NZ722689A - Helical wound flexible torque transmission cable - Google Patents

Description

EASILY DISSOCIABLE WHEELCHAIR FIELD OF THE ION The present invention relates to a wheelchair that can be easily and quickly dissociated so as to permit it to be easily placed inside an automobile or other suitable conveyance.

The present invention relates also to a wheelchair having a modular ure that can be easily modified in accordance with the needs or wishes of the user.

The present invention relates also to a wheelchair that can be step-less adjustable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The portability of a wheelchair is an ant consideration to many wheelchair users. It is desirable that a wheelchair be lightweight and easily broken down so that it can be readily and conveniently transported in an automobile or other suitable conveyance. Most wheelchairs today are foldable which permits them to be placed in the trunk or behind the front seat of an bile. These wheelchairs, r, are still unusually bulky and heavy and therefore, somewhat inconvenient to transport. An alternative to this problem consists in disassembling the wheelchair before placing it inside the automobile. However, most wheelchairs today have a complex ure which makes such a disassembling operation very difficult and very long to do. Furthermore, considering that the main frame of the wheelchair generally ses both the seat frame and the bended legs on which is connected the caster wheels, the volume occupied by said wheelchair after said disassembling operation remains too high for an easy positioning of said disassembled hair inside an automobile. In addition, with such a structure, the entire main frame has to be ed when only the bended legs of said main frame are damaged.

Thus, there is a need for a wheelchair avoiding the above-mentioned drawbacks.

B6522WO - 21/12/2012 There is also a need for a wheelchair that may be adjustable in a quick and easy way.

There is also a need for a wheelchair that may be adapted to the needs or the wishes of the user.

There is also a need for a hair that permits the stepless adjustment of the rear wheels in a direction orthogonal to the seat plane.

There is also a need for a wheelchair in which the seat plate is integral with the seat frame.

There is also a need for a wheelchair in which the connection between the rear wheels and the seat is improved.

There is finally a need for a wheelchair in which the connection between the front wheels and the seat is ed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first embodiment of the ion, these aims are achieved by means of a wheelchair comprising: - a seat module including a seat frame ting a seat; - a backrest module including a backrest frame connected to said seat frame and supporting a backrest; - a front frame module including a front frame, said front frame ing left and right bended legs removably connected at their upper end to said seat frame and at their lower end to a footrest, said bended legs being supported by caster wheel assemblies via caster support; - a rear wheel module including left and right rear wheels pivotally connected to an axle, said rear wheel module being removably connected to said seat module through left and right ting elements; wherein said seat frame consists in left and right longitudinal profiles extending in the same plane.Important features of the device are defined in the dependent claims 2 to 16.

B6522WO - 21/12/2012 According to a second embodiment of the invention, these aims are achieved by a means of a wheelchair comprising: - a seat module including a seat frame supporting a seat; - a backrest module including a backrest frame connected to said seat frame and supporting a backrest; - a front frame module ing a front frame, said front frame including left and right bended legs removably connected at their upper end to said seat frame and at their lower end to a footrest, said bended legs being supported by caster wheel assemblies via caster support; - a rear wheel module including left and right rear wheels pivotally connected to an axle, said rear wheel module being removably connected to said seat module through left and right ting elements; wherein said seat frame consists in left and right longitudinal profiles ing in the same plane; wherein said left and right connecting ts are configured so as to permit a ess adjustment of the position of the rear wheel module with regard to the seat module in a direction orthogonal to the plane defined by the seat frame.

According to a third embodiment of the invention, these aims are achieved by a means of a hair comprising: - a seat module including a seat frame supporting a seat; - a backrest module including a backrest frame connected to said seat frame and supporting a backrest; - a front frame module including a front frame, said front frame including left and right bended legs removably connected at their upper end to said seat frame B6522WO - 21/12/2012 and at their lower end to a footrest, said bended legs being supported by caster wheel lies via caster support; - a rear wheel module including left and right rear wheels pivotally connected to an axle, said rear wheel module being removably connected to said seat module h left and right connecting elements; wherein said seat frame consists in left and right longitudinal profiles extending in the same plane; wherein the seat comprises a seat plate extending between the left and right profiles of the seat frame, said seat plate being integral with said left and right profiles; n, ably, said seat plate is made in a rigid material; wherein, preferably, said rigid material is a carbon fiber material; wherein, ably, said seat plate is provided with parallel slots extending from the rear end of said seat plate in a rear-to-front direction so as to define a plurality of flexible areas in a rear part of said seat plate.

According to a fourth embodiment of the ion, these aims are achieved by a means of a wheelchair comprising: - a seat module including a seat frame supporting a seat; - a backrest module including a backrest frame connected to said seat frame and supporting a backrest; - a front frame module including a front frame, said front frame including left and right bended legs removably connected at their upper end to said seat frame and at their lower end to a footrest, said bended legs being supported by caster wheel assemblies via caster support; B6522WO - 21/12/2012 - a rear wheel module including left and right rear wheels lly connected to an axle, said rear wheel module being removably connected to said seat module through left and right connecting elements; wherein said seat frame consists in left and right longitudinal profiles extending in the same plane; wherein said left, respectively said right, connecting element comprises a tubular element extending in a direction approximately orthogonal to the plane defined by the seat frame, a first securing arrangement positioned at the upper end of said tubular element, said first ng arrangement ng said tubular element to be fixed with respect to the left, respectively the right, profile of the seat frame, and a second securing ement positioned along said tubular element, said second securing arrangement allowing said tubular element to be fixed with respect to the axle of the rear wheel module; wherein said first, tively said second, securing ement comprises a nut, a screw and a mounting piece, said screw being adapted to slide inside a slot provided in the seat frame, respectively in the tubular element of the left or right connecting element, said screw being also adapted to be inserted through a hole ed in said mounting piece and to sit in a threaded hole provided in said nut; wherein, preferably, the nut of the first ng arrangement has approximately the form of a trapezoidal prism, the non-parallel lateral sides of said nut abutting against two converging flanges downwardly extending from the periphery of the left, tively the right, e of the seat frame when the left, respectively the right, connecting element is fixed on said left, respectively said right, profile, the free ends of said flanges defining the slot inside which slides the screw of said first securing arrangement; wherein, ably, the mounting piece of the first securing arrangement comprises a e element extending in a rear-to-front direction, the lateral flanges of said U-shape element abutting against the flanges downwardly extending from the periphery of the left, respectively the right, profile of the seat B6522WO - 21/12/2012 frame when the left, respectively the right, connecting element is fixed on said left, respectively said right, profile; wherein, preferably, the nut of the second ng arrangement has imately the form of a trapezoidal prism, the non-parallel lateral sides of said nut abutting against two converging s rearwardly or forwardly extending at the periphery of the tubular element when the left or the right connecting element is fixed on the axle of the rear wheel , the free ends of said flanges defining the slot inside which slides the screw of said second securing arrangement; wherein, preferably, the mounting piece of the second securing arrangement comprises a cylindrical split ring having forwardly, respectively rearwardly, ing U-shape portion, said split ring having a cylindrical aperture extending in a left-to-right ion, said aperture being adapted to receive the axle of the rear wheel module, said U-shape portion extending in a direction approximately orthogonal to the plane defined by the seat frame (11), the lateral flanges of said U-shape portion abutting t the flanges rearwardly, respectively forwardly, extending at the periphery of the r element when the left or the right connecting t is fixed on the axle of the rear wheel module.

According to a fifth embodiment of the invention, these aims are achieved by a means of a wheelchair comprising: - a seat module including a seat frame supporting a seat; - a backrest module including a backrest frame connected to said seat frame and supporting a backrest; - a front frame module including a front frame, said front frame including left and right bended legs bly connected at their upper end to said seat frame and at their lower end to a footrest, said bended legs being supported by caster wheel assemblies via caster support; B6522WO - 21/12/2012 - a rear wheel module including left and right rear wheels pivotally connected to an axle, said rear wheel module being removably ted to said seat module through left and right connecting elements; wherein said seat frame consists in left and right longitudinal profiles extending in the same plane; wherein the left, respectively the right, bended leg of the front frame module telescopically extends into the left, respectively the right, profile of the seat frame and includes at least one pair of bores for registering with a plurality of pair of holes provided along said left, respectively said right, profile, said bores and said holes being adapted to receive the shank of a screw.

With such an arrangement, the wheelchair may be easily dissociated or adapted to the needs of the user.

In particular, each module can be easily replaced or changed when they are d or do not correspond to the needs or s of the user.

Moreover, the connection means between the seat module and the other modules enable step-less adjustment of the on of the seat in a rear-to-front ion and/or in a bottom-to-top direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be better understood with the aid of the description of an embodiment given by way of example and illustrated by the figures, in which: - Figure 1 illustrates a front perspective view of a wheelchair according to an embodiment of the invention; - Figure 2 is a side view of the wheelchair of Figure 1; - Figure 3 is a front perspective exploded view of the wheelchair of Figure 1, showing the different connection means used for connecting the backrest, front O - 21/12/2012 frame and rear wheel modules of the wheelchair to the left e of the seat module; - Figure 4 is a front perspective ed view of the wheelchair of Figure 1, showing in greater detail the upper part of the right connecting element used for connecting the rear wheel module to the seat module; - Figure 5 is a front view of the wheelchair of Figure 1, showing in greater detail the upper part of the right connecting element used for connecting the rear wheel module to the seat module; - Figure 6 is a rear perspective exploded view of the wheelchair of Figure 1, showing in greater detail the lower part of the left connecting t used for connecting the rear wheel module to the seat .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; , these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the ion to those skilled in the art.

For the purpose of the present specification, situations and directions of ts of the wheelchair are determined by the perspective of a user seated in the wheelchair. Accordingly, the left side of the wheelchair corresponds to the right side of Figure 1 and vice versa. The situations or ions “up” or “top” and “down” or “bottom”, “rear” or “back” and “front”, “behind” and “in front”, “distal” and “proximal”, “lateral” and “central” follow the same rule. The term “longitudinal” indicates a direction of an element, such as a tube, having, as a major ion component, the rear-to-front direction. Such an element may also to some or to a minor extent be skewed laterally and/or towards the bottom B6522WO - 21/12/2012 or the top. The terms “forward” or “forwardly” and “rearward” or “rearwardly” refer to the direction of motion of the wheelchair. The term “horizontal” refers to a plane parallel to the plane defined by the seat frame when the wheelchair stands on a horizontal plane and the term “vertical” refers to a plane onal to a horizontal plane. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a wheelchair according to the invention is illustrated. The wheelchair 1 comprises four independent s, a seat module 10, a backrest module 20, a front frame module 30 and a rear wheel module 40, that may be easily adjusted or separated.

The seat module 10 comprises a seat frame 11 supporting a seat plate 12 and the backrest module 20 comprises a backrest frame 21 supporting a backrest plate 22. The seat frame 11 consists in left and right longitudinal profiles 11a and 11b, said profiles consisting in the embodiment shown in hollow tubes ing in a substantially parallel rear-to-front direction. Thus, said es 11a, 11b extend in the same plane. In a r embodiment of the present invention, the axes of the profiles 11a, 11b may also extend in the same plane without defining the same direction. The cross section of said profiles 11a, 11b may define a circular form as in the embodiment shown in Figure 1, or other forms, such as an ellipse, a rectangle, a square, a U-shape or e form.

The backrest module 20 is connected to the seat module 10 via left and right angle linking ts 23a and 23b. As shown in detail in Figure 3, each linking element 23a, 23b comprises an L-shape bracket 23c fixedly connected to a tail plug 23d along its ntal n and to the backrest frame 21 along its vertical portion, said tail plug 23d being configured to opically extend into the left or the right profile 11a, 11b. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 3, the tail plug 23d is fixedly connected to the left profile 11a via screws 56 adapted to be received inside bores 54, 55 of the tail plug 23d and the left profile 11a tively. In a further embodiment of the invention, the linking elements 23a and 23b may be configured so as to pivotally connect the backrest module 20 to the seat module 10. The seat plate 12 extends between B6522WO - 21/12/2012 the left and right profiles 11a, 11b. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, said seat plate 12 is integral with said left and right profiles 11a, 11b. Such a configuration es the rigidity of the seat frame 11, and thus, the rigidity of the wheelchair as a whole. Furthermore, such a uration reduces the volume occupied by and the weight of conventional seats in which the seat is generally a bulky and heavy structure. Finally, such a configuration reduces the number of processing steps for making such a seat. Indeed, no fixing means is necessary for connecting the seat plate 12 to the seat frame 11. The seat plate 12 may advantageously be made in a rigid material, and preferably in the same material as the left and right profiles 11a and 11b. Said rigid material may advantageously be a lightweight material, such as a carbon fiber material. To improve the comfort of the wheelchair for the user, this rigid seat plate 12 is provided with parallel slots 16 extending from the rear end 18 of said seat plate 12 in a rear-to-front direction so as to define a plurality of flexible areas 17 in a rear part of said seat plate 12. In a further embodiment of the present invention, a cushion may be attached to the upper side of the seat plate 12, said cushion improving the comfort of the wheelchair. As shown in detail on Figures 4 and 5, the left and right es 11a and 11b are provided with two converging flanges 13c and 13d downwardly extending from the circular periphery of said es 11a, 11b. The role of said flanges 13c and 13d will be ned in the following paragraphs.

The front frame module 30 comprises a front frame 31 including left and right bended legs 31a and 31b, said legs being removably connected at their upper end to the left and right es 11a and 11b respectively and at their lower end to a footrest 32. Each bended leg 31a, 31b is supported by a caster wheel assembly via a caster support 34. Said caster wheel ly consists in a caster fork 35 supporting a caster wheel 36. As shown in detail on Figure 3, each bended leg 31a, 31b consists in a hollow tube telescopically extending into the left or right profiles 11a, 11b. Each bended leg 31a, 31b include at least one pair of bores 51 ng a left-to-right direction, said bores 51 being registered with a pair of holes 52 provided along the left or the right profile 11a, 11b when the legs 31a, 31b are connected to the profiles 11a, 11b. Said bores 51 and B6522WO - 21/12/2012 said holes 52 are configured to receive the shank of a screw 53 so as to bly connect the legs 31a, 31b to the profiles 11a, 11b. In a further ment of the invention, said legs 31a, 31b may be connected to said profiles 11a, 11b via a quick release mechanism. Such a quick e mechanism is known per se.

The rear wheel module 40 comprises left and right rear wheels 41a, 41b pivotally connected to an axle 42, said axle 42 being removably connected to the seat frame 21 h left and right connecting elements 43a and 43b. Said left and right connecting elements 43a, 43b are configured so as to permit a step-less adjustment of the position of the axle 42 with regard to the seat frame 11 in a rear-to-front direction and in a bottom-to-top direction. As shown in detail on Figure 3, said left, respectively said right, connecting element 43a, 43b comprises a tubular element 44 extending in a direction approximately onal to the plane defined by the seat frame 11, a first securing arrangement 60 positioned at the upper end of said tubular element 44 to be fixed with respect to the left, respectively the right, profile 11a, 11b and a second securing arrangement 70 positioned along said tubular element 44, said second securing ement 70 allowing said tubular element 44 to be fixed with respect to the axle 42. The cross section of tubular element 44 may define the same or a similar form as the cross section of the left or right profile 11a, 11b. Thus, as shown in detail on Figures 4 and 6, two converging flanges 13c and 13d downwardly extend from the periphery of the left or right profile 11a or 11b and two converging flanges 45c and 45d rearwardly extend at the periphery of the tubular element 44. The free ends of said flanges 13c and 13d, respectively 45c and 45d, are configured to define a slot 14, respectively a slot 46, ing in a rear-to-front direction, respectively a -to-top ion.

The slot 14, respectively 46, is ured to permit the sliding movement of two screws 62, respectively two screws 72, along said rear-to-front ion, respectively said bottom-to-top direction. Each of said screws 62, respectively 72, cooperates with two nuts 63, respectively two nuts 73, and a mounting piece 61, respectively a mounting piece 71, to define the first securing arrangement 60, respectively the second securing arrangement 70. In particular, each nut 63, B6522WO - 21/12/2012 respectively 73, of the first, respectively the , securing ement 60, respectively 70, has approximately the form of a trapezoidal prism, the nonparallel lateral sides 63c, 63d, respectively 73c, 73d, of said nut 63, respectively 73, abutting against the flanges 13c, 13d, respectively 45c, 45d, when the left or right connecting element 43a, 43b is fixed on the left or right profile 11a, 11b, respectively on the axle 42. The fixation of the left or right ting element 43a, 43b on the left or right profile 11a, 11b, respectively on the axle 42, occurs when each screw 62, respectively 72, is inserted through a hole 61i, respectively a hole 71i, provided in the mounting piece 61, respectively 71, and sits in a threaded hole 63i, respectively a threaded hole 73i, provided in a nut 63, respectively 73. In a further embodiment of the ion, the first, respectively the second, securing arrangement 60, respectively 70, may se only one screw cooperating with only one nut so as to removably connect the left or right ting element 43a, 43b to the left or right profile 11a, 11b, respectively to the axle 42. In a further ment of the ion, the nuts 63 or 73, the mounting piece 61 or 71 and the flanges 13c, 13d or 45c, 45d may have other alternative forms, such alternative forms being configured so that the flanges 13c, 13d or 45c, 45d are ched between the lateral sides 63c, 63d or 73c, 73d of said nuts and the lateral flanges 61c, 61d or 75c, 75d of said ng piece when the left or right connecting element 43a, 43b are fixed on the left or right profile 11a, 11b or on the axle 42. As shown in detail on Figures 4 and 5, the mounting piece 61 ts in a U-shape element extending in a rear-to-front direction, a central n of the bottom flange 61e and a lower portion of the lateral flanges 61c, 61d of said U-shape element 61 extending upwardly from the upper end of the tubular element 44 and being integral therewith. The lateral flanges 61c, 61d of said U-shape element 61 abut against the flanges 13c and 13d of the left or right profile 11a, 11b when the left or right connecting element 43a, 43b is fixed on said left or right profile 11a, 11b. As shown in detail on Figure 6, the mounting piece 71 comprises a cylindrical split ring 74 having forwardly extending U-shape portion 75. Said split ring 74 has a cylindrical aperture 76 extending in a left-to-right direction, said aperture being adapted to receive the axle 42. Said U-shape portion 75 extends B6522WO - 21/12/2012 in a bottom-to-top direction, the lateral flanges 75c, 75d abutting against the flanges 45c and 45d when the left or right ting t 43a, 43b is fixed on the axle 42. In a further embodiment of the ion, the U-shape portion 75 may rearwardly extend from the cylindrical split ring 74. In this case, the flanges 45c and 45d forwardly extend at the periphery of the tubular element 44.

The above detailed description with reference to the drawings illustrates rather than limit the invention. There are numerous alternatives, which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

B6522WO - 21/12/2012

Claims (1)

Claims

1. A wheelchair comprising: - a seat module including a seat frame supporting a seat; 5 - a backrest module including a backrest frame connected to said seat frame and supporting a backrest; - a front frame module including a front frame, said front frame including left and right bended legs removably connected at their upper end to said seat frame and at their lower end to a footrest, said bended legs being supported by caster 10 wheel lies via caster support; - a rear wheel module including left and right rear wheels pivotally connected to an axle, said rear wheel module being removably connected to said seat module through left and right connecting elements; wherein said seat frame consists of left and right longitudinal es extending 15 in the same plane; wherein said left, respectively said right, connecting t comprises a tubular element extending in a direction approximately orthogonal to the plane d by the seat frame, a first securing ement positioned at the upper end of said tubular element, said first securing arrangement allowing said 20 tubular element to be fixed with respect to the left, respectively the right, profile of the seat frame, and a second securing arrangement oned along said tubular element, said second securing arrangement allowing said tubular element to be fixed with respect to the axle of the rear wheel module; and wherein said first, respectively said second, ng arrangement comprises a 25 nut, a screw and a mounting piece, said screw being adapted to slide inside a slot provided in the seat frame, respectively in the tubular element of the left or right connecting element, said screw being also adapted to be inserted through B6522NZ3 -