AU2014101569A4

AU2014101569A4 - Backrest with Adjustable Lateral Supports

Info

Publication number: AU2014101569A4
Application number: AU2014101569A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Bruce Gordon MASCULL
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-02-18
Filing date: 2014-02-18
Publication date: 2016-03-03
Anticipated expiration: 2022-02-18
Also published as: AU2014216759A2; AU2014216759A1; WO2014126483A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a backrest for people with postural support needs. The backrest comprises a substrate having a plurality of attachment apertures located on the substrate in 5 a regular arrangement. The attachment apertures are adapted to allow one or more lateral supports to be attached to the substrate by securing the lateral support(s) to the substrate with an attachment system that engages with one or more attachment apertures. By locating the attachment apertures on the substrate in a regular arrangement, the lateral support(s) can be attached to the substrate at a desired height and at a desired distance 0 from the centre of the substrate.

Description

1 BACKREST WITH ADJUSTABLE LATERAL SUPPORTS FIELD OF INVENTION This invention relates to a backrest to which adjustable lateral supports can be attached and to a seat having such a backrest. BACKGROUND For some people with physical disabilities, special postural support is required. For example, in relation to seats, such as wheelchairs and other seats for disabled users, it is sometimes necessary to provide a backrest with lateral supports on either side of the backrest to support the torso of the user. However, it is difficult to provide lateral supports that are able to be adapted to the different sizes and the different needs of different disabled users. It is also difficult to provide lateral supports that can be adapted to the changing size of a disabled user over time, such as the needs of a growing child, or that can be adapted to accommodate a disabled user whose postural needs change over time. It is an object of the invention to go at least some way towards providing a backrest that has adjustable lateral supports, or to at least provide the public with a useful alternative to existing seats with lateral supports. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a backrest comprising a substrate through which a plurality of attachment apertures, comprising substantially circular holes, are arranged in a plurality of rows and columns, wherein the attachment apertures are configured to engage with an attachment system for attaching one or more lateral supports to the substrate. The attachment apertures may cover substantially the whole of the substrate. Optionally, the backrest comprises a cover that encases the substrate and the at least one lateral support. In one form, the invention provides a seat comprising a backrest according to the first aspect of the invention. Preferably, the seat is a wheelchair. According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a backrest comprising a 2 substrate through which a plurality of attachment apertures are formed in a regular arrangement, the attachment apertures being adapted to engage with an attachment system for attaching one or more lateral supports to the substrate. In a preferred form, the backrest comprises at least one lateral support comprising a bracket with at least one bracket aperture adapted to substantially align with an attachment aperture of the substrate, and wherein the backrest further comprises an attachment system comprising a locking bar that projects through the aligned attachment aperture and bracket aperture and is secured in place to attach the lateral support to the substrate. Preferably, the at least one bracket aperture is in the form of a horizontal slot. More preferably, the lateral support bracket comprises three bracket apertures, each bracket aperture being in the form of a horizontal slot and each of the horizontal slots lying parallel to each other. Preferably, the locking bar is a bolt that is secured in place at each end by a nut or the like. Preferably, the attachment apertures cover substantially the whole of the substrate. Alternatively, the substrate comprises a plurality of rows of attachment apertures and a plurality of columns of attachment apertures located at each side of the substrate and the substrate further comprises a central region that is substantially devoid of attachment apertures. Preferably, each attachment apertures is a circular hole. Alternatively, the attachment apertures may be horizontal or vertical slots or both. In yet another form, the attachment apertures may be a combination of holes and slots. In another preferred form, the backrest comprises a cover that encases the substrate and the at least one lateral support. The cover may be padded all over or it may include padding in only some areas. Preferably, the backrest comprises at least a pair of lateral supports. One or more lateral support(s) may be located on each side of the substrate. Optionally, the lateral supports are of different sizes and/or shape. In a third aspect, the invention comprises a seat having a backrest according to the second aspect of the invention. Preferably, the seat is a wheelchair. Preferably, the seat comprises a seat base on which a user can sit, and wherein the seat further comprises a cover that substantially encases the backrest and the seat base.

3 In other preferred forms, the backrest comprises at least two lateral supports, each lateral support projecting from a side of the backrest and each lateral support being attached to the backrest by one or more fasteners. Each fastener projects through a selected hole in the substrate to attach the lateral supports to the backrest at the desired positions. In another preferred form, the invention comprises a seat or part thereof having a backrest comprising a selection of holes at each side so that the lateral supports can be attached to the backrest by way of such holes and wherein the holes selected for this determine how high the lateral supports are on the backrest and how far apart the lateral supports are in terms of width of the seat or part thereof, the seat or part thereof further formed such that the cover is sufficient to cover the lateral supports and at least the front of the backrest simultaneously and can be moved without destructive force to enable the lateral supports to be position adjusted with respect to the backrest and then moved again to re-cover the lateral supports. Preferably, a cover encases the backrest and lateral supports. Optionally, each side of the backrest has at least two vertical rows of the holes. Optionally, the holes cover more than half of the backrest. Optionally, the cover is in a single piece (which may or may not be formed from parts secured to one another). Optionally, the cover has padding arranged to provide cushioning for at least the backrest. Optionally, the cover has padding arranged to provide cushioning for at least the lateral supports. Optionally, the lateral supports are of more than one size. Optionally, the lateral supports are of more than one shape. Optionally, there are at least two of the lateral supports for each side of the backrest able to be secured by way of the holes. Optionally, the lateral supports are detachably secured to the backrest by way of fixing members (for example bolts or screws) proceeding through at least some of the holes.

4 Optionally, each lateral support can be held in a respective one of the holes and angle adjusted about such hole. Optionally, the seat comprises a seat base for supporting a person's posterior. Optionally, the cover is sufficient to simultaneously cover the backrest, the lateral supports and the seat base, and can be removed from these without destructive force and then used to re-cover them. Any reference to prior art documents in this specification is not to be considered an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in the field. As used in this specification, the words "comprises", "comprising", and similar words, are not to be interpreted in an exclusive or exhaustive sense. In other words, they are intended to mean "including, but not limited to". BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying images, in which: Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a wheelchair having a backrest encased within a cover according to one form of the invention; Figure 2 is a front perspective view of the wheelchair of Figure 1 with its backrest cover removed; Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of a backrest according to one form of the invention; and Figure 4 is a rear perspective view of a backrest of a wheelchair according to one form of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The invention relates to a backrest for people with postural support needs and to a seat that comprises such a backrest. The backrest 1 comprises a substrate 2 that has a plurality of attachment apertures 3 located on the substrate in a regular arrangement, as shown in Figures 2 to 4.

5 The substrate has a front face for supporting the back of a user and an opposing rear face. The front face of the backrest also comprises left and right sides. In one form, as illustrated, the attachment apertures are located on the substrate in a series of columns and rows to form an array or grid-like arrangement. However, it is envisaged that alternative regular arrangements of apertures could also be used without departing from the invention. For example, the longitudinal and/or lateral positioning of apertures in every second row and/or column may be varied to provide an alternative, but regular, arrangement of attachment apertures on the substrate. In one form, the attachment apertures cover substantially the whole of the substrate, as shown in Figures 2 to 4. Alternatively, the substrate comprises a plurality of rows of attachment apertures and a plurality of columns of attachment apertures located at each side (left and right) of the substrate and the substrate further comprises a central region that is substantially devoid of attachment apertures. In one form, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, each attachment apertures is a circular hole. Of course, the attachment apertures may be of other suitable shapes also. For example, the holes may be hexagonally shaped. Alternatively, the attachment apertures may be horizontal or vertical slots or both. In yet another form, the attachment apertures may be a combination of holes and slots. The attachment apertures 3 are adapted to allow one or more lateral supports 4 to be attached to the substrate 2 so as to project from the front face of the substrate. One or more lateral supports may project from the left or right sides of the substrate or from both sides. Lateral supports can be used to help a user with postural support needs to sit more upright and to prevent the user from slouching over forwards or tipping sideways. The lateral support(s) 4 can be secured to the substrate with an attachment system that engages with the lateral support(s) and with one or more attachment apertures. In one form, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, each lateral support 4 comprises a body 4a that is shaped to at least partially wrap around the torso of a user of the backrest 1. Each lateral support 4 also comprises a lateral support bracket 4b that is angled from the body 4a. The lateral support bracket is shaped to correspond with the shape of the substrate 2 so that the lateral support bracket can lie substantially flush against the front surface of the substrate, as shown in Figure 2. For example, if the shape of the substrate is slightly concave to comfortably accommodate the back of a user, the lateral support bracket will also be slightly concave.

6 In one form, not illustrated, the lateral support bracket comprises a plurality of bracket apertures that are arranged in a regular arrangement that corresponds with the regular arrangement of the attachment apertures of the substrate. For example, where the substrate includes attachment apertures in the form of circular holes, the bracket apertures in the lateral support bracket may also be in the form of circular holes that are regularly spaced on the lateral support bracket to align with the attachment apertures of the substrate. It is important that the bracket apertures and attachment apertures can be aligned with each other so that one or more locking bars can be inserted between the apertures. The ends of the locking bars are secured to hold the locking bar in place, such as with a nut or the like, and then tightened to clamp the lateral support bracket to the substrate. Typically, the locking bar is a threaded bolt having a bolt head at one end and being held in place by a nut threaded onto the free end of the bolt. However, other suitable arrangements could also be used to secure the lateral support bracket to the substrate via the attachment apertures. The lateral supports should be attached to the substrate in such a way that they can also be readily unattached from the substrate to be repositioned and reattached using different attachment apertures. In another form, the bracket apertures of the lateral support may be in the form of horizontal or vertical slots or both. In yet another form, the bracket apertures may comprise a combination of holes and slots. In yet another form, as shown in Figure 2, the lateral support bracket 4b comprises three bracket apertures 5, each bracket aperture being in the form of a horizontal slot. The horizontal slots 5 are positioned to lie substantially parallel with each other. The horizontal slots of the lateral support attachment bracket are aligned with attachment apertures on the substrate of the backrest at a desired height and at a desired lateral distance from the centre of the substrate. An attachment system is then used to attach the lateral support to the substrate of the backrest. The attachment system comprises a fastener in the form of a locking bar and clamping end. In a preferred form the locking bar is a threaded bolt that is passed through one or more of the aligned apertures. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, a locking bar, again in the form of a threaded bolt, is passed through two vertically aligned attachment apertures 3 that are aligned with two horizontal slots 5 of the lateral support bracket 4b. A clamping end, such as a nut 6, is fitted over the free end of the bolt to prevent the bolt from sliding out of the aligned apertures, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

7 In a preferred form, a clamping plate 7 is placed over the bracket apertures 5 of the lateral support bracket that are in use. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the bracket apertures that are in use are the two upper slots and the clamping plate can be seen straddling the two slots. The clamping plate 7 comprises two or more apertures that are adapted to align with at least two of the bracket apertures 5 and attachment apertures 3. A bolt is then pushed through each of the aligned apertures to engage with the apertures and so that the head of the bolt presses against the clamping plate. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, a bolt is pushed through the apertures that are aligned with the top horizontal slot 5. A second bolt is pushed through the apertures that align with the middle horizontal slot 5. A nut is that attached to the free end of each bolt and is tightened, causing the clamping plate to clamp across both of the bracket apertures that are in use. In this way, the clamping plate helps to firmly secure the lateral support to the substrate of the backrest. Typically, the backrest would comprise a pair of lateral supports, with a lateral support being located on each of the right and left sides of the backrest. However, for some users, only one lateral support may be needed. For other users, two lateral supports may be needed on one or both sides. The lateral supports may be of different shapes and sizes to suit the needs of the user. The backrest of the invention allows for all of these requirements to be satisfied. Optionally, the substrate and/or the lateral support(s) may be padded. Alternatively, or additionally, the backrest may comprise a cover 8 that substantially encases the substrate and the lateral support(s). The cover may be padded all over or it may include padding in only some areas, such as over the lateral supports only. The cover 8 is preferably formed in one piece so that it can be placed over the backrest and lateral supports simultaneously. It can subsequently be partially or completely removed to enable access to the lateral support(s). The cover is typically formed from a durable, stretchy fabric and is shaped to compliment the contour of the backrest and lateral support(s). The invention also relates to a seat having a backrest as described above. The seat may be a highchair, pushchair, car seat, a general seat for lounging in, a wheelchair (as shown in Figures 2 to 4), or any other seat with which the backrest of the invention can be usefully employed. In some forms, the cover of the backrest may encase the substrate and lateral support(s), as described above, and may also encase the seat base of the seat, the seat base being the part of the seat on which a person sits. Advantages By locating the attachment apertures on the substrate in a regular arrangement, the lateral 8 support(s) can be attached to the substrate at a desired height and lateral distance from the centre of the substrate to suit the needs of the user. Where a lateral support is used on each side of the backrest, the lateral distance from the centre of the substrate effects the spacing of the lateral supports from each other. This means that the position of the lateral supports can be selected to suit the individual needs of the user. For example, a small child or slim person may require the lateral supports to be positioned closer together and lower than the optimal position for an adult or broader person. The lateral supports can also be disengaged from the attachment apertures of the substrate and repositioned on the substrate as the needs of the user change, such as when the user is a growing child or when the user's posture changes. The arrangement of apertures in the substrate also allows for one or more lateral supports to be positioned on each side (left and right) of the backrest. The angle at which the lateral support(s) project from the substrate may also be adjusted to better align the angle with the torso of a user. This is achieved by providing a level of free play between the horizontal slots in the lateral support bracket and the attachment apertures through which the bracket is attached to the substrate of the backrest. In this arrangement, the fasteners can be loosened in their respective apertures, the lateral support can be tilted to the desired position, and the fasteners can be tightened again to hold the support in position. While some preferred embodiments of the invention have been described by way of example it should be appreciated that modifications and improvements can occur without departing from the scope of the following claims. Industrial Applicability The backrest of the invention is applicable for use by people having postural support needs, particularly by those whose postural supports needs change over time.

Claims

1. A backrest comprising a substrate through which a plurality of attachment apertures, comprising substantially circular holes, are arranged in a plurality of rows and columns, wherein the attachment apertures are configured to engage with an attachment system for attaching one or more lateral supports to the substrate.

2. The backrest of claim 1, wherein the attachment apertures cover substantially the whole of the substrate.

3. The backrest of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the backrest comprises a cover that encases the substrate and the at least one lateral support.

4. A seat comprising a backrest according to any one of the preceding claims.

5. A seat according to claim 4, wherein the seat is a wheelchair.