TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to wheeled chairs and, in particular, to wheeled chairs used in healthcare.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are numerous types of wheeled chairs available for use. For example, the so-called

"wheelchair" is widely used and typically includes a pair of large rear wheels which can be operated by hand by the user of the wheelchair and a pair of small pivoted casters for providing direction control. Typically, prior art wheelchairs have been of a fixed configuration requiring that the user remain seated upright at all times of use.

The so-called "tilt-in-space" wheelchairs have a similar construction to regular wheelchairs, except that a seat frame portion of the chair is pivoted near a rear area of the wheelchair frame, with the entire seat frame tilting as a rigid unit. In so doing, the upright back portion of the seat frame tilts backwardly and the normally horizontal seat bottom portion of the seat frame tilts upwardly.

One major disadvantage of this arrangement is that with the seat frame tilted thusly, the user's feet are swung up and away from the floor, making it more difficult for the user to move himself around using his feet. Another wheelchair arrangement is the so-called "recliner" in which a tilting back portion of the seat frame is tiltable relative to the seat bottom portion of the seat frame. This has the advantage of allowing the user's feet to stay in one position, but at the expense of altering the relationship between the seat back and the seat bottom.

Accordingly, it can be seen that a need yet remains for a wheeled chair which can be manually propelled by hand and which has a seat frame which can be tilted as desired, while providing proper support and still allowing the user to self-propel by foot. It is to the provision of such a wheeled chair that the present invention is primarily directed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly described, in a preferred form the present invention comprises a wheeled chair including a main frame, a first pair of wheels affixed to and supporting the main frame, and a second pair of wheels pivotally mounted to and supporting the main frame. The wheeled chair further comprises a seat frame and adjustable support means for adjustably supporting a rear portion of the seat frame on a rear portion of the main frame in a plurality of vertical positions. The wheeled chair further comprises a first selectively operable pivot means for pivotally supporting a forward portion of the seat frame on a forward portion of the main frame. The wheeled chair further comprises a second selectively operable pivot means for pivotally supporting the seat frame on the main frame. The second selectively operable pivot means is located between the forward portion of the seat frame and the rear portion of the seat frame. The seat frame thereby can be selectively pivoted about one or the other of the first and second selectively operable pivot means.

Preferably, the adjustable support means comprises one or more gas springs. Also preferably, a trigger means is provided for controlling the operation of the gas springs. Such a wheeled chair according to the present invention has numerous advantages. For example, the invention allows the user to self-propel and provides needed support and comfort for long-term use. It also is cost effective versus a standard wheelchair with a modified seating system. The improved positioning of the seat frame prevents the user from slouching or sliding out of the chair without the use of cumbersome restraints and without changing the relative angle between the seat portion, back portion and leg portions of the seat frame. The invention provides superior flexibility, comfort, and mobility in a single chair design.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a wheeled chair which is flexible to achieve multiple configurations.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a wheeled chair which allows the user to be tilted and still allows the user to self-propel.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a wheeled chair with good comfort, positioning, and transport capabilities, while still providing self-mobility.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a wheeled chair which can be tilted from more than one pivot point.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a wheeled chair which is durable in its construction and economical in its manufacture.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a wheeled chair with improved positioning to prevent a user from slouching or sliding out of the chair without the use of restraints and without changing the relative angle between the seat bottom, back, and leg portions of the seat frame.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

Fig. 1 is a schematic, side view of a wheeled chair according to a preferred form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective, partly exploded, schematic illustration of a portion of the wheeled chair of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 A is a top view of a portion of the wheeled chair of Fig. 2.

Fig. 3B is a top view of a portion of the wheeled chair of Fig. 2 in a modified form.

Figs. 4A and 4B show, respectively, the wheeled chair of Fig. 1 , with a seat frame portion thereof pivoted about a front pivot and shown in an upright position and in a pivoted position, respectively.

Fig. 5A and 5B show, respectively, the wheeled chair of Fig. 1 , with a seat frame portion thereof pivoted about an intermediate hinge and shown in an upright position and in a pivoted position, respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals represent like components throughout the several views, Fig. 1 displays a pictoral representation of a recurrent training system 30 in acordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The recurrent training system 30 comprises a computer system 32 whichis configured with programs and data as described below.

The computer system 32, shown also in the block diagram representation of Fig. 2, comprises a bus 34 which connects directly to a processor 36 and a random access memory (Ram) 38. A floppy disk drive 40 and a hard disk drive 42 connect to the bus 34 via a discontrolier 44 which directly interfaces with the bus 34. A monitor 46 and a keyboard 48 connect to the bus 34 through a video interface 50 and a keyboard interface 52, respectively. The bus 34 also connects to a pointing device

54 via a pointing device interface 56. A power supply 58 connects to the bus 34 and to an alternating-current (AC), electrical energy source. An example of a computer system 32, acceptable in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, is a DeskPro 2000 computer manufactured by Compaq Computer Corporation of Houston, TX configured with the various components described above.

Fig. 3 is a block diagram representation of the program and data domain of the recurrent training system 30 of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The program and data domain represents programming found on the computer system 32, which is executed by the computer system's processor 36 using Ram 38, and data files and tables which are stored in the computer system's hard disk drive 42. The program and data domain 60 includes a multi-tasking, virtual operating system 62 and a recurrent training application 64 which executes on the computer system 32 in addition to and in communication with the multi-tasking, virtual operating system 62. The function and operation of operating system 62 should be known to one reasonably skilled in the art, as are communication techniques employed to communicate between the operating system 62 and an application such as the recurrent training application 64. One example of a multi-tasking operating system 62 acceptable in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention is the Windows 95 operating system available from Microsoft, Inc. of Redmond, WA. The recurrent training application 64 includes a plurality of processes, described below, which configure the computer system 32 to provide training information to a user of the computer system 32 at recurrent times determined by the user. The program and data domain 60 further comprises a plurality of data tables 66, an initiation file 68, and a plurality of system tables 70. The data table 66 of the plurality of data tables 66

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THIS WAS LEFT IN FROM BEFORE:

While the invention has been disclosed in preferred forms, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications, additions and deletions may be made therein. For example, while the use of a gas spring is described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that instead of a gas spring, telescoping tubular members can be used to achieve the same effect (that is, of raising and lowering the rear of the seat frame). These and other modifications, additions, and deletions nevertheless fall within the spirit and scope of the following claims.