Patent Description:
The volume of a wheelchair is generally very large, thus it's usually to fold the wheelchair for reduce the volume to facilitate storage. However, the existing collapsible wheelchairs are generally folded manually. Because the folding frames of the wheelchair are complicated, the folding actions and operations are cumbersome. Therefore, for people with mobility difficulties, manual operation spends a lot of time and effort. As a result, it is inconvenient for those who are inconvenient or physically disabled. Examples of folding structures using a collapsible intermediate component are known from <CIT>, <CIT>, and <CIT>. An example of actuator- aided folding of support-frame elements is known from and <CIT>.

One objective of the present invention is to provide a collapsible support frame with simple structure, and convenient folding and unfolding operations.

To achieve the above-mentioned objective, the present invention provides a collapsible support frame including a first support frame, a second support frame, a first horizontal rod, a second horizontal rod, and a telescopic device. Wherein one end of the first support frame is pivotally connected to one end of the second support frame, another end of the first frame is pivotally connected to one end of the first horizontal rod, another end of the second support frame is pivotally connected to one end of the second horizontal rod, another end of the first horizontal rod is pivotally connected to another end of the second horizontal rod, the telescopic device is pivotally connected to the first support frame, and a telescopic end of the telescopic device is pivotally connected to either the first horizontal rod or the second horizontal rod.

In present invention, the first support frame, the second support frame, the first horizontal rod, and the second horizontal rod are pivotally connected with each other to form a quadrilateral support frame, and a telescopic device is arranged between the first support frame and the first or the second horizontal, so that the quadrilateral support frame can be unfolded or folded as the telescopic device is retracted or extended. The structure of the collapsible support frame is simple, which is applicable to use in various collapsible apparatus to obtain a convenient operation.

Preferably, an elongated slot is provided on either the first horizontal rod or the second horizontal rod that is pivotally connected to the telescopic end, the telescopic end is provided with a shaft pin which is slidably arranged in the elongated slot.

Specifically, the collapsible support frame includes a limiting member movably arranged on either the first horizontal rod or the second horizontal rod that is pivotally connected to the telescopic end, thereby locking or unlocking the shaft pin in the elongated slot. Therefore, when the limiting member is in a position to limit the shaft pin, the telescopic device can be actuated to push the first or the second horizontal rod, so that the entire collapsible support frame can be folded or unfolded automatically. When the limiting member is in the position where the shaft pin is released, the shaft pin can slide in the elongated slot, thereby avoiding the restriction of the telescopic device on the first horizontal rod, and making the entire collapsible support frame can be folded or unfolded manually.

Specifically, the limiting member includes a main body and a limiting portion connected to the main body, the main body is pivotally connected to either the first horizontal rod or the second horizontal rod that is pivotally connected to the telescopic end, and the limiting portion is engaged with the shaft pin. In such a way, the shaft pin is locked by the limiting member and the front end of the elongated slot, thus the shaft pin and the horizontal rod can be relatively fixed.

Specifically, the limiting portion is provided with a guiding inclined surface. When the shaft pin slides from one end of the elongated slot to the other end that is engaged with the limiting portion, under the pushing force of the shaft pin, the limiting member is driven to rotate and open by the guiding inclined surface, so that the shaft pin can normally slide to the position engaged with the limiting portion.

Specifically, the limiting member further comprises an operating handle fixed to the main body. When manually operating the operating handle, the limiting member can be rotated.

Specifically, the collapsible support frame further includes an elastic reset member adapted for driving the limiting member to automatically lock with the shaft pin.

Specifically, the elastic reset member is a torsion spring.

Preferably, one end of the first horizontal rod is provided with a first abutting portion, one end of the second horizontal rod is provided with a second abutting portion, and the first abutting portion and the second abutting portion abut against one another when the first horizontal rod and the second horizontal rod are unfolded one another. In such a way, the first horizontal rod and the second horizontal rod can be mutually restricted when fully unfolded, and the collapsible support frame can stay in a stable condition.

The accompanying drawings facilitate an understanding of the various embodiments of this invention. In such drawings:.

A distinct and full description of the technical solution of the present invention will follow by combining with the accompanying drawings.

As shown in <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, a collapsible support frame of the present invention includes a first support frame <NUM>, a second support frame <NUM>, a first horizontal rod <NUM>, a second horizontal rod <NUM>, and a telescopic device <NUM>. One end of the first support frame <NUM> is pivotally connected to one end of the second support frame <NUM>, another end of the first frame <NUM> is pivotally connected to one end of the first horizontal rod <NUM>, another end of the second support frame <NUM> is pivotally connected to one end of the second horizontal rod <NUM>, another end of the first horizontal rod <NUM> is pivotally connected to another end of the second horizontal rod <NUM>, the telescopic device <NUM> is pivotally connected to the first support frame <NUM>, and a telescopic end <NUM> of the telescopic device <NUM> is pivotally connected to either the first horizontal rod <NUM> or the second horizontal rod <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, when the collapsible support frame is applied to a collapsible wheelchair <NUM>, the two first support frames <NUM> are the rear legs, the two second support frame <NUM> are the two front legs, and the first support frames <NUM> and the second support frames <NUM> are located on both sides of the collapsible wheelchair <NUM>. The lower ends of the two first support frames <NUM> are fixed to the rear wheel support frame <NUM> of the collapsible wheelchair <NUM>, and the lower ends of the two second support frames <NUM> are pivotally connected to the front wheel support frame <NUM> of the collapsible wheelchair <NUM>. The first horizontal rod <NUM> and the second horizontal rod <NUM> are located in the middle of the lower part of the collapsible wheelchair <NUM>, and the rear end of the first horizontal rod <NUM> is pivotally connected to the rear wheel support frame <NUM>. The front end of the second horizontal rod <NUM> is pivotally connected to the front wheel support frame <NUM>. The telescopic device <NUM> in this embodiment is an electric push rod, which is pivotally connected to the rear wheel support frame <NUM>, and the telescopic device <NUM> having a telescopic end <NUM> pivotally connected to the first horizontal rod <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, the first horizontal rod <NUM> and the second horizontal rod <NUM> are both inverted U-shaped structures, and an elongated slot <NUM> is formed on a side of the first horizontal rod <NUM>, and extended along the length of the first horizontal rod <NUM>. The telescopic end <NUM> is provided with a shaft pin <NUM>, the central axis of the shaft pin <NUM> is perpendicular to the central axis of the telescopic end <NUM>, and the shaft pin <NUM> is slidably disposed in the elongated slot <NUM>. Preferably, the collapsible support frame further includes a limiting member <NUM> which is in an inverted U-shaped structure, and movably arranged on the first horizontal rod <NUM>, thereby locking or unlocking the shaft pin <NUM> in the elongated slot <NUM>. Specifically, the limiting member <NUM> is pivotally connected to the first horizontal rod <NUM>, and includes a main body <NUM> and a limiting portion <NUM> connected to the main body <NUM>. More specifically, the main body <NUM> is pivotally connected to the horizontal rod that is pivotally connected to the telescopic end <NUM> by a rotating shaft; the front side of the limiting portion <NUM> is blocked in the extending direction of the elongated slot <NUM>, so as to engage with and lock with the shaft pin <NUM>, together with the front end of the elongated slot <NUM>. Further, the limiting portion <NUM> is provided with a guiding inclined surface <NUM>. When the shaft pin <NUM> slides from one end of the elongated slot <NUM> to the other end that is engaged with the limiting portion <NUM>, under the pushing force of the shaft pin <NUM>, the limiting member <NUM> is driven to rotate and open by the guiding inclined surface <NUM>, so that the shaft pin <NUM> can normally slide to the position engaged with the limiting portion <NUM>. The limiting member <NUM> further includes an operating handle <NUM> which is fixed to the main body <NUM>. When manually operating the operating handle <NUM>, the limiting member <NUM> can be rotated. Preferably, the collapsible support frame further includes an elastic reset member <NUM> which is a torsion spring by which the limiting member <NUM> is driven to be automatically locked with the shaft pin <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG> again, the other end of the first horizontal rod <NUM> is provided with a first abutting portion 3a, the other end of the second horizontal rod <NUM> is provided with a second abutting portion 4a, and the first abutting portion 3a and the second abutting portion 4a abut against one another when the first horizontal rod <NUM> and the second horizontal rod <NUM> are unfolded one another. In such a way, the first horizontal rod <NUM> and the second horizontal rod <NUM> can be mutually restricted when fully unfolded, and the collapsible support frame can stay in a stable condition.

Please refer to <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG> again, when the collapsible wheelchair <NUM> is automatically folded, it is only necessary to control the telescopic end <NUM> of the telescopic device <NUM> to extend. At this time, the shaft pin <NUM> is locked by the limiting member <NUM> and the front end of the elongated slot <NUM>. When the extended telescopic end <NUM> of the telescopic device <NUM> pushes the front end of the first horizontal rod <NUM>, the front end of the first horizontal rod <NUM> swings upward to drive the second horizontal rod <NUM> swings upwards accordingly. At this time, the first horizontal rod <NUM> and the second horizontal rod <NUM> move closer to each other, accordingly, the rear end of the first horizontal rod <NUM> drives the first support frame <NUM> to rotate bout the pivotal center of the upper end thereof to close toward the middle, and the front end of the second horizontal rod <NUM> drives the second support frame <NUM> to rotate about the pivotal center of the upper end thereof to close toward the middle. Finally, the first horizontal rod <NUM>, the second horizontal rod <NUM>, the first support frame <NUM>, the second support frame <NUM> and the telescopic device <NUM> are moved close one another to achieve the folding. When the collapsible wheelchair <NUM> is automatically unfolded, it is only necessary to control the telescopic end <NUM> of the telescopic device <NUM> to retract, so that the first horizontal rod <NUM>, the second horizontal rod <NUM>, the first support frame <NUM> and the second support frame <NUM> can move in an opposite direction of the folding operation until the first abutting portion 3a and the second abutting portion 4a abut against each other, so that the collapsible wheelchair <NUM> can be fully unfolded.

Referring to <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, when the collapsible wheelchair <NUM> is manually folded, the operating handle <NUM> is operated to rotate the limiting member <NUM>, thereby driving the limiting portion <NUM> away from the elongated slot <NUM>, causing the shaft pin <NUM> of the telescopic end <NUM> to release and be slidable in the elongated slot <NUM>. At this time, the first support frame <NUM> and the second support frame <NUM> are manually moved closer to each other, during the movement, the shaft pin <NUM> slides from a first end of the elongated slot <NUM> to a second end of the elongated slot <NUM>, thereby realizing the manual folding. When the collapsible wheelchair <NUM> is manually unfolded, it is only necessary to manually unfold the first support frame <NUM>, the second support frame <NUM>, the first horizontal rod <NUM>, and the second horizontal rod <NUM> to each other. In this process, the shaft pin <NUM> slides from the second end of the elongated slot <NUM> to the first end of the elongated slot <NUM>, accordingly, the guide inclined surface <NUM> pushes the limiting portion <NUM> to cause the limiting portion <NUM> rotates upward to avoid the shaft pin <NUM>, so that the shaft pin <NUM> engages with the first end of the elongated slot <NUM> and the limiting portion <NUM> again, and the first abutting portion 3a and the second abutting portion 4a abut against each other, so far, the collapsible wheelchair <NUM> is fully unfolded.

Claim 1:
A collapsible support frame, comprising a first support frame, a second support frame, a first horizontal rod, a second horizontal rod, and a telescopic device, wherein one end of the first support frame is pivotally connected to one end of the second support frame, another end of the first frame is pivotally connected to one end of the first horizontal rod, another end of the second support frame is pivotally connected to one end of the second horizontal rod, another end of the first horizontal rod is pivotally connected to another end of the second horizontal rod, the telescopic device is pivotally connected to the first support frame, and the telescopic device has a telescopic end which is configured to be extended or retracted from the telescopic device, and the telescopic end is pivotally connected to either the first horizontal rod or the second horizontal rod.