Permobil vs User manual

USER MANUAL
UK
VS
Seat system for Power Wheelchair

Where to find Permobil
Permobil Europe Ltd.
Office 312 Britannia Office Quarter Waters Meeting Britannia Way
BL1 8SW
Bolton, United Kingdom
Tel: (+44) (0)1484 722 888
Fax: (+44) (0)1484 723 013
Email: [email protected]
The Permobil Group's Head Office
Permobil AB
Box 120
861 23 Timrå
Sverige
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-Mail: [email protected]

Produced and published by Permobil AB, Sweden
Edition no.: 5 2010-10
Item No.: 205216-UK-0
VS
Seat system for Power Wheelchair

User Manual VS Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Important information about user manual ...................................... 6
Technical support ............................................................................. 7
Spare parts and accessories ............................................................ 7
Disposal ............................................................................................ 7
Guarantee and service ..................................................................... 7
Product approval .............................................................................. 7
Safety rules and regulations ...................................................... 8-17
General introduction .......................................................................... 18
Design & Function ............................................................................. 19
Operation ........................................................................................... 24
Settings and adjustment .................................................................... 29
Arm rest ....................................................................................... 29
Chest support .............................................................................. 29
Head rest ......................................................................................30
Trunk support .............................................................................. 31
Lumbar support ........................................................................... 31
Foot plate .................................................................................... 32
Knee support ............................................................................... 34
Angle gauge ................................................................................ 34
Seat belt ...................................................................................... 35
Control panel ............................................................................... 36
Care and maintenance ...................................................................... 38
Transport ........................................................................................... 39
Technical specifications .................................................................... 41

Important information about user manual
6
User Manual VS
Important information about user manual
Congratulations on your choice of Permobil product. We will do all in our power
to ensure your continued satisfaction with our product.
Before you start using your seat and wheelchair, it is important to read and
understand the contents of this user manual and especially the section on Safety.
The user manual is primarily designed to inform you about the functions and
capabilities of your seat and to advise you on the best way of using it. It also
contains important safety and maintenance information and describes some of
the problems which might arise in use.
Always keep the user manual on or near your wheelchair as you may need to
consult its important information on use, safety and maintenance.
You can also find information on our products on our website. You will find us
on www.permobil.se.
If your seat bears a sticker with the words “Customized product”, it has been
adapted to your needs and requests. This means that design and functions may
differ from the text of this user manual, or from the design and functions of other
seats of the same type.
All information and all photographs, illustrations and specifications are based
on the product information that was available at the time this user manual was
printed. Photographs and illustrations that appear in the user manual are typical
examples and not intended to be exact depictions of different parts of the seat.
We reserve the right to make changes to the product without prior notification.

7
Technical support, guarantee, etc.User Manual VS
Technical support
In the event of technical problems, you should contact Permobil.
Always state the seats serial number when contacting Permobil to ensure that
the correct information is provided.
Spare part & accessories
Spare parts and accessories must be ordered through Permobil.
Scrapping
Contact Permobil BV for information about scrapping agreements in force.
Warranty
All wheelchairs are supplied with a two-year product guarantee. Batteries and char-
ger are supplied with one year warranty.
Incident reporting
If an incident occurs please contact your nearest Permobil representative.
Normally the same person you contacted at purchase day. To prepare this
contact there is a link on our homepage, on the internet, at www.permobil.com.
Open up your country page and the contact page. Here is the needed contact
information and a guidance document in what information we need to investigate
the incident. Complete the information as much as possible. This is of great help
for us.
To increase the product quality and to ensure that our product is safe through
the whole life cycle we need you to send in Incident Reports. It is also stated in
MEDDEV 2.12-1 and Annex 9 that the manufacturer shall “Encourage users or
those given specific responsi-bility for reporting incidents that have occurred with
medical devices and that meet the criteria within these guidelines to report the
incidents to the Manufacturer and or to the Competent Authority in accordance
with national guidance”.
To meet the requirements and to ensure that our products shall remain safe in
your hands we need your assistance. We hope you never need to use the infor-
mation on this page but if there is an incident please contact us.
Product approval
This product fulfill the requirements according to EN 1284 and ISO 7176.

8
Safety rulesUser Manual VS
Take care here.
m CAUTION
Take extra care here.
Risk of personal injury and damage to the wheelchair and its surroundings.
m WARNING
Safety rules - General
The seat is heavy and contains many moving parts and must therefore be
handled with great care. Carefully read through and follow all instructions and
warnings in this manual before using your seat/wheelchair. Faulty use could
both injure the user and damage the seat.
The user manual contains the following “warning labels” which are intended to
draw attention to situations which could lead to undesirable problems, near-
accidents, personal injury or damage to the seat etc.
Permobil accepts no liability for personal injury or damage to property which may arise
from the failure of the user or other persons to follow the recommendations, warnings
and instructions given in this user manual.
m CAUTION

Safety rules
9
User Manual VS
Safety rules - General
This seat may have been adjusted precisely to your needs on delivery, so you
should always ask the advice of the person who ordered the seat on your behalf
before making changes or adjustments to the seat. Certain adjustments may
impair the seat’s safety/functions or its suitability for your needs.
To minimize incorrect use of your seat, it is also extremely important to take the
necessary time to familiarize yourself with the seat and its accessories, the vari-
ous buttons and function or steering controls, and with the various adjustment
options etc. before starting to use it.
Do not set out alone on your first test ride, but make sure you have assistance
close by if you should need help.
To ensure that nothing has occurred to the seat during its transport to you,
please check the following before first use:
• Check that all ordered products are included in the delivery. If you suspect
anything is missing, contact your aids center or Permobil as soon as possible
for information.
• Check that no transport damage or other damage has occurred to the seat
and its accessories. If you discover any damage or if anything looks wrong in
some way, contact your handicap aids center or Permobil as soon as possible
for information before going on with your checks.

10
Safety rulesUser Manual VS
Before taking the seat into use for the first time and after adjustments or
other changes to the seat have been made, the following safety checks
must always be carried out.
- Check that all supports, for example the chest roller and knee stop, are
mounted before starting to use the chair.
- Check that all tapes on the seat are intact and correctly mounted.
m WARNING
After adjustment and other actions the following safety checks must be
carried out.
1. Check that the bolts on all actuators and articulated rod heads, see photo,
have been properly tightened.
2. Check that the stop chain is fitted to the leg rest, see photo. The screws
holding the chain must be screwed tight.
3. Check that the locking screws (1) for height adjustment on the foot plate are
tightened, see Fig. 3. Check that the two locking nuts (2) for angle adjust-
ment on the rear of the foot plate are tightened, see Fig. 3.
4. Check that the screws (4 pcs.) for the arm rest stop are properly tightened
on both sides of the seat.
m WARNING
Safety rules

11
Safety rulesUser Manual VS
Leg rest stop chain.
Arm rest stop.
Articulated rod head.
Leg rest with foot plate seen
from behind.
Safety rules
1
2

Safety rules
12
User Manual VS
Safety rules
Risk of crushing
Note that the seat is heavy and contains many moving parts, which means
there will always be some risk of crushing.
Use the seat’s electric seat functions with the greatest care. Above all: when
you have moved up to or under a table or other fixed or moveable object,
always make sure there are no items in the immediate vicinity which could
interfere with the seat’s moving parts.
Operation of seat lift
Make sure that nothing can get in between the chassis and the seat when the
seat lift is being used. Using the seat lift alters the center of gravity, which
always means an increased tipping risk. Always travel at low speeds and only
use this seat function on a level surface and not on slopes, ramps, hills or other
gradients.
Center of gravity
Note that the following factors may affect the center of gravity of the seat/
wheelchair and thus the tipping risk:
• Raising the seat lift
• Height and angle of seat
• Position or weight distribution of the body
• Travel on sloping surfaces, e.g. ramp or hill
• When wearing a rucksack or other items, depending on the extra weight.
Elevation to standing position
Elevation to standing position and operation in standing position must only be
done on a flat surface. When the chair is in elevated position, never reach out
from the chair, due the higher tipping risk.
If your wheelchair starts to move in an unexpected way, immediately let go of
the joystick to stop the wheelchair. Except in an emergency, never use the off/
on button to stop the wheelchair. This could lead to the wheelchair stopping
quickly and violently and could lead to personal injury.
m WARNING

Safety rules
13
User Manual VS
Fixing belt
Permobil’s fixing belt is only designed to hold the user in place and not as a
protection in the case of collision/accident. Check the condition of the belts
regularly in case any damage or worn places have developed.
Getting in and out of the chair
Make sure the power is OFF before getting in or out of the wheelchair and
before lifting the arm rest over the control panel. When getting in and out of
the wheelchair, you should take all safety precautions and minimise as much
as possible the gap between the wheelchair and the place to which the user
wish es to move. If this distance is made wider, it could mean the user loses
bal ance and falls over.
Permobil recommends that users get in and out with another person present to
keep an eye on the operation or to help.
Be careful when bending down or reaching out to get something.
Never use the steering lever as a gripping point or support point.
Do not use the foot plates or arm rests as supports when getting in and out
of the wheelchair. The foot plates and arm rests are not intended for bearing
heavy loads. Unnecessarily high stresses could cause them to give way, which
could result in personal injury or damage to property, including to the wheel-
chair.
m WARNING
Safety rules

14
Safety rulesUser Manual VS
Safety rules
Passengers
The seat is not designed for transporting passengers, whatever their age. Nor is
it designed for taking heavy items other than the user’s personal belongings. The
indicated maximum user weight given in this manual must not be exceeded.
Ignoring this could impair the wheelchair’s maneuverability and stability.
Use in different climates
Permobil’s seats are designed to tolerate most weather conditions, but you
should avoid exposing the seat to severe cold, persistent dampness, heavy
rain/snowfall and similar situations. If the seat is exposed to any of these, do
not use it again before it has completely dried out.
Remember also that certain surfaces on the seat may heat up or cool down
under lengthy exposure to strong sunshine or cold etc.
If any of the seat enclosures or the control panel case show signs of cracking
etc., they should be replaced so no moisture can penetrate and damage the
electronics.
m WARNING

15
Safety rulesUser Manual VS
Safety rules
Transport
The wheelchair must only be transported in vehicles approved for this purpose.
Always ask for confirmation of the transporter that the vehicle is suitable desig-
ned, insured and equipped to transport a person in a wheelchair. A wheelchair
is not designed as a car seat and cannot offer the same degree of safety that
is offered by standard car seats, no matter how securely it has been fastened
in the vehicle concerned.
Carefully check that the wheelchair is properly fixed and that the break release
has not been activated (the wheelchair drive wheels must be locked). The
wheelchair can be locked in position with loading straps from the transport
eyes at the front and rear, marked with yellow stickers, or by using a Permolock
locking system.
If the wheelchair needs to be transported with the user seated in it, be sure to
use an approved attachment system suitable for the total weight of the wheel-
chair to secure the wheelchair.
• The wheelchair can be fastened by securing it to the tie-down points on the
wheelchair’s chassis or in the Permolock locking system. The wheelchair
must not be secured onto any accessorie.
• Permobil recommends that the wheelchair be equipped with a headrest
and that this is used during transportation.
• During transportation, it is essential that you are secured with a three-point
safety belt that is attached to the floor and a side of the vehicle.
• A lap strap attached to the wheelchair only serves to keep the person in an
upright position and cannot be considered on par with a car safety belt.
m WARNING

16
Safety rulesUser Manual VS
Safety rules
Maintenance and service
Carry out only the service and maintenance activities noted in this user manu-
al. All other servicing, alterations and changes to the seat and its accessories
must be carried out by a competent servicing engineer or person with sufficient
knowledge to give a competent result. In case of doubt always contact a com-
petent servicing engineer or Permobil.
The power supply must always be interrupted for all work or servicing on the
seat’s electrical system. Read more on how you can do this in your wheelchair
user instructions (chassis manual).
Use only spare parts or accessories approved or recommended by Permobil.
All other use could lead to changes which might impair the function and safety
of the seat. It could also lead to the guarantee on your seat becoming invalid.
Note that the seat is heavy and contains many moving parts, which means
there will always be some risk of crushing.
m WARNING

17
Safety rulesUser Manual VS
Safety rules
Storage
Never store the seat and its accessories in areas subject to condensation
(vapor or moisture on surfaces), e.g. utility rooms or similar.
If you are unsure how best to store the wheelchair, contact your supplier or
Permobil for information.
Damage/breakdowns to the seat and its accessories
If you start noticing that the seat and its various functions are not behaving as
expected, or if you suspect anything is wrong, stop your test drive as soon as
possible, turn off the wheelchair and contact your aid center or Permobil for
information.
It is most important that Permobil is informed that the chair and its accessor ies
have been damaged during transport, during driving or for some other reason
as soon as possible after the damage has occurred. There could be a risk that
the seat and its accessories can no longer be operated safely and without
danger.
m WARNING

18
General introductionUser Manual VS
General introduction
The VS seat is designed to give wheelchair users extra freedom of movement, but
it can also be used as a rehabilitation aid. The seat is controlled from the control
panels for the wheelchair and seat. If the seat has the standing operation function,
the chair may be operated at reduced speed with the seat in the standing position.
Elevation to standing position must only be done on flat surfaces. When the chair is in
elevated position, never reach out from the chair, due the higher tipping risk.
m WARNING
Travel in standing position must only be done on flat surfaces.
m WARNING

19
Design and functionUser Manual VS
VS
Design and function
General
The seat consists of a seat frame with seat and back rest, arm rest and leg rest.
To facilitate use of the elevation function it is also fitted with knee, calf and chest
supports.
The photo shows the seat detached from the chassis.
VS
1. Head Rest (accessory)
2. Control panel
3. Trunk support
4. Seat cushion
5. Knee support
6. Foot plate
7. Back cushion
8. Chest support
9. Arm rest
2
4
1
5
3
8
9
6
7

20
Design and functionUser Manual VS
Design and function
Control panel
The seat’s electrical functions are controlled from the control panel. The control
system may be in the form of conventional push buttons or may have toggle
switches for those users who find these easier to maneuver. The toggle switch
is moved forward to operate the front button and back to operate the rear button.
The functions of the control panel are here described when fitted with conven-
tional push buttons, but the functions are the same whatever the design of the
control system.
Each control switch can have two functions, and the symbol for the active fun-
ction will light up. Functions are changed using the shift function, see adjoining
page.
The number of available functions will vary depending on how your wheelchair and seat are
e quipped.
m CAUTION
Seat control panel.