A V SHAPED CUSHIONING SEAT, TO BE USED ON MANUAL WHEELCHAIR WHEN THE

WHEELCHAIR IS CONNECTED TO AN ELECTRIC MOTION DRIVING WHEEL

DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to a V shaped cushioning seat, applicable on a manual wheelchair for disabled persons when it's provided with an electric motion driving wheel.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to technical field regarding the apparatus designed to facilitate the mobilitY of disabled persons.

The mobility solutions are indispensable tools for a good quality of life for disabled persons, aged people and those who assist them.

Thanks to the advantages of the mobility devices, they are gaining large spaces on the market and in all kind of shops.

In addition to the several products for mobility and comfort, there is a wide range of add ons, technical aids, special commands to wheelchairs, aimed at improving the self movement. Very often the most useful aids are created by persons who thought and used it.

The world of technical aids includes a wide range of add ons elements, which make the aids' performance better: there are additional back seats, supports, front or rear wheels, as well as hybrid solutions between manual and electric, obtained by adding a push multiplier or a servomotor to the wheelchair.

Among the various additional elements, there is one in particular which is the object of study of this invention: it is a an electric motion driving wheel (4), placed in front of the traditional manual wheelchair (1) and provided with handlebars, that must be applied to the normal manual wheelchair (1) and convert it into an electronic motorized wheelchair or an electric scooter Tab. 2 Fig. 4, Tab. 3 Fig. 5.

The characteristics that make this products so useful and widely used are its small size and light weight, autonomy, agility and speed, but especially the fact that it is able to overcome steep slopes and go on all most uncomfortable routes.

It provides a much wider range in transferals, to discover a new and more flexible mobility on all kinds of roads, even on particularly rough tracks.

The electric motion driving wheel (4) is considered a very useful additional element by wheelchair users and is a widespread product, very appreciated for its quality.

However, it's quite complicated to make changes and additions to existing products and electric motion driving wheel (4), also presented some critical issues during the years.

The electric motion driving wheel (4) provided with directional handlebar, is applied to the manual wheelchair (1), connecting it to the fork tubes, in order to receive a push propulsion.

When it is no longer needed, it can be easily removed, so the wheelchair back to its original form. This new configuration of manual wheelchair (1) with the electric motion driving wheel (4) applied on it, however, presents a considerable problem.

Since the electric motion driving wheel (4) is an universal device, it is provided with a universal coupling that is applicable to all types of wheelchairs for disabled people and its relative tubular. This implies that the manual wheelchair (1) walks with a slight backward tilt when the electric motion driving wheel (4) is inserted, and the front wheels (9) of the manual wheelchair (1 ) suffer a slight elevation from the ground, Tab. 3 Fig. 5.

In this perpetually inclined position, the seat feels an inevitable malfunction, because the angle is conditioned by the inclined position of the manual wheelchair (1).

Such a failure of the session involves a serious inconvenience for the user that, after using the device, could cope with back pain and various problems related to incorrect sitting. Moreover, thanks to the electric motion driving wheel (4), the manual wheelchair (1) can travel much longer paths than before; this huge advantage, however, submit the manual wheelchair (1) to a more significant stress, generating a constant frequency of vibration that annoy the user who uses it and makes the way to go obstinate and uncomfortable, Tab. 3 Fig. 5.

BACKGROUND ART

Nowadays, the state of the art does not provide any solution for improving the use of a device like the one just described. As mentioned before, there are numerous additional devices created to integrate the use of a standard aid, such as backrests and specific furniture, bases for different parts of the body, front and rear wheels, manual or motorized, as well as hybrid solutions manuals and electrical; however, there are no solutions for resolution of critical issues of additional elements, including the electric motion driving wheel (4) Tab. 2 Fig. 4.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The purpose of this invention is to optimize the use of the electric motion driving wheel (4), in order to solve the technical problems described above. The object of the present invention, in fact, is a V shaped cushioning seat (S) which forms a V shaped angle (8) to be arranged on the seat

(2) of a manual wheelchair (1) for disabled people, composed by an upper half plane (6) elastically connected to a lower half plane (7).

The two half planes, that constitute the seat, are arranged according to the dihedral geometrical figure, in which the space is divided by two half planes outgoing from a same straight line, which constitutes the edge, Tab. 1 Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, Tab. 3 Fig. 5. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a V shaped cushioning seat (5); its upper half plane is covered by a seat cushion (3) for disabled people, with the aim to raise the seat (2) of the manual wheelchair (1) and to equalize the imbalance of the angle caused by the application of the electric motion driving wheel (4) and the raising of the front wheels (9) of the same manual wheelchair (1) Tab. 3 Fig. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The V shaped cushioning seat (5), has an angle equal to the imbalance angle resulting from the inclination of the manual wheelchair (1); it is positioned with the open side towards the backrest of the manual wheelchair (1) and with the sharp edge towards the external side: in this way, it creates a sitting surface for the user Tab. 3 Fig. 5.

When the V shaped cushioning seat (5) it's suitably dimensioned, it allows the user to achieve a considerable flexibility of the seat (2), with a cushioning effect especially when it's walking, enabling much more comfortable, convenient and safety walk.

The upper half plane (6) and the lower (7) one, in fact, are connected elastically through the V angle (8) and this gives a flexuous sitting. The cushioning seat provides the user with a lightweight suspension; moreover, user's torso and back are well supported and compression of the spine is prevented, Tab. 3 Fig. 5.

The V shaped cushioning seat (5) is universal as much as the electric motion driving wheel (4), and it is therefore applicable to all wheelchair to which the electric motion driving wheel (4) can be applied, Tab. 2 Fig. 4.

The V shaped cushioning seat (5) has to be used on manual wheelchair (1) just when the wheelchair is connected to an electric motion driving wheel (4) and it is characterized, in particular, by: An upper half plane (6) to be placed under a cushion (3) suitable for wheelchair (1), and elastically connected with a lower half plane (7), forming a V angle (8);

A lower half plane (7) to be placed on the seat (2) of a manual wheelchair (1) when the wheelchair is connected to an electric motion driving wheel (4);

some springs (10) to be inserted between the upper half plane (6) and the lower half plane (7) to change the bending stiffness of the upper half plane (6);

The combination of using an electric motion driving wheel (4) and a V shaped cushioning seat (5) gives users the unique possibility to use a manual wheelchair (1) with a perfect comfort and road holding, as it presents a comfortable, regular and cushioning seating. This solution allows to have long walks and ensure a great stability as it avoid any kind of stress due to uneven ground Tab. 3 Fig. 5.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Tab. 1 Fig. 1: Perspective view showing the V shaped cushioning seat (5).

Tab. 1 Fig. 2: Side view of the cushioning flexion related to the upper half plane (6).

Tab. 1 Fig. 3: Side view of method to change the bending stiffness by inserting some additional spring (10).

Tab. 2 Fig. 4: Perspective view showing the method to apply the V shaped cushioning seat (5) on a manual wheelchair (1).

Tab. 3 Fig. 5: Perspective view showing the application of the V shaped cushioning seat (5) during the running of a manual wheelchair (1) when it is connected to an electric motion driving wheel (4), detail view of oscillation of the upper half plane (6) flexing and absorbing the vibrations due to the running of the manual wheelchair (1).