Foldable cover for the overhead protection of an occupant of a wheelchair or other wheeled vehicle

• US 20070018486A1
• Filed: 07/22/2005
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ada Bull, Ronald Ayers
• Original Assignee: Ada Bull, Ronald Ayers
• Inventors: Ayers, Ronald, Bull, Ada
• Granted Patent: US 7,316,450 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/184.150
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/66 Means to protect against weather
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/045 Rear wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/10 Parts, details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1054 Large wheels, e.g. higher than the seat portion

Abstract

Two embodiments of a foldable cover for protecting the occupant of a wheelchair or other wheeled vehicle is described. The foldable cover includes a frame having two sections, a back section and a top section cantileverable from the back section over the normal space provided for an occupant. A mounting bar for rigidly mounting the back section and, hence, the remainder of the foldable cover is provided with both embodiments. The back section is pivotally connected to the mounting bar for pivoting movement between a stowed position in which such cover is out of the way of the occupant in a protected position in which it and the cantilevered top section cooperate to cover the occupant.

Claims

1. A foldable cover for the overhead protection of an occupant of a wheeled vehicle, which cover is storable on the wheeled vehicle when not in use in a position facilitating erection to provide said overhead protection, the cover comprising:

A. A frame having at least two sections;

a back section and a top section cantileverable from said back section over the normal space provided by said vehicle for said occupant, said frame being rigidly securable to said vehicle with said back section pivotally connected for switching said cover between a stowed position on said vehicle and a protective position covering the occupant space; and

B. A flexible covering supported by said frame sections.

2. The foldable cover of claim 1 wherein a hinge securance of said top section to said back section is provided, which hinge securance includes an interference position between frame members which provides a cantileverable relationship between said back and top sections.

3. The foldable cover of claim 1 wherein said frame is made up of polyethylene plastic bars.

4. The foldable cover of claim 1 wherein said frame is made up of a plurality of spring wires.

5. The foldable cover of claim 1 wherein said top section includes a pair of components, the front section component of said two top section components having a transverse width sized to fit within the transverse width of said back section when said foldable cover is in said stowed position.

6. The foldable cover of claim 5 wherein the other of said two top section component is a midsection sandwiched between said back section and said front section component, said midsection being hingedly secured to said back section for pivotal movement between a stowed position generally adjacent said back section and said cantilevered position in which said two top section components are cantilevered serially from said back section over the normal space provided by said vehicle for said occupant.

7. The foldable cover of claim 1 further including a mount bar which is an intermediate between said frame and said vehicle;

said mount bar being adapted for rigid securance to said wheeled vehicle, and the back section of said frame being pivotally secured to said mount bar for switching said cover between said stowed position and said protective position.

8. The foldable cover of claim 7 wherein said mount bar includes means for securance of said back section to differing wheeled vehicles.

9. The foldable cover of claim 8 wherein said means for securance is a quick release mechanism.

10. The foldable cover of claim 1 in which one or more air vents are provided in the covering.

11. The foldable cover of claim 1 wherein said flexible covering is transparent.

12. The foldable cover of claim 1 wherein said flexible covering is generally opaque but includes a transparent window at the location for the back of the head of an occupant of said vehicle.

13. The foldable cover of claim 1 wherein a bag enclosure is provided for enclosing the foldable cover when it is in its stowed position.

14. A frame for a foldable cover for the overhead protection of an occupant of a wheeled vehicle, said frame having at least two sections:

a back section and a top section hingedly secured to said back section and cantileverable therefrom over the normal space provided by said vehicle for said occupant.

15. The frame of claim 14 wherein said top section has two top section components, one of which is a midsection sandwiched between said back section and the other of said two top sections, said midsection having a hinge securance to said back section that includes an interference position between frame members providing a cantilevered position.

16. The frame for a foldable cover of claim 14 further including a mount bar in combination with said frame adapted to rigidly secure said back section and, hence, the remainder of said foldable cover to said vehicle;

said back section being pivotally connected to said mount bar for movement between a stowed position and a protective position in which said back section and said cantileverable top section cooperate to cover the space for an occupant of said wheeled vehicle.

17. The frame of claim 14 wherein the top section has two components, one of which is a front section component having a transverse width sized to fit within the transverse width of said back section when said foldable cover is in its stowed position.

18. The frame of claim 17 wherein the other of said two top section components is a midsection sandwiched between said back section and said front section component;

said midsection being hingedly secured to said back section for pivotal movement between a folded position generally adjacent said back section and said cantileverable position in which said two top sections are cantilevered from said back section in a serial fashion over the normal space provided by said vehicle for said occupant.

19. A mount bar for rigidly securing an attachment to a wheeled vehicle, said mount bar having structure for mounting the attachment thereto and a quick release mechanism for selective rigid securance of said bar to a wheeled vehicle.