GB2380167A

GB2380167A - Wheelchair with reversible cantilevered seat

Info

Publication number: GB2380167A
Application number: GB0123516A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Charles Hugh Mcauley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-10-01
Filing date: 2001-10-01
Publication date: 2003-04-02
Also published as: GB0123516D0

Abstract

A wheelchair comprises a reversible seat 26 supported by a pair of cantilevered supports 24 positioned above and supported by a horizontal "U"-shaped framework 10 and being connected to limb ends 20 of the framework 10 by a pair of upright members 22. Two small wheels 12 are connected to the web end 14 of the framework 10, whilst two larger wheels 16 are connected at the limb ends of the framework. Each support 24 is connected to a handle 30 to assist in manoeuvring the wheelchair and may also be be "U"-shaped to retain the seat 26. The handles 30 may be attachable to front or rear support limbs 36. The seat 26 comprises a backrest portion 28. A hole with a removable cover may be provided through the seating portion 26. The seat 26 may be positioned with the backrest 28 nearer to either the large wheeled or small wheeled end 14 of the wheelchair to suit a direction of travel or a particular use, such as clothing removal. The supports 24 may assist a disabled user in moving onto or rising from a toilet seat, for example. Brakes may also be provided.

Description

WHEELCHAIR This invention relates to a wheelchair capable of indoor and outdoor use.

Various forms of wheelchair or water closet chair have been proposed to meet different requirements of users depending on the amount of disability of the disabled person and to assist him/her to be as independent of an assistant as possible. Different criteria for the form of wheelchair are required where the disabled person is almost wholly or wholly dependent on a care assistant (whether ; 1 professional or a relative) since he/she is incapable or almost incapable of supporting htmself/herself to stand up, or so frail or suffering at least short time memory loss to be incapable of attending to himself/herself such as removing clothing to relieve himself/herself The present invention seeks top provide a wheelchair to minimise the manhandling of such a disabled person and thereby to minimise back pull or strain of an assistant in lifting and manoeuvring the disabled person.

Accordingly, the present invention is a wheelchair comprising a framework having. a U-shaped bottom member, horizontally oriented and mounting a set of four groundengaging wheels, two smaller wheels being positioned adjacent tot he web of the member and two larger wheels being positioned adjacent to the outer ends of the two limbs, the outer ends of the two limbs of the bottom member being rooted to two corresponding uprights carrying a pair of supports cantilevered above the limbs for supporting an assembly of a seating portion and a back rest portion, the assembly straddling the space between the supports and the limbs, the supports each having a handle member for use by an assistant in manoeuvnng the chair, the assembly being capable of positioning in one or other of two alternative positions, one tn which the back rest portion IS nearer the end having the smaller wheels or the other In which the back rest portion is nearer the end having the larger wheels.

Preferably, means are provided to prevent the seating portion from sliding off the supports in either of the alternative positions. The supports are beneficially similar and are formed by two angled members, an upright portion of each angled member being connected to a corresponding upright with an angled horizontal portion carrying an upstanding U-frame, the limbs of each U-frame forming the means Preferably also, the handle members are separate and can engage in the top of the limbs of each U-frame, either at the side nearer the smaller wheels, or the side nearer the larger wheels The handle members are desirably capable of being swivelled In their engaged position in the tops of the limbs of each UJ-frame Preferably also, the limbs of the bottom member are similar cranked upwardly nearer to the smaller wheels. Lever operated brake arrangements are preferably provided for each larger wheel.

Preferably further, the seating portion of the assembly is provided with a hole therethrough and a removable cover of same areal dimensions is provided to overlie the seating portion.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a perspective exploded view of a wheelchair. Referring to the drawings, a wheelchair compnses a framework formed of tubular metal. The framework has a U-shaped bottom member 10, horizontally onented and mounting a set of four ground-engaging wheels, two smaller wheels 12 being positioned adjacent to the web 14 of the member 10 and two larger wheels 16 being positioned adjacent to the outer ends 18 of the two limbs 20 The wheels 12,16 are mounted for free rotation on stub axles earned by the limbs 20 and are provided with inflatable tyres.

The outer ends of the two limbs 20 of the bottom member 10 are rooted to two corresponding uprights 22 carrying a pair of supports 24 cantilevered above the limbs 20

for supporting an assembly of a seating portion 26 and a back rest portion 28. The assembly straddles the space between the supports 24 and the limbs 20. The supports 24 each have a handle member for use by an assistant in manoeuvring the chair. The assembly is capable of being positioned in one or other of two alternative positions, one in which the back rest portion 28 is nearer the end having the smaller wheels 12 or the other in which the back rest portion 28 is nearer the end having the larger wheels 16.

Means are provided to prevent the seating portion 26 from sliding off the supports 24 in either of the alternative positions. The supports 24 are similar and are formed by two angled members 32. An upright portion 32A of each angled member 32 is connected to a corresponding upright 22 with an angled horizontal portion 32B carrying an upstanding U-frame 34. The limbs 36 of each U-frame 34 form the means.

The handle members 30 are separate and can engage in the top of the limbs 36 of each U-frame 34, either at the side nearer the smaller wheels 12, or the side nearer the larger wheels 16. The handle members 30 are capable of being swivelled in their engaged position In the tops of the limbs 36 of each U-frame 34 The limbs 20 of the bottom member 10 are similar cranked upwardly nearer to the smaller wheels 12 as shown In the drawing Lever operated brake arrangements 38 as shown are provided for each larger wheel 16.

In a modification (not shown), the seating portion 26 of the assembly is provided with a hole therethrough and a removable cover of same areal dimensions IS provided to overlie the seating portion 26 In use, the back rest portion 28 of the assembly Positioned nearer to the side with the smaller wheels 12, the wheelchair can be used to wheel a disabled person while he/she is facing the care assistance and they can converse. In this case, the handle members 30 are connected to the limbs 36 at the side nearer to the larger wheels 16.

Equally, If the disabled person does not like being pushed backwards, the assembly IS

positioned with the back rest portion 28 nearer to the side with the larger wheels 16, the handle members 430 remaining in the same position. The different sized wheels allow easy passage onto or from pavements from or onto roads When a person IS siting In the wheelchair requires to visit a water closet, the care assistant pushed the chair into a public toilet facility, and with the person sitting on the assembly with the back rest portion 28 positioned nearer to the larger wheels, the care assistant disconnects the handle members 30 from the limbs 36 at the side nearer to the larger wheels 16 and connects them onto the limbs 36 at the side nearer to the smaller wheels 12 and manoeuvres the

chair into a cubicle, puts the brakes on, and then assists the person to stand, removes

the assembly and removes the necessary clothing and assists the person to sit down ont ;

a seat of the water closet. After the person has relieved his/her needs, the care assistant assists the person to stand, replaces th4e clothing, replaces the assembly,

releases the brakes, and pulls the wheelchair out of the cubicle and then out of the publié.. toilet facility. With the framework of the wheelchair around them, the person can use the < sides thereof to assist then In sitting down and in using from the seat of the water closet

Variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention described above.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A wheelchair comprising a framework having a U-shaped bottom member, horizontally oriented and mounting a set of four ground-engaging wheels of which two smaller wheels are positioned adjacent to the web of the member and two larger wheels are positioned adjacent to the outer ends of the two limbs, the outer ends of the two limbs of the bottom member being rooted to two corresponding uprights carrying a pair of supports cantilevered above the limbs for supporting an assembly of a seating portion and a back rest portion, the assembly straddling the space between the supports and the limbs, the supports each having a handle member for use by an assistant in manoeuvring the chair, the assembly being capable of positioning in one or other of two alternative positions, one in which the back rest portion is nearer the end having the smaller wheels or the other in which the back rest portion is nearer the end having the larger wheels.
2. A wheelchair as claimed in Claim 1, wherein means are provided to prevent the seating portion from sliding off the supports in either of the alternative positions.
3. A wheelchair as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the supports are similar and are formed by two angled members,
4. A wheelchair as claimed in Claim 3, wherein an upright portion of each angled member is connected to a corresponding upright with an angled horizontal portion carrying an upstanding U-frame, the limbs of each U-frame forming the means.

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5. A wheelchair as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the handle members are separate and are engagable in the top of the limbs of each U-frame, either at the side nearer the smaller wheels or the side nearer the larger wheels.
6. A wheelchair as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the handle members are capable of being swivelled in their engaged position in the tops of the limbs of each U-frame.
7. A wheelchair as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the limbs of the bottom member are similarly cranked upwardly nearer to the smaller wheels.
8. A wheelchair as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein lever operated brake arrangements are provided for each larger wheel.
9 A wheelchair as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the seating portion of the assembly is provided with a hole therethrough and a removable cover of same areal dimensions is provided to overlie the hole and be supported by the seating portion.
10. A wheelchair substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.