Wheelchair hand rim

A wheelchair hand rim for use with a wheelchair wheel, the hand rim having a cross section at top dead center characterized by:

• an overall height sufficient to allow substantial hand interface therewith;
• a lower curved portion of sufficient radius to provide a firm finger grip for a user;
• an upper curved portion having a first outboard segment of sufficient radius to provide a firm upper palm grip and an inboard segment of relatively small radius but sufficient to provide a smooth rest for the thumb;
• an outboard gently rounded portion forming a transition between said upper curved portion and said lower curved portion, said outboard gently rounded portion tilting inwardly toward said upper curved portion;
• said inwardly tilting gently rounded portion blending smoothly with said outboard segment of said upper curved portion to provide an effective palm grip perpendicular to the direction in which force tends to be applied;
• an inboard generally vertical portion to minimize the overall width of said hand rim;
• and
• means for mounting the hand rim to the wheelchair wheel at points along said inboard generally vertical portion adjacent said inboard segment.

A wheelchair hand rim having a cross section at top dead center characterized by:

• an overall height in the range of 1.0 to 1.5 inches, being sufficient to allow substantial hand interface therewith;
• a lower curved portion of radius of curvature in the range of 0.3 to 0.5 inches to provide a firm finger grip for a user;
• an upper curved portion having a first outboard segment of radius of curvature in the range of 0.3 to 0.5 inches to provide a firm upper palm grip and an inboard segment of radius of curvature in the range of 0.2 to 0.4 inches to provide a smooth rest for the thumb;
• an outboard gently rounded portion of radius of curvature greater than 0.75 inches forming a transition between said upper curved portion and said lower curved portion, said outboard gently rounded portion tilting inwardly toward said upper curved portion;
• said inwardly tilting gently rounded portion blending smoothly with said outboard segment of said upper curved portion to provide an effective palm grip perpendicular to the direction in which force tends to be applied;
• and
• an inboard generally vertical generally straight portion to minimize the overall width of said hand rim.