FR2845893A1 - Wheelchair has seat back reclinable by means of pivoted side tubes with adjustable lower end locks - Google Patents

Abstract

The wheelchair, consisting of a frame (1) with rear (2) and front (3) wheels and handles (7), has a seat back (6) that can be set at a variable angle to the seat. The seat back has side tubes (5) with their lower ends pivoted in supports (9) and fitted with locks in the form of spring-loaded elements with transverse rods inside the side tubes that engage with selected notches in the supports. The spring-loaded elements are connected by cables inside the tubes to triggers (16) on the handles that release the locks for adjustment of the back position.

Description

The present invention relates to a wheelchair comprising a chassis

  resting on wheels and a backrest pivotally mounted on the chassis, the backrest comprising two lateral tubular elements

  the upper end part of which is provided with a handle.

  Current wheelchairs have relatively heavy reclining files so that their handling and storage, for example in the trunk of an automobile, pose serious problems for the persons responsible for carrying out these operations. The backrests of these armchairs are also made up of many parts that are difficult to manufacture and assemble and thus play a significant role in production costs. Furthermore, their mounting on the chassis requires many fixing members, the installation of which is long and tedious. The present invention proposes to overcome the above drawbacks and, to do this, it relates to a wheelchair having the structure indicated above, this chair being characterized in that the lower end portion of each of the tubular elements lateral is pivotally mounted on an axis resting on a support fixed on the chassis, and in that locking means are provided for immobilizing the lower end part of at least one of the tubular elements relative to the corresponding support in several tilted positions that can

be selected.

  The back of this chair can be very easily disassembled in one piece with the supports since it suffices to remove the

  fasteners connecting these to the chassis.

  In addition, its reassembly, for example after repair, or its replacement by another file, can be carried out just as easily. According to a particular embodiment, the locking means comprise at least one series of notches formed on the support, the notches being equidistant from the pivot axis and uniformly spaced angularly, and a lock movable longitudinally relative to the part lower end of the corresponding tubular element, between an active position in which it is received in one of the notches and a position

  inactive in which it is out of the notches.

  These locking means comprise a limited number of 5 constituent parts and nevertheless allow the file to be immobilized in complete safety in the most comfortable inclined position.

  possible for the wheelchair user.

  Preferably, the lock comprises a rod provided on a body housed in the lower end part of the tubular element, this rod projecting from the body and passing through at least one longitudinal opening formed in the wall of said element.

  tubular so as to advance to the level of the notches.

  This lock is practically invisible from the outside and

  perfectly protected against attacks from outside.

  According to a perfectly safe and reliable embodiment, the

  rod is perpendicular to the body and passes through two diametrically opposite openings formed longitudinally in the wall of the tubular element, its free ends advancing up to the level of two series of identical notches formed one opposite the other on the corresponding support.

  The risks of accidental blocking of the lock are thus eliminated. Indeed, the free ends of the rod, which are guided in the longitudinal openings of the tubular element,

  prevent the body from positioning itself crookedly in the latter.

  Advantageously, the lock is movable between its active and inactive positions under the action of a control member located at the

  level of the handle of the corresponding tubular element.

  Thus, the person moving the wheelchair using the two handles carried by the tubular elements of the backrest can easily modify the inclination of the latter, without having to bend down. Preferably, the lock is connected to the control member by means of an elongated element located inside

the tubular element.

  The elongated element is therefore perfectly protected against any risk of damage of accidental origin or any act of vandalism. Furthermore, the lock can advantageously be moved between its active and inactive positions against a prestressed elastic member, this member being inserted between the lock and a stop located in the corresponding tubular element, on the side of the member. control, and shaped to allow passage to the elongated element. The backrest is thus automatically locked in one of its inclined positions when the control member is not actuated, which constitutes an important safety element for

the wheelchair user.

  To reduce costs and facilitate the adjustment of the inclination of the backrest, the control member is preferably a joystick

  while the elongate member is preferably a cable.

  Furthermore, to allow easy and rapid disassembly of the backrest, for example for storing the chair in a motor vehicle, it is preferable that the pivot axes

are removable.

  In this case, they can be constituted by screws or all

  equivalent means easy to install or remove.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described below by way of nonlimiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which - Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a wheelchair according to the invention - Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of one of the tubular elements of the backrest and of the support on which this tubular element is articulated; FIG. 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of the support and of the lower end part of the tubular element which are visible in FIG. 2, the tubular element being locked vertically on the support; - Figure 4 is a sectional view along line IV-IV of Figure 3; - Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing the tubular member in the unlocked position; - Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 but showing the tubular member in a rearwardly inclined position, the tubular member being in the unlocked position; and - Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 but showing

  the tubular member in the locked position.

  The wheelchair shown in Figure 1 includes

  a conventional chassis 1 resting on two large rear wheels 5 and two small front wheels 3, as well as a backrest 4 pivotally mounted on the chassis 1.

  The backrest 4 comprises two lateral tubular elements 5 connected by a panel 6 of flexible material against which can

  lean on the wheelchair user.

  The upper end part of the tubular elements 5 is provided with a handle 7 slightly inclined downwards, while the lower end part of these elements is pivotally mounted on an axis 8 bearing on an attached support 9 fixed on the

chassis 1.

  On the wheelchair shown in Figure 1, the lower end portions of the two tubular elements can be made integral with the supports 9 in several inclined positions

  by locking means 10 which will be described below.

  Prior to this description, it will be noted that the lower end portion of a single tubular element could be

  locked in several inclined positions on the corresponding support 9. As can be seen in FIGS. 3 to 7, the locking means 10 provided on each side of the wheelchair 25 comprise two series of notches 11 arranged one opposite the other on two opposite wings of the corresponding support 9 , this one having in horizontal section the shape of a U whose branches are

  towards the rear of the chair.

  The notches 11 of each series are equidistant from the corresponding pivot axis 8 and uniformly spaced angularly,

  as clearly shown in Figures 3 and 5 to 7.

  The locking means 10 provided on each side of the wheelchair also comprise two latches 12 movable longitudinally relative to the lower end part of the corresponding tubular element 5, between an active position (visible in FIGS. 3, 4 and 7) in which they are received in one of the notches 1l of each series and an inactive position (visible in FIGS. 5 and 6) in which they are above

series of notches.

  In the embodiment shown, the latches 12 are

  constituted by the free ends of a horizontal rod 13 5 passing through a body 14 housed in the lower end part of the corresponding tubular element 5.

  More specifically, the rod 13 extends perpendicularly to the body 14 and passes through two oblong openings 15 formed longitudinally opposite one another in the wall of the corresponding tubular element 5, its free ends advancing up to on the outside of the opposite wings

of the corresponding support 9.

  It will be noted here that the locking means 10 could only comprise a single lock constituted by the free end of a rod 13 projecting from the body 14 only on one side. In this case, the corresponding support 9 could comprise only a single series of notches 11 and the lower end part of the corresponding tubular element 5 that a single oblong opening 15

  intended to allow passage to the rod 13.

  Returning to the locking means 10 provided on the

  wheelchair shown in FIG. 1, it will be noted that the locks 12 associated with each of the tubular elements 5 can be moved between their active and inactive positions under the action of a lever 16 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) located slightly at 25 front of the handle 7 of the corresponding tubular element 5.

  In fact, the latches 12 are connected to the lever 16 by means of a cable 17 located inside the tubular element 5 and are movable between their active and inactive positions against a helical spring precompressed 18 retained 30 between the upper part of the body 14 and a stop 19 located in

  the tubular element, above the body 14.

  The stop 19 is of course shaped so that the cable 17

  can move freely to his level.

  It will be added here for all practical purposes that the handles 16 35 could be replaced by equivalent conventional control members and that the cables 17 could

  them be replaced by rods, chains or ropes.

  It will also be specified that the pivot axes 8 are removable in order to allow rapid assembly or disassembly of the

  folder 4, the supports 9 remaining in this case fixed to the chassis.

  In the embodiment shown, these axes are constituted by screws, but these could of course be replaced by equivalent conventional elements.

  Finally, it will be indicated that the supports 9 are metallic and

  provided on the outside with a shell 20 preferably made of plastic, this shell comprising holes intended to receive 10 the members provided for fixing the supports 9 on the chassis 1.

  Adjusting the inclination of the back of the wheelchair 4

  according to the invention is particularly easy.

  Assuming that the tubular elements 5 of the backrest extend vertically, as shown in FIG. 3, the inclination of the backrest towards the rear is achievable as follows. First of all, the person concerned exerts pressure on the two levers 16 so that the cables 17 move the bodies 14 upwards and allow the free ends 12 of the rods 13 to come out of the notches 11 in which they are immobilized,

as shown in figure 5.

  While continuing to press levers 16, the person

  then exerts a rearward pull on the two handles 7 in order to pivot the tubular elements 5 on the pivot axes 8.

  When the tubular elements are in the desired inclined position, as shown in Figure 6, the person releases the

shifters 16.

  The springs 18, by relaxing, immediately lower the bodies 30 14 in the tubular elements 5 and allow the free ends 12 of the rods 13 to come into the notches there located under

  them, as shown in Figure 7.

  In the example shown in the drawings, the ends of the rods 13 can only come in two successive notches. Indeed, in the inclined position visible in FIGS. 6 and 7, the lower ends of the tubular elements 5 abut

against the bottom of the supports 9.

  It goes without saying, however, that the axes 8 could be further from the bottom of the supports in order to allow the free ends of the rods 13 to come in at least three successive notches. Furthermore, the axes 8 could be further from the front face of the supports 9 so as to be able to increase the number of notches there in each series and to tilt the backrest 4 also forward, for example to facilitate the storage of the chair.

  rolling in the trunk of an automobile.

Claims (11)

  1. Wheelchair comprising a frame (1) resting on wheels (2, 3) and a backrest (4) pivotally mounted on the frame, the backrest comprising two lateral tubular elements (5), the upper end part of which is provided with a handle (7), characterized in that the lower end part of each of the lateral tubular elements (5) is pivotally mounted on an axis (8) bearing on a support (9) fixed on the chassis (1), and in that locking means (10) are provided for immobilizing the lower end portion of at least one of the tubular elements relative to the corresponding support (9) in several positions   can be selected.   2. Wheelchair according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking means (10) comprise at least one series of notches (11) formed on the support (9), the notches being equidistant from the pivot axis (8) and uniformly spaced angularly, and a bolt (12) movable longitudinally relative to the lower end part of the corresponding tubular element (5), between an active position in which it is received in one of the notches ( 11) and an inactive position in which it is out of the notches.   3. Wheelchair according to claim 2, characterized in that the lock (12) comprises a rod (13) provided on a body (14) housed in the lower end part of the tubular element (5), this rod forming projecting from the body (14) and passing through at least one longitudinal opening (15) formed in the wall of said element   tubular so as to advance to the level of the notches (11).   4. Wheelchair according to claim 3, characterized in that the rod (13) is perpendicular to the body (14) and passes through two diametrically opposite openings (15) formed longitudinally in the wall of the tubular element (5), its free ends extending to the level of two sets of identical notches (11)   arranged opposite one another on the corresponding support (9).   5. Wheelchair according to any one of claims 2 35 to 4, characterized in that the lock (12) is movable between its   active and inactive positions under the action of a control member (16) located at the level of the handle (7) of the corresponding tubular element (5). 6. Wheelchair according to claim 5, characterized in that the latch (12) is connected to the control member (16) via an elongated element (17) located inside of the tubular element (5).   7. Wheelchair according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the lock (12) is movable between its active and inactive positions against a pre-stressed elastic member (18), this member being inserted between the lock (12) and a stop (19) located in the corresponding tubular element (5), on the side of the control member (16), and shaped to allow passage to the elongated element (17).   8. Wheelchair according to any one of claims 5 15 to 7, characterized in that the control member (16) is a controller.   9. Wheelchair according to any one of claims 6   to 8, characterized in that the elongate element (17) is a cable.   10. Wheelchair according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pivot axes (8) are   removable. 11. Wheelchair according to claim 10, characterized in   that the pivot axes (8) consist of screws.