded, of the rotatable operators seat, with the service chair removed for brevity and the operators seat adjusted outwardly from the chair base;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the rotatable operators seat illustrated in FIG. 3, more particularly illustrating inward adjustment of the operators seat toward the chair base;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the operators seat removed from the service chair assembly and positioned on a chair leg mount having multiple chair rollers, such that the operators seat can be used in conventional fashion as an office chair or the like;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment, of the service chair and rotatable operators seat of this invention;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of the service chair and rotatable operating seat illustrated in FIG. 6, with the service chair removed for brevity and the operators seat adjusted inwardly; and

FIG. 8 is a side view of the rotatable operators seat illustrated in FIG. 7, more particularly illustrating adjustment of the operators seat in a desired extended configuration outwardly of the chair base.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, in a first preferred embodiment the fixed or rotatable service chair and rotatable operators seat of this invention (hereinafter called “service chair”) is generally illustrated by reference numeral 1. The service chair 1 includes a chair base 2 of selected design, resting on or mounted to a floor or surface 11 and typically having a base pedestal 3, with a mount shaft 4 extending upwardly vertically through the base pedestal 3 and a shaft adjusting lever 5 provided on the base pedestal 3. The shaft adjusting lever 5 is typically conventional in design and operates by foot action to raise and lower the mount shaft 4 with respect to the chair base 2 and the base pedestal 3, in conventional fashion. A seat mount or base 6 is typically provided on the opposite end of the mount shaft 4 from the base pedestal 3 and carries a seat 7, typically having a seat pad 7a and fitted with arm rests 8. The arm rests 8 are typically attached to the seat 7 by means of arm rest mounts 8a as further illustrated in FIG. 1. A backrest 9 extends from the rear portion of the seat 7 as illustrated and is typically secured in place by means of a backrest frame 9a. Frame adjusting pins 10 may be provided in the seat 7 to interact with the backrest frame 9a and adjust the backrest 9 into selected angular configuration with respect to the seat 7. Alternative seat 7 and backrest 9 designs can be used in the invention according to the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

A footrest mount 12 is typically provided on the seat 7 and extends downwardly and forwardly of the seat 7, as further illustrated in FIG. 1. A footrest bar 13 may be telescopically or otherwise adjustably attached to the footrest mount 12 and is typically provided with multiple bar openings 13a, which selectively register with a corresponding mount opening 12a in the footrest mount 12 to receive a footrest pin 14 and slidably adjust the footrest bar 13 and a footrest 15 attached to the footrest bar 13, with respect to the footrest mount 12.

A seat mount collar 18 is rotatably attached to the mount shaft 4 above the base pedestal 3 in any convenient fashion, but typically by means of a bearing or bushing (not illustrated), according to the knowledge of those skilled in the art. One end of a seat mount 17 is welded or otherwise secured to the seat mount collar 18 and the seat mount 17 extends outwardly, typically horizontally or slightly upwardly from the mount shaft 4 above the floor or surface 11, to telescopically receive one end of a seat mount extension 19, having transverse extension openings 20 therein. A seat mount pin 17a extends through a seat mount pin opening 17b, illustrated in FIG. 4, provided in the seat mount 17 and through a selected one of the extension openings 20 in the seat mount extension 19, to facilitate linear adjustment of the seat mount extension 19 with respect to the seat mount 17 in telescopic fashion, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. The opposite end of the seat mount extension 19 from the seat mount 17 is welded or otherwise attached to a seat mount air cylinder 23 and a corresponding wheel mount 25a, which is typically linearly vertically aligned with the seat mount cylinder 23 and receives a cylinder wheel 25 that touches the floor or surface 11 upon which the chair base 2 is placed or mounted. A cylinder mount set screw 24 is typically provided in the seat mount extension 19 for removably attaching the seat mount cylinder 23 and the underlying wheel mount 25a to the seat mount extension 19. The upper end of the seat mount cylinder 23 receives a seat mount bar 26, which is typically vertically adjustably positioned in the seat mount cylinder 23 by means of a seat adjusting handle 27, as further illustrated in FIG. 1. An operators seat 29 of selected design is positioned on the upper end of the seat mount bar 26 and is typically adjustably tilted forwardly or rearwardly by manipulation of a seat pivot handle 28, as further illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings. A pair of extension footrests 21 may be mounted on the seat mount extension 19 in any convenient fashion, but may be typically pivotally or fixed in place by operation of a footrest mount 21a, illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 of the drawings.

As further illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will be appreciated that the operators seat 29 may, in a preferred embodiment, rotate in a 360-degree circle around the service chair 1, along with the seat mount extension 19 and the attached seat mount 17. The rotation is typically a full 360-degrees around these elements under circumstances where the footrest 15 is adjusted upwardly with respect to the footrest mount 12 by manipulation of the footrest pin 14, for rotational clearance, as illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings. Three illustrative, relative positions of the operators seat 29 with respect to the service chair 1 are illustrated in FIG. 2, two of which positions are in illustrated in phantom.

Referring to FIG. 5 of the drawings, it will be appreciated that in a preferred embodiment the operators seat 29 can be removed from the seat mount cylinder 23 by loosening the seat adjustment handle 27 and fitted into a chair leg mount 33, provided with multiple, outwardly-extending chair legs 31 having chair leg rollers 32, as illustrated. Accordingly, the operators seat 29 can then be utilized as an office chair or the like, when configured as illustrated in FIG. 5.

Referring now to FIGS. 6-8 of the drawings, in another preferred embodiment of the invention the service chair 1 is characterized by a seat mount 17, having a seat mount bracket 16 that fits on or is shaped integrally with, the seat mount collar 18, which is rotatably mounted on the mount shaft 4 as described with respect to the embodiment in FIG. 1 of the drawings. The seat mount bracket 16 is typically provided with a seat mount bracket pin 16a that extends through the operating end of the seat mount 17 to secure the seat mount bracket 16 on the seat mount collar 18 and facilitate up to and including a 360-degree rotation of the seat mount 17 around the service chair, and the chair base 2. The opposite end of the seat mount 17 from the seat mount bracket 16 receives the seat mount extension 19 in telescopic fashion, as illustrated in FIG. 1 and the seat mount pin 17a is designed to facilitate positioning of the operating seat 29 in a desired position with respect to the service chair 1, as heretofore described. The extending end of the seat mount extension 19 is further typically fitted with an extension clevis 22, having a clevis pin 22a that extends through the arms of the extension clevis 22 and through a corresponding opening (not illustrated) provided in the seat support 30, to mount the seat support 30 on the extending end of the seat mount extension 19, as further illustrated in FIGS. 6-8. The operators seat 29 is mounted on the upper end of the seat support 30 in the same manner as illustrated in FIG. 1 with respect to the seat mount cylinder 23, and a seat adjustment handle 27 is provided to facilitate removing the operators seat 29 from the seat support 30 or adjusting upward and downward movement of the operators seat 29. The wheel mount 25a is typically telescopically provided in the seat support 30 and is adjustably positioned therein by operation of the transverse wheel mount openings 25b and a corresponding aligned opening (not illustrated) provided in the seat support 30, using a seat support pin 30a, as illustrated. A cylinder wheel 25 may also be provided at the base of the wheel mount 25a to contact the floor or surface 11 and enhance rotation of the operators seat 29 around the service chair 1, as heretofore described.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the service chair 1 of this invention, in all of the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, may be fixed or rotatable and may serve as a barber chair, dental chair, doctors chair or the like. Up to and including 360-degree rotational access by an operator in the operators seat 19, to a patient or customer seated in the chair seat 7, is facilitated. The operator may be seated in the operators seat 29 and may position himself or herself in any desired orientation as illustrated in FIG. 2, with respect to the customer or patient seated in the chair seat 7, to perform the necessary service. Furthermore, the adjustment features in the service chair 1 and operators seat 29 facilitate quick and easy access to the patient or customer by telescopic adjustment of the seat mount extension 19 in the seat mount 17, as well as raising and lowering the operators seat 29 with respect to either the seat mount cylinder 23 illustrated in FIG. 1 or the seat support 30 illustrated in FIGS. 6-8. Additional adjustment of the footrest 15 upwardly or downwardly by manipulation of the footrest pin 14 may be effected for the comfort of a patient or customer seated in the chair seat 7.

It will be further appreciated by those skilled in the art that the design of the seat mount collar 18, which may include a bearing, bushing or other friction-reducing mechanism, may be optional according to the knowledge of those skilled in the art to facilitate free and easy rotation of the seat mount 17, seat mount extension 19 and the operators seat 29, typically in a 360-degree path around the service chair seat 1. This rotation is aided by operation of the cylinder wheel 25, which rides on the floor or surface 11, as heretofore described.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be further recognized and understood that various modifications may be made in the invention and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A service chair comprising a chair base for resting on a surface; a mount shaft extending from said chair base; a service chair carried by said mount shaft; an operators seat mount rotatably carried by said mount shaft beneath said service chair; and an operators seat provided on said operators seat mount, wherein said operators seat and said operators seat mount are rotatably adjustable on said mount shaft with respect to said service chair.

2. The service chair of claim 1 wherein said operators seat mount comprises a seat mount element rotatably carried by said mount shaft and a seat mount extension linearly adjustably carried by said seat mount element for receiving said operators seat, wherein said operators seat is adjustable and rotatable around said mount shaft.

3. The service chair of claim 1 wherein said operators seat is removably attached to said mount shaft.

4. The service chair of claim 2 wherein said operators seat is removably attached to said seat mount extension.

5. The service chair of claim 3 comprising a chair leg mount for removably receiving said operators seat and a plurality of wheels provided on said chair leg mount for engaging the surface and providing mobility for said operators seat and said chair leg mount.

6. The service chair of claim 5 wherein said operators seat mount comprises a seat mount element rotatably carried by said mount shaft and a seat mount extension linearly adjustably carried by said seat mount element for receiving said operators seat, wherein said operators seat is adjustable and rotatable around said mount shaft.

7. The service chair of claim 1 comprising an air cylinder provided on said operators seat mount for receiving and cushioning said operators seat and a roller provided on said air cylinder for contacting the surface and enhancing rotation of said operators chair around said service chair.

8. The service chair of claim 7 wherein said operators seat mount comprises a seat mount element rotatably carried by said mount shaft and a seat mount extension linearly adjustably carried by said seat mount element for receiving said operators seat, wherein said operators seat is adjustable and rotatable around said mount shaft.

9. The service chair of claim 8 wherein said operators seat is removably attached to said mount shaft.

10. The service chair of claim 9 comprising a chair leg mount for removably receiving said operators seat and a plurality of wheels provided on said chair leg mount for engaging the surface and providing mobility for rotation of said operating seat and said chair leg mount.

11. The service chair of claim 1 comprising a footrest provided on said operators seat mount for receiving and resting the feet of an operator seated on said operators seat.

12. The service chair of claim 11 wherein said operators seat mount comprises a seat mount element rotatably carried by said mount shaft and a seat mount extension linearly adjustably carried by said seat mount element for receiving said operators seat, wherein said operators seat is adjustable and rotatable around said mount shaft.

13. The service chair of claim 12 comprising an air cylinder provided on said operators seat mount for receiving and cushioning said operators seat and a roller provided on said air cylinder for contacting the surface and enhancing rotation of said operators chair around said mount shaft.

14. A service chair and rotatable operators seat comprising a chair base for placement on a surface; a mount shaft extending upwardly from said chair base; a service chair rotatably carried by said mount shaft; a seat mount rotatably carried by said mount shaft beneath said service chair; a seat mount extension adjustably engaging said seat mount; and an operators seat provided on said seat mount, wherein said operators seat and said seat mount extension are adjustable and rotatable with respect to said seat mount and said service chair.

15. The service chair of claim 14 wherein said operators seat is removably attached to said mount shaft.

16. The service chair of claim 15 comprising a chair leg mount for removably receiving said operators seat and a plurality of wheels provided on said chair leg mount for engaging the surface and providing mobility for said operators seat and said chair leg mount.

17. The service chair of claim 14 comprising an air cylinder provided on said operators seat mount for receiving and cushioning said operators seat and a roller provided on said air cylinder for contacting the surface and enhancing rotation of said operators chair around said mount shaft.

18. The rotatable service chair of claim 14 comprising at least one footrest provided on said operators seat mount for receiving and resting the feet of an operator seated on said operators seat.