GB2280405A

GB2280405A - Disassemblable wheelchair

Info

Publication number: GB2280405A
Application number: GB9315496A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Malcolm Richard Rolston
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-07-27
Filing date: 1993-07-27
Publication date: 1995-02-01
Anticipated expiration: 2013-07-27
Also published as: GB9315496D0; GB2280405B

Abstract

A wheelchair 11 which can be dismantled for storage has a body which includes two side panels 12, 13 and a backrest and footrest 14 which are of moulded composite sandwich construction. Each side panel 12, 13 has a recess 18 formed therein which can accommodate a rear wheel 19 of the wheelchair for storage when the wheelchair is dismantled, and the backrest and footrest 14 may also be stored, when the wheelchair is disassembled, parallel to the plane of the side panels by means of sockets (61, 62, 63, 64, Fig 3) which receive pins (41, 42, 51, 52) on the backrest or footrest. The side panels and wheels 23 may be of carbon fibre or glass reinforced composite material. <IMAGE>

Description

A Wheel Chair This invention relates to wheelchairs and in particular to chairs which are intended to be dismantled for storage and or transport.

Conventional wheelchairs generally comprise two side frames on which are mounted the wheels. The side frames are generally of a welded tubular construction and are interconnected by a collapsable framework allowing the two side frames to be collapsed together for storage and transport.

The larger rear wheels may be attached to the side frame by a quick release mechanism and the front wheels are generally permanently fixed to the side frames.

Other known wheelchair constructions may comprise totally dismantleable frames.

The present invention provides a wheelchair that does not use the traditional tubular or strut type framework.

According to the present invention there is provided a wheelchair in which the two sides each comprise a moulded panel of sandwich construction.

Preferably the side panels are moulded from a resin impregnated carbon fibre cloth skin with a honeycomb centre, which may be an impregnated paper honeycomb.

Also according to the invention there is provided a wheelchair having two sides each of which comprise a single panel on which a rear wheel is mounted for rotation in use, the panel having a recess therein in which the rear wheel can be accommodated for storage.

Also there is further provided a wheelchair comprising a pair of moulded side panels, and a pair of transverse members which are detachably assembled to the side panels to form the frame of the chair.

Preferably the transverse members each slideably engage the side panels along a respective axis, the two axis being perpendicular to each other.

Also there is yet further provided a kit for assembling a wheelchair, the kit including a pair of moulded side panels, a pair of transverse members which are each slidably engageable with the two side panels to from the frame of the chair, and a seat which is attachable between the two side panels.

The invention will be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig 1 is an isometric drawing of a wheelchair according to the present invention.

Fig 2 is a side elevation of the wheelchair in Fig 1.

Fig 3 is a view of the side panels from the rear showing in dotted outline the position of the back rest.

Fig 4 is a view of the back rest.

Fig 5 is an exploded view of the front of the side panels and foot rest.

and Fig 6 is an alternative means of mounting the front wheels to the side panels.

With reference to Fig 1 and Fig 2 there is illustrated a wheelchair 11, the body of which comprises two side panels 12, 13, which are held in rigid spatial relationship by two transverse members which act as a footrest 14 and a backrest 15 (see Fig 3). The side panels 12, 13 each have a substantially flat inner surface and a complicated contoured outer surface.

The top edge surface 17 of the side panels 12, 13 is shaped to provide an integral arm rest which could be padded. The side panels 12, 13 are about 2" (5cms) thick overall and are shaped so that there is a circular recess 18 in the outer surface of each panel (that is outer with respect to the chair). The recess 18 is about 1 1/2" (4.Ocms) deep with a diameter which is slightly larger than the diameter of a rear wheel 19 mounted on the side panel. The depth of the recess is sufficient to at least accommodate the tyred portion of the respective rear wheel 19. The wheel could be the traditional spoked wheel , or a solid composite material construction made from carbon fibre reinforced resin.

In use the rear wheel 19 is mounted on an axle in the form of a quick release pin mounted in a bearing 21 located in the side panel. The quick release pin is preferably a pip-pin type, an example of which is available from Avdel Systems Ltd. under the serial number 3121. The pins may have a push button release mechanism, or other release mechanism as desired.

When the wheel 19 is removed from its bearing 21 it is stored in the recess 18 by mounting the wheel by means of the quick release pin in a second bearing 22 in the centre of the recess.

The front wheels 23 are also mounted on respective side panels 12, 13, by means of a strut 24 which is a push fit into a socket 25 mounted in the respective side panel 12 or 13.

The side panels 12, 13, have shaped apertures 31, 32 (Fig 1) or 33, 34, 35 (Fig 2), therein which improve the aesthetic appearance of the wheelchair, lighten the structure, and in the case of aperture 33 adjacent the arm rest 17 provide handles for lifting the chair or panels.

With reference now to Figs 3 and 4, the rear of the two side panels is held together by the backrest 15 (Fig 4) which comprises a rigid panel 40, which may be rectangular as shown or shaped as required , having two square or rectangular crosssection pins 41, 42, located one at each end of the panel.

The upper portion of the rear edge of each side panel 12, 13, has an elongated recess 43 on its inner face which can accommodate the backrest, and which opens into a square socket 44 which can snugly receive a respective pin 41 or 42. The recess 43 is of sufficient length to allow for the sliding movement of the backrest 15 when pushing the pins 41, 42 into their respective sockets 44.

The recess 43 may be of sufficient depth to accommodate both the backrest and a cover plate 45, which is pivoted at one end to the respective side panel and can be held by a clip at its free end in the closed position to cover the sliding connection between the back rest 15 and the side panels. The cover plate 45 also acts to enhance the rigidity of the structre and may be formed from carbon fibre reinforced composite.

The footrest 14 is also a rigid rectangular panel 50 having square or rectangular. pins 51, 52 at each end. The pins 51 and 52 are snugly received in square sockets 55 located at the foot of the side panels 12, 13 on the front edge thereof. The footrest 14 is a push fit into its socket 55. The upper surface of the footrest could have a high friction surface effect moulded therein.

Since the pins 41,42, 51,52, are square and are received in square sockets the assembled structure is rigid and will not distort into a lozenge or diamond shape. This is further helped by the axis of the pins 41,42 being normal to the axis of the pins 51, 52.

If necessary the structure can be further reinforced by the use of a removable strut extending between the side panels adjacent the front edge of the seat (not yet shown).

When the wheelchair is dis-assembled the back rest 15 and foot rest are stored in the plane of a respective side panel by sockets 61, 62, 63, 64, which receive the pins 41, 42, or 51, 52 to hold one of the backrest or footrest 14.

The rear of the upper edge of each side panel 12 and 13 has a socket 71 therein to receive handle 72. A cloth backrest 73 could be slung between the handles 72.

A seat 73 either a cloth seat, or a removable rigid seat is detachably fixed between the side panels by means of quick release fasteners in which preferably the female fasteners are in the respective side panel and the male fasteners on the seat.

The side panels 12, 13, the backrest 15, and footrest 14, are all of a moulded composite construction. Preferably having a skin, of one or more layers of impregnated carbon fibre cloth with an aluminium or a paper honeycomb centre for example Nomex trademark). The carbon fibre cloth could be 285gm/m2 cloth but other grades of cloth could be used.

The sockets, recesses, apertures, bearings etc, are all formed and/or moulded into the side panels 12 and 13.

All push in connections between pins and sockets can incorporate releasable spring ball type locking mechanisms, or other quick release mechanisms as desired.

Alternatively the pins could be of a hollow construction with a longitudinal split therein so that the pin resiliently engage the walls of the respective sockets.

The front wheels 23 may be formed of a very thin composite material such as carbon fibre composite, or a woven glass cloth reinforced composite such that they are only 1/2" - 3/4" thick (1.25 - 2.00cms) and the wheel strut 24 is held in a socket 25 which is offset to the inner side of the respective side panel 12, 13 so that the front wheel does not interfere with the storage of the rear wheel in the recess.

Because in the disassembled state most of the chair components are still linked to each other, it helps prevent the loss of parts, as well as a compact assembly for storage and transport.

The side panels are manufactured with the outer face of the side panels forming the inner surface of a female mould. The resin impregnated glass or carbon fibre cloth is laid into the mould and the respective inserts for the various sockets, bearing mounting, apertures, etc., are secured in position in the mould.

The honeycomb centre is then placed in position and the inner face of the panel is then covered with a further skin of impregnated carbon fibre cloth and a flat upper mould plate placed over the mould.

The mould is then heated, and pressure applied to the upper mould plate to cure and compact the composite structure to its finished shape.

The side panels could also be moulded from glass fibre reinforced resin if desired but in order to achieve the same torsional rigidity the entire structure would be heavier.

With reference to Fig 7 there is illustrated a different front wheel mounting in which the front wheel 23 is mounted on an angled strut 124 which is telescopically mounted in its respective socket in side panel. This allows the effective length of the strut to be adjusted so for example the wheel could be a stored position, and a use position with respect to the moulded side panel.

Claims

1. A wheelchair in which the two sides each comprise a moulded panel of sandwich construction.

2. A wheelchair as claimed in Claim 1, wherein each moulded side panel includes integral mounting points for attachment of the rear wheel.

3. A wheelchair as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein each moulded panel further comprises an integral arm rest.

4. A wheelchair as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein each moulded side panel has a recess therein which accommodates a rear wheel for storage thereof.

5. A wheelchair as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the two side panels are held rigidly together by transverse members which in use comprise a backrest and a footrest.

6. A wheelchair as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the backrest and footrest are also of a moulded sandwich construction.

7. A wheelchair as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the respective connecting members between backrest and footrest and the side panels are integrally moulded into said side panels and the said backrest and footrest.

8. A wheelchair as claimed in any one of Claims 5 to 7, wherein said side panels are provided with locating means in which the footrest and backrest can be accommodated for storage.

9. A wheelchair as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the front wheels are mounted onto the side panels.

10. A wheelchair as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the front wheels are adjustably mounted between an operating position and a storage position.

11. A wheelchair as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the front wheels are arranged for storage within the overall thickness of each respective side panel.

12. A wheelchair having two sides each of which comprise a single panel on which a rear wheel is mounted for rotation in use, the panel having a recess therein in which the rear wheel can be accommodated for storage.

13. A wheelchair comprising a pair of moulded side panels, and a pair of transverse members which are detachably assembled to the side panels to form the frame of the chair.

14. A wheelchair as claimed in Claim 13, wherein the transverse members comprise a backrest and a footrest, which are connected to the side panels by rectangular or square pin and socket connections.

15. A wheelchair as claimed in Claim 13, and Claim 14, wherein the transverse members each slideably engage the side panels along a respective axis, the two axis being perpendicular to each other.

16. A kit for assembling a wheelchair, the kit including a pair of moulded side panels, a pair of transverse members which are each slidably engageable with the two side panels to form the frame of the chair, and a seat which is attachable between the two side panels.

17 . A kit as claimed in Claim 16, whrein the kit further includes wheels which can be detachably mounted for use on each side panel and which can be detachably mounted for storage in a recess in each side panel.