GB2268134A - Shopping trolley for use with wheelchair. - Google Patents

Abstract

The trolley 10 comprises a pair of link arms 20, 22 for linking the trolley to the wheelchair, link arm 22 being universally pivotal about a ball and socket joint 26 to accommodate varying widths and heights of wheelchair. The other arm 20 is pivotable in a vertical plain. Clamps 28, 30 secure the trolley to the wheelchair frame, various possible constructions being described. Alternatively both link arms can be universally pivotably mounted. <IMAGE>

Description

"Trolley Attachment Arrangements" This invention relates to trolley attachment arrangements, and relates more particularly to trolley attachment arrangements for temporary attachment of a wheeled shopping trolley or the like to a wheelchair or the like.

There is an increasing trend for supermarkets and other such vending establishments to facilitate shopping by disabled customers, including people who require a wheelchair or similar means for their mobility. Such facilities are known to include the provision of specially dimensioned wheeled trolleys suited for use by customers in wheelchairs as distinct from the usual pedestrian customer. However, these special trolleys have required that the trolley be grasped by the person in the wheelchair, which then makes it difficult or impossible for the wheelchair occupant to propel the wheelchair by the simultaneous manual manipulation of both wheels of the wheelchair. This limitation necessitates either the continuous assistance of a second, non-disabled, person to push the wheelchair, or the provision of a wheelchair propulsion system which can be controlled single-handedly by the wheelchair occupant.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a trolley attachment arrangement for the temporary attachment of a wheeled shopping trolley or the like to a wheelchair or the like, and which overcomes the above-mentioned difficulties.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a trolley attachment arrangement for temporary attachment of a wheeled shopping trolley or the like to a wheelchair or the like, said trolley attachment comprising first and second link arms for linking the trolley to a wheelchair, said first link arm comprising coupling means at the forward end thereof coupling the forward end of said first link arm to one side of said trolley, said first link arm further comprising a selectively operable first clamp means at the rearward end thereof for temporary attachment of the rearward end of said first link arm to a first selected portion of the wheelchair, said second link arm comprising pivot means at the forward end thereof coupling the forward end of second link arm to the other side of said trolley for movement of said second link arm both vertically and horizontally, said second link arm further comprising a selectively operable second clamp means at the rearward end thereof for temporary attachment of the rearward end of said second link arm to a second selected portion of the wheelchair.

Further according to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a trolley attachment arrangement for temporary attachment of a wheeled shopping trolley or the like to a wheelchair or the like, said trolley attachment comprising first and second link arms for linking the trolley to a wheelchair, said first link arm comprising a first pivot means at the forward end thereof coupling the forward end of said first link arm to one side of said trolley for movement of said first link arm in a substantially vertical plane, said first link arm further comprising a selectively operable first clamp means at the rearward end thereof for temporary attachment of the rearward end of said first link arm to a first selected portion of the wheelchair, said second link arm comprising a second pivot means at the forward end thereof coupling the forward end of second link arm to the other side of said trolley for movement of said second link arm both vertically and horizontally, said second link arm further comprising a selectively operable second clamp means at the rearward end thereof for temporary attachment of the rearward end of said second link arm to a second selected portion of the wheelchair.

(It is to be noted that references to "forward" and "rearward" are referenced to the normal direction of forward motion of the wheelchair, ie substantially the direction in which the wheelchair occupant will customarily be facing, and such directional references are not inconsistent with the possibility that the wheelchair, with attached trolley, may from time to time undergo reverse motion at the volition of the wheelchair occupant).

Said first pivot means may comprise a simple hinge means having a substantially horizontal pivot axis allowing only substantially vertical pivoting of said first link arm about said first pivot means, and said second pivot means may either comprise a compound hinge means having both a substantially horizontal pivot axis and a substantially vertical pivot axis (or an otherwise aligned pair of mutually substantially orthogonal pivot axes), or comprise a ball and socket joint allowing substantially universal pivoting of said second link arm about said second pivot means.

Alternatively, said first pivot means may either comprise a compound hinge means having both a substantially horizontal pivot axis and a substantially vertical pivot axis (or an otherwise aligned pair of mutually orthogonal pivot axes), or comprise a ball and socket joint allowing both substantially vertical pivoting of said first link arm about said first pivot means and substantially horizontal pivoting of said first link arm about said first pivot means.

Said first and second clamp means may be mutually substantially identical, other than for possible lateral inversion, and may comprise any suitable form of selectively operable temporary clamp for attachment to the respective portions of the wheelchair; said clamp means may each comprise a respective fork for partially surrounding a respective strut or tubular member of the wheelchair, in combination with a respective detachable strap for completing encirclement of the respective strut or tubular member; alternatively said clamp means may each comprise a respective pair of jaws operable by a screw, toggle, or other suitable mechanism (and which is preferably manually operable) for clamping to a respective strut or other tubular member of the wheelchair. Each said clamp means is preferably pivotally mounted on the respective link arm to be alignable with the respective strut or tubular member of the wheelchair, such pivotal mounting of each clamp means preferably being about a respective horizontal axis, or being a respective universal pivotal mounting, for example by a ball and socket joint.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided the combination of a wheeled shopping trolley or the like, and a trolley attachment arrangement according to the first aspect of the present invention, said first and second link means having the respective forward ends thereof pivotally mounted on said trolley at or adjacent mutually opposite sides of said trolley, and preferably at or adjacent the rearward end of said trolley.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided the combination of a wheelchair or the like, and a trolley attachment arrangement according to the first aspect of the present invention but with forward/reverse inversion to have the link arms pivotally mounted on mutually opposite sides of the wheelchair for temporary attachment to a wheeled shopping trolley or the like, preferably at or adjacent mutually opposite sides thereof, and more preferably also at or adjacent the rearward end thereof.

Thus, all aspect of the present invention provide a practicable and effective articulation of a wheeled shopping trolley or the like with a wheelchair or the like, which frees the wheelchair occupant from the need manually to manoeuvre the trolley, and which readily accommodates varying heights and widths of wheelchair.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the rearward end of a shopping trolley having a first embodiment of trolley attachment arrangement in accordance with the present invention; Figs 2A-2D are details of two link arms comprised in the first embodiment; Fig. 3 is an enlarged-scale perspective view of a wheelchair clamp; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of trolley attachment arrangement in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 5 is an enlarged-scale perspective view of part of the second embodiment; and Figs 6 and 7 are respectively a schematic plan view and a schematic side elevation illustrating a range of wheelchair heights and widths which can be accommodated by trolley attachment arrangements in accordance with the present invention.

Referring first to Fig. 1, this is a perspective view from the rear and to the right of a wheeled shopping trolley 10 which is dimensioned to suit wheelchair-bound shoppers. The trolley 10 is conventional in the sense that it comprises a wire mesh basket 12 supported by a frame 14 running on four pivotted castors 16. The trolley 10 is dimensionally adapted to suit wheelchair-bound shoppers by having the basket 12 at a lower overall height than a conventional trolley (not shown) for pedestrian shoppers, and by having a relatively large and deep gateway 18 in the rear face of the basket 12.

The trolley 10 shown in Fig. 1 is provided with a trolley attachment arrangement comprising first and second rigid link arms 20 and 22 pivotally mounted on opposite sides of the rear of the trolley frame 14.

The first link arm may be non-pivotally fixed to the trolley frame whilst the second link arm is provided with pivotal movement. In the preferred embodiment shown in Fig. 1 the first link arm 20 is mounted at its forward end by a simple hinge 24 which allows the first link arm 20 to pivot freely in a substantially vertical plane aligned substantially fore and aft of the trolley 10.

The second link arm 22 is mounted at its forward end by a ball and socket compound hinge 26 which allows the second link arm 22 to pivot freely in both vertical and horizontal directions. The ability of the first and second link arms to move freely in a vertical plane permits the link arms to be moved to a position within the frame allowing a number of trolleys to be nested horizontally.

The rearward ends of the link arms 20 and 22 each terminate in a respective wheelchair frame strut clamp 28 and 30 (described in greater detail below).

The above-described trolley attachment arrangement allows the trolley 10 to be attached to selected portions of a wheelchair (not shown in Fig. 1) at positions on the wheelchair within a relatively wide range of heights and widths, as will subsequently be detailed with reference to Figs 6 and 7.

Moreover, the longitudinal rigidity of the link arms 20 and 22 allows forward, rearward, and steering forces to be transmitted from the attached wheelchair to the trolley 10 without the wheelchair occupant requiring to grasp the trolley 10, thus leaving the wheelchair occupant's hands free to manoeuvre the wheelchair, and to select items for placement in the trolley basket 12 (which is at a convenient height and is readily accessible through the deep gateway 18).

Referring now to Figs 2A-2D, Fig. 2A is a perspective view from the rear and to the left of the first link arm 20 in isolation. As shown in Fig. 2A, the hinge 24 conveniently comprises a tubular socket 32 secured (eg by welding) to the trolley frame 14 (not shown in Figs 2A-2D), the forward end of the link arm 20 being cranked and retained by suitable means (not shown) in the socket 32 to allow the link arm 20 to pivot only in a vertical plane, as denoted by the arrow 20V.

Fig. 2B is a perspective view from the rear and to the right of the second- link arm 22 in isolation. As shown in Fig. 2B (and in enlarged-scale fragmentary plan view in Fig. 2C), the hinge 26 comprises a ball member 34 secured on the cranked forward end of the link arm 22.

The hinge 26 further comprises an internally spherical socket 36 secured (eg, by welding) in the trolley frame 14. The combination of the ball member 34 and the socket 36 allows the link arm 22 to pivot both vertically (as denoted by the arrow 22V) and horizontally (as denoted by the arrow 22H).

Fig. 2D schematically depicts a side elevation of the rearward end of either of the link arms 20 or 22, and the clamp 28 or 30 thereon. In both instances, the clamps 28 and 30 are omni-pivotally mounted on the rearward ends of the link arms 20 and 22 respectively by a ball and socket joint 38, thus to allow the clamps 28 and 30 to conform to the relative alignments of the portions of the wheelchair to which they are respectively clamped in use. For example, suppose the link arms 20 and 22 to be each substantially non-horizontal but intended to be connected to substantially vertical armrest support struts on the wheelchair. The joints 38 allow the clamps 28 and 30 each to pivot about a respective horizontal axis to bring them into correct alignment with the vertical armrest supports, despite the link arms 20 and 22 themselves being substantially non-horizontal.

Moreover, by turning one or both of the clamps 28 and 30 about a respective vertical axis through the respective joint 38, the effective lengths of the link arms 20 and 22 between their forward and pivotal connections to the trolley 10 and their respective connections to the wheelchair can be selectively adjusted to reduce or eliminate skewing of the trolley 10 with respect to the wheelchair.

Fig. 3 details a possible form of either or both of the clamps 28 and 30. The clamp form detailed in Fig. 3 has a fork shape in plan, providing a vertically aligned saddle-form rearward face 40 particularly suited for partially surrounding a vertically tubular strut (not shown in Fig. 3) forming part of the wheelchair, eg a forward support for the armrest.

Retention of the clamp on the wheelchair strut is enabled by the provision of a flexible strap 42, permanently secured at one end 44 to the clamp, the other end 46 of the strap 42 being detachably securable to the body of the clamp by means of mutual cooperation of a patch of hook and loop adherent fabric (not visible in Fig 3) on the inside of the free end 46 of the strap 42 to a matching patch 48 of hook and loop adherent fabric secured on the body of the clamp.

(Hook and loop adherent fabrics are commonly known under the Trade Mark "Velcro").

As shown in Fig. 3, the clamp 24 or 26 has a single-axis horizontal pivot connection 50 to the rearward end of the link arm 20 or 22 to allow the rearward clamp face 40 to conform to the vertical alignment of the strut or other structural member of the wheelchair to which it is attached. The clamp of Fig. 3 is preferably mounted as shown in Fig. 3 on the left side (ie on the link arm 22), and vertically inverted from the alignment shown in Fig. 3 on the right side (ie on the link arm 20) so as to dispose the respective strap attachments 48 both on the inside of the wheelchair sides where they will be more readily accessible to the wheelchair occupant. (Alternatively, the above-mentioned alignments could be both laterally inverted to place the strap attachments 48 both on the outside of the wheelchair to be more readily accessible by a shop assistant).

While the above-described first embodiment (Fig. 1) provides for one link arm (20) to be uniaxially pivotted and for the other link arm (22) to be omniaxially pivotted, it is possible within the scope of the invention for both link arms to be omniaxially pivotted. Fig. 4 depicts a second embodiment of the present invention with such dual omniaxial pivotting.

In Fig. 4, the shopping trolley 10 is schematically (and incompletely) depicted in ghost outline, and shown attached to the wheelchair 10 (also incompletely depicted) by means of a first link arm 120 and a second link arm 122. The first link arm 120 is secured at its forward end to the trolley frame 14 through the intermediary of a ball and socket joint 124, and the second link arm 122 is likewise secured at its forward end to the trolley frame 14 through the intermediary of another ball and socket joint 126. The ball and socket joints 124 and 126 may each be like the ball and socket joint 34, 36 (Figs 2B & 2C), or they may have any other suitable form allowing the link arms 120 and 122 to pivot both vertically and horizontally.

At the rearward ends of the link arms 120 and 122 are mounted respective twin-jaw wheelchair clamps 128 and 130, each comprising a hinged pair of jaws 132 and 134 which can be mutually forced together by a screw 136 turned by a handle 137. Each of the clamps 128 and 130 is omniaxially pivotally mounted on the rearward end of the link arm 120 and 122 respectively by a respective ball and socket joint 138. (Details of the link arm 122 and of its pivots 126 and 138 are shown to an enlarged scale in Fig. 5). Each of the link arms 120 and 122 is substantially rigid between its forward pivots 124, 126 and its rearward pivots 138, so as to transmit trolley manoeuvring forces in use.

As shown in Fig. 4, the wheelchair loo has a tubular metal frame 140 serving as a chassis or mounting structure for conventional wheelchair components, such as arrests 142. At their forward ends, the armrests 142 are supported by substantially vertical portions 144 of the wheelchair frame 140. It is these armrest supports 144 that are the preferred portions of the wheelchair 100 to which the trolley attachment arrangement is clamped in use, though any other suitable portion of the wheelchair 100 may be utilised for trolley attachment. It should be noted from Fig. 4 that no modification of the wheelchair 100 is required for temporary attachment of the trolley 10, either by the trolley attachment arrangement shown in Fig. 4, or by the trolley attachment arrangement shown in Fig. 1 (which may equally be employed in place of that shown in Fig. 4).

Figs 6 and 7 schematically depict the ability of the above-described trolley attachment arrangements to attach to wheelchairs in a range of widths (Fig.6) and in a range of heights (Fig. 7). As shown in Fig. 6, the trolley 10 can be attached to wheelchair frames 140 in a width range of 405-560 millimetres, and as shown in Fig. 7, the trolley 10 can be attached to wheelchair frames in a height range of 560-710 millimetres.

It should be noted that in the arrangements described above as none of the trolleys are provided with conventional handle means their use by non-wheelchair bound shoppers will be discouraged.

While certain modifications and variations have been described above, the invention is not restricted thereto, and other modifications and variations can be adopted without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (18)

1. A trolley attachment arrangement for temporary attachment of a wheeled shopping trolley or the like to a wheelchair or the like, said trolley attachment comprising first and second link arms for linking the trolley to a wheelchair, said first link arm comprising coupling means at the forward end thereof coupling the forward end of said first link arm to one side of said trolley, said first link arm further comprising a selectively operable first clamp means at the rearward end thereof for temporary attachment of the rearward end of said first link arm to a first selected portion of the wheelchair, said second link arm comprising pivot means at the forward end thereof coupling the forward end of second link arm to the other side of said trolley for movement of said second link arm both vertically and horizontally, said second link arm further comprising a selectively operable second clamp means at the rearward end thereof for temporary attachment of the rearward end of said second link arm to a second selected portion of the wheelchair.

2. A trolley attachment arrangement as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said coupling means includes pivot means permitting movement of said first link arm in a substantially vertical plane.

3. A trolley attachment arrangement for temporary attachment of a wheeled shopping trolley or the like to a wheelchair or the like, said trolley attachment comprising first and second link arms for linking the trolley to a wheelchair, said first link arm comprising a first pivot means at the forward end thereof coupling the forward end of said first link arm to one side of said trolley for movement of said first link arm in a substantially vertical plane, said first link arm further comprising a selectively operable first clamp means at the rearward end thereof for temporary attachment of the rearward end of sasd first link arm to a first elected portion of the wheelchair, said second link arm comprlolng a second pivot means at the forward end thereof coupling the forward ond of second link arm to the other side of said trolley for movement of said second link arm both vertically and horizontally, said second link arm further comprising a selectively operable second clamp means at the rearward end thereof for temporary attachment of the rearward end of said second link arm to a second selected portion of the wheelchair.

4. A trolley attachment errangement as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said first pivot means comprises a simple hinge means having a substantially horizontal pivot axis allowing only substantially vertical pivoting of said first link arm about said first pivot means.

5. A trolley attachment arrangement as claimed in either Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein said second pivot means comprises a compound hinge means having both a substantially horizontal pivot axis and a substantially vertical pivot axis (or an otherwise aligned pair of mutually substantially orthogonal pivot axe.)

6. A trolley attachment arrangement as claimed in either Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein said second pivot means comprises a ball and socket joint allowing substantially universal pivoting of said second link ann about said second pivot means.

7. A trolley attachment arrangement as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said first pivot means comprises a compound hinge means having both a substantially horizontal pivot axis and a substantially vertical pivot axis (or an otherwise aligned pair of mutually orthogonal pivot axes).

8. A trolley attachment arrangement as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said first pivot means comprises a ball and socket joint allowing both substantially vertical pivoting of said first link arm about said first pivot means and substantially horizontal pivoting of said first link arm about said first pivot means

9. A trolley attachment arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said first and second clamp means are mutually substantially identical, other than for possible lateral inversion, and comprise a selectively operable temporary clamp for attachment to the respective portions of the wheelchair.

10. A trolley attachment arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said first and second clamp means each comprises a respective fork for partially surrounding a respective strut or tubular member of the wheelchair, in combination with a respective detachable strap for completing encirclement of the respective strut or tubular member.

11. A trolley attachment arrangement as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 9, wherein said first and second clamp means each comprises a respective pair of jaws operable to be clamped to a respective strut or other tubular member of the wheelchair.

12. A trolley attachment arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each said clamp means is pivotally mounted on the respective link arm to be alignable with the respective strut or tubular member of the wheelchair, such pivotal mounting of each clamp means being about a respective horizontal axis.

13. A trolley attachment arrangement as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 11, wherein each said clamp means is pivotally mounted on the respective link arm to be alignable with the respective strut or tubular member of the wheelchair, such pivotal mounting of each clamp means being a respective universal pivotal mounting.

14. A combination of a wheeled shopping trolley or the like, and a trolley attachment arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said first and second link means have the respective forward ends thereof pivotally mounted on said trolley at or adjacent mutually opposite sides of said trolley, at or adjacent the rearward end of said trolley.

15. A combination of a wheelchair or the like, and a trolley attachment arrangement as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 13, but with forward/reverse inversion to have the link arms pivotally mounted on mutually opposite sides of the wheelchair for temporary attachment to a wheeled shopping trolley or the like, at or adjacent mutually opposite sides thereof, and at or adjacent the rearward end thereof.

16. A trolley attachment arrangement for temporary attachment of a wheeled shopping trolley or the like to a wheelchair or the like substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

17. A combination of a wheeled shopping trolley or the like and trolley attachment arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

18. A combination of a wheelchair or the like and trolley attachment arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.