HANDLE COVER APPARATUS

Abstract

An improved handle cover apparatus is a handle cover and extension that attaches to the hand brake handle of a wheel chair to provide padding, improved comfort, and greater leverage to allow the brake to be applied more easily and to eliminate the arthritic pain associated with operating the current, short, wheel chair brake handles.

Claims

1. An improved handle cover apparatus for use upon brake handle members, comprising: an elongated main body including; an outer surface; an inner surface; wherein said inner surface surrounds and defines an interior volume; a plurality of adaptor members, each including; an outer surface; wherein said outer surface is adapted to frictionally and removably engage said inner surface of said elongated main body; an inner surface; wherein said inner surface surrounds and defines an interior volume and is adapted to slide over and releasably and frictionally fit upon a wheelchair brake handle; and wherein each of said plurality of adaptor members are sized and shaped to be frictionally and removably placed within said interior volume of said elongated main body; and wherein a cross-section of said interior volume of each respective said plurality of adaptor members is formed having a shape different from the other of said plurality of adaptor members, such that an adaptor member can be chosen from said plurality of adaptor members that is most similar to a cross-section of a brake handle member it is to be placed upon.

2. The improved handle cover apparatus of claim 1, wherein said cross-sections of said interior volume of said plurality of adaptor members are chosen from a group of cross-sectional shapes consisting of square, rectangular, and circular.

3. The improved handle cover apparatus of claim 2, wherein said group of cross-sections of said interior volume of said plurality of adaptor members includes hexagonal.

4. The improved handle cover apparatus of claim 1, wherein said elongated main body is formed from acetal.

5. The improved handle cover apparatus of claim 1, wherein said elongated main body is formed from a thermoplastic elastomer.

6. The improved handle cover apparatus of claim 1, wherein said elongated main body further includes an elongated finger grip member attached to said outer surface thereof and includes a plurality of finger ridges thereon, and is adapted and shaped to allow a user to more easily and securely grip said improved handle cover apparatus.

7. The improved handle cover apparatus of claim 6, wherein said elongated main body is formed from acetal; and wherein said elongated finger grip member is formed from a thermoplastic elastomer.

8. The improved handle cover apparatus of claim 6, wherein said elongated main body further includes an elongated palm grip member attached to said outer surface thereof an opposite side from said finger grip member, is formed from a thermoplastic elastomer, and is adapted to allow a user to more easily and securely grip said improved handle cover apparatus.

9. The improved handle cover apparatus of claim 6, wherein said elongated main body is formed having a curved shape along its elongated length to thereby further allow a user to more easily and securely grip said improved handle cover apparatus.

10. An improved wheelchair apparatus comprising: a wheelchair including: a brake handle member; wherein said brake handle member has a cross-sectional shape; and an improved handle cover apparatus for use upon said brake handle member, comprising: an elongated main body including; an outer surface; an inner surface; wherein said inner surface surrounds and defines an interior volume; a plurality of adaptor members, each including; an outer surface; wherein said outer surface is adapted to frictionally and removably engage said inner surface of said elongated main body; an inner surface; wherein said inner surface surrounds and defines an interior volume and is adapted to slide over and releasably and frictionally fit upon said wheelchair brake handle; and wherein each of said plurality of adaptor members are sized and shaped to be frictionally and removably placed within said interior volume of said elongated main body; and wherein a cross-section of said interior volume of each respective said plurality of adaptor members is formed having a shape different from the other of said plurality of adaptor members, such that an adaptor member can be chosen from said plurality of adaptor members that is most similar to said cross-section of said brake handle member.

11. The improved wheelchair apparatus of claim 10, wherein said cross-sections of said interior volume of said plurality of adaptor members are chosen from a group of cross-sectional shapes consisting of square, rectangular, and circular.

12. The improved wheelchair apparatus of claim 11, wherein said group of cross-sections of said interior volume of said plurality of adaptor members includes hexagonal.

13. The improved wheelchair apparatus of claim 10, wherein said elongated main body is formed from acetal.

14. The improved wheelchair apparatus of claim 10, wherein said elongated main body is formed from a thermoplastic elastomer.

15. The improved wheelchair apparatus of claim 10, wherein said elongated main body further includes an elongated finger grip member attached to said outer surface thereof and includes a plurality of finger ridges thereon, and is adapted and shaped to allow a user to more easily and securely grip said improved handle cover apparatus.

16. The improved wheelchair apparatus of claim 15, wherein said elongated main body is formed from acetal; and wherein said elongated finger grip member is formed from a thermoplastic elastomer.

17. The improved wheelchair apparatus of claim 15, wherein said elongated main body further includes an elongated palm grip member attached to said outer surface thereof an opposite side from said finger grip member, is formed from a thermoplastic elastomer, and is adapted to allow a user to more easily and securely grip said improved handle cover apparatus.

18. The improved wheelchair apparatus of claim 15, wherein said elongated main body is formed having a curved shape along its elongated length to thereby further allow a user to more easily and securely grip said improved handle cover apparatus.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and method(s) of use for the present invention, improved handle cover apparatus, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present invention.

[0017] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view illustrating an improved handle cover apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the improved handle cover apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 1.

[0019] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the improved handle cover apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 1.

[0020] The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to a lever device and more particularly to a improved handle cover apparatus as used to improve leverage and grip comfort.

[0022] Generally speaking, an improved handle cover apparatus is a handle cover and extension that attaches to the hand brake handle of a wheel chair to provide padding, improved comfort, and greater leverage to allow the brake to be applied more easily and to eliminate the arthritic pain associated with operating the current, short, wheel chair brake handles.

[0023] In greater detail now, referring to the drawings by numerals of reference there is shown in FIG. 1, a perspective view illustrating improved handle cover apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Improved handle cover apparatus 100 for use upon brake handle member 145 may comprise elongated main body 105 including outer surface 106, inner surface 107 that surrounds and defines interior volume 108, a plurality of adaptor member 115 each including outer surface 116 adapted to frictionally and removably engage inner surface 107 of elongated main body 105, inner surface 107 that surrounds and defines interior volume 108 that is adapted to slide over to releasably and frictionally fit upon wheelchair brake handle 125, and each of adaptor member 115 are sized and shaped to be frictionally and removably placed within interior volume 108 of elongated main body 105.

[0025] The cross-section of interior volume 108 of each adaptor member 115 is formed having a shape different from the other adaptor members 115 such that each adaptor member 115 can be chosen from the plurality of adaptor member 115 that is most similar to the cross-section of brake handle member 145 it is to be placed upon. The cross-sections of interior volume 118 of the plurality of adaptor members 115 are chosen from a group of cross-sectional shapes consisting of square, rectangular, and circular. The group of cross-sections of the interior volume of the plurality of adaptor members 115 includes hexagonal.

[0026] Referring now to FIG. 2, is a perspective view illustrating improved handle cover apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 1.

[0027] Elongated main body 105 is formed from acetal. Elongated main body 105 is formed from a thermoplastic elastomer. Elongated main body 105 further includes an elongated finger grip member 130 attached to outer surface 106 thereof that includes a plurality of finger ridges 131 thereon and is adapted and shaped to allow a user to more easily and securely grip improved handle cover apparatus 100. Elongated main body 105 is formed from acetal, and elongated finger grip member 130 is formed from a thermoplastic elastomer. Elongated main body 105 further includes elongated palm grip member 135 attached to outer surface 106 on the opposite side from elongated finger grip member 130 and is formed from a thermoplastic elastomer, and is adapted to allow a user to more easily and securely grip improved handle cover apparatus 100. Elongated main body 105 is formed having a curved shape along its length to thereby further allow a user to more easily and securely grip improved handle cover apparatus 100.

[0028] The invention may comprise an improved wheelchair apparatus 101 having a wheelchair 140 including brake handle member 145 having a cross-sectional shape, and improved handle cover apparatus 100 for use upon brake handle member 145 comprising elongated main body 105 including outer surface 106, inner surface 107 surrounding and defining interior volume 118, a plurality of adaptor members 115 each including outer surface 116 adapted to frictionally and removably engage inner surface 107 of elongated main body 105, inner surface 107 that surrounds and defines interior volume 108 that is adapted to slide over and releasably and frictionally fit upon wheelchair brake handle 125. Each of adaptor member 115 are sized and shaped to be frictionally and removably placed within interior volume 118 of elongated main body 105.

[0029] Referring now to FIG. 3, is a perspective view illustrating improved handle cover apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 1.

[0030] A cross-section of interior volume 118 of each respective adaptor member 115 is formed having a shape different from the other adaptor members 115 such that adaptor member 115 can be chosen from the plurality of adaptor members 115 that is most similar to the cross-section of brake handle member 145. The cross-sections of interior volume 118 of the plurality of adaptor member 115 are chosen from a group of cross-sectional shapes consisting of square, rectangular, circular, and hexagonal. Elongated main body 105 may be formed from acetal or from a thermoplastic elastomer. Elongated main body 105 further may include elongated finger grip member 130 attached to outer surface 116 thereof that includes a plurality of finger ridges 131 that is adapted and shaped to allow a user to more easily and securely grip improved handle cover apparatus 100.

[0031] Elongated main body 105 may be formed from acetal or from a thermoplastic elastomer. Elongated main body 105 further may include elongated palm grip member 135 attached to outer surface 106 thereof on an opposite side from elongated finger grip member 130 that may be formed from a thermoplastic elastomer and adapted to allow a user to more easily and securely grip improved handle cover apparatus 100. Elongated main body 105 is formed having a curved shape along its elongated length to thereby further allow a user to more easily and securely grip improved handle cover apparatus 100.

[0032] Improved handle cover apparatus 100 may be manufactured and provided for sale in a wide variety of sizes and shapes for a wide assortment of applications. Upon reading this specification, it should be appreciated that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as design preference, user preferences, marketing preferences, cost, structural requirements, available materials, technological advances, etc., other package contents or arrangements such as, for example, including more or less components, customized parts, different color combinations, parts may be sold separately, etc., may be sufficient.

[0033] The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the u.s. patent and trademark office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application.