Wheelchair clamp

[0002] This invention relates adapter handles for wheelchairs and other wheeled devices and vehicles that are propelled by pushing against a handle, such as a baby carriage or stroller, and is more particularly concerned with a device that can link two (or more) wheelchairs together so that one attendant can move two or more wheelchair patients at the same time.

[0003] The invention is more specifically concerned with a clamp device in the nature of an adapter handle that can clamp to two or more such wheeled devices, where the wheeled devices have a pair of tubular handles that extend from above and behind the vehicle, so that the adapter handle can attach to one of the tubular handles of each of the two wheelchairs or other wheeled devices.

[0004] There is a need for a device that connects two wheelchairs together, for example, in a hospital or rest home, so that one attendant can move multiple patients at the same time, or can move two patients over some distance without having to leave one of them unattended while he or she moves the other one.

[0005] At the present time, there are clamps that are used for children's strollers, in which the tubular frames of a pair of strollers are clamped together, for example, as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,892 to Aaron et al. A number of wheelchair handle adapters have also been proposed, which connect between the two tubular handles of a given wheelchair so that the attendant can push from the center. Typical examples of wheelchair handle adapters are discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,357 to Soderbaum, U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,648 to Berkowitz, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,427 to Bost. A tubular push bar handle that slips over the two tubular handles of a given wheelchair is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,055 to Treat, Jr. None of these suggests an effective means for joining the handles together of a pair of wheelchairs so that the attendant can safely move the two chairs, together with the associated patients.

[0006] Currently, for an attendant to bring any low mobility patient from one part of a medical care facility to another, the patient is placed in a wheelchair and has to be pushed individually to the distant part of the facility. If there is more than one patient to be moved, but only the one attendant, this can involve making multiple trips through the facility, and as a result one of the two patients has to be left unattended while the other is being wheeled to the new location. The only current technique used to moving two wheelchairs at once is to push one and pull the other, which can lead to falls or discomfort both for the patients and for the attendant.

[0007] Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a simple and straightforward wheelchair clamp device that facilitates joining two wheelchairs so that an attendant can move plural wheelchair patients at one time.

[0008] It is another object to provide a wheelchair clamp that is convenient to use and which securely grips onto the handles of the wheelchairs.

[0009] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a wheelchair clamp device can be in the form of a generally U-shaped member in which the two ends of the U, i.e., the two end bars, fit into the handle tubes of the wheelchair, with one end bar in the left handle of one chair and the other end bar in the right handle of the other. A clamp bar or an equivalent means clamps down against the handle grips of the two chairs so that the device is firmly secured to the two chairs. In a preferred embodiment, the clamp member has a central bar that is midway between and parallel to the two end bars, so that the device in such case is generally E-shaped overall. The clamp bar lies against the handle grips of the two wheelchairs, and is tightened down onto the central bar using a hand wheel, with a threaded post in the wheel passing through a hole in the clamp bar and into a threaded opening in the central bar. The crossbar portion of the clamp device can be covered with a resilient plastic or hard-rubber coating for better gripping with the attendant's hands. There are many other ways in which the end bars of the clamp device can grip securely onto the tubular handles of the wheelchairs, e.g., with individual clamps on the two end bars either gripping the interior of the handle tube or the outside of the handle grip. The crossbar is a straight member in the disclosed embodiment, but in other embodiments may be curved for better gripping or for other reasons.

[0010] The above and many other objects, features, and advantages of this invention will become apparent to persons skilled in the art from the ensuing description of a preferred embodiment, which is to be read in conjunction with the accompanying Drawing.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the device of one embodiment of this invention.

[0012] FIG. 2 is an assembly view of this embodiment.

[0013] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing device according to an embodiment of this invention in place in the tubular handles of two wheelchairs placed side by side.

[0014] With reference to the Drawing, and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, a wheelchair clamp 10 includes clamp member 12 that is formed of generally round solid or tubular stock, i.e., of round cross section, and can be seen to be generally U-shaped with a third arm between the arms of the U, or alternatively as an E-shaped member. The clamp member 12 has a transverse cross bar 13, a left end leg 14 that extends generally at a right angle to the cross bar, and a right end leg 15 that also extends at a right angle to the cross bar 13, i.e., parallel to the other end leg 14. A center leg member 16 extends parallel to the end legs 14 and 15, and midway between them, i.e., from a midpoint of the cross bar 13. The cross bar 13 can preferably have a coating of a rubbery or plastic material 17, which can faciltate gripping by the attendant. This coating can extend up the central leg member 16, but does not extend up the end leg members 14, 15.

[0015] A clamp bar 18 is shown here as a flat length of bar stock that extends the width between the two end members 14, 15, and this bar 18 is fastened onto the center leg member 16 by means of a hand wheel 20. As shown here, a threaded post 21 that is affixed onto the wheel 20 extends through an opening 19 in the clamp bar 18 and into a threaded opening 22 in the center leg member 16, so that the bar 18 can be tightened down by hand against the handles of a pair of wheelchairs when the clamp member 12 is in place, as explained below with reference to FIG. 3.

[0016] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the wheelchair clamp 10 of this embodiment used to connect together two wheelchairs 30 and 32, which are positioned side by side, so that the attendant can push the two wheelchairs with his hand on the cross bar 13 of the clamp 10. Each of the wheelchairs 30 and 32 has a pair of tubular frame handles 34, with the right handle of the wheelchair 30 and the left handle of the wheelchair 32 being shown here. Each handle 34 has a rubber grip 36.

[0017] To fit the clamp member 12 into the two handles 34, 34, the ends of the grips 36 can be cut away to reveal the open ends of the handle tubes. The round end legs 14 and 15 have a diameter smaller than the interiors of the tubular handles of the wheelchairs, and fit into the tubular handles 34, 34. The clamp bar 18 is tightened down against the grips 36, by rotating the hand wheel 20. This clamps the clamp member 12 securely to the two handles of the respective wheelchairs 30 and 32 so that they will stay together and in a side by side orientation when the attendant moves the two chairs.

[0018] It is possible to use an additional clamp, or clamps, to join more than two wheelchairs for moving more than two patients at the same time, providing there is adequate clearance in the hallway or other passageway.

[0019] While this embodiment uses a straight transverse cross bar 13, it is entirely possible to employ a curved cross bar or other shape member in place of the illustrated cross bar 13. Also, it is possible to use different means to hold the clamp member 12 in place onto or into the wheelchair handles, instead of the clamp bar 28 and hand wheel 20. For example, there could be a pair of clamp members, one for each end member 14, 15, or there could be a collet type gripping means for gripping to the inside of the tubular handles. Also, while a metal clamp is preferred, a suitable reinforced plastic could be used in many applications.

[0020] While the invention has been described in detail with respect to a preferred embodiment, it should be recognized that there are many alternative embodiments that would become apparent to persons of skill in the art. Many modifications and variations are possible which would not depart from the scope and spirit of this invention, as defined in the appended claims.