Chair with lengthened seat

Abstract

A new and improved powered chair comprises a chair frame, a backrest assembly, a seat assembly, a footrest assembly, a linkage system, and a linear actuator operatively connected, by the linkage system, to the backrest assembly, the seat assembly, and the footrest assembly for actuating the backrest assembly, the seat assembly, and the footrest assembly between various positions. The seat assembly comprises a seat plate having a substantially V or L-shaped configuration wherein a rearward leg of the V or L-shaped seat plate has a distorted or elongated N or Z-shaped configuration which includes a central, substantially horizontally extending section that, along with the seat plate, can accommodate an enlarged chair seat for, in turn, accommodating large or tall chair users.

What is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is: 
     
         1 . A powered chair, comprising:
 a chair frame;   a backrest assembly;   a seat assembly;   a footrest assembly;   a linkage system; and   a linear actuator operatively connected to said backrest assembly, said seat assembly, and said footrest assembly for actuating said backrest assembly, said seat assembly, and said footrest assembly between various positions, including a seated/upright position, an extended position, and a reclined position;   wherein said seat assembly comprises a pair of oppositely disposed seat plates wherein each one of said pair of oppositely disposed seat plates has a substantially V or L-shaped configuration wherein a rearward leg of said V or L-shaped seat plate comprises a distorted or elongated N or Z-shaped configuration which includes a central, substantially horizontally extending section that, along with said pair of oppositely disposed seat plates, can accommodate an enlarged chair seat for, in turn, accommodating large or tall chair users.   
     
     
         2 . The powered chair as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said linear actuator comprises a motor, a lead screw housing, and a slide member slidably mounted upon and operatively engaged with a lead screw disposed within said lead screw housing.   
     
     
         3 . The powered chair as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein:
 said chair frame comprises forward and rearward cross-bar members;   said motor of said linear actuator is fixedly mounted upon said forward cross-bar member; and   said lead screw housing of said linear actuator is fixedly mounted upon said rearward cross-bar member.   
     
     
         4 . The powered chair as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said backrest assembly comprises a pair of oppositely disposed backrest mounting brackets for mounting a backrest thereon and which can be moved between upright positions and reclined positions.   
     
     
         5 . The powered chair as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said seat assembly is movable between a lowered, non-reclined position and an elevated, reclined position such that said seat assembly can attain a zero-gravity disposition.   
     
     
         6 . The powered chair as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein:
 when said seat assembly is disposed at said elevated, reclined, zero-gravity disposition, said footrest assembly will be disposed at an elevational level which is higher than that of said backrest assembly, thereby permitting said chair to achieve said zero-gravity disposition.   
     
     
         7 . The powered chair as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein:
 when said seat assembly is disposed at said elevated, reclined, zero-gravity position, a front end portion of said seat assembly will be disposed at a higher elevation than a rear end portion of said seat assembly.   
     
     
         8 . A powered chair, comprising:
 a chair frame;   a backrest assembly;   a seat assembly;   a footrest assembly;   a linkage system; and   a linear actuator operatively connected to said backrest assembly, said seat assembly, and said footrest assembly for actuating said backrest assembly, said seat assembly, and said footrest assembly between various positions, including a seated/upright position, an extended position, a reclined position, and a zero-gravity position;   wherein said seat assembly comprises a pair of oppositely disposed seat plates wherein each one of said pair of oppositely disposed seat plates has a substantially V or L-shaped configuration wherein a rearward leg of said V or L-shaped seat plate comprises a distorted or elongated N or Z-shaped configuration which includes a central, substantially horizontally extending section that, along with said pair of oppositely disposed seat plates, can accommodate an enlarged chair seat for, in turn, accommodating large or tall chair users.   
     
     
         9 . The powered chair as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein:
 said linear actuator comprises a motor, a lead screw housing, and a slide member slidably mounted upon and operatively engaged with a lead screw disposed within said lead screw housing.   
     
     
         10 . The powered chair as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein:
 said chair frame comprises forward and rearward cross-bar members;   said motor of said linear actuator is fixedly mounted upon said forward cross-bar member; and   said lead screw housing of said linear actuator is fixedly mounted upon said rearward cross-bar member.   
     
     
         11 . The powered chair as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein:
 said backrest assembly comprises a pair of oppositely disposed backrest mounting brackets for mounting a backrest thereon and which can be moved between upright positions and reclined positions.   
     
     
         12 . The powered chair as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein:
 said seat assembly is movable between a lowered, non-reclined position and an elevated, reclined position such that said seat assembly can attain a zero-gravity disposition.   
     
     
         13 . The powered chair as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein:
 when said seat assembly is disposed at said elevated, reclined, zero-gravity disposition, said footrest assembly will be disposed at an elevational level which is higher than that of said backrest assembly, thereby permitting said chair to achieve said zero-gravity disposition.   
     
     
         14 . The powered chair as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein:
 when said seat assembly is disposed at said elevated, reclined, zero-gravity position, a front end portion of said seat assembly will be disposed at a higher elevation than a rear end portion of said seat assembly.