Patent Publication Number: US-2007120398-A1

Title: Using Wheelchair Side Guards to form a usable tray

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Users of self propelled wheelchairs have difficulty carrying objects from place to place. This is because it takes both hands to navigate the wheelchair, leaving no hand free to hold an object during transport. Trays or tables that attach to the wheelchair are useful for this task under certain circumstances. The problem with some trays or tables is that they are not integral to the wheelchair and may not be at the originating transport location when needed. Trays and tables integral to the wheelchair either add weight, make the wheelchair have a wider operating width or interfere with the user&#39;s manual locomotion of the wheelchair.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Utilizing the side guards (the part of a wheelchair that separates the seating area from the wheels) and interlocking them together in such a way that the two side guards become one rigid component (tray) that can span most or all of the distance between the arm rests. Both side guards have an attached protrusion, bracket or tang that can be inserted into a slot in the arm rests. The arm rests provide vertical, lateral and rotational stability for the tray. This design is quickly assembled and disassembled by the wheelchair user as needed 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  Is a view showing all typical wheelchair parts. The wheelchair shows removable side guards and mounting slots in the arm rests.  
       FIG. 2  Shows the side guard/tray assembly and how they are connected together utilizing built-in opposing tangs and slots.  
       FIG. 3  Shows the side guards assembled to form a tray and shows how the tray mounting tangs insert into the arm rests. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      As the wheelchair user is seated in the wheelchair shown in  FIG. 1 , he/she can reach down with both hands, each hand grasping one of the side guards. The user lifts the side guards up and away from the chair. The user now connects the two side guards by pushing them together so that the tangs and tang slots engage.  
      The user now takes the two connected side guards that now form one rigid tray and inserts the tray mounting tangs into the tang slots in the end of the arm rests. The tray is now ready to use.  
      The user moves about with two hands free to provide locomotion and steering to the wheelchair while carrying an object(s) on the tray from place to place.  
      To disassemble the tray assembly, the user grasps both sides of the tray and pushes forward, disengaging the tray mounting tangs from the arm rests. The user now pulls the two side guards apart and re-inserts them into their original position.