Wheelchair foot stabilizer assembly

A wheelchair foot stabilizer assembly attachable to a wheelchair foot plate is constructed having a foot stabilizer, a heel guard and a stabilizer attaching assembly. The foot stabilizer is provided with a covering that extends over the top of the front part of a foot resting on the wheelchair foot plate to secure the front part of the foot on the wheelchair foot plate. The heel guard is provided with an arcuate-shaped plate whose concave side faces and is adjacent the heel of the foot. The stabilizer attaching assembly has a rear bracket member that attaches to the rear edge of the wheelchair foot plate and a front bracket member that attaches to the front edge of the wheelchair foot plate, The stabilizer attaching assembly also is provided with a connector attached to both the rear bracket member and the front bracket member in a manner to permit them to moved toward each other to more firmly secure them to the wheelchair foot plate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates in general to footrests, and more particularly to footrests for use on wheelchairs.

2. Prior Art

Most wheelchairs are provided with either two attachable footrest assemblies or foot platform footrests, each having one footrest on which the person sitting in the wheelchair can place his or her feet. However, if the person has certain physical disabilities that cause a foot to twitch or spasm it may become difficult for that person to maintain his or her feet on the footrest. This is also true for persons with severe arthritis who have little control over the movement of their legs or feet. To better adapt the use of wheelchairs for such persons certain footrests have been provided with foot stabilizer assembly into which the front part of a person's foot can be placed to provide greater stability to the foot and impede uncontrolled foot movement.

However, there remains a need to convert conventional wheelchair footrests to ones that can better maintain the feet on the wheelchair footrests.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, one object of this invention is to provide a foot stabilizer that is attachable to any wheelchair footrest.

Another object of this invention is to provide a foot stabilizer attachable to a wheelchair footrest that provides increased stability to the foot placed on the footrest.

Other objects and advantages of this invention shall become apparent from the ensuing descriptions of the invention.

Accordingly, a foot stabilizer assembly is constructed having a foot stabilizer comprising a covering forming a pocket or canopy into which the front portion of a foot can be placed, a heel support member comprising a plate having a concave side facing the heel, and an stabilizer attaching assembly to fix the foot stabilizer and the heel support member to the wheelchair footrest. In a preferred embodiment the stabilizer attaching assembly includes a rear bracket member separated from a front bracket member. Each bracket member has one end forming a U-shaped channel into which the rear and forward side edges of the wheelchair footrest can be positioned. The stabilizer attaching assembly also includes a connecting member connectable to the rear and front bracket members in a manner to draw them toward one another to hold the wheelchair footrest securely in the U-shaped channels in a manner to affix the foot stabilizer assembly to the footrest.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Without any intent to limit the scope of this invention, reference is made to the figures in describing the preferred embodiments of the invention.

Referring toFIG. 1, a conventional wheelchair1is depicted having footrest assemblies2and3. Each footrest assembly has a plate4on which a person's feet can be placed. The plate4is mounted on the horizontally positioned extension5of tubing leg member6. Plate4can be pivoted about extension5to cause inside side edge7of plate4to be pivoted upward and out of the way to permit a person sitting in the wheelchair to stand up.

Referring toFIGS. 2–4a preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed. The invention is directed to a foot stabilizer assembly8that can be attached to plate4to better immobilize a person's foot from slipping off plate4. Foot stabilizer assembly8includes a foot stabilizer9, a heel support member10and a stabilizer attaching assembly11to which both foot stabilizer9and heel support member10can be fixed. It is preferred that stabilizer attaching assembly11be constructed to permit its attachment to varied size and shape plates4.

The stabilizer attaching assembly11consists of a rear bracket member12, a front bracket member13and connector14. The connector14connects the rear bracket member12and front bracket member13in a manner to lock the two members12and13to plate4. Connector14can include any number of well known connecting devices. This would include the latch clamp assembly15shown. Latch clamp assembly15includes catch16affixed to the bottom surface13A of front bracket member13. It also includes attaching member17having a perpendicular plate18to which actuating lever arm19is pivotly mounted, as well as a U-shaped latch20pivotly mounted to lever arm19to extend toward catch16and fit snugly about catch16when lever arm19is pivoted backward and away from catch16to a locking position.

Front bracket member13is constructed having a portion of its opposite side edges27and28, respectively, bent to form two parallel channels29and30, respectively, sized to permit the front section31of rear bracket member12to slide into channels29and30until end sections21and22contact plate edges25and26, respectively.

In the preferred embodiment each member12and13has one end section21and22, respectively, bent to form a U-shaped channel23and24, respectively, into which the rear edge25or the front edge26, respectively, of foot plate4can be positioned.

Toe securing foot stabilizer assembly9comprises a mounting plate34having a shank35extending perpendicularly therefrom, and a front foot cover36attached to mounting plate34by screws37. In a preferred embodiment shank35is an elongated flat bar sized to fit into channel38formed by U-shaped member39affixed to bottom surface40of front bracket member13. Member35is provided with a slot41through which threaded stud42can extend to permit foot stabilizer assembly8to be extended from or retracted toward end section22to a desired position to accommodate the person's foot that is placed on foot plate4. Foot stabilizer assembly8is then fixed into the desired position by screwing star knob43down on threaded stud42.

It is preferred that front foot cover36be constructed to extend over foot plate4to form a pocket44into which a foot may be inserted. It is also preferred that front foot cover36have sufficient flexibility to permit different size feet to fit into pocket44. In a more preferred embodiment a securing strap45is affixed to front foot cover36and has sufficient length to extend around the front part of the foot. Strap45is preferably adjustable in length. This feature may be accomplished by known construction. Examples of such construction would include the utilization of elastic material to construct strap45or utilization of a conventional buckle or Velcro® assembly. Strap45should be adjustable to permit the foot to be securely positioned and held in pocket40.

Heel securing foot stabilizer assembly10comprises a L-shaped bar46and a heel support47. One leg48of bar46fits into channel49formed by U-shaped member50affixed to bottom surface51of rear bracket member12. Heel support47is fixed at the desired position by sliding leg48in channel49and then fixing leg48screwing set screws52through threaded openings53in member50until they contact leg48.

It is preferred that heel support47be an arcuate-shaped plate positioned to receive the back of a person's heel. In a more preferred embodiment a cushion pad54is affixed to the arcuate-shaped surface55of the plate to minimize an injury to the heel when there is a sudden movement of the foot that has been secured in the foot stabilizer9. Pad54can be constructed of a resilient rubber or similar material having sufficient rigidity to provide support against the heel to prevent the foot from sliding out of front foot covering pocket44.

To secure foot stabilizer assembly8to foot plate4members12and13are positioned to permit foot plate edges25and26to be inserted in channels29and30. Once the foot plate is positioned then lever arm19is pivoted backward to lock latch20securely about catch16. With the person sitting in wheelchair1the toe section of each foot is positioned in the toe pocket44. With the foot resting on foot plate4, strap45is secured around the foot as illustrated inFIG. 4.

There are of course other alternate embodiments which are obvious from the foregoing descriptions of the invention which are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.