Linear Actuators Allow for Key Movement for Those in Activity Chairs

Evolution of Rifton's Activity Chair: A Legacy of Innovation and Adaptation

Rifton Equipment introduced the Activity Chair, a versatile seating system designed for therapy, feeding, and various activities. Featuring a height-adjustable base, this chair allows for vertical position changes while ensuring the person remains comfortably seated.

Since the 1970s, Rifton has been dedicated to crafting chairs for individuals with disabilities. The initial production models, though innovative for their time, consisted of basic plywood box frames with slots and knobs for adjustment. Over the years, guided by feedback from therapists, the company's designers continually refined and enhanced the original concept.

Using this methodology, Rifton's designers recognized early in the process the need to detach the seat from the base. This allowed them to offer customizable options catering to a wide range of needs, from minimal to full support for both children and adults. Each design iteration underwent thorough field-testing and received input from therapists, ensuring continual improvement and optimization.

Enhanced Activity, Durability, and Safety

At Rifton, our primary objective is to develop products that enhance activity and mobility for individuals with disabilities, prioritizing durability, user-friendliness, and safety. Each major component undergoes rigorous testing to simulate the typical life cycle of a special-needs product in real-world conditions.

The design of the Activity Chair aimed to offer a wide range of support options while maximizing freedom of movement. Special focus was placed on promoting forward leaning, dynamic seating, and facilitating easy transitions to standing. The chair's base enables caregivers to swiftly and effortlessly adjust based on the specific activity requirements.

“One of the required features was a base that allowed height adjustment with a 225 lb client in the chair,” says Kirk Wareham, Rifton’s director of product design.

To achieve this, a foot-operated hydraulic linear actuator pump was utilized, initially sourced from another supplier but later outsourced to ROEMHELD North America.

“After acquiring samples and submitting them to an exhaustive validation/ testing process, we determined that the new product was actually an upgrade on several fronts,” Wareham says, adding that it offered a smoother, more consistent operation, as well as better paint quality and a higher success rate. “Prior to making a final decision, we then paid a visit to the ROEMHELD North America facility in Fenton, Missouri, in the hopes of establishing a strong and long-term relationship.”

Optimizing Cost Efficiency and Supplier Collaboration

Another significant factor influencing the decision was price. Although the pump from the original supplier performed well, it was costly.

“We felt it was only responsible to reduce our costs where possible, and ask for a price reduction commensurate with the dramatically rising sales of the Activity Chair,” Wareham says. “Also, since we pay our bills promptly, we are typically granted an early-pay discount. We were disappointed to find that the previous supplier would not even entertain a discussion on either point. There were also some minor quality issues. An additional driver of the project was the hope to reduce the amount of inventory held in our warehouse.

“ROEMHELD North America offered a price that would save us a significant amount of money. They also made some minor design modifications to meet our requirements, including custom packaging specifications. Because ROEMHELD North America agreed to hold stock for us, and to deliver on a one-week lead-time, we were able to reduce our inventory by more than $100,000. We also received a visit from an engineer from their manufacturing plant in Germany, to review quality expectations and design features,” Wareham comments.

The linear actuators played a crucial role in enabling the Activity Chair to offer important range-of-motion benefits to children and adults with disabilities.

“The most rewarding part of the design process comes at the end when we make our final round of field trips just before going into production,” says Sam Durgin, Rifton’s project design leader. “I’ll never forget watching a little girl in New Jersey smile when she had access to a sink for the first time, or the appreciation from the teacher who could quickly position her child with special needs to join her peers for circle time at floor level.”

Many similar accounts of enhanced abilities have consistently underscored the Activity Chair's significant advantages for caregivers and disabled patients of all ages. Wareham acknowledged the invaluable contributions ROEMHELD North America made to the design process.