Specification guide
Specification guide
To ensure All our chair provides the maximum comfort level and functionality to meet the user’s needs, please use the following points to calculate the chair specification for each individual user.
Check the weight of each person who is likely to be using the chair. The maximum user weight of our standard single and dual motor chairs is 19 stone.
We offer a wide variety of mechanism types: – tilt-in-space, regular rise and recline, wall hugger or bariatric three motor chair. Each has unique functions.
The internal dimensions of the chair (seat height, width and depth, and backrest height) need to match the size of the user to ensure adequate support.
When seated, the support that the chair gives users from underneath should be evenly spread beneath their bottom and legs, with no particular points of pressure.
The support to the back should enable the user to relax, helping them to maintain a safe and comfortable position, again with no particular points of pressure.
Do not forget the overall size of the chair in relation to the room, so check the overall dimensions of the chair if space is limited. If the chair is going to be reclined regularly, make sure that there is sufficient space behind the chair.
The height of the seat can determine how easy it is to get in and out. A high seat will make it easier to stand up and sit down, however if the seat is too high the user’s feet may not touch the floor and it may feel uncomfortable under the user’s thighs.
A seat that is too low will be more difficult to get out of and will direct pressure towards the pelvis rather than distributing it evenly along the thighs.
The correct seat height can be calculated by measuring the distance from the floor to the crease at the back of the knees. When seated, hips and knees should be at approximate right angles whilst the feet are flat on the floor (ensure that usual footwear is worn).
The seat should be wide enough to allow the user to sit comfortably, but narrow enough to enable them to make use of the armrests. Ideally, it should be the width of the widest part of the user’s bottom/hips plus approximately 7.5cm/ 3 inches on either side.
Our tilt-in-space mechanisms start from 16” wide, whilst our regular single and dual motor mechanisms start from 18”. We can offer up to 33” width on some of the three motor bariatric chairs.
The seat needs to be deep enough to support the full length of the thighs. If the seat is too shallow, the thighs will not be supported properly and after a while the user may become uncomfortable.
If the seat is too deep the user will lean back to provide support for their shoulders which may cause them to slump in the chair.
To calculate the correct seat depth, measure the distance from the back of the hips, along the thighs to approximately 1½” behind the back of the knees. When seated they should be able to place two fingers between the edge of the seat and the back of the knee.
We offer fibre filled and foam back cushions of various design. Back designs such as the ‘lumbar support’ back offer postural assistance. The waterfall back is fully adjustable to suit the user’s shape. Back and heads should be supported, especially if the backrest is going to tilt backwards.
When sitting, measure from the seat to the top of the ears to give a minimum height requirement.
Our standard back height is 30”, we offer the ability to increase or reduce the back height by +/- 3”.
We offer simple neck pillows as well ‘neck cut outs’ which help hold a user in a more central position.
Wings can help to support a head if a user falls asleep in the chair regularly. We offer the ability to increase or reduce the wing size by +/- 3” depending on the model.
We offer +/- 3” adjustability to our standard 7” arm height (taken at the middle of the seat). The arms should provide side support, and help the user to stand up. They should be wide enough to support the forearms when relaxing and so we offer many varieties of design. When seated in the chair the forearms should rest comfortably along the armrest without hunching the user’s shoulders or leaning to one side. To help in standing up, the ends should be easy to grip and level with the front edge of the seat. Removable armrests can help the user get in and out of the chair from the side, e.g. from a wheelchair, and are available as an option on nearly all models
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