Wheelchair switch tray

Chloe is 8 years old and has cerebral palsy. To teach her communication skills her school required a means of positioning a 4-way switch plate onto her wheelchair. The switches were connected to a suitable box of “electronics” provided by the school.

The tray supplied by the local “wheelchair services” was unsuitable for use, it being unstable and too small.

A new tray was manufactured from 6mm MDF sheeting and fixed by means of a steel frame to spigots on the wheelchair arms. To facilitate removing Chloe from her chair, the upper fixings were simple slotted plates, the lower ones being a fork form with pinch screws to secure the tray. By this means the tray could be fitted or removed without the need for any tools and once fitted formed a stable and rigid structure.

The switches were mounted onto a curved piece of MDF which had a high friction rubber compound glued to its underside. Once placed in a suitable position the friction compound prevented the switch assembly sliding whilst in use.

Chloe now has a suitably large working surface and can have her switch positions readily optimised to suit her abilities.