EP3412267A1 - Assembly for translating the wheels of a wheelchair for a mobility impaired person - Google Patents

Abstract

A kit or kit for a manual wheelchair comprising a substantially horizontal guide (1) and a telescopic wheel slider (2) having, towards its rear end, a portion (10) on which the rear wheel can be mounted, and movable along the guide (1) between a normal advanced position and a retracted position, in which the rear wheel no longer overflows on the side of the seat, and, optionally, manually actuatable devices for immobilizing the slider in the advanced and retracted positions, characterized in that the guide (1) comprises a fixed tube, the slide (2) comprising a tube guided in the fixed guide (1) and carrying said portion (10), the front end of the slide (1) having a piece of bearing (3) rolling on the lower part of the guide (1), the guide (1) having, at its rear end, a rolling part (9) rolling on the upper part of the slide (2).

Description

The present invention relates to an assembly in the form of a wheelchair kit with manual drive for the handicapped, facilitating the lateral transfer of the user to and from the chair.

Hand-operated wheelchairs have large diameter rear wheels to allow manual training by the circular handrails provided by the wheels. These wheels form an obstacle to the lateral transfer of the handicapped person between the chair seat and another adjacent seat.

Hand-operated wheelchairs have already been described in which one or both of the rear wheels, of large diameter, are mounted on parts sliding horizontally on the rest of the frame, which makes it possible to move the wheels back between a normal position of use and a retracted position releasing the lateral side of the seat to facilitate the transfer of the disabled. Such chairs are described in US 2010/133779 , US 2004/080137 , DE 10 2008 013453 and JP 2011104317 . They have in particular a longitudinal size, protruding rearwardly. Moreover, the unlocking in the two advanced and retracted positions is complicated for the user, who must, at the same time, actuate the wheels.

FR 2995209 and JP2009 178492 describe wheelchairs in which the actuation and unlocking of the wheels between these two positions are performed by complicated drive mechanisms. otherwise JP2009 178492 describes a telescopic sliding device less bulky in the longitudinal direction, but complex and requiring operation by levers.

Requirement FR 15/01566 , not yet published, describes a set that solves these problems, which can be in the form of a kit easily mountable on most existing manual wheelchairs, the elongated slide length being such that it can, in the rear or back position , out cantilever of the rear end of the guide which does not exceed, or little, the rear end of the chair, the slide remaining held in the guide by its front part.

The present invention proposes to overcome these disadvantages and provide such a set of great lightness, and very easy to mount on most existing wheelchairs. Another object of the invention is to provide a simplified assembly that can be mounted on wheelchairs disabled can not operate the wheels themselves, and can be easily completed for the disabled who can do it.

The invention relates to a set or kit that can be mounted on a wheelchair with manual drive for disabled motor, having a frame or frame, a seat, wheels or casters anterior and large-diameter rear wheels with manual drive, susceptible to be immobilized by wheel brakes, said assembly comprising two telescopic elements, namely a substantially horizontal guide and a telescopic wheel slider having, towards its rear end, a portion on which can be mounted the rear wheel, and movable along the guide between a normal advanced rolling position and a retracted position, exceeding at the rear of the guide, in which the rear wheel no longer overflows on the side of the seat, optionally a manually actuable device for immobilizing the slide in said forward position and in said retracted position, characterized in that the guide comprises a fixed tube preferably of circular section, the slider comprising an elongated element, preferably in the form of a tube or rod of complementary section guided in the fixed and secured guide, at the rear, of said portion on which the rear wheel can be mounted, the anterior end of the elongate element forming the slide, having a roll piece or roller it is possible to roll over the lower part of the guide, the guide having, at its rear end, a rolling member or roller that can roll over the upper part of the slide.

Preferably the slider carries a usual wheel brake disposed at its forward end.

For this purpose, preferably, the slide carries, for example on said portion on which can be mounted the rear wheel, an elongate piece in the form of tube or rod, parallel to said slide, and guided in a short guide piece close to said part and secured to the fixed guide, said elongate member having, towards its front end, said wheel brake.

In another embodiment, the slide carries, towards its front end, a piece emerging laterally or, preferably upwardly, from the guide, the latter having an elongated passage, for example a slot, allowing the displacement of said piece when movement of the slider, said piece carrying the wheel brake.

Preferably, the rear end of the guide does not exceed, or little, the rear end of the chair.

Preferably, the guide, the slide, the elongated piece and the short guide are formed of circular section tubes.

Advantageously, the tubular guide may carry two fastening devices, for example with jaws, allowing quick mounting by clamping on a tubular element of the wheelchair.

The short guide piece can advantageously be fixed on the slide by a connection that can be fixed by clamping on the tubular guide.

In the embodiment comprising an immobilizing means of the slider other than the wheel brake, said immobilizing device comprises a pawl, preferably vertical, presented by said elongated piece, preferably at its anterior end and depressions of immobilization, for example holes, preferably presented by the guide, said pawl being pushed elastically or by gravity to be able to snap into the depression or the hole, when the slide is in the advanced or retracted position while being able to be operated manually by the user to release the hole, a holding device, preferably magnetic, being disposed at the hole to maintain the pawl in the released position, and release the pawl when the slide away, so that the ratchet is found pushed elastically in the direction of the guide, and automatically enters the depression encountered during the movement of the slide.

It is possible to fix on the slider an elongated plate on which the end of the pawl can slide, this slab having the immobilization holes, but in a simple embodiment the holes are formed in the tube forming the guide, along the Generator tube traveled by the end of the slider.

The pawl may consist of a simple rod provided with an operating knob and guided in translation in two vertically aligned holes of said elongate member.

Preferably, there is provided, at each immobilizing hole, a small magnet holding the pawl in the raised position, against a return spring, which pushes the pawl towards the guide when the slide, and therefore the elongated element, moves and moves away from the magnet. Preferably said magnets are carried by a nonmagnetic elongate plate or bar fixed relative to the guide, for example by being integral with the fasteners of the guide on the frame. The pawl may advantageously carry a small ferromagnetic tab or washer that can be pressed against the magnet. Preferably this washer may also serve as a fulcrum for a coil spring surrounding the pawl between the washer and the ratchet exit hole in the elongate member.

Preferably, the guide is a strong cylindrical tube, for example stainless steel and it is preferred that the slide is also formed of such a tube of smaller diameter, sliding with a game, in the guide. Preferably, the elongated element is a strong cylindrical tube, for example made of stainless steel, the short guide section being a tube of larger diameter, or a tubular passage formed by two flanges screwed together and connecting the guide and said section.

Particularly preferably, the tube forming the slider is of the same outer diameter as the tubes forming the frame of the chair, and it is preferably the same for the tube forming the elongate member. For example, these tubes have a diameter of 25 mm and a thickness of 1.5 mm. The slider is then preferably a tube of 20 mm in diameter.

In one embodiment, the slider, preferably tubular, may comprise a first sliding portion in the guide, and a posterior part laterally spaced so as to present the portion supporting the wheel, substantially in the vertical plane of the wheel support. origin of the chair, the guide then being preferably in the lateral plane of the chair frame. so that the assembly according to the invention does not increase the lateral size of the chair.

The invention also relates to a kit characterized in that it comprises two assemblies according to the invention, and optionally an elongated transverse piece, such as a rod, crosses or axis, preferably telescopic for easy assembly, bringing together the two rear wheels of the chair.

• La Figure 1 représente une vue schématique en élévation du guide d'un ensemble selon l'invention, contenant le coulisseau,
• La Figure 2 représente une vue schématique de profil de ce guide,
• les Figures 3 et 4 représentent une vue schématique en élévation de l'ensemble selon l'invention en positions avancée, respectivement reculée,
• les Figures 5 et 6 représentent une vue schématique en élévation en positions avancée, respectivement reculée, de l'ensemble selon l'invention muni d'un dispositif d'immobilisation avec un cliquet,
• la Figure 7 représente une vue schématique en élévation du cliquet,
• la Figure 8 représente une vue schématique en élévation d'une plaque de glissement pour le cliquet,
• les Figures 9 et 10 représentent une vue schématique de profil du cliquet en positions libérée, respectivement enfoncée,
• la Figure 11 représente une vue schématique en élévation de l'ensemble selon une autre forme de réalisation de l'invention en position reculée
• la Figure 12 représente une vue schématique de profil en coupe au niveau du cliquet de cet ensemble,
• les Figure 13 et 14 représentent des vues vue schématiques de dessus, respectivement en élévation, d'un kit de deux ensembles avec un coulisseau coudé pour ne pas influencer l'écartement des roues, en position avancée,
• les Figure 15 et 16 représentent des vues vue schématiques de dessus, respectivement en élévation, d'un kit de deux ensembles avec le coulisseau coudé, en position reculée.

Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will become apparent on reading the following description, given by way of non-limiting example, and with reference to the appended drawing, in which:

• The Figure 1 represents a schematic elevational view of the guide of an assembly according to the invention, containing the slide,
• The Figure 2 represents a schematic side view of this guide,
• the Figures 3 and 4 represent a schematic view in elevation of the assembly according to the invention in advanced or retracted positions,
• the Figures 5 and 6 represent a schematic view in elevation in advanced or retracted positions, respectively, of the assembly according to the invention provided with an immobilization device with a pawl,
• the Figure 7 represents a schematic elevational view of the pawl,
• the Figure 8 is a schematic elevational view of a sliding plate for the pawl,
• the Figures 9 and 10 represent a schematic view of the pawl in the released position, respectively depressed,
• the Figure 11 is a schematic elevational view of the assembly according to another embodiment of the invention in retracted position
• the Figure 12 represents a schematic sectional profile view at the ratchet of this assembly,
• the Figure 13 and 14 represent schematic views from above, respectively in elevation, of a kit of two sets with a bent slide so as not to influence the spacing of the wheels, in the advanced position,
• the Figure 15 and 16 are schematic views from above, respectively in elevation, of a kit of two sets with the elbow slide, in the retracted position.

We refer to Figures 1 to 4 .

The assembly shown is intended to be mounted on one side of a conventional tubular frame of a wheelchair with large rear wheels manually operated by circular handrail for disabled, a similar assembly being mounted on the other side.

It comprises a guide comprising a horizontal tube 1 stainless steel outer diameter of 25 mm and wall thickness of 2 mm. This guide can be mounted on a horizontal tubular beam of the frame of a wheelchair by two sets of jaws customary (not shown). Inside the guide 1 can slide a tubular slider 2 of stainless steel, diameter 20 mm, whose rear end emerges from the guide when it is pressed into it, in the advanced position.

At its front end the slider 2 has a vertical slot in which is housed a roller 3, for example a ball bearing diameter 20 mm, whose horizontal axis 4 is mounted in lateral holes of the tube 2 arranged so that the roller exceeds the lower geometric generator of the cylinder forming the tube 2, so that the roller can roll on the bottom of the guide 1 without the slide rubs on the bottom of the guide 1.

At its rear end the guide 1 has an upper notch 5.

At this rear end, a flange 6, with a U section, immobilized by a screw 7, and having a horizontal axis 8 on which is mounted a roller 9, similar to the roller 3, and under which can pass, with a game, the tubular slide 2.

On the rear end of the slider 2 is fixed vertically, by clamping or screwing, a lower bearing of a portion 10 having, upwards, a hole 11 allowing the usual assembly of the axis of a large rear wheel chair rolling. Above the hole 11 the part 10 is extended by receiving, by screwing or clamping in a bearing surface 12, a tubular element 13, for example made of stainless steel of the same diameter as the tube 1, and extending forwards , parallel to the slider 2. The tubular element 13 is further guided through a short cylindrical section 14 presented by a guide piece 15, clamped on the guide 1, and whose inner diameter is 27 mm. Towards its front end, the elongate member 13 carries a conventional wheelchair wheel brake 16 secured by clamping.

Alternatively the rear part 10 may be a part, preferably of synthetic material, for example PVC, preferably rounded at the rear, and having two parallel holes, in which can penetrate the rear ends of the parts 2 and 13 , to be fixed, and a third hole 11. Advantageously, this part may be composed of two half-pieces, preferably identical, provided with nut passages, and coming to apply against one the other, in the vertical geometric plane of the tubular parts 2 and 13, and to be clamped there like jaws immobilizing the two ends of tubular parts 2 and 13 in semi-cylindrical hollows facing each other.

We refer to Figures 5 to 10 .

In the front opening of this element, a cylindrical piece has been introduced and fixed with a vertical passage in which a pawl rod 18 having an operating knob 19 can be slid. On the pawl rod is fixed to a certain distance from its rounded lower end, a ferromagnetic washer 20 on which supports a helical return spring 21 whose upper end rests against the lower surface of the part 17.

On the guide 1, are mounted, by clamping, two nonmagnetic brackets 22, 23, whose horizontal faces have, downwards, two small flat magnets 24, 25, not interfering with the vertical sliding of the pawl 18 but intercept a side of the washer 20, when the pawl is pulled up. The brackets 22, 23 are joined by a horizontal sliding plate 26 provided with two indexing holes 27, 28 whose spacing is equal to the stroke of the slider 2 between its advanced and retracted positions. Alternatively the plate 26 may be omitted, the two holes then being directly practical in the upper wall of the guide 1, opposite the brackets.

When mounting two sets according to the invention on both sides of the chair, it is preferred to join the two parts 11 by an axis, profile or crossbar, so that the two wheels can be moved together between their forward and backward positions.

The operation is as follows.

First of all, the two rear wheels of a conventional chair are removed, then the guides 1 are fixed to the frame by clamping fasteners (not shown) in a position in which the slider 2, entered into its seat. guide 1, with the pawl 18 pressed into the front hole 27, has the wheel well 11, substantially opposite the wheel arch of the chair, then the wheel is mounted in the passage 12.

The disabled user, sitting on his chair, can then pull the pawl 18 (or the two pawls, if one assembly has been mounted on each side), so that the washer 20 comes into contact with the magnet 24, which holds the ratchet in the raised position. The user then turns the wheel rearward, which slides the slider 2 backwards and apart the washer of the magnet, so that the spring 21 pushes the ratchet down, or it slides on the piece 26 until it meets the rear hole 22, into which it enters and immobilizes the slide in the rear retracted position, in which position the wheel is moved away from the lateral edge of the chair seat. To return to the normal position, the user pulls the ratchet upward, and proceeds in the opposite direction. In the case where the pawl 18 is vertical, it is also possible to omit the spring 21, the pawl being biased downwards by simple gravitation.

For the disabled who can not operate the wheels themselves, the device, as shown on the Figures 1 and 2 , may not include indexing means in the advanced and remote positions, the stop being provided by a caregiver, who actuates the wheel brakes.

Referring to Figures 11 and 12 an embodiment is shown in which the slider 2 no longer carries an elongated element 13, and the portion 29 which has the wheel axle passage 11 is simplified. The guide 1 has, at its upper part, an elongate slot 30 whose length is greater than or equal to the stroke of the slider 2. The latter has a piece 31 emerging upwards, through the slot 30, on which is fixed a wheel brake 16. The piece 31 also carries a vertical tube 32 offset laterally relative to the guide 1, in which the pawl 18 slides. The magnets 24 and 25 are directly fixed under the guide 1. The sliding plate 26, with its indexing holes is supported by the two jaw attachment members 33, 34, which allow to fix the assembly according to the invention on a beam 35 of the frame of the chair, thanks to its low height.

Referring to Figures 13 to 16 , we see a device in which the rectilinear slide 1 is replaced by a slider 2, the rear portion 36 is offset laterally inwardly, at a place where the elbow formed remains behind the rear vertical upright of the frame of the chair. As a result, the wheels 37, once mounted on the assembly according to the invention and preferably joined by a profile or axis 38, remain in the same vertical plane as when the wheels are mounted on the chassis, so that the width of the chair, equipped with a kit of two sets is not increased.

Claims (10)

A kit or kit that can be mounted on a wheelchair with a manual drive for the disabled, having a frame or frame, a seat, anterior wheels or castors and large-diameter rear wheels with manual drive, which can be immobilized by brakes wheel assembly, said assembly comprising two telescopic elements, namely a substantially horizontal guide (1) and a telescopic wheel slider (2) having, towards its rear end, a portion (10) on which the rear wheel can be mounted, and movable along the guide (1) between a normal advanced rolling position and a retracted position protruding from the rear of the guide, in which the rear wheel no longer overflows on the side of the seat, and, optionally, manually operable devices immobilizing the slider in said forward position and in said retracted position (18, 27, 28), characterized in that the guide (1) comprises a fixed tube, the slide (2) comprising an elongated element of complementary section guided in the fixed guide (1) and integral, at the rear, of said portion (10) on which can be mounted the rear wheel, the anterior end of the elongate member forming the slider (1), having a rolling member or roller (3) capable of rolling on the lower part of the guide (1), the guide (1) having, at its rear end, a piece or roller (9) which can roll on the upper part of the slide (2). Assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide (1) and / or the slider (2) are tubes. Assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that the tube or tubes are of circular section. Assembly according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the slide carries a wheel brake (16) disposed at its forward end. Assembly according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the slide (1) carries an elongate piece (13) in the form of a tube or rod, parallel to said slide (1), and guided in a short guide piece ( 14) close to said portion (10) receiving the wheel, and integral with the fixed guide (1), said elongated piece (13) having, towards its forward end, said wheel brake (16) and / or said manually actuatable device of immobilization of the slider in said advanced position and in said retracted position (18, 27, 28). Assembly according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the slide carries towards its anterior end, a piece (31) emerging laterally or upwardly from the guide (1), the latter having an elongate passage ( 30), allowing the displacement of said piece (31) during the movement of the slider (2), said piece (31) carrying the wheel brake (16) and / or said manually actuable device for immobilizing the slider in said advanced position and in said retracted position (18, 27, 28). Assembly according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said immobilizing device comprises a vertical pawl (18) and depressions or immobilization holes (27, 28) said pawl (18) being pushed back in order to snap into the hole or depression when the slider (2) is in an advanced or retracted position while being manually operable by the user to release from the hole, a holding device (20, 24, 25) being disposed at the the hole for holding the pawl (18) in the released position, and releasing the pawl when the slider (2) moves away, so that the pawl (18) is pushed back elastically towards the guide, and automatically enters the depression encountered during the movement of the slider. Assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that the holding device comprises magnets (24, 25) holding the pawl (18) in the released position. Assembly according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the slide has a first sliding portion in the guide, and a rear portion (36) laterally spaced so as to present the wheel supporting portion, substantially in the vertical plane the original wheel support of the chair. Kit characterized in that it comprises two sets according to one of claims 1 to 9, and optionally an elongated cross piece (38) joining the two rear wheels of the chair.

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