Wheelchair equipped with muscular training members

The present invention refers to a wheelchair equipped with muscular training members. In particular, the invention refers to a tool for training trunk and upper limbs muscles of a person who is compelled to live on a wheelchair.

Though many variations of wheelchairs are currently marketed and known, according to the Applicant's knowledge, no wheelchairs are currently available which are equipped with a series of tools like those disclosed in the present document.

In fact, document US-A1-2010/164201, though disclosing a wheelchair according to the preamble of Claim 1, does not disclose a complete, scarcely bulky and with a low cost like the one of the present invention.

Purpose of the present invention is solving the above prior art problems, by providing a wheelchair which is also equipped with muscular training members.

A further object of the present invention is providing a wheelchair equipped with a tooling which has, inside the structure of a "normal" wheelchair, mechanisms which allow not only training trunk and upper limbs muscles, but also facilitating the flow of blood from lower limbs, which, otherwise, in an unmovable situation, tend to stagnate.

In a preferred, but not limiting, embodiment of the invention, in the structure of the inventive wheelchair there are, preferably, upon extraction:

• 1) two side bars, integral with the structure part which is used to abut the legs, which allow traction exercises;
• 2) two accessories, which can be extracted from the armrests, which allow pushing exercises;
• 3) two telescopic bars placed in the vertical backrest structure, which allow upwards pushing (lifting) and traction exercises;
• 4) a seating plane, independent but also capable of being fixed to the seat which rotates and oscillates, allowing to perform exercises for abdominal muscles and for balancing.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention as will appear from the following description, are obtained with a wheelchair equipped with muscular training members as claimed in the independent claims. Preferred embodiments and non-trivial variations of the present invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

It is intended that the enclosed claims are an integral part of the present description.

The present invention will be better described by some preferred embodiments thereof, provided as a non-limiting example, with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 is a general perspective view of an embodiment of the wheelchair equipped with muscular training members according to the present invention;
• Figure 2 is a perspective view of the wheelchair of Figure 1 which shows in particular a first muscular training member according to the present invention;
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of the wheelchair of Figure 1 which shows in particular a second muscular training member according to the present invention;
• Figure 4 is a perspective view of the wheelchair of Figure 1 which shows in particular a third muscular training member according to the present invention;
• Figure 5 is a perspective view of the wheelchair of Figure 1 which shows in particular a fourth muscular training member according to the present invention;
• Figure 6 is a perspective view of the wheelchair of Figure 1 which shows in particular a fifth muscular training member according to the present invention;
• Figures 7 and 8 are detailed views which better show the operating features of the solution of Figure 2 for the first muscular training member;
• Figure 9 is a detailed view which better shows the operating features of the solution of Figure 3 for the second muscular training member;
• Figures 10 and 11 are detailed views which better show the operating features of the solution of Figure 5 for the fourth muscular training member; and
• Figures 12 and 13 are detailed views which better show the operating features of the solution of Figure 6 for the fifth muscular training member.

With reference to the Figures, preferred embodiments of the wheelchair for muscular training members according to the present invention are shown and described. It will be immediately obvious that numerous variations and modifications (for example related to shape, sizes, arrangements and parts with equivalent functionality) could be made to what is described, without departing from the scope of the invention as appears from the enclosed claims.

As shown in the Figures, the wheelchair 1 of the invention (see in general Figure 1) is equipped with members (designated as A or 3, as B or 5, as C or 7, as D or 9, and as E or 11) for the muscular training of trunk and upper limbs.

These five members have been described and shown as present all simultaneously on the wheelchair 1 of the invention; it is obvious, anyway, that, due to their shape and arrangement, they can be present in any number (from one to five) and in any combination (for example, A alone, A with B, A with C, A with B and C, etc.) according to the training needs of an end user. It is therefore obvious that the invention covers any possible combination of the above mentioned members arranged in a wheelchair of this type.

In particular, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 7 and 8, the first member, A or 3, is used for training shoulder muscles, and namely deltoid, sternum-cleid-mastoid, brachial triceps muscles and back muscles, and this first member 3 is placed for such purpose next to the backrest 12 of the wheelchair 1.

The components of which the member 3 is composed, as will be described better below, allow providing a resistance to the vertical movement of the upper limbs (intervention of shoulder muscles: deltoid, sternum-cleid-mastoid, back muscles and brachial triceps). Upon its complete extension, the tool 3 has the chance, due to a spring-type joint, to perform a front-low rotary movement, allowing the shoulder and pectorals muscles.

In order to perform the previous functions, the member 3, in the preferred, but not limiting, embodiment shown in the above Figures, can comprise at least one first telescopic tube 14 connected to an exercising handle 16; such first telescopic tube 14 is adapted to be contained in and to go out of a corresponding elongated member 18 for supporting the backrest 12, and is hinged (in a joint 20) to the elongated supporting member 18 in order to be able to be inclined outside the supporting member 18.

The first telescopic tube 14 is further operatively connected to elastic holding and training means 22, 23. In particular, such elastic holding and training means 22, 23 are composed of at least one elastic element 22 which provides tension resistance and which is connected to a fastening hook 23, in turn connected to the elongated supporting member 18.

In this variation, the wheelchair 1 can be further equipped with a plurality of fastening members 24 for adjusting the resistance of the elastic element 22, placed on the elongated supporting member 18, wherein the elastic element 22 is equipped with an engaging knob 25 for each of the fastening members 24 and passes around a transmission sheave 26, in order to be able to pull and fasten it to the fastening members 24 according to the pulling force which must be exerted on the user under training.

As better shown in Figures 1, 3 and 9, the inventive wheelchair 1 can be equipped with a second member, B o 5, for training brachial triceps muscles and forearm deltoid and rotary muscles: such second member 5 is adapted to perform pushing movements and rotary movements and is placed next to the armrests 28 of the wheelchair 1.

In order to perform the above functionalities, in a preferred, but not limiting, embodiment shown in the above Figures, the second member 5 can comprise at least one second telescopic tube 30 connected to a respective armrest 28 adapted to rotate by 90° with respect to the second telescopic tube 30. The second telescopic tube 30 is adapted to be contained in and go out of a corresponding elongated member 31 for supporting the armrest 28, and is hinged (in the joint 32) to the armrest 28to allow the 90°-rotation.

The second telescopic tube 30 is further operatively connected to elastic holding and training means 33. Such elastic means 33 are preferably composed of an elastic element 33 and the elongated member 31 for supporting the armrest 28 is further equipped with a plurality of fastening members 34 for adjusting the resistance of the elastic element 33, the elastic element 33 being equipped with an engaging knob 35 for each one of the fastening members 34 and passing around a transmission sheave 36.

In this way, in the vertical position of the armrest 28, such member 5 can be used in two modes: for pushing movements (with intervention of brachial triceps) to win a resistance offered by the elastic element 33 (or springs, not shown);for rotary movements towards the interior and the exterior, changing the handle height and consequently unlocking the stops present in the tool base, thereby allowing it to laterally oscillate (forearm deltoid and rotary muscles).

As better shown in Figures 1 and 4, the wheelchair 1 of the invention can be further equipped with a third member 7 in order to perform traction exercises with the arms, namely biceps and back muscles, exploiting the legs weight as resistance to movements.

In order to perform the above functionalities, in a preferred, but not limiting, embodiment shown in the above Figures, the third member 7 is composed of at least one metallic lever 41 equipped with a catching handle 42 which can be inserted into a corresponding seat 43 connected to the structure 44 used for resting the legs.

As shown, actually, the third member 7 preferably comprises a pair of metallic levers 41. By grasping such levers, traction exercises can then be performed with the arms (biceps and back) which exploit the legs weight as resistance to movements; moreover, by keeping the levers to the breast, the blood circulation outflow is favored.

Still as better shown in Figures 1, 5, 10 and 11, the wheelchair 1 of the invention can further be equipped with a fourth member 9 for training the trunk and upper limbs muscles.

In order to perform the above functionalities, in a preferred, but not limiting, embodiment shown in the above Figures, the fourth member 9 comprises the rigid backrest 12 connected to two supporting members 50, 51 equipped with pins 52, around which respective guides 53, 54. Each of the guides 53, 54 is composed of a half-guide 55 fastened to the seating plane 60 and to a half-guide 56 integral with the backrest 12 and equipped with a slit 57, in which the pins 52 are inserted, for rotating, around the pin 58, the supporting members 50 towards outside with respect to the wheelchair 1 structure.

The fourth member 9 is further equipped with elastic means 59 for keeping its external rotation and its recall in its vertical rest position.

Under its training position, the member 9 is unlocked with respect to the structure of the chair 1, and has the chance of rotating "overturned" towards the back of the chair 1 itself. Going back to the "normal" position of the member 9 is guaranteed by the action of the return springs 50. Coupling such movement with the movement of the member 7 completes the action of trunk and upper limbs muscles.

Finally, as better shown in Figures 1, 6, 12 and 13, the inventive wheelchair 1 can be equipped with a fifth member 11 for rotating the seated part of a body.

In order to perform the above functionalities, in a preferred, but not limiting, embodiment shown in the above Figures, the fifth member 11 is composed of an anatomic sitting support 62 operatively connected to at least one (and preferably two, as shown) cam member 64 hinged onto a respective supporting member 68 of the seating plane 60.

Each one of the cam members 64 s adapted to lift and lower the sitting support 62 through a downward pressure and release exerted by the hands of the person sitting on the support 62.

Each one of the cam members 64 is in fact adapted to operatively engage at least one respective rod 70 connected to a pushing member 72 adapted to upward push the sitting support 62 when a downwards push is exerted by the hands on the cam members 64.

The sitting support 62 can also, with respect to the seating plane 60, rotate (through peripheral wheels, not shown, sliding on the seating plane 60) and oscillate due to the above described solution, It is also possible to exclude the action of the pushing member 72, making the anatomic support 62 approach the seating plane 60 and locking it thereto.