Deformity back system

• US 5,407,248 A
• Filed: 08/23/1993
• Issued: 04/18/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RIK Medical LLC (3M Company), Alden B. Hanson, Alden Laboratories, Inc., Chris A. Hanson, Flowfit Medical, LLC, Pressure Relief Technologies, Inc., Quickie Designs, Inc., Sunrise Medical Hhg Incorporated (Sunrise Medical Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: JAY Medical, Ltd.
• Inventors: Dyer, John A., Dinsmoor, John C. III, Jay, Eric C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Peter R.
• Application Number:
  US08/110,489
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 297/284.1, 297/284.3, 297/284.4, 297/284.5, 297/284.7, 297/284.9, 297/440.2, 297/452.29, 297/452.31, 297/452.36, 297/452.37 , 297/DIG. 4, 297/DIG. 6, 297/464, 5/464, 5/465, 5/481
• US Class Current: 297/284.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2210/10 for orthopedics
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1064 adjusting the depth of the seat
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1067 adjusting the backrest relative to the seat portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1091 Cushions, seats or abduction devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/12 Rests specially adapted therefor, e.g. for the head or the feet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 297/04 Wheelchair
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 297/06 Hook and loop type fastener

Abstract

A wheelchair back system adapted to provide a customized fit to the user. The system includes a rigid back shell removably affixed to the wheelchair, a plurality of foam blocks, and a pad member containing flowable fluid material. The back shell has a forward facing, front surface and the foam blocks are removably positionable forward of the back shell to form a substantially continuous layer of foam of substantially uniform depth forward of the back shell. Each foam block is individually and separately removable to provide a recessed area in the otherwise continuous layer of foam to provide a customized fit to the user. The pad member overlies the front surface of the foam blocks and is received in any recessed area formed by the removal of a foam block. In this manner, the system can be customized to the deformities or other abnormalities of each individual user.

Claims

1. A wheelchair back system adapted to support the back of a human, said system being adapted to provide customized fit to a wheelchair user, said system comprising:

a rigid back shell;

mounting means to removably affix said rigid back shell to a wheelchair;

a plurality of foam blocks, said back shell having a front surface and said system further including means for removably attaching said foam blocks to the front surface of said back shell, said foam blocks further having a front surface and providing a substantially continuous layer of foam of substantially uniform depth over the front surface of said back shell, said foam blocks being individually and separately removable from said back shell to provide a recessed area in said substantially continuous layer of foam to provide customized fit to wheelchair users; and

a pad member being sized to overlie the front surface of said foam blocks, said system further including means for attaching said pad member to the front surface of said foam blocks and to the front surface of said rigid back shell in any recessed area formed by the removal of a block.

2. The back system as described in claim 1 having a transition wedge placed in a recessed area formed by the removal of a foam block, said transition wedge providing a sloped surface between the front surface of said rigid back shell in said recessed area and the front surface of an adjacent foam block.

3. The back system as described in claim 1 having a build-up pad and means for attaching said build-up pad to the front surface of a foam block, said build-up pad providing a more customized conformity with the back.

4. The back system as described in claim 1 having at least one adjustable lateral support and means for attaching said lateral support to the front surface of said foam blocks.

5. The back system as described in claim 1 wherein said pad member comprises an envelope containing a flowable fluid material.

6. A wheelchair back system adapted to support the back of a human, said system being adapted to provide customized fit to a wheelchair user, said system comprising:

a rigid back shell;

mounting means to removably affix said rigid back shell to a wheelchair;

a plurality of foam blocks and a thin shim interposed between said rigid shell and said foam blocks, said thin shim having a front surface and said system further including means for removably attaching said foam blocks to the front surface of said thin shim, said foam blocks providing a substantially continuous layer of foam of substantially uniform depth over the front surface of said thin shim, said foam blocks being individually and separately removable from said thin shim to provide a recessed area in said substantially continuous layer of foam to provide customized fit to wheelchair users; and

a pad member being sized to overlie the front surface of said foam blocks, said system further including means for attaching said pad member to the front surface of said foam blocks and to the front surface of said thin shim in any recessed area formed by the removal of a block.

7. The back system as described in claim 6 having a cover, said cover enclosing said thin shim, said foam blocks and said pad member, said cover adapted to maintain said pad in its position with respect to said thin shim and said foam blocks.

8. The back system as described in claim 6 having a transition wedge placed in a recessed area formed by the removal of a foam block, said transition wedge providing a sloped surface between the front surface of said thin shim in said recessed area and the front surface of an adjacent foam block.

9. The back system as described in claim 6 having a build-up pad and means for attaching said build-up pad to the front surface of a foam block, said build-up pad providing a more customized conformity with the back.

10. The back system as described in claim 6 having at least one adjustable lateral support and means for attaching said lateral support to the front surface of said foam blocks.

11. The back system as described in claim 6 wherein said pad member comprises an envelope containing a flowable fluid material.

12. A wheelchair back system adapted to support the back of a human, said system being adapted to provide customized fit to a wheelchair user, said system comprising:

a rigid back shell having lateral edges and a pair of flanges extending forwardly from the lateral edges;

mounting means affixed to said flanges to removably affix said rigid back shell to a wheelchair;

a plurality of foam blocks, said back shell having a front surface and said system further including means for removably attaching said foam blocks to the front surface of said back shell, said foam blocks further having a front surface and providing a substantially continuous layer of foam of substantially uniform depth over the front surface of said rigid back shell, said foam blocks being individually and separately removable from said rigid back shell to provide a recessed area in said substantially continuous layer of foam to provide customized fit to wheelchair users; and

a pad member comprising an envelope containing a flowable fluid being sized to overlie the front surface of said foam blocks, said system further including means for attaching said fluid pad to the front surface of said foam blocks and to said back shell in any recessed area formed by the removal of a block.

13. The back system as described in claim 12 having a transition wedge placed in a recessed area formed by the removal of a foam block, said transition wedge providing a sloped surface between the front surface of said rigid back shell in said the recessed area and the front surface of an adjacent foam block.

14. The back system as described in claim 12 having a build-up pad and means for attaching said build-up pad to the front surface of a foam block, said build-up pad providing a more customized conformity with the back.

15. The back system as described in claim 12 having at least one adjustable lateral support and means for attaching said lateral support to the front surface of said foam blocks.

16. The back system as described in claim 15 having a suspender and means for attaching said suspender to said adjustable lateral support and said foam blocks to hold said adjustable lateral support secure.

17. The back system as described in claim 12 wherein said pad member comprises an envelope filled with a flowable fluid material.

18. The back system as described in claim 17 wherein one side of said pad member is transparent.

19. The back system as described in claim 12 having an external lateral support and means for movably adjusting said external lateral support up and down relative to said rigid back shell to find a preferred position for the human.

20. The back system as described in claim 19 wherein said external lateral support comprises an extended lateral bracket and a contoured pad.

21. The back system as described in claim 20 further including means for removably attaching said extended lateral bracket to said rigid back shell.

22. The back system as described in claim 19 wherein said external lateral support is permanently affixed to the rigid back shell by a plurality of screws which are placed through a plurality of holes in said extended lateral bracket and into said shell.

23. The back system as described in claim 19 further including a contoured pad wherein said external lateral support has at least one lateral wedge and means for attaching said lateral wedge between the said external lateral support and said contoured pad.

24. The back system as described in claim 19 further including a contoured pad wherein said contoured pad and said external lateral support are covered by a lining fluid pad comprising a flowable fluid material.

25. A wheelchair back system adapted to support the back of a human, said system being adapted to provide customized fit to a wheelchair user, said system comprising:

a rigid back shell-having lateral edges and a pair of flanges extending forwardly from the lateral edges;

mounting means affixed to said flanges to removably affix said rigid back shell to a wheelchair;

a plurality of foam blocks and a thin shim interposed between said rigid back shell and said foam blocks, said thin shim having a front surface and said system further including means for removably attaching said foam blocks to the front surface of said thin shim, said foam blocks providing a substantially continuous layer of foam of substantially uniform depth over the front surface of said thin shim, said foam blocks being individually and separately removable from said thin shim to provide a recessed area in said substantially continuous layer of foam to provide customized to wheelchair users; and

a pad member comprising an envelope containing a flowable fluid being sized to overlie the front surface of said thin shim, said system further including means for attaching said fluid pad to the front surface of said foam blocks and to said thin shim in any recessed area formed by the removal of a block.

26. The back system as described in claim 25 having a cover enclosing said thin shim, said foam blocks and said pad member, said cover adapted to maintain said pad member in its position with respect to said thin shim and said foam blocks.

31. The back system as described in claim 26 wherein said thin shim has a front surface and said retaining means includes means for attaching said pad member to the front surface of said thin shim in any recessed area formed by the removal of a block.

27. A wheelchair back system adapted to support the back of a human, said system being adapted to provide customized fit to a wheelchair user, said system comprising:

a rigid back shell;

means for mounting said rigid back shell to a wheelchair;

a plurality of foam blocks, said back shell having a front surface facing forward and said system further including means for removably positioning said foam blocks forward of the front surface of said back shell, said foam blocks further having a front surface and providing a substantially continuous layer of foam forward of the front surface of said back shell, said foam blocks being individually and separately removable to provide a recessed area in said substantially continuous layer of foam to provide customized fit to the wheelchair user; and

a pad member sized to overlie the front surface of said foam blocks between the wheelchair user and the foam blocks and forward of the rigid back shell with a portion of the pad member assuming a position extending and received in any recessed area formed by the removal of a block, said system further including means for retaining said portion of said pad member in said position extending and received in said recessed area forward of said rigid back shell and between the wheelchair user and the rigid back shell.

28. The wheelchair back system as described in claim 27 wherein a thin shim is interposed between said rigid back shell and said foam blocks.

29. The back system as described in claim 28 having a cover, said cover enclosing said thin shim, said foam blocks, and said pad member.

30. The back system as described in claim 28 further including means for removably attaching said thin shim to said rigid back shell.

32. The back system as described in claim 27 having a transition member placed at least in part in a recessed area formed by the removal of a foam block.

33. The back system as described in claim 32 wherein said transition member is a transition wedge having a sloped surface.

34. The back system as described in claim 27 having a build-up pad and means for attaching said build-up pad to the front surface of a foam block.

35. The back system as described in claim 27 having at least one adjustable lateral support attached to the front surface of said foam blocks.

36. The back system as described in claim 35 having a suspender and means for attaching said suspender to said adjustable lateral support and said foam blocks to hold said adjustable lateral support secure.

37. The back system as described in claim 27 wherein said pad member comprises an envelope containing a flowable fluid material.

38. The back system as described in claim 39 wherein said fluid material is a highly viscous liquid.

39. The back system as described in claim 27 having an external lateral support and means for movably adjusting said external lateral support up and down relative to said rigid back shell to find a preferred position for the human.

40. The back system as described in claim 39 wherein said external lateral support comprises an extended lateral bracket and a contoured pad.

41. The back system as described in claim 39 further including a contoured pad wherein said external lateral support has at least one lateral wedge and means for attaching said lateral wedge between the said external lateral support and said contoured pad.

42. The back system as described in claim 39 further including a contoured pad wherein said contoured pad and said external lateral support are covered by a lining fluid pad comprising a flowable fluid material.

43. The back system as described in claim 27 wherein said retaining means includes means for attaching said pad member to the front surface of said rigid back shell in any recessed area formed by the removal of a block.

44. A wheelchair back system adapted to support the back of a human, said system being adapted to provide customized fit to a wheelchair user, said system comprising:

a rigid back shell;

means for mounting said rigid back shell to a wheelchair;

a plurality of foam blocks, said back shell having a front surface facing forward and said system further including means for removably positioning said foam blocks forward of the front surface of said back shell, said foam blocks further having a front surface and providing a substantially continuous layer of said back shell, said foam blocks being individually and separately removable to provide a recessed area in said substantially continuous layer of foam to provide customized fit to wheelchair users; and

a pad member sized to overlie the front surface of said foam blocks wherein a thin shim is interposed between said rigid back shell and said foam blocks, said thin shim having a front surface and said system further including means for attaching said pad member to the front surface of said thin shim in any recessed area formed by the removal of a block.

45. A wheelchair back system adapted to support the back of a human, said system being adapted to provide customized fit to a wheelchair user, said system comprising:

a rigid back shell;

means for mounting said rigid back shell to a wheelchair;

a plurality of foam blocks, said back shell having a front surface facing forward and said system further including means for removably positioning said foam blocks forward of the front surface of said back shell, said foam blocks further having a front surface and providing a substantially continuous layer of foam of substantially uniform depth forward of the front surface of said back shell, said foam blocks being individually and separately removable to provide a recessed area in said substantially continuous layer of foam to provide customized fit to wheelchair users; and

a pad member sized to overlie the front surface of said foam blocks wherein said system further includes means for attaching said pad member to the front surface of said rigid back shell in any recessed area formed by the removal of a block.