Foot support cover

Abstract

In some cases, wheelchair users' feet would slip off the foot support 4 of their wheelchairs, resulting in injury. Therefore, the objective is to provide a foot support that prevents this slippage. [Solution] The foot support cover 1 according to the present invention is a foot support cover 1 that is attached to the foot support 4 of a wheelchair, and is made of silicone rubber, characterized in that the foot support cover 1 covers at least the entire upper surface and the entire front side surface of the foot support 4. By attaching the foot support cover 1 of the present invention to the foot support 4, the wheelchair user's feet are less likely to slip off the foot support 4. In addition, since silicone rubber has good elasticity, it can be stably attached to the foot support 4.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a foot support cover suitable for attachment to a foot support.

Background Art

[0002] Since the foot support of a wheelchair is made of hard plastic, when a caregiver moves a wheelchair user in and out of the wheelchair and raises or lowers the foot support, the lower leg (around the calf, Achilles tendon), anterior tibial muscle (around the shin), etc. may be hit, resulting in internal bleeding or injuries such as skin peeling. Especially when raising or lowering the feet of users whose lower limbs have limited range of motion due to contractures, the feet often hit the tip side surface or corner of the foot support and get rubbed, causing injuries. Also, because the foot support is made of a slippery material, due to the decline in the user's muscle strength, the feet may fall off the foot support and get injured.

[0003] As a cover to be attached to this foot support, for example, there is the foot support cover of Patent Document 1. Since the foot support cover of Patent Document 1 is made of cloth, there is not much room for improvement in anti-slip performance. Also, because it has no stretchability, the cover cannot be fitted tightly, leaving gaps and causing displacement and instability. Also, Patent Document 2 shows a foot support cover made of neoprene, but the neoprene material generally has problems such as poor elasticity and a relatively slippery surface. Also, it is prone to getting dirty, and it is painful to wash unless it is washed gently. Moreover, it takes a long time to dry.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004] [[ID=z8]]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Conventional foot support covers, as mentioned above, offer little improvement in preventing slippage. Furthermore, their lack of elasticity prevents them from fitting snugly, resulting in gaps that cause shifting and instability. Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a foot support cover that overcomes these problems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The foot support cover according to the present invention is a foot support cover for attachment to the foot support of a wheelchair, and is characterized in that it is made of silicone rubber and covers at least the entire upper surface and the entire front side surface of the foot support.

[0007] The foot support cover of this invention is made of silicone rubber, so it has good elasticity and stretchability, as well as high friction. Due to this high friction, the wheelchair user's feet are less likely to slip off the foot support. Since the entire side of the tip of the foot support is covered with elastic silicone rubber, it is less likely to cause injury even if the foot comes into contact with it. Furthermore, it covers the entire top surface and the entire side of the front end of the foot support, and also covers the corners at the front of the foot support, so it is less likely to cause injury even if your foot hits the corner. Furthermore, due to its excellent elasticity, the foot support cover can be made slightly smaller than the foot support, allowing for a secure attachment. Additionally, this elasticity allows a single size foot support cover to be fitted to various sizes of foot supports. Furthermore, since the material is silicone rubber and is water-repellent, it is resistant to dirt and easy to wash when it does get dirty, making it very convenient. It can also be used simply by wiping off water droplets without needing to dry it completely.

[0008] Furthermore, in the present invention, it is preferable that the silicone rubber can be stretched to 1.5 times or more by pulling. More preferably, it can be stretched to 1.8 times or more. Even more preferably, it can be stretched to 2.0 times or more. By using silicone rubber, which has better elasticity, the foot support cover of the present invention can be attached to a wider variety of foot support covers of different sizes. Also, the fit is improved.

[0009] In the present invention, it is preferable that the silicone rubber's thickness becomes 4 / 5 or less upon compression deformation. A material that is easily compressed and deformed in this way is gentle on the feet of wheelchair users, helps prevent feet from slipping, and has excellent slip resistance. More preferably, the thickness becomes 2 / 3 or less upon compression deformation. Even more preferably, it becomes 1 / 2 or less. Furthermore, in this invention, it is desirable that the foot support cover has a thickness of 10 mm or more. This thickness allows for good cushioning and is gentle on the user's feet.

[0010] Furthermore, in the present invention, it is preferable that the foot support cover comprises a rectangular flat body portion, a first tongue portion extending from one of the four sides of the body portion, and a second tongue portion and a third tongue portion extending from the sides adjacent to this side, respectively, wherein the body portion covers the upper surface of the foot support, the first tongue portion covers the front side surface of the foot support, and the second and third tongue portions cover the front and rear side surfaces of the foot support, respectively. In addition, it is preferable that the foot support is equipped with a fastener that connects the second tongue piece and the third tongue piece, and that the first tongue piece is fixed to the foot support by being sandwiched between the second and third tongue pieces that are connected at that time. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the foot support cover of the present invention, the wheelchair user's feet are less likely to slip off the foot support, and the excellent elasticity allows for stable attachment to the foot support. In addition, it is easy to wash and can be used simply by wiping off water droplets without drying. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] A perspective view showing a foot support cover according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 2] A perspective view showing the footport cover of Example 1 attached to the foot support of a wheelchair. [Figure 3] Cross-sectional view of line AA shown in Figure 1 [Figure 4] A plan view of a foot support cover according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 5] This diagram shows the underside of the foot support cover from Example 2, attached to the foot support. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a foot support cover 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA shown in Figure 1. Figure 2 shows the foot support cover 1 of Embodiment 1 attached to the foot support 4 of a wheelchair (right side of the figure) and the foot support 4 before attachment (left side of the figure). The foot support cover 1 of Example 1 is a rectangular bag-like shape with an opening 3 at one end in the longitudinal direction. The foot support cover 1 is made of silicone rubber, has good elasticity, and a high coefficient of friction on the surface. When stretched by compression, this silicone rubber can be stretched to more than 2.0 times its original thickness, and its thickness becomes less than half. In addition, the surface has a snakeskin-like pattern of bumps and dips. The foot support cover 1 is made slightly smaller than the foot support 4, with the width W2 of the opening 3 of the foot support cover 1 being 150 mm compared to the width W0 of the foot support 4 being 175 mm. The thickness S1 of the foot support cover 1 is 10 mm, the outer width W1 is 170 mm, the length L1 is 210 mm, and the height T1 is 25 mm. Note that the length L1 may be shortened as appropriate by cutting. While the surface of the foot support cover may be smooth, a surface with a snakeskin-like texture, as described above, is preferable as it provides better grip. In addition, a snakeskin-like surface is less prone to attracting dirt than a smooth surface.

[0014] This foot support cover 1 is attached to the foot support 4 of the wheelchair, and the right side of Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the cover 1 attached. Because the foot support cover 1 is highly elastic, even though it is made in a smaller size, it can be stretched and attached to the foot support 4. Furthermore, once attached, the elasticity of cover 1 ensures a snug and stable fit.

[0015] Figure 4 is a plan view of the foot support cover 20 according to Embodiment 2, and is a view from the back. Figure 5 shows the foot support cover 20 of Embodiment 2 attached to the foot support 4, and is a view from the back of the foot support 4. The foot support 4 is connected to the wheelchair frame 41. The cover 20 of Example 2 of the present invention is made by cutting out a flat silicone rubber, and includes a rectangular main body portion 24, a first tongue piece 21, a second tongue piece 22, and a third tongue piece 23 following it. The second tongue piece 22 and the third tongue piece 23 are provided with belt portions 25, 26, 27, 28 respectively, and mating surface fasteners (male surface fasteners 35, 36, female surface fasteners 37, 38) are attached to these belt portions 25, 26, 27, 28. The foot support cover 20 is made of silicone rubber, can be stretched about twice, has a thickness of 10 mm, and can compress and deform this thickness to 1 / 2.

[0016] Next, a method of attaching the foot support cover 20 of Example 2 to the foot support 4 of a wheelchair will be described. The main body portion 24 of the cover 20 is substantially along the size of the foot support 4 of the wheelchair. First, with the first tongue piece 21 coming to the tip side of the foot support 4, the main body portion 24 is applied to the foot support 4, and the first tongue piece 21 is folded back so as to cover the side surface of the foot support tip side. Subsequently, the male surface fastener 36 and the female surface fastener 38 provided on the belt portions 26, 28 are engaged. Next, the male surface fastener 35 and the female surface fastener 37 provided on the belt portions 25, 27 are engaged. In this way, the cover 20 is attached to the foot support. Incidentally, when attaching, if the belt portions 25, 26, 27, 28 are stretched, it can be firmly attached due to the elasticity of the silicone rubber. Also in the cover 20 of the present Example 2, it can be attached exactly to the foot support, and because the frictional force is high, it is difficult for the feet of the wheelchair user to slip off, and it is gentle on the feet even when hit. Both corner portions 41a, 41b, 42a, 42b on the tip side of the foot support 4 are covered by the folded first tongue piece 21, second tongue piece 22, and third tongue piece 23, so it has a gentle feeling and is difficult to get injured even when the user's foot hits. In addition, it is difficult to slip, so the stability when placing the feet is good. It stretches and fits.

[0017] The foot support covers 1 and 2 in these embodiments 1 and 2 are both easy to attach and detach. Furthermore, because they cover the entire side of the foot support's tip, they are less likely to cause injury if they come into contact with the user's foot. The foot support covers 1 and 2 in Example 1 and Example 2 are made of silicone rubber and therefore have excellent electrical insulation properties. Wheelchair users often spend time indoors, and static electricity is more likely to occur, especially in winter when the air is dry. Placing your feet on the wheelchair step with a silicone rubber foot support cover reduces the likelihood of static electricity. This helps to alleviate some of the discomfort experienced by wheelchair users. In addition, it has the following advantages: It provides good stability when you place your feet on it. It stretches and fits snugly. It returns to its original shape even if it is pulled or distorted. Because it is made of silicone rubber, it can be painted in colorful colors (which can brighten your mood). It is highly durable and sturdy. It has a soft feel that is close to skin and is less likely to irritate the skin of the elderly. It is recyclable, reducing the environmental impact.

[0018] The foot support covers 1 and 20 in these embodiments 1 and 2 are non-slip, making it less likely for wheelchair users' feet to slip off the foot support, thus reducing the risk of injury. In addition, even if the foot support covers 1 and 20 become soiled with food spills or other substances, they are highly water-repellent, making them resistant to staining, and can be easily washed with water to keep them clean. In particular, Examples 1 and 2, which are made of silicone rubber, are convenient because they only require wiping the surface after washing with water and do not need to be dried. Furthermore, the hook-and-loop fasteners in Example 2 (male hook-and-loop fasteners 35, 36, female hook-and-loop fasteners 37, 38) can also be used after simply wiping off the water, even if they get wet from washing, because they are small in size and made of synthetic fibers such as polyamide and polyester. Due to muscle weakness in users, their feet may slip off the foot support, causing injuries to their lower legs. However, the foot support cover of this invention is made of soft silicone rubber, making it less likely to cause injury upon impact. Furthermore, it is non-slip, preventing feet from sliding off and thus reducing the risk of injury. In addition, its slightly smaller size allows it to be attached to foot supports of various sizes on wheelchairs. Furthermore, in Example 1, because the surface has a snakeskin-like pattern, dirt is less likely to adhere to it than to a smooth, slippery surface.

[0019] The foot support cover according to the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments 1 and 2, and may have other configurations. For example, in the above embodiments, the opening 3 is shown to form a cavity with a height of 5 mm (height T1 - thickness S2 × 2 = 25 mm - 10 mm × 2 = 5 mm), but it is not limited to this, and the opening may be formed by a cut. Also, the surface of the foot support cover is not limited to the above snakeskin pattern, but may be smooth. Even if it is smooth, if it is made of silicone rubber, it will not be slippery because the coefficient of friction is high. Furthermore, although the above-mentioned silicone rubber has been listed, it is not limited to this. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0020] 1.20 Foot support cover 3 aperture 4 Foot support 21 1st tongue piece 22Second tongue piece 23 Third tongue piece 24 Foot Support Cover Main Body Sections 25, 26, 27, and 28

Claims

1. A foot support cover that attaches to the foot support of a wheelchair, The foot support cover is made of silicone rubber, A foot support cover characterized in that it covers at least the entire upper surface and the entire front side surface of the foot support.

2. The foot support cover according to claim 1, wherein the silicone rubber can be stretched to 1.5 times or more by pulling.

3. The foot support cover according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the silicone rubber becomes 4 / 5 or less in thickness due to compression deformation.

4. The foot support cover comprises a rectangular, flat main body, a first tongue extending from one of the four sides of the main body, and a second tongue and a third tongue extending from the sides adjacent to the aforementioned side, respectively. The foot support cover according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the main body covers the upper surface of the foot support, the first tongue covers the front side of the foot support, and the second tongue and the third tongue cover the front and rear side surfaces of the foot support, respectively.

5. The foot support cover according to claim 4, further comprising a fastener connecting the second tongue piece and the third tongue piece, wherein the first tongue piece is fixed to the foot support by connecting the second tongue piece and the third tongue piece in a manner that sandwiches the first tongue piece.

Images