JP7569073B2 - Wheelchair reinforcement member and wheelchair - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a reinforcing member for a wheelchair and a wheelchair.

There are two types of wheelchairs: fixed wheelchairs and folding wheelchairs. Fixed wheelchairs are highly rigid and have good running performance when in use, but have the drawback of taking up space when stored when not in use. In contrast, folding wheelchairs can be folded up when not in use to save space, but when the wheelchair is subjected to load, for example when turning or accelerating, twisting, bending and rattling can occur, resulting in insufficient rigidity and running performance when in use.

In general, a folding wheelchair is equipped with a folding mechanism that connects the left and right frames with an X-shaped support member so that the wheelchair can be unfolded in the left-right direction (width direction) and folded, and can be unfolded and folded horizontally by rotating the support member around the central axis of the X. From another perspective, this means that there is no member that linearly connects the left and right frames horizontally. In response to this type of situation, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which a reinforcing member (called a locking mechanism 93 in Patent Document 1) that is foldable and linear in the horizontal direction when the wheelchair is unfolded is added to the X-shaped support member (called a cross frame 91 in Patent Document 1) in order to increase the support force of the X-shaped support member.

JP 2020-103792 A

However, in this type of wheelchair, the reinforcing members are added to the X-shaped support members, and do not directly support the left and right frames of the wheelchair body or the seat pipes that make up the seat. This does not necessarily provide sufficient improvement in the rigidity or running performance of the wheelchair when it is unfolded, and there is also the issue that reinforcing members cannot be retrofitted to existing wheelchairs that have X-shaped support members.

The present invention was developed in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a reinforcing member that increases the rigidity and improves running performance when unfolded while maintaining the folding mechanism of the wheelchair, and a wheelchair equipped with the reinforcing member.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is realized by the following configuration.
(1) A first aspect of the present invention is a reinforcing member for a wheelchair, comprising: an elongated base body; a connecting portion provided in the center of the base body and connecting one side and the other side of the base body in a flexibly and extendable manner; and a pair of arm portions provided at intermediate positions on each of the one and the other sides of the base body and rotatably supported on the upper surface side of the base when the reinforcing member is attached to the wheelchair, wherein the pair of arm portions are each removably attached to a pair of seat pipes that form the seating portion of the wheelchair.

(2) In the configuration of (1) above, each arm portion is provided with a contact portion at its tip that is expanded in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the base and contacts the outer surface of each seat pipe, and a rail portion that is screwed to the outside of the contact portion at a distance and slides along the inner surface of each seat pipe.

(3) In the configuration of (1) or (2) above, when the wheelchair is unfolded, both ends of the base body engage with a part of a pair of frames that form the basic skeleton of the wheelchair, and the base body is extended by pushing in the connecting parts.

(4) In the configuration of (1) or (2) above, when the wheelchair is folded, both ends of the base are separated from a part of a pair of frames that form the basic skeleton of the wheelchair, and the base is bent toward the upper surface side of the base by the connecting portion being pulled up.

(5) A second aspect of the present invention is a wheelchair, characterized in that it comprises a pair of frames forming a basic skeleton, a pair of seat pipes forming a seating portion, and the reinforcing member described in claim 1 or 2.

(6) In the configuration of (5) above, when the wheelchair is unfolded, both ends of the base of the reinforcing member engage with parts of the pair of frames, and the base is extended by pushing in the connecting portion.

(7) In the configuration of (5) above, when the wheelchair is folded, both ends of the base of the reinforcing member are separated from a portion of the pair of frames, and the base is bent toward the upper surface side of the base by the connecting portion being pulled up.

The present invention provides a reinforcing member that increases the rigidity and improves running performance when unfolded while maintaining the folding mechanism of the wheelchair, and a wheelchair equipped with the reinforcing member.

1 is a side view, seen from the right side, of an example of a wheelchair to which a reinforcing member according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the wheelchair from the top front. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the wheelchair from the bottom front. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the wheelchair seen from above and rear. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the wheelchair from the lower rear. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the support structure of the wheelchair seat from the bottom front. FIG. 2 is a front view of an example of a reinforcing member according to an embodiment of the present invention in an extended state, as viewed from the front. FIG. FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the reinforcing member as viewed from below. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the reinforcing member as viewed from the upper front. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the reinforcing member as viewed from the lower front. FIG. 11 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a portion of the reinforcing member in FIG. 10 taken in the longitudinal direction. FIG. 11 is a front view of the reinforcing member in a bent state as viewed from the front. FIG. 11 is an enlarged view illustrating the assembly of the reinforcing member to the seat of the wheelchair, as viewed from the bottom front. 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating the folding and unfolding operations of a wheelchair according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the front.

The following describes in detail the form for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "embodiment") with reference to the attached drawings. Figures 1 to 9 explain the wheelchair 10 as a whole, Figures 10 to 17 explain the reinforcing member 60, and Figure 18 explains the operation of the wheelchair 10 when it is unfolded and folded. In the following description, directions such as front/back, left/right, and up/down refer to the direction as seen by a user seated in the wheelchair 10. The same elements are given the same reference numerals throughout the description of the embodiment, but for pairs of left and right elements, the number on the left side is given a suffix L and the number on the right side is given a suffix R, while in some cases, when no distinction is made between left and right, the number alone is used without a suffix.

(Embodiment)
Although details will be described later, the reinforcing member 60 for the wheelchair 10 according to this embodiment includes an elongated base body 61, a connecting portion 62 provided in the center of the base body 61 and connecting one side and the other side of the base body 61 in a flexibly and extendable manner, and a pair of arm portions 63L, 63R provided in intermediate positions on each of the one and other sides of the base body 61 and pivotally supported on the upper surface side of the base body 61 when the reinforcing member 60 is attached to the wheelchair 10. The pair of arm portions 63L, 63R are detachably attached to a pair of seat pipes 121L, 121R that form the seating portion 12 of the wheelchair 10. Below, the wheelchair 10 and the reinforcing member 60 will be described in detail.

(Wheelchair)
First, the configuration of the wheelchair 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 9. Note that the configuration of the wheelchair 10 is not limited to that shown in the drawings in the application of the reinforcing member 60 according to this embodiment. The reinforcing member 60 can be applied to various types of wheelchairs 10. Note that the reinforcing member 60 is preferably used for a foldable wheelchair 10, but the reinforcing member 60 may also be provided in a fixed wheelchair when greater rigidity is required.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 4 (also see Figs. 5 to 8 as appropriate), the wheelchair 10 comprises a frame 11 (a pair of frames 11L, 11R on the left and right; the same applies below) forming a basic structure, and a seat pipe 121 (a pair of seat pipes 121L, 121R on the left and right; the same applies below) forming the seating section 12. More specifically, in the wheelchair 10, the frame 11 extends from the lower front to the upper rear in a generally overturned S-shape, and is provided with the seating section 12 on which the user sits, the backrest 13, and armrests 14 (a pair of armrests 14L, 14R on the left and right; the same applies below) on which the user rests their arms. The upper rear end of the frame 11 is a grip 15 for the caregiver (a pair of grips 15L, 15R on the left and right; the same applies below). Although not shown here, the grip 15 may be provided with a manual brake for the caregiver.

A step 20 on which the user places their feet is located at the front lower end of the frame 11. The step 20 includes a support section 21 (a pair of support sections 21L, 21R on the left and right; the same applies below) and a footrest section 22 that is pivotally supported at the tip of the support section 21. The support section 21 can be stored inside the front lower end of the frame 11, and can be extended and retracted in the vertical direction to suit the user's body shape. When the wheelchair 10 is unfolded, the footrest section 22 spans the tips of the pair of support sections 21L, 21R, and when the wheelchair 10 is folded, the center folds in half toward the top.

At a position corresponding to the front side of the seating part 12, a hook portion 122 (a pair of hook portions 122L, 122R on the left and right; the same applies below) hangs down from the frame 11, the tip of which is formed in a concave groove, in order to support the front of the seat pipe 121 forming the seating part 12 (see Figures 4 to 8 for the hook portion 122). The front side of the seat pipe 121 is placed in the concave groove of this hook portion 122. As will be described later, the rear side of the seat pipe 121 is supported by a support member 50, and the seating part 12 is formed by this front and rear support. A seat cushion 123 is attached between the pair of seat pipes 121L, 121R. A cushion may be placed on the seat cushion 123, and the cushion may be a power cushion whose cushioning properties are controlled by the operation of a separately provided operation unit (such as a remote control).

The wheelchair 10 has casters 30 (a pair of casters 30L, 30R on the left and right; the same applies below) as the front wheels, and wheels 40 (a pair of wheels 40L, 40R on the left and right; the same applies below) as the rear wheels. The casters 30 are attached to front wheel attachment parts 16 (a pair of front wheel attachment parts 16L, 16R on the left and right; the same applies below) that extend in a convex curve downward and rearward from near the lower front end of the frame 11. The casters 30 can rotate 360 degrees in a plan view, and serve to freely change the direction of the wheelchair 10.

The wheels 40 are drive wheels that transmit driving force to the floor surface, and hand rims 41 (a pair of hand rims 41L, 41R on the left and right; the same applies below) are arranged on the outside of the wheels 40 so that the user can manually move the wheelchair 10 themselves. A stopper 42 is provided on the wheel 40 (the right wheel 40R in Figures 1 to 8). The stopper 42 may be manual or electric. Note that here, a manually propelled self-propelled wheelchair 10 using hand rims 41 is described, but this embodiment is not limited to this, and the wheelchair 10 may be, for example, an electric wheelchair or one equipped with an auxiliary drive device.

The wheel 40 is attached to the frame 11 in the following manner. First, the frame 11 is provided with a rear wheel mounting section 17 (a pair of left and right rear wheel mounting sections 17L, 17R; the same applies below) that extends in a concave curve downward and rearward at a position that corresponds to approximately the center of the seating section 12. The rear side of this rear wheel mounting section 17 is fixed to a vertically elongated support section 18 (a pair of left and right support sections 18L, 18R; the same applies below). Then, an axle 19 (a pair of left and right axles 19L, 19R) is attached to the support section 18 in a height-adjustable manner, and the wheel 40 is fixed to the axle 19.

The wheelchair 10 can be folded in the left-right direction (width direction), and the pair of frames 11L, 11R are connected by an X-shaped (crossbar) support member 50 as a permanent support structure so that the pair of frames 11L, 11R can be moved together when folded, as shown in Figures 2 to 8, respectively.

As is clear from FIG. 4, the support member 50 is provided slightly forward of the axle 19 of the wheel 40, which is the rear wheel, in the front-rear direction, and supports the rear side of the seat pipe 121 with respect to the seating section 12. Meanwhile, as described above, the front side of the seat pipe 121 is placed on the hook portion 122 hanging down from the frame 11. Therefore, compared with a fixed type wheelchair in which the pair of seat pipes 121L, 121R on the left and right or the pair of frames 11L, 11R on the left and right are fixed at the front and rear, the folding wheelchair 10 may twist, bend, or rattle depending on the usage mode, such as when the wheelchair is subjected to a load due to turning or acceleration. If this occurs, for example, the pair of wheels 40L, 40R on the left and right are not parallel, and the user feels heavy even when trying to move forward or backward by rotating the pair of hand rims 41L, 41R on the left and right with their hands. Therefore, in this embodiment, the reinforcing member 60 is removably attached to the front side of the seat pipe 121 to prevent twisting, bending, and rattling in the vertical and horizontal directions. The attachment of the reinforcing member 60 to the seat pipe 121 will be explained separately after explaining the configuration of the reinforcing member 60, but here, the support structure of the support member 50 will be explained with reference to Figure 9.

As shown in FIG. 9, the support member 50 comprises a first bar 51A and a second bar 51B arranged in an X-shaped cross-position, and are rotatable relative to each other at the central cross-section 55. The upper end 52A of the first bar 51A is fixed to the left seat pipe 121L, and the lower end 53A of the first bar 51A is supported by a support 54A fixed to the right support 18R. On the other hand, the upper end 52B of the second bar 51B is fixed to the right seat pipe 121R, and the lower end 53B of the second bar 51B is supported by a support 54B fixed to the left support 18L.

When the wheelchair 10 is unfolded, the first bar 51A and the second bar 51B of the support member 50 form a horizontal X shape in the width direction, and when the wheelchair 10 is folded, the first bar 51A and the second bar 51B form a vertical X shape in the up-down direction. When folding the wheelchair 10, the pair of seat pipes 121L, 121R may be pulled up directly, or a cloth-like handle may be added to the upper surface of the seat cushion 123 attached to the pair of seat pipes 121L, 121R, and the handle may be pulled up.

The first bar 51A and the second bar 51B may be connected to auxiliary link members 56L, 56R, respectively. The left auxiliary link member 56L is rotatably connected between the first bar 51A and the left support portion 18L, and the right auxiliary link member 56R is rotatably connected between the second bar 51B and the right support portion 18R, which contributes to smooth operation of the first bar 51A and the second bar 51B without rattling when the wheelchair 10 is unfolded or folded.

(Reinforcing member)
Next, the configuration of the reinforcing member 60 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 10 to 17. As shown in Figures 10 to 12 (also see Figures 13 to 15 as appropriate), the reinforcing member 60 includes an elongated base body 61, a connecting portion 62 provided at the center of the base body 61 and connecting one side 61L and the other side 61R of the base body 61 in a flexibly and extensibly manner, and a pair of arm portions 63 provided at intermediate positions between the one side 61L and the other side 61R of the base body 61 and pivotally supported on the upper surface side of the base body 61 when the reinforcing member 60 is attached to the wheelchair 10. As will be described later, the pair of arm portions 63 (the arm portion 63L on one side and the arm portion 63R on the other side; the same applies below) are detachably attached to a pair of seat pipes 121 (a pair of seat pipes 121L and 121R on the left and right) that form the seating portion 12 of the wheelchair 10.

As shown in Figures 10, 15 and others, the base 61 is formed so that its longitudinal direction is the left-right direction (width direction) of the wheelchair 10. There are no limitations on the specific shape of the base 61, but here, taking into consideration convenience and strength when assembling the reinforcing member 60 to the wheelchair 10, an example is shown in which the outer diameter from the point where the arm part 63 is supported is made larger than the inner diameter. By making the diameters of both the one side 61L and the other side 61R of the base 61 different midway, it is possible to allow the base 61 and therefore the reinforcing member 60 to expand and contract when the wheelchair 10 is unfolded and folded, and an elastic body biased toward the outside may be placed inside the base 61.

At both ends of the base 61, the engagement parts 66 (engagement part 66L on one side, engagement part 66R on the other side; the same applies below) are cut out in a stepped shape in the width direction of the wheelchair 10. The manner in which the reinforcing member 60 is assembled to the wheelchair 10 will be described later, but since the twisting, bending, and rattling of the wheelchair 10 in the up-down and left-right directions (width direction) can be suppressed by engaging the engagement part 66 of the base 61 with a part of the wheelchair 10, it is preferable that the engagement part 66 of the base 61 has a shape that meshes with the engaging part on the wheelchair 10. In this embodiment, the engagement part 66 of the base 61 is cut out in a stepped shape to match the corresponding part of the wheelchair 10 that it abuts, but this shape may be made to fit the corresponding part on the wheelchair 10.

As shown in Figs. 11 to 14 and others, the connecting part 62L on one side protruding in a male shape at the center of one side 61L of the base 61 and the connecting part 62R on the other side protruding in a female shape at the center of the other side 61R of the base 61 are fastened by bolts at a position protruding on the other side of the base 61 (the underside when attached to the wheelchair 10). As a result, when the connecting part 62 is pushed downward, the connecting part 62L on one side and the connecting part 62R on the other side come into contact with each other, so that the one side 61L and the other side 61R of the base 61 can be maintained in an extended state as shown in Fig. 10. On the other hand, when the connecting part 62 is pulled upward, the connecting part 62L on one side and the connecting part 62R on the other side are separated from each other, so that the one side 61L and the other side 61R of the base 61 can be bent as shown in Fig. 16.

Each arm 63 is provided with an abutment portion 64 (abutment portion 64L on one side, abutment portion 64R on the other side; the same applies below) that abuts against the outer surface of the seat pipe 121 at its tip and is provided with a rail portion 65 (rail portion 65L on one side, rail portion 65R on the other side) that is screwed and spaced apart from the abutment portion 64 and slides along the inner surface of the seat pipe 121. Here, the arm portion 63 is formed of a pair of plate-shaped members sandwiching the base 61 so as not to interfere with the base 61 when the base 61 is bent. In addition, the arm portion 63 is set to a length that allows it to rotate on the upper surface side of the base 61 when the reinforcing member 60 is attached to the wheelchair 10, and a cross portion 67 (cross portion 67L on one side, cross portion 67R on the other side; the same applies below) that connects the pair of plate-shaped members is provided slightly to the pivot side of the abutment portion 64. The crossing portion 67 prevents deformation of the pair of plate-like members of the arm portion 63, and ensures the ease of assembly of the arm portion 63 to the base 61 by integrating both sides of the pair of plate-like members with the abutment portion 64. Note that, although the arm portion 63 is described here as being a pair of plate-like members, the configuration is not limited to this, and for example, it may be configured as a plate-like member on only one side, either the inside or outside, or as a single plate-like or rod-like member on the upper surface side of the base 60.

The manner in which the reinforcing member 60 described above is assembled to the wheelchair 10 will be described with reference to FIG. 17. The seat pipe 121 on the wheelchair 10 side is provided with a guide portion 124 (a pair of guide portions 124L, 124R on the left and right, the same below) that is cut out along the longitudinal direction at a position facing the reinforcing member 60 on the inside of the seat pipe 121. When attaching the reinforcing member 60, the cap covering the tip of the seat pipe 121 is removed, and the rail portion 65 located on the outermost side of the arm portion 63 is fitted into the inside of the guide portion 124 of the seat pipe 121 and slid. Then, the engaging portion 66 of the base 61 is aligned with the position of the hook portion 122 on which the seat pipe 121 is placed, and the abutment portion 64 and the rail portion 65 are fixed there by tightening the screw that screws the abutment portion 64 and the rail portion 65. When removing the reinforcing member 60, the screw that screws the abutment portion 64 and the rail portion 65 is loosened, and the rail portion 65 is slid and removed from the seat pipe 121. In this way, the reinforcing member 60 can be easily and detachably assembled to the seat pipe 121.

Since the reinforcing member 60 is configured as described above, when the arm portion 63 is attached to the seat pipe 121 and the wheelchair 10 is unfolded, the engagement portion 66 of the base body 61 engages with a part of the frame 11 that forms the basic skeleton of the wheelchair 10 (in this embodiment, the hook portion 122 on which the seat pipe 121 is placed), and the base body 61 becomes extended as the connecting portion 62 is pushed in.

On the other hand, when the wheelchair 10 is folded with the arm portion 63 of the reinforcing member 60 attached to the seat pipe 121, as shown in FIG. 16, the engagement portion 66 of the base body 61 moves away from a part of the frame 11 that forms the basic framework of the wheelchair 10 (in this embodiment, the hook portion 122 on which the seat pipe 121 is placed), and the base body 61 is bent toward the upper surface side of the base body 61 as the connecting portion 62 is pulled up.

(Wheelchair folding and unfolding operations)
The configuration of the wheelchair 10 and the reinforcing member 60 has been explained above, but finally, how the wheelchair 10 equipped with the reinforcing member 60 is folded and unfolded will be explained using Figure 18. Note that Figure 18 shows only the representative symbols of each element, so please refer to other figures, particularly Figures 9 and 17 as necessary.

The upper part of Fig. 18 shows the procedure for folding the wheelchair 10. When the wheelchair 10 is unfolded, the cloth handle on the seat 12 is pulled up (Fig. 18(a)). Then, the seat pipe 121 placed on the hook part 122 of the wheelchair 10 is released from the hook part 122, and the arm part 63 of the reinforcing member 60 removably attached to the seat pipe 121 moves upward accordingly (Fig. 18(b)). At the same time, the base 61 of the reinforcing member 60 is bent at the connecting part 62 (see Fig. 16), and the engaging part 66 of the base 61 is released from the hook part 122 of the seat pipe 121. During this process, the upper end of the support member 50 is also pulled up, the pair of left and right frames 11L, 11R of the wheelchair 10 are pulled together, and the center of the footrest 22 is folded in half upward. When the handle is pulled up to its maximum position, the reinforcing member 60 is bent as shown in FIG. 16, the horizontal X-shaped support member 50 becomes vertical X-shaped, and the footrest 22 is folded in half to become upright (FIG. 18(c)).

The lower part of Figure 18 shows the procedure for unfolding the wheelchair 10. With the wheelchair 10 folded, the seat pipe 121 of the seating section 12 is pushed down (Figure 18(d)). In this case, applying force to the seat pipe 121 so that it spreads slightly outward makes it easier to unfold. As the seat pipe 121 is pushed down, the arm portion 63 of the reinforcing member 60 also moves down, and the connecting portion 62 transitions from a bent state to an extended state. During this process, the upper end of the support member 50 is also pushed down, and the pair of left and right frames 11L, 11R of the wheelchair 10 are pulled apart, while the centre of the footrest 22 extends downward (Figure 18(e)). Then, when the seat pipe 121 is placed on the hook portion 122 and the engaging portion 66 of the base body 61 engages with the hook portion 122, the connecting portion 62 of the reinforcing member 60 is pressed down strongly, causing the reinforcing member 60 to expand as shown in FIG. 10, the support member 50, which was previously vertically X-shaped, becomes horizontally X-shaped, and the footrest 22 becomes flat (FIG. 18(f)).

(Effects of the embodiment)
By attaching the reinforcing member 60 to the folding wheelchair 10, the rigidity of the body is improved while maintaining the folding mechanism, and it is possible to achieve driving performance that is comparable to that of a fixed wheelchair. Specifically, with regard to twisting, bending, and rattling in the up-down direction, the engaging portion 66 of the base 61 of the reinforcing member 60 engages with the hook portion 122 and thus the frame 11, making it difficult for the seat pipe 121 held by the arm portion 63 to come off the hook portion 122, thereby reducing twisting, bending, and rattling. With regard to twisting, bending, and rattling in the left-right direction (width direction), the line of the base 61 of the reinforcing member 60 itself and the line passing through the arm portion 63 act as a tension rod in the left-right direction, thereby reducing twisting, bending, and rattling.

Although the present invention has been described above using embodiments, it goes without saying that the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It is clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements can be made to the above embodiments. Furthermore, it is clear from the claims that forms incorporating such modifications or improvements can also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

10...Wheelchair 11 (11L, 11R)...Frame 12...Seating section 121 (121L, 121R)...Seat pipe 122 (122L, 122R)...Hook section 123...Seat cushion 124 (124L, 124R)...Guide section 13...Backrest 14 (14L, 14R)...Armrest 15 (15L, 15R)...Grip 16 (16L, 16R)...Front wheel mounting section 17 (17L, 17R)...Rear wheel mounting section 18 (18L, 18R)...Support section 19 (19L, 19R)...Axle 20...Step 21 (21L, 21R)...Support section 22...Footrest section 30 (30L, 30R)...Caster (front wheel)
40 (40L, 40R)…Wheels (rear wheels)
41 (41L, 41R)...Hand rim 42...Stopper 50...Support member (cross bar)
51A...First bar 52A...Upper end 53A...Lower end 54A...Axis support portion 51B...Second bar 52B...Upper end 53B...Lower end 54B...Axis support portion 55...Intersection portion 56 (56L, 56R)...Auxiliary link member 60...Reinforcing member 61 (61L, 61R)...Base 62 (62L, 62R)...Connecting portion 63 (63L, 63R)...Arm portion 64 (64L, 64R)...Abutment portion 65 (65L, 65R)...Rail portion 66 (66L, 66R)...Engagement portion 67 (67L, 67R)...Crossing portion

Claims (7)

A reinforcing member for a wheelchair,
An elongated base body;
A connecting portion provided at the center of the base body and connecting one side and the other side of the base body in a bendable and stretchable manner;
a pair of arms provided at intermediate positions on one side and the other side of the base, the pair of arms being rotatably supported on an upper surface of the base when the reinforcing member is attached to the wheelchair;
The pair of arm portions are detachably attached to a pair of seat pipes that form a seating portion of the wheelchair,
A reinforcing member characterized by: Each arm section is
a contact portion that is provided at a tip of the base member and expands in a direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction of the base member and contacts an outer surface of each sheet pipe;
a rail portion screwed to the outside of the abutment portion at a distance therefrom and sliding along the inner surface of each seat pipe;
The reinforcing member according to claim 1 . The reinforcing member according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, when the wheelchair is unfolded, both ends of the base body engage with a part of a pair of frames forming the basic framework of the wheelchair, and the base body is extended by pushing in the connecting parts. The reinforcing member according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, when the wheelchair is folded, both ends of the base are separated from a part of a pair of frames forming the basic framework of the wheelchair, and the base is bent toward the upper surface side of the base by the connecting portion being pulled up. I am in a wheelchair.
A pair of frames forming a basic skeleton;
A pair of seat pipes forming a seating portion;
The reinforcing member according to claim 1 or 2,
A wheelchair characterized by the above. The wheelchair of claim 5, characterized in that when the wheelchair is unfolded, both ends of the base of the reinforcing member engage with parts of the pair of frames, and the base is extended by pushing in the connecting parts. The wheelchair of claim 5, characterized in that when the wheelchair is folded, both ends of the base of the reinforcing member are separated from a part of the pair of frames, and the base is bent toward the upper surface side of the base by the connecting portion being pulled up.