# US 8,770,611 B2 · Adjustable wheelchair handrim with movable friction band

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- Number: US 8,770,611 B2
- Document ID: US8770611B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/409,400
- Filed: 2012-03-01
- Published: 2012-11-29
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2011-03-01
- Applicants: W Mark Richter
- Inventors: W Mark Richter
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8770611B2

## CPC

- A61G 5/028: {Special adaptations or provisions on hand rim, e.g. for facilitating gripping}
- A61G 5/10: Parts, details or accessories
- Y10T 74/2087: Rim grips and covers
- A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

An adjustable manual wheelchair handrim with a moveable elastomeric friction band. The position of the tubular handrim can be moved to a desired location relative to the wheel rim depending on the needs and limits of the user. The movable friction band is stretched around the drive surface of the handrim at a desired location preventing it from moving and providing increased frictional properties when gripped by the user during pushes. The friction band can be permanently affixed at a location to further prevent movement and slippage between the handrim and the friction band.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A handrim for a wheel of a manual wheelchair, comprising:
a tubular handrim;
an attachment mount for affixing the handrim to a wheel rim of said wheel, wherein the attachment mount is slidingly attached to the wheel rim to move the handrim to a plurality of offset distances from the wheel rim; and
a movable elastomeric friction band positioned between the handrim and the wheel rim.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The handrim of claim 1, wherein the handrim comprises an ergonomic tubular shape that profiles the hand when gripped.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The handrim of claim 1, further comprising a drive surface that wholly or partially spans a gap between the handrim and the wheel rim.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The handrim of claim 3, wherein the drive surface extends around the periphery of the handrim.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The handrim of claim 1, wherein said attachment mount comprises a plurality of rigid attachment tabs that extrude from a terminating end of the drive surface.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The handrim of claim 5, said rigid attachment tabs comprising elliptical or circular slots, adapted to receive fasteners to mount the handrim to the wheel rim.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The handrim of claim 6, where the offset distance of the handrim from the wheel rim is adjusted by securing the fasteners at different positions in the slots.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The handrim of claim 1, wherein the friction band is permanently affixed to the handrim.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The handrim of claim 1, wherein the friction band is stretched over the handrim and only held in place by the elasticity of the band.

### Claim 10

A handrim for a wheel of a manual wheelchair, comprising:
a handrim affixed to a wheel rim of said wheel, wherein the handrim has an ergonomic tubular shape that profiles the hand when gripped;
a drive surface that extends from a top of the tubular handrim and wholly or partially spans a gap between the handrim and the wheel rim;
an elastomeric friction band positioned between the handrim and the wheel rim; and
a plurality of attachment tabs extruding from one end of the drive surface, said attachment tabs comprising slots adapted to receive fasteners to mount the handrim to the wheel rim;
wherein the offset distance of the handrim from the wheel rim is adjustable by moving the position of the attachment tabs laterally relative to the wheel rim.

### Claim 11

An adjustable handrim for a wheel of a manual wheelchair, comprising:
a tubular handrim with a top;
a drive surface that extends from the top of the tubular handrim and wholly or partially spans a gap between the handrim and the wheel rim of a wheelchair wheel when mounted; and
a plurality of attachment tabs that extrude from one end of the drive surface, wherein the attachment tabs have slots adapted to receive fasteners to mount the handrim to the wheel rim, wherein the offset distance of the handrim from the wheel rim is adjustable by moving the position of the attachment tabs laterally relative to the wheel rim.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The handrim of claim 11, wherein the handrim comprises an ergonomic tubular shape that profiles the hand when gripped.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The handrim of claim 11, further comprising an elastomeric friction band stretched over the handrim and drive surface.