Abstract:
Covers for a grip ring of a wheel chair are disclosed. According to certain embodiments of the invention, a two-piece cover is provided. The two-piece cover includes a soft, resilient inner pad and an outer sleeve enclosing the inner pad. According to other embodiments of the invention, a one-piece cover is disclosed. The one-piece cover includes a soft, resilient inner pad and an outer layer permanently attached to the inner pad. Both the one-piece and two-piece covers can be easily removed from or installed on the grip ring. The covers according to the present invention fit securely over wheelchair grip rings, providing a cushioned, enlarged gripping area for the wheelchair user. The covers improve the performance, feel and safety of grip rings.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a cover for a grip ring of a wheelchair.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Many hand-propelled wheelchairs are equipped with a pair of grip rings, or hand rims. Each grip ring is mounted outboard of a respective wheel of the wheelchair. A series of posts, or standoffs, extend between an inner side of the grip ring and an outer side of a rim portion of the wheel, and attach the grip ring to the wheel. Typically, grip rings are constructed of steel tubing or composite material tubing. The grip rings are used by the wheelchair operator to propel and maneuver the wheelchair.  
           [0003]    Conventional grip rings have several disadvantages. Grip ring tubing typically has a relatively small diameter, which provides a limited gripping surface for a user. As a result, the user will experience difficulty propelling the wheelchair in certain situations, such as when traveling up ramps, traversing carpeted areas or traversing rough terrain. The limited gripping surface provided by the conventional grip ring also makes it difficult for the user to stop the wheelchair when descending declined surfaces or when traveling at high speeds.  
           [0004]    The lack of sufficient gripping surface can cause the user to resort to improper and dangerous techniques to propel and maneuver the wheelchair. For example, the user may simultaneously grip both the wheel and the grip ring while propelling the wheelchair or the user may grip substantially the entire diameter of the grip ring while braking the wheelchair in order to obtain a greater gripping surface. Both of the aforementioned techniques can result in injury to the user, because the user may catch her fingers in the spokes of the wheel while attempting to propel the wheelchair, or she may catch her fingers in the standoffs while attempting to brake the wheelchair.  
           [0005]    Furthermore, the conventional grip ring is generally uncomfortable to the user&#39;s hand. The small surface area of the grip ring, the combination of the shape of the grip ring and the hardness off the grip ring makes the grip ring uncomfortable to use.  
           [0006]    Additionally, the conventional grip ring can become even more uncomfortable and dangerous to use under adverse conditions. For example, conventional grip rings are slippery when they are wet, and the steel surfaces of the grip ring can become uncomfortably hot or cold depending on the temperature of their environment.  
           [0007]    Attempts have been made in the prior art to provide improved grip rings for wheelchairs. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,047 teaches a dual grip ring assembly including a large grip ring mounted on a wheel of a wheelchair and a small grip ring mounted to and disposed outboard of the large grip ring. The large grip ring includes a foam coating and the small grip ring is constructed of aluminum. The large grip ring and small grip ring are designed to be gripped together to propel the vehicle, thereby providing a relatively large gripping area. The small grip ring is designed to be gripped alone for braking the wheelchair. Although this invention may improve performance in maneuvering the wheelchair, it adds significantly to the cost and assembly time of the grip ring assembly. Additionally, people with small hands (such as women and children) or arthritic hands may find it difficult to grip the dual grip ring assembly. Furthermore, the dual grip ring assembly substantially increases the width of the wheelchair over conventional grip ring assemblies, thereby making it more difficult to maneuver the wheelchair through tight spaces. U.S. Pat. No. 6,276,705 B1 teaches a double-rimmed grip ring assembly for a wheelchair. The grip ring assembly includes a first rim, a second rim coaxially aligned within the first grip ring and a vinyl-coated concave trough connecting the first rim to a wheel of the wheelchair. This assembly provides a high-friction gripping surface, but is substantially more complicated and costly to manufacture than conventional grip ring assemblies. Also, as is the case with U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,047, people with small hands or arthritic hands may find it difficult to grip both rims of the grip ring assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,268 B 1 discloses a grip ring having a friction coating on its upper surface. This invention provides a high friction gripping surface, but does not improve the comfort or substantially increase the gripping area of the grip ring.  
           [0008]    Therefore, a device that improves the performance, comfort and safety of the conventional grip ring is needed. More particularly, a device that improves the traction, gripping area and feel of the conventional grip ring, without significantly adding to the cost or complexity of the grip ring and without significantly increasing the width of the wheelchair, is needed.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    The present invention discloses various embodiments of a cover for a wheelchair grip ring. The cover according to the present invention includes an inner pad constructed of a soft, resilient material and an outer sleeve constructed of a durable material that is resistant to slippage and extreme temperature changes. The grip ring cover is easily removed and installed on a grip ring of a wheelchair.  
           [0010]    According to the present invention, the grip ring cover comprises a substantially ring-shaped member. The inner pad includes a substantially tubular wall that substantially encloses the grip ring. The outer sleeve wraps and fastens around the inner pad to secure the inner pad to the grip ring. According to some embodiments of the invention, the outer sleeve is detachable from the inner pad. According to other embodiments of the invention, the outer sleeve is permanently attached to the inner pad. The outer sleeve may also include reflective or luminescent material to improve the visibility of the grip ring over.  
           [0011]    The grip ring cover of the present invention provides an increased gripping diameter for wheelchair users and provides a cushioned gripping surface that resists slippage and extreme temperature changes. Therefore, the present invention improves the performance, comfort and safety of wheelchair grip rings. Furthermore, the present invention achieves the aforementioned benefits without great expense or complicated assembly, and without substantially affecting the width of the wheelchair.  
           [0012]    The invention, along with additional features and advantages thereof, may be best understood with reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a prior art wheelchair grip ring.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1B is a cut-away outboard view of a wheel and grip ring of the prior art wheelchair of FIG. 1.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2A is an inboard side view of a grip ring cover according to one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2B is a sectional view taken along line  2 - 2  of FIG. 2A.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3A is an inboard view of an inner pad of the grip ring cover of FIG. 2A.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3B is a sectional view taken along line  3 - 3  of FIG. 3A.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 4A is a view of an outside surface of an outer sleeve of the grip ring cover of FIG. 2A.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4B is a view of an inside surface of the outer sleeve of  4 A.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5A is an inboard cut-away view of the grip ring cover of FIG. 2A installed on a grip ring.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 5B is a sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of FIG. 5A.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 6A is an inboard cut-away view of the inner pad of FIG. 3A installed on a grip ring.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 6B is a sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of FIG. 6A.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 7A is an inboard side view of a one-piece grip ring cover according to another embodiment of the invention.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 7B is a sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  of FIG. 7A.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 8A is an inboard cut-away view of the grip ring cover of FIG. 7A installed on a grip ring.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 8B is a sectional view taken along line  7 - 7  of FIG. 8A.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 9 is an inboard side view of an inner pad for a grip ring cover according to another embodiment of the invention.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 10 is an inboard side view of a one-piece grip ring cover according to yet another embodiment of the invention.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 11A is a perspective view of an outer sleeve of a grip ring cover according to another embodiment of the invention.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 11B is a sectional view taken along line  8 - 8  of FIG. 11A. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0033]    The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to FIGS.  1 - 11 B, wherein the same reference numbers indicate the same elements.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 1A shows a prior art wheelchair  1  including a frame  1   a , a seat  1   b attached to the frame la, a wheel  10  rotatably attached to the frame a, and a grip ring  20  connected to and disposed outboard of the wheel  10 . Standoffs  25  attach the grip ring  20  to a rim  11  of the wheel  10 . Each standoff  25  extends between a location on the inside face  20   a  of the grip ring  20  and a location on the outside face  11   a  of the rim  11 , and space the grip ring  20  outboard of the wheel  10 . FIG. 1B shows an isolated view of the prior art wheel  10  and grip ring  20 . As shown in FIG. 1B, the grip ring rotates in a rotational direction R.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIGS. 2A and 2B show a grip ring cover  30  according to one embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 2A, the grip ring cover  30  is a substantially ring-shaped cover. As is best shown in FIG. 2B, the grip ring cover  30  comprises an inner pad  40  and an outer sleeve  50  that, when the grip ring cover  30  is assembled, is snugly secured or wrapped around the exterior surfaces of the inner pad  40 .  
         [0036]    Referring to FIG. 3A, the inner pad  40  comprises a generally ring-shaped tube having adjacent first and second free ends that are  40   a  and  40   b  separated by a gap  40   c . As shown in FIG. 3B, the inner pad  40  includes a substantially tubular wall  41  having first and second adjacent edges  41   a  and  41   b  that are separated by a circumferential gap, or open channel  41   c  in the wall  41  that extends circumferentially along the inner pad  40  in the rotational direction R of the grip ring  20 . Circumferential edges  41   a  and  41   b  may include adhesive elements  46   a  and  46   b , respectively. The adhesive elements  46   a  and  46   b  may cover a portion of the surfaces of the respective edges  41   a  and  41   b , or may cover the entire surface of the edges  41   a  and  41   b . Preferably, the adhesive elements  46   a  and  46   b  comprise and adhesive covered by a peel-off covering strip that may be peeled off to expose the adhesive. The inner pad  40  further includes a hollow interior  42  bounded by an inner wall surface  43  of the wall  41 . The circumferential gap  41   c  communicates with the hollow interior  42  of the inner pad  40  to accommodate the grip ring  20 , as will be described later. The inner pad  40  is preferably constructed of foam, but may be constructed of other soft, resilient materials.  
         [0037]    As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the outer sleeve  50  comprises a sheet of material having an outer surface  51  to be gripped by a wheelchair user and an inner surface  52  for contacting the outer surface of the inner pad  40 . The outer sleeve  50  is bounded by a first side  53 , a second side  54  opposite the first side  53 , a first end  55  extending between the opposed sides  53  and  54 , and a second end  56  opposite said first end  55  and extending between the opposed sides  53  and  54 . The width W of the sleeve  50  is slightly greater than the outer wall circumference C w  of the wall  41  of the inner pad  40  so that the sleeve  50  can be closed around the inner pad  40 . The length L of the outer sleeve  50  is slightly greater than the outer rotational circumference C R  of the inner pad  40  so that the end  56  overlaps the end  55  when installed on the grip ring  20 , as will be further described later on. Preferably, the length L of the outer sleeve is at least two inches greater than the circumference C R  of the inner pad to ensure proper closure of the outer sleeve  55  over the inner pad  40 . Although the sleeve  50  is shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B as a rectangular sheet, the sleeve  50  may be constructed in other suitable shapes. The outer sleeve  50  is preferably constructed of leather, but may alternatively be constructed of vinyl, a pliable plastic or a durable fabric.  
         [0038]    According an additional embodiment of the invention, the outer sleeve  50  may be constructed of a luminescent material or may include some luminescent material to improve visibility of the cover  30  under dark lighting conditions. Thus, the luminescent material would allow the user to easily identify and grasp the grip ring cover  30  under dark lighting conditions, and would also make the wheelchair  1  more visible to others under dark lighting conditions. According to another embodiment of the invention, the outer sleeve may be constructed of a reflective material or may include some reflective material to improve the visibility of the wheelchair  1  under dark lighting conditions.  
         [0039]    Referring still to FIGS. 4A and 4B, a first side fastening element  51   a  is disposed on the outer surface  51  proximate the first side  53 . A second side fastening element  52   a  is disposed on the inner surface  52  proximate the second side  54 , and is compatible with the first side fastening element  51   a  for closing the outer sleeve  50  around the inner pad  40 . The sleeve  50  may also include first and second end fastening elements  51   b  and  52   b . As shown in FIG. 6A, the first end fastening element  51   b  is disposed on the outer surface  51  proximate the first end  55 . The second end fastening element  52   b  is disposed on the inner surface  52  proximate the second end  56  and is compatible with the first end fastening element  51   b  for fastening the first end  55  to the second end  56  around the inner pad  40 .  
         [0040]    The arrangement of the fastening elements described above is by way of example only, and other fastening arrangements may be used. For example, the side fastening elements  51   a  and  52   a  may each be placed proximate sides  54  and  53 , respectively, with respect to the configuration described above, and the end fastening elements  51   b  and  52   b  may be placed proximate ends  56  and  55 , respectively, with respect to the configuration described above.  
         [0041]    According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fastening elements  51   a ,  52   a ,  51   b  and  52   b  comprise Velcro fasteners. However, other suitable fasteners may be used.  
         [0042]    [0042]FIGS. 5A and 5B show the grip ring cover  30  fully assembled and installed on the grip ring  20 . When the cover  30  is installed on the grip ring  20 , the cover  30  substantially encloses the grip ring  20 . More particularly, the inner pad  40  substantially encloses the grip ring  20  and the outer sleeve  50  substantially encloses the inner pad  40 . Preferably, the thickness T of the cover  30  (i.e., the combined thickness of the tubular wall  41  of the inner pad and the outer sleeve  50 ) is approximately 0.5 inches, thereby increasing the gripping diameter D g  of the grip ring  20  by approximately one inch, as shown in FIG. 5B. Sizing the cover  30  in such a manner will provide a substantial increase in cushioning and gripping area for a user while still providing suitable clearance between the grip ring assembly (the grip ring  20  and cover  30 ) and the terrain traversed by the wheelchair. However, the thickness T may be larger or smaller than the preferred size, so long as sufficient clearance is be maintained between the cover  30  and the wheel  10  and between the cover  30  and the terrain to be traversed, and so long as the cover  30  provides sufficient padding for the user.  
         [0043]    As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the inner pad  40  substantially encloses the grip ring  20 . The grip ring  20  is enclosed within the interior  42  of the inner pad  40  and the standoffs  25  are disposed within the gap  41   c . The edges  41   a  and  41   b  are bonded together via the adhesive elements  46   a  and  46   b , thereby securing the inner pad  40  tightly around the grip ring  20  and resisting rotation of the inner pad  40  relative to the grip ring  20 . However, the edges  41   a  and  41   b  are not bonded together at locations near the standoffs  25 , because the standoffs  25  protrude between the edges  41   a  and  41   b . The outer sleeve  50  is wrapped and fastened around the inner pad  40 . The side fastening elements  51   a  and  52   a  are aligned and fastened along the inner pad  40 . The end fastening elements  51   b  and  52   b  are aligned and fastened around the outer circumference C W  of the inner pad  40 . As can be seen in FIG. 6A, spaces  57  are disposed around the standoffs  25  to allow the outer sleeve  50  to wrap around the standoffs  25 .  
         [0044]    The installation of the cover  30  will now be described. In order to install the inner pad  40  on the grip ring  20 , the inner pad  40  is aligned with the grip ring  20 , and the inner pad  40  is folded over the grip ring  20  such that the grip ring  20  is substantially enclosed by the inner pad  40 . More particularly, the inner pad  40  is installed as follows. The circumferential gap  41   c  of the inner pad  40  is aligned with the grip ring  20 . Then, the following steps are repeated until the inner pad  40  substantially encloses the grip ring  20  and the ends  40   a  and  40   b  are adjacent one another on the grip ring  20 : the circumferential gap  41   c  is widened along a section of the inner pad  40  by pulling apart the wall edges  41   a  and  41   b ; a section of the grip ring is then inserted through the circumferential gap  41   c  and into a section of the hollow interior  42 ; and a section of the wall  41  is then folded around the portion of the grip ring such that the portion of the grip ring is enclosed by the portion of the wall. Thereafter, the adhesive of adhesive elements  46   a  and  46   b  is exposed and the edges  41   a  and  41   b  are pressed and bonded together. Thus, the inner pad  40  tightly encloses the grip ring  20  so as to provide a secure gripping foundation for the user. Because the ends  40   a  and  40   b  are free and the inner pad  40  is relatively flexible, the inner pad  40  may be easily manipulated to be folded around the grip ring  20 .  
         [0045]    Once the inner pad  40  is installed, the outer sleeve  50  is wrapped around the inner pad  40 . More specifically, the following procedure is carried out. The sleeve  50  is first placed over the grip ring  20  such that the inner surface  52  of the outer sleeve  50  is in contact with the outer surface  45  of the inner pad  40 . Thereafter, the following steps are repeated until the inner pad  40  is substantially enclosed by the outer sleeve  50 : a portion of the sleeve  50  is wrapped tightly around the outer surface  45  of along a portion of the inner pad  40  such that a portion of the second side  54  overlaps a portion of the first side  53  and corresponding portions of the side fastening elements  51   a  and  52   a  are aligned; corresponding portions of the side fastening elements  51   a  and  52   a  are then fastened together around the portion of the inner pad  40 . Then, the second end  56  is pulled over the first end  55  on the inner pad  40  such that the end fastening elements  51   b  and  52   b  are aligned. The end fastening elements  51   b  and  52   b  are then fastened together around the outer wall surface  45  of the grip ring  20 .  
         [0046]    According to another embodiment of the invention, an inner pad  40 ′, shown in FIG. 9, is provided in place of inner pad  40 . The inner pad  40 ′ is nearly identical to inner pad to  40 , except that the inner pad  40  has the form of a continuous ring without the gap  40   c  or ends  40   a  and  40   b . The inner pad  40 ′ is installed as follows. The circumferential gap  41   c  of the inner pad  40 ′ is aligned with the grip ring  20 . Then, the following steps are repeated until the inner pad  40 ′ substantially encloses the grip ring  20 : the circumferential gap  41   c  is widened along a section of the inner pad  40  by pulling apart the wall edges  41   a  and  41   b ; a section of the grip ring is then inserted through the circumferential gap  41   c  and into a section of the hollow interior  42 ; and a section of the wall  41  is then folded around the portion of the grip ring such that the portion of the grip ring is enclosed by the portion of the wall. Thereafter, the adhesive of adhesive elements  46   a  and  46   b  is exposed and the edges  41   a  and  41   b  are pressed and bonded together. Because the inner pad  40 ′ has no free ends, it may be slightly more difficult to install and remove than the inner pad  40 . However, the inner pad  40 ′ is advantageous in that it can provide a tighter fit over the grip ring  20 .  
         [0047]    According to another embodiment of the invention a stretch-fit outer sleeve  50 ′, shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B may be used instead of the sleeve  50  described above. The sleeve  50 ′ is a substantially ring-shaped, semi-tubular sleeve including a semi-tubular wall  51 ′ having a pair of adjacent annular, elastic edges  53 ′ and  54 ′ separated by an annular gap  55 ′. The wall  51 ′ defines a hollow interior  56 ′. The sleeve  50 ′ is installed by aligning the annular gap  55 ′ with the inner pad  40  or  40 ′ and stretching the sleeve  50 ′ onto and over the inner pad  40  or  40 ′ such that a substantial portion of the inner pad  40  or  40 ′ is enclosed within the interior  52 ′. The sleeve  50 ′ may also include edge fastening elements  51   a ′ and  52   a ′ disposed proximate the annular edges  53 ′ and  54 ′, respectively. The fastening elements  51   a ′ and  52   a ′ may be aligned and fastened together to further secure the sleeve  50 ′ on the inner pad  40  or  40 ′. The stretch-fit sleeve  50 ′ is advantageous in that it can be quickly installed and removed.  
         [0048]    According to another embodiment of the invention, the sleeve  50 ′ may be adapted to fit directly over the grip ring  20  without the use of an inner pad  40  or  40 ′. In such a case, the sleeve  50 ′ is installed by aligning the annular gap  55 ′ with the grip ring  20  and stretching the sleeve  50 ′ onto and over the grip ring  20  such that a substantial portion of the grip ring  20  is enclosed within the interior  52 ′.  
         [0049]    According to another embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, a one-piece grip ring cover  300  is provided. The grip ring cover  300  is a generally ring-shaped member comprising a substantially tubular inner pad  400  and an outer sleeve or shell  500  permanently attached to the inner pad  400 . The outer shell  500  may be bonded to the inner pad  400  with adhesive, or it may be fused to the inner pad  400  by a heating process. The inner pad  400  and outer shell  500  may be constructed of the same materials as the previously disclosed inner pad  40  and outer sleeve  50 .  
         [0050]    As shown in FIG. 7A, the cover  300  comprises a generally ring-shaped tube having adjacent first and second free ends  300   a  and  300   b  that are separated by a gap  40   c . Referring to FIG. 7B, the inner pad  400  includes a substantially tubular wall  401  having first and second edges  401   a  and  401   b  that are separated by a circumferential gap  401   c  that extends circumferentially in the rotational direction R of the grip ring  20 . The cover  300  includes a hollow interior  302  bounded by an interior surface of the wall  401 .  
         [0051]    The outer shell  500  has side flaps  501  and  502  including respective side fastening elements  501   a  and  502   a . One of the side fastening elements  501   a  and  502   a  is disposed on an interior surface of its side flap, while the other of the side fastening elements  501   a  and  502   a  is disposed on an exterior surface of its side flap. The outer shell  500  further includes an end flap  503  disposed proximate one free end  300   a  or  300   b  of the cover  300 , an end flap fastening element  503   a  on an interior surface of the end flap  503  and an end fastening element  504  disposed proximate the other free end  300   b  or  300   a.    
         [0052]    [0052]FIGS. 8A and 8B show the cover  300  installed on a grip ring  20 . The cover  300  encloses the grip ring  20  such that the grip ring is substantially enclosed within the interior  302  of the cover  300 . The side flaps  501  and  502  are aligned and fastened together via the fastening elements  501   a  and  502   a . The end flap  503  overlaps the adjacent free end  300   a  or  300   b  such that the fastening elements  503   a  and  504  are aligned and fastened together, and free ends  300   a  and  300   b  are secured in close proximity to one another. As can be seen in FIG. 8A, spaces  507  are disposed around the standoffs  25  to allow the flaps  501  and  502  to wrap around the standoffs  25 .  
         [0053]    In order to install the cover  300  on the grip ring  20 , the cover  300  is aligned with the grip ring  20 , and the cover  300  is folded over the grip ring  20  such that the grip ring  20  is substantially enclosed by the cover  300 . More particularly, the cover  300  is installed as follows. The circumferential gap  401   c  of the inner pad  400  is aligned with the grip ring  20 . Then, the following steps are repeated until the inner pad  400  substantially encloses the grip ring  20  and the ends  300   a  and  300   b  are adjacent one another on the grip ring  20 : the circumferential gap  401   c  is widened along a section of the inner pad  400  by pulling apart the wall edges  401   a  and  401   b ; a section of the grip ring is then inserted through the circumferential gap  401   c  and into a section of the hollow interior  402 ; and a section of the wall  401  is then folded around the portion of the grip ring  20  such that the portion of the grip ring is enclosed by the portion of the wall  401 . Thereafter, the side flaps  501   a  and  502   a  are aligned and fastened together, and the end flap  503  is aligned and fastened with the adjacent free end  300   a  or  300   b.    
         [0054]    According to another embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 10, a cover  300 ′ is provided. The cover  300 ′ is similar to the cover  300 , except that the cover  300 ′ is formed in a continuous ring without the free ends  300   a  and  300   b , the end flap  503  and the fastening elements  503   a  and  504 . The cover  300 ′ is installed in the same manner as the cover  300 , except that no fastening of free ends is required.  
         [0055]    A grip ring cover according to the present invention can be sized to fit any grip ring. A two-piece cover  30  may be manufactured such that the length L of the outer sleeve  50  and outer rotational circumference C R  of the inner pad  40  or  40 ′ are greater than necessary. Thus, the outer sleeve  50  and inner pad  40  or  40 ′ can be trimmed down to fit grip rings of various sizes. Likewise a one-piece cover  300  may also have an outer rotational circumference C R2  that is greater than necessary so that it may be trimmed to fit a variety of grip rings.  
         [0056]    According to the present invention, various embodiments of a grip ring cover for a wheelchair are provided. The grip ring cover of the present invention provides an enlarged gripping surface that is comfortable to grip, resistant to slippage and resistant to extreme temperature changes. The grip ring cover is easily assembled on and removed from existing grip rings without requiring disassembly of the grip ring. Additionally, the grip ring cover does not substantially increase the width of the wheelchair, so as not to significantly affect the user&#39;s ability to maneuver the wheelchair in tight spaces. Furthermore, the grip ring cover according to the present invention is inexpensive and simple to manufacture.  
         [0057]    While the invention has been illustrated in connection with preferred embodiments, variations within the scope of the invention will likely occur to those skilled in the art. Thus, it is understood that the invention is covered by the following claims.