GB2425723A

GB2425723A - Expandable footrest support for wheelchair

Info

Publication number: GB2425723A
Application number: GB0509388A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Oliver Batty
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-05-07
Filing date: 2005-05-07
Publication date: 2006-11-08
Also published as: GB0509388D0

Abstract

A wheelchair (not shown) is provided with a footrest that may contain a swivel type pivot mount. The footrest may be comprised of a plurality of engaging members, (1, 3 and 4) that move with respect to each other. These support means may be expanded or contracted to suit the occupants foot size. The support means move on support struts (2). The footrests are adjustable for width or length. A smaller version of the footrest is shown in Figure 3 where only 2 engaging members (1 and 4) are used. Adjustable toe straps may be used to locate and hold the foot within the rest (Fig 4). The footrest may be made from steel, plastic or aluminium. The support plate may be retrofitted to an existing wheelchair.

Description

1 2425723 Wheelchair footrest support with expandable shape The generaJly

upright seated occupant in a wheelchair has the feet supported and located on footrests, which extend out from the front of the wheelchair on structural extensions to the frame to form the supporting area for the occupant's feet to rest on. On folding frame wheelchairs, where the two sides of the wheelchair come together to allow storage in a narrow space, it is the normal practice for the footrests to be two separate plates which swivel upwards from the generally horizontal supporting position to a generally vertical folded up position.

Wheelchair occupants come in a range of shapes and sizes, and wheelchairs are produced with seat sizes to accommodate different people. It is preferable that the footrest shape and foot locating area also changes with the size of the occupant. It is also preferable that the occupant foot is located on the foot support such that it does not move into an undesirable, or unsafe position where it may be in contact with the swivelling castor wheel when the wheelchair is being propelled, or fall to the ground through a space between the two occupant foot support plates. It is the general practice with folding frame wheelchairs to have a range of different footrest sizes to accommodate the different sizes of wheelchair. In particular footrest plates are produced in different widths to minimise the undesirable gap between the two supporting areas.

This invention relates to a wheelchair footrest, which has expandable features for both width and lengTh, which supports and locates the occupant foot in the desirable safe position on a range of different wheelchair sizes.

Footrest support plates are manufactured in a range of different materials. They can be steel structures produced from tubing, or aluminium castings, or plastic injection mouldings.

This invention could be produced in any of these materials, but preferably it would be most practically applied to an aluminium casting or an injection moulding.

The concept of this invention is for the foot support to be produced as a modular design kit, with separate elements which can be assembled together at the wheelchair manufacturing stage, or at a subsequent service adjustment, to provide different configurations for either left or right foot support plates.

The kit preferably consists of two or more foot supporting features, rigidly connected to one or more underside securing struts, to form a configured footrest of the size, length and structural strength to meet the needs and safety requirements of the intended wheelchair occupant in the intended environment of use.

This footrest concept may be produced as an integrated element of a new wheelchair build, or as a spare part or accessory kit, which may be configured and fitted to an existing wheelchair to meet assessed occupant need.

The following descriptions and illustrations show how the footrest concept can be produced and configured to meet the different application requirements.

Fig 1 shows the complete assembled foot support for a large adult occupant.

The outer element of the structure, item 1, incorporates the swivel mounting for the vertical folded position, and support and location for the outer side of the occupant foot.

The central element of the structure, item 3, incorporates a width, and length, increasing feature, with a rear up stand, to support and locate the centre of the occupant foot. On this configuration the up stand on the central element will contact and position the larger occupant's foot. The inner element of the structure, item 4, incorporates support and location for the inner side of the occupant foot.

The three elements of the support are rigidly secured to supporting struts, item 2, on the underside of the foot support surface area. The distance between the three elements is set to the required width for the size of the wheelchair and occupant. In this assembly configuration, the central support feature, item 3, ensures that a large size occupant foot is sufficiently supported over its ground contact length to the front of the foot, ensuring comfort and a controlled foot position. The outer and inner elements of the assembly items I and 4 ensure that the occupant's foot is located against excessive and undesirable sideways movement.

Fig 2 shows the complete assembled foot support for a mid size adult occupant.

The central element of the structure, item 3, incorporates a width, and length, increasing feature to support and locate the centre of the occupant's foot. On this configuration, the up stand on the central element will not contact the occupants foot, as this will be located on the up stand features of items I and 4.

The inner element of the structure, item 4, incorporates support and location for the inner side of the occupant foot.

The three elements of the support are rigidly secured to supporting struts on the underside of the foot support surface area, which are not visible in this view, these are similar or the same, dependant on footrest width, as those shown as item 2 in the previous FIG 1. The three elements are fitted against each other to form the appearance of a single foot support unit, of the required width for the size of the wheelchair and occupant. In this assembly configuration, the central support feature ensures that an adult size occupant foot is sufficiently supported over its ground contact length, to the front of the foot, to ensure comfort and a controlled foot position. The outer and inner elements of the assembly ensure that the occupant's foot is located against excessive and undesirable sideways movement.

Fig 3 shows the complete assembled foot support for a junior size occupant The outer element of the structure, item 1, incorporates the swivel mounting for the vertical folded position, and support and location for the outer side and length of the occupant foot.

The inner element of the structure, item 4, incorporates support and location for the inner side and length of the occupant's foot.

The two elements of the support are rigidly secured to supporting struts on the underside of the foot support surface area. The two elements are fitted against each other to form the appearance of a single foot support unit, of the required width and length for the size of the wheelchair and occupant. In this assembly configuration, the two support features, items I and 4, ensure that ajuzuor size occupant's foot is sufficiently located and supported over its ground contact length, to the front of the foot, to ensure comfort and a controlled foot position and also that the occupant foot is located against excessive and undesirable sideways movement.

Fig 4 illustrates how in all configurations of this footrest concept items I and 4, can incorporate slots, which allow foot positioning straps, item 5, to be fitted which may be appropriate for some wheelchair occupants who have uncontrolled movement which needs to be suppressed, as indicated in Fig 4.

The underside rigid supporting struts item 2 may be produced from suitable grades of steel or aluminium or plastic, sufficient to meet the load requirements of the intended occupant size and weight. Preferably they will be in a lightweight material. The foot support elements may be secured to the support struts using standard fastening techniques such as screws or rivets, as shown in FIG 5. When produced as an injection moulding, it is also possible for one or more of the foot supporting elements to be moulded integrally with the struts in a required position as indicated in Fig 5.

The surface of the three supporting elements items 1,3, and 4, may have a tread pattern moulded in. In a further embodiment of the concept, where additional occupant comfort and foot grip is required, these items have a single and separate non slip mat, fitted over the supporting area surface.

Claims

1. A wheelchair footrest, modular in design, which has expandable features for both width and length, which supports and locates the occupant foot in the desirable safe position on a range of different wheelchair sizes.

2. A wheelchair footrest as claim I where the foot support is a modular design kit, with separate elements which can be assembled together at the wheelchair manufacturing stage, or at a subsequent service adjustment, to provide different size configurations to suit different occupant foot sizes.

3. A wheelchair footrest as claim 1 and 2 consisting of two or more foot supporting features, rigidly connected to one or more underside securing struts, to form a configured footrest of the size, length and structural strength required to meet the needs and safety requirements of the intended wheelchair occupant in the intended environment of use.

4. A wheelchair footrest which as claim 1, 2,and 3, which may be produced as an integrated element of a new wheelchair build, or as a spare part or accessory kit, which may be configured and fitted to an existing wheelchair to meet assessed occupant need.

5. A wheelchair footrest as claims 1,2,3 and 4, consisting of three support elements, where the central element of the structure increases both width and length with a rear up stand, which supports and positions the length of a large adult occupants foot when the footrest is expanded to a large adult foot width.

6. A wheelchair footrest as claims 1,2,3 and 4, consisting of three support elements, where the central element of the structure, item 3, increases both width and length which supports and positions the length of a standard adult occupant's foot when the footrest is set to a standard adult foot width.

7. A wheelchair footrest as claims 1,2,3 and 4, consisting of outer and inner support elements, as used in the adult size configuration, which support and position the length of ajunior occupant's foot when the footrest is set to ajunior foot width.