FR3093425A1 - Adaptable wheelchair device - Google Patents

Abstract

Adaptable device for wheelchairs. The invention relates to an adaptable device (1) for a wheelchair (2) comprising at least one support bracket (9) to which is secured a steering tube (10) for the pivoting reception of a fork (11) of steering wheel (12), to said support bracket (9) being secured, again, a hooking bracket (13) from which extend two fixing arms (14), in particular defined capable of being secured to uprights ( 8) of the front frame (7) of a wheelchair (2), characterized in that the hooking bracket (13) is made movably integral with the support bracket (9) between at least one active lifting position and a rest position, the adaptable device (1) further comprising manually controlled actuation means in the form of a lever arm for pushing the hooking bracket (13) from its rest position in its raised active position and vice versa, said manual actuation means being completed by manual release control locking means to ensure that the attachment bracket (13) is maintained in its active raised position. Figure for the abstract: Fig. 1

Description

Wheelchair adaptable device

The invention relates to an adaptable device for a wheelchair comprising at least one support bracket to which is secured a steering tube for receiving, in a pivoting manner, a steering wheel fork, to said support bracket being secured, again , a hooking bracket from which extend two fixing arms, in particular defined capable of being secured to a front part of a frame of a wheelchair.

The present invention relates more particularly to the field of wheelchairs for people who have difficulty in moving around, in particular due to a disability.

More particularly, the invention relates to a device making it possible to equip such a wheelchair with a fork with a so-called steering wheel which facilitates its movement, in particular at higher speeds, under the impetus of a drive system, which whether manual or motorized.

Usually, a wheelchair essentially comprises a frame surmounted by a seat and a backrest while resting on the ground through, on the one hand, large rear wheels and, on the other hand, two small front wheels. guidelines. In the front part, this frame still receives a footrest bracket attached to the uprights of the front frame, in particular tubular, while in the rear part, in particular in the upper part of the backrest, there are push handles.

Although the small front steerable wheels make it easier to steer the wheelchair when traveling at low speed and on level ground, it is essential that these two small front steerable wheels be replaced by a single steerable wheel of larger diameter when the we are trying to subject this wheelchair to a higher speed of movement.

Thus, it is known wheelchairs for sports practice with a crank drive system, similar to a bicycle crankset, knowing that such a manual drive system can still be replaced by suitable motor means, in particular an electric motor .

Moreover, just as with bicycles, there are now manual or electrically assisted drive systems for such sports wheelchairs.

The problem with the latter is, most of the time, that they cannot replace a traditional wheelchair whose size and maneuverability are more suitable for everyday use.

Also, as we understand, a person with a disability limiting their mobility must necessarily have two distinct types of armchairs, one of which has a specific configuration depending on the desired sporting use.

To remedy this problem, adaptable devices for wheelchairs have already been developed comprising at least one support bracket to which is secured at least one steering tube for receiving, in a pivoting manner, a steering front fork . Attached to this support bracket is an attachment bracket from which extend two defined attachment arms capable of cooperating, in order to be secured thereto, with the uprights of the front frame, in particular tubular, of a traditional wheelchair. It should be noted that it is preferable then to remove the footrest stem normally attached to the frame so that it does not interfere with the installation of the device.

Thus, these fixing arms are equipped, at their end, with clamps in the form of two jaws, one of which is movable relative to the other so that it can be tightened on one of the uprights of the front frame of the wheelchair. This tightening usually occurs through a nut and butterfly screw system for relatively long and tedious manual tightening. It is difficult, moreover, for a disabled person seated in the wheelchair, to tighten and loosen this system. This is especially true since people in wheelchairs usually have weak or atrophied abdominal and back muscles, which prevent them from leaning or raising their torso. To this we can sometimes add gripping difficulties due to various reasons or illnesses.

Such adaptable devices also generally comprise means for lifting the wheelchair to release the front steerable wheels of the latter from the ground so that the steerable wheel(s) of this adaptable device can be substituted for them.

Also, the support console can receive a structure forming a crutch for the adaptable device which, if it makes it possible to maintain the latter in a stable erected position once detached from the wheelchair, it still makes it possible to raise the latter to clear these steerable front wheels when securing the adaptable device to the wheelchair.

Thus, this crutch structure can bear under the uprights of the front frame of the wheelchair and, by a leverage effect, raise the latter. It is at this point that the jaws of the attachment arms of the adaptable device are tightened on these uprights of the front frame.

The effort required to bring about this leverage effect and lift the wheelchair in its front part can be restrictive. This is particularly true in the cases mentioned above, of a person sitting in the wheelchair who has weak abdominal or back muscles, or who has difficulty gripping. The intervention of a third party to ensure the operation may then be necessary.

In the context of this state of the art, it is also known to equip the fixing arms of the attachment bracket of the adaptable device with a locking toggle system. In short, through a joint along these attachment arms, the adaptable device can be attached to the wheelchair when the latter rests on the ground both through its large rear wheels and its front steering wheels. . By an effect of tilting back of the chair and articulation of the fixing arms of the adaptable device which results therefrom, a means of blocking said articulation of these fixing arms intervenes ensuring the maintenance of the wheelchair in a slightly raised position in its position. front part to prevent its steering wheels from resting on the ground. The blocking position is secured by the use here also of a nut and butterfly screw system for a relatively long and tedious blocking in the desired position.

A release control of this locking means makes it possible, through a similar tilting maneuver of the wheelchair, to release the joints of the fixing arms so that the front steerable wheels of the wheelchair are again placed on the ground, then allowing detach the adaptable device from the wheelchair.

Although the latter solution is advantageous in that it avoids a wheelchair lifting command, the tilting maneuvers to be carried out to obtain the locking or, as the case may be, the unlocking of the articulated fixing arms require a certain dexterity, not to mention that the locking or, as the case may be, the unlocking of the joint of one arm can take place without the joint of the other arm locking or, respectively, unlocking, generating a risk of tipping of the wheelchair .

It was within the framework of a first inventive step that it was imagined that the adaptable device could be secured to the wheelchair, the latter resting on the ground, both through its large rear wheels and its small steered front wheels, and that the lifting of this wheelchair to release these steered front wheels from the ground takes place later under the impetus of a manual control, that is to say under the action of an easily maneuverable lever, consequently avoiding tilting maneuvers of this wheelchair which may result in a random blocking or unblocking operation.

To this end, the invention relates to an adaptable device for a wheelchair comprising at least one support bracket to which is secured a steering tube for the pivotal reception of a steerable wheel fork, to said support bracket being secured, again , an attachment bracket from which extend two attachment arms, in particular defined capable of being secured to uprights of the front frame of a wheelchair, characterized in that the attachment bracket is made integral, so mobile, of the support console between, at least, an active lifting position and a rest position, the adaptable device further comprising manually operated actuating means in the form of a lever arm to push back the attachment bracket from its rest position to its raised active position and vice versa, said actuating means being supplemented by locking means with manual release control to guarantee the maintenance of the suspension bracket in its raised active position.

Also according to the invention, the fixing arms comprise, at their end, defined capable of being secured to one of the uprights of the front frame of a wheelchair, a clamp comprising two jaws, as well as manual clamping means formed from these latter and manual clamping control means, such a clamp being further provided with means for holding said jaws in the loosened or clamped position cooperating with said clamping means in such a way as to be pushed back by the latter into a loosened holding position during 'a release command and erased in a retracted position during a tightening command.

According to yet another feature of the invention, each clamp is provided with means for securing said jaws in the released position configured to prevent the clamp from closing and configured to allow the clamp to close around an upright of a wheelchair placed between the jaws of the pliers.

According to yet another feature of the invention, each fixing arm comprises successive sections that can be oriented relative to each other, configured to allow the fixing arm to position its clamp facing an upright of the front frame of a wheelchair. reciprocal rolling.

The advantages resulting from the present invention consist not only of a very great ease of fixing the adaptable device on a wheelchair so that this fixing, but also the detachment, can easily take place under the initiative of the user of said wheelchair. In addition, this brings a considerable gain in terms of safety in the sense that any risk of unexpected detachment from the wheelchair is avoided, in particular by being sure that the jaws grip the brackets properly.

Finally, the invention also relates to an installation comprising a wheelchair equipped with an adaptable device for a wheelchair having the characteristics presented above.

The advantages resulting from the present invention consist in a greater autonomy of movement of a person in a wheelchair.

Other aims and advantages of the present invention will appear during the description which will follow, referring to the attached drawings illustrating an example embodiment and in which:

is a schematic representation in perspective of a wheelchair equipped with an adaptable device according to the invention;

is a schematic representation in perspective of the adaptable device without the fork tube or the steering wheel;

is a schematic representation, in perspective and partial, of the attachment bracket;

schematically illustrates, in perspective and partly by transparency, the support bracket on which the attachment bracket is secured by means of articulation means, the attachment bracket being, here, illustrated in a lowered position ;

is a schematic representation of a clamp equipping the unit with a fixing arm of the attachment bracket, the jaws of said clamp being in the tightened position;

is a view similar to Figure 4, the attachment bracket being illustrated in a raised position;

is a schematic illustration in perspective of the pliers with its jaws in the clamped position with the means for holding the jaws in the closed position in their active position, while the safety device preventing the jaws of the pliers from closing is pushed back into a position of unblocking;

is a representation similar to FIG. 7 of the clamp with its jaws in the open position, the means for maintaining the jaws in the closed position in their inactive position, while the safety device preventing the jaws of the clamp from closing is in a position blockage.

is a detailed and partially transparent view of the attachment bracket in a raised position according to a particular embodiment of the invention.

As shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, the present invention relates to an adaptable device 1 for a wheelchair 2. This comprises, in the usual manner, a seat 3 extending in the rear part by a backrest 4. This wheelchair 2 further comprises, in this rear part, two large wheels 5, while in the front part it is equipped with small steering wheels 6. The terms front and rear are defined with respect to FIG. 1 where the left of the figure corresponds to the front and the right of the figure corresponds to the back. The adaptable device 1 and the wheelchair 2 are seen in Figure 1 resting on the ground in the position of use.

At this front part of the wheelchair 2, the latter further comprises a front frame 7. On the latter, in particular on uprights 8 of the front frame 7, the adaptable device 1 can, for example, be fixed.

This comprises, essentially, a support bracket 9 on which is fixed a steering tube 10 for the reception, in a pivoting manner, of a fork 11 receiving in the lower part and in a rotary manner at least one steering wheel 12.

It should be noted that on the support console 9 and/or the steering tube 10 can be attached various means intended to contribute to driving the steering wheel 12. There is in particular illustrated in FIG. 1 a battery support attached to the front of the steering tube 10 for supplying electric power to an electric drive motor, not shown.

It should also be noted, as illustrated in FIG. 9, that the steering tube 10 is fixed to the support bracket 9 at two points, by pairs of bolts and nuts 50, 51 passing through both holes in the steering tube 10 and the support bracket 9. The holes at the fixing point are cylindrical with the exception of a hole in the support bracket 9 at a fixing point which is oblong and curved and which extends according to an arc of a circle with center l another attachment point. This particular shape of the hole makes it possible to adjust the relative inclination between the steering tube 10 and the support console 9, and to tighten the pair of bolts and the corresponding nut to fix the desired inclination. It is thus possible to use steerable wheels 12 of variable size on the adaptable device 1, which in particular facilitates manufacture or repair. The inclination of the adaptable device 1, in particular the fork 11 relative to the wheelchair 2, is thus finally adjusted simply.

On the support console 9 is still fixed a hooking bracket 13 from which extend two fixing arms 14, 15 defined capable of being secured to the wheelchair 2, in particular at the level of the uprights 8 of the front frame 7 of this last.

For this purpose, these fixing arms 14, 15 comprise, at their end 16, fixing means 17 advantageously taking the form of pliers 18 comprising two jaws 19, 20, at least one of which is movable to be tightened on the 'other.

In the illustrated embodiment, these jaws 19, 20 are illustrated pivoting about the same substantially vertical axis 21. They are configured in a semi-cylindrical shape, in the context of this embodiment, to be able to clamp an upright 8 of the front frame 7, also of cylindrical shape.

As can be seen in the figures, said jaws 19,20 can be equipped with pads 22 suitable for effectively gripping these uprights 8 of the front frame 7.

Manual clamping control means 23 act on these jaws 19, 20 to, depending on the case, tighten or loosen them, and, consequently, hook or detach the adaptable device 1 from the wheelchair 2.

According to the illustrated embodiment, these manual tightening control means 23 are in the form of a lever 24 acting on a toggle joint 25 defined by two connecting rods 26, 27 on the one hand hinged together at one of their ends, while their opposite end cooperates respectively with a lever arm 28, 29 extending each of the jaws 19, 20 beyond their vertical axis of articulation 21.

Thus, the lever 24 has the function, depending on the case, of extending the toggle joint 25 formed by the connecting rods 26, 27 between the lever arms 28, 29 to tighten the jaws 19, 20 towards each other. or, on the contrary, to ensure the folding of this toggle joint 25 to promote the bringing together of the lever arms 28, 29 and the separation of the jaws 19, 20.

The toggle 25 has two stable positions, a first position corresponding to a loosened holding position during a release command, in which the connecting rods 26, 27 are in the pushed back position as illustrated in FIG. 6, and a second holding position clamped in which the rods 26, 27 are erased in a retracted position during a clamping command, as illustrated in particular in Figures 5 and 7. The first position corresponds to maintaining the jaws 19, 20 in the released position. The second position corresponds to maintaining the jaws 19, 20 in the clamped position.

The toggle 25 has an unstable position between the two stable positions, in which the toggle 25 automatically returns to one or the other of the stable positions. This is due to the presence of a hard point in the joint when the joint axis moves from a pushed back position to a retracted position due to the particular geometry of the toggle joint 25.

This particular geometry makes it possible to form means for holding said jaws 19, 20 in the loosened or tightened position which cooperate with the clamping means in such a way as to be pushed back by the latter into a loosened holding position during a loosening command and erased in a retracted position during a tightening command.

It should be noted that each of these fixing arms 14, 15 can be defined by several successive sections 30, 31, 32 which, depending on the case, can be pivoted relative to each other about axes extending in different directions to the adjustment in inclination, height, etc. of the clamps 18 so that each of them can cooperate, with ease, with the wheelchair 2, more particularly each of the uprights 8 of the front frame 7.

Some of these sections 30, 31, 32 can also be telescopic with respect to each other, for example for the adjustment in spacing of the clamps 18 according to the constraints encountered such as, for example, the spacing of said uprights 8 of the front frame 7 in the case of use of the adaptable device 1 on another model of wheelchair 2.

In FIGS. 1 to 3, it will be noted, again, the presence of a stand 33 at the level of this adaptable device 1, the first function of which consists in ensuring that this adaptable device 1 is maintained in the erected position when it is detached from a wheelchair 2. This crutch 33 further facilitates the application, with a view to fixing it, of the adaptable device 1 on this wheelchair 2 in particular, in the lower part, this crutch 33 can receive rolling means 34, in particular wheels mounted on an axis attached to the crutch 33, which facilitate the approach and the spacing of the adaptable device 1 with respect to the wheelchair 2.

More particularly to the invention, the attachment bracket 13 is secured to the support bracket 9 by means of articulation means 35. These are defined to allow pivoting of this attachment bracket 13 with respect to said support bracket 9 around a substantially horizontal axis 36 along a stroke 37 limited between a raised position 38 called the raised active position and a lowered position 39 called the rest position.

In this lowered position 39, the clamps 18 of this attachment bracket 13 are defined to engage, with a view to being fixed there, on the wheelchair 2. By tilting around the horizontal axis 36 of the bracket attachment 13 with respect to the support bracket 9, this attachment bracket 13 reaches its raised position 38 in which the result is the separation of the front steering wheels 12 of the wheelchair 2 from the ground. Advantageously, this also results in the separation from the ground of the rolling means 34 of the stand 33.

Also according to the invention, the adaptable device 1 comprises a manual control lever 40 mounted tilting on the support console 9 and cooperating with the attachment bracket 13 to push the latter, as the case may be, from its raised position 38 in its lowered position 39 or vice versa. This manual control lever 40 forms actuating means 40 with manual control.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the manual control lever 40 is pivotally mounted on the support bracket 9 through a connecting rod 41 forming, with said manual control lever 40, a toggle joint 42 defined capable of being oppose the movement of the attachment bracket 13, in particular from the raised position 38 to the lowered position 39 without there being a voluntary intervention on the manual control lever 40. A hard point is thus created in the movement of the lever manual control 40, which simply secures the raised position 38. This assembly thus forms locking means with manual release control to ensure that the attachment bracket 13 is maintained in its raised active position.

More substantially, the attachment bracket 13 is defined in the form of two braced brackets 43, 44 between which the support bracket 9 fits. A hinge pin 45 connects said braced brackets 43, 44 substantially at the top of the support bracket 9 in an articulated manner around the horizontal pivot axis 36.

Furthermore, an actuating rod 46 connects, in an offset manner relative to this hinge axis 45, said braced brackets 43, 44 by passing through an oblong slot 47 in the support bracket 9. This oblong slot 47, in cooperation with this actuating rod 46 delimits the pivot stroke 37 of the attachment bracket 13 with respect to the support bracket 9.

Preferably again, in the lower part of the support bracket 9 there is a hooking notch 48 in which the lower part of the hooking bracket 13 fits when it is pushed back into the raised position 38, this for a better transmission of forces.

Advantageously but optionally, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the support bracket 9 includes a reservation in which a movable element 56 translates facing the hooking notch 48. This movable element 56 can move from a retracted position to an advanced position, it has a concave end configured to cooperate in the advanced position with the attachment bracket 13 when it is pushed back into the raised position 38 in the attachment notch 48. This movable element 56 is in this case kept pressed against the attachment bracket 13 by elastic return means inserted between the support bracket 9 and the movable element 56 and configured to return the movable element 56 to the advanced position. The attachment bracket 13 must therefore compress the elastic return means to set back the movable element 56 and then be able to be dislodged from the attachment notch 48. This accentuates the hard point effect created in the movement of the manual control lever 40, which further secures the raised position 38.

Advantageously but also optionally, when the attachment bracket 13 is in the attachment notch 48, a locking finger 57 is housed in a notch 58 of the support bracket 9 under the action of elastic return means, to lock the raised position 38. It is then necessary to actuate an unlocking control to act against the elastic return means in order to release the locking finger 57 from the notch 58 and keep it released in order to pass the manual control lever 40 from the raised position 38 to the lowered position 39.

To return to the fixing means 17 fitted to the fixing arms 14, 15 at their end 16, fixing means 17 defined in the form of clamps 18, they comprise means 49 for securing the jaws 19, 20 of these clamps 18 in position loosened, securing means 49 capable of occupying a first active position in which the jaws 19, 20 are held loose, that is to say spaced apart from each other. These securing means 49 are still capable of occupying an inactive position by which they are pushed back, by a support from an upright 8 of a front frame 7 engaged between the jaws 19, 20, towards the manual clamping control means 23 , in particular defined by the lever 24. In this inactive position, the manual clamping control means 23 can then pass from a release position to a clamping position and cause the clamping of the jaws 19, 20 on the upright 8. Thus , the tightening of the clamps 18 is guaranteed to take place around the uprights 8 only when the uprights 8 are in a good position. This secures the mounting of the adaptable device 1 on the wheelchair 2.

Substantially, said securing means 49 are defined in the form of a pusher 52 mounted to slide, substantially at the center of a clamp 18, comprising a transverse through slot 53, and fingers 55 issuing from the jaws 19, 20 and extending perpendicular to the pusher 52 and to the transverse crossing light 53, the diameters of said fingers 55 allowing their insertion into the transverse crossing light 53 of the pusher 52. When the pusher 52 is in the active position, the fingers 55 are not facing the crossing light 53. The jaws 19, 20 cannot approach each other and remain loose. When the pusher 52 is in the inactive position, the fingers 55 are facing the transverse through slot 53 and can enter it. The jaws 19, 20 can then approach each other to pass from a release position to a tightening position.

This pusher 52 is inserted into a receiving part 54 of the securing device, which itself is mounted integral with the support section 30 of the clamp 18. The pusher 52 can translate in the receiving part 54 longitudinally from the position active to its inactive position. Elastic return means inserted between the pusher 52 and the receiving part 54 allow an automatic return of the pusher 52 from its inactive position to its active position when the jaws 19, 20 are separated and in the absence of an upright 8 of the stem 13 of the front frame 7 of a wheelchair 2.

Such an adaptable device 1 for a wheelchair 2 can of course also include means for controlling the orientation and the rotation of the steering wheel 12, not illustrated here. These means for controlling the orientation and rotation of the steering wheel 12 are connected for example to the wheel 12 by means of wired or remote communication. These means for controlling the orientation and rotation of the steering wheel 12 may comprise a control box mounted on the support console 9 or attached to the wheelchair 2.

In a complementary but optional manner, in order to facilitate the tilting of the manual control lever 40 to push back the attachment bracket 13 from its lowered position 39 to its raised position 38, the following steps can also be followed:
- the clamps 18 are closed around the uprights 8 of the front frame 7 of the wheelchair 2 and the closure of said clamps 18 around said uprights 8 is secured,
- the rotation of the large wheels 5 of the wheelchair 2 is blocked by engaging a brake of the wheelchair 2,
- the rotation of the steering wheel 12 is controlled so that the adaptable device 1 moves back towards the wheelchair 2, which causes the front of the wheelchair 2 to rise and the adaptable device 1 to approach the wheelchair 2,
- while the front of the wheelchair 2 is rising, the manual control lever 40 is engaged to push the attachment bracket 13 from its lowered position 39 to its raised position 38.

Thus, it is easier to mount the adaptable device 1 on the chair 2 in the raised position, even by a person with little muscle strength.

Claims (5)

Adaptable device (1) for a wheelchair (2) comprising at least one support console (9) to which is secured a steering tube (10) for the pivoting reception of a fork (11) of the steering wheel (12) , the adaptable device (1) further comprising a hooking bracket (13), secured to said support bracket (9), from which extend two fixing arms (14, 15), in particular defined capable of being secured to said support bracket (9). uprights (8) of the front frame (7) of a wheelchair (2), characterized in that the hooking bracket (13) is made movably integral with the support bracket (9) between, at the minus, an active lifting position and a rest position, the adaptable device (1) further comprising manually controlled actuation means (40) in the form of a lever arm (40) for pushing back the hooking bracket (13) from its rest position in its raised active position and vice versa, said manually controlled actuation means the (40) being completed by manual release control locking means to ensure the retention of the hooking bracket (13) in its active raised position. Adaptable device (1) for a wheelchair (2) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the fixing arms (14, 15) comprise, at their end, a clamp (18), defined capable of being secured to one of the uprights (8) of the front frame (7) of a wheelchair (2), comprising two jaws (19, 20), as well as manual clamping means formed of the latter and manual clamping control means (23) , such a clamp (18) being further provided with means for holding said jaws (19, 20) in a released or clamped position cooperating with said clamping means (23) so as to be able to be pushed back by the latter into a holding position released during a loosening command and erased in a retracted position during a tightening command. Adaptable device (1) for a wheelchair (2) according to Claim 2, characterized in that each clamp (18) is provided with means (49) for securing the jaws (19, 20) in the released position, configured to prevent the closure of the clamp (18) and configured to allow the closure of the clamp (18) around a post (8) of a wheelchair (2) placed between the jaws (19, 20) of the clamp (18) . Adaptable device (1) for a wheelchair (2) according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, characterized in that each fixing arm (14, 15) comprises successive sections (30, 31, 32) which can be oriented relative to each other. to the others, configured to allow the fixing arm (14, 15) to position its clamp (18) opposite an upright (8) of the front frame (7) of a wheelchair (2). Installation comprising an equipped wheelchair (2) and an adaptable device (1) for a wheelchair (2) according to the preceding claims.