IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,188,909
Granted Patent B2
US 7,188,909 · App. 11/315,489 · Granted Mar 13, 2007

Lever arm with tactile contour

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,188,909
App. No.
11/315,489
Granted
Mar 13, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

A plurality of levers each having one end adapted for attachment below a chair seat for controlling separate movements of a chair, each said lever having another end presenting a substantially planar surface terminating at a periphery, said periphery defining a geometric shape different from one another so as to tactually distinguish said levers and the associated movements of said chair controlled by said levers.

Claims (27)

1. At least two control levers each having one end adapted for attachment to a resting device for controlling movement thereof, and each lever having a second end with a geometrically-shaped tactile surfaces having peripheral edges defining a tactile contour that identifies said control lever, said contour selected from the group of:

(a) circular, triangular, square, rectangular, oval, and half circular shapes,

(b) spherical, pyramidal, cubical, letters and arrow shapes

wherein said contour of one of said levers is different from said contour of said other lever.

2. At least two control levers as claimed in claim 1 wherein each said lever controls a different movement of said resting device and wherein each said tactile contour presents a peripheral edge permitting tactile perception and association of said lever with said respective movement of said resting device.

3. At least two control levers as claimed in claim 2 wherein said peripheral edge is disposed in a plane.

4. At least two control levers as claimed in claim 1 wherein each said control lever is associated with a control guide including information corresponding to said shapes and the associated movements of said levers.

5. At least two control levers as claimed in claim 4 wherein said information comprises a visual representation corresponding to said shapes.

6. A control lever as claimed in claim 4 wherein said information comprises audio information corresponding to said shapes and controlled movement of said resting device.

7. A plurality of levers each having one end adapted for attachment below a chair seat for controlling separate movements of a chair, each said lever having a second end presenting a substantially planar, geometrically-shaped surface terminating at a periphery, said periphery defining a geometric shape different from one another so as to tactually distinguish said levers and the associated movements of said chair controlled by said levers;

at least two levers of said plurality of levers having a periphery defining a geometric shape selected from the group of circular, square, rectangular, oval, half circular, pentagon, octagon, hexagonal shapes.

8. A plurality of levers as claimed in claim 7 wherein each said planar surface is flat.

9. A plurality of levers as claimed in claim 8 wherein each said planar surface is disposed substantially horizontally relative said chair seat.

10. A plurality of levers as claimed in claim 7 where each of said levers are associated with a control guide for displaying said different shapes and information corresponding to said separate movements of said chair respectively.

11. A plurality of levers as claimed in claim 10 wherein said control guide is adapted to be carried by an arm of said chair.

12. A plurality of levers as claimed in claim 11 wherein said peripheral edges lie in a substantially flat plane.

13. A plurality of levers as claimed in claim 12 further including a guide presented by an arm of said chair for displaying indicia for correlating said different shapes of said control means and their associated movement of said back and chair.

14. A chair having a selectively moveable back and seat including:

(a) a first lever control arm having one end attached below said seat, and a second end having a tactile surface and contour defining a first geometric shape, said first lever control arm activating a selective movement of said back or seat;

(b) a second lever control arm having one end attached below said seat and a second end having a tactile surface and contour defining a second geometric shape, said second lever control arm activating another selective movement of said back or seat different from said first lever control arm;

(c) said second geometric shape different from said first geometric shape.

15. A chair as claimed in claim 14 including a guide presented by an arm of said chair for displaying said different geometric shapes and the associated movements of said first and second lever arms.

16. A chair as claimed in claim 15 including a guide presented by an arm of said chair for displaying said different geometric shapes and the associated movements of said first and second lever arms wherein said geometric shapes are selected from the group having a two dimensional surface with a circular, square, rectangular, oval, half circular, pentagon, octagon, hexagonal edges.

17. A chair as claimed in claim 16 wherein said guide comprises a display including:

(a) a first button visually corresponding to said first geometric shape of said first lever arm;

(b) a second button visually corresponding to said second geometric shape of said second lever arm.

18. A chair as claimed in claim 17 wherein said display includes information corresponding to said different geometric shapes and associated movements of said first and second lever control arms.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2019
From: CASSADAY, TERRY
To: ERGOCENTRIC INC.
Reel/Frame 049376/0436 →
Continuity (2)
Division 1073662600 · Dec 17, 2003
Related Publication 20060125299A1 · Jun 15, 2006