Reclinable wheelchair

• US 4,966,379 A
• Filed: 02/16/1988
• Issued: 10/30/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mulholland Designs Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mulholland Designs Incorporated
• Inventors: Mulholland, Lawrence K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, Charles A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOEHLER, ANNE MARIE M
• Application Number:
  US07/155,998
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: 280/242 WC, 280/289 WC, 280/647, 280/648, 280/649, 280/650, 280/42, 280/242.1, 280/657, 280/658, 280/250.1, 297/DIG. 4
• US Class Current: 280/242.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/00 Chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs chairs with toilet conveniences A47K11/04; devices enabling patients or disabled persons to operate an apparatus or device not forming part of the body A61F4/00; running gear or propulsion features B60K; bicycles specially adapted for disabled riders B62K3/16 ; Invalid chairs having removable seats specially adapted to be transferred with the invalid to a vehicle and support the invalid during use of the vehicle A61G3/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/006 convertible to stretchers or beds
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/08 foldable
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/0816 folding side to side, e.g. reducing or expanding the overall width of the wheelchair
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1059 adjusting the height of the seat
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1062 adjusting the width of the seat
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/107 positioning the whole seat forward or rearward
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1075 tilting the whole seat backwards tilting forwards for standing-up or sitting-down aids A61G5/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/128 for feet

Abstract

A wheelchair having opposing sideframes each of which comprise a base section which is pivotally connected by a brace member to an inclinable seat section. An extender mechanism interconnects the seat section to a brace member and provides releasable securement for a wheelchair seat at selected angular positions. Backrest bars are independently adjustable with a similar extender mechanism that interconnects the bars with a respective seat section. The sideframes are spaced-apart with hinged spacer bars which includes a latching device for releasably securing the bars in an open position. The bar and frame sections have elongated slots containing fasteners for adjustable connections with fasteners from adjunct wheelchair assemblies.

Claims

1. In a wheelchair having two spaced-apart laterally aligned structurally independent sideframe structures which cooperatively support wheelchair wheels, a seat and backrest;

each one of said sideframe structures comprising;

a base frame section;

an angularly adjustable seat section connected to said base section by brace means comprising a first brace member pivotally connecting a back portion of said base section with said seat section and a second brace member pivotally connecting a forward portion of said base section with said seat section whereby each brace member provides a dual axis of rotation for movement of said seat section; and

,

a seat extender means interconnecting one of said brace members and said seat section having a seat housing through which extends a movable seat shaft including a seat locking means for releasably securing said shaft whereby said seat section can be moved to a desired position and be releasably maintained at said position by said locking means.

2. The sideframe of claim 1 wherein said base section and said seat section each comprise an elongated structural element.

3. The sideframe of claim 2 wherein said brace members incline toward each other and each member has opposing ends with a joint assembly proximate each end.

4. The sideframe of claim 2 wherein said seat housing is pivotally connected to said one of said brace members and said seat shaft is connected to said seat section.

5. The sideframe of claim 2 wherein each brace means includes a side plate adjacent each brace member pivotally interconnecting said seat section and said base section.

6. The sideframe of claim 5 wherein each of said elongated structural elements have opposing sides and said side plate is mounted on a side of each corresponding elongated structural element directly opposite and coextensive with each respective brace member.

7. The sideframe of claim 6 wherein said seat housing is pivotally connected to one of said brace members and a directly opposite side plate.

8. The sideframe structure of claim 1 including a backrest bar pivotally connected to said seat section.

9. The sideframe structure of claim 8 including a backrest extender means pivotally interconnecting said backrest bar and said seat section.

10. The sideframe of claim 9 wherein said backrest extender means comprises a backrest housing through which moves a backrest shaft including a backrest locking means for releasably securing said backrest shaft either one of, said backrest housing or backrest shaft being pivotally connected to said seat section with the other of said backrest shaft or backrest housing being pivotally connected to said backrest bar whereby said backrest bar can be inclined to a desired position relative to said seat section and be releasably maintained at said position by said backrest locking means.

11. The sideframe of claim 1 including seat actuating means for remotely operating said seat extender means.

12. The sideframe of claim 10 including backrest actuating means for remotely operating said backrest extender means.

13. The sideframe of claim 9 including a front leg section pivotally connected to said seat section;

and,

an adjustable strut means interconnecting said leg section and seat section to releasably secure the leg section at a desired angular position.

14. In a wheelchair having a seat, backrest means and wheels supported by a framework, said framework including:

a pair of spaced-apart structurally independent sideframes which are aligned on each lateral side of said wheelchair, each sideframe comprising a seat section adjustably separated from a base section by a brace means providing four axes of rotation comprising a first brace member connecting a back portion of said base section to said seat section and a second brace member connecting a forward portion of said base section to said seat section, each brace member having opposing ends with joint means for forming dual axis pivot connections with said seat section and said base section;

said sideframe including a seat extender means pivotally joining said seat section to one of said brace members, said seat extender means including a seat locking means for releasably securing said seat section at a desired position relative to said base section.

15. The wheelchair of claim 14 including a folding assembly connected to each sideframe for releasably spacing one sideframe from the other.

16. The wheelchair of claim 15 wherein said folding assembly includes at least one pair of spacer bars having pivotally connected inner end portions and outer ends attached to a respective sideframe.

17. The wheelchair of claim 16 wherein said outer ends are attached to said brace members.

18. The wheelchair of claim 17 wherein said folding assembly includes latching means for releasably securing said spacer bars in an open position.

19. The wheelchair of claim 14 wherein said backrest means includes a pair of backrest bars each being pivotally connected to a respective seat section;

and,

a backrest extender means pivotally interconnecting each backrest bar with a respective seat section.

20. The wheelchair of claim 19 wherein said backrest extender means includes a backrest locking means for releasably securing said backrest bars at a desired position relative to said seat section.

21. The wheelchair of claim 20 wherein said backrest bars include lateral slots which contain slidable bar fasteners and each of said backrest bars are connected to a respective seat section by backrest link means that include link fasteners which engage said slidable bar fasteners.

22. The wheelchair of claim 20 including a front leg section pivotally connected to said seat section;

and,

an adjustable strut means interconnecting said leg section and seat section to releasably secure the leg section at a desired angular position.

23. A wheelchair having a seat, backrest and wheels which are supported by two opposing structurally independent lateral sideframe structures, each sideframe structure comprising:

a base section;

a seat section spaced-apart and angularly movable on four axes of rotation relative to said base section;

brace means pivotally connecting each of said seat section and said base section, said brace means comprising a first brace member interconnecting a back portion of said base section with said seat section and a second brace member interconnecting a forward portion of said base section with said seat section, each of said brace members having opposing ends provided with joint means for forming respective pivot connections with said base section and said seat section; and

,

seat extender means interconnecting said seat section and one of said brace members for regulating the angular displacement of said seat section relative to said base section.

24. The sideframe of claim 23 wherein said seat extender means comprises a seat housing with a seat shaft movable through said housing, either one of said housing or shaft connected to said one brace member and either one of or other of said housing or shaft connected to said sat section, said seat extender means including a seat locking means for securing said shaft at a selected position relative to said housing.

25. The sideframe of claim 23 wherein said brace members are inclined toward each other and, said seat extender means includes remote actuating means for operating said locking means.

26. The sideframe of claim 25 wherein said brace means includes side plates pivotally connected to each of said base section and seat section, each side plate extending parallel and coextensively with a respective associated brace member.

27. The sideframe of claim 26 wherein said pivot joint assemblies include a joint shaft common to each side plate and brace member connection.