Wheelchair having an armrest adjusting device

Abstract

A wheelchair has two sides each provided with a side support frame, an armrest, and an armrest adjusting device. The side support frame has a front portion provided with a support rack, and a rear portion provided with a positioning bar pivotally connected with a rotation shaft, so that the side support frame may be pivoted about the rotation shaft. The rotation shaft is rotatably mounted in the support shaft of the wheelchair, so that the side support frame and the rotation shaft may be rotated about the support shaft. Thus, the side support frame may be rotated about the support shaft through a fixed angle, so that the side support frame may be rotated and moved to a rear portion of the backrest of the wheelchair, thereby facilitating the user entering and leaving the wheelchair.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a wheelchair having an armrest adjusting device, and more particularly to a wheelchair having an armrest adjusting device, the side support frame may be rotated and moved to a rear portion of the backrest of the wheelchair, thereby facilitating the user entering and leaving the wheelchair.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] A conventional wheelchair is provided with two armrests each having a fixed height, so that the height of each of the armrests cannot be adjusted and cannot be available for users of different statures, thereby decreasing the versatility of the wheelchair. In addition, each of the armrests is fixed on the main frame of the wheelchair, thereby limiting movement of the user, so that the user cannot enter or leave the wheelchair easily and conveniently, thereby causing inconvenience to the user. Further, the support force of each of the armrests is concentrated on connection of the armrest and the backrest and is limited, so that the armrest is easily broken due to burden or due to a long-term utilization.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the disadvantage of the conventional wheelchair.

[0006] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a wheelchair having an armrest adjusting device, wherein the side support frame of each of the two sides of the wheelchair may be rotated about the support shaft of the wheelchair through a fixed angle, so that the side support frame may be rotated and moved to a rear portion of the backrest of the wheelchair, thereby facilitating the user entering and leaving the wheelchair.

[0007] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a wheelchair having an armrest adjusting device, wherein the side support frame of each of the two sides of the wheelchair may be pivoted about the pivot shaft of the rotation shaft to any inclined angle, thereby facilitating the user operating the wheelchair.

[0008] A further objective of the present invention is to provide a wheelchair having an armrest adjusting device, wherein each of the two lift posts of the armrest is movable on each of the two hollow support posts of the side support frame, so that the height of the armrest may be adjusted easily and conveniently.

[0009] A further objective of the present invention is to provide a wheelchair having an armrest adjusting device, wherein the side support frame of each of the two sides of the wheelchair may provide a stable and rigid support effect to the wheelchair, thereby protecting the user's safety.

[0010] In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a wheelchair having two sides each provided with a side support frame, an armrest adjustably mounted on the side support frame, and an armrest adjusting device mounted between the armrest and the side support frame for adjusting a height of the armrest, wherein:

[0011] the side support frame has a front portion provided with a support rack, and a rear portion provided with a positioning bar, the positioning bar is pivotally connected with a rotation shaft, so that the side support frame may be pivoted about the rotation shaft, the rotation shaft is rotatably mounted in a support shaft that is fixed on the wheelchair, so that the side support frame and the rotation shaft may be rotated about the support shaft.

[0012] Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wheelchair having an armrest adjusting device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0014] FIG. 2 is a partially cut-away side plan operational view of the wheelchair having an armrest adjusting device as shown in FIG. 1 in use;

[0015] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective assembly view of the wheelchair having an armrest adjusting device as shown in FIG. 1;

[0016] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the wheelchair having an armrest adjusting device in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

[0017] FIG. 5 is a schematic side plan operational view of the wheelchair having an armrest adjusting device as shown in FIG. 1 in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-4, a wheelchair “A” having an armrest adjusting device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention has two sides each provided with a side support frame 10, an armrest 20 adjustably mounted on the side support frame 10, and an armrest adjusting device 30 mounted between the armrest 20 and the side support frame 10 for adjusting the height of the armrest 20.

[0019] The side support frame 10 has a front portion provided with a support rack 40 for strengthening the support force of the armrest 20, and a rear portion provided with a positioning bar 70. The support rack 40 has a side provided with a locking member 50, and a positioning device 60 co-operating with the locking member 50, so that the front portion of the side support frame 10 may be positioned exactly. The positioning bar 70 has a bottom provided with a rotation shaft 80 which is rotatably mounted in a support shaft 90 that is fixed on the wheelchair “A”, so that the rotation shaft 80 may be rotated about the support shaft 90, and the side support frame 10 may be rotated through a fixed angle. Thus, the side support frame 10 may be pivoted and moved to a rear portion of the backrest of the wheelchair “A”, thereby facilitating the user entering and leaving the wheelchair “A”.

[0020] The side support frame 10 is mounted on each of the two sides of the wheelchair “A”, and has a mediate portion provided with a side plate 11 for retaining the user. The side plate 11 has a top provided with a circular positioning portion 12 that may co-operate with the armrest adjusting device 30. The top of the side plate 11 is provided with two opposite rectangular fixing portions 13. Each of the two fixing portions 13 has an inside formed with a positioning channel 14. In addition, the mediate portion of the side support frame 10 is provided with two hollow support posts 15 each located beside one of the two fixing portions 13 on the top of the side plate 11.

[0021] The armrest 20 is adjustably mounted on the side support frame 10 of each of the two sides of the wheelchair “A”, and has a bottom provided with two opposite hollow lift posts 21 each slidably mounted in one of the two hollow support posts 15 of the side support frame 10 and each formed with multiple positioning holes 22.

[0022] Referring to FIGS. 1-5, the armrest adjusting device 30 is mounted between the two fixing portions 13 to co-operate with the circular positioning portion 12 of the side plate 11.

[0023] The armrest adjusting device 30 includes a handle 31 pivotally mounted on the circular positioning portion 12 of the side plate 11 by a pivot shaft, and a cover 32 mounted on the handle 31 to pivot therewith. The cover 32 has a periphery provided with two opposite protruding hook stubs 33.

[0024] The armrest adjusting device 30 further includes two adjusting levers 34 each having a first end pivotally mounted on one of two opposite protruding hook stubs 33 of the cover 32, two positioning rods 35 each slidably mounted in the positioning channel 14 of one of the two fixing portions 13 and each having a first end pivotally mounted on a second end of one of the two adjusting levers 34 and a second end protruded outward from the positioning channel 14 and detachably locked in a selective one of the multiple positioning holes 22 of one of the two opposite hollow lift posts 21 of the armrest 20, and two elastic members 36 each mounted on one of the two positioning rods 35 and each biased in the positioning channel 14 of the respective fixing portion 13.

[0025] The armrest adjusting device 30 further includes a catch flange 350 formed in each of the two fixing portions 13, so that each of the two elastic members 36 is biased between the catch flange 350 and an inner edge of the positioning channel 14 of the respective fixing portion 13.

[0026] In operation, as shown in FIG. 2, when the handle 31 is rotated, the cover 32 may be rotated, so that each of two opposite protruding hook stubs 33 of the cover 32 may be moved to pivot and move each of the two adjusting levers 34, to move each of the two positioning rods 35 toward the cover 32, thereby detaching the second end of each of the two positioning rods 35 from the positioning hole 22 of the respective lift post 21 of the armrest 20, so that each of the two lift posts 21 of the armrest 20 is movable on each of the two hollow support posts 15 of the side support frame 10, so as to adjust the height of the armrest 20.

[0027] When the second end of each of the two positioning rods 35 is aligned with another positioning hole 22 of the respective lift post 21 of the armrest 20, the second end of each of the two positioning rods 35 may be locked in the positioning hole 22 of the respective lift post 21 of the armrest 20 by the restoring force of each of the two elastic members 36.

[0028] The support rack 40 is mounted on the front portion of the side support frame 10 of each of the two sides of the wheelchair “A”, and the side support frame 10 includes a support crossbar 43 having a first end connected to the support rack 40 and a second end pivotally mounted on a pivot shaft 81 formed on a top of the rotation shaft 80. The support rack 40 is provided with a locking portion 41, and has a bottom provided with an insertion rod 42 to co-operate with the positioning device 60.

[0029] The locking member 50 of the side support frame 10 is pivotally mounted on the locking portion 41 of the support rack 40 by a pivot axle, and has a bottom formed with a hook portion 51. An elastic member 52 is mounted on the locking member 50, and has a first end secured on the locking member 50 and a second end locked on the locking portion 41 of the support rack 40, so that the hook portion 51 of the locking member 50 may be locked on the positioning device 60 elastically.

[0030] The positioning device 60 is secured on each of the two sides of the wheelchair “A”, and is formed with an insertion recess 61 for insertion of the insertion rod 42 of the support rack 40. The positioning device 60 has a wall formed with a hook cavity 62 for locking the hook portion 51 of the locking member 50, so that the support rack 40 may be positioned on the positioning device 60 exactly. The positioning device 60 has a bottom formed with an arcuate fixing portion 63 for mounting the wheelchair “A”.

[0031] The positioning bar 70 is mounted on the rear portion of the side support frame 10 of each of the two sides of the wheelchair “A”, and has a bottom provided with a pivot portion 71 pivotally mounted on the pivot shaft 81 of the rotation shaft 80 by a pivot axle.

[0032] The rotation shaft 80 is rotatably mounted in a shaft hole 91 formed in the support shaft 90 of the wheelchair “A”. The second end of the support crossbar 43 is pivotally mounted on the pivot shaft 81 of the rotation shaft 80, and the pivot portion 71 of the positioning bar 70 is pivotally mounted on the pivot shaft 81 of the rotation shaft 80, so that the positioning bar 70 and the side support frame 10 of each of the two sides of the wheelchair “A” may be pivoted about the pivot shaft 81 of the rotation shaft 80 as shown in FIG. 5.

[0033] In operation, the locking member 50 may be pressed and pivoted to detach the hook portion 51 of the locking member 50 from the hook cavity 62 of the positioning device 60, so that the insertion rod 42 of the support rack 40 may be detached from the insertion recess of the positioning device 60. In such a manner, the side support frame 10 of each of the two sides of the wheelchair “A” may be pivoted about the pivot shaft 81 of the rotation shaft 80 to any inclined angle as shown in FIG. 5. In addition, the rotation shaft 80 may be rotated in the shaft hole 91 of the support shaft 90 of the wheelchair “A”, and the side support frame 10 may be rotated through a fixed angle. Thus, the side support frame 10 may be pivoted and moved to a rear portion of the backrest of the wheelchair “A”, thereby facilitating the user entering and leaving the wheelchair “A”.

[0034] Accordingly, the wheelchair “A” having an armrest adjusting device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention has the following advantages.

[0035] 1. The side support frame of each of the two sides of the wheelchair may be pivoted about the pivot shaft of the rotation shaft to any inclined angle, thereby facilitating the user operating the wheelchair.

[0036] 2. The side support frame of each of the two sides of the wheelchair may be rotated about the support shaft of the wheelchair through a fixed angle, so that the side support frame may be rotated and moved to a rear portion of the backrest of the wheelchair, thereby facilitating the user entering and leaving the wheelchair.

[0037] 3. Each of the two lift posts of the armrest is movable on each of the two hollow support posts of the side support frame, so that the height of the armrest may be adjusted easily and conveniently.

[0038] 4. The side support frame of each of the two sides of the wheelchair may provide a stable and rigid support effect to the wheelchair, thereby protecting the user's safety.

[0039] Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A wheelchair having two sides each provided with a side support frame, an armrest adjustably mounted on the side support frame, and an armrest adjusting device mounted between the armrest and the side support frame for adjusting a height of the armrest, wherein:

the side support frame has a front portion provided with a support rack, and a rear portion provided with a positioning bar, the positioning bar is pivotally connected with a rotation shaft, so that the side support frame may be pivoted about the rotation shaft, the rotation shaft is rotatably mounted in a support shaft that is fixed on the wheelchair, so that the side support frame and the rotation shaft may be rotated about the support shaft.

2. The wheelchair having an armrest adjusting device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the side support frame has a mediate portion provided with a side plate.

3. The wheelchair having an armrest adjusting device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the side support frame has a top provided with two opposite fixing portions and a positioning portion located between the two opposite fixing portions, the side support frame is further provided with two support posts each located beside one of the two fixing portions, the armrest has a bottom provided with two opposite lift posts each slidably mounted in one of the two support posts of the side support frame and each formed with multiple positioning holes, the armrest adjusting device includes a cover rotatably mounted on the positioning portion of the side plate, the cover has a periphery provided with two opposite protruding hook stubs, the armrest adjusting device further includes two adjusting levers each having a first end pivotally mounted on one of two opposite protruding hook stubs of the cover, two positioning rods each slidably mounted in one of the two fixing portions and each having a first end pivotally mounted on a second end of one of the two adjusting levers and a second end protruded outward from the respective fixing portion and detachably locked in a selective one of the multiple positioning holes of one of the two opposite lift posts of the armrest, and two elastic members each mounted on one of the two positioning rods and each biased in the respective fixing portion.

4. The wheelchair having an armrest adjusting device in accordance with claim 3, wherein the armrest adjusting device includes a handle mounted on the cover for rotating the cover.

5. The wheelchair having an armrest adjusting device in accordance with claim 3, wherein the each of the two fixing portions has an inside formed with a positioning channel for receiving each of the two positioning rods.

6. The wheelchair having an armrest adjusting device in accordance with claim 5, wherein the armrest adjusting device further includes a catch flange formed in each of the two fixing portions, so that each of the two elastic members is biased between the catch flange and an inner edge of the positioning channel of the respective fixing portion.

7. The wheelchair having an armrest adjusting device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the side support frame includes a support crossbar having a first end connected to the support rack and a second end pivotally mounted on a pivot shaft formed on a top of the rotation shaft.

8. The wheelchair having an armrest adjusting device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the support rack is provided with a locking portion and has a bottom provided with an insertion rod, the support rack has a side provided with a locking member pivotally mounted on the locking portion of the support rack, the locking member has a bottom formed with a hook portion, and an elastic member is mounted on the locking member, and has a first end secured on the locking member and a second end locked on the locking portion of the support rack.

9. The wheelchair having an armrest adjusting device in accordance with claim 8, further comprising a positioning device secured on each of the two sides of the wheelchair and formed with an insertion recess for insertion of the insertion rod of the support rack, the positioning device has a wall formed with a hook cavity for locking the hook portion of the locking member, so that the support rack may be positioned on the positioning device exactly.

10. The wheelchair having an armrest adjusting device in accordance with claim 9, wherein the positioning device has a bottom formed with an arcuate fixing portion for mounting the wheelchair.

11. The wheelchair having an armrest adjusting device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the positioning bar has a bottom provided with a pivot portion pivotally mounted on a pivot shaft of the rotation shaft.

12. The wheelchair having an armrest adjusting device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rotation shaft is rotatably mounted in a shaft hole formed in the support shaft of the wheelchair.