Chairs and seats – Collapsible chair; i.e. – relatively folding bottom – back,... – Laterally collapsible
Patent
1981-07-22
1984-10-16
Zugel, Francis K.
Chairs and seats
Collapsible chair; i.e., relatively folding bottom, back,...
Laterally collapsible
297DIG4, A47C 428
Patent
active
044771177
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to improvements in and relating to wheel chairs, which would enable the user of the wheel chair to be elevated so that the user can more readily reach and see places and areas which are at present inaccessible to the user.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Large numbers of incapacitated people live in their own homes, and these paraplegic people are confined to moving around their homes in a wheel chair and carrying out their household activities from these wheel chairs.
However from the safety point of view the chairs are designed to have a very low center of gravity so as to increase the stability of the wheel chairs. However this low design is of distinct disadvantage and is considered to be extremely dangerous when household chores and duties are carried out from the low wheel chair, for example cooking, washing or the like.
Thus users of a wheel chair often have to cook on a stove with the top of the stove being at the eye level of the user in the wheel chair and this causes a very dangerous situation.
DISCUSSION OF PRIOR ART
Folding wheel chairs are known, for example as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,166,631 and 4,140,341 which basically comprise two side frames interconnected by cross struts. These struts are connected to the arm rests which are slidable vertically in the side frames. As the chair folds by bringing the side frames together, the arm rests rise due to the movement of the cross struts.
Wheel chairs which have means to elevate the seat are also known, as shown for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,219,834 3,215,469, 2,982,336 and 2,578,382, but these do not have any provision for folding the wheel chair, and with the construction shown it is not possible to fold the chairs.
Referring now to United Kingdom Pat. No. 922175 there is shown a folding wheel chair having a seat portion which is adapted to be elevated. The seat is mounted on a hydraulic ram supported on a frame work which is adapted to be clipped to the side rails of the chair. The seat frame work and hydraulic ram must be removed before the chair can be collapsed. And thus the seat frame work and hydraulic ram must be separately carried and stowed.
However for those patients living at home and those patients who require transport between various places, it is virtually essential for the chair to be collapsible in a simple manner so that they can be easily transported and stowed. Also it is highly desirable that the patient be able to be raised and lowered in the chair for safely carrying out household chores, cooking, preparing meals, washing, and also for activities in industry and at their places of employment.
It is thus an object of this invention to provide a wheel chair or an attachment for fitting to a wheel chair which will enable the seat and back rest portion of the wheel chair to be elevated so that the user can then be raised on the seat.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a mechanism for or incorporated in a wheel chair whereby the user himself may raise him or herself in the seat by simple manipulation of a lever or switch, and the chair collapsed when required in the usual manner.
BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION
Thus there is provided according to the invention a folding wheel chair comprising a pair of spaced parallel main side frames each carrying a rear wheel and a forward wheel, a seat and back rest frame vertically slidable relative to the main frame and stabilising means interconnecting the two sides of the wheel chair, characterised by a side frame between each said main frame and said seat and back rest frame, means to raise to said side frame relative to said main frame to thus raise said seat and back rest portion and elevate same relative to said main frames while maintaining the main frames in spaced parallel position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In order to more fully the describe the invention reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a view of the wheel chair in its lowered position,
FIG. 2 is a view of the wheel chair in
REFERENCES:
patent: 2578382 (1951-12-01), Thompson
patent: 2641306 (1953-06-01), Lerman
patent: 2679283 (1954-05-01), Mahone
patent: 3023048 (1962-02-01), Barton
patent: 3374493 (1968-03-01), Herrera
patent: 3618968 (1971-11-01), Greer
patent: 3985389 (1976-10-01), Bonfield
patent: 4140341 (1979-02-01), Rabe
patent: 4371183 (1983-02-01), Dion
Huebner Harlan P.
Zugel Francis K.
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