GB2254364A - Coupling wheelchairs to other supports - Google Patents

Abstract

A wheelchair 10 or like support providing a seat 11, and a coupling device 20 connected to the support, so that a body 21, of the coupling device 20 is connected to the support via a hinge to allow the free end 23 of the body to be raised and lowered for connecting said body to an armrest socket 19 of an adjacent support. The free end of the body 21 may take various forms, including a spigot like finger 30 (Fig 3) or a ring 40, or a pivotable finger (53, 75, Figs 8, 11 not shown). Each of these connects with a suitable formation on the device to which the wheelchair is to be attached. <IMAGE>

Description

WHEELCHAIR APPARATUS AND DEVICES FOR USE THEREWITH This invention concerns devices for use in assisting persons to transfer from a wheelchair, seat, bed or like support for a disabled person to a second such support.

It is well known that disabled persons have great difficulty in transferring themselves between the various types of support which they require, for example, for transferring from a wheelchair to a raising seat in a bath or to a fixed chair or a bed.

In order to provide some measure of assistance for persons when effecting such transfers we have provided hinged flank panel members on elevating supports which are intended to be installed in a path, the flank panels operating in the manner of a drawbridge to span a gap between the seat of the elevating support and, for example, a wheelchair disposed alongside the bath or the support, as described in GB 2014446B..

However, there are numerous problems of stability of wheelchairs and other forms of support which can still pose difficulties when persons are attempting to make transfers, and an object of the invention is to reduce such difficulties.

Accordingly, the present invention generally provides first and second supports characterised in that the first support is connected to the second support by a coupling device which provides a triangulating connection between the two supports, preferably at about seat height, to prevent, or substantially limit any relative horizontal movement between the two supports.

More particularly the present invention provides a wheelchair, invalid chair, lifting seat device or like support providing a seat, wherein a coupling device is connected to the support, preferably at about seat height, so that a body of the coupling device is connected to the support via a hinge to allow the free end of the body to be raised and lowered, and wherein said free end carries connector means for connecting said free end to an article to which the support is to be connected.

The connector means is preferably pivotally or adjustably mounted on said free end.

The present invention further provides a coupling device, for connecting together two supports for disabled persons, comprising a body, first connector means parts of which are aligned along a line extending along one end of said body for connecting said one end to one of the supports, and at least one second connector means at the other end of said body for connecting said other end to the other support, and wherein said parts and said second connector means are disposed at the corners of a notional triangle in a nominally horizontal plane.

In some embodiments, the lengths of the sides of the triangle are such that no one side is more than twice the length of any of the other sides, and, preferably, are short in relation to the width of the seat.

At least one of the supports is preferably in the form of a wheelchair having removable armrests, which are insertable into sockets provided by a frame of the wheelchair, and the second connector means preferably engages in or around one of said sockets when the armrest is removed. Said second connector means preferably comprises a peg extending substantially perpendicular to said plane, or a ring in or close to said plane. The peg is preferably pivotally connected to the body for movement about an axis in or parallel with said plane.

The other of the supports is preferably of a kind having an elevating seat which incorporates a platform having a lateral edge formation engageable by the first connector means. The first connector means preferably comprises an elongate clamp or spaced apart clamps which constitute said parts. The clamp or clamps may be detachable from the body so as to be exchangeable for other clamp means suited to another form of support. The first connector means may permit lateral adjustment of the position of the body relative to the support, e.g.

may be slidable along an elongate formation on the support or along part of the frame of a wheelchair, bed or other support.

Alternatively the first connector means may be of a form in which each of the parts comprises a downturned peg or a ring for use in connecting a support in the form of a wheelchair, to another wheelchair, each of said wheelchairs having removable armrests and providing sockets for insertion of the pegs or encirclement by the rings of the first and second connector means when the armrests are removed.

The coupling device preferably includes a pair of said second connector means so that said parts and said two second connector means lie at the corners of a rectangle inset anomaly horizontal plane, and such a form of the coupling device is particularly useful where both of the wheelchairs are of a kind in which all four wheels are able to castor, by inhibiting rotary movements of either wheelchair.

The coupling device may support a panel to serve as a bridging piece between the seats or other support surfaces of the two supports, and said panel may be detachable. Alternatively the body may be formed as a panel upon which the second connector means is mounted.

The second connector means is preferably retractable into the body or panel.

The first connector means preferably provides a limited degree of pivotal movement about an axis coincident with or closely parallel with said line, e.g.

for raising and lowering the body to facilitate insertion of the peg or pegs into the socket or sockets.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, wherein FIGURE 1 shows, in side elevation, a support in the form of a wheelchair having an elevating seat, and a coupling device connected to an armrest socket; FIGURE 2 shows the wheelchair with the coupling device connected to part of the frame of the elevating seat; FIGURE 3 is a detailed perspective view of a first embodiment of the coupling device; FIGURE 4 shows a section through a connector, of the device shown in FIGURE 3, attached to a side part of a seat lifting platform of the wheelchair; FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of an alternative form of connector; FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of coupling device; FIGURE 7 shows part of a panel, in section along a line corresponding to the line VII-VII in FIGURE 6; ; FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of coupling device; FIGURES 9 and 10 are perspective views, from below, of a fourth embodiment of coupling device, and FIGURE 11 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment.

The wheelchair shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 is constructed as described in our GB 2225558A, and generally comprises lifting apparatus 10 releasably mounted on a wheeled chassis 12, a seat unit 11 releasably mounted on the lifting apparatus 10, and a portable battery/compressor unit stowed in the chassis 12 under and connected to the lifting apparatus.

The lifting apparatus is constructed as described in our GB 2166415A and generally comprises a bellows 13 surrounding a stabilising mechanism which maintains a platform 14 parallel with a base 15 when the platform 14 is raised or lowered by pressurisation or depressurisation of the bellows.

The platform has a T-section formation 16 (FIGURE 4) extending along each lateral edge of the platform, which formations 16 are engaged by the seat unit 11. The base has suckers 17 to enable the lifting unit 10 to be used on its own, e.g. in a bath, when the chassis 12 and seat unit 11 are removed.

The seat unit 11 has a frame including a pair of side members 18, to each of which are secured a pair of sockets 19 for removable armrest.

The coupling device 20 primarily comprises a body 21 having first connector means 22 at one end and second connector means 23 at the other end. The first connector means is arranged to connect the device 20 to the wheelchair so as to permit the body 21 to be pivoted about a horizontal axis to raise and lower the means 23 as indicated by arrow A in FIGURE 2; and the second connector means 23 is arranged to engage in one armrest socket 19 so as to permit the body 21 to be swung forwards and rearwards about a vertical axis as indicated by the arrow B in FIGURE 1.

Referring to FIGURES 3 to 5, in a basic form of the device 20 the body 21 is a T-shaped metal rod member which incorporates a downturned peg 30 which constitutes the second connector means. The first connector means comprises two spaced apart clamp members 31 or 32 in which opposite end portions 37, of cylindrical shape, at the top of the T-shape pivotally engage. The clamp members 31 (FIGURES 3 and 4) and 32 (FIGURE 5) differ in the shapes of the respective mouths or reception channels 33 or 34. The channel 33 is of stepped form to receive the formation 16 on the platform 14 as shown in FIGURE 4, when the seat unit 11 is not in situ on the platform; whereas the channel 34 is of U-shaped cross section to receive the tubular side member 18 of the frame or a like nominally horizontal tubular component such as part of the frame of a wheelchair.A vertical channel 35 is provided in the clamp member 32 to accept a vertical tubular component, such as the socket 19. The members 31 and 32 have clamping fasteners, e.g.s the screw 36 shown in FIGURE 4, to hold the formation 16 or tubular component in the channels. The clamping members are preferably invertable so that the clamping fasteners can be actuated from below instead of above the clamping members, and so that alternative sockets 38 are provided for the portions 37. Instead of employing fasteners the clamp members 31 may be formed as indicated in broken lines at 39 in FIGURE 4 so that the channels therein trap the formation 16 so that the formation has to be inserted longitudinally into the channels via the ends thereof.

Instead of being of peg form, the second connector means 23 may be of ring form, as indicated in broken lines at 40 in FIGURE 3, to fit around the armrest socket 19.

The shape of the body can be of any suitable form, e.g. triangular, rectangular or part rectangular, to provide one long side (such as the top of the T-shape, or, as shown in FIGURE 6 the base of the U-shaped body J1 shown in FIGURE 6) extending parallel to or coincident with the axis of the vertical motion indicated by the arrow A. The clamp members 31 or 32 may be slotted, e.g.

as indicated at 42 in FIGURE 6, to facilitate the fitting thereof onto the body, and provided with additional fasteners 43 actuable to clamp or retain the body therein.

A detachable support panel 44 may be supported by the body 41 (or 21) e.g. as indicated in FIGURES 6 and 7.

In the third embodiment shown in FIGURE 8, the clamp members 45 are of split form and the parts 46 and 47 are held together by fasteners 48 to clamp the tubular side member 18 in sockets 49 in the clamp members. The body is a T-shaped fabrication comprising a semi-cylindrical stem 50 and a cylindrical cross-member 51 the end portions 37 of which are pivotally supported by sockets in the upper parts 46. The free end of the stem 50 supports a pivot 52 on which a peg 53 is mounted so as to be retractable into the stem to allow the stem to be swung down into a storage position alongside one side of the wheelchair.

In the fourth embodiment shown in FIGURES 9 and 10 the body of the coupling device is constituted by a panel 60 incorporating dependent flanges 61 a pair of which support a pivot 62 on which the peg 53 is supported to serve as the second connector means. The peg is retractable to lie between said flanges. The first connector means comprises a formation 6:3 which extends parallel with one end 64 of the panel and defines a recess in which the formation 16 is a close sliding or frictional fit; and the formation 63 is joined to the panel 60 by a flexible hinge web 65 to permit restricted motion about the axis of arrow A.

The invention is not confined to the details of the foregoing examples and many variations are possible within the scope of the invention. For example, the extent of the first connector means along said line may be short as in the fifth embodiment shown in FIGURE 11, in which the first connector means comprises a hinge mounting 70 carrying a pivot pin 71 on which the body, in the form of an arm 72, is mounted for up and down movement about the axis of the pin 71. In the form shown, the mounting 70 is of sliding connector form incorporating the formation 63 to engage the formation 16, but instead the mounting may be adapted to provide a socket for, or to be welded to, a part of a frame of a support. The free end of the arm 72 carries a further pivot pin 74, parallel with the pin 71, on which second connector means in the form wf a pivot peg 75 is mounted.

Other variations are possible. The invention includes a support or connector device incorporating any novel feature or part of combination thereof disclosed herein or in the drawings.

Claims (20)

1. Apparatus comprising a wheelchair, invalid chair, lifting seat device or like support providing a seat, wherein a coupling device is connected to the support, so that a body of the coupling device is connected to the support via a hinge to allow the free end of the body to be raised and lowered, and wherein said free end carries connector means for connecting said free end to an article to which a the support is to be connected.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the coupling device is located at about seat height.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 wherein the connector means is pivotally or adjustably mounted on said free end.

4. A coupling device, for connecting together two supports for disabled persons, comprising a body, first connector means parts of which are aligned along a line extending along one end of said body for connecting said one end to one of the supports, and at least one second connector means at the other end of said body for connecting said other end to the other support, and wherein said parts and said second connector means are disposed at the corners of a notional triangle in a nominally horizontal plane.

5. A coupling device as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the lengths of the sides of the triangle are such that no one side is more than twice the length of any of the other sides.

6. A coupling device as claimed in Claim 4 or 5 wherein the second connector means comprises a peg extending substantially perpendicular to said plane, or a ring in or close to said plane.

7. A coupling device as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the peg is pivotally connected to the body for movement about an axis in or parallel with said plane.

8. A coupling device as claimed in Claim 4, 5, 6 or 7 wherein the first connector means comprises an elongate clamp or spaced apart clamps which constitute said parts.

9. A coupling device as claimed in Claim 4, 5, 6 or 7 wherein the clamp or clamps are detachable from the body so as to be exchangeable for other clamp means suited to another form of support.

9. A coupling device as claimed in Claim 4, 5, 6 or 7 wherein the first connector means is of a form in which each of the parts comprises a downturned peg or a ring.

10. A coupling device as claimed in any one of Claims 4 r to 9 wherein the coupling device includes a pair of said second connector means so that said parts and said two second connector means lie at the corners of a rectangle in said nominally horizontal plane.

11. A coupling device as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 10 wherein the coupling device supports a panel to serve as a bridging piece.

12. A coupling device as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 10 wherein the body is formed as a panel upon which the second connector means is mounted.

13. A coupling device as claimed in Claim 11 or 12 wherein the second connector means is retractable into the body or panel.

14. A coupling device as claimed in one of Claims 4 to 13 wherein the first connector means provides a limited degree of pivotal movement about an axis coincident with or closely parallel with said line.

15. Apparatus comprising a first wheelchair, seat, bed or like support for a disabled person, a second such support and characterised in that the first support is connected to the second support by a coupling device which provides a triangulating .connection between the two supports, preferably at about seat height, to prevent, or substantially limit any relative horizontal movement between the two supports.

16. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 15 wherein the coupling device is as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 14.

17. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 15 or 16 wherein at least one of the supports is in the form of a wheelchair having removable armrests, which are insertable into sockets provided by a frame of the wheelchair, and the second connector means preferably engages in or around one of said sockets when the armrest is removed.

18. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 17 wherein the other of the supports is of a kind having an elevating seat which incorporates a platform having a lateral edge formation engageable by the first connector means.

19. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 16, 17 or 18 wherein the first connector means may permit lateral adjustment of the position of the body relative to the support, e.g. may be slidable along an elongate formation on the support or along part of the frame of a wheelchair, bed or other support.

20. Apparatus or a coupling device substantially described with reference to FIGURES 1 and 2, FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, FIGURES 6 and 7, FIGURE 8, FIGURES 9 and 10 or FIGURE 11 of the accompanying drawings.