US4025088A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Folding wheelchair
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1976-04-13
•
Granted: 1977-05-24
•
Expires: 1996-04-13
Abstract
Abstract A folding wheelchair of rugged but relatively lightweight construction has the ability to collapse in the fore and aft directions and laterally. The chair back and arm rests are also foldable to minimize the height of the collapsed chair which is then highly compact. When the chair is unfolded for use, pairs of pivot elements on the foldable leg members of the chair form stops for the arm rests and chair back. Adjustable foot rests are provided on the forward leg members of the chair.
Inventors
- 👤 Barbara G. Rothschild
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 01:55
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61G; A61G5/00; A61G5/08; A61G5/0808; A61G5/0816; A61G5/0825; A61G5/0833; A61G5/0841; A61G5/0866; A61G5/10; A61G5/12; A61G5/128; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S297/00; Y10S297/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
246 words
A folding wheelchair comprising crossed pivotally connected forward and rear wheeled leg members at opposite sides of the wheelchair, laterally folding and extensible interconnecting means for said leg members at opposite sides of the chair and extending therebetween laterally of the chair, whereby the opposite side leg members may be separated laterally to open the chair for use and moved together laterally to collapse the chair to a non-use laterally narrow form, a chair seat including substantially vertical side plates having inclined cam track means, for guiding the movement of the upper ends of the rear leg members corresponding end portions of the side plates pivoted to corresponding upper ends of the forward leg members at opposite sides of the chair, corresponding upper ends of the rear leg members at opposite sides of the chair being movably engaged with said inclined cam track means of said side plates, whereby folding of the crossed leg members at opposite sides of the chair to collapse the chair fore and aft will force said side plates and chair seat to pivot downwardly to a near vertical position between and substantially within the confines of said forward and rear leg members at the opposite sides of the chair, and interconnected independently foldable back and arm rest means pivotably mounted on said side plates, whereby the back and arm rest means may fold forwardly and downwardly between and substantially within the confines of the side plates and opposite side leg members.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
246 words
A folding wheelchair comprising crossed pivotally connected forward and rear wheeled leg members at opposite sides of the wheelchair, laterally folding and extensible interconnecting means for said leg members at opposite sides of the chair and extending therebetween laterally of the chair, whereby the opposite side leg members may be separated laterally to open the chair for use and moved together laterally to collapse the chair to a non-use laterally narrow form, a chair seat including substantially vertical side plates having inclined cam track means, for guiding the movement of the upper ends of the rear leg members corresponding end portions of the side plates pivoted to corresponding upper ends of the forward leg members at opposite sides of the chair, corresponding upper ends of the rear leg members at opposite sides of the chair being movably engaged with said inclined cam track means of said side plates, whereby folding of the crossed leg members at opposite sides of the chair to collapse the chair fore and aft will force said side plates and chair seat to pivot downwardly to a near vertical position between and substantially within the confines of said forward and rear leg members at the opposite sides of the chair, and interconnected independently foldable back and arm rest means pivotably mounted on said side plates, whereby the back and arm rest means may fold forwardly and downwardly between and substantially within the confines of the side plates and opposite side leg members.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
76 words
A folding wheelchair as defined by claim 1, wherein the laterally folding and extensible interconnecting means comprises a laterally collapsible X-frame brace having corresponding side parts fixedly joined to the rear leg members at opposite sides of the chair and being bodily carried by the rear leg members and pivoting therewith on the pivot axes of the crossed forward and rear leg members when the chair is opened or folded in the fore and aft direction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
107 words
A folding wheelchair as defined by claim 2, and said X-frame brace comprising a pair of crossed pivoted scissor-like brace bars, a pair of side upright tubes fixedly joined to said rear leg members, extensible and retractable rods engaged telescopically in said tubes and pivotally connected with corresponding ends of said scissor-like brace bars, the other corresponding ends of the scissor-like brace bars pivoted to adjacent ends of said tubes, whereby during lateral folding of the chair said rods may extend from said tubes to permit lateral folding of said scissor-like brace bars to a narrow compact form between the opposite side leg members of the chair.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A folding wheelchair as defined by claim 1, and said chair seat further including a flexible seat panel having its opposite sides secured to the lower longitudinal edge portions of said side plates.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
A folding wheelchair as defined by claim 4, and said inclined cam track means comprising laterally aligned slots formed through said side plates, and follower elements on the tops of the rear leg movably engaging in said slots.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
A folding wheelchair as defined by claim 5, and said slots having forward straight sections terminating near the forward ends of the side plates, intermediate curved upwardly sloping sections, and rear reversely curved top sections terminating near the tops of the side plates and somewhat forwardly of the pivotal connections between the side plates and said forward leg members.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
A folding wheelchair as defined by claim 5, and said slots having forward terminals within and near the forward ends of said side plates, said forward terminals forming limit stops for the movement of said follower elements in one direction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
110 words
A folding wheelchair as defined by claim 1, and said foldable back and arm rest means comprising side backrest bars pivoted intermediate their ends to rear end portions of the side plates, longitudinal arm rest bars having rear ends pivoted to said side backrest bars and extending forwardly thereof near the tops of said side plates, and forward parallelogram links pivotally interconnecting forward ends of the arm rest bars and said side plates, whereby said back and arm rest means may fold forwardly and downwardly relative to said side plates and may also fold forwardly and downwardly with the side plates relative to and between the opposite side leg members.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
A folding wheelchair as defined by claim 8, and said foldable back and arm rest means further comprising a flexible backrest panel extending between and connected to said side backrest bars.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
57 words
A folding wheelchair as defined by claim 8, and pivot elements interconnecting the tops of the forward leg members with rear lower corner portions of said side plates and forming limit stops for the lower ends of said side backrest bars when the latter are turned in one direction on their pivots relative to the side plates.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
64 words
A folding wheelchair as defined by claim 1, and footrest means pivotally secured to the lower ends of said forward leg members at opposite sides of the wheelchair, said footrest means being pivoted on two right angular axes relative to said forward leg members so that the footrest means may be folded within the confines of the opposite side leg members of the wheelchair.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-05-23 | 1980-11-22 | 1981-05-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-05-23 | 1984-11-22 | 1985-05-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-05-23 | 1988-11-22 | 1989-05-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |