Helping Hands Rehabilitation Lifting Chair
By Eckhardt, Lukas; Greenfield, Sharon; Marrinan, Carey; Mollendorf, Joseph C.; NSF 2009 Engineering Senior Design Projects to Aid Persons With Disabilities, pages 204-205Publication Date: 2012
Paper describes the development of a chair with a mechanically operated lifting mechanism that allows an individual with limited mobility and strength to move from a sitting to a standing position. The Helping Hands Rehabilitation Lifting Chair was constructed from PVC pipe, plywood, 1 ¼ inch pulleys, and 3/16 inch cable. Plywood surfaces were covered with vinyl material for aesthetic purposes. The chair’s lifting mechanism consists of a tilting seat, a cable and pulley system, a rotating footpad, and adjustable-height legs. Pipe clamps that allow for rotation are used to connect the seat and forward cross bar of the frame as well as the footpad with the rear crossbar. To operate, users first stand on the footpad with their back to the chair. As they sit down and transfer weight from the footpad to the seat, the seat slowly lowers. Cables are run from the chair’s arms, around pulleys, and back through the arms down to the footpad. When the user is seated, the foot pad is raised and can be used as a foot rest. To stand up, the user leans forward and puts pressure on the footpad, which will raise the seat approximately six inches. The chair was designed by engineering students at the State University of New York at Buffalo.
Published by: Creative Learning Press, Inc. (Website:http://www.creativelearningpress.com)
Link to text: http://nsf-pad.bme.uconn.edu/2009/CHAPTER%2014%20STATE%20UNIVERSITY%20OF%20NEW%20YORK%20AT%20BUFFALO.pdf
ISBN: ISBN 1-931280-16-9
