Wheel chair abstract
A wheel chair restraint that includes a bracket that attaches to
the wall of a hospital hallway at a desired height. The bracket
includes an envelope with a top opening and a vertical slot for
receiving a T-shape latch. The latch is tethered to the wheel chair
and can be readily connected or disconnected to the bracket. This
satisfies the combined safety requirements of keeping a clear pathway
through the hallway while also enabling quick disconnect of the
latch for emergency evacuation in a catastrophe situation such as
a fire.
Wheel chair claims
I claim:
1. A wheel chair restraint for restricting the mobility of a wheel
chair bound patient, comprising;
a wheel chair having a frame with opposite side rails positioned
behind and on opposite sides of the patient sitting in the wheel
chair,
a single flexible elongated tether attached to said opposite side
rails of said wheel chair,
a bracket assembly including a male component releasably coupled
to a female component, said female component being an envelope-shaped
receiving member and said male component being a configured lug
slidable into and out of the receiving member for coupling and decoupling
of the components,
one of said components attached to the single tether at a position
thereon spaced from the attachment thereof to said opposite side
rails, and the other of said components attached to a wall whereby
the wheel chair bound patient can be backed to the wall-attached
component and the tether-attached component can be coupled thereto
for restricing movement, and said components being readily decoupled
by providing slack in the tether and sliding the components apart.
2. A wheel chair restraint as defined in claim 1 wherein the female
component is secured to the wall and the male component is tethered
to the wheel chair.
Wheel chair description
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to a device for restraining wheel chairs,
and more particularly to a device for quick release restraining
means.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are many cases of patients that are either physically incapable
of maneuvering a wheel chair or are mentally irresponsible in the
maneuvering of a wheel chair. It is not feasible for a facility
such as a hospital, a nursing home, or the like which care for a
large number of such patients, to have an attendant for each of
these wheel chair-bound patients. (The term wheel chair is used
herein to encompass geriatric chairs and the like as well as the
wheeled chair commonly referred to as a "wheel chair.")
To enable a few attendants to care for a much greater number of
patients, it is a common practice to place the patients in common
areas such as a hall or corridor, a recreation room, dining hall
and the like. The activity that takes place in such common areas
is generally considered by the patients as a break from the monotony
of being confined to one's bed.
Whereas patients generally enjoy the activity, the hallway in particular
is obviously the pathway for numerous transportation needs including
emergency evacuation needs. Hospital rules cannot permit the hallways
to become a safety hazard with wheel chairs randomly strewn along
the hallway. Positioning the wheel chairs along the wall of a hallway
will clear a pathway and satisfy most safety concerns except that
the wheel chair cannot be expected to remain along the wall without
restraint. However, restraining the wheel chairs creates a further
safety problem. In a catastrophe, e.g. a fire, the patients in wheel
chairs must be moved quickly and a typical restraint can take precious
seconds to release. Such typical restraints are thus unacceptable.
The same concern, although perhaps not to the same degree, exists
for other common areas as well.
Another problem that arises concerns cost. Hallway activity for
wheel chair patients is a low priority concern, and most austere-minded
medical-care budgets do not allow for items such as quick-release
hallway restraints for wheel chairs. Thus a further concern of the
present invention is its cost.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention achieves the desired results of an effective
restraint to restrain wheel chairs against the wall of a hallway
or the like, said restraint being easily and quickly releasable
and both the above being achieved at low cost.
A flexible strap carries a male latch member with the ends of the
straps secured to the side rails of the wheel chair. A female bracket
is secured to a wall. The male and female members are readily coupled
and uncoupled. The only construction that takes place is the securing
of the bracket to an appropriate position on the wall. The strap
ends are buckled to the wheel chair with no interference to the
normal use of the wheel chair. When it is desirable to move a patient
into the hallway, the wheel chair is simply backed up to the female
bracket and the male latch member inserted into the bracket. The
bracket secures the wheel chair and patient to the wall. Release
of the latch is simple and quick and satisfies the need for emergency
evacuation should that become necessary.
The invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the
following detailed description and drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a preferred embodiment
of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a section view as taken on view lines 2--2 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a section view as taken on section lines 3--3 of FIG.
1;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the female bracket of the invention
of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the male latch member.
Having reference to the drawings, a wheel chair is illustrated
in part in dash lines including support rails 10 that include handles
12 that the attendant uses to guide the wheel chair. A female bracket
14 is attached to a wall 16 by flathead screws 18. As seen in FIGS.
2 and 4, screw openings 20 in the bracket are countersunk so that
the screw heads are inset so as to lie flat against the bracket
14 (see FIG. 2). The bracket 14 is most clearly illustrated in FIG.
4. It comprises a back plate 22 and an envelope 24 formed on the
back plate 22. The envelope 24 includes a top opening 26 and front
slot 28 that is open to the top opening 26 and extends substantially
down the front of the envelope.
The male latch member 30 is most clearly illustrated in FIG. 5.
It comprises a T-shaped lug member with a crossbar 32 and integral
rib 34 which is provided with a slot 36. The slot 36 is designed
to receive a strap 38. (See FIGS. 1 and 3) The strap 38 is provided
with buckles 40 that allows the two ends of the strap to be anchored
on the support rails 10 of the wheel chair as illustrated in FIG.
1.
Operation
The interconnection of the male latch and female bracket is indicated
in the drawings. As shown the interconnection occurs by sliding
the crossbar 32 of the lug member into the top opening 26, with
the rib 34 projected out of the slot 28. The insertion process is
very simple and involves nothing more than gripping the rib and
sliding the crossbar down through the opening 26. (See the dash
lines of FIG. 1)
Unlatching the device is accomplished in reverse by pulling the
latch member forward and upward in the envelope. A shoulder 42 formed
between the wall behind the envelope 24 and the back plate 22 inhibits
a straight upward motion of the latch member; i.e. the latch member
cannot be slid upwardly unless it is also pulled forward in the
envelope so as to bypass the shoulder 42. This can be seen most
clearly from FIG. 2.
The operation, as an initial step, requires first attaching the
latch member 30 to the wheel chair. The strap 38 functions as a
tether and the buckles 40 enables the strap and latch member 30
to be fastened to any of the rails, braces or crossbars of the wheel
chair. In the embodiment illustrated, the strap ends are fastened
by buckles 40 to the handlebar rails 10 but with the strap first
looped through slot 36 of the latch member. As long as the strap
ends are buckled to the rails, the latch member will remain secured;
i.e. tethered to the wheel chair.
Next is the placement of the bracket 14 on the wall 16. Preferably
the bracket is positioned at about the height of the attachment
of the straps to the wheel chair. As indicated, it is secured with
flathead screws 18 projected through openings 20 in the bracket
and into the wall (FIG. 2).
With the bracket 14 attached to the wall and the latch 30 affixed
to the wheel chair, an attendant need only back the wheel chair
up to the bracket and slip the latch through the opening 26. The
chair is thus secured to the wall until removal is desired. The
latch is then simply pulled forward and upward until the latch clears
the opening 26. See the dash lines of FIG. 1 wherein the insertion
process is illustrated by arrows 44 but which could also illustrate
unlatching simply by reversing the arrows.
It will be appreciated that a number of variations are possible
without departing from the invention. For example, if latching were
required to be more secure, a releasable lock could be employed
to prevent upward sliding of the latch without depressing a release
button or the like. However, this is considered to defeat one of
the objectives, as simplicity in the release of the patient is considered
desirable. In furtherance of such simplicity, the shoulder 42 could
be modified to remove any encumbrance for upward sliding of the
latch.
These and other similar modifications and variations are encompassed
as will be determined from the definitions of the claims appended
hereto. |