초록 ▼

Wheelchair designs and enhancements are provided for use with conventional wheelchair designs. The designs and enhancements include first and second contoured folding seat panels that are hingedly mounted with respect to the wheelchair frame and that are offer interlocking functionality. The folding

Wheelchair designs and enhancements are provided for use with conventional wheelchair designs. The designs and enhancements include first and second contoured folding seat panels that are hingedly mounted with respect to the wheelchair frame and that are offer interlocking functionality. The folding seats generally provide contouring in both front-to-back and side-to-side directions. Features are provided to prevent capture of objects between seat panels as they are brought into interlocking engagement. Pivotal footrests that offer enhanced stability in the form of lateral, front-to-back and up-down stability are provided In addition, axle and axle plate combinations are described that provide enhanced flexibility in relative positioning with respect to the wheelchair frame. The disclosed features and functionalities may be incorporated into wheelchair designs, either in whole or in part, to provide enhanced user interaction with the wheelchair.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. In a wheelchair that includes first and second sides, the improvement comprising: (a) a first contoured folding seat panel that is hingedly mounted with respect to said first side, said first contoured folding seat panel defining at least one first segmented section tha

The invention claimed is: 1. In a wheelchair that includes first and second sides, the improvement comprising: (a) a first contoured folding seat panel that is hingedly mounted with respect to said first side, said first contoured folding seat panel defining at least one first segmented section that includes a first extension and a first cutaway portion, (b) a second contoured folding seat panel that is hingedly mounted with respect to said second side, said second contoured folding seat panel defining at least one second segmented section that includes a second extension and a second cutaway portion; wherein said first extension is configured and dimensioned to cooperate in an overlaying relationship with said second cutaway portion when said first and second contoured folding seat panels are brought into substantially parallel alignment, wherein said second extension is configured and dimensioned to cooperate in an overlaying relationship with said first cutaway portion when said first and second contoured folding seat panels are brought into substantially parallel alignment, and wherein each of said folding seats provides contouring in both front-to-back and side-to-side directions. 2. A wheelchair according to claim 1, wherein said contouring is identical at front and back so that said first and second contoured folding seat panels can be reversed front-to-back and used to make a complete seat. 3. A wheelchair according to claim 1, further comprising at least one angled surface adjacent said first extension to facilitate removal of an item between said first and said second contoured folding seat panel when said first and second contoured folding seat panels are brought into substantially parallel alignment. 4. A wheelchair according to claim 1, wherein each of said first and second extensions defines an arcuate outer edge. 5. A wheelchair according to claim 1, wherein each of said first and second cutaway portions defines a depth and wherein each of said first and second extensions defines a thickness, and wherein said depth of said first and second cutaway portions and said thickness of said first and second extensions are selected to provide a substantially smooth transition between said first and second contoured folding seat panels when said first and second contoured folding seat panels are brought into substantially parallel alignment. 6. A wheelchair according to claim 1, wherein said first and second contoured seat panels are configured and dimensioned with mirror-like symmetry, such that 180째 rotation permits use of either of said first and second contoured seat panels at the right side or left side of said wheelchair. 7. A wheelchair according to claim 1, wherein each of said first and second seat panels define a hinge-pin area that provides segmented sections with alternating extending hinge-pin sections and receding sections into which extended hinge-pin sections interlock. 8. In a wheelchair that includes first and second sides, the improvement comprising: (a) a first footrest pivotally mounted with respect to said first side; (b) a second footrest pivotally mounted with respect to said second side; wherein said first and second footrests are identical and wherein an interlocking mechanism is formed on said first and second footrests to provide lateral, front-to-back and up-down stability as the wheelchair is operated, wherein said interlocking mechanism includes a first indented region and a first extending tongue defined on said first footrest, and a second indented region and a second extending tongue defined on said second footrest, and wherein said first extending tongue is adapted to move in and out of interlocking engagement relative to said second indented region when said first footrest is pivoted relative to said first side. 9. A wheelchair according to claim 8, wherein said first and second footrest are pivotally mounted with respect to first and second flange extensions, respectively. 10. A wheelchair according to claim 8, wherein said second extending tongue is adapted to move in and out of interlocking engagement relative to said first indented region when said second footrest is pivoted relative to said second side. 11. A wheelchair according to claim 8, further comprising a tooth in at least one of the first and second indented regions for cooperating with a cooperating extending tongue. 12. In a wheelchair that includes first and second pivotally mounted seat panels, the improvement comprising: (a) an extending tongue and an indented region formed on each of said first and second pivotally mounted seat panels, (b) at least one outwardly extending angular surface formed on each of said extending tongues, said at least one angular surface dimensioned and configured to abut an adjacent extending tongue from a cooperating seat panel and functioning to limit in-line capture of objects therebetween, wherein the extending tongue formed on said first pivotally mounted seat panel is configured and dimensioned to cooperate in an overlaying relationship with an indented region of said second pivotally mounted seat panel when said first and second pivotally mounted seat panels are brought into substantially parallel alignment. 13. A wheelchair that includes first and second sides, the improvement comprising: (a) a first contoured folding seat panel that is hingedly mounted with respect to said first side; (b) a second contoured folding seat panel that is hingedly mounted with respect to said second side; (c) an extending tongue and an indented region formed on each of said first and second pivotally mounted seat panels; (d) at least one outwardly extending angular surface formed on each of said extending tongues, said at least one angular surface dimensioned and configured to abut an adjacent extending tongue from a cooperating seat panels and functioning to limit in-line capture of objects therebetween; (e) a first footrest pivotally mounted with respect to said first side; (f) a second footrest pivotally mounted with respect to said second side; (g) first and second axle and axle plate combinations that are configured and dimensioned for mounting to said first and second sides, each of said axle plates including at least four spaced mounting apertures; (h) a mounting region formed on each of said first and second sides, said mounting regions including at least four spaced mounting holes that are dimensioned and arrayed in a cooperative manner relative to said at least four spaced mounting apertures formed in said first and second axle plates; and (i) at least one armrest support that includes a plurality of spaced mounting extensions that are configured and dimensioned to engage at least one of said first and second side; wherein each of said folding seats provides contouring in both front-to-back and side-to-side directions; wherein said first and second footrests are identical and wherein an interlocking mechanism is formed on said first and second footrests to provide lateral, front-to-back and up-down stability as the wheelchair is operated.