Abstract:
A storage apparatus ( 10 ) attachable to a wheelchair ( 44 ) is pivotable and slidable from a storage position against the back of a wheelchair backrest to an access position adjacent to a wheelchair armrest. Pivoting and sliding is accomplished under power of an operator with the storage apparatus and slide mechanism ( 11 ) rotating substantially 90 degrees around vertical pivot member ( 30 ) and then sliding on a block member ( 18 ). A handle ( 24 ) is used to aide with the movement of the storage apparatus and to operate a locking mechanism ( 28 ), which secures the storage apparatus in access and storage positions.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not Applicable 
       FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0005]    This invention relates to a movable wheelchair bag, more specifically to improved transportation mechanism of the wheelchair bag. 
         [0006]    2. Discussion of Prior Art 
         [0007]    Wheelchairs that are commonly used for transportation of persons having difficulty ambulating are not ordinarily equipped with a storage container where occupant could store his/her belongings. Several solutions to that important problem have been proposed and are currently available on the market. The most popular solution remains a bag simply hung in the back of the wheelchair over the push handles. While being an inexpensive and simple solution it does nothing to solve a valid problem of occupant (per definition inflicted with decreased mobility) having to get up and walk around the wheelchair in order to access content of the bag. Another problem is insecure attachment to push handles where the bag is prone to falling off the wheelchair. More secure (tight) attachment is certainly possible but that would make removing and accessing the bag so much more difficult. 
         [0008]    Certain containers are manufactured to fit on inside or outside of wheelchair&#39;s armrest. Even that convenient access to these containers is secured drawbacks include small size and either decreasing seating space (inside mount) or increasing width of the wheelchair (outside mount). This solution will also invariably interfere with the action of occupant&#39;s arm during wheelchair propulsion. 
         [0009]    Wheelchair container could also be mounted underneath the wheelchair. Main drawback of this solution is very difficult (often dangerous for the disabled population) access requiring significant bending forward or getting out of the wheelchair and kneeling each time the occupant would like to access his/her belongings. Flat, round container can be mounted on the rim of the wheel. This design will accommodate flat and lightweight objects. Drawbacks include: interfering with the propulsion (mount directly on the wheel), small depth limiting usage to such object like newspapers and magazines, increasing width of the wheelchair and necessity to close the container completely or risking losing the content of the container with each turn of the wheel. 
         [0010]    Swinging type of a solid container is commercially available (Have-A-Tray Carrier). This carrier is mounted to the front of the wheelchair and protrudes forward when wheelchair is in motion. To access its content the carrier can be swung to the side of the wheelchair. This design adds to wheelchair dimensions and raises safety concerns, as the container is free to rotate. Possibility of injury to occupant or other people is real. The most practical solution to wheelchair storage seems to be in the back of the wheelchair (unobtrusive and big space fully contained within footprint of the wheelchair). Several attempts were made in the past to design a mechanism, which would conveniently move storage container from (inaccessible) storage location to easily accessible (access) location. 
         [0011]    References of general background interest, with respect to present invention, include U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,443 Kehler issued Apr. 24, 1990 which describes swingable wheelchair container mounted in the rear of the wheelchair. This design does not solve the problem of transporting the container from storage to access position. Also while moving between storage and access positions the bag travels significantly beyond the base of the wheelchair. U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,181 Letechipia issued Jan. 19, 1993 which describes motorized movable storage apparatus. This design does not work well when the bag is loaded with belongings, as it would tilt from vertical position due to force of gravity. Again, the bag travels significantly beyond the base of the wheelchair. U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,803 Davis issued Apr. 8, 1986 which describes convenience basket, desktop or tray mounting system for wheelchairs. This design is of value for a wheelchair user who does not have to propel the wheelchair independently as the basket in the stored position would prevent access to one of the wheels. It would be however quite useful for shopping activities granted that the help of the attendant can be obtained. 
       OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES 
       [0012]    Accordingly, several objects and advantages of our invention are: to provide sizable storage for the wheelchair user 
         [0000]    to provide convenient storage position of the bag in the back of the wheelchair which will not interfere with wheelchair propulsion and movement
 
to provide easy access to content of the bag for the wheelchair user while the user remains seated in the wheelchair
 
to provide easily engaged and disengaged locks which secure bag during moving of the wheelchair and while accessing content of the bag
 
to provide handle to improve ease of operation and afford mechanical advantage of force for disabled or weak wheelchair operator to
 
provide wheelchair bag which will not travel significantly beyond the footprints of the wheelchair
 
to provide apparatus which is easily attachable to most of the wheelchairs
 
         [0013]    Further objects and advantages are to provide reliable, easily accessible by average wheelchair operator means to store personal belongings. Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0014]    In accordance with the present invention a combination of a wheelchair and a storage apparatus comprising: a wheelchair having a frame including a seat portion, a back support portion, and at least two wheels; a storage apparatus adapted to be placed adjacent and behind said back support portion when not in use and is movable into a position adjacent to said seat portion for easy access when desired; and an arm member attached to said storage apparatus and pivotally attached to said wheelchair frame, such that said storage apparatus can be moved between a position adjacent and behind said back support portion and a position adjacent to said seat portion and one of said at least two wheels. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       Figures 
         [0015]    In the drawings, closely related figures have the same number but different alphabetic suffixes. 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the invention attached to a wheelchair with the storage apparatus in the access position alongside wheelchair&#39;s armrest 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the invention 
           [0018]      FIGS. 3A to 3C  show top view of the storage apparatus traveling from storage through intermediate to access positions. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a view of a block member 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a view of a locking mechanism 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a view of the invention with optional power drives 
           [0022]      FIGS. 7A to 7C  show view of the invention with optional tray in “extended”, “folded” and “access” positions 
       
    
    
       [0023]      
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 DRAWINGS - Reference Numerals 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 10 storage apparatus 
                 18-1 bearing section 
               
               
                   
                 11 slide mechanism 
                 18-2 clamp 
               
               
                   
                 12 arm member 
                 18-3 lock hole 
               
               
                   
                 14-1 side bracket 
                 19-1 linear bearing 
               
               
                   
                 14-2 side bracket 
                 19-2 linear bearing 
               
               
                   
                 16-1 slide bar member 
                 20 cam follower 
               
               
                   
                 16-2 slide bar member 
                 22 handle holder 
               
               
                   
                 17-1 lock plunger 
                 24 handle member 
               
               
                   
                 17-2 lock plunger 
                 26 lock activator 
               
               
                   
                 18 block member 
                 28 locking mechanism 
               
               
                   
                 28-1 lock hub 
                 30 pivot member 
               
               
                   
                 28-2 lock pin 
                 32 post 
               
               
                   
                 28-3 spring 
                 34 upper bracket 
               
               
                   
                 28-4 spring stop 
                 36 lower bracket 
               
               
                   
                 36-1 lock hole 
                 46 drive slide mechanism 
               
               
                   
                 36-2 lock hole 
                 48-1 pivot motor 
               
               
                   
                 38 shaft 
                 48-2 slide motor 
               
               
                   
                 40-1 upper bushing 
                 50 pivoting frame 
               
               
                   
                 40-2 lower bushing 
                 52 tray 
               
               
                   
                 42 mounting clamp 
                 54 tray support 
               
               
                   
                 44 wheelchair 
                 56 electric device 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIGS.  1 ,  2 ,  4  and  5 —Preferred Embodiments 
       [0024]    A preferred embodiment of the storage apparatus transportation mechanism of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2   
         [0025]    In  FIG. 1  a storage apparatus  10  is rigidly attached to an arm member  12 . In the preferred embodiment storage apparatus  10  is a nylon bag with stiff backside and one corner deformed for clearing a wheel of a wheelchair. Storage apparatus, however, can be any type of a container made from any material such as plastic, canvas, wood components, leather etc. Any type of mechanism can be in fact mounted to the arm member  12  including portable computer, video or gaming devices. Securing storage apparatus  10  to arm member  12  can be accomplished with bolts or any other fastening method such as pegs, rivets, hooks, loops etc. Alternatively storage apparatus  10  can be removably attached to arm member  12 . The arm member  12  is made from any sufficiently stiff and durable material such as metal, plastic or wood components. As shown in  FIG. 2  arm member  12  is rigidly connected to a side bracket  14 - 1  and a side bracket  14 - 2 . The side brackets are connected to a slide bar  16 - 1  and a slide bar  16 - 2 . The slide bars are pipes or rods, which are parallel to each other and are slidably connected to a bearing section  18 - 1  of a block member  18  via respective slide bearings  19 - 1  and  19 - 2 . The slide bars can have other than round shape design, which will permit smooth motion on stationary block member. Alternative design may include mechanism with rolls, wheels or any slidable material such as Teflon or polished metal. Arm member  12  has two lock plungers  17 - 1  and  17 - 2  that engage with a surface of bearing section  18 - 1 . Any type of a locking mechanism such as notch, groove, spring, catch or latch can substitute those plungers. The block member  18 , best visible in  FIG. 4 , has the bearing section  18 - 1  and a clamp  18 - 2 . The bearing section has a cam follower  20  mounted on the bottom in a way that the outermost part of the cam follower contacts the lower part of arm member  12 . Cam follower  20  is a wheel with a bearing but could be substituted by any sliding material such as metal, plastic, felt etc. Clamp  18 - 2  has a lock hole  18 - 3 . In  FIG. 1  a slide mechanism  11  is attached to a shaft  38  of a pivot member  30  by clamp  18 - 2 . As seen in  FIG. 2  shaft  38  is pivotally mounted between an upper bracket  34  and a lower bracket  36  with bushings  40 - 1  and  40 - 2 . In  FIG. 5  lower bracket  36  has a lock hole  36 - 1  and a lock hole  36 - 2 . The lock holes engage a lock pin  28 - 2 . In  FIG. 2  pivot member  30  has a post  32 , which terminates in a mounting clamp  42  to connect with a wheelchair frame  44 . Side bracket  14 - 1  has a handle holder  22  for a handle member  24 . A lock activator  26  is connected to the handle member  24 . A lock mechanism  28  visible in  FIG. 5  has a lock hub  28 - 1  that contains lock pin  28 - 2 . A spring  28 - 3  is compressed on lock pin  28 - 2  with a spring stop  28 - 4  holding it in place. Different locking methods and mechanisms can be utilized here. For example latch, hook or plunger can substitute pin. Alternatively lock, instead of engaging with lower bracket  36  can engage with upper bracket  34  or directly with shaft  38 .  FIG. 6  shows an optional power drive, which consists of a pivot motor  48 - 1 , engaged with shaft  38  and a slide motor  48 - 2 , which is mechanically engaged with a drive slide mechanism  46 .  FIG. 7A  shows an optional tray  52  which can be mounted in place of storage apparatus  10  to slide mechanism  11 . Tray  52  is slidably connected to a pivoting frame  50 , which is pivotably connected to slide mechanism  11 . A support  54  connects to tray  52  and rests on wheelchair frame  44 . An electric device  56  is mounted to tray  52 . 
       Operation—FIGS. 2,  3 A,  3 B,  3 C,  5 ,  6  and  7 A,  7 B,  7 C 
       [0026]    As illustrated in  FIG. 3A  storage apparatus  10  is in storage position behind wheelchair  44 . With the handle member  24  in the “up” position the storage apparatus is prevented from rotating by locking mechanism  28  while the force of the lock plunger  17 - 1  on bearing section  18 - 1  prevents sliding of the storage apparatus. The operator of the wheelchair moves down handle member  24 , which at the same time moves lock activator  26 . The lock activator pressing on the L shaped lock pin  28 - 2  moves it up and out of the lock hole  36 - 1 . The entire slide mechanism  11  with storage apparatus  10  attached to arm member  12  is free to rotate on shaft  38 . The handle which is now in “down” position enables the operator, using mechanical advantage, to rotate the storage apparatus until it is parallel to the armrest of the wheelchair as shown in  FIG. 3B . Raising handle member  24  to “up” position will terminate its action on the lock pin  28 - 2 . Force of spring  28 - 3  will engage the lock pin  28 - 2  with lock hole  36 - 2  as seen in  FIG. 5  and the storage apparatus will be prevented from further rotational movement. With handle member  24  in “up” position the storage apparatus with the entire slide mechanism  11 , after overcoming the force of lock plunger  17 - 1 , slides towards the access position which is essentially parallel to the armrest of the wheelchair as shown in  FIG. 3C . At the end of this movements lock plunger  17 - 2  engages with the bearing section  18 - 1  securing the storage apparatus in the access position. In the access position content of the storage apparatus can be accessed by the user. Rotational movement of the storage apparatus is prevented by locking mechanism  28  engaged with the lock hole  36 - 2  while sliding movement is inhibited by lock plunger  17 - 2 . 
         [0027]    To bring the storage apparatus from access to storage position the user will slide the storage apparatus backwards. First the lock plunger&#39;s  17 - 2  force will have to be overcome to free the slide mechanism to slide on block member until another lock plunger  17 - 1  is engaged as seen in  FIG. 3B . In this position handle member  24  needs to be lowered to down position to disengage lock pin  28 - 2  from lock hole  36 - 2  and free the storage apparatus with the slide mechanism for rotational movement. When the storage apparatus is placed behind the back of the wheelchair ( FIG. 3A ) raising the handle will cause the downward movement of lock pin  28 - 2  which will engage with lock hole  36 - 1 . In this storage position storage apparatus is prevented from rotational motion by locking mechanism  28  while sliding motion is prevented by lock plunger  17 - 1  as seen in  FIG. 2 . Lock plungers  17 - 1  and  17 - 2  can be adjusted for force to suite individual needs. Due to the placement of the storage apparatus away from the plane of the slide mechanism  11  and slide bar members  16 - 1  and  16 - 2  force of gravity creates momentum acting on the slide bar members twisting them and jamming their linear movement in the block member. To counteract this force cam follower  20  interacts with arm member  12  maintaining specified distance of the lower margin of the arm member and the block member. 
         [0028]    In the preferred embodiment wheelchair occupant is moving the storage apparatus by his/her own power. Alternatively movement of the storage apparatus from storage to access positions can be accomplished by an electric motor with a drive system. This option is shown in  FIG. 6 . Rotation of drive slide mechanism  46  is accomplished by using power of pivot motor  48 - 1 . Drive slide mechanism  46  moves by utilizing power of slide motor  48 - 2 . Any type of combination of powered and manual force including means of passive storage of energy (such as spring) can be used as well. One motor only with a system of gears can be also used to slide and pivot slide mechanism. The “power” option would eliminate lock, plungers and handle from the design. 
         [0029]    Alternatively storage apparatus can be substituted by a tray system as shown in  FIGS. 7A ,  7 B and  7 C. Pivoting frame  50  is utilized to attach tray or table to the slide mechanism  11  to bring that tray or table closer to the lap of the occupant. As seen in  FIG. 7A  tray  52  is in “extended” position on pivoting frame  50  to provide convenient working area for the occupant. Support  54  is used to stabilize tray  52  against frame of the wheelchair  44 . As shown in  FIG. 7B  tray  52  is moved to “folded” position on pivoting frame  50  and support  54  is folded underneath the tray. The tray with pivoting frame can then be pivoted around slide mechanism  11  to a position alongside armrest of the wheelchair essentially assuming the position of the storage apparatus in the access position as seen in  FIG. 7C . 
       Advantages 
       [0030]    From the description above, a number of advantages of our wheelchair bag transportation mechanism become evident: 
         [0000]    (a) Wheelchair user will have access to sizable storage for personal use
 
(b) Storage apparatus placement in the back of the wheelchair will not interfere with wheelchair propulsion and movement
 
(c) Wheelchair user will have easy access to content of the storage apparatus while remaining seated in the wheelchair
 
(d) Storage apparatus is securely immobilized in access position using easily engaged and disengaged locks
 
(e) Storage apparatus is securely immobilized in storage position using easily engaged and disengaged locks
 
(f) Handle improves ease of operation and affords mechanical advantage for disabled or weak wheelchair operator
 
(g) Invention is easily attachable to most of the wheelchairs
 
(h) With addition of simple mechanism storage apparatus can be substituted by a tray or electronic device holder
 
(i) While moving from storage to access position storage apparatus remains close to wheelchair&#39;s armrest enabling the user to use the invention in crowded spaces.
 
       CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATION AND SCOPE 
       [0031]    Accordingly, the reader will see that the new method of transporting storage apparatus of this invention can be used to facilitate access to essential belongings of the disabled wheelchair occupant. The storage apparatus can be substituted for any kind of container or apparatus including electronic devices such as portable computers or video players. The invention provides substantial storage space, which is placed behind the wheelchair and does not interfere with wheelchair movement. The invention can be used in crowded places as the storage apparatus remains close to the wheelchair&#39;s armrest during movement to and from access position. The invention can be attached to most of the wheelchairs. 
         [0032]    While our above description contains many specificities these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of one preferred embodiment thereof. Many other variations are possible. For example the invention can be mounted to frame of the wheelchair in many different ways using clamps, bolts or even permanent fasteners. To accommodate different designs of the wheelchairs the mounting system can consist of a set of hinged bars or pipes to properly mount pivot member. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.