Patent Publication Number: US-8122925-B2

Title: Protective cover device for attachment over foot rest brackets on a wheelchair

Description:
This non-provisional patent application is based on provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/011,108 filed on Jan. 16, 2008 and the applicants hereby claim the benefit under Title 35 of the United States Code, Section 119(e). 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Discussion of the Related Art 
     Most wheelchairs provide for removeable attachment of footrests. The footrests are pivotally and removeably fitted on the front legs of the wheelchair with the use of foot rest brackets. The foot rest brackets are permanently attached to the front legs of the wheelchair above the front wheels. These foot rest brackets cause numerous injuries ranging from bruises and skin tears to severe lacerations that can take weeks to heal. Such injuries occur primarily during wheelchair transfer of ill elderly patients with limited mobility. Injuries happen whether the patient is being assisted or getting into the chair on their own. While foot rest brackets on wheelchairs are inherently dangerous, and continue cause severe injuries, there is no solution available in the prior art for protectively covering these foot rest brackets. 
     The present invention provides a convenient, highly effective and inexpensive device for protectively covering the foot rest brackets on the wheelchair in order to prevent injuries to persons using a wheelchair. More particularly, the injury protective device of the present invention easily attaches by wrapping the device around the front leg of the wheelchair in covering relation to the foot rest brackets. The device includes a multi-layer, sandwiched construction of polyester batting and densified batting forming a thick cushioned barrier over the foot rest brackets and around the front legs of the wheelchair. 
     2. Objects and Advantages of the Invention 
     Considering the foregoing, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an injury protective cover device for attachment over foot rest brackets on a wheelchair, and wherein the protective cover device is lightweight, easy to install, and highly effective in preventing injuries to a patients&#39; lower extremities when transferring into and out of a wheelchair. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a protective cover device for attachment over foot rest brackets on a wheelchair, and wherein the protective device is specifically structured to bend and contour easily around the front leg and foot rest brackets on a wheelchair. 
     It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a protective cover device for attachment over foot rest brackets on the front legs of a wheelchair, and wherein the protective device is structured to provide a thick cushion barrier between foot rest brackets on the front legs of a wheelchair and a patients&#39; lower extremities, thereby preventing injury. 
     It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a protective cover device for attachment over foot rest brackets on the front legs of a wheelchair, and wherein the protective cover device includes a soft outer case that will not damage an elderly person&#39;s skin upon contact. 
     It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a protective cover device for attachment over foot rest brackets on the front legs of a wheelchair, and wherein the protective cover device is washable by either hand wash or machine wash and drying. 
     It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a protective cover device for attachment over foot rest brackets on the front legs of a wheelchair, and wherein the protective cover device is adapted to be manufactured and sold at an affordable price. 
     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are more readily apparent with reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to an injury protection device for attachment over foot rest brackets on the front legs of a wheelchair. The device includes a generally rectangular main body having an outer case constructed of a durable soft fabric material and defining a top side and a bottom side. An interior pocket formed between the top side and bottom side of the outer case is filled with a central core of premium densified batting that is sandwiched between upper and lower layers of polyester batting. An arrangement of tacking stitches made from the top side to the bottom side of the outer case increase flexibility of the main body and provide bend points to promote contoured wrapping of the main body around the front leg and foot rest brackets on a wheelchair. The tacking points also serve to create a tufting effect and increase stability of the core batting material fillers; preventing shifting of the core batting material when hand or machine washing and drying. A pair of straps extend from a side of the main body and include a component of a hook and loop fastener on one side for relaseable attachment with a mating component of a hook and loop fastener on the exterior top side of the case. The main body wraps around the front leg of the wheelchair, over the foot rest brackets and is secured by the straps. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a top plan view of the protective cover device of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom plan view of the protective cover device; 
         FIG. 3  is an isolated cross-sectional view showing a sandwiched construction of polyester batting and thick premium densified batting providing a core filler material within an outer fabric case of the device; 
         FIG. 4  is an isolated view of a front leg of a wheelchair showing foot rest brackets thereon; and 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing the protective cover device of the present invention wrapped about and secured to the front leg of a wheelchair and protectively covering the foot rest brackets. 
     
    
    
     Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the several views of the drawings, the protective cover device of the present invention is shown and is generally indicated as  10 . The protective cover device  10  is specifically designed for easy attachment on the front legs  22  of a wheelchair  20  in a manner that completely covers the projecting foot rest brackets  24  on the front legs. The protective cover device  10  includes a main body  30  which, in a preferred embodiment, has a rectangular configuration. In one preferred embodiment, the dimensions of the main body are 11 inches wide by 9 inches tall with an approximate thickness of 1.5 to 2 inches. 
     The main body  30  includes on outer case  40  formed of a soft, durable fabric material and including a top side  42  within an exterior face  43  and a bottom side  44  with an exterior face  45 . The top and bottom sides of the outer case  40  are joined (e.g., by stitching) about their peripheries to form an interior pocket  48 . The interior pocket is filled with a batting filler  50  of sandwiched construction. More particularly, the inner batting filler  50  includes a core filler  52  formed of a premium densified batting that is sandwiched between upper  54  and lower layers  56  of a 100% polyester batting. In a preferred embodiment, the core densified batting is approximately 1 inch thick, while the upper and lower polyester batting layers are each approximately ¼″ thick. 
     A plurality of tacking stitches  60  are made in a spaced arrangement, as seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Each tacking stitch  60  extends from the top side  42  of the case  40  to the bottom side  44  of the case, pulling the top and bottom sides of the case closer together, and thereby creating a tufting effect. The spaced arrangement of tacking stitches serve to create bend points to increase flexibility of the main body  30 , so that the main body of the device can be easily wrapped around and contoured to the configuration of the wheelchair leg  22  and the protruding foot rest brackets  24 . The plurality of tacking stitches also serve to increase the stability of the core batting material fillers. More specifically, the plurality of tacking stitches  60  help to prevent shifting of the interior batting material  50 , particularly when hand or machine washing and drying. 
     The main body  30  of the protective cover device is secured and held in place around the front leg  22  of the wheelchair  20  with the use of straps  70  and hook and loop fasteners. More particularly, the device includes a pair of straps  70  that are each secured at one end to a side edge of the main body  30 . The straps  70  extend from the side of the main body and are adapted to be secured to the top exterior surface  43  of the outer case  40  when the main body  30  of the device  10  is wrapped around the front leg  22  of the wheelchair  20 . More specifically, the bottom sides  72  of the straps  70  are provided with a hook component  74  of a hook and loop fastener for mating, releaseable attachment with corresponding loop components  76  on the top side exterior face  43  of the case  40 . An I.D. label  80  is sewn to an opposite side edge of the case  40  and provides identification and care instructions. 
     The protective cover device  10  of the present invention is constructed using zig-zag stitching for added strength and increased visual appeal. The thread used is durable cotton quilting thread. The construction process according to the preferred embodiment is as follows:
         1. Attach loop part of hook and loop fastener (face up) to 20″×12″ outer material by stitching the perimeter and stitching diagonally from corner to corner.   2. Mark locations of tacking points   3. Fold outer material in half, thus dividing the 20″ side in half and creating a 10″×12″ piece of folded material.   4. Place material with the folded edge down and with the loop material of the hook and loop fastener facing upward and to the left.   5. Begin stitching the left side while adding the I.D. Label between the pieces of fabric. The label should now be folded in half to create a 2″×¾″ loop.   6. Stitch the right side while adding two securing straps (with the hook component of the hook and loop fasteners facing down) between the pieces of fabric, thus creating a three sided pocket.   7. Into the pocket, insert the densified batting, sandwiched by the two pieces of 100% polyester batting.   8. Stitch the top edge to complete the enclosure of the filler products.   9. Perform the tacking stitches in the designated locations to create tufting effect and increase the stability of the fillers during cleaning maintenance (i.e., hand or machine wash and drying).       

     The protective cover device is easily attached by wrapping the main body around the front leg of the wheelchair, and over the foot rest brackets. The plurality of tacking stitch points serve to increase flexibility and thus provide bend points that contour easily around the wheelchair leg and foot rest brackets. To complete the installation, the securing straps are attached to the outer facing top side of the case using the hook and loop fasteners. It is important to face the hook and loop fasteners and the securing straps away from the patient&#39;s legs to avoid discomfort and possible injury to the skin. 
     While the present invention has been shown and described in accordance with a preferred and practical embodiment thereof, it is recognized that departures from the instant disclosure are fully contemplated within the spirit and scope of the present invention.