A wheelchair

Abstract

 @ A wheelchair apparatus arranged to hold a person in a substantially upright position, the apparatus including a wheeled frame 1 the front of which supported by a wheeled footplate 13, the wheeled footplate 13 supported at least in part an assembly which in a substantially upright position can hold a person upright in association therewith, the arrangement being such that the wheeled frame 1 and footplate 13 can move or travel with the person in the substantially upright position. The assembly can include means 29, 31 arranged to hold the person in association therewith. The assembly can be a seat frame 10, a back frame 11 and a support 12 to the bottom of which is connected the footplate 13. The assembly having an upright position with the footplate 13 on the ground and a lowered position with the seat frame 10, back frame 11 and support 13 configured as a chair.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to wheelchairs and more particularly to a wheelchair usable by any invalid or disabled person which enables a user to use the wheelchair to either stand while being supported or use the wheelchair in a normal manner.

[0002] An object of the present invention is to provide a wheelchair which can be used in the normal manner or to support a person upright in a substantially upright or standing position while being at least partially supported by the wheelchair.

[0003] Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only.

[0004] According to a broadest aspect of the invention there is provided a wheelchair apparatus arranged to hold a person in a substantially upright position, the apparatus including a wheeled frame the front of which supported by a wheeled footplate, the wheeled footplate supporting at least in part an assembly which in a substantially upright position can hold a person upright in association therewith, the arrangement being such that the wheeled frame and footplate can move or travel with the person in the substantially upright position.

[0005] The assembly can include means arranged to hold the person in association therewith.

[0006] The assembly can include armrest members which can support a part of the person's weight thereon.

[0007] The assembly can be a seat frame, a back frame and a support to the bottom of which is connected the footplate. The assembly in its upright position has the footplate on the ground and in a lowered position the seat frame, back frame and support are configured as a chair.

[0008] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a wheelchair including a wheeled base frame, a seat frame, a back frame, a drive means, a footplate support, a footplate and a control mechanism, the arrangement being such that the base frame supports the seat frame, back frame and support as parts of an extensible assembly, the seat frame having at the back thereof mounting members to which the back frame is attached, the support being connected to the front of the seat frame and having at its other end the footplate, the parts forming the extensible assembly have in their normal or sitting position the seat frame, back frame, and foot plate support positioned so that a person can sit thereon and when the person is strapped to the seat frame, back frame and/or support the extensible assembly can, by operation of the control mechanism, extend the assembly via the drive means which by a parallel linkage raises the seat portion to a near vertical position, the movement of the seat raising the back frame and moving the support downward until the bottom of the footplate is on the ground and the seat portion, back frame and supports are aligned to a near vertical configuration.

[0009] The footplate can include castor or dolly wheels so that the wheelchair with the extensible assembly in its upright position can travel.

[0010] The wheelchair can use as the drive means for raising the extensible assembly an electrically operated linear motor. The drive means is preferably controlled by a controller mounted on an armrest associated with the extensible assembly.

[0011] Altematively the wheelchair can use as the drive means for raising the extensible assembly at least one hydraulic ram powered by a hydraulic motor supported on the wheeled base frame.

[0012] The wheeled base frame can include at its rear a pair of large diameter main wheels and its front a pair of small diameter jockey wheels. The pair of main wheels can include pull rims for the person to manually move the wheelchair.

[0013] Altematively the wheelchair frame can include a second drive means connected to drive the main wheels, for example, by an hydraulic or electric drive to the main wheels. The wheelchair can include a braking system.

[0014] Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description which will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1: shows a perspective side view of a wheelchair according to the invention in its normal position;

Figure 2: shows a perspective side view of the wheelchair shown in Figure 1 wherein the extensible assembly thereof is in its partially raised position;

Figure 3: shows a perspective view from the side of the wheelchair shown in Figures 1 and 2 with the extensible assembly in its fully raised position;

Figure 4: shows a perspective front view from above one side of the wheelchair shown in Figure 2;

Figure 5: shows a view from the rear of part of the wheelchair shown in the position of Figure 2; and

Figure 6: shows a detail from the rear of the region A shown in Figure 5 wherein the extensible assembly is fully raised.

[0015] The example of wheelchair shown in the accompanying drawings will be described with reference to a powered wheelchair. It is however to be appreciated that the invention can also be included in a wheelchair of standard type in which the main wheels thereof are moved by hand pull rims.

[0016] The wheelchair has a main frame 1 supported on main wheels 2 and jockey wheels 3. The frame 1 supports a power supply, for example, a pair of batteries 4. In the example one of the batteries 4 is beneath a forward end of the frame 1 between jockey wheels 3. The other position 4 (shown dotted in Figures 5 and 6) for either one or both batteries is between main wheels 2.

[0017] The wheelchair can include a drive means at 5 adjacent each main wheel 2 connected to drive the wheels, for example, by a proprietary hydraulic or electric drive mechanism adapted to drive the wheels. The wheel hubs or drive mechanism can include a braking system. The drive means is preferably controlled by a controller 6 mounted on one of a pair of armrests 7. One or both of the armrests 7 can be adapted to pivot from its normal position - (shown in Figures 1 and 2) to the side to allow the person using the wheelchair greater freedom of movement. The armrests 7 may be cantilevered or braced relative to the back frame members 11 and may be of sufficient strength and stability to at least partly support the weight of a person if he or she leans on the arms 7.

[0018] The main wheels 2 can be driven by electric motors at 5 through reduction gear boxes at each hub 8. The directional movement of the wheelchair is controlled via a control lever 9 mounted on the controller 6.

[0019] The main frame 1 supports a seat frame members 10, back frame members 11 and a pair of supports 12 for a footrest 13.

[0020] The seat frame members 10 are linked together by cross members 14 and are hingeably mounted to either side of the main frame 1 on mounting plates 15 via extension 16 (Figure 6). The supports 12 are pivotally mounted to the front edge 17 of the seat frame members 10 and have at their lower end the footrest 13 which has thereunder castor or dolly wheels 18. The supports 12 are additionally supported forwardly of the jockey wheels 3 by a link 19 pivotally mounted between a front cross member (not shown) of the frame 1 and the supports 12.

[0021] The rear of each of the seat frame member 10 is at 20 attached the bottom of the respective back frame members 11. The connection at 20 pivotally also supports arm 21 fixed to each member 11. The arms 21 each with an adjacent linking member 22 form a linkage means for raising the back frame 11 and seat frame 10 together about the mounting plate 15. The members 22 are linked at their forward end at 23 to the plate 15 (as shown in Figure 6). The raising movement of linkage member 22 is from its lowest position Figure 1 where the member contact stops 2.4 on the frame 1 to a raised position (Figure 3) via a partially raised position (Figure 2). In the raised position the members 10, 11 and 12 are generally in line and are generally vertical. The raising movement is under action of a linear actuator 25 connected between a lower rear cross frame member 26 of the frame 1 and a cross member 27 extends between the lower ends of the members 22.

[0022] In use a person can use the wheelchair while seated in the normal way. This operation can be assisted by another person using handles 28 formed at the upper end of the members 11. If a person wishes to stand, for example, in a library or at a bench, operation of the control switch 32 activates the actuator 25 and this allows a smooth travel upward as the actuator 25 extends. The raising of the linkage member 22 causing seat frame members 10 to rise and the back frame members 11 while the user is held in position against pads or squabs 33 by straps 29 between the frames members 10 and 11.

[0023] The support members 12 drop down under this movement until the castors 18 are in contact with the floor or ground (as shown in Figure 2). Further raising when castors 18 are in contact with the ground raises the jockey wheels 3 and the front of the wheelchair frame 1 to the position shown in Figure 3. The wheelchair can then travel around on the castors 18 and main wheels 2.

[0024] It may be necessary to provide a padded pommel 30 for relieving pressure between the person's knees. A padded belt 31, can be used in association with the pommel 30.

[0025] The control mechanism can include a manual overide so that a person cannot be stranded in the up position. Advantages envisaged are as follows:

better blood circulation;

lessens bone decalsification;

better bladder and bowel training;

lessens cutaneous problems (scabs);

better digestive functions;

gives disabled persons a better chance to join the workforce; and

allows greater independence.

[0026] The back frame, seat frame and footrest support may be replaceable so that for children, the same base can be used and as the child grows the sizes of the respective parts are replaced to suit.

[0027] It is to be appreciated that the invention can altematively be incorporated in a pneumatically powered wheelchair in which case the raising motion of the seat and back is caused by an hydraulic ram. In this construction an hydraulic motor and reservoir is required which can be used to drive both the raising means and drive wheels of the wheelchair.

[0028] Thus by this invention there is provided a wheelchair which can be used in the normal manner and or to support a person upright in a substantially vertical or standing position.

[0029] Particular examples of the invention have been described and it is envisaged that improvements and modifications can taken place without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A wheelchair apparatus arranged to hold a person in a substantially upright position, the apparatus including a wheeled frame the front of which supported by a wheeled footplate, the wheeled footplate supporting at least in part an assembly which in a substantially upright position can hold a person upright in association therewith, the arrangement being such that the wheeled frame and footplate can move or travel with the person in the substantially upright position.

2. A wheelchair apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the assembly includes means arranged to hold the person in association therewith.

3. A.wheelchair apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the assembly can include armrest members which can support a part of the person's weight thereon.

4. A wheelchair apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the assembly is a seat frame, a back frame and a support to the bottom of which is connected the footplate.

5. A wheelchair apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the assembly in its upright position has the footplate on the ground and the assembly in a lowered position has the seat frame, back frame and support configured as a chair.

6. A wheelchair apparatus arranged to hold a person in a substantially upright position substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. A wheelchair including a wheeled base frame, a seat frame, a back frame, a drive means, a footplate support,a footplate and a control mechanism, the arrangement being such that the base frame supports the seat frame, back frame and support as parts of an extensible assembly, the seat frame having at the back thereof mounting members to which the back frame is attached, the support being connected to the front of the seat frame and having at its other end the footplate, the parts forming the extensible assembly have in their normal or sitting position the seat frame, back frame, and foot plate support positioned so that a person can sit thereon and when the person is strapped to the seat frame, back frame and/or support the extensible assembly can, by operation of the control mechanism, extend the assembly via the drive means which by a parallel linkage raises the seat portion to a near vertical position, the movement of the seat raising the back frame and moving the support downward until the bottom of the footplate is on the ground and the seat portion, back frame and supports are aligned to a near vertical configuration.

8. A wheelchair as claimed in claim 7 wherein the footplate has castor or dolly wheels so that the wheelchair with the extensible assembly in its upright position can travel.

9. A wheelchair as claimed in claim 7 or 8 wherein the drive means for raising the extensible assembly is an electrically operated linear motor.

10. A wheelchair as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8 wherein the drive means for raising the extensible assembly is at least one hydraulic ram powered by an hydraulic motor supported on the wheeled base frame.

11. A wheelchair as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 10 wherein the drive means is controlled by a controller mounted on an armrest associated with the extensible assembly.

12. A wheelchair as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 11 wherein the wheeled base frame has at its rear a pair of large diameter main wheels and at its front a pair of small diameter jockey wheels.

13. A wheelchair as claimed in claim 12 wherein the pair of main wheels include pull rims for the person to manually move the wheelchair.

14. A wheelchair as claimed in claim 12 wherein the wheelchair frame has a second drive means connected to drive the main wheels.

15. A wheelchair as claimed in claim 14 wherein the second drive means is an electric drive powered by a power source supported by the main frame.

16. A wheelchair substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Drawing