EP1867313A2 - Wheelchair for sick or handicapped persons for use as a shower, toilet or care chair - Google Patents

Abstract

The wheelchair has a base frame with two side frames (1,2) and transverse cross beams (3) connecting the side frames. A backrest frame (4) is fixed to the base frame in the rear region of the base. A seat frame (5) has lateral holding elements. The holding elements and seat frame engage into guide rails arranged in the side frame. A coupling element is provided between backrest frame and the seat frame, which transfers a deviation of the backrest frame onto the seat frame such that the seat frame is moved into the guide rails by the holding elements.

Description

Technical environment

The invention relates to a wheelchair for the sick or disabled for use as a shower, toilet or nursing chair with the features mentioned in the generic part of claim 1.

State of the art

Such a wheelchair is for example from the DE 296 01 938.0 in which the wheelchair described there is constructed with a subframe consisting of two side frames and the side frames, wherein a backrest frame fixed thereto is arranged in the rear region of the underframe and a seat frame provided with a replaceable seat cushion element is located on the upper side of the underframe , which is formed essentially rectangular of two longitudinal beams and two cross members.

Such a wheelchair makes it possible to transport sick or disabled people in nursing homes, hospitals or even in private homes. The wheelchairs described by the generic term are usually equipped with small wheels and provided for the shift operation by nursing staff.

A disadvantage of such wheelchairs is that the position of the patient is determined by the fixed position of the seat frame with seat cushion element and backrest and in this respect does not allow any change. The fixed and relatively upright position of the backrest harbors in particular the risk that when using the wheelchair in wet areas such as when showering by the reduced friction between padding material and skin of the wheelchair user this slides out of the wheelchair forward.

task

Based on the disadvantages described thus results in the task to further develop a generic wheelchair so that it is widely used, has low mass and in terms of its handling and the ergonomic position of the user forms significant advantages over the generic known wheelchairs.

solution

This object is achieved according to the invention in conjunction with the generic features of claim 1 by the technical teaching disclosed in the characterizing part. Further advantageous embodiments and preferred embodiments of the wheelchair according to the invention also result from the dependent claims on claim 1.

It is essential to the invention that the backrest frame on the underframe is articulated by means of two swivel joints about a pivot axis extending at a parallel distance to the transverse members, that the seat frame has laterally projecting holding members at its front and rear end regions, which engage in slotted guides, which engage in the side frames are arranged and that at least one coupling element is provided between the seat back frame and seat frame, which transmits a pivoting of the seat back frame on the seat frame such that it shifts by means of the holding members in the slide guides.

Characterized by the features of the invention design of the wheelchair makes it possible for the first time to bring the sick or disabled in a relation to the sitting position inclined backwards position, so that a sliding out of the person concerned out of the wheelchair is reliably excluded. The coupling of the movement of the backrest and seat has the additional advantage that an easy handling both by the patient himself and by the responsible nursing staff is possible. The movement of the backrest is possible due to the kinematics of the invention easily by just leaning back or leaning forward.

In connection with the coupled movement of the seat frame, it has also proven to be advantageous that the front end of the seat frame associated, arranged in the side frame slide guides are inclined to the horizontal, such that the rear, the backrest frame facing the end of the slotted guides lower than the front end of the slide guides. By this measure is at a backward movement the backrest frame of the seat frame automatically brought with its front end in an elevated position, so that a slipping out of the patient or the disabled is additionally complicated.

As a suitable supplement, the rear area of the seat frame assigned in the side frame arranged slotted guides may be arranged substantially horizontally in addition.

In order to make the movement of the backrest frame and the seat frame associated therewith dependent on the action of corresponding forces, the coupling element between the seat frame and the backrest frame may be assigned a braking device by which the driving forces required for the movement of the backrest frame and seat frame are increased. The coupling element and the braking device can be arranged on a common Drehachselement that is located on the position of the central axis of the rear cross member of the seat frame. By this structural design, a particularly space-saving arrangement of the invention essential elements of the wheelchair is given.

Advantageously, the braking device in a development of the subject invention, at least one brake disc and a hand-operated brake lever, both of which are arranged on the Drehachselement, wherein on one of the central axis perpendicular flat sides of the brake disc is an inclined braking surface, with which the brake lever cooperates, which a corresponding disc element has a flat side comes to achieve the braking effect on the oblique braking surface of the brake disc to the plant. The nature of the design of the braking device results in the production of clamping forces in the region of the rear seat frame, whereby the movement of the seat frame and the associated back frame requires overcoming a certain initial torque, so that not every (more or less small) displacement of the body of the Chair or the disabled is able to trigger an adjustment of the seating position.

To further improve the ergonomically advantageous position of the patient or disabled within the wheelchair, it may also be advantageous that at the front end portion of the seat frame, a footrest is pivotally articulated about a horizontal axis of rotation, wherein between the seat frame facing away from the front area of the footrest and the backrest frame at least one coupling strut is arranged, which has at its two ends connecting joints to its rotatable attachment to footrest and backrest frame. Such a configuration makes it possible that during a backward movement of the backrest frame and an associated inclination of the seat frame, an additional support of the lower leg area of the patient or the disabled by extending the footrest can be made possible.

The coupling strut can consist of two telescopically slidable tubes, which are fixable to each other by means of a locking device. The adjustability of the length of the coupling strut allows a tilt adjustment of the footrest, so that movement restrictions of the patient sitting in the wheelchair or disabled people with regard to the position of his leg extremities can be considered.

According to a further expedient embodiment, the backrest with the backrest frame and the back pad attached thereto can be integrally molded or molded from plastic. It goes without saying that the plastic is dimensionally stable and temperature resistant to withstand the heat sterilization necessary in particular in the hospital sector unscathed.

It goes without saying that the surface of all wheelchair components is as smooth as possible in order to keep germination settlements in gaps and joints low from the outset. When selecting the metallic materials of the wheelchair, of course, the corrosion resistance is in the foreground.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the subject invention, which can be used in the seat frame as well as in the backrest frame seat cushion elements or back cushion elements are designed such that they can be used with simple steps and also removable again, so as to be replaced for cleaning purposes or to adapt to other circumstances to be able to.

The seat cushion or back cushion elements are advantageously provided by means of positively acting fastening elements fixable. Thus, each of the upholstery elements can be replaced without having to remove the associated frame.

In addition, for the convenience of patients or the disabled, it may be advantageous if the seat back frame is provided with a headrest receptacle, the distance between the upper end portion of the seat back frame and the headrest being variable. In this way, the headrest, which requires a part of the user of the wheelchair, be adapted to the different body sizes.

Backrest frame, base and seat frame as essential elements of the wheelchair can be made of plastic, which supports both a rational production and a significant reduction in the mass of the wheelchair to be moved.

Description of the drawings

Figur 1

eine Vorderansicht des erfindungsgemäßen Roll stuhls,

Figur 2

eine vergrößerte Darstellung des Untergestells des Rollstuhls aus Figur 1 mit abgenommenen Sitzpolsterelement,

Figur 3

eine schematische Seitenansicht des Rollstuhls aus den Figuren 1 und 2 in senkrechter Position des Rückenlehnenrahmens,

Figur 4

eine schematische Seitenansicht des Rollstuhls aus Figur 3 mit geneigtem Rückenlehnenrahmen,

Figur 5

eine vergrößerte Schnittdarstellung des Details B aus Figur 2 mit darin enthaltener Bremseinrichtung,

Figur 6a und Figur 6b

Schnittdarstellungen des Details C der Koppel stange aus Figur 3,

Figur 7

eine schematische Seitenansicht des erfindungsgemäßen Rollstuhls in zusammengefahrener Stellung der verstellbaren Koppelstange,

Figur 8

eine schematische Seitenansicht des Rollstuhls aus Figur 7 mit ausgefahrener Koppelstange, und

Figur 9

eine vergrößerte Detailansicht eines Sitzpolsteroder Rückenpolsterelementes im Bereich des Befestigungselementes zur Fixierung am Sitzrahmen oder am Rückenlehnenrahmen.

In the following, an embodiment of the wheelchair according to the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It shows:

FIG. 1

a front view of the roll chair according to the invention,

FIG. 2

an enlarged view of the undercarriage of the wheelchair of Figure 1 with removed seat cushion element,

FIG. 3

2 a schematic side view of the wheelchair from FIGS. 1 and 2 in the vertical position of the backrest frame,

FIG. 4

3 is a schematic side view of the wheelchair of FIG. 3 with the backrest frame tilted;

FIG. 5

an enlarged sectional view of the detail B of Figure 2 with brake device contained therein,

Figure 6a and Figure 6b

Sectional views of the detail C of the coupling rod of Figure 3,

FIG. 7

a schematic side view of the wheelchair according to the invention in the retracted position of the adjustable coupling rod,

FIG. 8

a schematic side view of the wheelchair of Figure 7 with extended coupling rod, and

FIG. 9

an enlarged detail view of a seat cushion or back cushion element in the region of the fastening element for fixing to the seat frame or the backrest frame.

embodiments

The invention shown in the view wheelchair for the sick or disabled for use as a shower toilet or nursing chair has as essential elements of a two side frames 1, 2 and the side frames 1 and 2 connecting crossbars 3 existing base. In the rear region of the undercarriage, a backrest frame 4 is fixed to this. A seat frame 5 provided with an exchangeable seat cushion element 6 is arranged on the upper side of the lower frame, wherein the seat frame 5 is configured essentially rectangular and is formed by two longitudinal beams 7, 8 and two transverse beams 9, 10 connecting the longitudinal beams 7, 8.

The details of the undercarriage will be apparent from the illustration of Figure 2 for clarity.

Essential to the invention, the illustrated wheelchair is designed so that the backrest frame 4 is hinged to the base frame by means of two pivot joints 12A, 12B pivotable about a pivot axis 3 extending at a parallel distance to the crossbars 3 of the undercarriage. The position of the hinges 12A and 12B is opposite the base on upstanding arms 39A and 39B. These cantilevers 39A and 39B can be seen particularly well from the schematic representations of FIGS. 3, 4 and 7 and 8.

It is to be noted at this point that in the further course of the description the capital letters A and B assigned to the position numbers generally designate the right-hand and left-hand side of the wheelchair according to the front view, so that the corresponding reference numbers can be unambiguously associated with these additions.

Another inventive feature of the wheelchair is that the seat frame 5 at its front and rear end portions each laterally projecting holding members 14A, 14B and 15A, 15B, which engage in corresponding slide guides 16A, 16B and 17A, 17B, in the side frame 1, 2 are arranged. The holding members 15A, 15B in the front portion of the seat frame 5 may be formed as pin elements.

To ensure the object of the invention an adjustment of the wheelchair under ergonomic aspects, is as third feature essential to the invention between the seat back frame 4 and seat frame 5 at least one coupling element, in the illustrated embodiment, two coupling elements 18A and 18B provided which pivoting of the Rückenlehenrahmens 4 such on the seat frame 5, that this by means of the holding members 14A, 14B, 15A and 15B in the slotted guides 16A, 16B, 17A, 17B shifts.

The features described allow on the one hand a variability of the backrest frame 4 in its steepness, wherein the coupling elements 18A, 18B allow synchronization of movement between the seat frame 5 and back frame 4, so that a return movement of the back frame 4 at the same time causes advancement of the seat frame 5. The change in the positions of the seat back frame 4 and seat frame 5 is thereby clear from Figures 3 and 4, wherein the figure 3 represents a conventional vertical position of the backrest of the wheelchair, whereas in Figure 4, the backward inclined position of the backrest in combination with the associated change in the position of the seat frame 5 is shown. From these figures, it can also be seen that the associated with the front end portion of the seat frame 5 arranged in the side frame 1, 2 slide guides 17A and 17B are arranged against the horizontal inclined, such that the rear, the backrest frame 4 facing the end of the slide guides lower is located as the front end of the slotted guide 17A and 17A. Thus, the front end is automatically raised when advancing the seat frame 5, which allows in conjunction with the backward movement of the back frame 4 a particularly favorable ergonomic position of the patient or the disabled.

Figures 3 and 4 is also apparent that the displacement of the rear portion of the seat frame 5 in accordance with the associated slotted guide 16A and 16B is essentially horizontal, since the corresponding slotted guides 16A and 16B are arranged horizontally in the side frames 1, 2 are.

The structural design provides that the responsible for the synchronous movement of the backrest frame 4 and seat frame 5 coupling elements 18A and 18B are arranged on a Drehachselement 20 that is located on the position of the central axis 21 of the rear cross member of the seat frame and within the tubular cross member 10 is arranged.

On the Drehachselement beyond a designated in its entirety with 19 braking device is mounted. The braking device is intended to increase the driving forces required for the movement of the backrest frame 4 and seat frame 5, so that it requires a certain initial force to initiate the movement of the backrest frame 4 in conjunction with the seat frame 5, so that a displacement of the body of a Patients or the disabled can not immediately trigger an adjustment of the seating position.

The details of the braking device 19 result in accordance with the detail B of Figure 2 from the enlarged sectional view of Figure 5. There, the running within the cross member 10 of the seat frame Drehachselement 20 is shown. The cross member 10 is designed as a tubular element and has at its two end portions in each case the addressed side members 7 and 8. On the outside of the formed from the cross member 10, 9 and the associated side rails 7 and 8 seat frame 5, the coupling elements 18A and 18B threaded the Drehachselement. On the coupling element 18B in turn joins on the Drehachselement 20, a manually operated brake lever 23 and the brake lever 23 immediately adjacent to a brake disc 22, which in turn comes on its side facing away from the brake lever 23 on the frame 1 to rest. The Drehachselement 20 is extended so far outward that it acts simultaneously with its outer free ends as a holding member 14A and 14B and is displaceable in the corresponding slide guides 16A and 16B.

As the illustration of Figure 5 can be seen, the brake disc 22 has on its the brake lever 23 facing flat side an inclined braking surface 24, with the brake lever acts together, which has a corresponding disc member 25, one of the brake disc 22 facing flat side to achieve Braking effect on the inclined braking surface 24 of the brake disc 22 comes to rest. Due to the design of brake disk 22 and brake lever 23, the seat frame 5 can be clamped between the side frames 1 and 2, so that the corresponding braking forces are provided.

In order to improve the ergonomically favorable position of the patient or the disabled additionally, the wheelchair shown in the figures is additionally provided with a footrest 26 which is pivotally mounted in a rotational axis 27 on the seat frame 5. The footrest 26 is connected by means of two coupling struts 28A and 28B with the backrest frame 4, wherein the backrest frame 4 for this purpose down for the region of the articulation of the coupling elements 18A and 18B has two struts 40A and 40B. At the end of the struts 40A and 40B, these are provided with two connecting joints 29A and 29B, to which the coupling struts 28A and 28B are articulated. Analogous to this embodiment, the coupling struts 28A and 28B are provided at their front, the footrest 26 facing the end with connecting joints 30A and 30B.

The described design of footrest 26 in conjunction with the coupling struts 28A and 28B causes according to the illustration of Figures 3 and 4 in a backward movement of the backrest frame 4, a simultaneous advancement of the footrest 26th

In order to allow an adjustment of the inclination of the footrest 26 to different circumstances and requirements of the patient or disabled, the coupling struts 28A and 28B are formed longitudinally displaceable according to the detail C of Figure 3 and Figures 6A and 6B.

The longitudinal displaceability results from the fact that the coupling struts 28A and 28B are constructed of two telescopically telescoping tubes, an inner tube 31A and 31B and an outer tube 32A, 32B. The telescoping tubes 31A. 31B, 32A, 32B are fixable to each other by means of a locking device 33. As shown in particular in Figures 6A and 6B, the locking device 33 consists essentially of a plurality of bores 34, which in both the inner tubes 31A. 31B as well as in the wall of the outer tube 32A and 32B are arranged. Through the holes 34, a pin 35 is inserted therethrough for each coupling strut 28A and 28B, so that after fixing the pin 35 telescoping inner tube 31A, 31B and outer tube 32A. 32B is excluded. Thus, the coupling struts 28A and 28B are fixed in their longitudinal extent accordingly.

FIGS. 7 and 8 additionally show how the position of the footrest 26 changes in its inclination when the same backrest frame position is set obliquely. In this case, the short version of the coupling struts 28A and 28B is shown in Figure 7, whereas in the illustration of Figure 8, the extended position of the coupling struts 28A and 28B is illustrated. In the extended position, the foot brace 26 is in an approximately horizontal position, whereas in the retracted position of the coupling struts 28A and 28B, the foot rest is almost vertical.

A further supplementary ergonomic, advantageous design of the wheelchair can be brought about, as becomes clear in particular from FIG. 1, that the backrest frame is provided with a receptacle 38 for a headrest 37. The receptacle is designed so that the distance between the upper end portion of the backrest frame 4 and the headrest 37 can be made changeable, so that the position of the headrest is also adaptable to small, as well as to very tall people.

Finally, FIG. 9 can be seen as a detailed illustration of how the backrest cushion elements 6 or upholstery elements 36 serving for upholstery can be fixed interchangeably on the corresponding backrest frame 4 or seat frame 5. This interchangeability is particularly advantageous for easy cleaning.

The determination of the back pad by means of a Schraubklemmbaugruppe. Within the backrest cushion element 36, a screw-in nut 41 is foamed into which a clamping screw 42 engages when the backrest cushion element 36 is mounted. The backrest cushion member 36 has on its rear side two parallel spaced at the side regions arranged in Querschitt nose-like projecting snap-in profiles 43 A and 43 B, which engage around the vertical struts of the seat back frame 4. Between the vertical struts of the backrest frame 4 belonging to Schraubklemmbaugruppe a holding element 44 is arranged, which also surrounds the vertical struts of the backrest frame 4 with its lateral outer edges and is held by the clamping screw 42.

In addition, the wheelchair according to the invention can be designed in relation to the seat cushion element so that it can be used as a toilet chair. For this purpose, the upholstery element 6 is provided with an opening and at the same time provided below the seat cushion element 6 a not shown in the drawings pan for receiving the excretions of the patient.

The tub is placed on an additional strut 40 of the undercarriage of the wheelchair, which has a substantially U-shaped configuration for this purpose.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

01

side frame

02

side frame

03

crossbeam

04

Backrest frame

05

seat frame

06

Seat cushion element

07

longitudinal beams

08

longitudinal beams

09

crossbeam

10

crossbeam

11

caster

12 12A

swivel

12B

swivel

13

swivel axis

14 14A

retaining member

14B

retaining member

15 15A

retaining member

15B

retaining member

16 16A

link guide

16B

link guide

17 17A

link guide

18 18A

coupling element

18B

coupling element

19

brake unit

20

Drehachselement

21

central axis

22

brake disc

23

brake lever

24

brake surface

25

disk element

26

footrest

27

axis of rotation

28 28A

coupling strut

28B

coupling brace

29 29A

connecting joint

29B

connecting joint

30 30A

connecting joint

30B

connecting joint

31 31A

inner tube

31B

inner tube

32 32A

outer tube

32B

outer tube

33

Locking device

34

drilling

35

pen

36

Backrest cushion element

37

headrest

38

admission

39 39A

boom

39B

boom

40

strut

41

threading-in

42

clamping screw

43 43A

snap profile

43B

snap profile

44

retaining element

Claims (11)

Disability wheelchair for use as a shower, toilet or nursing chair with a subframe consisting of two side frames and side frames, a backrest frame fixed to the back of the underframe and an interchangeable one at the top of the underframe Seat cushion equipped seat frame, which is essentially rectangularly formed of two longitudinal members and two cross members, characterized in that the backrest frame (4) on the underframe by means of two pivot joints (12A, 12B) pivotally about a parallel distance to the cross members (3) extending Pivoting axis (13) is hinged, that the seat frame (5) at its front and rear end portions each laterally projecting holding members (14A, 14B, 15A, 15B) which engage in slotted guides (16A, 16B, 17A, 17B), which in Side frames (1. 2) are arranged and that between Rückenl at least one coupling element (18A, 18B) is provided which transmits a pivoting of the backrest frame (4) to the seat frame (5) in such a way that the latter is secured by means of the holding members (14A, 14B, 15A, 15B) in the slotted guides (16A, 16B, 17A, 17B). Wheelchair according to Claim 1, characterized in that associated with the coupling element (18A, 18B) is a braking device (19) by means of which the driving forces required for the movement of the backrest frame (4) and seat frame (5) are increased. Wheelchair according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the coupling element (18A, 18B) and the braking device (19) on a common Drehachselement (20) are arranged, which at the position of the central axis (21) of the rear cross member ( 10) of the seat frame (5) is located. Wheelchair according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the front end of the seat frame (5) associated in the side frame (1, 2) arranged slotted guides (17A, 17B) are arranged inclined to the horizontal in such a way that the rear , the backrest frame (4) facing the end of the slotted guides (17A, 17B) is lower than the front end of the slotted guides (17A, 17B). Wheelchair according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the rear area of the seat frame (5) associated, in the side frame (1, 2) arranged slotted guides (16A, 16B) are arranged substantially horizontally. Wheelchair according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the braking device (19) has at least one brake disc (22) and a hand-operated brake lever (23) which are arranged on the Drehachselement (20), wherein on one of the central axis perpendicular Flat sides of the brake disc (22) is an inclined braking surface (24), with which the brake lever (23) cooperates, which has a corresponding disc element (25), one flat side to achieve the braking effect on the inclined braking surface (24) of the brake disc (24). 22) comes to the plant. Wheelchair according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that at the front end portion of the seat frame (1, 2) a footrest (26) about a horizontal axis of rotation (27) is pivotally articulated, wherein between the seat frame (5) facing away from the front area the footrest (26) and the backrest frame (4) at least one coupling strut (28A, 28B) is arranged, at its two ends connecting joints (29A, 29B, 30A, 30B) for rotatably fixing to footrest (26) and backrest frame (4) having. Wheelchair according to claim 7, characterized in that the coupling strut (28A, 28B) consists of two telescopically slidable tubes (31A, 31B, 32A, 32B), which are fixable to each other by means of a locking device (33). Wheelchair according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that seat frame (5) and backrest frame (4) are provided with fixable by positive elastic fastening elements cushion elements (6, 36). Wheelchair according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the backrest frame (4) is provided with a receptacle (38) for a headrest (37), the distance between the upper end region of the backrest frame (4) and the headrest (37 ) is changeable. Wheelchair according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the essential elements of the wheelchair such as backrest frame (4), base frame and seat frame (5) are made of plastic.

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