PERSONAL STORAGE ACCESSORY FOR WHEELCHAIRS

• US 20140166711A1
• Filed: 12/13/2013
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Design Par Mitchell Inc.
• Original Assignee: Design Par Mitchell Inc.
• Inventors: MITCHELL, Raymond Larry
• Granted Patent: US 9,271,884 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 224/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/10 Parts, details or accessories

Abstract

A transfer device for moving a personal storage container from a storage position at the rear of a wheelchair to a deployed position at a side of the wheelchair. The device includes a bracket adapted to be mounted to the backrest frame and a swivel mechanism with a first hinge leaf rotationally mounted to the bracket for rotation about a first axis and a second hinge leaf rotationally mounted to the first hinge leaf about a second axis spaced apart from the first axis. The second hinge leaf has a portion adapted to mount the personal storage container. The portion adapted to mount the personal storage container moves along an arc contained within a plane between the storage and the deployed positions, and the first and second axes are normal to the plane. A personal storage container assembly is also provided.

Claims

1. A transfer device for moving a personal storage container from a storage position at the rear of a wheelchair to a deployed position at a side of the wheelchair where the wheelchair includes a backrest frame, the transfer device comprising:

a bracket adapted to be mounted to the backrest frame; and

a swivel mechanism including a first hinge leaf rotationally mounted to the bracket for rotation about a first axis, and a second hinge leaf rotationally mounted to the first hinge leaf about a second axis spaced apart from the first axis, the second hinge leaf having a portion adapted to mount the personal storage container, the swivel mechanism being configurable between the storage position and the deployed position, the portion adapted to mount the personal storage container moving along an arc contained within a plane between the storage and the deployed positions, the first and second axes being normal to the plane.

2. The transfer device as defined in claim 1, wherein the arc defines an angle of 270°

.

3. The personal storage device as defined in claim 1, wherein the first hinge leaf is releasably mounted to the bracket.

4. The transfer device as defined in claim 1, wherein the bracket is a single bracket including a holding member configured to partially surround a tubular frame member of the backrest of a wheelchair and adapted to be fixed thereto.

5. The transfer device as defined in claim 4, wherein the single bracket has a journal bore defined therein and the first hinge leaf has a stem received in the journal bore for rotation about the first axis, wherein the stem is removable for separating the swivel mechanism from the bracket.

6. The transfer device as defined in claim 4, wherein the bracket includes a pivot assembly having a third axis parallel to the plane so that the swivel mechanism is adjustable about the third axis to change the orientation of the plane.

7. The transfer device as defined in claim 6, wherein the pivot assembly includes a first tab mounted to the holding member in a second plane normal to the plane, a hinge adapter with a second tab in a plane parallel to the second plane and rotationally engaged to the first tab for rotation about the third axis, and a movement adjustment member extending between the first tab and the hinge adapter for adjusting and limiting the rotation about the third axis, the first hinge leaf being rotationally mounted to the hinge adapter for rotation about the first axis.

8. The transfer device as defined in claim 7, wherein the movement adjustment member extends transversely to the third axis and spaced apart therefrom from the first tab to abut the second tab, the movement adjustment member having an adjustable length between the first and second tabs.

9. The transfer device as defined in claim 1, wherein the bracket includes more than one holding member, one for each tubular frame member of the wheelchair, and the bracket is adjustable in length between the holding members to accommodate different wheelchair width dimensions.

10. The transfer device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first pivot axis between the bracket and the first hinge leaf is located at one end of the bracket spaced from a respective holding member.

11. The transfer device as defined in claim 10, wherein the second hinge leaf has a predetermined length suitable for mounting at least one surface of a personal storage container, and the second axis is located midway of the second hinge leaf.

12. The transfer device as defined in claim 10, wherein the second hinge leaf includes hanging means for supporting a container such as a back pack.

13. The transfer device as defined in claim 12, wherein a pull handle is provided at one end of the second hinge leaf.

14. The transfer device as defined in claim 9, wherein the bracket includes a pivot assembly adjacent each holding member having a third axis parallel to the plane so that the swivel mechanism is adjustable about the third axis to change the orientation of the plane.

15. The transfer device as defined in claim 14, wherein the pivot assembly includes a first tab mounted to the holding member in a second plane normal to the plane, a second tab in a plane parallel to the second plane and rotationally engaged to the first tab for rotation about the third axis, and a movement adjustment member interconnecting the first and second tabs for adjusting and limiting the rotation about the third axis, the first hinge leaf being rotationally mounted to the hinge adapter for rotation about the first axis.

16. The transfer device as defined in claim 15, wherein the movement adjustment member includes a cam follower extending from one of the first and second tabs, the cam follower extending parallel to the third axis and spaced apart therefrom, the other of the first and second tabs having an arcuate cam slot defined therein through which the cam follower is received.

17. A personal storage container assembly for a wheelchair movable between a storage position at the rear of a wheelchair to a deployed position at a side of the wheelchair where the wheelchair includes a backrest frame, the assembly comprising a personal storage container and a transfer device, the transfer device including a bracket adapted to be mounted to the backrest frame and a swivel mechanism including a first hinge leaf rotationally mounted to the bracket for rotation about a first axis, and a second hinge leaf rotationally mounted to the first hinge leaf about a second axis spaced apart from the first axis, the second hinge leaf mounting the personal storage container, the swivel mechanism being configurable between the storage position and the deployed position, the personal storage container moving along an arc contained within a plane between the storage and the deployed positions, the first and second axes being normal to the plane.

18. The assembly as defined in claim 17, wherein the arc defines an angle of 270°

.

19. The assembly as defined in claim 17, wherein the first hinge leaf is releasably mounted to the bracket.

20. The transfer device as defined in claim 17, wherein the bracket includes a pivot assembly having a third axis parallel to the plane so that the swivel mechanism is adjustable about the third axis to change the orientation of the plane.