Assistive mobility device

A method for the single-handed operation of an assistive mobility device, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a wheelchair comprising a chair frame, a plurality of wheels, a chassis for supporting said wheels and said chair frame, and a push handle for providing motive force to said assistive mobility device, said push bar secured on a rear upper portion of said chair frame,
• (b) locking said wheelchair with a locking assembly normally biased to a positive wheel lock position of at least one of said wheels, wherein said locking assembly is operably connected to an actuator handle adjacent to said push handle such that said push handle and said actuator handle can be gripped with one hand to release said lock assembly and lock said lock assembly automatically when said actuator handle is released,
• (c) stowing and retrieving a footrest attached to said wheelchair comprising a footplate, an upper support connected pivotably to an upper front of said wheelchair and connected pivotably to a front of said footplate, a lower support connected pivotably to a rear of said footplate and connected pivotably to a lower front of said wheelchair at a location such that said footplate may collapse under said wheelchair in a stowed position with a single-handed operation and rest in a substantially horizontal retrieved position adjacent the front of said wheelchair with a single-handed operation,
• (d) stowing and retrieving at least one armrest attached to said wheelchair, whereby said at least one armrest may be rotated with one hand between a substantially vertical stowed position and a substantially horizontal retrieved position,
• (e) adjusting a back adjustment assembly attached to said wheelchair such that an angle of recline of a back of said chair frame is adjusted by placing a seat back rod with one hand in a different set of a plurality of vertical cutouts of a guide plate,
• whereby, the operation of said assistive mobility device, including locking said assistive mobility device, stowing and retrieving said footrest and said at least one armrest, and adjusting said back, may be performed with one of the assistant's hands thereby freeing the assistant's other hand to secure an occupant.

An assistive mobility device comprising:

• a carriage frame for supporting a load comprising a plurality of members joined together so as to define said carriage frame;
• a push-bar handle for providing a motive force to said assistive mobility device;
• a plurality of wheels;
• a chassis for supporting said carriage frame and said plurality of wheels, said chassis comprising a plurality of members joined together so as to define said chassis,
• a locking assembly comprising a rotatable locking member with surface indentations and affixed to one of said plurality of wheels, a rotationally stationary locking member with surface indentations that mate with said rotatable locking member, a rod connected to said stationary locking member, a guide affixed to said carriage frame and containing said rod that permits said rod to move slidably such that said rotationally stationary locking member may engage and disengage from said rotatable locking member, said rod normally urging said rotationally stationary locking member to engage with said rotatable locking member, an actuator handle connected pivotably to rear upper portion of said carriage frame and at a distance from said push-bar handle such that an assistant may squeeze said actuator handle while holding said push-bar handle connected to said carriage frame, said rod connected to said actuator handle to pull said rod when said actuator handle is squeezed to disengage said rotationally stationary locking member from said rotatable locking member.

An assistive mobility device comprising:

• a first handle for providing a motive force to said assistive mobility device, said first handle secured on a rear upper portion of a carriage frame;
• a plurality of wheels;
• a chassis supporting said carriage frame and said plurality of wheels;
• a locking assembly including a rotatable locking member with indentations and affixed to at least one of said plurality of wheels, a rotationally stationary locking member with indentations that mate with said rotatable locking member and slidably affixed to said chassis wherein said locking assembly is normally biased to a wheel lock position of at least one of said plurality of wheels;
• a second handle operably connected to said locking assembly wherein said second handle is adjacent said first handle such that said first and second handle can be gripped with one hand to release the wheel lock and to provide motive force to said assistive mobility device.

An assistive mobility device including

• a carriage,
• at least one wheel,
• a frame supporting said carriage and said at least one wheel,
• a push handle attached to said frame behind said carriage,
• a wheel lock including a rotatable locking member with indentations and affixed to said at least one wheel, a rotationally stationary locking member with at least one indentation that mates with said rotatable locking member and slidably affixed to said frame wherein said wheel lock is normally biased to engagement to lock said at least one wheel,
• an actuator handle operably connected to said wheel lock and adjacent said push handle, wherein said actuator handle and said push handle are gripped simultaneously to release said wheel lock to non-engagement, whereby releasing said at least one wheel to roll.