Wheel chair abstract
A urine-collecting apparatus for a wheel-chair is detachably incorporated
in a wheel-chair or special-purpose chair at a portion under a seat
part thereof. The central portion of the front part of a seat of
the wheel-chair or special-purpose chair is cut in a U shape. A
tube is passed through the cut part in the seat. The tube provides
a communication between a urine-receiving part previously attached
to the genital part of special-purpose underpants or drawers worn
by a user of the wheel-chair or special-purpose chair and a urinal-tank.
Moreover, a urinal-case is installed on the underside of a seat-plate
at the cut part. Thus, the user can readily urinate while taking
a seated posture.
Wheel chair claims
What is claimed is:
1. A urine-collecting apparatus for a wheel-chair or a special
purpose chair comprising:
a seat-plate;
said seat-plate having a pair of parallel spaced apart U-shaped
rails for attaching said seat-plate to the frame of the wheel-chair
or special purpose chair, said rails being spaced apart by an integrally
connected flat plate having an upperside and an underside as well
as a front and rear edge, said plate supporting an occupant thereon;
said flat plate having a central front portion including a short
generally U-shaped elongated cut-out intersecting said front edge,
said cut-out being disposed forwardly and generally beneath the
position of the genitals of an occupant seated on said plate;
a spongy air permeable cushion disposed on said flat plate for
helping to cushion the buttocks of said occupant, said spongy cushion
having a central front portion including a short generally U-shaped
elongated cut-out disposed forwardly in overlying registration with
said short cut-out in said flat plate;
a urine-receiving part adapted to be attached at one end to the
genital part of special-purpose underpants or drawers worn by a
user of said wheel-chair or special-purpose chair and attached at
its opposite end to one end of a relatively short tube, said tube
being attached at its other end to a removable closed urinal tank;
a urinal case attached on the underside of said flat plate under
said flat plate cut-out for housing said removable closed urinal
tank;
said urinal case including means defining an opening aligned with
said cut-outs for enabling said tube to extend therethrough to provide
fluid communication between said urine-receiving part and said urinal
tank to permit urine to flow to the urinal tank under the force
of gravity;
said means defining placement of opening further enabling an said
urinal tank inside said urinal case, and removal therefrom for disposing
of said tank contents, in a convenient manner; and
whereby said occupant can readily urinate into said urine-tank
through said urine-receiving part, without disrobing and without
assistance, while assuming a seated posture with the tube operationally
attached between the urine-receiving part and the urinal tank by
insertion of said tube through said U-shaped cut-outs and into said
urinal tank.
2. A urine-collecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said
seat plate includes means defining a plurality of small holes to
provide for air permeability to aid in the prevention of skin sores.
3. A urine-collecting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said
cushion includes a plurality of protrusions on the upper surface
thereof to further facilitate air permeability and ventilation.
4. A urine-collecting apparatus according to claim 3, further including
a washable cover enveloping said cushion.
5. A urine-collecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said
rails include a pair of parallel upstanding projections for receiving
said cushion therebetween.
6. A urine-collecting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said
projections are channel-shaped throughout their lengths and are
integrally connected to the margin edges of said seat portion.
Wheel chair description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a urine-collecting apparatus for
use in a wheel-chair or special-purpose chair.
Urination is a serious matter for spine-injured-patients, incontinent
patients, elderly people and convalescents undergoing rehabilitation
who must use wheel-chairs or special-purpose chairs for a long period
of time in their daily lives. However, no consideration has been
taken so far for any urine-collecting means useful for the above-mentioned
patients and people in their wheel-chairs or special-purpose chairs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, a primary object of the invention is to provide a
urine-collecting apparatus for use in a wheel-chair which is very
useful for wheel-chair users.
To this end, according to the invention, there is provided a urine-collecting
apparatus for a wheel-chair which is detachably incorporated in
a wheel-chair or special-purpose chair at a portion under a seat
part thereof, the urine-collecting apparatus comprising: a U-shaped
cut-out portion formed in the central portion in the front part
of a seat of the wheel-chair or special-purpose chair; a tube extending
through the cut-out portion in the seat, the tube providing a communication
between a urine-receiving part previously attached to the genital
part of special-purpose underpants or drawers worn by a user of
the wheel-chair or special-purpose chair, and a urinal-tank; and
a urinal-case installed on the underside of a seat-plate at the
cut-out portion, whereby the user can readily urinate while taking
a seated posture.
The urine-collecting apparatus in accordance with the invention
permits spine-injured-patients, incontinent patients, elderly people
and convalescents undergoing rehabilitation who must use wheel-chairs
or special-purpose chairs for a long period of time in their daily
lives, to readily urinate regardless of whether they urinate consciously
or unconsciously, and makes it possible to collect urine easily.
Moreover, according to the invention, a spongy cushion excellent
in both air permeability and ventilation from the upper surface
to the lower surface thereof, is mounted on the seat at the seat
part of the wheel-chair or special-purpose chair, thereby to prevent
skin-sores around the bumps of the bones in the users' buttocks
which are easily caused through the use of the wheel-chairs or special-purpose
chairs over a long period of time.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention
will become clear from the following description of the preferred
embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a partly-sectioned side elevational view of a wheel-chair
employing the urine-collecting apparatus in accordance with the
invention, said sectioning taken along line 1--1 of FIG. 2 and showing
the urinal-case of the apparatus with a urinal tank therein for
illustration purposes.
FIG. 2 is a pictorial view of a seat-plate fitted on a chair frame;
FIG. 3 is a pictorial view of a spongy cushion mounted on the upper
surface of the seat-plate shown in FIG. 2; and
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the spongy cushion mounted on the
upper surface of the seat-plate.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
Referring first to FIG. 1 which is a partly-sectioned side elevational
view of a wheel-chair employing the urine-collecting apparatus in
accordance with the invention, a central cut-out portion 3 in the
front part of a seat 2 of a wheel-chair 1 to provide a U shape in
order to collect the urine passed by a wheel-chair user A in a urinal-tank
6 through a tube 5 from a urine-receiving part 4 previously attached
to the genital part of the user A.
The urinal-tank 6 is housed in a urinal-case 10 installed on the
under side of a seat-plate 7. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the urinal-case
10 includes a backwall 20, a pair of side walls 21 and 22 a base
plate 23, and an access opening 16. The access opening 16 extends
over substantially the entire top portion of the urinal-case 10
through which extends the tube 5 between the urine receiving part
4 and the urinal-tank 6. The access opening 16 in the urinal-case
10 having a cross-sectional area of sufficient dimension to permit
the urinal tank 6 to be inserted into or removed from the interior
of the urinal-case 10.
Referring now to FIG. 2 which shows the seat-plate 7 for the seat
2, the seat-plate 7 fitted on the frame of the wheel-chair 1 is
provided with a multiplicity or plurality of small bores or holes
8 to obtain an excellent air permeability for aiding in the prevention
of skin-sores on the user's buttocks, which sores are easily caused
through the use of the wheel-chair 1 for a long period of time.
In addition, a spongy resilient cushion B which is excellent in
both air permeability and ventilation from the upper surface to
the lower surface thereof as well as having on its upper surface,
a multiplicity of protrusions 9. As shown in FIG. 3, the cushion
B is wrapped with a washable cover and is then mounted on the upper
surface of the seat-plate 7. FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the cushion
B, shown mounted on the upper surface of the seat-plate 7.
The urine-collecting apparatus of the invention constructed as
above positively helps the rehabilitation of people who must use
wheel-chairs or special-purpose chairs over a long period of time.
In addition, the urine-collecting apparatus relieves spine-injured
or disabled persons of their anxieties about urination when they
are out. Moreover, the urine-collecting apparatus makes it possible
to prevent skin-sores, and also has an extremely useful for incontinent
patients and the like.
As has been described, the invention conveniently permits the wheel-chair
users to pass urine, including incontinent urine, while assuming
a seated relaxed posture, which has thus far been unknown in the
art, and is useful in preventing skin-sores, advantageously.
Although the invention has been described through specific terms,
it is to be noted here that the described embodiment is not exclusive
and various changes and modifications may be imparted thereto without
departing from the scope of the invention which is limited solely
by the appended claims. |