Protective screen for pedicure chair assembly

Abstract

A protective screen for a pedicure chair assembly is configured to rotate between an up position and a down position. When in the down position, the protective screen interrupts a straight path between a patient sitting in a seat of the assembly and a therapist accessing the patient's feet. The protective screen allows the patient to enter and exit the chair when in the up position. The protective screen can be attached to a seat portion of the pedicure chair assembly so as to move with the seat portion. The protective screen may also deliver secondary treatment fluids.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pedicure chair assembly, comprising:
 a base extending from a front end to a back end;   a seat supported on the base;   a leg support disposed in front of the seat and configured to support a foot and/or leg of a patient seated in the seat; and   a protective screen configured to be moved between an up position and a down position;   wherein when the protective screen is in the down position the protective screen is interposed between the seat and the leg support.   
     
     
         2 . The pedicure chair assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the leg support is supported on the base. 
     
     
         3 . The pedicure chair assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the protective screen comprises structure to provide a secondary treatment therapy. 
     
     
         4 . A protective screen assembly configured for attachment to a pedicure chair assembly, the protective screen assembly comprising:
 a support frame configured to be attached to a seat back of a pedicure chair assembly so that the support frame moves with the seat back;   a pedicure screen; and   a brace attached to the pedicure screen and attached to the support frame in a manner so that the brace and pedicure screen can move relative to the support frame between an up and a down position;   wherein the support fame is connected to the seat back at a first mount point, a second mount point horizontally spaced from the first mount point, and a third mount point vertically spaced from the first mount point.   
     
     
         5 . The protective screen of  claim 4 , wherein the screen has an upper edge, a lower edge, and opposing side edges between the upper and lower edges. 
     
     
         6 . The protective screen of  claim 5 , wherein the screen is configured to curve about 150-210° between the side edges. 
     
     
         7 . The protective screen of  claim 6 , wherein the screen comprises a mount for holding a computerized device. 
     
     
         8 . A method for blocking materials expelled from a mouth of one of a patient and a therapist from flowing to the face of the other of the patient and the therapist during pedicure/manicure therapy, comprising:
 seating the patient in a pedicure chair assembly; and   moving a protective screen from an up position to a down position, the protective screen having an upper edge, a lower edge, and opposing side edges between the upper and lower edges, the protective screen configured so that when in the down position it interrupts a straight path from the face of the patient to the face of the therapist when the therapist is performing one or more of pedicure therapy and manicure therapy.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein when the protective screen is in the down position and the therapist is performing pedicure therapy on the patient, the lower edge is above the legs of the patient but below the face of the therapist. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the lower edge of the protective screen is curved so that, when in the down position, the lowest portion of the lower edge is directly in front of a face of the patient. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein when the protective screen is in the down position and the therapist is performing manicure therapy on the patient, the lower edge adjacent an armrest of the pedicure chair assembly is vertically above a patient's arm resting on the armrest, but vertically lower than the face of the therapist.