Sunrise Medical has launched the QUICKIE QS5 X, an ultralightweight folding wheelchair available with multiple frame angles and two frame versions — swing-away or fixed-front.
In a Nov. 12 news announcement, Sunrise said the QS5 X “sets the new standard for ease and efficiency. With the innovative FreeFold design, enjoy over 40% energy savings with every fold.”
Offered as a no-charge option, the Fold-n-Lock feature “conveniently keeps the chair securely folded with a simple click,” the announcement added. “There is no need to hold it closed while lifting or storing. The folded chair stands solidly on the ground while folded — a real benefit for transporting.”
The QS5 X weighs 16 lbs. (fixed-front frame) or 16.5 lbs. (swing-away frame). “It is the lightest aluminum box frame wheelchair on the market, making it easiest to lift, handle and transport,” the announcement said. “The combination of various proprietary manufacturing processes and technologies signature to Sunrise Medical — such as specially heat-treated 7000-series aluminum, ovalized tubes, and forged parts, to name a few — all result in creating unmatched strength, rigidity and extra responsiveness for the QS5 X frames. This allows for a more efficient energy transfer from the rider to the wheels, enabling longer rides with less fatigue.”
Other features include touch points on the caster link for gripping the chair during transport; patented caster links to ensure straight tracking; and LED lights integrated into the design.
Sunrise Medical’s 3D Visualizer, accessible on the manufacturer’s website, allows clinicians and wheelchair riders to configure the QS5 X virtually, a process that “helps everyone on the team get a better understanding of exactly what a specific feature or option looks like. Not to mention ensuring the rider knows how the chair will look aesthetically.”
“Transportation is crucial for wheelchair riders,” said Bernd Krebs, Sunrise Medical’s chief technology officer. “Being able to easily load and unload their wheelchairs means maintaining or regaining their independence, and we strive to protect their strained shoulders. This is why we are constantly pushing the limits of technology to reduce any product weight wherever possible while increasing the rider’s energy efficiency. This allows the QS5 X to fold, unfold, and roll smoothly with the least energy required from the riders. We have applied the latest material science with the highly innovative FreeFold cross brace design to QS5 X, which makes it a game changer for anyone who values independence, performance, and ease of use.”
The QS5 X is available in seat widths and depths of 13 to 20 inches. Front seat-to-floor heights measure 14 to 22 inches; rear seat-to-floor heights measure 14 to 20 inches. The chair has center-of-gravity adjustment of 1 to 3 inches, and has a weight capacity of 300 lbs.