Patent Publication Number: US-2004041449-A1

Title: Wheelchair slip cover

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
     [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/383,762, filed May 24, 2002. The entire teachings of the above application are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] Wheelchair patients include people of all ages: children, adolescents, young men and women, middle-aged and elderly. The typical wheelchair is strictly utilitarian and is not made to suit the user&#39;s fancies or fashions. For example, many wheelchairs are made of navy blue vinyl, or some other drab, uncolorful material.  
       [0003] The inventor, a nurse, has a wheelchair patient, an elderly woman in her  80 s, very attractive, hair all done up, make up and very “put together.” She dresses very stylishly. This patient leaves the facility on a regular basis to go shopping (accompanied by a staff member), to go to the casino, to go out for dinner, etc.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004] Unfortunately, when this patient goes out, dressed up as she is, she is stuck in her ugly navy blue vinyl wheelchair. Yet she, and other patient like her who use these wheelchairs, might prefer to go out into the world more stylishly.  
       [0005] The present invention, then, is a response to this dilemma: a stylish and fashionable wheelchair slipcover adapted to the tastes or preferences of the wheelchair user. Such wheelchair slipcovers may be made from an assortment of materials, colors and patterns (i.e., bright, pastel, flowers, animal prints, etc.).  
       [0006] For example, wheelchair slipcovers for children could have child-suitable pictures on them, such as “raggedly Ann or Andy,” or “Star Wars” characters, etc. Wheelchair slipcovers for “fashionable ladies” might bear, for example, zebra prints, or be based on seasonal themes. Veterans and/or teenage boys and other might prefer camouflage army fatigue prints and/or American flag prints. Sports enthusiasts might prefer slipcovers with their favorite team&#39;s emblem or their favorite player&#39;s number. Similar wheelchair slipcovers could even serve as a team uniform, for example, with player names and numbers for use in wheelchair basketball games and tournaments. Another possibility is to use themes based on specific events, occasions, holidays and the like. For example, a pattern with skeletons or the like would be suitable for Halloween, bunny rabbits for Easter, etc.  
       [0007] One embodiment of the invention includes separate slipcovers for the wheelchair seat and the upright back. The material may be held together by any suitable means, such as Velcro™, snaps or zippers.  
       [0008] In the past, wheelchairs have been typically one standard size. More recently, however, there have been more and more variations. Accordingly, slipcovers of an embodiment of the present invention may be adjustable to cover different wheelchair sizes.  
       [0009] While the inventive wheelchair slipcovers may be made in any size, Applicant foresees manufacturing four standard sizes: small, medium, large and extra large. The use of Velcro™ allows some flexibility in the slipcover to fit over a range of actual physcial sizes.  
       [0010] Applicant&#39;s invention thus turns the wheelchair, a necessity, into a fashion accessory.  
       [0011] Therefore, a wheelchair slipcover according to the present invention includes a seat pad slipcover that can contain a seat pad (cushion). The seat pad slipcover can be made from decorative material and can be attached to the seat of a wheelchair. A back pad slipcover can also made from the same or different decorative material, and can be attached to the back of the wheelchair. The invention does not require both back and seat slipcovers.  
       [0012] It should be noted that the term “back” as used in “back slipcover” or “back pad slipcover” means a slipcover that slips over the back of the wheelchair. The back slipcover itself preferably has both front and rear panels.  
       [0013] A non-slip material for preventing the seat pad slipcover from slipping with respect to the wheelchair seat can be attached to the bottom surface of the seat pad slipcover. Alternatively, the non-slip material could be separate from (unattached to) the seat pad slipcover, and could simply be placed between the seat pad slipcover and the wheelchair seat.  
       [0014] In one embodiment, the back slipcover is reversible. Similarly, the seat pad slipcover is reversible. That is, the top and bottom surfaces are identical so that the slipcover can simply be turned over.  
       [0015] In one embodiment, at least one of the seat pad slipcover and the back slipcover have imprinted thereon a decorative pattern, which could, for example be based on some theme, such as an event, for example, a specific holiday, sport, or sporting event, or could be based on a seasonal theme.  
       [0016] In one embodiment, the seatpad slipcover is attached to the back slipcover, forming a single unit. Alternatively, they can be separate, unattached pieces.  
       [0017] The back slipcover can have slots to accomodate the wheelchair&#39;s handles, as well as anti-bunching cuts near the wheelchair&#39;s arms.  
       [0018] A wedge-shaped cushion can be inserted into the seat pad slipcover to prevent a patient from sliding forward in the wheelchair seat.  
       [0019] In one embodiment, the back slipcover includes one or more pockets. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0020] The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.  
     [0021]FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention.  
     [0022]FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the back and seat slipcovers of an embodiment of the present invention.  
     [0023]FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the layout of an embodiment of the back slipcover of FIG. 2.  
     [0024]FIG. 4 is a diagram of a top view of an embodiment of the seat slipcover of FIG. 2.  
     [0025]FIG. 5 is a diagram of a bottom view of an embodiment of the seat slipcover of FIG. 2.  
     [0026]FIG. 6 is a diagram of a wedge cushion used in the seat slipcover of FIG. 2. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0027] A description of preferred embodiments of the invention follows.  
     [0028]FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention. A decorative slipcover  12  has been installed over the back of a wheelchair  10 . For exemplary purposes, a raggedy Ann-type design is shown as the decorative pattern  14 . However, as discussed below, any decorative pattern can be used, in any desired  9 and practical) combination of colors and materials.  
     [0029]FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the back slipcover  12  and seat slipcover  20  of an embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment, the back slipcover is folded over the top of the wheelchair&#39;s back, at fold  16 , such that the patterned material of the back slipcover  12  is visible from behind the wheelchair  10  and in front of the wheelchair  10 . The seat slipcover  20  is placed onto the seat of the wheelchair  20 .  
     [0030] Although not shown, in FIG. 2 and in the remaining figures, a decorative pattern  14  is assumed to exist on the back and seat slipcovers  12 ,  20 . Although a decorative pattern  14  is an important component of the present invention, no particular pattern is preferred over another, in the most general case.  
     [0031]FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the layout of an embodiment of the back slipcover  12  of FIG. 2. The back slipcover  12  in this embodiment comprises in one piece both a front panel  12 A and a rear panel  12 B. The back slipcover  12  is folded along line  16  over the top of the wheelchair back, such that the front panel  12 A faces forward while the rear panel  12 B faces rearward, so that the decorative pattern  14  can be seen by a viewer standing either in front of or behind the wheelchair  10 .  
     [0032] Cuts  20 , e.g., holes, circular or otherwise, can be made along the fold  20  to accomodate the handlebars of the wheelchair  10 . Zipper parts  22 A,  22 B are located at the ends of the back slipcover  12 . When the back slipcover  12  is folded over the back of the wheelchair  10 , the zipper parts  22 A,  22 B can be zipped together at the bottom of the wheelchair back to keep the back slipcover  12  in place.  
     [0033] Note further that the back slipcover  12  fabric can be cut at  18  to keep the back slipcover  12  from bunching up uncomfortably. The fabric can be cut at an angle  18 A near the arms of the wheelchair.  
     [0034]FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the top side  20 A of the seat slipcover  20  of FIG. 2.  
     [0035]FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the bottom side  20 B of the seat slipcover  20  of FIG. 2. A non-skid fabric  24  is sewn onto the bottom  20 B to prevent the seat slipcover  20  from sliding forward in the wheelchair. A zipper  25  or other fastener holds a seat cushion (not shown) inside the seat slipcover  20 .  
     [0036] In another embodiment of the seat slipcover  20 , the top and bottom of the seat slipcover  20  are identical, so that when one side becomes dirty or soiled, it can simply be turned over. In this case, a non-skid fabric would be unattached to the bottom of the seat slipcover  20  and could be placed between the wheelchair seat and the seat slipcover  20 , or could be attached to the wheelchair seat itself.  
     [0037]FIG. 6 is a side view of a wedge cushion  26  that can be used in the seat slipcover  20  of FIG. 2. The wedge-shaped cushion  26  prevents a patient from sliding forward in the wheelchair seat. In this embodiment, the seat slipcover  20  is preferably also wedge shaped to accomodate the wedge cushion  26 .  
     [0038] Pockets (not shown) may also be built into one or both of the slipcovers  12 ,  20 . These can hold a variety of items, such as the patient&#39;s accessories, or medical items and the like.  
     [0039] In one embodiment of the present invention, one or both of the slipcovers  12 ,  20  are padded. Alternatively, one or both slipcovers may be able to enclose padding.  
     [0040] Matching or coordinated accessories can also be provided, including, but not limited to lap blankets, sleeves (fabric for covering the wheelchair arms). Matching or coordinated slipcovers can be made for toy wheelchairs adapted for dolls.  
     [0041] While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims.  
     [0042] For example, while zippers  22 ,  25  are shown, one skilled in the art would recognize that other types of fasteners, such as snaps, buttons, Velcro™ and the like could be used in place of or in addition to the zippers.