Patent ID: 7793364

Claim:
A wheelchair with enhanced toilet access, comprising: a frame having a front and a rear, the frame including a pair of laterally-separated side frame portions; a pair of primary wheels rotatably mounted on the frame; at least one secondary wheel rotatably mounted on the frame; a seat extending between the side frame portions, the seat having a front and a rear, the seat including a stationary portion and a movable portion, the stationary portion having an opening, the movable portion being positionable in the opening, the movable portion having a normal position that closes the opening in the stationary portion and a dropped position that opens the opening in the stationary portion, the movable portion of the seat being pivotably pivotally movable between the normal and dropped positions; seat moving means for moving the movable portion of the seat with respect to the stationary portion of the seat to thereby move the movable portion between the normal and dropped positions; said seat moving means comprises a lifting assembly for applying upward pressure on the movable portion of the seat, an actuating handle movably mounted on the frame, the handle being movable between a normal position and a dropped position, and a linkage assembly linking the actuating handle to the lifting assembly, the linkage assembly transferring movement of the actuating handle to the lifting assembly; said lifting assembly comprises a pivot shaft pivotally mounted on the frame and a swing arm mounted on the pivot shaft, the swing arm having a free end, the swing arm having a raised position in which the swing arm presses against the movable portion of the seat in the normal position, the swing arm having a lowered position in which the swing arm is moved away from the movable portion of the seat in the normal position; and wherein the swing arm has a roller mounted thereon for contacting the movable portion of the seat.