SE1951163A1 - A post for a footrest of a wheelchair or shower chair, and a corresponding footrest and a wheelchair or shower chair - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a post (10) for holding a heel-support strap of a footrest of a wheelchair or shower chair, the post having an elongated extension along an axis (X-X). The post (10) comprises an upper portion (20) for receiving a heel-support strap, and a lower portion (30) for connecting the post to a footrest. Further, the post has a bendable portion (25) with a shape that makes the post bendable at the bendable portion (25). The invention further relates to a footrest comprising such a post and a shower chair or wheelchair comprising such a footrest.

Description

A POST FOR A FOOTREST OF A WHEELCHAIR OR SHOWER CHAIR, AND ACORRESPONDING FOOTREST AND A WHEELCHAIR OR SHOWER CHAIR Technical field 1. 1. id="p-1" id="p-1"

[0001] The present invention relates generally to a post for a footrest of awheelchair or shower chair, a footrest comprising such a post and a wheelchair orshower chair comprising such a footrest.

Background art 2. 2. id="p-2" id="p-2"

[0002] Wheelchairs and shower chairs are often equipped with two footrests,each footrest being adapted to support a foot of the user of the wheelchair orshower chair. A shower chair may also be called mobile shower commode orshower commode chair. Said footrests are mounted at the front of the chair, belowa seat of the chair and at either side of the chair, in order to fit a normal position ofthe user's feet, when the user sits on the seat of the chair. Each footrest has afootrest plate on which the user's foot is positioned. 3. 3. id="p-3" id="p-3"

[0003] As shown in US patent 4463985 each footrest may also have a heel-support strap, which purpose is to support the user's heel so that the foot does notslip off the footrest backwards. For this reason, the heel-support strap is positionedat the rear of the footrest plate and above the footrest plate. The strap isconnected to metallic posts at each end, the metallic posts being connected to thefootrest plate. The strap is telescopically arranged around the metallic post at eachend, and the metallic post is realized by a screw and nut combination. 4. 4. id="p-4" id="p-4"

[0004] When using metallic posts for securing the heel-support straps, there hasbeen complaints from users that they hurt their feet against the metallic posts,when for example entering the wheel chair. ln order to solve this problem, thefootrest presented in European patent EP 2384729 has posts with an upper partmade of a flexible plastic material and a lower part that is made of a hardermaterial for fastening the post to the footrest plate. When a user wouldaccidentally hit such a post, the post will flex and thereby it is avoided that the usergets hurt, at least on the upper part of the post. . . id="p-5" id="p-5"

[0005] However, there is still a need of other different posts for footrests. Forexample, such a post as in EP 2384729 needs to be manufactured in at least twodifferent materials, one flexible material for the upper part and one rigid materialfor fastening to the footrest plate.

Summag of invention 6. 6. id="p-6" id="p-6"

[0006] lt is an object of the invention to address at least some of the problemsand issues outlined above. lt is an object of embodiments of the invention toachieve a post for a footrest for a wheelchair or shower chair that can keep a heel-support strap in position at normal use of the footrest but that can flex when beingexerted to high strain from e.g. accidental hits from a user's foot. lt is possible toachieve these objects and others by using a post, a footrest and a wheelchair orshower chair as defined in the attached independent claims. 7. 7. id="p-7" id="p-7"

[0007] According to an aspect of the invention, a post for a footrest of awheelchair or shower chair is described that has a lower portion for attachment toa footrest and an upper portion adapted to receive a heel-support strap. Further,the post has a bendable portion with a shape that makes the post bendable at thebendable portion. Hereby it is achieved that the post bends when gettingaccidentally hit by the user and the user avoids injuries from hitting a hard, rigidpost. Further, by making the post bendable using a shape that makes it bendableinstead of a material that makes it bendable as in prior art, the post can be manufactured in one and the same material. 8. 8. id="p-8" id="p-8"

[0008] According to an embodiment, the bendable portion has an accordionshape. l.e. it has first sections with a diameter perpendicular to an extension axisof the post, the diameter being smaller than the diameter that the rest of the posthas. The first sections are separated by second sections having a larger diameterthan the first sections. The second section may have the same diameter as therest of the post. Such an accordion shape has proven to provide a durablebendable portion that is bended in a controlled way when being exerted to high strain. 9. 9. id="p-9" id="p-9"

[0009] According to another aspect, a footrest for a wheelchair or shower chairis provided, which footrest comprises a footrest plate and at least one post asdescribed above fastened to the footrest plate by using an attachment device suchas a screw. The footrest further comprises a heel-support strap that is attachedwith one end to the upper portion of one such post. The other end of the heel-support strap may be attached to a similar post or it may be attached to a footrest rod that connects the footrest plate to the rest of the wheelchair or shower chair. . . id="p-10" id="p-10"

[0010] According to an embodiment, the post has an oblong opening in its upperportion for receiving the end of the heel-support strap. The end of the heel-supportstrap is then passed through the oblong opening and fastened to a section of theheel-support strap which has not been passed through the opening via Velcro®fastening means attached to the end and to the section. 11. 11. id="p-11" id="p-11"

[0011] According to another aspect, a wheelchair or shower chair is provided,comprising a footrest as described above with at least one post as described above. 12. 12. id="p-12" id="p-12"

[0012] Further possible features and benefits of this solution will become apparent from the detailed description below.

Brief description of drawinqs 13. 13. id="p-13" id="p-13"

[0013] The invention is now described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 14. 14. id="p-14" id="p-14"

[0014] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a shower chair equipped with two footrests according to embodiments of the invention. . . id="p-15" id="p-15"

[0015] Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the two footrests of the showerchair of fig. 1 when attached to the shower chair. 16. 16. id="p-16" id="p-16"

[0016] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a footrest according to embodiments of the invenüon. 17. 17. id="p-17" id="p-17"

[0017] Fig. 4a is a side view of a post for holding a heel-support strap of afootrest according to embodiments of the invention. 18. 18. id="p-18" id="p-18"

[0018] Fig. 4b is a front view of the post of fig. 4a.[0019] Fig. 4c is a cross-sectional view along section A-A of the post of fig. 4b.[0020] Fig. 4d is a view from below of the post of fig. 4a. 21. 21. id="p-21" id="p-21"

[0021] Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a part of fig. 4b, showing the accordion shape according to embodiments in more detail. 22. 22. id="p-22" id="p-22"

[0022] Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the cross-sectional view of fig. 4c showingthe accordion shape and the lower portion in more detail, according to an embodiment.

Description of embodiments 23. 23. id="p-23" id="p-23"

[0023] ln the following, a detailed description of different embodiments of the invention is described. 24. 24. id="p-24" id="p-24"

[0024] Fig. 1 shows an example of a shower chair 100 having two footrests 1according to an embodiment of the invention. The shower chair 100 comprises aseat 102 and a backrest 101. The shower chair 100 further comprises a framework103 connecting the seat 102 to the backrest 101 and holding the shower chair 100up. To the lowest part of the framework 103 there are wheels 104 attached.Further, the footrests 1 are attached to the framework 103 at a lower front part ofthe shower chair 100 in order to fit a user's respective left and right foot when auser sits on the seat 102. Even though the shown chair is a shower chair, the invention is also applicable to a wheelchair. . . id="p-25" id="p-25"

[0025] ln the close-up view of fig. 2 it is shown that the footrests 1 each has afootrest plate 2 onto which the user is to put his/her respective left or right foot.Each footrest plate 2 is connected to a respective rod 4, which rods 4 connect thefootrests 1 to the framework 103 of the shower chair 100. Each footrest 1 further has a heel-support strap 5, aka heel strap, to avoid that the user's foot slips off the footrest plate 2 backwards. The hee| strap 5 is connected with one end to the rod4. The footrest 1 further has a post 10 that is connected to a part of the footrestplate 2 distal to where the hee| strap 5 connects with the rod 4. ln an alternativeembodiment, each footrest may have two posts 10 fastened to the footrest plate atopposite end parts of the footrest plate 2. ln this alternative embodiment, the hee| strap extends between the two posts instead of between the rod 4 and the post 10.

The post 10 (or two posts as in the alternative embodiment) is/are arranged at aback part of the footrest plate 2, i.e. the part closest to the framework 103 of thechair. 26. 26. id="p-26" id="p-26"

[0026] Fig. 3 shows one footrest 1 not yet connected to a shower chair 100 or toa wheelchair. One end of the hee| strap 5 is attached to the rod 4 by surroundingthe periphery of part of the rod 4. The opposite end of the hee| strap 5 is threadthrough an oblong opening 21 (see fig. 4a) of an upper part 20 of the post 10 andfolded back around a half of the circumference of the post 10, and attached to apart of the hee| strap 5 that has not been thread through the oblong opening 21.The attachment of the hee| strap 5 to itself may be via Velcro® fasteners attachedto the opposite end and to the part not thread through the oblong opening 21.Hereby the hee| strap 5 can be easily released from the post 10 if for some reason the hee| strap is not to be used. 27. 27. id="p-27" id="p-27"

[0027] The footrest plate 2 is further equipped with a hole 6 at the positionwhere the post 10 is situated. The footrest further has an attachment device 7 forconnecting the post to the footrest plate. Fig. 3 shows the post 10 and theattachment device 7 in an exploded view so that the hole 6 is visible. Whenconnected, the attachment device 7 is fed through the hole 6 and into acorresponding bore 32 (see fig. 4c) of the post 10. The attachment device 7 maybe a screw and the bore 32 may have a threading 33 (see fig. 6) corresponding toa threading of the screw 7. 28. 28. id="p-28" id="p-28"

[0028] Figs. 4a-4d show an embodiment of the post 10 for holding a hee| strap 5of a footrest 1 of a wheelchair or shower chair according to the invention. The post10 has an elongated extension along an axis X-X. The post 10 comprises an upper portion 20 for receiving a hee| strap 5, and a lower portion 30 for connecting the post to a footrest plate. Further, the post has a bendable portion 25 with ashape that makes the post bendable at the bendable portion. 29. 29. id="p-29" id="p-29"

[0029] ln other words, the shape of the bendable portion is selected so that thepost in a mechanical way becomes bendable at the bendable portion. ln yet otherwords, the post is in a mechanical way weakened to bending forces at thebendable portion. The shape of the bendable portion 25 is different from a shapeof portions of the post that are outside of the bendable portion, for exampledifferent from a shape of the upper portion 20 and different from a shape of thelower portion 30. The bendable portion 25 extends along a part of a whole lengthof the post. . . id="p-30" id="p-30"

[0030] By such an arrangement, if a user of the wheelchair or shower chairaccidentally hits the post with for example a foot, the post will flex and the user'sfoot will not get hurt, or at least such a hit will result in much less pain for the userthan if the post would have been rigid. Further, by making the post with a bendableportion that has a shape that makes the post bendable, instead of making a postwhich upper part is of a flexible plastic material, the whole post can be made inone and the same material, which will result in a less complicated and therebymore cost-efficient post. When the post has a part that is made of a flexible plasticmaterial, as in EP 2384729 there has to be another stiffer material at the lowerportion in order to securely connect the post to the footrest plate. 31. 31. id="p-31" id="p-31"

[0031] According to an embodiment, at least a part of the bendable portion 25has a smaller cross-sectional area than a cross-sectional area of the lower portion30 and possibly also than a cross-sectional area of the upper portion 20. As thecross-sectional area is smaller in the bendable portion, a smaller cross-sectionalarea at the bendable portion means that the post is more prone to bending herethan at the other portions of the post, in other words, the bendable portion has ashape that makes the post bendable at the bendable portion. This is especiallytrue when the material is the same at the bendable portion and the lower portion,or that the material is stiffer at the lower portion than at the bendable portion. Thecross-sectional area is an area perpendicular to the axis X-X. 32. 32. id="p-32" id="p-32"

[0032] According to an embodiment, the bendable portion 25 and at least aportion of the lower portion 30 are made of the same material. 33. 33. id="p-33" id="p-33"

[0033] According to an embodiment, and as mentioned in relation to fig. 3, theupper part 20 presents an oblong opening 21 for receiving the heel-support strap5. Preferably, the oblong opening 21 has a length that is larger than a width of theheel-support strap 5 that is to be inserted into the oblong opening 21. Hereby the heel-support strap does not have to be folded to be inserted into the opening. 34. 34. id="p-34" id="p-34"

[0034] According to another embodiment, the bendable portion 25 is arrangedbetween the upper portion 20 and the lower portion 30. Hereby, the bending of thepost will take place shortly above an upper surface of the footrest plate 2. Theoblong opening 21 preferably ends before the bendable portion 25 starts, in a direction along the longitudinal axis X-X. . . id="p-35" id="p-35"

[0035] ln the embodiment of the figures, the shape of the bendable portion 25 isan accordion-shape extending along the axis X-X. However, other shapes mayapply that makes the post bend in the bendable portion due to its shape. Anaccordion shape has shown to be good for achieving a controlled bending and atthe same time have good durability. The accordion-shape is preferably arrangedconcentric with the longitudinal axis X-X. 36. 36. id="p-36" id="p-36"

[0036] According to an embodiment, the post 10 is made of a material that issubstantially non-flexible, i.e. non-elastic. That the material of the post is non-elastic signifies that the material has non-elastic properties. The non-elasticmaterial may be a plastic non-elastic material, preferably a thermoplastic material. 37. 37. id="p-37" id="p-37"

[0037] Further, as shown in fig. 4c and 4d, and as mentioned in relation to fig. 3,the lower portion 30 of the post presents a bore 32 for receiving a fastening device7 connecting the post 10 to the footrest plate 2. The bore 32 enters the post 10from the underside, i.e. it extends parallel to and preferably coaxial with the axis X-X. 38. 38. id="p-38" id="p-38"

[0038] Further, as shown in fig. 4c and in fig. 6, the bore 32 may have aninternal threading 33 for receiving a fastening device 7 realized as a screw adapted to connect the post to a footrest. ln other words, when the fasteningdevice is a screw, the screw is fed through the hole 6 of the footrest plate 2 andinto the bore 32 where it is screwed into the bore via a co-operation between theinternal threading 33 of the bore 32 and a corresponding threading of the screw 7.The internal threading 33 may be made in the same substantially non-flexiblematerial as the rest of the post. As an alternative, to create an even strongerconnection, the internal threading 33 may be part of a threading insert made ofmetal, such as brass. ln this alternative, the threading insert is fastened e.g.casted to the post 10, in the bore 32. 39. 39. id="p-39" id="p-39"

[0039] The post shown in the figures have a circular cross-section (see fig. 4d).However, other cross-sectional shapes may be used, such as a square-shaped cross-section or other polygonal shape. 40. 40. id="p-40" id="p-40"

[0040] Fig. 5 shows a close-up view of a part of the accordion-shapedembodiment of the bendable portion 25, and fig. 6 shows, except for a close-up view of the accordion-shaped portion, also an embodiment of the lower portion 30. 41. 41. id="p-41" id="p-41"

[0041] The accordion-shaped bendable portion 25 may be made up from aplurality of first sections 26 having a first length l1 in a direction perpendicular tothe axis X-X. The plurality of first sections 26 are mutually separated by a pluralityof second sections 27 having a second length l2 perpendicular to the axis X-X. Thefirst length l1 is smaller than the second length Iz. Further, the first length l1 issmaller than a third length la of the post perpendicular to the axis X-X outside thebendable portion 25, for example at the lower portion 30. According to theembodiment shown in the figures, the third length la is the same as the secondlength Iz. According to an alternative, the first length l1 may be different for differentfirst sections 26 of the bendable portion 25. Also or alternatively, the second lengthIz may be different for different second sections 27. 42. 42. id="p-42" id="p-42"

[0042] According to an embodiment, the first sections 26 each has a first widthw1 parallel to the axis X-X, and the second sections 27 each has a second widthwz parallel to the axis X-X. The second width w2 is larger than the first width w1.According to an alternative, the first width w1 may be different for different first sections 26 of the bendable portion 25. Also or alternatively, the second width w2may be different for different second sections 27. For example, there may beshorter second widths at the second sections that are situated in the middle of thebendable portion than for the second sections c|osest to the upper portion 20 andthe lower portion 30, in order to facilitate bending in the middle. 43. 43. id="p-43" id="p-43"

[0043] According to another embodiment, the second sections 27 are tapered ina direction away from the axis X-X. Preferably, the second sections are onlyslightly tapered, so that a side of a first second section has an angle oi towards aside of another second section facing the side of the first second section. By sucha tapering of the second sections, the bending will be easier performed at the accordion-shaped portion. 44. 44. id="p-44" id="p-44"

[0044] According to an alternative of the accordion-shaped embodiment, thebendable portion 25 is made bendable by being tapered in the axial direction fromboth the upper portion 20 and the lower portion 30 towards a middle of the bendable portion. 45. 45. id="p-45" id="p-45"

[0045] Although the description above contains a plurality of specificities, theseshould not be construed as limiting the scope of the concept described herein butas merely providing illustrations of some exemplifying embodiments of thedescribed concept. lt will be appreciated that the scope of the presently describedconcept fully encompasses other embodiments which may become obvious tothose skilled in the art, and that the scope of the presently described concept isaccordingly not to be limited. Reference to an element in the singular is notintended to mean "one and only one" unless explicitly so stated, but rather "one ormore." All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the above-described embodiments that are known to those of ordinary skill in the art areexpressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassedhereby. Moreover, it is not necessary for an embodiment to address each andevery problem sought to be solved by the presently described concept, for it to beencompassed hereby.

Claims (15)

1. A post (10) for holding a heel-support strap of a footrest of a wheelchairor shower chair, the post having an elongated extension along an axis (X-X), thepost (10) comprising: an upper portion (20) for receiving a heel-support strap, and a lower portion (30) for connecting the post to a footrest, characterizedin that the post has a bendable portion (25) with a shape that makes the postbendable at the bendable portion.

2. Post according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the bendable portion(25) has a smaller cross-sectional area than a cross-sectional area of the lowerportion (30) and possibly also than a cross-sectional area of the upper portion(20).

3. Post according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bendable portion (25) and at least a portion of the lower portion (30) are made of the same material.

4. Post (10) according to any of claims 1-3, wherein the bendable portion (25) is arranged between the upper portion (20) and the lower portion (30).

5. Post (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the shape ofthe bendable portion (25) is an accordion-shape extending along the axis (X-X).

6. Post (10) according to claim 5, wherein the accordion-shaped bendableportion (25) is made up from a plurality of first sections (26) having a first length (l1)perpendicular to the axis (X-X) and being mutually separated by a plurality ofsecond sections (27) having a second length (Iz) perpendicular to the axis (X-X),the second length (Iz) being larger than the first length (l1).

7. Post (10) according to claim 6, wherein the first sections (26) have a firstwidth (w1) parallel to the axis (X-X), and the second sections (27) have a secondwidth (w2) parallel to the axis (X-X), and the second width (w2) is larger than thefirst width (w1). 11

8. Post (10) according to any of claims 6-7, wherein the second sections(27) are tapered in a direction away from the axis (X-X).

9. Post (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the post(10) is made of a material that is substantially non-elastic.

10. Post (10) according to c|aim 9, wherein the substantially non-elasticmaterial is a plastic non-elastic material, preferably a thermoplastic material.

11. Post (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the lowerportion (30) presents a bore (32) for receiving a fastening device (7) that is toconnect the post to a footrest plate.

12. Post (10) according to c|aim 11, wherein the bore (32) has an internalthreading (33) for receiving a fastening device (7) realized as a screw adapted toconnect the post to a footrest plate.

13. Post (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the upperpart (20) presents an oblong opening (21) for receiving a heel-support strap (5).

14. Footrest (1) for a wheelchair or a shower chair, the footrest (1)comprising: a footrest plate (2); a post (10) according to any of claims 1-13, which lower portion (30) isfastened to the footrest plate (2), and a heel-support strap (5) connected at one end to the upper portion(20) of the post (10).

15. Wheelchair or shower chair (100) comprising at least one footrest (1) according to c|aim 14.