Folding, Rocking, Posture Adjusting Wheel Chair

Abstract

The rocking component is pivotally mounted by the upstanding flexible steel rods on the wheel frame and is guided by means of pairs of guide wheels which roll on the upper horizontal curved rail bar of the wheel frame. The foot rest is adjustable relative to the floor level and is pivotal in two directions so as to be folded up into a vertical position and then pivoted backward into the chair frame.

Description

This invention relates in general to invalid, non ambulatory patient wheel chairs and particularly, to a rocking wheel chair.

Most medical institutions provide wheel chairs of various sizes and with minor modifications including one-wheel drives for hemiplegics, foot rests of assorted heights, lengths, widths and extensions according to the individual needs of diversified patient requirements. Rocking chairs in hospitals, on the other hand, are very rarely available except in exceptional circumstances. Further, the space usurping requirements and the specificity of limited use has driven the conventional, comforting, relaxing, circulation stimulating, tension dissipating and baby lullabying piece of furniture from more and more homes especially apartments as its rockers can be stumbling blocks and can be a great disadvantage at the dinner table.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a combination rocking and wheel chair which provides a necessary piece of equipment for hospitals and the like.

It is another object of the invention to provide an efficient rocking wheel chair of simple construction.

Briefly, the invention provides a rocking wheel chair formed of a rocking component and a wheel frame.

The rocking component which is constructed in a foldable manner consists of two rectangular shaped sides, e.g. of tubular metal, or any other suitable shape and material. Each side has a top bar on which a padded arm rests and a bottom bar which supports a canvas seat. The two sides connect to a back frame which extends upward and includes a canvas back between two back bars as do the standard wheel chairs. The back bars are hinged so as to be extended backwards to any desired position and securely locked, e.g. by means of wing-nut bolts.

The wheel frame is of generally basic construction and includes an upstanding static frame, forward pivotally mounted wheels, and drive wheels. The upper horizontal rails of the static frame are curved for purposes as explained below.

The entire rocking component is supported by one or more vertical flexible steel rods three-eighth inch, on each side, side by side, which are clamped fixedly to the bottom beams of the basic static frame. Each rod is also secured to the lower and upper horizontal beams of the rocking frame and carries two wheels on each side which rest on the upper rail of the static frame on each side and which bear most of the occupant's weight. The wheels roll back and forth over the curved rail giving a rocking motion and sensation. The moving parts on each side are enclosed in the seat side frames to prevent the trapping of clothing and fingers.

In addition, the chair includes a collapsible foot rest which includes two foot plates each of which is foldable from a horizontal position to a vertical position, as is known, and thereafter pivotal into a position within the chair. In this latter position, the foot plates can be stored within the confines of the chair when the chair is collapsed sideways.

The rocking wheel chair of the present invention has none of the limitations of the prior art devices while retaining all the beneficial features of the conventional rocking chair. Also, the chair is more comfortable due to other reasons; as the chair has a lumbar curve support, which enables the weak, aged, or debilitated convalescent to remain upright for longer periods than in any conventional wheel chair with a straight flat back, the patients can also modify their position themselves and for more exaggered posturing with very little help, and without leaving the chair, and without any strain to either patient or attendant.

The chair provides a safe, secure invalid chair at little greater expense or elaboration and uses many similar parts of conventional wheel chairs. The similar appearance to conventional wheel chairs will make it very easily acceptable by most patients. It has no extra floor parts so there is no added scratching or marking of floors. The rocking components are an integral part of the chair.

The rocking and easy ready posturing will greatly reduce blood stasis especially in the lower limbs with the ensuing clots and emboli, coronary attacks, constipation with resultant fecal impaction and anorexia, bed sores, muscle flabbiness especially of the legs and back, speeding the process of rehabilitation and walking appreciately. Even boredom will be reduced because of the infectiousness of any physical rhythmic action. Compare the pathetic elderly invalid sitting fixedly and staring into space in an ordinary wheel chair to one rollicking in a rocking chair.

While retaining all the advantages of the conventional wheel chair including comfort, convenience of folding for storage and travel, self propulation or pushing mobility, the rocking wheel chair of the invention enables the occupant to rock with the classical motion and sensation of a standard rocking chair. In addition, the back of the wheel chair can be adjusted to any angle including horizontal in which latter position, the wheel chair acts as a stretcher in an emergency without the occupant leaving the chair or using any extra apparatus, or encountering any risk or sensation of fear. Especially in syncope on first getting up out of bed.

The wheel chair can be easily adapted for electric motors for transporting purposes as is known and the rocker has a locking device thereon in case of a need for fixation to prevent rocking as when loading and unloading the patient, for instance.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of a rocking wheel chair according to the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a view of the back frame of the chair of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded view of foot rest components of the chair of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 1, the chair has a basic wheel frame including a pair of static side frames (only one of which is shown for clarity), drive wheels 25 (standard hand wheels which have been omitted for clarity) and pivoting front wheels 19 as are known. In addition, each side frame 1 has a base beam which includes a conventional pusher's toe lifting extension 21 for tipping of the chair, e.g., when lifting the chair onto a step, and an upper beam which is curved, as shown, and continuous with the top of two side columns of tubular or metal construction. The upper beam carries an arched rail 27 as shown.

The wheel frame also includes two way folding foot rests 11 (the foot rests can also be transferred to the rocker frame for paraplegics, etc.), brakes, side posts and handgrip wheels. In essence, the wheel frame is a slightly cut down model of a standard type folding wheel chair, with a curved top beam and lacking both the seat and back components as well as the arm rests.

A firm socket 2 is fixed on the base beam of each side frame 1 and grasps the bottoms of the flexible steel rods 3, 3A, which support a rocking component or seat frame 6 and firmly supports them onto the base beam of the non-rocking frame 1 giving to the rocking component a `whip` effect as well as centering the rocking component 6 as is done by gravity in a standard rocking chair. The rods 3, 3A are also minimally weight supporting to add torsion effect and over all stability. The rods 3, 3A are of 3/8 inch flexible steel rods in palisade and carry a pair of wheels 4 having concave rims which with their opposite number on the other side of the rocking component behave after the manner of a railroad car truck, track hugging, main weight bearers, rocking with the curved arching rails 27 and, by virtue of their concave rims, adding to the lateral stability of the whole apparatus. Coil springs 5 may be added for extra rocker centering and for extra heavy or spastic patients. Each of these springs 5 can differ in strength to compensate to individual patient's eccentricities and physical problems. Rocker bumper stops 7 are disposed on each curved rail 27 to limit the range of motion. Also, a partial weight supporting loose socket 8 is secured on the lower metal beam 25 of the rocking frame and to the rods 3, 3A as is a similar socket 8A on the upper beam of the rocking frame 6. The lower beam 25 carries one side of a canvas seat (not shown).

A padded arm rest 10 is supported by the top beam of the rocking frame 6 and a lumbar curved support 12 to increase comfort in the rocking position is secured to the bottom beam of the rocking frame 6. The back support 14 is of molded shape to simulate more nearly the back position of the classical rocking chair to provide added comfort. Also, the support 14 is pivotally mounted on a hinge pin 30 on each bottom beam 25 of the rocking frame 6 to move into a horizontal position. This extension facility allows an occupant to be placed in a horizontal position. (The standard wheel chair requires the patient's transfer to a bed or sofa to provide a horizontal position at a great deal of physical work and manhandling of the unassisting patient.) In order to secure the support 14 in different angular positions, a metal strap support 18 extends from each frame 6 and a fixation wing-nut bolt 16 is provided to hold the chair back 14 in a secure position.

A swivel caster pin sleeve 17 for the front caster 5 inch wheel 19 is provided as is known along with a wheel brake 23.

Referring to FIG. 3, the easy, quick, toe-touch patient self-adjusting foot rest is, of necessity, modified to permit easy adjustment: up and down to and away, to permit comfortable leg and foot, individualized, positions from rocking (standard rocking chair seats are much nearer the floor to permit strong full foot push offs) to the static resting position without losing the table height advantage of the standard wheel chairs presently in use. To this end, each foot rest includes a tube 31 (see FIG. 1) in which a foot rest 9 is telescoped and secured in place by a security collar 31A (see FIG. 1) so as to permit extension and shortening of the foot rest arm, after the fashion or those used on tubular intravenous poles. An adjustment bar 13 with a locking collar 15 (see FIG. 1) is also provided to permit movement of the foot rest arm 9 to and away from the chair.

The arm 9 which is adjustable for the foot plate angle with relationship to the floor carries a ring lock or stop F2 at the lower end as well as a short axle F4 for folding the foot plate 11 up and back for loading or unloading a patient into the chair. The ring lock F2 is provided behind this axle F4 to increase stability of the foot plate and also to produce slight resistance so that when a patient elevates the foot plate it folds laterally more easily then backwards (which is the second folding action for storage). A block F8 which maintains the foot plate in stable position by acting against vertical edge 11A is also secured in place as shown. A round rod F7 with a right angled short bend, pin F3 locks into the ring lock F2 at one end while a hole (bearing F5) fits onto axle F4 as described above to pivotally mount the rod F7 on the arm 9. A longer section of the round rod F7 acts as an axle for ring bearings F1 and F1A on foot plate 11. A removable lock nut F6 (shown schematically) is provided on the end of the round rod F7 to retain foot plate and axle against foot pressure. The foot plate 11 is a corrugated slip-proof plate of metal having a 90.degree. angle bend 11A at one end to present a lateral foot step stop. These parts as are all parts of this rocking wheel chair are bilaterally interchangeable to cut initial cost and reduce replacement inventory.

Referring to FIG. 2, the parts of the back frame are hinged together as shown by a lock hinge B2 so as to fold sideways. In addition, handles B1 are provided for a pusher, and a canvas back B3 is stretched across upright bars B8. The remaining components conform with those described above.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A rocking wheel chair comprising

a static wheel frame including wheels for transporting of said frame, a lower horizontal beam within the confines of said wheels and an upper horizontal beam having a curved rail thereon;

a rocking frame defining a seat;

first means pivotally securing said rocking frame to said lower beam of said wheel frame; and

second means for supporting said rocking frame on said upper rail.

2. A rocking wheel chair as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first means includes at least one flexible rod secured at one end to said lower beam and at the opposite end to said rocking frame on each side of the chair.

3. A rocking wheel chair as set forth in claim 2 wherein said second means includes at least one wheel secured to said rod and rollably supported on said upper rail.

4. A rocking wheel chair as set forth in claim 2 wherein said rocking frame includes a lower beam and an upper beam and said first means includes a first socket secured to said rod and said lower beam of said rocking frame and a second socket secured to said rod and said upper beam of said rocking frame.

5. A rocking wheel chair as set forth in claim 2 which further comprises a pair of springs connected to each rod and to opposite sides of said wheel frame.

6. A rocking wheel chair as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second means includes at least one wheel secured to said rod and rollably supported on said upper rail.

7. A rocking wheel chair as set forth in claim 1 wherein said rocking frame includes a pivotally mounted back and means for securing said back in and between an upright position and a horizontal position.

8. A rocking wheel chair as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a foot rest having a pair of foot plates, each plate being pivotally mounted for two degrees of freedom to pivot from a horizontal plane to a vertical plane and to pivot in said vertical plane towards and away from said static wheel frame.