EXERCISE DEVICE FOR ATTACHMENT OF A WHEELCHAIR

APPAREIL D'EXERCICE A FIXER A UN FAUTEUIL ROULANT

English Abstract

An exercise device for attachment to a wheelchair of the kind having attachment means for removable footrests which include vertically spaced lugs carrying upstanding pintles. The device has a frame front end which supports a head tube and a rear end part extending across the wheelchair. A stem mounted in the head tube has a lower portion carrying a tricycle type wheel with pedals attached, and has an upper extension leading to steering means accessible to an occupant of the wheelchair. The rear end part of the frame has laterally spaced, rearwardly extending vertically spaced bracket parts each with an aperture suitable for receiving one of the upstanding pintles of the footrest support lugs. After removal of the footrests, the frame can be secured to the upstanding pintles to allow the wheelchair occupant to use the exercise device and to move the wheelchair.

French Abstract

Un dispositif d'exercice destiné à être fixé à un fauteuil roulant muni de pièces de fixation pour repose-pieds, qui comprennent des tenons placés à la verticale qui sont porteurs de chevilles également installées à la verticale. L'extrémité avant du dispositif comporte un cadre auquel est raccordé un tube de direction; l'extrémité arrière du dispositif s'étend sur toute la largeur du fauteuil. L'intérieur du tube de direction recèle une tige dont la partie inférieure est rattachée à une roue de tricycle munie de pédales; l'extrémité supérieure de la tige s'étend jusqu'à une commande de direction à laquelle peut accéder l'occupant du fauteuil roulant. Le dos du cadre est constitué de pièces de support espacées latéralement et projetées verticalement. Ces pièces de support sont percées chacune d'un trou dans lequel s'insèrent les chevilles des tenons des repose- pieds. Lorsque ces derniers sont enlevés, le cadre peut être fixé aux chevilles pour ainsi permettre à l'occupant du fauteuil roulant de se servir du dispositif d'exercice et de diriger le fauteuil.

Claims

I claim.
1. An exercise device for attachment to a wheelchair, the
wheelchair being of the kind having attachment means for
removable footrests, said attachment means including vertically
spaced lugs carrying upstanding pintles engageable in apertures
in footrest supports, the device comprising:
a frame having a front end supporting a head tube with a
generally upright axis, the frame having a rear end part
extending across the wheelchair width;
a stem mounted in said head tube and having a lower
portion carrying a wheel fork and an upper extension leading
upwards and rearwards to steering means accessible to an
occupant of the wheelchair;
a wheel mounted on an axle carried by said fork so as to
be capable of engaging the ground on which the wheelchair
rests,
pedals accessible by the wheelchair occupant and suitable
for rotating said wheel and thereby moving the wheelchair;
characterized in that the rear end part of the frame has
laterally spaced, rearwardly extending attachment portions,
each such attachment portion having a vertically spaced pair of
bracket parts each with an aperture suitable for receiving one
of said upstanding pintles of the footrest support lugs,
whereby, after removal of the footrests, the attachment
portions of the frame can be secured to said upstanding pintles
to attach the device to the wheelchair and to allow the
wheelchair occupant to use the exercise device and to move the
wheelchair.
2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the rear end part of
the frame includes upper and lower brackets each having a main
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bridging portion terminating in a pair of said bracket parts.
3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the frame
includes a support tube leading from a central area of the rear
end part of the frame and having its front end fixed to the
head tube.
4. A device according to claim 1, wherein an upper end portion
of said steering means carries a tray for use by the wheelchair
occupant.
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Description

CA 02246194 1998-09-01
Title: Exercise device for attachment of a wheelchair
Background of the Invention.
1.Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for attachment
to a wheelchair for patients who have some movement in their
legs and can benefit from exercisLng these. The device also
allows a patient's legs to be used for moving the wheelchair.
2.Prior Art
Many occupants of wheelchairs, although unable to walk,
have some movement in their legs and can benefit from
exercising the legs. Presently, this is usually done by the
occupant removing or f'olding away the footrests, and using the
legs to push against the floor. This gives only a limited form
of exercise, and also means that --he wheelchair can usually
only be moved backwards.
There have been proposals in scme prior patents to provide
a device which can be attached tc a wheelchair, the device
having pedals to rotate a wheel to exercise the legs. In some
cases the wheel contacts the grounci so that it can be used as
a traction device for propelling the wheelchair. Examples of
such devices are shown in the following U.S. patents:
No.3,423,086, issued Jan.21, 7969 to Moore;
No.4,572,501, issued Feb.25,1S,86 to Durham et al.;
No.4,824,132, issued Apr.25,1S,89 to Moore;
No.5,273,304, issued Dec.28,1S-93 to Berkheimer; and
No.5,324,060, issued Jun.28,1S,94 to Van Vooren et al.
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CA 02246194 1998-09-01
Single wheel devices, such E:s showr7 in the two Moore
patents and in. the Berkheimer patent:, if being used as traction
devices, should preferably providE~ a connection between the
frame of the device and the wheelchair which is sufficiently
rigid that the weight of the wheE'lchai-r can lifted off its
front wheels. In the prior patent3, the rigid connection is
provided by the frame having spaced fore-and-aft connections to
the wheelchair. Such connectio7is, especially the rear
connection, appear soinewhat awkwarci to make, and they require
that the frame of the device be relatively long. The present
invention provides a device which, while giving a suitably
rigid connection between the fraine of the device and the
wheelchair, is short in the fore-and-aft direction, is light
and of simple construction, and is easily attached to a
wheelchair.
Summary of the Invention
The present Lnvention is based on an appreciation that
many wheelchairs have removable footrests, and that the
vertically spaced lugs which hold these footrests make a
convenient rigid attachment for a frame of an exercise device.
In accordance with the invention, an exercise device is
provided for attachment to a wheelchair, the wheelchair being
of the kind havincr attachment means for removable footrests,
such means for each footrest incllzding a pair of vertically
spaced lugs carryirig upstanding pint les engageable in apertures
in footrest supports.
The device has some features in common with that of the
Moore '086 patent, in that it comprises:
a frame having a front end supporting a head tube with a
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CA 02246194 1998-09-01
generally upright axis, the fram~ having a rear end part
extending across the wheelchair wi<fth;
a stem mounted in. the head tube and having a lower portion
carrying a wheel fork and an uppei extension leading upwards
and rearwards ~--o steering means accessible to an occupant of
the wheelchair
a wheel mcunted on an axle carried by the wheel fork so as
to be capable Df engaging the ground on which the wheelchair
rests, and
pedals accessible by the wheelchair occupant and suitable
for rotating the wheel and thereby moving the wheelchair.
In accordance with the present invention, the device is
characterized in that the rear erid part of the frame has
laterally spaced, rearwardly exteilding attachment portions,
each such attachment portion having a vertically spaced pair
bracket parts each with an aperture suitable for receiving one
of the upstan3inq pintles of tre footrest support lugs,
whereby, after remova_1 of the footrests, the bracket parts of
the frame can be secured to these upstanding pintles to attach
the device to the wheelchair. The vertical spacing of the
bracket parts provides a rigid connE ction between the frame and
the wheelchair.
Preferably, the frame includes a support tube leading from
a central area of the rear end part of the frame to the head
tube. The rear end part of the frame includes upper and lower
brackets each havirig a main central oridging portion connecting
a pair of the vertically spaced bracket parts.
Brief Descri-ption of the drawings.
A preferred embodiment of t-ie invention will now be
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CA 02246194 1998-09-01
described by way of example with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which.;
Fig.l is a perspective view of a known type of wheelchair
having removab--e foot:rests;
Fig.2 shows the same wheelcha._r after the footrests have
been removed and a device in accordance with the invention has
been connected:
Fig.3 is a side view of the device as attached to the
front end of the wheelchair;
Fig.4 is a front view of the clevice, and some associated
parts of the wheelchair;
Fig.5 is a top p:Lan view of the device, on its own; and
Fig.6 is a fragmentary view of the frame of the device as
attached to a slightly different wtieelchair.
Detailed Description.
Fig.1 shows a known type of wheelchair 10 having main
wheels W and small front wheels W' , and removable footrests 12a
and 12b, of which footrest 12a ~.s shown in the operative
position, and footrest 12b is shown folded away to one side.
Each footrest has a pair of vertically spaced brackets 14a,
14b, which are att.ached respectiveLy to upper and lower lugs
15a, 15b projectin.g from the outer lateral sides of vertical
rods 16 forming the front of the wheelchair frame. The
attachment means includes a pintle 17 projecting vertically
from each lug, and a corresponding aperture in the end of each
bracket suitable for receiving one of the pintles. This
arrangement allows pivoting of the footrests from the operative
position, as shown for footrest 12a, to the folded, inoperative
position of the footrest 12b also in Fig.l. The footrests can
be removed by :Lifting the brackets from the lugs, after they
have been released by operation of a lever 18.
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CA 02246194 1998-09-01
The exercise device shown in Figs.2 ~_o 5 has a frame 20
with a front end portion in the form of a support tube 22, and
a rear end portion formed by upper and lower brackets 24a and
24b.
The front end of support tube 22 has welded to it a head
tube 26 of the type used at the front of bicycles and
tricycles. This provides a journal bearing for a generally
upright stem 27, the lower end of which carries a fork 28 which
in turn supports a bearing for a horizontal axle carrying a
rubber tired ground engaging whe,~l 30. The axle has side
extensions in the form of cranks hziving pedals 31 at opposite
sides of the waeel; these preferably have attached platforms
31a with straps 31b so that a pat:~ent' s feet can be held in
place relative to the pedals. The itpper end of the stem 27 is
extended to provide steering means in the form of a tiller 32,
the main lengtr. of which extends upwards from the head tube at
an angle of abcut 450 to the horizo-ital. The upper part of the
tiller has a horizontal portion 32a leading to a vertical end
portion 32b. Tftese parts are located so as to be readily at
hand to an occupant of the wheelchztir. The horizontal portion
32a preferably has a small tray 34, usable for various purposes
such as a communications board.
The head --ube 26, fork 28, wtieel 30, pedals 31, and at
least a portion of the tiller 32 may all be identical to, or
closely similar to, corresponding parts of a child's tricycle.
Turning to the rear frame poi,tion, the upper and lower
brackets 24a and 24b are both similar in plan view, as seen in
Fig.5, and both are in. the form of a right-angled U-shape with
short rear legs or bracket parts i0 which extend rearwardly
from the outer ends of the central connecting parts 42 of the
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CA 02246194 1998-09-01
upper and lowei brackets. The brackets are slightly wider than
the spacing of the wheelchair framE' members 16. The upper and
lower brackets are spaced vertical::.y apart by being welded to
the upper and lower edges of a certral rectangular plate 34,
and to the upper and :lower edges of vertical spacer plates 44
located near to their outer front corners of the brackets. The
plate 34 has the rear end of support rod 22 welded to its
center.
The rear ends of the bracket parts 40 have apertures
suitable for receiving the pintles L7 projecting upwardly from
the lugs 15a, 15b at the outer sides of the wheelchair frame
tubes 16, so t:zat the brackets can easily be attached to the
wheelchair wher. the footrests have deen removed. The device is
secured by cotter pins 17a inserted through the uppermost
pintles 17. Since the attachment means includes spaced upper
and lower bracket means, connected respectively to upper and
lower lugs 15a, 15b, it provides a rigid type of attachment.
This in turn means that the geometr), may be such that the front
wheels W' of the wheelchair are lifted slightly off the ground,
to provide good coritact between the wheel 30 and the ground, so
that when an occupant of the wheelcnair operates the pedals 31
there is sufficient traction to move: the wheelchair. The tiller
32 is used for steering.
Fig.6 shows how the same device of this invention can be
used with a slightly different form of wheelchair, in which the
footrest supporting lugs 15a, 15b ar e carried by a frame member
16' which is in front of the main vertical front frame members
116.
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Representative Drawing