Goods & Services

Cushions for wheelchairs.

Goods & Services

Cushions for wheelchairs.

Abstract

A wheelchair back support adjustment assembly that utilizes a swivel assembly is disclosed. This swivel assembly provides an entirety of an interconnection between the wheelchair back support adjustment assembly and a back support of a wheelchair. The wheelchair back support adjustment assembly may also include a linkage that interfaces with the swivel assembly. Opposite end portions of the linkage are connectable with a corresponding cane of a wheelchair. The configuration of the wheelchair back support adjustment assembly accommodates a variety of adjustments, to correspondingly adjust a back support of a wheelchair when in an installed configuration (e.g., to customize the back support to a user of the wheelchair). These adjustments may be through one or more adjustments of the swivel assembly, one or more adjustments adjustment of the linkage, or both.

IPC Classes  ?

• A47C 7/40 - Supports for the head or the back for the back
• A61G 5/10 - Parts, details or accessories
• A61G 5/12 - Rests specially adapted therefor, e.g. for the head or feet

Abstract

A technique for capturing a three-dimensional digital image of a customized shape for a wheelchair seat and back and subsequently producing a seat and back from the image. The captured image may include one or more datum points therein to provide a reference plane for the seat and back. The datum points may be in a color-coded layer located relative to the bottom edge of the seat. The customized shape may be captured from a shape capture bag or bags that that capture one or both of the shape of the user's back and bottom. The shape capture bag used to capture the shape of the user's bottom may be enhanced by a pre-formed layer that contains a contour or one or more components that together form a contour that biases the shape capture bag toward the shape of the user's bottom when gravity is acting upon the user.

IPC Classes  ?

• A47C 31/12 - Means, e.g. measuring means, for adapting chairs, beds or mattresses to the shape or weight of persons
• A61G 5/00 - Chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs
• A61G 5/10 - Parts, details or accessories
• B68G 7/00 - Making upholstery

Abstract

The back of a wheelchair user is independently supported along and about three mutually perpendicular axes. Two elongated adjustment arms are pivotally connected to extension arms which telescope into opposite ends of a hollow connecting tube. The support positions along and about the three axes is achieved by pivoting the arms and the connected relationships of a back shell and cushion to the connecting tube, while the adjustment arms remain pivotally connected to the wheelchair and the extension arms are telescopically retained in the connecting tube.

IPC Classes  ?

• A61G 5/10 - Parts, details or accessories
• A61G 5/12 - Rests specially adapted therefor, e.g. for the head or feet

Abstract

The back of a wheelchair user is independently supported along and about three mutually perpendicular axes. Two elongated adjustment arms are pivotally connected to extension arms which telescope into opposite ends of a hollow connecting tube. The support positions along and about the three axes is achieved by pivoting the arms and the connected relationships of a back shell and cushion to the connecting tube, while the adjustment arms remain pivotally connected to the wheelchair and the extension arms are telescopically retained in the connecting tube.

IPC Classes  ?

• A61G 5/12 - Rests specially adapted therefor, e.g. for the head or feet
• A61G 5/10 - Parts, details or accessories

Abstract

A back support is pivotally oriented to locate a pivot point relative to posterior superior iliac spines of a seated user, such that when an upper portion of the back support contacts the upper torso of the user and moves to a desired angular orientation to balance the upper torso over the pelvic area, the back support transfers support to the posterior superior iliac spines to maintain the pelvic skeletal structure in alignment. A lower portion of the back support angularly contacts, supports and confines gluteal and buttocks tissue of the user independently of the degree of pivotal orientation of the upper portion.

IPC Classes  ?

• A61G 5/12 - Rests specially adapted therefor, e.g. for the head or feet
• A61G 5/10 - Parts, details or accessories

Abstract

A flexible support structure of a seat cushion, such as a wheelchair cushion, has an upper surface with a support contour having relief areas for establishing relatively less pressure on skin adjacent to bony prominences of a user's pelvis and having a support area for establishing relatively more pressure on skin covering a tissue mass spaced from the bony prominences. A slit is formed in the rear corner of the support structure and an insertion member is inserted into the slit to change a position of the support area to thereby adjust the support contour for better support of the pelvic area. A cover encases the support structure to resist outward deformation of the support structure. The cover has an extension portion that expands the cover at the rear corner to increase a dimension of the cover to encase an increase dimension of the corner caused by the insertion of the insertion member.

IPC Classes  ?

• A47C 7/02 - Seat parts

Abstract

A support contour of a cushion, such as a wheelchair cushion, defines relief areas at locations adjacent to skin covering the ischial tuberosities, the greater trochanters and the coccyx and sacrum of a person sitting on the support contour. Support areas of the support contour transfer force into the pelvic area adjacent to skin covering tissue masses on opposite lateral sides of the posterior buttocks and beneath the proximal thighs of the person. Risks of pressure ulcers from pressure and shear forces on bony prominences is reduced while providing support at the broader areas without bony prominences in such a manner to encourage postural alignment. A support member attached to a rear corner of the cushion is retained to resist deformation of the support contour from contact with the person and to adjust the support contour for better support of the pelvic area.

IPC Classes  ?

• A61G 5/10 - Parts, details or accessories

Abstract

A negative impression of an anatomical portion of a person is captured by forcing the anatomical portion into impression foam to collapse the impression foam into the negative impression. The impression foam has a crush characteristic of approximately constant resistance force over a relatively wide predetermined range of collapse distances. The negative impression is obtained by collapsing the impression foam within the range of constant-force collapse distances, thereby creating the negative impression under conditions which reflect an equally-loaded anatomical portion. A cushion support contour created from the equally-loaded negative impression is beneficial in more appropriately supporting the anatomical portion. The present invention is particularly useful in fabricating wheelchair seat cushions.

IPC Classes  ?

• A47C 7/02 - Seat parts
• A61B 5/107 - Measuring physical dimensions, e.g. size of the entire body or parts thereof
• A61G 5/10 - Parts, details or accessories