Invacare Duo Range User Manual

INVACARE®INTERNATIONAL:

InvacareRDuo Range

User Guide

Belgium & Luxemburg: Autobaan 14 · B-8210 Loppem

Danmark: Sdr. Ringvej 39 · DK-2605 Brøndby

Deutschland, Österreich, Switzerland & East Europe: Kleiststraße 49 · D-32457 Porta Westfalica

España: c/ Areny · s/n Polígon Industrial de Celrà · E-17460 Celrà (Girona)

France: Route de St Roch (RD 36) · F-37230 Fondettes

Italia: Via dei Pini 62 · I-36016 Thiene (VI)

Nederland: Celsiusstraat 46 · NL-6716 BZ Ede

Norge: Grensesvingen 9 · N-0603 Oslo

Portugal: Rua Senhora de Campanhã 105 · P-4369-001 Porto

Sverige & Suomi: Fagerstagatan 9 · P.O. Box 66 · S-163 91 Spånga

United Kingdom & Eire: South Road · Bridgend Industrial Estate · Bridgend CF31 3PY · UK

Part No: 1441771 - GB - 0507

Introduction

You have just bought a manual wheelchair from our INVACARE

range.

This model offers you all the advantages and characteristics of

a wheelchair that has been designed especially to meet your

particular requirements.

Great care has been taken with this wheelchair throughout the

whole of its manufacturing process. The components have been

selected for their quality and inspections have been carried out so

that your wheelchair can provide you with full satisfaction.

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ii

Note for wheelchair users

INVACARE provides a wide range of wheelchairs to meet the requirements

of users. However, the decision on the type of model to be prescribed rests

exclusively with qualified advisers.

INVACARE or its appointed representative shall not be held responsible if a

wheelchair is used that is unsuitable for the user’s level of disability, if the

wheelchair itself is incorrectly used or if a problem arises due to poor

maintenance.

The information set out in this manual may be modified without prior notice.

This manual contains copyright information. All rights are reserved. No part

of this document may be photocopied or reproduced without prior written

agreement from INVACARE or its appointed representative.

This manual gives details of all the options of the DUO range of

wheelchairs. It describes the options, operation and

adjustments that may be required. However, your INVACARE

retailer will be able to give you further information and

demonstrations.

SAFETY NOTICE

PLEASE ENSURE THE WHEELCHAIR IS

FULLY OPENED AND THE SEAT RAILS ARELOCATED IN THE

SEAT SADDLES BEFORE SITTING DOWN

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Table of contents

Page

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i

Note for wheelchair users. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii

Table of contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

1. Safety and operating limits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

1.1 Weight limit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

1.2 Reaching for an object from a wheelchair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

1.3 Heat and Fire Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

1.4 Seat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

1.5 Transferring to other seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

1.6 Tilting the Wheelchair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

1.7 Kerbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

1.8 Stairs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

1.9 Upward and downward slopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

2. Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

2.1 Folding and unfolding the wheelchair. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

2.2 Propelling the wheelchair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

3. Summary of safety instructions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

4. General description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

5. Backrests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

6. Detachable Armrests. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

7. Rear Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-18

8. Castors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

9. Manual Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

10. Footrests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-21

11. Backrest Extension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

12. Lap belt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

13. Rountine Checks and Maintenance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

14. Transport. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-26

15. Guarantee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

16. Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

17. Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

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1-Safety and operating limits

Stability and equilibrium

To ensure that the wheelchair remains stable and is manipulated correctly,

you must always maintain good equilibrium. Many actions cause the user of

a wheelchair to reach out, lean over or move about within the wheelchair and

outside it. These actions will change your centre of gravity and weight

distribution of the wheelchair.

Your wheelchair has been designed to remain stable for normal everyday use

if it is used correctly taking the precautions recommended in this manual.

1.1 - Weight limit

The maximum user weight limit is 160kgs (25 Stone) for 20” to 24” wide

chairs.

127kgs (20 Stone) for up to 18” wide chairs.

This weight includes accessories such as a compact oxygen cylinder or other

equipment required by the user.

However, the wheelchair user's degree of activity is important. For example,

an active user weighing 75 kg may subject the wheelchair to more stress than

a user weighing 115 kg. We recommend very active wheelchair users to

choose an appropriate design of wheelchair. Your INVACARE approved

distributor will advise you on the best model.

1.2 - Reaching for an object from a wheelchair

The limitations on reaching out

from a wheelchair shown in figure

1 have been produced using a

representative sample of

wheelchair users.

Only the arms should extend

beyond the seat of the

wheelchair.

For safety reasons, the body and

head should remain within the

wheelbase.

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3

Position the castors to give the longest
possible wheel-base (Figure 2).
Lock the manual brakes on the rear wheels.

Leaning forwards

(Figures 3, 4 and 5):

Move the wheelchair as close as possible
to the object you wish to reach.
Only reach out to take what is within arm's
length in normal sitting position.

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3

4

5

4

Leaning backwards

(Figures 6 and 7)

Move the wheelchair as close as possible to object you wish to reach.
Only lean back for objects that are within arm's length in normal sitting

position.

Leaning to one side

(Figure 8)

This is the most dangerous manoeuvre as it is
easy to tip sideways.

To move up to the object and lean over, you
must use the castors as a means of keeping
the wheelchair stable and balanced. (Figure 2)

For your safety, it is essential to be in the
correct position.

Do not try to pick something up from the
floor if this would upset your balance.

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5

1.3 - Heat and Fire Warnings

Surfaces Affected by heat

The wheelchair is made from metal and plastic materials and, as with all
products made with such materials, it can absorb heat from the sun when
used outdoors or exposed to sunlight through windows etc.
This can result in the surfaces of the wheelchair becoming hot, so take care
in using it and touching the surfaces if it is left or used in such an
environment.

Fire and burning

The seat and backrest materials have been tested to ensure compliance
with ISO requirements for cigarette and match flame equivalent and are
non flammable but care must still be exercised if using cigarettes or other
smoking products, or sources of heat, not to drop them onto the seat and/or
backrest where they can become trapped between contacting/trap points on
the wheelchair.

1.4 Seat

- Your seat’s upholstery is screwed onto
the tops of the cross struts.

- Adjustment: This model requires no
adjustment. Just check regularly that the
screws (A) are tight. If the washers (B) are
loose, these screws should be tightened.
If the problem continues, contact your
INVACARE retailer and ask him to change
the mounting for safety reasons.

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A

B

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1.5 - Transferring to other
seats

It is possible to move from and to a
manually propelled chair if the
following guidelines are followed.

INVACARE does not recommend
any particular method for
transferring: This is the
responsibility of a medical adviser
who should consider your level of
disability and type of wheelchair .

When transferring, either to get out of
or return to your wheelchair, make
sure:
That the gap between the two seat

s is as

small as possible. (Figures 10 and 11)

That the manual brakes on the rear
wheels are on to prevent the wheels
moving. (Figure 12)

Turn both castors towards the seat to
which you wish to move. Lift up the
footplates .
Do not stand on the footplates.

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