CA1229785A - Invalid chair based on composite materials - Google Patents

Invalid chair based on composite materials

Info

Publication number
CA1229785A
CA1229785A CA000463211A CA463211A CA1229785A CA 1229785 A CA1229785 A CA 1229785A CA 000463211 A CA000463211 A CA 000463211A CA 463211 A CA463211 A CA 463211A CA 1229785 A CA1229785 A CA 1229785A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
polygons
chair
pair
invalid
composite materials
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA000463211A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Michel Berger
Charles Baert
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
AQUITAINE DE MATERIAUX COMPOSITES HAUTES PERFORMANCES
Original Assignee
AQUITAINE DE MATERIAUX COMPOSITES HAUTES PERFORMANCES
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from FR8314706A external-priority patent/FR2551970B1/en
Priority claimed from FR8413840A external-priority patent/FR2569980B2/en
Application filed by AQUITAINE DE MATERIAUX COMPOSITES HAUTES PERFORMANCES filed Critical AQUITAINE DE MATERIAUX COMPOSITES HAUTES PERFORMANCES
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1229785A publication Critical patent/CA1229785A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61GTRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
    • A61G5/00Chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61GTRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
    • A61G5/00Chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs
    • A61G5/08Chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs foldable
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61GTRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
    • A61G5/00Chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs
    • A61G5/08Chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs foldable
    • A61G5/0808Chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs foldable characterised by a particular folding direction
    • A61G5/0816Chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs foldable characterised by a particular folding direction folding side to side, e.g. reducing or expanding the overall width of the wheelchair
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61GTRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
    • A61G5/00Chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs
    • A61G5/10Parts, details or accessories
    • A61G5/1054Large wheels, e.g. higher than the seat portion
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61GTRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
    • A61G5/00Chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs
    • A61G5/10Parts, details or accessories
    • A61G5/12Rests specially adapted therefor, e.g. for the head or the feet
    • A61G5/125Rests specially adapted therefor, e.g. for the head or the feet for arms
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61GTRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
    • A61G5/00Chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs
    • A61G5/10Parts, details or accessories
    • A61G5/12Rests specially adapted therefor, e.g. for the head or the feet
    • A61G5/128Rests specially adapted therefor, e.g. for the head or the feet for feet

Abstract

Invalid chair based on composite materials ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present invention relates to an invalid chair, or wheelchair, based on composite materials, comprising in particular a seat fixed between two side elements, each comprising a drive wheel provided with a handwheel, a support and steering wheel and a footrest. According to the invention, the two side elements and the two drive wheels, as well as the footrests and means for maintaining the side elements in spaced apart relationship and for folding this chair, are entirely or partially made of composite materials. The invention is more particularly applicable to the manufacture of invalid chairs which are light and robust.

Description

~2297~35 The present invention relates to a foldable invalid chair, or wheelchair.
Wheelchairs of this type are essentially constituted by a seat supported by drive wheels which are possibly provided with a hand-wheel, and by support and steering wheels. The chairs generally comprise footrests. They may possibly be foldable on themselves so that they can be placed for example in a car boot, thanks to cross bars pivoting with respect to each other about a common axis lying at the center thereof.
The ends of these bars are fixed by a pivoting device to the side walls of the chair or to structures fast therewith.
These presently known wheelchairs are made from a tubular structure, generally made of chromium-plated metal. However, such a structure is heavy:
consequently, the invalid, or the person accompanying him, often finds it difficult to fold then lift such a wheelchair when this proves necessary.
It is therefore one of the objects of the present invention to provide an invalid chair, or wheelchair, which is both robust and as light as possible.
Another object of the invention if to provide such a wheelchair which is simple and reliable to fold and unfold.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a wheelchair of this type at a relatively moderate cost.
According to the present invention, there is provided:
a foldable invalid chair comprising:
- two;lateral sides;
- a driving wheel and a steering wheel carried by each of said sides;

,~ . - '`'''' ~

~2297~3S

- means for holding said lateral sides apart and for folding the chair; and - a seat fixed to each of said sides;
wherein said two lateral sides and said two driving wheels are of a composite material comprising two walls made of a filamentous armature embedded in an organic resin material, said walls being joined together with a cellular material.
Preferably, the cellular material is a foam or a material of honeycomb structure.
Preferably, the holding means comprise two pairs of polygons, said polygons of each pair being articulated at one of their ends to each other and articulated at the other end to one of said lateral sides respectively, each polygon being of said composite material.
- Preferably, the two polygons of each pair - of polygons are connected together with hinge means, the hinge means of one pair of polygons are connected to those to the other pair of polygons by means of a bar, and a device is provided for blocking the hinge means of one of said two pairs of polygons so that the two polygons of each pair of polygons are in line with each other.
A preferred embodiment of the invention will be more readily understood on reading the following description given as example, without limitative manner, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 shows a schematic side view of an invalid chair according to the present invention.
Fig.~2 is a rear view of this same chair, and A
.. . .

-3- 1~2978S

Fig. 3 is a schematic view from underneath of the chair shown in Fig. 2.
Referring now to the drawings, the following description refers to an invalid chair in unfolded position, i.e. when used by an invalid.
Such a wheelchair comprises side elements on each of its sides and, for reasons of convenience, the major part of the specification will refer only to one of these side elements.
Thus, side element I comprises a base part 2, a front vertical part 3 and a rear vertical part 4.
Each side element I is constituted by two walls, or skins, made of a composite material, coupled together so as to define a space adapted to be filled with a cellular material such as a foam or a material of honey-comb structure.
The front vertical part 3 is extended forwardly by a foldable 15 footrest 5 and downwardly by a support and steering wheel 6.
Drive wheels 7 are each mounted on a pin 8 passing through the rear vertical part 4, in manner known per se, and possibly comprise on their outer part a handwheel 9 of which the distance from the wheel may vary as the invalid wishes.
These drive wheels are obtained by coupling together two half-wheels 7a and 7b which are shown schematically in Fig. 2 (the wheel being schematically shown in section along a spoke).
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, this invalid chair also comprises means for folding and unfolding it and for maintaining 25 the two side elements in spaced apart relationship.
These means comprise at least one assembly composed of two polygons 10 and 11 which are articulated on each other, on the one hand, and each on a side element, as shown in Fig. 2, as well as other means known per se cooperating with this assembly.
This assembly is for example disposed perpendicularly between the two rear vertical parts 4 and at a level lower than that of the seat.
In this way, each polygon is articulated on the one hand on the corresponding rear vertical part and, on the other hand, with the other polygon preferably along a common side.
This assembly of two polygons may also be made of a composite 1~ ~ZZ9785 material.
The composite material used for making different elements of an invalid chair according to the present invention may be the same for all or different as a function of the specific stresses on each element.
5 In general, for the walls, or skins, of these elements, a composite material of filamentary structure is used, whilst the space between these walls is filled with a composite material of cellular structure. The composite material of filamentary structure is constituted by a filamentous armature (carbon, polyamide, glass, etc... fibers) embedded in an organic material 10 (polyester, epoxy, acrylic, etc... resin). The composite material of cellularstructure is generally a polyurethane or epoxy foam, for example, or a material of honeycomb structure. This composite material generally has a thickness of between I and 2 cm. For example, each side element I has a thickness of about 1.5 cm and is formed by two walls, or skins, each 5 0.075 cm thick, connected together by a material of honeycomb structure of which the alveolar cells have horizontal generatrices parallel to the pins 8 of the drive wheels.
In the present embodiment, this invalid chair comprises two assem-blies each of two polygons 10, 11 and 12, 13. The second assembly is disposed 20 at a level lower than that of the seat and perpendicularly between the front vertical parts 3.
These polygons are trapeziums which are articulated by their large base on the corresponding vertical part of the corresponding side - element and by their small base on each other.
In this way, the polygons of each assembly can be folded on them-selves thanks to hinges 14 and 15 respectively, disposed substantially at the centre of each assembly.
These means for maintaining the side elements I in spaced apart relationship and for folding the wheelchair, further comprise, according 30 to this embodiment, a bar 16 parallel to the side elements I and connecting the hinges for articulation of the polygons of each assembly with each other, as well as a device 17 for blocking one of these hinges (hinge 14 in the present example) so that the two polygons of each assembly are in line with each other.
An invalid chair according to the present invention naturally also lZ29785 comprises all the elements usually found in such a wheelchair: in particular, arrn-rests 18 and handles 19 disposed on the vertical part 4 to enable a person accompanying the invalid to push and steer the wheelchair.

Claims (4)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A foldable invalid chair comprising :
- two lateral sides ;
- a drivig wheel and a steering wheel carried by each of said sides ;
- means for holding said lateral sides apart and for folding the chair ; and - a seat fixed to each of said sides ;
wherein said two lateral sides and said two driving wheels are of a composite material comprising two walls made of a filamentous armature embedded in an organic resin material said walls being joined together with a cellular material.
2.- A chair according to claim 1 wherein said cellular material is a foam or a material of honeycomb structure.
3.- A chair according to claim 1 wherein said holding means comprise two pairs of polygons said polygons of each pair being articulated at one of their ends to each other and articulated at the other end to one of said lateral sides respectively each polygon being of said composite material.
4.- A chair according to claim 3 wherein the two polygons of each pair of polygons are connected together with hinge means the hinge means of one pair of polygons are connected to those to the other pair of polygons by means of a bar, and a device is provided for blocking the hinge means of one of said two pairs of polygons so that the two polygons of each pair of polygons are in line with each other.
CA000463211A 1983-09-15 1984-09-14 Invalid chair based on composite materials Expired CA1229785A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR8314706 1983-09-15
FR8314706A FR2551970B1 (en) 1983-09-15 1983-09-15 ARMCHAIR FOR DISABLED PERSONS BASED ON COMPOSITE MATERIALS
FR8413840A FR2569980B2 (en) 1984-09-10 1984-09-10 IMPROVEMENT FOR A CHAIR OF DISABLED PERSONS BASED ON COMPOSITE MATERIALS
FR8413840 1984-09-10

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1229785A true CA1229785A (en) 1987-12-01

Family

ID=26223582

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000463211A Expired CA1229785A (en) 1983-09-15 1984-09-14 Invalid chair based on composite materials

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0156835A1 (en)
AU (1) AU3392284A (en)
CA (1) CA1229785A (en)
IE (1) IE55704B1 (en)
IT (1) IT1179122B (en)
WO (1) WO1985001205A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3514572A1 (en) * 1985-04-23 1986-10-30 Günter Meier GmbH, 4952 Porta Westfalica MEDICAL ELEVATOR
FR2581299B1 (en) * 1985-05-06 1988-07-15 Poirier Ets DEVICE FOR LOCKING AND UNLOCKING A FOLDABLE ARMCHAIR, IN PARTICULAR A ARMCHAIR FOR THE DISABLED
DE3638091A1 (en) * 1986-11-07 1988-05-19 Benno Danecker WHEELCHAIR
US5152543A (en) * 1990-11-15 1992-10-06 Everest & Jennings, Inc Composite frame wheelchair
DE4210014A1 (en) * 1992-03-27 1993-09-30 Heckel Gmbh Wheelchair with frame made from laminated carbon@ fibre plastics panels - is driven by manual actuation of rear wheels and steered by front wheels.
GB2280405B (en) * 1993-07-27 1996-09-25 Malcolm Richard Rolston A wheelchair
WO1997031606A1 (en) * 1996-03-01 1997-09-04 Pacific 21 Pty. Ltd. Side frame for a wheelchair and a wheelchair incorporating same

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2592405A (en) * 1948-06-14 1952-04-08 Herbert A Everest Collapsible commode chair
US3142351A (en) * 1962-01-19 1964-07-28 Canadian Res Stair climbing wheelchair
US4026568A (en) * 1976-02-23 1977-05-31 Beverly Grant Rutledge Hallam Triple hinged folding T frame wheelchair
US4101143A (en) * 1977-01-03 1978-07-18 American Safety Equipment Corporation Wheelchairs
DE2903196C2 (en) * 1979-01-27 1982-09-02 Louis L. 7570 Baden-Baden Lepoix Mobile hospital chair

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IT8467921A1 (en) 1986-03-14
IT8467921A0 (en) 1984-09-14
WO1985001205A1 (en) 1985-03-28
IT1179122B (en) 1987-09-16
EP0156835A1 (en) 1985-10-09
IE842355L (en) 1985-03-15
AU3392284A (en) 1985-04-11
IE55704B1 (en) 1990-12-19

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
MKEX Expiry