Wheel chair abstract
An improved wheel chair foot/leg rest is disclosed that can be
retro-fitted onto existing wheel chairs. A series of parallel tubes
attach under the wheel chair seat, and house sliding tubes that
carry a rotating foot/leg rest.
Wheel chair claims
What is claimed is:
1. A removable leg rest receiving assembly for use in connection
with a wheel chair having a back frame connected to a seat frame
wherein said assembly is supported by said seat frame and converts
said wheel chair into one which includes leg/foot supports comprising:
a plurality of spaced-apart, parallel tubes with at least one said
tube having an orifice therethrough oriented in a horizontal plane
and having openings at the front ends thereof and being rigidly
braced by transversely disposed members;
grasping means fixed to said brace members for removably attaching
said assembly to the seat frame;
at least one coaxially-positioned inner tube telescopingly received
in a parallel tube and having a plurality of orifices therethrough
in sequential alignment with said parallel tube orifice as said
inner tube is longitudinally extended;
at least one leg-rest attached to the distal end of said inner
tube and rotatable from an inverted, storage position to an upright,
cushion position;
a spring-biased bolt in said housing extending through said parallel
tube orifice and said inner tube orifice.
Wheel chair description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Fie1d of the Invention
The presently disclosed invention relates to wheel chairs and the
like, and more particularly to leg- and foot-rests for wheel chairs
and to a simple and easily manufactured foot/leg rest assembly that
can be added to an already existing chair.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The evolution of wheel chairs has brought about many comforts to
the chair occupant. It is known to construct a wheel chair with
the added feature of a foot/leg-rest that can be moved from a storage
position to a working position, and vice versa. Such a device is
shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,742 to M. I. Thomas. That invention
utilizes a fixed extension of lower, horizontal tubes to carry a
slidable leg-rest.
It is also known to provide an extendible foot-rest apparatus that
can be stored underneath the chair and that can be inverted to provide
a cushion arrangement by sliding the apparatus completely out of
the carrying tubes and inverting it and then sliding it back into
place. An invention such as this is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,325,215
to C. E. Murcott.
Other inventions provide selectively operable leg rests that can
be folded flat against the side of the chair, and leg rests that
are collapsible to facilitate folding the chair for transport or
storage.
However, while the above-mentioned devices provide improved comfort
to wheel chair occupants, there are shortcomings attendant with
each.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A wheel chair leg/foot-rest assembly that may be attached beneath
the seat of a wheel chair is disclosed. The assembly is made of
spaced-apart parallel tubes rigidly braced by transversely disposed
members that are adapted to hang from the wheel chair seat frame.
Leg-rests are rotatably attached to telescopingly received inner
tubes to be individually extended from a storage position underneath
the seat to a leg/foot-rest position, with a catch arranged to secure
said extension at discreet intervals.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a leg/foot-rest assembly
which maintains that proper dimensional relationships between the
support and the leg rest of the user so that the lower leg and foot
of the user are supported naturally and evenly in all adjusted positions
without restricting blood flow throughout the leg.
Another object of the invention is to produce a leg assembly which
may be attached to existing wheelchair frames without substantial
modification thereof.
Another object of the invention is to provide a telescoping leg
rest for wheel chairs that is supported by the chair frame.
Still another object of the invention is to produce a leg rest
assembly for a wheel chair that is readily and economically manufactured.
These and other objects of this invention will appear from the
following specification, and are not to be construed as limiting
the scope of the invention thereto, since in view of the disclosure
herein, others may be able to make additional embodiments within
the scope of the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows an expanded, perspective view of a wheel chair with
the invention attached;
FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the leg-rest receiving assembly
of the present invention without the leg-rests attached thereto;
FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the present invention;
FIG. 4 shows a view taken along lines IV--IV of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 shows a view taken along lines V--V of FIG. 3; and
FIG. 6 shows a view taken along lines VI--VI of FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now particularly to FIG. 1, 7 generally designates an
existing wheel chair adapted, in accordance with this invention,
with a leg-rest receiving assembly 10 and a plurality of leg-rest
assemblies 15, 25 (as shown in FIG. 3). FIG. 2 depicts a leg-rest
receiving assembly 10 as contemplated by this invention.
Leg-rest receiving assembly 10 consists of a plurality of spaced-apart,
substantially parallel tubes 20, 20a, 20b and 20c of substantially
equal length and lying in the same plane, said parallel tubes being
attached immediately below, and rigidly braced by, transversely
disposed members 21, 21a. Transversely disposed members 21 and 21a
are situated above opposite ends of parallel tubes 20, 20a, 20b
and 20c.
Parallel tubes 20, 20a, 20b, 20c are spaced such that, when wheel
chair 7 is adapted with leg-rest receiving assembly 10 immediately
below seat cushion 8, outer parallel tubes 20 and 20c approximately
span the width of a human being when seated in wheel chair 7. Placement
of inner parallel tubes 20a, 20b will be described below.
Brackets 22, 22a and 22b extend from and above the upper surface
of transversely disposed member 21a. Transversely disposed member
21a is situated toward the end of leg-rest assembly 10 which is
farthest from back cushion 9 of wheel chair 7 when wheel chair 7
is adapted with leg-rest receiving assembly 10. Brackets 22, 22a
and 22b each have a curved section so as to hook onto the forward
support bar 30 of the seat support frame of wheel chair 7 snugly
and somewhat coaxially so that, when brackets 22, 22a and 22b are
hooked onto forward support bar 30, transversely disposed member
21a sits somewhat below forward support bar 30, as shown in FIG.
4. Brackets 22, 22a and 22b either all curve forward of wheel chair
7, when wheel chair 7 is adapted with leg-rest receiving assembly
10, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, or could be made to all curve
rearward (not shown).
Brackets 23 and 23a extend from and above the upper surface of
transversely disposed member 21. Transversely disposed member 21
is situated toward the end of leg-rest assembly 10 which is nearest
back cushion 9 of wheel chair 7 when wheel chair 7 is adapted with
leg-rest receiving assembly 10. Brackets 23 and 23a each have a
curved section so as to hook onto side support bars 33 and 33a of
wheel chair 7, respectively. Bracket 23 curves toward the same direction
as does bracket 23a along a line perpendicular to the principal
axes of parallel tubes 20, 20a, 20b, and 20c. The arc made by brackets
22, 22a, 22b, 23 and 23a is approximately 180 degrees, or a semi-circle.
To removably attach leg-rest receiving assembly 10, seat cushion
8 of wheel chair 7 is first removed. For a typical wheel chair,
this may be accomplished by simply unscrewing screws which, in normal
wheel chair usage, securely fasten seat cushion 8 to side support
bars 33 and 33a. Leg-rest receiving assembly 10 is then slipped
onto a seat frame as defined by side support bars 33, 33a and forward
support bar 30 by placing the leg-rest receiving assembly 10 below
said seat frame, and maneuvering the leg-rest receiving assembly
such that brackets 23 and 23a slip over and grasp side support bars
33 and 33a, respectively, and brackets 22, 22a and 22b slip over
and grasp forward support bar 30, as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 4.
The curved sections of brackets 22, 22a and 22b, partially wrap
around the upper surface of forward support bar 30 so as to hook
onto, or grasp, forward support bar 30. See FIG. 4. Likewise, brackets
23 and 23a partially wrap around the upper surface of side support
bars 33 and 33a, respectively, so as to hook onto, or grasp, side
support bars 33 and 33a. The partial wrapping of the brackets form
lips which prevent substantial horizontal movement of leg-rest receiving
assembly 10 with respect to the seat frame unless there is, additionally,
vertical movement of leg-rest receiving assembly 10 with respect
to the seat frame.
Once the leg-rest receiving assembly 10 is situated as described
above, seat cushion 8 is reattached to the seat frame, thereby preventing
vertical movement of leg-rest receiving assembly 10 relative to
the seat frame. See FIGS. 4 and 5. Leg-rest receiving assembly 10
is thereby securely attached to, and hanging from, the seat frame.
Removal of leg-rest receiving assembly 10 from the seat frame is
accomplished by reversing the above steps.
Leg-rest assemblies 15, 25 are substantially identical and therefore
the description will be in terms of only one. Assembly 15 consists
of a leg-rest 16 rotatably attached to tubes 17, 17a as shown in
FIG. 4. Leg-rest 15 fits into leg-rest receiving assembly 10 so
as to support the left leg of a person sitting in wheel chair 7.
Tubes 17, 17a have a diameter slightly less than the diameter of
parallel tubes 20, 20a, 20b, 20c. Although tubes 17, 17a are designated
as tubes, and are shown cross-sectionally in FIG. 5 as hollow, it
should be understood that they may be solid rods.
Parallel tube 20a should be situated so that parallel tubes 20
and 20a approximately span the width of the right thigh of a person
seated in wheel chair 1. Likewise, parallel tube 20b should be situated
so that parallel tubes 20b and 20c approximately span at least the
width of the left thigh of a person seated in wheel chair 1. Preferably,
parallel tubes 20a and 20b are aligned next to each other midway
between parallel tubes 20 and 20c. As seen in FIG. 3, tubes 17,
17a are rigidly braced at the forward ends thereof by a transversely
disposed member 17b such that tubes 17, 17a are spaced apart so
as to be receivable within parallel tubes 20b and 20c (note that
the tubes of leg-rest assembly 25 are receivable within parallel
tubes 20 and 20a), as shown in FIG. 3.
Equally spaced from tubes 17, 17a at predetermined positions are
a pair of parallel side brace tubes 17d, 17c. Side brace tubes 17c,
17d are joined at their rearward ends by perpendicular brace tube
17e. Brace tubes 17c, 17d and perpendicular tube 17e are all arranged
in the same geometrical plane and tubes 17c, 17d extend rearward
a predetermined distance, to be described below.
A pair of C-clamps 18, 18a rotatably fasten a leg/foot supporting
cushion 16 to perpendicular brace 17e as by screws 19, or other
suitable means. Cushion 16 is of a smaller width dimension than
the space between tubes 17, 17a and is so positioned above brace
17e that less than one-half of its length extends rearward of brace
17e. In this manner, when downward pressure is applied to the rear
edge of cushion 16, cushion 16 will rotate from a useful position
above tubes 17 to a storage position below tubes 17 (as shown in
phantom in FIG. 4). Assemblies 15, 25 can then be stored under the
seat of wheel chair 7 (as shown in full in FIG. 4).
FIG. 6 shows the latching mechanism 40a used to secure leg-rest
assemblies 15, 25 at various and discreet extended positions. Mechanisms
40, 40a extend laterally from, and are permanently joined to, parallel
tubes 20, 20c respectively (see FIG. 2). Each mechanism 40, 40a
is similar in construction and operation, so a description of mechanism
40a only will be given.
Mechanism 40a comprises a housing 41a fabricated from material
similar to tubes 20, 20c and known in the art. Housing 41a has apertures
42a, 43a located at opposite ends to allow a plunger 44a to ride
therebetween. Aperture 42a is aligned with opening 49a in tube 20c.
Plunger 44a has a stop 45a, in the form of a washer, fixed to the
distal end thereof to allow only tip 46a to poke through aperture
42a and opening 20c. An expansion spring 47a is coiled around plunger
44a between stop 45a and housing 41a to resist any outward movement
of plunger 44a. Tube 17a has a series of apertures 48a (only one
shown) that align, serially, with opening 49a and aperture 42a so
as to allow tip 46a to extend therethrough to lock tube 17a at discreet
distances from wheel chair 7. Leg-rest assemblies 15, 25 can thus
be adjusted to variously desired positons in front of the occupant.
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