FOOT REST HOLDER FOR WHEELCHAIRS

Abstract

An apparatus for holding a wheelchair's footrests when not in use. The apparatus comprises a first member having a substantially flat center portion and an arcuate portion formed on each side thereof. A second member having a substantially identical shape to such first member and engageable with the first member at the flat center portion. Such arcuate portions form a clamp on a first end of the substantially flat center portion and form a clip member on an opposite end of the flat portion, such clip member having arcuate portions formed on an outer edge thereof for engagement with a footrest of such wheelchair when such footrests are not in use. There is a bolt and nut arrangement for securing such first member to such second member and a nut and bolt arrangement for securing the apparatus to the rear upright post of such wheelchair.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates, in general, to a foot rest holder, and, more particularly, the present invention relates to a foot rest holder for wheelchairs that provides storage for such foot rest when not in use which permits such foot rest to remain with the wheelchair.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When not in use many wheelchair footrests are removed for convenience. The footrests are then placed under the bed, in a closet, in drawers or any other easy accessible location. Unfortunately, when it comes time to replace the footrests for use when they are needed, they invariably cannot be found. Some people cannot remember the location where the footrests were stored or some one has moved the footrests. So the wheel chair user needs the footrests but they are unavailable. This frustrating occurrence happens quite frequently in hospitals, private care homes, nursing homes and other locations that serve a variety of wheelchair bound individuals, not to mention even in private residences. This is particularly true in places such as nursing homes or similar care homes where one nurse or aide may remove the footrests and then later another nurse or aide is present when the footrests are needed but is not aware of where the other aide or nurse has put the footrests.

Thus, it would be advantageous if there were a means available that would provide the wheelchair user or the attendant involved with the wheelchair user to keep the footrests of the wheelchair with the wheel chair when not being used so as to insure that they will be available when needed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect the present invention provides an apparatus for holding a wheelchair's footrests when not in use. The apparatus comprises such footrests are not in use, said apparatus comprises a first member having a substantially flat center portion and an arcuate portion formed on each side of the substantially flat center portion, such first member is formed of a first predetermined material. A second member is formed of a second predetermined material and is engageable with the first member, such second member has substantially an identical shape as such first member, the second member is engageable with the first member at such substantially flat center portion, the arcuate portions of such first member and such second member forming substantially a clamp member on a first end of the substantially flat center portion for engagement with a rear upright post of such wheel chair. A second arcuate portion formed on a second end of the substantially flat center portion has arcuate portions formed on an outer end of the second arcuate portion thereby forming a clip member for engagement with an upright member of such footrest of such wheel chair for securing such footrest when such footrest is not in use. There is a first means for securing the substantially flat center portion of the first member to the substantially flat center portion of the second member and a second means for securing the apparatus to such rear upright post of such wheel chair.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide an apparatus for storing footrests for a wheelchair with the wheel chair when the footrests are not in use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for storing footrests when not in use that is easily affixed to a wheelchair.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that stores such foot rests with the wheelchair when not in use so as to prevent misplacing the foot rests.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus in which the foot rests of a wheelchair are easily secured and removed from the apparatus.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for storing foot rests of a wheel chair when not in use in which the foot rest merely snaps on to the apparatus.

These and various other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent after a full reading of the following detailed description, particularly, when read in conjunction with the attached drawings as described below and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus for storing a footrest of a wheel chair

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus for storing a footrest of a wheel chair attached to a rear upright post of a wheel chair.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the apparatus for storing a footrest of a wheel chair showing the apparatus attached to a rear upright post of a wheel chair storing such footrest.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED AND ALTERNATE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Prior to proceeding with the more detailed description of the present invention it should be noted that, for the sake of clarity, identical components which have identical functions have been designated by identical reference numerals throughout the several views illustrated in the drawings.

In a first aspect the present invention provides an apparatus, generally designated 10, for holding a wheelchair's footrests 2 when such footrests are not in use. The apparatus 10 comprises a first member 4 having a substantially flat center portion 6 and an arcuate portion formed on each side of the substantially flat center portion 6, such first member 4 is formed of a first predetermined material. A second member 8 is formed of a second predetermined material and is engageable with the first member 4, such second member 8 has substantially an identical shape as such first member 4, the second member 8 is engageable with the first member 4 at such substantially flat center portion 6, the arcuate portions of such first member 4 and such second member 8 forming substantially a clamp member 12 on a first end of the substantially flat center portion 6 for engagement with a rear upright post 14 of such wheel chair. A second arcuate portion formed on a second end of the substantially flat center portion 6 has arcuate portions 16 formed on an outer end of the second arcuate portion thereby forming a clip member 18 for engagement with an upright member 22 of such footrest 2 of such wheel chair for securing such footrest 2 when such footrest 2 is not in use. There is a first means, generally designated 20, for securing the substantially flat center portion 6 of the first member 4 to the substantially flat center portion 6 of the second member 8 and a second means, generally designated 30, for securing the apparatus 10 to such rear upright post 14 of such wheel chair for holding a wheelchair's footrests 2 when not in use.

Such second means 30 further includes a predrilled aperture 24 in substantially a center portion of such clamp member 12 on the first end of the substantially flat center portion 6 for receiving a bolt 26 and is further engageable with an aperture in such rear upright post 14 for securing the apparatus 10 to such rear upright post 14 of such wheel chair.

Such first means 20 includes a predrilled hole 28 in the substantially flat center portion 6 of such first member 4 and such second member 8. Such first means 20 further includes a nut and bolt 32 arrangement for engagement with the predrilled hole 28 in the substantially flat center portion 6 of such first member 4 and such second member 8 for securing such first member 4 to such second member 8.

It is presently preferred that such first predetermined material is spring steel. It is also preferred that such second predetermined material is also spring steel.

Because of the shape of the clip member 18 it is simple to push the upright member 22 of the footrest 2 onto the clip member 18 by simply pushing against the outer edges of the clip member 18 and because such clip member 18 is made of spring steel the ends of the clip member 18 expand when the upright member 22 of the footrest 2 is pushed in and then contract after the footrest 2 is in place.

It is presently preferred that such clamp member 12 has a diameter of between about ⅞ inch and about 1⅛ inches so as to fit securely on the rear upright post 14 of the wheelchair.

It is also preferred that such flat center portion 6 of the first member 4 and the second member 8 is between about ⅝ inch and about ⅞ inch. Also it is preferred that such clip member 18 measures between about 1⅛ inch and about 1⅜ inch from an edge of the substantially flat center portion 6 to an outer edge of the arcuate portions 16 formed on an outer edge of the clip member 18.

In normal usage there will be two such apparatuses 10 since there are two footrests 2 on each wheelchair.

It is presently preferred that such bolt 26 further includes a curved washer 34 for engagement with the rear upright post 14 of such wheelchair and with a nut 36 for securing the bolt 26.

FIG. 3 shows the footrest 2 in the stored position on the back of the wheelchair. Normally the foot portion of the footrest 2 would be folded up so it would be completely out of the way but it is shown in FIG. 3 in a down position so as to more clearly see the upright member 22 and the clip member 18 holding the footrest 2.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention such apparatus 10 is further coated with a material to prevent scratches on the foot rests 2. Such material is a plastic coating which can be coated when the apparatus is being formed or sprayed onto the apparatus at a later time.

Thus, the present invention provides an apparatus 10 for storing the footrests 2 of a wheelchair with the wheel chair when not in use. Such footrests 2 are usually removed from the wheelchair when not in use. This would be when the wheelchair is used by the individual as simply a chair or is being self propelled by the user in which case the footrests 2 are an impediment as the user's feet simply are on the floor and the user basically moves his/her feet while propelling the wheelchair with the hand rim of the wheelchair. However, when the wheelchair is being pushed by another individual it is important that the patient's (wheelchair user's) feet are resting on the footrests so as not to impede the movement of the wheelchair, otherwise the user must either hold his/her feet off the ground or move the feet as fast as the wheelchair is being propelled which is very difficult and tiring for the individual. Unfortunately, such footrests are not always readily accessible either because the user forgot where they were put or in the case of a hospital, nursing home, personal care home or whatever, the nurse or aide that is to push the wheelchair cannot find where some other aide put them after they were last used. With the present invention an apparatus 10 is placed on the rear upright posts 14 of the wheelchair and such footrest 2 are just clipped onto the clip member 18 to store the footrests 2 and thus, the footrests 2 are always available.

While a presently preferred embodiment and alternate embodiments of the present invention has been described in detail above, it should be understood that various other adaptations and/or modifications of the invention can be made by those persons who are particularly skilled in the art without departing from either the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus for holding a wheelchair's footrests when not in use, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a first member having a substantially flat center portion and an arcuate portion formed on each side of said substantially flat center portion, said first member formed of a first predetermined material;

(b) a second member formed of a second predetermined material engageable with said first member and having substantially an identical shape as said first member, said second member engageable with said first member at said substantially flat center portion, said arcuate portions of said first member and said second member forming substantially a clamp member on a first end of said substantially flat center portion for engagement with a rear upright post of such wheel chair;

(c) a second arcuate portion formed on a second end of said substantially flat center portion having arcuate portions formed on an outer end of said second arcuate portion thereby forming a clip member for engagement with an upright member of such footrest of such wheel chair for securing such footrest when such footrest is not in use;

(d) a first means for securing said substantially flat center portion of said first member to said substantially flat center portion of said second member; and

(e) a second means for securing said apparatus with such rear upright post of such wheel chair.

2. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said second means further includes a predrilled aperture in substantially a center portion of said clamp member on said first end of said substantially flat center portion for receiving a bolt further engageable with an aperture in such rear upright post for securing said apparatus to such rear upright post of such wheel chair.

3. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said first means includes a predrilled hole in said substantially flat center portion of said first and said second member.

4. The apparatus, according to claim 3, wherein said first means further includes a nut and bolt arrangement for engagement with said predrilled hole in said substantially flat center portion of said first member and said second member for securing said first member to said second member.

5. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said first predetermined material is spring steel.

6. The apparatus, according to claim 4, wherein said second predetermined material is spring steel.

7. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said clamp member has a diameter of between about ⅞ inch and about 1⅛ inches.

8. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said flat center portion of said first member and said second member is between about ⅝ inch and about ⅞ inch.

9. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said clip member measures between about 1⅛ inch and about 1⅜ inch from an edge of said substantially flat center portion to an outer edge of said arcuate portions formed on an outer edge of said second arcuate portions.

10. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus includes two separate apparatuses for holding a footrest of a wheelchair since such wheelchair has two footrests.

11. The apparatus, according to claim 2, wherein said bolt further includes a curved washer for engagement with said rear upright post of such wheelchair and with a nut for securing said bolt.

12. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is further coated with a material to prevent scratches on the foot rests.