Seating system

Claim 2

A seating assembly comprising a wheelchair conversion system for a previously used wheelchair base and for replacing the seating system of a plurality of previously used wheelchair bases having a multiplicity of differing wheelchair base configurations, said seating assembly comprising: a support unit; and mounting means for removably mounting said support unit to the previously used wheelchair base; said mounting means including a mounting bracket sized to clamp to a structural element of the wheelchair base, and a mating element attached to said mounting bracket, said support unit including mounting members dimensioned to mate with said mating elements, a frame assembly, and a cushion element connected to said frame assembly; said frame assembly including a horizontal frame and a means for selectively adjusting the width of said horizontal frame whereby the conversion system may accommodate wheelchair bases of varying widths.

Claim 3

A seating assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mounting members dimensioned to mate with said mating elements are attached to said horizontal frame.

Claim 4

A seating assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said frame assembly further includes a vertical frame; and attachment means for removably attaching said vertical frame to said horizontal frame.

Claim 5

A seating assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said attachment means includes means for positioning said vertical frame at a variety of locations relative to the horizontal frame.

Claim 6

A seating assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said support unit includes a plurality of cushion elements; and cushion connection means for independently connecting each of said cushion elements to said frame assembly.

Claim 7

A seating assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said cushion connection means include angular adjustment means and linear adjustment means for independently adjusting the angle and distance between a cushion element and said frame assembly.

Claim 8

A seating assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said cushion elements are contourable.

Claim 9

A seating assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said cushion elements include a polymer foam cushion bonded to an aluminum core plate.

Claim 10

A seating assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said cushion connection means includes angular adjustment means and linear adjustment means for independently adjusting the angle and distance between a cushion element and said frame assembly.

Claim 11

The seating assembly of claim 1 wherein the cushion element includes a relatively stiff core and a flexible cushion surrounding the core, the core being sufficiently malleable to permit forming the cushion to a desired contour and sufficiently stiff to retain the desired contour when sat upon or leaned against by a user of the assembly.

Claim 12

The seating assembly of claim 5 wherein the support unit includes cushions which may be manually shaped and reshaped according to the needs of the user of the seating assembly.

Claim 13

A seating assembly for a previously used wheelchair base and for replacing the seating system of a plurality of previously used wheelchair bases having a multiplicity of differing wheelchair base configurations, said seating assembly comprising: a support unit; and mounting means for removably mounting said support unit to the previously used wheelchair base, said mounting means including support unit connecting means for mounting the support unit at a range of angles with respect to the wheelchair base.

Claim 14

A seating assembly for a previously used wheelchair base and for replacing the seating system of a plurality of previously used wheelchair bases having a multiplicity of differing wheelchair base configurations, said seating assembly comprising: a support unit; and mounting means for removably mounting said support unit to the previously used wheelchair base, said mounting means including support unit connecting means for mounting the support unit at a range of angles with respect to the wheelchair base.

Claim 15

The seating assembly of claim 12 wherein the mounting means includes means for mounting the support unit at a range of heights with respect to the wheelchair base.

Claim 16

The seating assembly of claim 12 wherein the mounting means includes means for mounting the support unit at a range of fore and aft positions with respect to the wheelchair base.

Claim 17

A seating system for use with a preexisting, conventional wheelchair base, the seating system comprising: a support unit; and mounting means for removably mounting said support unit to the preexisting, conventional wheelchair base, said support unit including a horizontal frame having front mounting members dimensioned to mate with said mounting means; said mounting means having a pin extending therefrom, and said front mounting members having a conical interior whereby a pin may be received in said interior at various angles, said horizontal frame including rear mounting members dimensioned to mate with said mounting means; said mounting means having a pin extending therefrom, said rear mounting member including slot means for engaging the pin extending from the mounting means and for limiting fore and aft movement of the support unit with respect to the mounting means when the pin is in the slot means, and wherein the rear mounting member is generally C-shaped having a top flange, a bottom flange, a connecting wall, and a further capture flange extending perpendicularly downward from said top flange, said wall and flanges defining said slot means.

Claim 18

A seating system for use with a preexisting, conventional wheelchair base, the seating system comprising: a support unit; and mounting means for removably mounting said support unit to the preexisting, conventional wheelchair base, said support unit including a horizontal frame having front mounting members dimensioned to mate with said mounting means; said mounting means having a pin extending therefrom, and said front mounting members having a conical interior whereby a pin may be received in said interior at various angles, said horizontal frame including rear mounting members dimensioned to mate with said mounting means; said mounting means having a pin extending therefrom, said rear mounting member including slot means for engaging the pin extending from the mounting means and for limiting fore and aft movement of the support unit with respect to the mounting means when the pin is in the slot means, and wherein the rear mounting member is generally C-shaped having a top flange, a bottom flange, a connecting wall, and a further capture flange extending perpendicularly downward from said top flange, said wall and flanges defining said slot means.

Claim 19

A seating assembly as set forth in claim 5 including detent means for retaining said pin in said slot means.

Claim 20

A seating assembly for use with a preexisting, conventional wheelchair base, the seating assembly comprising: a support unit; and mounting means for removably mounting said support unit to the pre-existing, conventional wheelchair base, said mounting means including forward and rear mounting brackets and said support unit including forward and rear engagement means for engaging the forward and rear mounting brackets, respectively, one of said forward and rear mounting brackets limiting movement of the support unit in transverse and vertical directions while permitting movement in a fore and aft direction, the other of the forward and rear mounting brackets limiting movement of the support unit in vertical and fore and aft directions, wherein the forward and rear mounting brackets may be independently raised or lowered to selectively raise, lower or angle the support unit with respect to the pre-existing, conventional wheelchair base.

Claim 21

A seating assembly for use with a preexisting, conventional wheelchair base, the seating assembly comprising: a support unit; and mounting means for removably mounting said support unit to the pre-existing, conventional wheelchair base, said mounting means including forward and rear mounting brackets and said support unit including forward and rear engagement means for engaging the forward and rear mounting brackets, respectively, one of said forward and rear mounting brackets limiting movement of the support unit in transverse and vertical directions while permitting movement in a fore and aft direction, the other of the forward and rear mounting brackets limiting movement of the support unit in vertical and fore and aft directions, wherein the forward and rear mounting brackets may be independently raised or lowered to selectively raise, lower or angle the support unit with respect to the pre-existing, conventional wheelchair base.

Claim 22

A seating system as set forth in claim 17 including linkage means for raising or lowering one of the forward and rear mounting brackets to recline the support unit with respect to the preexisting, conventional wheelchair base.

Claim 23

In combination, a conventional, preexisting wheelchair base and a support unit removably mounted on the wheelchair base, said combination including seat mounting means for removably mounting the support unit to the base, the mounting means including a mounting bracket assembly removably attached to the wheelchair base, the mounting bracket assembly including a mounting bracket and a pin extending therefrom, and the mounting means including a mounting member connected to the support unit and dimensioned to mate with the pin, the support unit comprising a frame assembly and at least one cushion element removably attached to the frame assembly, and wherein the frame assembly includes a horizontal frame and width adjustment means for adjusting the width of the horizontal frame whereby the frame assembly may accommodate conventional, preexisting wheelchair bases of various sizes.

Claim 24

In combination, a conventional, preexisting wheelchair base and a support unit removably mounted on the wheelchair base, said combination including seat mounting means for removably mounting the support unit to the base, the mounting means including a mounting bracket assembly removably attached to the wheelchair base, the mounting bracket assembly including a mounting bracket and a pin extending therefrom, and the mounting means including a mounting member connected to the support unit and dimensioned to mate with the pin, the support unit comprising a frame assembly and at least one cushion element removably attached to the frame assembly, and wherein the frame assembly includes a horizontal frame and width adjustment means for adjusting the width of the horizontal frame whereby the frame assembly may accommodate conventional, preexisting wheelchair bases of various sizes.

Claim 25

The combination as set forth in claim 19 wherein the width adjustment means includes telescoping tubes, and the mounting members are attached to the telescoping tubes.

Claim 26

The combination as set forth in claim 19 wherein the frame assembly further includes a vertical frame removably attached to the horizontal frame.

Claim 27

The combination as set forth in claim 21 including means for attaching the vertical frame to the horizontal frame and for positioning the vertical frame member at various locations relative to the horizontal frame member.

Claim 28

The combination as set forth in claim 22 wherein the support unit includes a plurality of cushion elements and cushion connecting means for independently positioning each of the cushion elements to the frame assembly.

Claim 29

The combination as set forth in claim 23 wherein the means for positioning the cushion elements include means for adjusting the angle and distance between each cushion element and the frame assembly.

Claim 30

The combination as set forth in claim 24 wherein said cushion elements are contourable whereby the elements may be molded to fit individual needs of a patient.

Claim 31

The combination as set forth in claim 25 wherein said cushion elements include aluminum core plates and foam cushions bonded to said core plates.

Claim 32

The combination as set forth in claim 19 wherein said horizontal frame includes a front mounting member having a conical interior whereby a pin may be positioned at various angles within said front mounting member.

Claim 33

The combination as set forth in claim 27 wherein the vertical frame includes rear mounting member, the rear mounting member being generally C-shaped having a top flange, a bottom flange, a connecting wall, and a further capture flange extending perpendicularly downward from the said top flange.

Claim 40

The system of claim 31 wherein the means for adjustably positioning includes front and rear mounting means and linkage means for raising and lowering one of the front and rear mounting means.

Claim 41

The system of claim 32 wherein the base is a conventional, preexisting wheelchair base.