CA2553942A1

CA2553942A1 - Wheelchair sanitary cover protection set

Info

Publication number: CA2553942A1
Application number: CA 2553942
Authority: CA
Inventors: Elaine A. Wood
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-07-26
Filing date: 2006-07-26
Publication date: 2008-01-26

Abstract

This invention is a protective covering package designed to protect wheelchair upholstery from fissures, cracks and damage. These covers were designed primarily to protect wheelchair patients from bacteria and germ transferal, thus decreasing the spread of infectious disease.

The main components of this invention consists of separate covers for armrests, kneepads, seat and back section of the wheelchair. Because of the simplicity of the design each individual covering piece can be replace readily if soiled , without having to change the complete covering package. These covers can be washed, disinfected, and dried commercially.

The 3 ply fabric used for these covers consist of a comfortable woven, cotton blend outer layers and an inner layer of moisture proof barrier, to decrease the possibility of soiling the hard surfaces of the wheelchair.

Description

DESCRIPTION:
This invention is a covering package to protect wheelchair upholstery from wear fissures, cracks and damage. These covers also are intended to protect individuals from bacteria and germ transferal from patient to patient via wheelchair access.
Another consideration for this invention is to ensure wheelchair patient comfort, and to minimize the risk of infection and infectious disease by use of these covers, which can be washed, disinfected and dried commercially.

General Background:
The package of covers consist of: Fig. 1, Cover for back of wheelchair; Fig.2, Cover for seat cushion of wheelchair; Fig.3, Covers (2) for knee pads of wheelchair; and Fig. 4, Covers (2) for armrests of wheelchair.
The material used for these covers is a bonded, quilted 3ply fabric. The top and bottom ply consist ofa stable fabric and the middle ply is water repellant. The fabric chosen is durable, comfortable, and can be washed with chlorine additive. Each pattern piece is independent of the other, and constructed as such. When all covers are assembled on a wheelchair, this invention becomes a complete protective covering unit over the upholstered parts of a wheelchair.

Figure 1: This wheelchair back cover is a rectangularpattern with rounded corners. The perimeter ofthe cover is bound with a fabric binding. The binding forms a loop at the center back of cover. This feature is to be able to hang the covers for storage. At the four corners of the cover is a placement for dome fasteners (male & female) to secure the cover to the wheelchair back. When the back cover is folded in half, the fold is set at the top of wheelchair back and is fastened at the bottom of the upholstered back.

Figure 2: This seat cushion cover pattern is a rectangular shape to start.
Both of the shorter ends are bound with material binding. The rectangular fabric is then folded over on itself, with the right sides together. The fabric bound ends are offset at the center point by two inches. The cover is then safety stitched together on either side and reinforced with backstitching where the center back is overlapped. The cover is then turned right side out. A cushion can then be inserted through the opening in the underside of cover.

Figure 3: This pattern is for the kneepad cover for a wheelchair. The one-piece pattern for this cover is shaped to an oval to fit the kneepad. The perimeter of the cover is elasticized with a serge machine. This pulls the cover to take the shape of the kneepad.
The cover is gently slipped over the kneepad on the wheelchair and stays in place.
Figure 4: This pattern is for the armrest cover for a wheelchair. The pattern is one piece, in the shape of a cross with rounded corners. The two vertical rounded ends of the fabric are elasticized by machine. This forms a pocket at both ends. The remainder of the fabric perimeter is bound with material binding. Dome fasteners (male and female) are inserted on the horizontal extensions ofthe fabric piece. The finished armrest cover can be fitted easily onto the armrest- upholstered part of the wheelchair. The cover is secured under the armrest bar by the fasteners.

Claims

1 This is a protective covering package for wheelchairs which consists of :

.cndot. Cover for back of wheelchair .cndot. Cover for seat cushion of wheelchair .cndot. Covers (2) for knee pads of wheelchair .cndot. Covers (2) for armrests of wheelchair

2 I claim: The material used for this cover package referred to in Claim 1 is a 3 ply fabric, consisting of top and underside fabric being a stable fabric and the middle ply is moisture repellant barrier.

3 I claim: The wheelchair back cover is a protective covering to prevent soiling and wear of wheelchair back upholstery.

4 I claim: The seat cushion cover is a protective covering to prevent soiling and wear of wheelchair seat upholstery.

I claim: The knee pad coverings are protective coverings to prevent soiling and wear of wheelchair knee pads.

6 I claim: The armrest coverings are protective coverings to prevent soiling and wear of wheelchair armrests.

7 I claim: All coverings as referred to in Claim 1 are constructed independently, but when all covers are assembled together, become a complete protective covering unit over the upholstered parts of a wheelchair.

8 I claim: This protective covering package to be manufactured from materials used to protect individuals from bacteria and germ transferal from person to person via wheelchair access.

9 I claim: This protective covering package is constructed to ensure comfort, durability, and can be laundered and sanitized commercially.

I claim: All coverings as referred to in Claim 1, are designed to prevent cracks and fissures in upholstery material of wheelchairs.

11 I claim: All coverings as referred to in Claim 1 are designed to prevent the spread of infection, especially in Nursing Home/ Hospital settings, where laundering of covers as required will control contamination to hard surfaces such as wheelchair upholstery, armrests and kneepads.

12 I claim: All coverings as referred to in Claim I are adaptable to Nursing Home/ Hospital use as the covers can be changed simply, quickly and as required, whether it be the complete set of covers or an individual cover.

13 I claim: All coverings as referred to in Claim 1, can be dried in commercial driers and therefore are not subject to bacterial growth that develops by air drying.

14 I claim: The wheelchair back cover is a simple rectangular pattern that fits completely over the entire back and is secured at the bottom of the back with snap fasteners.

15 I claim: The wheelchair seat cover is a rectangular cover with two options for construction;
1) sewed at the sides with an opening underneath to insert the cushion or 2) A
rectangular pattern with open sides, which folds completely over the seat and fastens underneath with adjustable hook and loop type fasteners.

16 I claim: The wheelchair kneepad covers are constructed from an oval shaped piece of material , having the perimeter of the cover elasticized with a serge machine, thus pulling the cover to take on the shaping of a kneepad.

17 I claim: The wheelchair armrest cover(s) are constructed from a material shaped in a cross with rounded edges, which is sewed on a serge machine and elasticized at ends to form fit armrest, and are secured underneath with hook and loop fasteners or snap closures.

18 I claim: The wheelchair sanitary cover protection set, as laid out in Claim 1 are adaptable for disposable use in Hospitals, Nursing Homes, etc. by manufacturing covers with a disposable fabric.