GB2209310A

GB2209310A - Transferring occupants from wheel chairs

Info

Publication number: GB2209310A
Application number: GB8720480A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Watts
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-08-29
Filing date: 1987-08-29
Publication date: 1989-05-10
Also published as: GB8720480D0

Abstract

A wheel chair 10 comprises a collapsible wheeled support frame 12, guide means 16 at the top of the support frame 12 extending generally parallel to the axes of the wheels 34, and a seat portion 14 slidably supported on the guide means 16 and separable from the frame 12 whereby the seat may be slid via extension rails 60 on the vehicle into the vehicle. The seat is height adjustable to enable alignment with the extension rails and the armrests may be pivotable upwards to allow an occupant to slide easily from the seat. The frame 12 may be folded for storage in the vehicle. The arrangement may also be used for transfer to and from a bed, bath or toilet. <IMAGE>

Description

WHEEL CHAIR The present invention relates to a wheel chair for an invalid person.

A major problem for an invalid person in a wheel chair is to transfer from the wheel chair to a vehicle. It has been proposed to design a vehicle so that the wheel chair may be wheeled into it from the back and the occupant need not move from the seat. However, this requires a specially designed vehicle and such a solution has not proved popular.

With a view to mitigating this problem, the present invention provides a wheel chair comprising a collapsible wheeled support frame, guide means at the top of the support frame extending generally parallel to the axes of the wheels and a seat portion slidably supported on the guide means and separable from the frame.

The seat portion of the wheel chair of the invention may be transferred from the support frame of the wheel chair to a vehicle, by sliding it transversely to the direction of motion of the wheel chair from the guide means of the support frame onto similar guide means provided on the vehicle. This operation may be carried out by the occupant without assistance and without the need for the occupant to leave the seat. Once in the vehicle, the invalid person may fold the support frame and place it in the vehicle.

Advantageously, the guides means are mounted on a height adjustable platform of the support frame so that the guide means may be aligned with the guide means of the vehicle. The height adjustable platform may form part of a parallelogram such that it remains horizontal while the sides are pivoted to effect height adjustment.

Preferably, the guide means on the support frame are a pair of guides rails adapted to be connected to extension guide rails which form a bridge between the frame and the vehicle.

Conveniently, the seat portion includes a backrest and armrests. The backrest may be adjustable for inclination and the height of the lumber support region while the armrest may be adjustable for height.

It is also preferred that the armrest should be capable of being pivoted to a position where it does not obstruct the seat portion from being withdrawn laterally from under the occupant.

To stop the seat portion from sliding once installed on the support frame or in a vehicle, one or more retractable pins may be provided on the seat portion to engage in holes in the guide means.

The wheel chair of the invention can also facilitate the transfer of the occupant from the wheel chair to a bed, to a bath, or to a toilet seat if suitable retractable guide rails are provided in the vicinity of these. With the aid of such a wheel chair and a hoist or support bar, an invalid person may in this way be afforded significantly improved mobility both within and outside the home.

The invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is front view of a wheel chair of the invention positioned next to a motor vehicle, and Figure 2 is a side view of the wheel chair.

The wheel chair 10 comprises a collapsible support frame 12 and a removable seat portion 14 resting on guide rails 16 fixed to the support frame 12.

In Figure 1, the seat portion is shown with the seat squab 18 and the backrest 20 removed, in the interest of clarity. The seat squab is normally bolted to the frame of the seat portion while the backrest is clipped into a bracket which allows repositioning of the base of the backrest for comfort. As shown more clearly in Figure 2 the seat portion also includes an armrest which can be pivoted upwards to permit the occupant to slide sideways out of the seat. This is important if the wheel chair is used to transfer the occupant to a toilet seat, for example, as the seat portion of the wheel chair must then be withdrawn after the occupant is in position.

The collapsible frame 12 of the wheel chair 10 consists of a pair of cross members 30 centrally pivoted to one another to form a cross. At their lower ends, the cross members 30 are pivotably connected to the lower bars of two side frames on each of which there is mounted a large wheel 34 (for traction) and a castor wheel 36 (for steering). The castor wheels 36 are self aligning and the steering is effected by turning one of the traction wheels 34 more that the other. The traction wheels 34 are fitted with hand rails 38 so that they may be turned by the occupant.

At their upper ends, the cross members 30 are secured to bars which rest in channels secured to the side frames.

The side frames are thus secured to one another releasably by the cross members 30 and the separation between the side frames is preset by the height of the channels. The support frame can be collapsed by lifting the bars connected to the cross members 30 out of the channels in the side frames and folding the cross by drawing the two side frames towards one another.

The upper bars 40 of the two side frames together define a platform on which the guide rails 16 are secured. The upper bars 40 are secured to the vertical bars 42 of the side frames by means of pivotable lift arms 44 which are pivotably connected to the vertical bars 42 and the horizontal bars 40. The pivot points between the lift arms 44 and the vertical bars 42 are stationary with the result that as the lift arms 44 are pivoted, the entire system of bars moves as a parallelogram, serving to raise the bars 40 and bring them forward simultaneously.

Pins acting between the lift arms and the side frame act to lock the lift arms in any desired position. The height adjustment is assisted by a corded rubber bands, not shown, which act to counterbalance the weight of the occupant on the lift arms 44.

Each of the bars 40 is connected to a respective one of two guide rails 16, the latter being pivotable about a vertical axis relative to the support bar 40 to permit it to be folded away when the support frame 12 is collapsed. In use, the guide rails 16 extend between the two side frames and are secured to both side frame two improve the rigidity of the structure. The upper part of each guide rail is formed as a cylinder which is received in a correspondingly shaped channel 50 secured to the seat portion. The seat portion 14 can therefore slide from side to side on the support frame 12 and rollers in the guide rails can be used to free this movement.

The webs connecting the cylindrical portions of the guide rails 16 to their bases are formed with hole at regular interval and they receive manually retractable pins on the seat portion to permit the seat portion 14 to locked in any desired position.

The vehicle 100 in the drawings will not be described in detail as it may be generally conventional. The chief adaptation to the vehicle is to place guide rails similar to the guide rails 16 either above or in place of the seat to be occupied by the occupant of the wheel chair. The guide rails is the vehicle preferably have pivotable extension rails 60 which can be connected to the guide rails 16 on the wheel chair to form a bridge between the support frame 12 and the vehicle.

In use, the wheel chair is brought next to the vehicle and any adjustment necessary is made to the height of the guide rails 16 to bring them to the same level as the guide rails on the vehicle. The guide rails are then connected to one another by the extension rails and the occupant slides the seat portion 14 across from the support frame 12 to the vehicle 100. The frame can then be collapsed and placed behind the seat in the vehicle.

This entire operation can be carried out by the occupant of the wheel chair without assistance.

While reference has been made to movement between a wheel chair and a vehicle, it will be appreciated that the invention can also assist the occupant to transfer to any other location where suitable guide rails for the seat portion can be installed.

Claims

1. A wheel chair comprising a collapsible wheeled support frame, guide means at the top of the support frame extending generally parallel to the axes of the wheels and a seat portion slidably supported on the guide means and separable from the frame.

2. A wheel chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guides means are mounted on a height adjustable platform of the support frame so that the guide. means may be aligned with the guide means of the vehicle.

3. A wheel chair as claimed in claim 2, wherein the height adjustable platform forms part of a parallelogram such that it remains horizontal while the sides of the parallelogram are pivoted to effect height adjustment.

4. A wheel chair as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the guide means on the support frame are a pair of guides rails adapted to be connected to extension guide rails which form a bridge between the frame and the vehicle.

5. A wheel chair as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the seat portion includes a backrest and armrests.

6. A wheel chair as claimed in claim 6, wherein the backrest is adjustable for inclination and the height of the lumber support region and the armrests are adjustable for height.

7. A wheel chair as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein the armrests are capable of being pivoted to a position where they do not obstruct the seat portion from being withdrawn laterally from under the occupant.

8. A wheel chair as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, in order to stop the seat portion from sliding once installed on the support frame or in a vehicle, one or more retractable pins is or are provided on the seat portion to engage in holes in the guide means.

9. A wheel chair constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.