Land vehicles – Wheeled – Occupant propelled type
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-13
2001-04-17
Mai, Lanna (Department: 3619)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Occupant propelled type
C280S304100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06217050
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates in general to land vehicles and, in particular, to wheelchairs. Most particularly, the invention relates to wheelchair footrests for supporting the feet of a wheelchair occupant.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Wheelchairs are provided with footrests. Footrests typically include a pair of footplates. Each footplate is generally horizontally disposed. Footplates are ordinarily substantially planar in construction. The footplates optionally support toe and ankle straps. The toe and ankle straps are provided for securing the wheelchair occupant's foot to an upper surface of the footplate. Footplates are generally fastened to the wheelchair side frames with saddle washers and threaded fasteners. Conventional footplates are typically capable of flipping up 90° from their generally horizontal position to a generally vertical position so as to permit ingress and egress of the wheelchair occupant to be accomplished with greater ease.
Although displacement of conventional footplates has historically been limited to the 90° displacement described above, more recent innovations in footrests have led to an ability to adjust the inclination or angle of footplates. This adjustment provision permits the ankle of the wheelchair occupant to be adjusted at various angles for the comfort of the wheelchair occupant.
Conventional footrests are limited in the ability of the footplates to be adjusted horizontally as well as vertically. Conventional footrests are also limited in that the footrests do not allow the footplates to be independently adjusted to accommodate wheelchair occupants having legs which are of different lengths. What is needed is an adjustable footrest that allows a footplate to be adjusted horizontally as well as vertically to accommodate various wheelchair occupant profiles. Moreover, it is desireable that footplates adjust independently for each leg of the wheelchair occupant.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention includes an adjustable linkage assembly for supporting the footplate of a wheelchair footrest. The wheelchair footrest has a tube supported by the wheelchair frame. The linkage assembly comprises a plurality of pivots and a plurality of clamps. The clamps are structured and configured to releasably couple the pivots and the footplate together and in substantially fixed positions relative to one another.
In another embodiment, the invention includes an extension tube for use with a hanger mounted to a forward portion of a wheelchair. The extension tube adjustably supports a wheelchair footplate. The extension tube is engageable with a hollow portion of the hanger. The extension tube and the hanger are structured and dimensioned to be matingly engageable with one another and to prevent rotation of the extension tube relative to the hanger.
Various objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, when read in light of the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 229670 (1880-07-01), Carrick
patent: 1261442 (1918-04-01), Rigby
patent: 4458910 (1984-07-01), Stillwagon
patent: 4770432 (1988-09-01), Wagner
patent: 5209509 (1993-05-01), Gay et al.
patent: 5393082 (1995-02-01), Fenley
patent: 5538214 (1996-07-01), Sinila
patent: 5661999 (1997-09-01), Carone
Sunrise Medical Inc. MMG, Quickie Manual Products Parts Manual, Jan. 1996, p. 11.9.
Dickie Paul C.
Hada Karen A.
Fischer Andrew J.
MacMillan Sobanski & Todd LLC
Mai Lanna
Sunrise Medical HHG Inc.
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