The Front Mounted Drinking System is the most flexible of the drinking
systems offered by Mealtime Partners. This is possible because it
is a configuration of three components that are all adaptable: the Wheelchair Clamp, the Flex Arm, and the Cup Holder. The Front Mounted
Drinking System is fundamentally a very versatile drink
holder that can accommodate a variety of cups, cans, or bottles. It allows
the drink to be held such that the drink tube (or straw) is very near
the user's mouth. Thus the user can take a drink without using their
hands with only a small amount of neck or upper body movement.
Because the Clamp can be attached almost anywhere on the wheelchair
and the Flex Arm can be bent to hold the Cup Holder in the desired
position, the Front Mounted Drinking System becomes a semi-custom
drinking system for each user.
Figure 1 below shows the Front Mounted Drinking System with a
24-inch Flex Arm mounted to the lower vertical support tubing of the
wheelchair. The clamp is oriented horizontally on the tube. (The
Front Mounted Drinking System can
be purchased with 6-inch, 12-inch, 18-inch, 24-inch, or a 30-inch
Flex Arm, as required to suit the needs of the user.)
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| Figure 1 - Front Mounted Drinking
Systems Attached to Wheelchair |
To better understand how this system can be configured to accommodate the
diverse needs of users, the three components used in the Front
Mounted Drinking System will be discussed below.
The Wheelchair Clamp
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| Figure 2 - Photograph of the MtP Wheelchair Clamp |
The Wheelchair Clamp, shown in Figure 2, can be attached to round
(i.e., tubular), or square surfaces. The opening can accommodate
round objects ranging from 3/8 inch to 1-1/4 inches in diameter, and
flat objects from 3/8 inch to 1 3/4 inches in diameter. This allows
it to be attached to a variety of structural parts on a wheelchair
frame, a bed rail, or a table top. And
it can be clamped to both vertical and horizontal tubular or square
rails. An integral part of the Wheelchair Clamp is its attachment
holder which is opened and closed using a thumb screw. The built in
attachment holder can hold shafts from 11/16 inch to 7/8 inch. For
the Front Mounted Drinking System that is pictured above, this
attachment holder with associated Thumbscrew facilitates holding the
Flex Arm securely in position.
The photographs in Figure 3 show examples of different locations and
orientations that the Flex Arm can be mounted on a wheelchair using
the Wheelchair Clamp.
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| Figure 3 - Examples of
Methods of Attaching the Front Mounted
Drinking System to a Wheelchair |
The Front Mounted Drinking System can also be mounted on a table top
as shown in Figure 4 for users who do not wish to have their drink
attached to their wheelchair but would rather roll up to the table
and take a drink.
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| Figure 4 - The Front Mounted
Drinking System can also be attached to a table. |
If the built-in attachment holder does not orient the flex arm in the
desired direction for the user, or the user would like to attach two items
(like a Flex Arm and a Flex Tube), a separate Attachment Holder can
be added to the Wheelchair Clamp.
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| The MtP Wheelchair Clamp Attachment Holder |
Attachment Holder Attached to Clamp |
More ways for attaching the Attachment
Holder |
| Figure 5 |
The Attachment Holder, pictured in Figure 5, can be oriented
vertically or horizontally in relation to the Wheelchair Clamp and
can be attached to either side of the Clamp. In the picture of the
Front Mounted Drinking System attached to the edge of a table (Fig.
4), the built-in Attachment Holder is being used. However, had there
been a need for the Flex Arm to extend vertically from the clamp,
an auxiliary Attachment Holder could have been added to accommodate
this positioning.
The Attachment Holder adds an additional value to the Wheelchair Clamp
by allowing a second piece of equipment to be mounted using the
clamp. The first piece of equipment can be held in position using
the integral attachment holder and the second can be connected to
the clamp using the auxiliary Attachment Holder. Examples of
equipment that might be mounted simultaneously in this way are a
Front Mounted Drinking System and a Sip N Puff control, or a
Hydration Backpack with Drink Tube Positioning and an adaptive switch
mount.
The Flex Arm
Mealtime Partners uses custom Flex Arms in many of their product
assemblies. These Flex Arms are heavy duty, spring steel arms that
have been chosen for their durability and capacity to maintain their
position once they are positioned. Flex Arm (often referred to as
flexible gooseneck tubing) can support an object and hold it in
position. It is adjustable and can be re-positioned by bending. It
is very rigid and will stay put after being re-positioned. The ends
of the Flex Arm are solid shafts that are around 0.8-inch in
diameter and 1-inch long so they can be clamped onto. Also, each end has
a threaded hole (1/4"-20 thread), so objects can be screwed to it.
Flex Arms are available in various lengths to accommodate different
purposes. Currently Mealtime Partners provides products utilizing
Flex Arms ranging from 6 inches in length to 30 inches in 6 inch
increments.
The Cup Holder
The final essential component of the Front Mounted Drinking System is
the Cup Holder. The Cup Holder attaches to the end of the Flex Arm
and can be oriented in two directions, vertically or horizontally,
as shown in Figure 6. Additionally, it should be noted that the
Cup Holder has a cutout to accommodate the handle of a mug.
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| Figure 6 - Cup Holders with
attachment bracket mounted both horizontally and vertically. |
The Cup Holder can accommodate a wide variety of drink containers
ranging from standard 12 oz. cans and coffee cups to larger plastic
cups as shown in Figure 7.
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| A Plastic Cup |
A Water Bottle in a Koozie |
A Coffee Cup |
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| A Soft Drink in a Koozie |
A Small Plastic Cup in a Koozie |
A Sports Bottle with a Drink Tube |
| Figure 7 - Front Mounted
Drinking System Cup Holder - Holding Various Containers |
A Koozie (which is provided with the Front Mounted Drinking System) can be inserted into the Cup Holder to position smaller cups
snuggly (and to keep items hot or cold). Simply add a straw to the container
and the drink is available.
In summary, the versatility of this drinking system allows it to be
configured to meet the needs of a wide variety of users and make
hydration easy and comfortable, even for individuals who lack the
use of arms and/or hands. It requires the least suction of any
drinking system currently available and is the easiest to clean
because it can accommodate drink containers and straws that are
disposable, or cups and bottles that can easily be removed and
washed. Because of the previously described versatility of the
components of the Front Mounted Drinking System, the
Wheelchair Clamp and the
Wheelchair Clamp Attachment Holder
can now be purchased from Mealtime Partners as separate parts. The
Wheelchair Clamp can support shafts, rods,
and tubes from 3/8" to 1-1/4" diameter. The Wheelchair Clamp
built-in attachment holder and the auxiliary Wheelchair Clamp
Attachment Holder can support shafts, rods, and tubes from 11/16" to
7/8" in diameter. Using the
Wheelchair Clamp and metal shafts or PVC pipes and other PVC parts
(like elbows, T's, etc.) that are readily available from your local
hardware store (Lowes, Home Depot, Ace, etc.), custom mounting
systems can be readily constructed that will hold almost any item. For detailed information
about these items or to purchase, click on the following links:
Wheelchair Clamp,
Wheelchair Clamp Attachment Holder.
When choosing any equipment, the abilities of the person who will use
it should be thoroughly evaluated prior to selecting the specific
equipment. When deciding which Front Mounted Drinking System to
purchase, the factors that should be considered are the user’s
ability to suck and the type of straw that they are comfortable
drinking through. Whether the person is able to drink safely with
their head turned to the left or right, or if they need to have
their head facing forward and positioned to produce a chin-tuck,
should also be considered. Next the range of movement that the
person is comfortable moving their head, neck and trunk should be
assessed. For example, if they can move their head and shoulders
forward six inches, or if they have good lateral head movement (side
to side) but can only move their head forward two inches, etc. This
provides the necessary information to locate how far away from the
individual’s mouth the cup holder can be placed. To determine this,
measure from where the person’s lower lip is when they are in the
“ready to drink” position, and then add the length of the straw.
Next, subtract three inches from this length to determine the
distance that the cup holder should be from the person’s mouth.
Using this information, decide where the cup holder can be
located relative to the person’s forward facing position. If a chin
tuck is required, the Cup Holder should be positioned in front of
the user. But, if the person is able to move their head to the left
or right and still safely swallow liquids, then the cup hold can be
positioned left or right of their body’s mid-line, moving it
somewhat out of their way.
The most appropriate location to clamp to the wheelchair can be
determined once the Cup Holder’s position is known. Each wheelchair,
and the person sitting in it is different so this is a judgment call
based on observing what parts of the wheelchair that can be clamped
to that do not interfere with the person’s body, arms, hands, and
legs. In many cases it is quite obvious where the clamp should be
attached to the wheelchair, but in some cases it is not as easy. If
no obvious locations are found begin the search for the best sight
by looking at the chair from the top to the bottom. Could the clamp
be attached to one of the handles of the wheelchair without
interfering with the user?
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| Figure 8
- The Cup Holder is Positioned to Facilitate
the User Producing a Chin Tuck |
The next step is to measure
the distance from the handle to where the cup holder sight will be
(as established above). Always allow plenty of room to curve the
Flex-arm in a way that will not touch or impede the person in the
chair. Flex Arms are provided in various lengths in six inches
increments. When choosing the appropriate Flex Arm, always select
the next longest length from the measurement you have taken. A
little extra bend can remove any excess length.
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| Figure 9A
- For Individuals who have significant range of
motion the cup holder can be positioned farther from their
mouth. |
Figure 9B - 24-Inch Flex Arm Positions the Cup Holder
Comfortably In Front of the User.
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Another example of determining the length of the Flex Arm is for a
clamp site on the front of the wheelchair. When considering
locations around the wheels or brake, make sure that the clamp will
not interfere with them. Also, make sure that the clamp does not
stick out from the side of the wheelchair and get in the way of
going through doors, etc. Once the clamp location is selected
measure from that location to where the cup holder will be, add
enough length to curve the Flex Arm to position the cup holder and
then select the appropriate length Flex Arm.
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| Figure 10 - Front Mounted
Drinking System with 30-Inch Flex Arm Clamped to the Front of the
Wheelchair |
The Drink Holder can
accommodate large cups and mugs, and, using the provided Koozie, can
also accommodate standard 12 oz. soft drink bottles and cans. Some photographs of
different cups and bottles in the Cup Holder can be seen earlier in
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It is always advisable to use a drinking container that has a lid.
This provides two advantages. It reduces the risk of spillage should
the cup holder get knocked, and it helps to hold the straw in a
stable position for the user to easily access it.
This drinking system, by its nature, is positioned directly or
partially in front of the user. Because of its close proximity to
the user it is generally advisable to take it off of the wheelchair
when the user wishes to get in or out of the chair. To facilitate
this being quick and easy, the wheelchair clamp that comes with the
Front Mounted Drinking System can easily be released and reattached.
No tools are needed. The same comment applies to removing and
reinstalling the Flex Arm from the Wheelchair Clamp.
This page last
updated 12-26-18.