Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02214153 1997-09-09
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NESTING CARRTF~ AND W~;~;LCHAIR
Background of the Invention
This application describes a Moulded Nesting Wheelchair which is int*n-ie~l primarily for, but
not limited to, in~tit~ltional use in a hospital/medical e~-vi,ol~lllent.
In response to the stated concern of hospital ~imini~trators~ the options in the selection of
institutional chairs, when lesea~ ed, were seen to be limited. The problems surrounding the
common wheelchair, ~ llly extant in most hospitals, are the cause of a high cost in loss and
damage. Manufacturers driven, p~Gsulllably, by the economic benefit of supplying repeat orders
of standard e~ll.;p...~ and detracted by the wh~elcll~ir sports market and high tech appeal, do not
appear to have responded to the institutional concern.
The following, in point form, is a cQmm.-nt~ry on the current state of the art:
1. The cost of acquisition and ~- ~A;~ (,'e of a hospital wheelchair fleet is high. The common
wheelchair, fabricated in tubular steel and leatherette costs around $700.00 for a basic model
and by the very fact that it folds and is on wheels, loss is a major problem.
Several m~m-f~l~l..Gls produce a version ofthe common wheelchair and, partly as a result of
competitive bidding, several brands may be integrated within an institutional fleet. This can
cause inventory problems bec~use similar components are not necç~ ;Iy generiç to all
m~nllf~r.hlrers
2. The common wheelchair has several removable components - ~llllc~ which can bedetached for enabling a patient to be eased between the chair and an adjacent surface,
footrests which can be removed to simplify the patient's transfer to or from the chair, and an
I.V. pole which can be supplied as an option, and similarly a cage for a medoxygen canister,
crutches, or walking stick. It may be argued that searchillg for the a~p~ liately equipped
chair or the needed options can represent a cost which is higher in time than the materials
being searched.
3. Hygiene is also an issue. Infection travels in wheelchairs, and in an in~tihltion one chair
may be shared by several patients. Unless a chair is visibly cont~min~1~(1 it may only receive
a cursory wipeover by the housekeeping staff.
4. The common wheelchair folds for storage and transportation by car - a disadvantage if ~e
user is not the owner. In its folded mode the chair is dysfunctional. Medical equipment is
transferred from the chair to the patient's bed and to save space at the bedside, the chair is not
always parked in proximity to the patient.
In short the current state of the art, as it applies to institutional wheelchairs, has weaknesses in
function, hygiene, and storage. These issues and more are addressed in the Moulded Nesting
Wheelchair.
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CA 02214153 1997-09-09
Description of Invention
Unlike the common wheelchair, the Moulded Nesting Carrier and Wheelchair of the invention
nests, rather than folds, for collective storage like a shopping cart. The lightweight plastic
moulded seat and frame provides the carrier and wheelchair with added advantages such as
economical m~nnf~ture and total recyclability.
The following points explain how the Moulded Nesting Whr~lch~ir differs from the current state
of the art, and are correlated to the above description of the common whPelch~ir.
1. The Moulded Nesting Wheelchair will be, as the description imrlies, moulded in a polymer
which is suitable for durability, hygiene, and volume production. In production, the cost will
be less than that of the common wh~,lch~ir. M~ A~-ce will be simplified by standard
repl~cemPnt components.
2. The Moulded Nesting Wheelchair will be produced with all the p~ ciple mountings required
for the intrahospital movement of patients namely, two telescopic I.V. poles (due to
lm~llit~ble weight distribution, the common wheelchair can only support one), a rack for
medoxygen, a hook for a urine bag, support for crutches or stick, and a pouch for medical
records. All these mountings will be integrated in the mould. The ~,llre~, like the seat,
will fold u~w~ds on ~llu~ l m~mhçt~ which forrn independent parallelograms. Thismeans that either armrest can be folded up to f~cilit~te the transfer of the patient. This
feature also enables a blanket to be secured over the lap of the patient by trapping it between
the lower member of the armrest support and the seat.
3. Hygiene and infection control are major issues which are addressed in the design of the
Moulded Nesting Wheelc-h~it . Fe~-e~l ~n~ion in the seat and back of the chair provides both
colllfoll to the occ..~ l and rapid drainage as the chair is ~niti7e~1 and washed. A washing
device for rapid w~llillg and disinfecting of multiple chairs (Separate Patent?) will further
simplify the process of infection control.
4. The Moulded Nesting Wh~lch~ir when not in use as a chair will be an integral collll)onent of
bedside e~luiplllc;lll. Having ~ ~r~lled the patient from chair to bed, the seat and arms can
be folded up and the chassis can slide under the bed. The associated medical equipment such
as I.V., oxygen, and urine bag can remain mounted on the chair and in close proximity to the
patient. This advantage obviates the need for eqllipm~ nt ll~sr~ which is time Col.~.. i.~g
and potentially hazardous, and it further spares the need for two freest~n-ling I.V. poles at the
bedside.
In short, the Moulded Nesting Wheelchair can be collectively stored, moved, and disinfected.
Individually it can be stored more discretely and purposefully than the common wheelchair.
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CA 02214153 1997-09-09
Additional features/advantages of the Moulded Nesting Wh~e!ch~ir.
Being constructed from a moulded polymer, the chair can be colour coded for identification and
the name of the institution can be moulded into the frame.
The occupied chair can be m~n~ ly lifted by two people or a sling. This would enable, for
example, transfer to an ambulance, or lifting and lov~ g the patient and chair into a pool for
therapy. An oc.;u~ cd common whrclc~ is ~lifficlllt to lift without p~lcl,illg the fingers and
c~ g the o~up~- ~1 because both sides are desi~Pd to fold in apyosilion to each other.
The Moulded Nesting Wheel~h~ir will be p~. ~.he1 in the arms and chassis to later receive an
optional ~l~t~-~h~ble molol/~vvclyacl~ for either manual or pro~ lcd control. (Separate
patent~.) This feature with a sensor at the leading edge ofthe chassis will enable the chair to be
pro~ ed to follow a de~ig1l~ted guide ribbon path in the hospit~l and ll~yull the patient to
a specific destin~tion.
~It~m~tively, the chair can be power ~c~i~ted and m~m~lly opeldt~d by co~ t;..~ a det~ch~ble
joystick on either arm, or at the rear of the chair for control by a person other than the occ~lp~nt
It is not ullcolmnon, espec~ y in homes for the aged, that visitors are sc~.;ely less fraii than the
people they visit and strolling with a friend in a wh.-~lrll~ir, albeit desirable, can be arduous
undertaking for the pusher. But relief will be found by using the Moulded Nesting Wherl. h~ir
with its power pack and det~rll~ble joystick in the rear oy~ g position.
Packaging and assembly of the Moulded Nesting Wheelchair.
The Moulded Nesting Whr~lçh~il is an assclnbl~ of moulded co~ which will bede~rh~l~le at each articulation, and at the i~ s~c~;on ofthe two axes ofthe "L" frame. Each
colllle~;lion, whether rotating or fixed will be made by a pin or pins (S~,p~udtt~ Patent?) which are
designr(l to be quickly and m~nll~lly installed, but removable only by the aid of an instrument.
This feature enables the chairs to be widely distributed in flat co~ ;n, i which o~ li~ the use
of space. The tamper r~,.,i~ll connrcting pins are intt.n-led to simplify the assembly process and
the repl~crmrnt of compollent parts while discou,aghlg casual .l e~.~bly.
The lr~r,.~e motor with di~.llial gearing and controls described above will also cormect
with the Moulded Nesting Gurney and thereby form part of a total intra hospital ll~ollalion
system.
Mark Snntlerl~n(l
llol
September, 1997
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