Abstract:
A nestable wheelchair of the type in which a seat portion of one chair can be slid underneath the seat portion of a next adjacent chair, for nesting, and having side frames supporting the seat, the side frames being further apart at the rear and closer together at the front of the chair, and, a rear support frame extending upwardly and downwardly behind the side frame, the rear support frame having a handle at the upper end for pushing the chair, lower bracing frames extending from forward extensions of the side frames to the rear support frame, with their forward width spacing being less than their rearward width spacing, forward wheels mounted on the forward ends of said lower bracing frames, and rearward wheels mounted on rearward portions of the lower bracing frames, longitudinal bars extending parallel to the lower bracing frames at a predetermined height, permitting forward portions of a rearward chair to be inserted beneath the bar of a nest adjacent forward chair, and providing a lifting action so as to lift the rear wheels of the forward chair off the floor surface.

Description:
This is a continuation of U.S. Patent application Ser. No. 09/342,110 filed Jun. 29, 1999 now abandoned, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/928,654 filed Sep. 12, 1997 now abandoned. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to wheelchairs for physically challenged persons, and in particular to wheelchairs for use in institutions such as health care institutions, and large public buildings and facilities such as airport terminals and the like and in particular to such wheelchairs which are capable of nesting one behind the other for storage, and also for moving from place to place, when not actually carrying a person. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The moving of physically challenged persons in public institutions such as hospitals and health care facilities, and also in public buildings such as airport terminals and the like, almost always involves the use of a wheelchair. A great variety of wheelchairs are known, some of which are foldable to reduce storage space, some of which are designed for hand operation by the challenged person, and some of which are motorized and so on. 
     All of these wheelchairs have their application for a particular purpose. However, the moving of physically challenged persons from place to place in a health care facility or a large public building presents a somewhat different set of problems. In the first place, the distances to be travelled may be considerable, and the challenged person may not be able to operate their own wheelchair along those distances. The corridor and door spaces within such buildings may restrict the width of the wheelchair which can conveniently be used for transporting the challenged person. Consequently, for all of these reasons, wheelchairs operated by hand or electrically powered wheelchairs are generally not suitable for these purposes. In addition, they represent a very considerable cost per unit, and they are also difficult to store when not required. 
     It must also be borne in mind that in some such facilities particularly such as airport facilities, it may be desirable to move a number of challenged persons from one place to another, and then to transfer them to some other form of support. In this case, the wheelchair then becomes redundant and must be stored. In addition, ideally it should be returned to an area where it can easily be accessed for use with another challenged person. 
     Wheelchairs such as are used at present for these purposes are generally such that they must be returned one at a time to the location from which they were originally retrieved, and this ties up care personnel, who may have numerous other duties to perform. 
     In addition, in most of these facilities, the particular route to be taken for transporting the challenged person, may only be known to a care person and may not be known to the challenged person. Consequently self-propelled wheelchairs are of little use in these facilities. 
     Clearly it is desirable for use in these facilities to provide a wheelchair which can simply be pushed by a care person who can then move the challenged person at a good pace from one place to another. 
     Ideally such wheelchairs should be capable of being transported empty, in a group by a single care person so that a single care person may transport several chairs after use, from one place back to a central location. 
     It is also desirable to provide braking, since a challenged person sitting in such a chair has no control over the chair, and unless a care person is actually holding the chair it may roll free. A braking system which is automatic and self-operating is therefore considered essential in this type of chair. 
     It is also highly desirable to provide such chairs for a facility for nesting one behind the other. In this way a care person can nest a group of chairs together and then can push them as a group from one location to another. 
     Preferably such chairs should also provide a means for carrying a limited amount of luggage and in the case of health care institutions they should be capable of carrying patient records and like papers. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     With a view to providing a wheelchair satisfying the foregoing desirable characteristics, the invention comprises a nest able wheelchair of the type in which a seat portion of one chair can be slid underneath the seat portion of a next adjacent chair, for nesting, and comprising side frame members supporting said seat, said side frame members defining a rear width and a forward width and in which the forward width is less than the rearward width, and a forwardly and downwardly sloping seat surface, rear support frame members extending upwardly and downwardly relative to said side frame members, said rear support frame members having handle means at the upper end for pushing the chair, and lower bracing frames extending from forward extensions of said side frame members to lower portions of said rear support frame members, and similarly defining a rearward width and a forward width, with the forward width being less than the rearward width, forward wheels mounted on the forward ends of said lower bracing frames, and rearward wheels being mounted on rearward portions of said lower bracing frames, and, bar means extending across said lower bracing frames at a predetermined height, ramp means located between said lower bracing frames and being adapted to slide beneath said bar means of a next forward chair, the tapering shape of the side frame members and the bracing frames permitting forward portions of a rearward chair to be inserted beneath the seat and the bar means of a next adjacent forward chair, and engagement of the bar means by the ramp means providing a lifting action, thereby lifting said rear wheels of said forward chair off the floor surface. 
     A further feature of the invention is the provision of automatic braking means, which are self-engaging with the rear wheels, and a brake release mechanism adjacent to the upper end of the rear frame member, so that it can be grasped by the care person pushing the chair, to release the brakes from the back wheels. 
     The invention further contemplates the provision of a pair of anti-tipping rollers, mounted on rearward extensions of the lower frames and extending rearwardly of the rear wheels. These rollers enable the chair to be tipped backwards, checking it at a predetermined angle, so as the front wheels can be lifted over an obstacle. 
     The invention further provides that the contact bar extending between the two lower bracing frames is incorporated in a luggage rack, the luggage rack being located more or less beneath the seat, so that small items of personal hand luggage can be placed thereon, while the care person is pushing the chair. 
     The invention also provides, where required, a storage rack behind the rear frame members, for containing papers, reports and the like. 
     Arms are provided which extend forwardly from the rear frame members and can be folded upwardly for easy side entrance and exit from the chair, and foot rests are provided on the lower forward ends of the side frame members. 
    
    
     The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with more particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention. 
     A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevation illustrating two chairs nested together and a third chair, about to be nested with the second; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective illustration of a chair illustrating the invention, 
     FIG. 3 and 4 are side-elevational views of portions of two chairs, showing the forward chair being lifted by the rearward chair as the rearward chair nests inside the forward chair; and, 
     FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the chair of FIG. 1, showing the tapering side frames and lower frames and seat; 
     FIG. 6 is a rear-elevation of a portion of one chair. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     As described above, the invention relates generally to a wheelchair of the type used for moving physically challenged persons about a large facility such as a hospital health care facility, public space, airport terminal or the like, and in particular where space is limited and restricts the use of conventional wheelchairs, and where distances are considerable requiring transport at a certain pace, and in which movement directions may not be familiar to the challenged person. In general, such chairs are intended to be used by care persons pushing the physically challenged person from place to place, or from point to point after which the physically challenged person will be transferred from the chair to some other form of seating, or perhaps to a bed, or to a bath, or some special treatment facility. Such chairs are generally speaking required to be stored at a central point or at convenient points around the facility, so that they are readily accessible to care persons. For this reason it is desirable that such chairs will be moved around, when empty, in groups nested together so that they may be returned to where they came from. 
     It is for these reasons that the invention relates generally to a nest able wheelchair, i.e. a wheelchair which is capable of being nested within the rear portion of the next forward adjacent wheelchair in a line of wheelchairs, for convenience of moving the chairs around when empty. 
     Referring first of all to FIG. 1, it will be seen that the invention is there illustrated in the form of two nest able wheelchairs indicated as  10 A and  10 B, and a third chair  10 C is shown in phantom. 
     The chairs  10 A and  10 B are shown fully nested together, and the third chair is shown behind the chair  10 D and is ready to be nested with chair  10 B. 
     The plurality of such chairs can be nested one behind the other in this way, and a person can then push the group of nested chairs about simply by grasping the handle of the rearward chair. 
     As shown in FIGS. 2 through 5, each of the chairs  10 A,  10 B,  10 C etc. comprise a pair of generally L-shaped side frame members  12 , having generally forwardly and downwardly sloping seat supporting portions  14 , and downwardly angled foot portions  16 . 
     The side frames  12  have a predetermined spacing S between them at their rearward ends, and a reduced spacing S at their forward ends, therefore defining in plan a generally tapering seat shape. (FIG. 2) 
     The width of the rearward portion indicated as S is generally wide enough to provide comfortable seating for the challenged person, and the reduced width front portion S will provide adequate support for the legs. 
     Foldable foot rests  18  are located on the lower ends of the forward portions  16 . 
     In order to provide a seat back and support, a rearward substantially vertical support frame  20  is provided, having upper back supporting portions  22 , and a cross-bar handle  22 A extending between the upper ends of the back supporting portions  22 . Suitable seat back material, in this case of wire mesh, is supported by the back supporting portions  22 , suitable seating material  23  in this case of wire rods is supported between the side frames  14 . The wire rod material  23 , is hinged along its forward edge to side members  14 , by hinges  24 . Along the rearward ends of the wire rod material  23 , hooks  25  are formed. Hooks  25  engage a cross-bar  26  extending between side members  22  of the rear frame. 
     In this way the seating material  23  can be raised upwardly swinging around the hinges  24  and when it drops back, the hooks  25  will engage the rod  26 . In this way general utility type of seat and back surfaces are provided for these chairs, which will be used generally speaking for relatively short spaces of time, and may be used by many persons, so that the finish of the surfaces may be utilitarian, and functional and provide for a long, useful life. 
     Arm rests  28  are swingably mounted by hinges  28 A on the back frames  22 , so that the arm rests  28  may be swung upwardly out of the way, or may be swung downwardly into the more or less horizontal position as shown for support, where they are held and cannot swing further. 
     This greatly facilitates the moving of a challenged person into and out of the chair from the side. 
     The rear frames  20  are extended downwardly as at  30 , to provide rearward support for a chair. A pair of lower bracing frames  32  extend from the lower ends of forward frames  16  to the lower ends of the lower portions  30  of the rear frames. 
     Bracing frames  32  extend rearwardly of rear frames  30 , as at  34 . The bracing frames define a narrower forward spacing, and a wider rearward spacing. In this way a seat of a rearward chair may be slid beneath the seat of a forward chair in the space defined by side frames  14  and bracing frames  32 , for nesting. 
     Front wheels, having a caster action indicated as  36  are provided at the forward ends of the bracing frame  32 . Rear wheels  38  are provided just rearwardly of the junction between the lower rear frame  30  and the bracing frame  32 . It will be noted that the two rear wheels  38  are separately journalled on individual axles  40  welded at  41  (FIG. 6) in extensions  34 , so that there is a clear space between the two rearward portions  34  of the bracing frames  32 . 
     This is important for achieving the nesting features of the invention. 
     In order to enable the chairs to negotiate small obstacles, and to prevent tipping rearwardly, anti-tipping rollers  42  are mounted on the rearward ends of the extensions  34 . This will enable a care person pushing the chair to tip the chair slightly backwards so as to raise the front wheels over a small obstruction, if it is necessary, without danger of the chair over tipping backwards. 
     In order to provide stability and security for the chair, braking means are provided for the back wheels  38 . The braking means comprise in this embodiment, generally loop shaped brake bars  44 , which moved upwardly and downwardly and engage the upper surfaces of the wheels  38  and provide a braking action. 
     In order to operate the brakes, the bar loops  44  are mounted on vertical brake rods  46 . Brake rods  46  extend upwardly to operating links  48  mounted on the upper portions  22  of the back support  20 . The links  48  are pivotally mounted to the back support portions  22 . They are operated by means of the generally D-shaped operating bar  50  adjacent to handle  24 . Bar  50  is secured as by welding or any other suitable means to the links  48 . 
     Springs  52  urge the rods  46  downwardly so as to maintain the brake loops  44  in engagement with the wheels so that the brakes are normally “on”. 
     When the care person wishes to move the chair, he or she will then simply grasp the brake lever  50  and push it forward against the handle or push bar  24 . This will then raise the links  48 , lifting the brake loops  44  away from the wheels  38 , thereby releasing the wheels  38  for rolling. Releasing of the bar  50  will cause the springs to immediately reapply the brakes. 
     The nesting features of the invention are best understood with respect to FIGS.  1 , 3 , and  4 . 
     One of the considerations to be dealt with in the nesting chairs, is the fact that each chair is provided with its own braking mechanism. 
     If the chairs are nested, and if the braking mechanisms are all left operative so that the rear wheels cannot move, then moving a group of chairs nested one behind the other as shown in FIG. 1, will present problems. 
     As best shown in FIG. 3, the invention deals with this problem by the fact that each rearward nested chair  10 B,  10 C etc., when it is nested, operates to elevate the rear wheels  38  of the chair in front of it. 
     In this way, all of the nested chairs with the exception of the rearmost chair are slightly elevated or tilted so that their rear wheels do not touch the floor. Then all the operator has to do in order to wheel a group of nested chairs is simply to grasp the handle  24  and the brake bar  50  of the rearmost chair and push them all in one group. 
     The action whereby this elevation takes place will be described as follows. 
     Each chair  10 A,  10 B etc. is provided with a luggage rack  54 , The rack  54  extends between the bracing bars  32 — 32 . 
     The forward edge of the rack  54  is attached to the cross bar  56 . 
     Each luggage rack has a mid-section designed for carrying luggage. Each luggage rack  54  has a forward ramp section  58  angled downwardly. 
     Rack  54  has two longitudinal bars  60  extending lengthwise. 
     A pair of connector rods  61  extend from beneath bars  60  upwardly to the underside of the seating wires  23 . Rods  61  support and secure the luggage rack against movement. 
     The forward ramp portion  58  of the luggage rack  54  is designed to slide beneath the luggage rack  54  of the chair in front, during the nesting operation. When the ramp  58  of one chair slides beneath rack  54  of another chair in front, this will cause the chair  23  to be raised upwardly. 
     As the chair behind is pushed further into the space between the bracing bars  32 , the luggage rack will come into contact with the longitudinal bars  61 , and will continue to raise the rear of the chair. Continued pushing of the rearward chair into the space between the bracing bars will cause further elevation of the forward chair and will cause the rear wheels of  38  of the chair to be raised slightly off the floor, tilting the chair forwardly so that it rests only on its front wheels. 
     This function will continue each time a further chair is nested from the rear of the chairs in front. 
     Also as a function of the nesting of the chairs together, the seat bars  14 , and their associated seating wires  23 , will come into contact with the underside of the seating wires  23  of the next forward chair. This will cause those seating wires to raise upwardly so that the hooks  25  become disengaged from the rods  26  (FIG.  1 ). This function simply enables the rearward chair to enter fully into the nesting engagement. When the rearmost chair is removed, then the seating wires  23  will drop downwardly and the hooks  25  will engage on the rod  26 . 
     In the end there may be six or eight or more nested chairs, in which the front wheels  36  of each nested chair are in contact with the floor, but in which all of the rear wheels  38 , with the exception of the rearmost chair, are raised off the floor. 
     The rearmost chair of course, has its rear wheels  38  in contact with the floor. 
     All that is then required to move the entire group of nested chairs is for the operator to grasp the cross-bar  22 A and brake bar  50 , and release the brakes loops  44  off the wheels  38  of the rearmost chair and then the entire group of nested chairs is free to roll, 
     The nest or group of chairs may then simply be returned to a central point from where chairs may be drawn as needed. 
     In order to release a chair from the group all that is required is to grasp the handle  22 A and the brake bar  50 , and pull the rear most chair out of the nest. 
     That chair can be wheeled about to wherever it is needed. The remaining group of chairs however, will remain fixed in position, since the rear wheel  38  of the rearmost chair left in that group will be in contact with the floor and the brakes will be operating on the rear wheels  38  of that chair. Consequently the group of chairs is still not free to move in any direction. 
     In one form of chair, it may be desirable to provide for a lock means on each chair indicated generally as  70 , and a flexible interlock chain  72  and key  74 . The lock  70  may, for example, be coin operated. In this way the chairs when nested may all be locked together, and a person wishing to use a chair may simply insert a coin to release the endmost chair. 
     The foregoing is a description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which is given here by way of example only. The invention is not to be taken as limited to any of the specific features as described, but comprehends all such variations thereof as come within the scope of the appended claims.