IMPROVED WHEELCHAIR WITH TILTING SEAT

摘要

A wheelchair (30) has a reclining seat (32) that has a back portion (34) and a bottom portion (36). The wheelchair (30) also has a frame (38), which has a lower portion (54) onto which wheels (50) are attached and a substantially vertical portion (42) extending upwardly from the lower portion (54). The back of the seat (32) is attached to the substantially vertical portion (42) of the frame (38). The wheelchair (30) has a first mode for normal seating in which the substantially horizontal lower portion (54) supports the bottom portion of the seat (32). The seat (32) also has a second, reclined mode in which the seat is reclined backwardly relative to the normal position. The bottom and back portions of the seat and the substantially vertical portion (42) of the frame (38) are rotated together to tilt the seat (32) into the reclined position. The bottom portion (36) of the seat (32) is pivotally mounted on the lower portion (54) of the frame (38), such that the lower portion (54) of the frame (38) remains substantially in place as the seat (32) itself is tilted, and does not tilt with the seat (32). The seat (32) may be removable from the frame (38), and the frame (38) may be adapted to fold and/or collapse for compact storage. Alternative embodiments include features such as brackets (38) A & B that permit the seat back (34) to slide relative to the back posts (42) without the use of springs internal to the back posts (42). In another alternative embodiment, the seat is supported by members that rotate in conjunction with the back posts (42) as the seat (32) reclines.