Pneumatic support system for a wheelchair
First Claim
1. A system for supporting a wheelchair user comprising:
- a wheelchair including a seat, an upstanding backrest, and upstanding backposts for supporting the backrest;
mounting tracks affixed to the wheelchair generally parallel to the lateral edges of the backrest, the tracks being attached to the backposts for sliding movement on the backposts within a range constrained by limiting members and shock absorbing springs; and
bilateral postero-lateral pelvic support units each movably attached to the mounting tracks by a lockable mechanism for adjusting and fixing the distance of the bilateral postero-lateral pelvic support units from the seat to establish a stable midline orientation of the user'"'"'s pelvis,the bilateral postero-lateral pelvic support units including air bladders and associated control units accessible to and operable by the user and the support provided to the user by these units being adjustable by the user through operating the control units to inflate and deflate the air bladders;
the postero-lateral pelvic support units being mounted for superior/inferior, medial/lateral, and tilting adjustment to accommodate the user'"'"'s body habitus and required degree of stability and mobility.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A pneumatic support system for a wheelchair is provided herein. An implementation includes a support unit that supports a portion of the body of a user, a control unit that permits the user to control whether the support unit gets inflated or deflated, and a compressor that provides pressurized air to the support unit to inflate the support unit. The wheelchair has a valve, such when the user indicates that the support unit is to be inflated, the control unit sends a signal to the valve to move the valve to a first position, thereby permitted the pressurized air to reach the support unit. The support unit may be implemented in a variety of ways, and may be one of many support units. In one implementation, the support unit supports a thoracic portion of the user'"'"'s body. In another implementation, the wheelchair has one or more thoracic support units, which may be disposed on opposite sides of the thoracic portion of the user'"'"'s body, and one or more pelvic support units, which may be disposed on opposite sides of the user'"'"'s pelvis. The thoracic support units and or the pelvic support units may be pivotally attached to the back support of the wheelchair.
42 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system for supporting a wheelchair user comprising:
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a wheelchair including a seat, an upstanding backrest, and upstanding backposts for supporting the backrest; mounting tracks affixed to the wheelchair generally parallel to the lateral edges of the backrest, the tracks being attached to the backposts for sliding movement on the backposts within a range constrained by limiting members and shock absorbing springs; and bilateral postero-lateral pelvic support units each movably attached to the mounting tracks by a lockable mechanism for adjusting and fixing the distance of the bilateral postero-lateral pelvic support units from the seat to establish a stable midline orientation of the user'"'"'s pelvis, the bilateral postero-lateral pelvic support units including air bladders and associated control units accessible to and operable by the user and the support provided to the user by these units being adjustable by the user through operating the control units to inflate and deflate the air bladders; the postero-lateral pelvic support units being mounted for superior/inferior, medial/lateral, and tilting adjustment to accommodate the user'"'"'s body habitus and required degree of stability and mobility. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for supporting a wheelchair user comprising:
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a wheelchair including a seat, an upstanding backrest having lateral edges, and upstanding backposts for supporting the backrest; mounting tracks affixed to the wheelchair generally parallel to the lateral edges of the backrest, the tracks being attached to the backposts for sliding movement on the backposts within a range constrained by limiting members and shock absorbing springs; bilateral postero-lateral pelvic support units each movably attached to the mounting tracks by a lockable mechanism for adjusting and fixing the distance of the bilateral postero-lateral pelvic support units from the seat to establish a stable midline orientation of the user'"'"'s pelvis; a lumbo-sacral support unit removably and adjustably attached to the backrest to allow positioning of the lumbo-sacral support unit for proper user pelvic tilt in the anterior posterior plane; bilateral lateral thoracic support units each movably attached to the mounting tracks by a lockable mechanism for adjusting and fixing the distance of the bilateral lateral thoracic support units from the seat to maximize the user'"'"'s trunk stability without comprising upper extremity functional tasks; and at least some of the postero-lateral pelvic support units and the lateral thoracic support units include air bladders and associated control units accessible to and operable by the user and the support provided to the user by these units may be adjusted by the user through operating the control units to inflate and deflate the air bladders. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for supporting a user in a wheelchair in a way that allows user adjustment independently of a caregiver comprising:
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providing a wheelchair with mounting tracks affixed to the wheelchair generally parallel to the lateral edges of the backrest, the tracks being attached to the backposts for sliding movement on the backposts within a range constrained by limiting members and shock absorbing springs, and bilateral postero-lateral pelvic support units, bilateral lateral thoracic support units attached to the mounting tracks, and a lumbo-sacral support unit, the support units including air bladders and the support provided to the user by the units is adjusted by inflating and deflating the air bladders; seating the user in the wheelchair with or without assistance from a caregiver; adjusting and fixing the distance of the bilateral postero-lateral pelvic support units from the seat of the wheelchair to establish a stable mid-line orientation of the user'"'"'s pelvis with the assistance of a caregiver; adjusting and fixing the distance of the bilateral lateral thoracic support units from the seat to maximize the user'"'"'s trunk stability without compromising the user'"'"'s performance of upper extremity functional tasks; positioning the lumbo-sacral support unit for proper user pelvic tilt in the anterior posterior plane with the assistance of a caregiver; and the support units including air bladders and the user inflating and deflating the air bladders to adjust the support units as needed without the assistance of a caregiver. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification