iPAD HOLDER FOR BUGGY
Our client is a young boy with cerebral palsy. He loves his Apple iPad and his mum and dad asked
us if we could find a way of attaching it to his special supportive buggy (an R82 Stingray) to help keep him occupied when they were
out and about with him.
The handle tubing on this type of chair is elliptical in cross section, so no normal tube clamp
would fit it. Also, the chair is loaned so permanent modifications were not possible.
The solution comprises an aluminium crossbar
with two custom clamps, and an adjustable easel to hold the iPad itself.
We used Polymorph (low temperature thermoplastic granules) to take a moulding of one side of the tube. This was used as a basis for
a custom tube clamp. Note the ends of the clamp dipped in rubberised paint to prevent scratching of the frame when the rail is put
on/off, and the use of heat-shrink sleeve for the same purpose.
Detail of the spring loaded clamp for the iPad. This is also dipped in rubberised paint to avoid it marking or catching anything.
Aluminium channel was welded up at both ends to form a trough in which the iPad sits. The iPad itself is in a rubber cover. The outer
surfaces of the channel were covered in foam to avoid any sharp edges when the easel is in the forward position (the easel itself
has a reversible mounting point which can bring the iPad forward for touch screen use).
With the easel in the back position for comfortable viewing of Fireman Sam!
With the easel in the forward position to play Itsy Bitzy Spider!
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT HOLDER FOR BUGGY
A follow on project was to come up with a solution to hold some medical equipment
under the buggy.
Placing the equipment in the luggage net under the the buggy meant it could move around, when it needed to
be kept reasonably upright, and the equipment was a bit too heavy as well.
Our solution was to introduce a cross bar,
from which hinged clamps could be attached. These were fixed to a rectangular waste bin purchased for the purpose, which we cut down
to the right size to accomodate the equipment. The bottom of the bin was attached to the front of the buggy via an adjustable webbing
strap and release buckle, so the angle can be changed and also the bin can be easily removed.
The problem: Equipment can slide down in the luggage net.
Bin fitted to the new crossbar, and showing hand wheels under the clamps which can be undone to remove the bin.
Equipment shown in place.