Thomas R Hetzel
Physical Therapy at Johnson Ln, Littleton, CO

7220376, May 22, 2007

Jul 28, 2003

10/628858

Thomas R. Hetzel - Littleton CO, US
Joseph S. Bieganek - Littleton CO, US

Aspen Seating, LLC - Sheridan CO

B29C 33/40, B29C 67/04

264125, 264138, 264220, 264222

A negative impression of an anatomical portion of a person is captured by forcing the anatomical portion into impression foam to collapse the impression foam into the negative impression. The impression foam has a crush characteristic of approximately constant resistance force over a relatively wide predetermined range of collapse distances. The negative impression is obtained by collapsing the impression foam within the range of constant-force collapse distances, thereby creating the negative impression under conditions which reflect an equally-loaded anatomical portion. A cushion support contour created from the equally-loaded negative impression is beneficial in more appropriately supporting the anatomical portion. The present invention is particularly useful in fabricating wheelchair seat cushions.

7373678, May 20, 2008

May 27, 2005

11/140003

Thomas R. Hetzel - Littleton CO, US
Joseph S. Bieganek - Littleton CO, US
Steve Maurus - Littleton CO, US

Aspen Seating, LLC - Sheridan CO

A47C 7/20, B68G 5/00

5653, 56554, 29 911, 29745226

A flexible support structure of a seat cushion, such as a wheelchair cushion, has an upper surface with a support contour having relief areas for establishing relatively less pressure on skin adjacent to bony prominences of a user's pelvis and having a support area for establishing relatively more pressure on skin covering a tissue mass spaced from the bony prominences. A slit is formed in the rear corner of the support structure and an insertion member is inserted into the slit to change a position of the support area to thereby adjust the support contour for better support of the pelvic area. A cover encases the support structure to resist outward deformation of the support structure. The cover has an extension portion that expands the cover at the rear corner to increase a dimension of the cover to encase an increase dimension of the corner caused by the insertion of the insertion member.

2005002, Feb 3, 2005

Jul 28, 2003

10/628859

Thomas Hetzel - Littleton CO, US
Joseph Bieganek - Littleton CO, US

A47C001/08

297256160

A modular seat cushion includes a human interface portion and a base portion which are combined and interlocked or interconnected together. The human interface portion has an upper support contour for supporting the user, and the base portion has a contact configuration for contacting a variety of different types of seat support structures. By selecting among human interface portions that have different sizes and shapes of support contours and by selecting among base portions that have a contact configuration appropriate for the seat support structure, a seat cushion is obtained which accommodates both the user and the type of seat support structure with which it is used. The ability to combine the human interface and base portions is particularly useful for wheelchairs.

7140057, Nov 28, 2006

Jan 28, 2004

10/766623

Thomas R. Hetzel - Littleton CO, US
Aaron D. Pierce - Denver CO, US
Steve Maurus - Littleton CO, US

Aspen Seating, LLC - Sheridan CO

A47C 7/14, A47C 7/18

5653, 29745226, 29745228

A flexible seat cushion, such as a wheelchair cushion, has an upper surface with a support contour for establishing relatively less pressure on skin adjacent to the bony prominences of the person's pelvic area and relatively more pressure on skin covering adjacent tissue masses. A support member is attached to the rear corner of the cushion. The support member has relatively less flexibility than the seat cushion. The support member is retained to a longitudinal and/or transverse side of the cushion to cause the support member to resist deformation of the support contour from contact with the pelvic area of the person when seated on the seat cushion. Connector member may be connected to the support member to extend along longitudinal and/or transverse sides of the cushion to deform and thereby adjust the support contour for better support of the pelvic area.

7216388, May 15, 2007

Jul 28, 2003

10/628860

Joseph S. Bieganek - Littleton CO, US
Thomas R. Hetzel - Littleton CO, US

Aspen Seating, LLC - Sheridan CO

A47C 7/18, A61G 5/10

5653, 29745226, 29745228, 6601

A support contour of a cushion, such as a wheelchair cushion, defines relief areas at locations adjacent to skin covering the ischial tuberosities, the greater trochanters and the coccyx and sacrum of a person sitting on the support contour. Support areas of the support contour transfer force into the pelvic area adjacent to skin covering tissue masses on opposite lateral sides of the posterior buttocks and beneath the proximal thighs of the person. Greater clearance is also provided in the perineal area. Risks of pressure ulcers from pressure and shear forces on bony prominences is reduced while providing support at the broader areas without bony prominences in such a manner to encourage postural alignment. The risks of skin breakdown perineal are diminished.

7395566, Jul 8, 2008

Oct 12, 2006

11/546771

Thomas R. Hetzel - Littleton CO, US
Aaron D. Pierce - Denver CO, US
Steve Maurus - Littleton CO, US

Aspen Seating, LLC - Sheridan CO

A47C 7/20, A47C 7/14

5653, 56559, 29745226

A flexible seat cushion, such as a wheelchair cushion, has an upper surface with a support contour for establishing relatively less pressure on skin adjacent to the bony prominences of the person's pelvic area and relatively more pressure on skin covering adjacent tissue masses. A support member is attached to the rear corner of the cushion. The support member has relatively less flexibility than the seat cushion. The support member is retained to a longitudinal and/or transverse side of the cushion to cause the support member to resist deformation of the support contour from contact with the pelvic area of the person when seated on the seat cushion. Connector member may be connected to the support member to extend along longitudinal and/or transverse sides of the cushion to deform and thereby adjust the support contour for better support of the pelvic area.

8567863, Oct 29, 2013

Mar 2, 2011

13/039051

Thomas R. Hetzel - Littleton CO, US
Rex Stevens - Longmont CO, US
Bruce D. Roemmich - Steamboat Springs CO, US
Steven C. Maurus - Littleton CO, US

Aspen Seating, LLC - Sheridan CO

A47C 7/40

2972844, 29735411, 29735412, 2974402

A back support is pivotally oriented to locate a pivot point relative to posterior superior iliac spines of a seated user, such that when an upper portion of the back support contacts the upper torso of the user and moves to a desired angular orientation to balance the upper torso over the pelvic area, the back support transfers support to the posterior superior iliac spines to maintain the pelvic skeletal structure in alignment. A lower portion of the back support angularly contacts, supports and confines gluteal and buttocks tissue of the user independently of the degree of pivotal orientation of the upper portion.

6990744, Jan 31, 2006

Jul 28, 2003

10/628890

Joseph S. Bieganek - Littleton CO, US
Thomas R. Hetzel - Littleton CO, US
Joan Padgitt - Denver CO, US

Aspen Seating, LLC - Sheridan CO

G01B 7/28, A61B 5/103

33515, 335142

Clearance between a support contour of a seat cushion and an adjacent pelvic and proximal thigh anatomical portion of a person is evaluated with a clearance measurement device that deforms in response to force applied thereto. The clearance measurement device is located on the support contour at a predetermined location where the clearance is to be evaluated. A person sits on the cushion with the clearance measurement device. The clearance is related to the extent of deformation. Impression foam, a malleable putty-like substance, or a fluid cushion are examples of clearance measurement devices.

8517469, Aug 27, 2013

Sep 6, 2012

13/605638

Thomas R. Hetzel - Littleton CO, US
Joseph S. Bieganek - Littleton CO, US
Rex W. Stevens - Longmont CO, US
Eric H. Vielbig - Boulder CO, US

Aspen Seating, LLC - Sheridan CO

A47C 7/46

2972844, 2802501, 2974402, 297 161

The back of a wheelchair user is independently supported along and about three mutually perpendicular axes. Two elongated adjustment arms are pivotally connected to extension arms which telescope into opposite ends of a hollow connecting tube. The support positions along and about the three axes is achieved by pivoting the arms and the connected relationships of a back shell and cushion to the connecting tube, while the adjustment arms remain pivotally connected to the wheelchair and the extension arms are telescopically retained in the connecting tube.