Headrest assembly for a wheelchair

Abstract

A headrest for a wheelchair or the like provides an attachment to permit lateral arcuate movement of a headrest as well as the more normal swivel movement provided by a ball and socket joint. A headrest attachment can be fitted by separating a regular ball and socket joint retaining a headrest pad to a wheelchair. The headrest attachment has an insert ball portion for fitting in the socket portion of the headrest pad, the insert ball portion extending from a curvilinear slidable member having restricted arcuate movement within an arcuate fixed guide member, the arcuate fixed guide member having an insert socket portion for fitting over the ball portion on an attachment arm for a wheelchair.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A headrest attachment for a wheelchair comprising: 
 a cushioned headrest pad having a first rotational Connection to a first attachment arm, the first attachment arm projecting from a curvilinear slidable member having restricted arcuate movement within an arcuate fixed guide member, the arcuate fixed guide member having a second rotational connection to a second attachment arm for mounting on the wheelchair.    
     
     
         2 . The headrest attachment according to  claim 1 , wherein the first rotational connection and the second rotational connection each comprise a ball and socket joint having a frictional adjustment for damping movement between the ball and socket.  
     
     
         3 . The headrest attachment according to  claim 2 , wherein the frictional adjustment can immobilize movement between the ball and the socket.  
     
     
         4 . The headrest attachment according to  claim 1 , wherein stops are provided between the curvilinear slidable member and the arcuate fixed guide member adjustable to different positions to vary the restricted arcuate movement of the curvilinear slidable member within the arcuate fixed guide member.  
     
     
         5 . The headrest attachment according to  claim 1 , wherein friction means are provided between the curvilinear slidable member and the arcuate fixed guide member to provide damping of the restricted arcuate movement.  
     
     
         6 . The headrest attachment according to  claim 5 , wherein the friction means provides adjustable damping between the curvilinear slidable member and the arcuate fixed guide member.  
     
     
         7 . The headrest attachment according to  claim 5 , wherein the friction means comprises a first friction strip attached to the curvilinear slidable member that engages a second friction strip attached to the arcuate fixed guide member.  
     
     
         8 . The headrest attachment according to  claim 5 , wherein the friction means comprises a spring loaded element between the arcuate fixed guide member and the curvilinear slidable member with an adjustment screw to vary force applied between the arcuate fixed guide member and the curvilinear slidable member.  
     
     
         9 . The headrest attachment according to  claim 1 , wherein the first rotational connection and the second rotational connection are substantially the same, and wherein the cushioned headrest pad may be connected directly to the second attachment arm.  
     
     
         10 . The headrest attachment according to  claim 1 , wherein the curvilinear slidable member has first grooves on opposing sides and the arcuate fixed guide member has a U-shaped cross-section with second grooves on opposing inside faces, antifriction ball bearings fitting between the first grooves and the second grooves retaining the curvilinear slidable member to the arcuate fixed guide member but permitting the restricted arcuate movement.  
     
     
         11 . The headrest attachment according to  claim 10 , wherein the arcuate fixed guide member has a plurality of holes at each side for inserting a limiting screw, the limiting screw forming a stop for the curvilinear slidable member to provide the restricted arcuate movement, and repositioning the limiting screw in another of the plurality of holes changing the restricted arcuate movement.  
     
     
         12 . The headrest attachment according to  claim 10 , wherein a first friction strip is attached on the arcuate fixed guide member engaging with a second friction strip attached to the curvilinear slidable member to provide damping of the restricted arcuate movement.  
     
     
         13 . The headrest attachment according to  claim 10 , wherein a spring loaded element is provided between the arcuate fixed guide member and the curvilinear slidable member having an adjustment screw to vary force applied between the arcuate fixed guide member and the curvilinear slidable member.  
     
     
         14 . A headrest attachment for a wheelchair or the like comprising: 
 a cushioned headrest pad having a first rotational ball and socket joint to a first attachment arm, the first attachment arm projecting from a curvilinear slidable member having restricted arcuate movement within an arcuate fixed guide member, the curvilinear slidable member having first grooves on opposing sides, and the arcuate fixed guide member having a U-shaped cross-section with second grooves on opposing inside faces, antifriction ball bearings fitting between the first grooves and the second grooves to retain the curvilinear slidable member within the arcuate fixed guide member and permitting the restricted arcuate movement, the arcuate fixed guide member having a second rotational ball and socket joint on a second attachment arm for mounting to the wheelchair.    
     
     
         15 . The headrest attachment according to  claim 14 , wherein the first rotational ball and socket joint and the second rotational ball and socket joint each have a frictional adjustment for damping movement between the ball and the socket.  
     
     
         16 . The headrest attachment according to  claim 15 , wherein the frictional adjustment can immobilize movement between the ball and the socket.  
     
     
         17 . The headrest attachment according to  claim 14 , wherein the arcuate fixed guide member has a plurality of holes at each side for inserting a limiting screw, the limiting screw forming a stop for the curvilinear slidable member to provide the restricted arcuate movement, repositioning the limiting screw in another of the plurality of holes thereby changing the restricted arcuate movement.  
     
     
         18 . The headrest attachment according to  claim 14 , wherein a first friction strip is attached on the arcuate fixed guide member engaging with a second friction strip attached to the curvilinear slidable member to provide damping of the restricted arcuate movement.  
     
     
         19 . The headrest attachment according to  claim 14 , wherein a spring loaded element is provided between the arcuate fixed guide member and the curvilinear slidable member having an adjustment screw to vary force applied between the arcuate fixed guide member and the curvilinear slidable member.  
     
     
         20 . A headrest attachment for a wheelchair for insertion within a rotational connection between a headrest pad and the wheelchair, the rotational connection having socket portion on the headrest pad and a ball portion on an attachment arm for the wheelchair, the headrest insert comprising: 
 an insert ball portion for fitting in the socket portion of the headrest pad, the insert ball portion projecting from a curvilinear slidable member having restricted arcuate movement within an arcuate fixed guide member, the arcuate fixed guide member having a socket portion for fitting over the ball portion on the attachment arm for the wheelchair.    
     
     
         21 . The headrest attachment according to  claim 20  wherein stops are provided between the curvilinear slidable member and the arcuate fixed guide member adjustable to different positions to vary the restricted arcuate movement of the curvilinear slidable member within the arcuate fixed guide member.  
     
     
         22 . The headrest attachment according to  claim 20 , wherein friction means between the curvilinear slidable member and the arcuate fixed guide member provide damping of the restricted arcuate movement.  
     
     
         23 . The headrest attachment according to  claim 22 , wherein the friction means comprises a first friction strip attached to the curvilinear slidable member that engages a second friction strip attached to the arcuate fixed guide member.  
     
     
         24 . The headrest attachment according to  claim 22 , wherein the friction means comprises a spring loaded element between the arcuate fixed guide member and the curvilinear slidable member with an adjustment screw to vary force applied between the arcuate fixed guide member and the curvilinear slidable member.  
     
     
         25 . The headrest attachment according to  claim 20 , wherein the curvilinear slidable member has first grooves on opposing sides and the arcuate fixed member has a U-shaped cross-section with second grooves on opposing inside faces, antifriction ball bearings fitting between the first grooves and the second grooves to retain the curvilinear slidable member within the arcuate fixed guide member and permitting the restricted arcuate movement.  
     
     
         26 . The headrest attachment according to  claim 25 , wherein the arcuate fixed guide member has a plurality of holes on each side for inserting a limiting screw, the limiting screw forming a stop for the curvilinear slidable member to provide restricted arcuate movement, repositioning the limiting screw in another of the plurality of holes changing the restricted arcuate movement.  
     
     
         27 . The headrest attachment according to  claim 25 , wherein a first friction strip is attached on the arcuate fixed guide member engaging with a second friction strip attached to the curvilinear slidable member to provide damping of the restricted arcuate movement.  
     
     
         28 . The headrest attachment according to  claim 25 , wherein a spring loaded element is provided between the arcuate fixed guide member and the curvilinear slidable member with an adjustment screw to vary force applied between the arcuate fixed guide member and the curvilinear slidable member.