Patent Grant
12251343
The present disclosure generally relates to portable adjustable frame systems, and more particularly to portable adjustable frame systems for use in connection with mobility assistance equipment, such as manual wheelchairs.
When a person regularly uses a manual wheelchair, he/she may remain seated in the manual wheelchair to perform tasks, such as eating. This may present problems for the person because the arms of the manual wheelchair are positioned such that the person may not be able to easily reach the table for eating. This may lead to accidents and may make these routine tasks less enjoyable for the person.
Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a portable adjustable frame system for use in connection with mobility assistance equipment having two arms a seat portion, the system comprising: two arm portions positioned parallel to one another and slidably aligned with the two arms of the mobility assistance equipment, the two arm portions each having a first end and a second end; a first support portion secured at a perpendicular angle to the first end of each of the two arm portions; a second support portion secured at a perpendicular angle to the two arm portions at a securement point in between the first end and the second end of the two arm portions, wherein the two arm portions and the two support portions form a square when secured to one another; and at least one leg portion extending from the second support portion that rests on the seat portion of the mobility assistance equipment when the portable adjustable frame system is secured to the mobility assistance equipment. The mobility assistance equipment may be a manual wheelchair, a walker, or a transport chair. The two arm portions and the first and second support portions may be permanently secured to one another. The first and second support portions may be adjustable to expand the frame system relative to a width of the mobility assistance equipment. The frame system may be expandable to a width between 14 and 24 inches. The frame system also may include a tray that is secured to a frame formed from the two arm portions and the first and second support portions. The tray may be foldable and/or may be capable of being angled. The tray may have reinforced edges so that items placed on the tray may not easily slide off when the mobility assistance equipment moves while the portable adjustable frame system is attached. The frame system also may include a basket that is secured to a frame formed from the two arm portions and the first and second support portions. The frame system may be collapsible for storage or transport. The frame system may be lightweight and durable with a load capacity of approximately 120 pounds.
Other embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a portable adjustable frame system for use in connection with mobility assistance equipment having two arms, the system comprising: two arm portions positioned parallel to one another, the two arm portions each having a first end and a second end; a first support portion secured at a perpendicular angle to the first end of each of the two arm portions; a second support portion secured at a perpendicular angle to the two arm portions at a securement point in between the first end and the second end of the two arm portions, wherein the two arm portions and the two support portions form a square when secured to one another; and at least one bracket that is capable of removably attaching the frame system to the mobility assistance equipment. The at least one bracket may have a rectangular, square, or round shape corresponding to a shape of the two arm portions of the frame system. The at least one bracket may include a front and a back bracket. The at least one bracket may secure to the two arms of the mobility assistance equipment through a fastening mechanism attached to the frame system. The first and second support portions may be adjustable to expand the frame system relative to a width of the mobility assistance equipment. The system also may include a tray that is secured to a frame formed from the two arm portions and the first and second support portions. The system may further include a basket that is secured to a frame formed from the two arm portions and the first and second support portions. The frame system may be collapsible for storage or transport.
For a more complete understanding of this disclosure, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide portable adjustable frame systems that may be used in connection with mobility assistance equipment, such as manual wheelchairs, walkers, transport chairs, and the like. While certain mobility assistance equipment is identified herein, it should be appreciated that the frame system may be used with other similar equipment not specifically identified without departing from the present disclosure. There may be some embodiments of the present disclosure where the frame system may attach to a task chair or office chair.
Portable adjustable frame system 12 according to embodiments of the present disclosure (
It also should be appreciated that the two support portions 16 may provide adjustability so that the frame system 12 may expand relative to the size of the mobility assistance equipment, for example. It should be appreciated that the frame system 12 can adjust from 14 inches and beyond. However, it may be best for the frame system 12 not to expand to be larger than a typical door frame, such as 20-24 inches, so that the system 12 may remain attached to the manual wheelchair 10 when moving around.
The arm portions 14 and support portions 16 forming the frame system 12 may be formed of one or more materials including, but not limited to, wood, light metal, aluminum, steel, plastic (i.e., tubing), or other similar materials in embodiments of the present disclosure. For example,
As described herein, various brackets may be employed to attach the portable adjustable frame system to mobility assistance equipment depending on the type of mobility assistance equipment to which the portable adjustable frame system may be attached. Brackets may be used to accommodate the frame system and/or mobility assistance equipment. Brackets may be formed of different shapes that may include, but are not limited to, rectangular, square, and/or round. While certain shapes are identified herein, it should be appreciated that other brackets may be employed depending on the type of frame and/or type of mobility assistance equipment. It also may be appreciated that there may be embodiments of the present disclosure where the bracket may change depending on the material forming the frame system. For example, the bracket can be made rectangular, square, or round for a frame of steel tubing, plastic tubing (pipe), or another shape.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the mobility assistance equipment may be manual wheelchair 10 that may have arm rests 20 that are not removable (
In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the mobility assistance equipment may be a manual wheelchair that may have arm rests that are removable. Brackets may be employed on the portable adjustable frame system, and the brackets may be of different shapes that may correspond to the type of arms on the manual wheelchair.
In a further embodiment of the present disclosure, the mobility assistance equipment may be a manual wheelchair that may have round arm rests. The portable adjustable frame system may provide round brackets that attach to the frame.
The portable adjustable frame system 12 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may provide a portable and adjustable frame 12A that may fit under the armrests 20 and sit on the frame of a manual wheelchair 10. A portable tray 32 (
The frame system 12 may be adjustable and sturdy and can fit various manual wheelchairs and accommodate those of various weights. A person's weight may affect the width of the wheelchair frame and this one can be adjusted to accommodate various weights with a slight slide of the support braces. The frame system 12 according to embodiments of the present disclosure may be lightweight and durable with a load capacity of more than 120 pounds. However, it should be appreciated that the load capacity may be increased depending on the material forming the frame system and/or the weight of the wheelchair to which it may be attached. Further, the load capacity may be dictated by the load bearing limits of the wheelchair or mobility assistance equipment. For example, if the limit is 300 pounds and the user's weight is 250 pounds, the wheelchair or mobility assistance equipment may only handle an additional 50 pounds.
It should be appreciated that the tray 32 may be formed as part of (integral with) the portable adjustable frame system 12 or may be separable from the portable adjustable frame system 12 in embodiments of the present disclosure. There may be embodiments of the present disclosure where the tray 32 may be foldable and/or may be angled, such as for the user to read a book or use a tablet/mobile device. The tray 32 may have reinforced edges so that items placed on the tray 32 may not easily slide off when the manual wheelchair is moved while the tray/system is attached. It should be appreciated that the tray 32 may be of varying sizes relative to the base of the frame system. The tray 32 may be secured as part of the system so that it may not slide forward or backward, whether in a stationary position or while in movement.
Although the present disclosure and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present disclosure. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3146891 | Nawman | Sep 1964 | A |
| 4526419 | Bowman | Jul 1985 | A |
| 4580803 | Davis | Apr 1986 | A |
| 4685726 | Wolpert, Jr. | Aug 1987 | A |
| 4812075 | Lavin, Sr. | Mar 1989 | A |
| 4848833 | Grall | Jul 1989 | A |
| 5228711 | Summers | Jul 1993 | A |
| 5558391 | Chavous | Sep 1996 | A |
| 6109625 | Hewitt | Aug 2000 | A |
| 6722681 | Large | Apr 2004 | B1 |
| 7500689 | Pasternak | Mar 2009 | B2 |
| 10576001 | Makins | Mar 2020 | B1 |
| 20030192847 | Jahrling | Oct 2003 | A1 |
| 20070114755 | Pasternak | May 2007 | A1 |
