"Kneeling" cupboards for wheelchair users.

Jethro_uk · 2016-08-22T16:14:17+00:00

SWMBO is pretty much full time in the wheelchair now, so some changes are needed to make life easy. There is a problem in that a lot of adaptations then make life shitty for the able bodied - low surfaces & backache for example. Anyway, looking at the kitchen, the biggest single improvement would be to reclaim the (currently wasted) cupboards which are above wheelchair height. It struck me that if there was some sort of mechanism that an *existing cupboard* could be mounted into which allowed a wheelchair user to pull, and would slowly descend until it was at worksurface height, then the kitchen becomes quite accessible for both again. Such a mechanism would also have to move slightly clear of the wall to avoid fouling powerpoints and anything mounted on the wall under the cupboard. Having pondered what's needed, I believe I can confidently state it doesn't exist in any country in the world ... ? So how would people here start ? My thoughts involve using long drawer runners in conjunction with some sort of pantograph which would fix to the wall and allow a cupboard to be mounted. The biggest question/problem is how to engineer it so a slight pull brings it down, and a slight push puts it back ?

Aug 22, 2016 23 Replies

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GB 9 years ago

If you feel the designs are so bad, surely there's an enormous business opportunity there?

Surely making the seat of the wheel chair go up makes more sense than raising the whole floor?

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tabbypurr 9 years ago

I bet there's opportunity. Hardly an enormous sector though.

It has its up & down sides :)

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GB 9 years ago

That's the problem. And lots of independent retailers with massive mark-ups.

That's better than most of the jokes in the top 10 from the Edinburgh Fringe.

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Capitol 9 years ago

IIRC Super jack made them for satellite dish movement. I have a number which are use to motorise Ottoman beds.

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