[1 ] The present invention relates to a foot and lower leg support assembly for attaching to a wheelchair.

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[2] Differently abled persons with limited or no leg function often choose to use wheelchairs as a means for personal transportation. Wheelchairs may be used to enable movement in various settings including inside buildings, in urban areas, outdoors, off-road, on public and private transport, and on various surfaces in the context of sporting activities.

[3] A wheelchair normally comprises a frame with wheels, a seat attached to the frame for a person to sit on and a support for the person s feet. Other common features include a back support and arm rests. Handles at the back of the wheelchair may be present to enable another person to assist the person in the wheelchair with moving. A wheelchair normally has at least three wheels, but commonly has two larger wheels which are fixed directionally, and two smaller wheels at the front which can change direction independently as effected by the direction of the motion of the wheelchair.

[4] A wheelchair is commonly powered by the muscles of the arms, although it can also be powered by electric motor, by a hand pedal system, or other suitable means. An arm powered wheelchair is mobilised by a user gripping and rotating the wheels backwards and/or forwards on their axes, and thereby directing and causing the wheelchair and its user to travel in the desired direction. The motion of the wheelchair may be slowed or stopped by using hands to create friction, either directly on the wheel or commonly a circular frame attached to or integrated with the wheel hub, by a brake, or by letting the wheelchair slow down on its own. The user s body is supported while the wheelchair is stationary, moving or braking by the support features of the wheelchair including a foot support. The foot support plays an intended role in the prevention of physical harm of the user of a wheelchair. [5] Existing foot support design may function acceptably in certain contexts, but not in others. Existing foot supports generally support the feet vertically, but are not specifically designed to provide support on the horizonal plane on which the feet sit, and around the lower parts of the user s legs. For this reason, existing foot support designs can result in foot supports which allow one or both feet to move off the plate due reason of spasm of the legs and/or feet, or the wheelchair travelling over uneven surfaces, and can therefore result in one or both feet being crushed between the chair and other objects, being drawn underneath the plate due to slipping off the front or back of the plate, or to contact the wheels of the wheelchair, including by slipping laterally off the support. The chances of horizontal dislocation of the feet resulting in the feet coming off the plate are increased when a wheelchair is used in sporting situations where speed, abrupt changes in speed and direction are increased and the forces which can dislocate the feet and legs are also increased.

[6] The present invention seeks to provide a more effective means of supporting the feet and lower parts of the legs of the user of a wheelchair.

[7] Any references to documents that are made in this specification are not intended to be an admission that the information contained in those documents form part of the common general knowledge known to a person skilled in the field of the invention, unless explicitly stated as such.

S ummarv of the Present Invention

[8] According to the present invention there is provided a foot and lower leg support assembly for attaching to a wheelchair frame comprising:

a support for vertically supporting feet of a user of the wheelchair, wherein the support comprises laterally spaced apart ends between which one or both feet of the user are supported;

retainers at each side of the support for impeding the one or both feet from moving laterally off the support, wherein a substantial portion of the one or more feet is supported on the outward side of the foot, and that the retainer is to an adequate height along the length and height of the foot so that incidence of the foot moving off laterally is reduced;

a member extending generally upwardly from each end, the members having a means for impeding dislocation of one or both lower legs of the user. [9] In an embodiment, the means for impeding dislocation of one or both lower legs of the user which impedes dislocation from the support forwards and backwards. In an embodiment the means for impeding dislocation of one or both lower legs is disposed above the retainers.

[10] In an embodiment, the support is configured to be installed in place of an existing wheelchair foot support. Alternatively, the support assembly may be configured to be installed by fitting the assembly over an existing wheelchair foot support. In an embodiment, the existing foot support comprises a single plate. In an embodiment the support is install on top of the existing single plate.

[1 1 ] In an embodiment, the dimensions of the support assembly allow for the assembly to fit within the wheelchair frame.

[12] In an embodiment, the support assembly is attachable to the wheelchair frame by fastening the generally upwardly extending members to existing mounting holes in the wheelchair frame with fasteners.

[13] In an embodiment, the support assembly is attachable to the existing foot support plate by an adhesive means.

[14] In an embodiment, the support assembly is attachable to the existing footplate by one or more fasteners and with or without the use of adhesive means.

[1 5] In an embodiment, the retainers are substantially vertical protrusions which have substantially horizontally extending edges and are substantially parallel to each other.

[1 6] In an embodiment, the retainers and members are integrally formed from a moulded material. The moulded material may be for example plastics or resin and fibre composite.

[17] In an embodiment, the retainers and members are directed upwardly from the base. [18] Advantageously, the retainer and member on either end of the support may be formed in one section, and each of the members impedes lateral movement of one or both feet.

[19] In an embodiment, the support is a plate with an upper face which contacts the one or both feet, and the upper face has a formed or textured surface so as to assist in impeding dislocation of the one or both feet.

[20] In an embodiment, the plate has perforations that assist in impeding dislocation of the one or both feet. In an embodiment, the perforations are in a geometric pattern.

[21 ] In an embodiment, the formed or textured surface is adhered to the upper face of the plate.

[22] In an embodiment, the means for impeding the dislocation of the one or more lower legs is a closable and adjustable strap associated with each member.

[23] Advantageously, a strap may be in a first position and positioned behind the lower parts of the one or more legs, and the strap may be configured in a second position surrounding and enclosing the lower parts of one or both legs.

[24] In an embodiment, the ends of the respective members have one or more holes so that a strap can be inserted and threaded through the one or more holes.

[25] In an embodiment, each of the members has a generally T shape and the one or more holes are located generally along a horizontal part of the T.

[26] In an embodiment, the horizontal part of the T of each member has a generally S shaped profile for guiding the strap.

[27] In an embodiment, the strap has a means for closing the strap.

[28] In an embodiment, the means for closing the strap is a hook and loop fastener. [29] Advantageously, the closable strap may have two ends, each end having a loop for accepting one or more fingers from the hands of the user.

[30] In an embodiment, the means for closing the strap is a cam buckle.

[31 ] In an embodiment, the support extends so as to support at least an average length of an arch of a foot (that is between the ball and the heel of the foot).

[32] In an embodiment, the retainers extend so as to retain at least the side of the foot between the side of the ball and ankle of the foot.

[33] In an embodiment, the support is positioned so that the heel of the foot when on the support is rearward of the part of the frame connecting to the generally upwardly extending members, or the existing footrest and/or that the heel is positioned rearward of the front caster wheels of the wheelchair.

[34] In this specification, the terms comprising. or comprises . are used inclusively and not exclusively or exhaustively.

Desc ription of the Drawings

[35] In order to provide a better understanding of the present invention, preferred

embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the

accompanying drawings in which:

[36] F igure 1 is a front elevation perspective showing the foot and lower leg support assembly according to an embodiment of the invention;

[37] F igure 2 is a plan perspective showing the foot and lower leg support assembly of F igure 1 with a strap according to an embodiment of the invention;

[38] F igure 3 is a plan perspective showing the foot and lower leg support assembly, as installed in the frame of a wheel chair according to an embodiment of the invention; [39] F igure 4 is a plan perspective showing the foot and lower leg support assembly according to an alternative embodiment of the invention; and

[40] F igure 5 is an enlarged view of a top of a upwardly extending portion of the support assembly of F igure 4.

Detailed desc ription of E mbodiment of the Invention

[41 ] Referring to F igures 1 and 2 there is shown, in elevation profile, an embodiment of a foot and lower leg support assembly for attaching to a wheelchair with a support [2] for supporting one or more of the wheelchair usermbly for attaching to a wthe support having laterally spaced apart sides [4A] and [4B] with substantially vertical retainers [6A] and [6B] that are substantially parallel to each other and of sufficient length and height, for impeding the feet from slipping laterally off the support. A member [8A] and [8B] extends upwardly from each of the laterally spaced apart ends [4A] and [4B] of the support and, in an embodiment, the ends of the members have slots [24A] and [24B] which can receive a strap closable around the legs so as to function as a means for impeding the dislocation of the legs in forward and backward directions (up and down the page in F igure 2). Alternate suitable means can be used for impeding the movement of the lower parts of the legs in other embodiments.

[42] Referring to F igure 3, there is shown a view of an embodiment of the invention mounted to the frame of a wheelchair, and where in this embodiment the support [2], the retainers [6A] and [6B] and the members [8A] and [8B] of F igure 1 are integrally formed in one piece [14A] and [14B]. In an embodiment, the material from which the invention is manufactured may be moulded carbon fibre reinforced polymer. An alternate suitable material may be used for an integrally and non-integrally formed embodiment of the invention, including suitable plastics, metals or alloys.

[43] In F igure 3, in an embodiment, each retainer and respective member can be formed in a single respective section [18A] and [18B] directed through a respective curve [16A] and [16B] upwardly from the support. The curved shape can assist in preventing stress fracture of some materials. Referring again to F igure 1 , the retainer and members as formed in single respective sections [18A] and [18B] can work together in their single respective sections on either side of the support to impede lateral movement of the feet, reducing the likelihood of one or more feet from moving off the support. The retailer sections [18A] and [18B] are of a height of about most of the height of the foot, or more. The retailer sections [18A] and [18B] are of a length of at least an average length of an arch of a foot, that is between the ball and the heel of the foot so as to retain at least the side of the foot between the side of the ball and ankle of the foot.

[44] Referring again to F igure 3, in an embodiment, the support assembly can be installed by being fitted over an existing wheelchair foot support. In an embodiment, the support assembly can be made in suitable dimensions so that surface area of the assembly is maximized to allow for a greater surface area on which the feet may be supported vertically while fitting within frame of a given wheelchair.

[45] The assembly in the embodiment shown in F igure 3 can be attached to the existing footplate by an adhesive [12], such as glue or double-sided tape. In an alternate embodiment, the base of the assembly and an existing footplate may have one or a plurality of holes that can be aligned and receive one or more fasteners by which the assembly can be attached to the existing footplate. In another embodiment, the footplate can be attached by a combination of fasteners and adhesive means.

[46] In an embodiment, the upper face of the support plate [2] in F igure 1 may be formed, or given a texture, or be made to have perforations in suitable geometric patterns, to increase the friction of the feet against the surface of the support plate and impede the feet slipping. In an alternative embodiment, a material with suitable formations or texture can be adhered to the surface of the base plate [2] to provide for the intended slip inhibiting function.

[47] In an embodiment, the support is positioned so that the heel of the foot when on the support is rearward of the part of the frame F connecting to the generally upwardly extending members, or the existing footrest and/or that the heel is positioned generally at H, rearward of the front caster wheels C of the wheelchair.

[48] Referring to F igure 2, in an embodiment, the ends of the members [8A], [8B] can have a generally T shape [26A] and [26B] where the horizontal part of the T has a generally S shaped profile [30A] and [30B], and where one or more holes [24A] and [24B] can be present generally along the horizonal part of the T through which a closable and adjustable strap [10] can be threaded and guided by the S shape into a loop, and then closed with a hook and loop fastener [32], or a cam buckle (not shown), or another suitable closing means. In an embodiment, the ends of the members may end without a T shape and without S shaped profiles as shown in F igures 4 and 5.

[49] In an embodiment, the closed strap can be positioned in a first position [22] behind the legs for impeding backward horizonal movement and in a second position [10] where the strap can be closed around the front of lower legs to provide for impediment to forward horizonal movement.

[50] Not shown, in an embodiment, a strap with ends may have a loop at each respective end of the strap for accepting one or more fingers so that the strap ends can be more easily guided and manoeuvred by the hands of the user.

[51 ] Modifications may be made to the present invention within the context of that described and shown in the drawings. S uch modifications are intended to form part of the invention described in this specification.