초록

A wheelchair lift system that allows a wheelchair and a person sitting in the wheelchair to be selectively positioned at a standing height or a sitting height. A lift system that is attachable to wide variety of existing wheelchairs.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system for lifting a wheelchair, the system comprising: the wheelchair, the wheelchair comprising a frame having a frame rail; anda lift system, the lift system comprising: a support frame for stably positioning the wheelchair attached to the lift system in a standing position;a vertically exte

1. A system for lifting a wheelchair, the system comprising: the wheelchair, the wheelchair comprising a frame having a frame rail; anda lift system, the lift system comprising: a support frame for stably positioning the wheelchair attached to the lift system in a standing position;a vertically extendable and retractable vertical frame member extending upward from the support frame; a second vertically extendable and retractable frame which extends downward with respect to said first vertically extendable and retractable frame extending which extends upwarda lifting member associated with the vertically extending frame member; anda universal attachment mechanism adapted to attach the vertically extendable vertical frame member to the frame of the wheelchair, the universal attachment mechanism comprising an L-shaped bracket including a generally vertical portion and a generally horizontal portion, wherein the generally horizontal portion extends horizontally out from a bottom half of the vertical frame member and is received by the frame rail of the wheelchair. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the frame rail is a lower frame rail of a wheelchair. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the support frame is retractable above a wheel of the wheelchair in a sitting position. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the lift system further includes an actuator to actuate the lifting member. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the actuator is actuated by a switch. 6. The system of claim 4, wherein the actuator is in signal communication with a control system. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the lifting member includes a first component and a second component, the first and second components moveable with respect to each other. 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the vertically extendable vertical frame member includes a first component and a second component, the first and second components movable with respect to each other. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the support frame includes two front castors and two rear castors. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the lift system includes a single vertical frame member. 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the lift system includes two vertical frame members and two lifting members. 12. A method of attaching a lift system to a wheelchair, the method comprising the steps of: providing the lift system having a support frame for stably positioning the wheelchair attached to the lift system in a standing position, a vertically extendable and retractable vertical frame member extending upward from the support frame, a lifting member associated with the vertically extending frame member, said vertically extendable and retractable vertical frame member extending upward from the support frame; a second vertically extendable and retractable frame which extends downward with respect to said first vertically extendable and retractable frame extending which extends upward, anda universal attachment mechanism comprising an L-shaped bracket including a generally vertical portion and a generally horizontal portion, wherein the generally horizontal portion extends horizontally out from a bottom half of the vertical frame member; andattaching the universal attachment mechanism to a frame of the wheelchair, wherein attaching the universal attachment mechanism to the frame of the wheelchair comprises receiving the generally horizontal portion of the L-shaped bracket at a frame rail of the frame of the wheelchair. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving the generally horizontal portion of the L-shaped bracket at the frame rail comprises inserting the generally horizontal portion within a lower frame rail of the wheelchair. 14. The method of claim 12, further including the step of adjusting a length of a leg of the support frame. 15. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the generally vertical portion extends vertically out from the generally horizontal portion a distance above the generally horizontal portion. 16. The system of claim 1, wherein the generally vertical portion is adapted to attach to the frame of the wheelchair. 17. The method of claim 12, wherein the attaching step further includes attaching the generally vertical portion to the frame of the wheelchair.