Wheel chair abstract
A folding wheel chair assembly has at least one fold-down platform
that permits the person on the seat to be moved laterally to another
seat. The fold-down platform is on a mounting rod that folds upward
and them may be turned to a position behind the wheel chair set
out of the way when the wheel chair is being moved from one position
to another. There may be a fold-down platform on each side of the
wheel chair so that a person maybe moved from the wheel chair from
either side. The wheel chair may include an adjustment device to
raise or lower the position of the chair seat.
Wheel chair claims
What is claimed is:
1. A wheel chair and transfer platform for transferring a person
from or to the wheel chair, comprising: a wheel chair base including
wheels; a seat and back; at least one transfer platform mounted
behind the wheel chair back and attached to a rotatable support
for moving the transfer platform from behind the back to a position
along one side the wheel chair seat.
2. The wheel chair and transfer platform according to claim 1,
including a second transfer platform on a side of the wheel chair
on a side opposite said at least one transfer platform.
3. The wheel chair and transfer platform according to claim 1,
wherein said transfer platform is mounted on sliding rails.
4. The wheel chair and transfer platform according to claim 3,
wherein said sliding rails position the transfer platform between
the wheel chair and an adjacent seat.
5. The wheel chair and transfer platform according to claim 1,
wherein said transfer platform has opposite edges, each rests upon
one of the wheel chair seat and an adjacent seat when in a lowered
position.
6. The wheel chair and transfer platform according to claim 1,
including a mechanism to adjust the height of the chair seat.
7. A wheel chair and transfer platform for transferring a person
from or to the wheel chair, comprising: a wheel chair base including
wheels; a seat and back; a pair of transfer platforms mounted behind
the wheel chair back and attached to rotatable supports for moving
each transfer platform from behind the back to a position along
opposite sides of the wheel chair seat.
8. The wheel chair and transfer platform according to claim 7,
wherein each transfer platform is mounted on sliding rails.
9. The wheel chair and transfer platform according to claim 7,
wherein said sliding rails position the transfer platform between
the wheel chair and an adjacent seat.
10. The wheel chair and transfer platform according to claim 7,
wherein said each transfer platform has opposite edges, each rests
upon one of the wheel chair seat and an adjacent seat when in a
lowered position.
11. The wheel chair and transfer platform according to claim 7,
including a mechanism to adjust the height of the chair seat.
12. A wheel chair and transfer platform for transferring a person
from or to the wheel chair, comprising: a wheel chair base including
wheels; a seat and back; a pair of transfer platforms one each,
mounted on each side of the seat, at the base of opposite sides
of the seat, and each platform is hinged to permit it to be rotated
downward in a plane common with the seat.
13. The wheel chair and transfer platform according to claim 12,
including a latch to hold each transfer platform in a vertical position
when not being used to transfer a person.
14. The wheel chair and transfer platform according to claim 12,
including a mechanism to adjust the height of the chair seat.
Wheel chair description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to wheel chairs, and more particularly to
a collapsible wheel chair with a platform device for moving a disabled
person from the wheel chair seat to a seat on a vehicle such as
an automobile and to an aircraft seat.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that all programs
and services are available to everyone, including persons with disabilities.
Many advances have been made in this respect, however with some
notable exceptions. Most transportation service such as some local
city buses have provisions for persons with disabilities. Many sidewalks
and building entrances have been designed to provide for persons
with disabilities. Notably absence is the provision for moving persons
into and out of an aircraft.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,387, discloses a device for transferring a
handicapped person from a wheel or handicap chair. A pair of tracks
are extendable from a motor vehicle. The pair of tracks extend from
the motor vehicle, engage the seat on the wheel chair, and then
retract into the motor vehicle to move the seat into the motor vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,354,791, discloses a wheel chair construction which
includes a seat that is laterally movable on a pair of tracks that
engage a similar set of tracks for moving a handicapped person from
the wheel chair. The seat has rollers that roll in the tracks. The
person is manually moved laterally with the rollers and tracks.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,305, discloses a seat on at wheel chair that
is movable backward to position the seat over a toilet seat.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is to a folding wheel chair assembly and at least
one fold-down platform that permits the person on the seat to be
moved laterally to another seat. The fold-down platform is on a
mounting rod that folds upward and them may be turned to a position
behind the wheel chair seat out of the way when the wheel chair
is being moved from one position to another. There may be a fold-down
platform on each side of the wheel chair so that a person maybe
moved from the wheel chair from either side.
The technical advance represented by the invention as well as the
objects thereof will become apparent from the following description
of a preferred embodiment of the invention when considered in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features set forth
in the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a folding wheel chair of the present invention with
transfer platforms;
FIG. 2 shows the back side of a wheel chair of the present invention
with two transfer platforms folded in a stored position;
FIG. 3 shows a side view of the wheel chair of the present invention
with the transfer platforms folded in a stored position;
FIG. 4 shows the platform mechanism;
FIG. 5 is a simplified view of the back of the wheel chair seat
and transfer platform;
FIG. 6 is a simplified top view of the sear back and transfer platform;
FIG. 7 is a simplified back view of the wheel chair seat, transfer
platform and an aircraft seat;
FIG. 8 shows a simplified top view of FIG. 6;
FIG. 9 shows another embodiment of the invention in which the transfer
platform is mounted on the side of the wheel chair: and
FIG. 10 shows the hydraulic mechanism for adjusting the wheel chair
height.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 Shows the folding wheel chair 10 of the present invention.
Chair 10 has a seat 11 and a back 12 mounted on a frame 17. Seat
11 and back 12 may be of a flexible material such as a canvas, cloth
or plastic to allow folding of the chair. Frame 17 has two seat
supports 39 and 39a mounted between vertical supports 22 and 23
in the front, and 37 and 38 (FIG. 2) in back. The vertical supports
22,37, 23 and 38 are mounted on two horizontal supports 40 and 41,
respectively. Cross supports 18 and 19 in front, and 29, 21 in back
are connected between the upper supports 39 and 39a, and lower supports
40 and 41. Supports 18 and 19 are secured by a pin so that they
pivot to allow the chair to be folded. Only pin 21a is illustrated
in FIG. 2.
The chair is mounted on four wheels, two front wheels 15 and 16,
and two larger back wheels 13 and 14. Foot rests 26 and 27 are mounted,
one each on supports 22 and 23. There is a wheel lock 33 on each
of the rear wheels. Wheel lock 33 is shown in FIG. 1.
A height adjustment mechanism 60 is shown connected to lower support
40 and is described in more detail below.
FIG. 2 is a back view of chair 10 showing transfer platforms 30
and 30a folded against the back of the chair. Two handles 28 and
29 are mounted on the back to assist in moving the chair. Pivot
pin 21a is shown that connects cross braces 20 and 21, allowing
the chair to be folded, the sides toward the middle.
The hydraulic height adjustment device 60 is shown extending between
lower braces 40 and 41 (FIG. 1).
FIG. 3 is a side view of chair 12 showing the basic parts of the
chair with the transfer board folded to the back of the chair back.
Brake 33 may be engaged when the chair is in a stopped position.
FIG. 4 is a detailed illustration of the transfer board. Transfer
board 30 is attached to two sliding rails 43 which are in turn slidably
attached to boom 31. Boom 31 has an end 31a that is rotatably mounted
in an pivot 32, as shown by arrow A. Pivot 32 is rotatably mounted
in pivot mount 44, and rotates as shown by arrow B. Mounted in pivot
mount 44 is attachment sleeve 46 and slide 45. Sleeve 46 is attached
to the back of the wheel chair, and slide 45 is movable in sleeve
46 to adjust its vertical position as shown by arrow C.
FIGS. 6-8 are simplified illustrations of the various positions
of the transfer board. In FIG. 5, the wheel chair back seat 12 is
shown with the transfer board 30 and transfer boom in a stored position.
In FIG. 6, a top view is shown of FIG. 5 with the transfer board
30 and boom 31 behind seat back 12.
FIGS. 7 and 8 show the transfer board 30 in position to transfer
a person from the wheel chair to an adjacent seat, for example an
aircraft seat. In FIG. 7 transfer seat has been rotated around the
back 12 of the wheel chair and lowered to place one edge 30a on
the wheel chair seat 11 and one edge 30b on the edge of the aircraft
seat. The person on the wheel chair, or on the aircraft seat may
be moved horizontally to the adjacent, either the wheel chair or
aircraft seat. In FIG. 8, it may be seen that the transfer board
31 forms a bridge across which the person may be moved by sliding
so that the person does not have to be physically lifted.
FIG. 9 shows another embodiment of the invention in which the transfer
platform is mounted on the side of the wheel chair 50. Transfer
platform 51 is mounted, for example, on chair seat support 54 by
hinges 52 and 52 so that it may be moved downward adjacent to seat
58. Transfer platform 51 will bridge between seat 58 and another
set, for example as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, so that a person
may be transferred from or to seat 58. When not being used, transfer
platform is held in a vertical position by slide latch 55. Transfer
platform 51, in the embodiment, may also be used as an arm rest,
an/or help retain a person in seat 57.
The hydraulic adjustment cylinder 60 is shown in a vertical, stored
position.
FIG. 10 shows the hydraulic height adjustment device 60 which is
rotatably mounted on lower brace 40. Device 60 is rotatably mounted
on brace 40 by a collar 61. Device 60 may be stored in a vertical
position as shown in FIG. 9, or may be lowered in a horizontal position
with the collar 63 engaging lower brace 41. As lever 64 is moved
to move cylinder 62 in or out of device 60, the lower braces are
moved closer together or further apart to respectively, raise or
lower the position of the chair seat. The raising or lowering permits
the chair seat to be placed on a level plane with the seat onto
which a person in the chair is to be moved. |