JP2003116920A - Folding tray for wheelchair - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tray for a wheelchair which can be used anytime as needed and further can be easily attached to and detached from a use position. SOLUTION: This folding tray 11 is composed of a plurality of plate-like members mutually lined to be folded. When using such a tray, the plate-like members are expanded in the form of plane and bridged between frames 21 on both the side parts of a wheelchair. When not using the tray, on the other hand, the tray 11 is folded, rotated and held near the side frames 21.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a tray for wheelchairs.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a removable tray for a wheelchair, there is, for example, the one described in JP-A-2001-29391. This tray is intended to be used when dining or reading by installing a flat auxiliary table on the upper ends of the side plates on the left and right sides of the wheelchair.

[0003]

Since such a table hinders getting on and off the wheelchair and often causes trouble when driving the wheelchair, it must be removed from the wheelchair when not in use. On the other hand, when it is used again, it is necessary to reattach the auxiliary table that has been removed.

The problem at this time is that the auxiliary table once removed is placed away from the wheelchair. It is very annoying to have to move around and get a wheelchair every time you need an auxiliary table. Even if the removed auxiliary table is stored somewhere in the wheelchair and fixed, it is necessary to remove the fixing, re-install it on the side plates on both sides and fix it there while sitting in the wheelchair. This is a heavy burden for wheelchair users who have to work in.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a wheelchair that can be used whenever necessary and can be easily attached to and detached from a use position. To provide a tray.

[0006]

A tray for wheelchairs according to the present invention, which has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, comprises a) a plurality of plate-shaped members which are foldably connected to each other, and when they are deployed, A plurality of the above-mentioned plates so that the tray part which can be installed in a plane between the supporting means on both sides of the wheelchair and b) the folded tray part can be held near the supporting means. A connecting means for rotatably connecting one end of the plate-shaped member and one of the both supporting means.

[0007]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION While the wheelchair tray according to the present invention is not used, the tray portion is folded and a supporting means (for example, a side frame having an armrest at its upper end) is provided on either side of the wheelchair. ) Is held on the side. When using the tray, rotate it to expand the tray section. Then, by placing the other ends of the plurality of plate-shaped members on the other supporting means, the plurality of plate-shaped members are fixed in a planar shape between the both supporting means, and the tray is completed.

[0008]

Since the wheelchair tray according to the present invention is always present in the wheelchair, it is not necessary to go to another storage place each time it is used, and it can be used immediately when necessary. Also, when it is ready for use, the folded tray part is rotated (at this time, since the tray part is folded and compact, it is possible to move the body during the rotating operation. It is very easy for a wheelchair user who has to work while sitting on a wheelchair, since only the two-stage movement of unfolding is necessary.

[0009]

[Embodiment] An embodiment of a wheelchair tray according to the present invention,
Description will be made with reference to FIG. Tray 11 of this embodiment
Comprises three flat plates 111, 112, 113 for the top plate, a connecting part 115 for connecting to the side frame of the wheelchair, and one narrow connecting top plate 114 for connecting them.
The two flat plates 112 and 113 in the center serve as the main mounting portions of the tray 11, and use flat plates having a sufficient width (left and right when viewed from the side of a user sitting in a wheelchair). However, the distance between the frames on both sides of the wheelchair is quite large, and when trying to cover it with these two flat plates 112 and 113, the widths of these flat plates 112 and 113 become quite large, and the trays are kept sitting in the wheelchair. It becomes a hindrance to the operation of folding 11. It is also too large to fit in the side of a wheelchair. Therefore, in the tray 11 of this embodiment, the width of the central two flat plates 112 and 113 is made slightly smaller, and the auxiliary flat plate 111 for the top plate is provided at one end (the left end in FIG. 1). As a result, when the entire tray 11 is folded, it becomes compact, the folding and unfolding operation of the tray 11 is facilitated, and the tray 11 is easily accommodated in the side portion of the wheelchair.

A rim 12 may be provided around the flat plates 111 to 114 so that a dish or the like does not drop from the tray 11. Further, it is convenient to provide a cup hole 13 at an appropriate position on any of the top plate.

As shown in FIG. 6, the central flat plate 11
The front side of 2, 113 may be gently curved so that the user can move easily.

Of the connecting portions that connect the four flat plates 111 to 114 to each other, the connecting portion that connects the two central flat plates 112/113 is the weight of the objects placed on the tray 11 and the user. A large bending force (bending moment) is applied due to pressing by the. Therefore, at this point, a metal hinge 14 is used to firmly connect. On the other hand, the two flat plates 111/112 and 113/114 on both sides thereof are connected to each other by using a hinge 15 made of polypropylene film as shown in FIG. Polypropylene film has excellent fatigue resistance, and it flexibly operates as a hinge without breaking even if it is bent many times, and is widely used for the hinge part of the lid of a plastic simple container. There is. By using the polypropylene film hinge 15, the production cost of this tray is reduced and the weight of the tray can be reduced.

Returning to FIG. 1, the flat plate 111 at one end is made thinner than the other flat plates 112 to 114, and the recess 16 for accommodating the flat plate 111 is provided on the back surface of the flat plate 112 adjacent thereto. Keep it. A large bending moment is not applied to the flat plate 111 at the end portion, and by doing so, the thickness of the entire tray 11 in the folded state can be suppressed. Note that ribs 17 may be provided on the back surface of the thinned flat plate 111 for reinforcement. In this case, of course, a corresponding accommodating portion is provided in the concave portion 16 on the back surface of the corresponding flat plate 112.

As shown in FIG. 4, the connecting portion 115 is rotatably attached to one side frame 21 of the wheelchair.
More specifically, the fixture 22 is fixed to the side frame 21, and the connecting portion 115 of the tray 11 is rotatably attached thereto. The fixture 22 and the side frame 2
Fixing with 1 may be completely fixed by welding, adhesive or the like, but it is preferable that it can be removed by screws or the like. This makes it possible to retrofit the existing wheelchair with the tray 11 according to the present embodiment. In a general wheelchair, since the armrest 23 is fixed to the upper part of the side frame 21 with a screw, by sandwiching and fixing the fixture 22 between the side frame 21 and the armrest 23, the existing parts are fixed. It can be used as it is, and the wheelchair needs minimal modification.

The fixture 22 is formed with a receiving portion 221 projecting in an L-shape toward the inside of the wheelchair, and when in use, the connecting portion 115 rotates as shown by an arrow 24 and its end portion ( The tray 11 is fixed at this side portion by mounting the edge 115 a on the receiving portion 221.

A method of storing the tray 11 of this embodiment in one side portion of the wheelchair from the unfolded state as shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 4. First, tray 1
1 is slightly lifted, the flat plate 111 at the end is bent inward, and the flat plate 111 is stored in the recess 16 on the back side of the next flat plate 112. Next, these are further bent at the central connecting portion, and the two central flat plates 112 and 113 are stacked. Then, these three (two in thickness) top plate flat plates 111 to 113 are bent perpendicularly to the connection top plate 114, and the connecting portion 115 is rotated about the rotation shaft 18, As shown in FIG. 4, the folded tray 11 is stored on the side of the wheelchair.

Next, a method of unfolding the thus stored state to the front part of the wheelchair and setting it in a usable state will be described. From the state of FIG. 4, the connecting portion 1 is centered around the rotary shaft 18.
15 is rotated in the direction of arrow 24, and the end portion (end side) 115a of the connecting portion 115 is placed on the receiving portion 221 protruding inward from the fixture 22. As a result, the entire tray 11 is stably held on the receiving portion 221. After that, as shown in FIG. 2, each flat plate 11 is reversed in the order described above.
3, 112, 111 are expanded, and the flat plate 111 at the end is placed on the other side frame. As a result, the tray 11 is fixed to the front part of the wheelchair (FIG. 5).

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view (a) and a side view (b) of a folding tray for wheelchairs which is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a state in which the tray of the embodiment is folded.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a plastic film hinge.

FIG. 4 is a side view (a) and a front view (b) showing a state in which the tray of the embodiment is stored in a side part of a wheelchair.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a wheelchair to which the tray of the embodiment is attached.

FIG. 6 is a plan view (a) and a side view (b) of a folding tray for wheelchairs according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

11, 61 ... Folding tray 111, 112, 113, 612, 613 ... Flat plate for top plate 114 ... Connection top plate 115 ... Connection part 12 ... Edge of tray 13 ... Cup hole 14 ... Hinge 15 ... Polypropylene film hinge 16 ... Recess 17 ... Ribs 18 ... Rotation axis 21 ... Side frame 22 ... Fixing device 221 ... Receiving part

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A tray part, which comprises: a) a plurality of plate-shaped members that are foldably connected to each other, and that can be installed flatly between supporting means on both sides of the wheelchair when it is deployed; and b) a foldable member. A connecting means for rotatably connecting one end of the plurality of plate-like members and one of the both supporting means so that the tray part in the separated state can be held near the supporting means. A folding tray for wheelchairs, which comprises: 2. The wheelchair according to claim 1, wherein when the plate-shaped member is folded, one plate-shaped member is housed in a recess provided in the other plate-shaped member. Foldable tray. 3. The folding tray for wheelchairs according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the connecting means for connecting the plurality of plate-shaped members to each other is made of a plastic film.