USER MANUAL
PANTHERA X
Panthera AB reserves the right
to make technical changes.
art.nr. bruk-X-eng Rev.2012-01
CONGRATULATIONS!
You are now the owner of a Panthera X – the world’s lightest wheelchair. Invented,
designed and manufactured in Sweden, the Panthera X boasts an advanced
composite carbon fiber structure, giving it the rigidity, strength and super-low
weight normally associated with aerospace and Formula 1 equipment.
And now, wheelchairs. Have fun!
The Panthera team
INTENDED USE
Panthera X is a wheelchair made for very experienced and active users who are comfortable
handling a ”tippy” wheelchair without tip protectors. The design is optimized for easy handling
in and out of cars and has extremely good riding
characteristics. The very sleek and minimalistic
design gives experienced and active users great
opportunity to improve everyday life.
Panthera X is not equipped with tip protectors, since
it would impare the agility of the chair. It’s important
that you feel comfortable handling the unique behaviour and characteristics of such a lightly balanced
wheelchair before using it in a ”live” environment.
As always, practice makes perfect.
To get the most out of your Panthera X, it needs
to be adjusted and adapted to your requirements
– by you or together with your prescriber. Please
study the instructions carefully.
CONTACT
If you have questions or need help with your product
you should primarily contact your local dealer.
To get in touch with the manufacturer, see info below:
Panthera AB
Gunnebogatan 26
163 53 Spånga, Sweden
+46-8-761 50 40
www.panthera.se
panthera@panthera.se
CONTENT
4 TECHNICAL INFORMATION
– CARBON FIBRE
6 SAFETY
8 OVERVIEW
9 ADJUSTMENTS
12 TRANSPORT
13 TRANSFER
14 MAINTENANCE
15 TECHNICAL FACTS
CE-MARKING
GUARANTEE
CARBON FIBRE
The Panthera X is made from Advanced Carbon
Fibre Reinforced Plastics, CFRP, which can be
moulded into just about any shape. It may sound
simple, but is in fact a small technological wonder.
Carbon fibre is a fantastic material. But it’s a material
which works best with smooth, curved shapes that
better distribute the force of high loads. Finding the
perfect cross-section between smooth, strong shapes
and ergonomic, practical design was an engineering
challenge requiring years of development, experimentation and practical testing. The result is the
strongest and lightest wheelchair ever built.
FINALLY, A CAR FRIENDLY WHEELCHAIR
Getting your wheelchair in and out of your car
can be a real bother. But not anymore. Apart from
being the lightest wheelchair in the world, the
Panthera X is designed with space-saving dimensions
and ergonomic grips – making the chair easy to
load and stowe. Most people can actually lift the
wheelchair with one hand.
CARBON FIBRE CARE AND SERVICE
Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastics are stronger,
lighter and more durable than metals, but behave
differently when damaged. Metal structures will
bend and deform during failure. When a CFRP
structure fails, it will lose most of its strength and
rigidity, but without some of the telltale signs of
metal, such as bending and buckling.
CFRP structures are vulnerable to damage done
by sharp edges, sudden impacts and unusually,
local forces. If you suspect that your wheelchair
has been damaged, please inspect the entire
structure thoroughly or let a specialist inspect it.
IMPORTANT
Advanced Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastics are
very strong and light materials, but also sensitive
to sudden impacts and sharp objects. Cracks and
other damages to the carbon fibre structure, for
example as a result of the wheelchair tipping over
onto a hard surface, may lead to sudden breaks.
Avoid:
• Dropping the chassis onto hard surfaces
• Scratching and scraping the carbon bre
structure
4
INSPECT YOUR WHEELCHAIR REGULARLY
Press on areas you suspect have been damaged
– watch for unusual flexing, bending or cracks.
Run your hand over the chassis surface to check for
cracks or loose fibres. Use slow, careful movements,
to avoid getting any splinters in your hand.
If you find anything that indicates damage, please
contact Panthera AB. DO NOT try to repair the
wheelchair by yourself.
5
CONDUCT A TECHNICAL INSPECTION
OF THE CHAIR AND MAKE SURE THAT:
•
The rear wheel axles should move smoothly
in and out of the casing
•
The button at the hub should spring out
when the rear wheels have been inserted
•
All four wheels should touch the ground
•
The caster fork can be easily rotated
•
The backrest folds down easily
BALANCE AND TIPPING CAPACITY
The position of the backrest, the angle and the
adjustment of the backrest upholstery are the
most significant factors affecting the wheelchair’s
tendency to tip. After adapting your chair you
should check that you feel safe with the balance of
the chair. If you feel unsure, you should move the
backrest forward. The tipping capacity of the chair
is also affected by: hanging a bag on the backrest,
leaning / stretching backwards, worn tyres, poorly
pumped tyres and unforeseen changes in the surface
you are driving on.
WARNING!
A Panthera wheelchair is designed to be as easy
to drive as possible and because of this it reacts
quickly to the actions you perform. If you perform
the wrong actions the chair can tip backwards. The
chair can potentially tip up and it is not possible to
issue a warning regarding all the circumstances in
which that might occur. The most important safety
measures you can take include ensuring that you
have tested the chair thoroughly and spend time
practicing your wheelchair technique.
If you have any questions about wheelchair technique you should contact the person who prescribed
the chair / your therapist. If they are unable to
help you, please do not hesitate to contact us at
Panthera AB.
BRAKES
Remember that the brakes do not work as effectively
on tyres with poor air pressure or on worn tyres.
If you change to a new brand of tyre you should
always check the brakes since the dimensions may
be different. The brakes are designed as parking
brakes and not for braking when in motion.
NOTE!
For the brakes to work properly make sure the tires
have the right airpressure. See technical facts.
SAFETY
6
SITTING POSTURE
The wrong sitting posture can cause pressure sores.
If you are unsure you should contact your prescriber
straight away. Check that the side guards do not
exert too much pressure on your thighs since this
can cause pressure sores. If the side guards exert
too much pressure, the chair is either too narrow
or the side guards need to be adjusted. The seat is
designed to be used with a cushion.
DRIVING
If the distance between the lowest point of the
footrest and the surface is small (less than 40 mm)
the footrest can get caught on bumps in the surface
and cause you to fall forwards.
CARBON FIBRE
Carbon fibre in free state is unhealthy but in bound
form like in the Panthera X chassis, harmless. But if
you make mechanical interventions on the chassis
with a drill, saw or similar, carbon fibre particles can
be exposed and harm your health if you don´t use
professional safety equipment. Therefore all processing of the chassis on your own is not allowed. Partly
because of health issues and partly because the
strength of the chassis can be undermine strongly.
TRANSFERS / LIFTING CHAIR AND USER
The chair is lightweight and for this reason it can
move sideways when the brakes are on and you
transfer from the side. If you are unsure you should
practice this activity with your prescriber or therapist. If the wheelchair is lifted with you sitting in it,
the chair should always be lifted holding the frame
and not the backrest, the wheels or any other parts.
See fig.1 below.
FIG. 1
7
UPHOLSTERY – BACKREST
BACKREST FRAME
REARWHEEL – TIRE
SEAT - CUSHION
BRAKE LOCATION
CHASSIS
CASTOR FORK
FOOTREST
CALF BAND
BACKREST ATTACHMENT
QUICKRELEASE HUB
BRAKE LOCATION
PUSH RIM
OVERVIEW
8
ADJUSTMENTS
When ajusting the chair to suit your sitting position
and provide the mobility you require, it is important
that you make the following adjustments in the correct order. First, adjust the sitting position and after
that, adjust the balance of the chair according to
your mobility requirements.
The sequence is important since when you change
your sitting position you also change the balance
of the chair. Consider that the effort you put into
adapting your chair will provide long-term benefits
later on. Try out different adaptations for a few
days to make sure you really have found the best
sitting posture and balance of the chair:
1. The tension of the seat upholstery
2. The height of the footrest
3. The tension of the calf band
4. The angle of the backrest
5. The tension of the backrest upholstery
6. The balance of the wheelchair
9
ADJUSTMENTS
FIG. 4
1. TENSION OF THE SEAT UPHOLSTERY
(FIG. 3)
The rear section of the seat upholstery can be tightened or loosened by adjusting the Velcro strap underneath the seat as shown in fig. 3. This allows you
to vary your seat height by about 2 cm up or down.
2. HEIGHT OF THE FOOTREST (FIG. 4)
The footrest can be adjusted up or down. Remove
the two screws supporting the footrest on the front
of the frame as shown in fig. 4, unscrew using a
3 mm allen key. You will then be able to move the
footrest up or down to fit into one of the pre drilled
height positions. You should adjust the footrest at
a height where your thighs are supported by the
seat at the same time as your feet are supported
by the footrest.
3. TENSION OF THE CALF BAND (FIG. 5)
The tension of the calf band, see fig.5, can be
adjusted and will affect how far forward you place
your feet on the footrest. Loosen the velcro strap
and adjust to desired tension.
4. ANGLE OF THE BACKREST (FIG. 6)
The backrest has a stepless angle adjustment.
Adjust the angle of the backrest by first loosening
the lock nuts (1), see fig.6, using cap key no. 17,
and then screw the adjustment screws in or out (2)
using the 4 mm allen key. If you screw counterclockwise the backrest will tilt forward and clockwise the
backrest will tilt backwards. It is important to adjust
both sides equally to avoid the backrest tubing becoming
crooked. Test this by putting the backrest in upright
position and checking that both adjustment screws
are touching the frame. Try out suitable backrest angles
and tighten the lock nuts once you are satisfied.
FIG. 5FIG. 3
5. TENSION OF THE BACKREST
UPHOLSTERY (FIG. 7)
The backrest upholstery can be tightened or
loosened by adjusting the Velcro straps at the
back (1). The backrest upholstery also has a flap
fastened with Velcro under the seatupholstery (2).
This can be moved back or forwards to obtain the
required tension in the lower section of the back
upholstery (known as the seat bucket). By adjusting
these things you can form the lower part of the
back upholstery to suit the shape of your back and
obtain good support for your lower back. Start by
loosening the band and sit as far back in the chair
as you can. Then tighten the band to give you good
support. If it feels as though you are not sitting far
back enough in the chair it may be because the
back upholstery flap (2) is fastened too far forward
under the seat. Relax this flap and move it back.
6. BALANCING THE WHEELCHAIR (FIG. 8)
The Panthera X has a fixed rear axle so balancing
is achieved by moving the body position in relation
to the rear axle. This can be done by moving the
backrest which can be fixed in 4 different positions.
The further back you mount the backrest, the more
likely your chair will tip over backward. This means
that the chair is light at the front and you have more
weight over the rear wheels. The chair is easier
to drive and it is also easier to tip up onto the rear
wheels to negotiate curbs and steps. The chair should
not be balanced with the backrest too far back,
however, because of the danger of tipping over.
Fig. 7.
2
1
2
1
1
1
1 2 3 4
11
TRANSPORT
We would like to make it quite clear that the best
alternative for transportation in a vehicle is to
transfer from the wheelchair into a regular passenger
seat with a seatbelt.
When transporting the wheelchair in e.g. a car,
you can remove the rearwheels and fold the backrest forward. See fig. 9.
1. Remove sideguards, if available.
2. Remove cushion, if available.
3. Fold the backrest forward.
4. Remove the rearwheels by pressing the center
of the hubs and pull the wheels straight out.
See fig. 10.
To insert the wheels, press in the button and push
the axle into the hole in the casing. Then push the
wheel all the way in, release the button and pull
out to check that the wheel is securely in place
and the button springs back out.
FIG. 10FIG. 9
1
TRANSFER
Techniques for transfer must be properly practiced by qualified personnel. The methods described below are
only to be considered as important advice when transferring.
SIDEWAYS
Before transfer:
•
Back up the wheel chair 5-10 cm before
stopping it to ensure the castor wheels are turned
forward. The wheel chair should be positioned
as close to the point of transfer as possible.
•
Lock the brakes, grab the support on the side
you will be transferring from.
•
Place one hand on the far corner of the wheel
chair chassis and the other on the surface you
are transfering from.
•
Carefully and with good balance heave yourself
into till wheelchair.
IMPORTANT! Be very careful not to tip over backwards with the wheelchair when transferring.
13
MAINTENANCE
ONCE A MONTH YOU SHOULD:
1. Wipe the chair chassis over with washing-up
liquid and a damp cloth. If very dirty you can use
a degreasing agent.
2. Lubricate all moveable parts with a universal
lubricant (5-56, WD-40) after cleaning. Clean the
caster fork casing (between the wheel and the fork).
Hair and dust collect here which can damage the
bearing. Remove the wheel by loosen the screws
using allen key 4 mm. Clean the washers between
the wheel and the fork and wipe the outside of
the wheel bearing with a cloth. Drop some oil into
each bearing. Reassemble the parts.
3. Lubricate the rear wheel axles. Remove the
wheel and distribute some drops of oil over the
axle. You should do this more often if you drive in
rain, sand, salt and slush or if you rarely remove
the wheels.
4. Fill up the tyres with air. The tyres can be pumped by screwing the top off the valve and filling
with air using an appropriate valve adapter. The
tyre can take 8 bar / kg of pressure.
5. Check that all the screws and nuts are securely
fastened.
Check that the chair has not been damaged.
If damage has occurred, immediately contact
Panthera AB.
TWICE A YEAR YOU SHOULD:
1. Lubricate the joints of the brake with some drops
of oil.
2. Wash the seat upholstery, the back upholstery
and the cushion cover in 40°C machine wash when
necessary.
Your Panthera is designed to be virtually maintenance free. A few parts do require regular checking however.
(Naturally you should clean and check the chair more often if you use it in more extreme environments such
as in sand or salt water)
14
TECHNICAL FACTS
GUARANTEE AND LIFETIME
The service life of the Panthera X depends on how much
wear it is subjected to and how careful you are with maintenance.
Important!
Carbon fibre is a very strong material but sensitive to impact
and hard shocks. As an example, a fall backwards in the
wheelchair against a hard surface can cause damage to
the back frame. Damages caused by external forces are not
covered by the warranty.
External accessories such as hand bikes and fixed backrests with installation performed with clamping hardware
around the chassis tube or modifications to the chassis are
not permitted.
Avoid:
• Dropping/putting down the chassis on a hard surface
• Knocking the chair over backwards
• Scratching or eroding the carbon bre construction
Guarantee:
We offer a five year factory guarantee on the chassis. For
other parts there is a guarantee of 12 months. Maximum
userweight: 100 kg.
15
Panthera AB, Gunnebogatan 26, SE-163 53 Spånga, Sweden, Tel: +46 8 761 50 40, Fax: +46 8 621 08 10, www. panthera-x.com, panthera@panthera.se
MARKING
The CE marking and serial number are located on the
under side of the wheel chair, to the left on the chassi
joining tubes. See picture below.
The manufacturer’s contact information is located on the
under side of the wheel chair, to the left on the chassi
joining tubes. See picture below.
EAN CODE CE MARK MANUFACTURING DATE
MODEL
SERIAL NO.
MAXIMUM USER'S WEIGHT
ARTICLE NUMBER
SEAT WIDTH
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