초록 ▼

An improved chin controller system, for controlling a motor-driven wheelchair or the like, comprises an elongated control arm which extends unobtrusively to a location adjacent to occupant\s chin and there supports an actuator mechanism, designed with very low profile to present minimum obstruction

An improved chin controller system, for controlling a motor-driven wheelchair or the like, comprises an elongated control arm which extends unobtrusively to a location adjacent to occupant\s chin and there supports an actuator mechanism, designed with very low profile to present minimum obstruction in front of the user-patient\s face. The controller unit is designed so that when not in use, the user may readily move the controller to one side. The actuator carried on the control arm is engageable by the underside of the user\s chin and may be moved vertically (depressed) to provide proportional speed control of the wheelchair, and laterally (from side-to-side) in a horizontal plane, to provide proportional left/right steering control. The actuator also comprises means enabling the user to select the desired forward or reverse direction of travel for the wheelchair and also to select between different drive torque levels for the drive motors. Control circuitry responds to the movement of the control arm and develops proportionate speed/steering control voltage signals which are processed and interfaced to the drive motors of commercially available powered wheelchair units to control the wheelchair in accordance with the command chin movements of the patient. The proportionate speed/steering command movements of the chin-operated control arm are sensed either optically or by potentiometers mechanically linked to the control arm movements; whereas, the simple two-state switching functions are sensed by microswitches or the like responsive to control arm movement/user actuation. The electronic control circuitry of the chin-operator control system includes suitable interlock provision so that forward/reverse direction selection can be altered only when the wheelchair is at rest and, moreover, the wheelchair steering control is correlated with speed control in order to affectuate smooth turning of the wheelchair.

대표청구항 ▼

An improved controller system for enabling a person with limited mobility to control, by movements of a selected body portion, the drive motor means of a powered wheelchair or the like in order to control the speed and steering of the wheelchair, said improved controller system comprising, in combin

An improved controller system for enabling a person with limited mobility to control, by movements of a selected body portion, the drive motor means of a powered wheelchair or the like in order to control the speed and steering of the wheelchair, said improved controller system comprising, in combination: a control arm having one end mounted for pivotal movement in both horizontal and vertical directions and having its opposite end extending to a location engageable by the selected body portion of a person occupying the wheelchair, the extending end of said control arm being simultaneously depressable vertically and swingable horizontally from side to side by the movements of said body portion, and drive motor control means responsive to the vertical and horizontal movements of said control arm and operably connected to the drive motor means for controlling the speed of the wheelchair to vary in proportion to the vertical depression of said control arm and the left-right steering of the wheelchair to vary in proportion to the amount said control arm is swung sideways relative to a predetermined center position, said drive motor control means comprising optical means for detecting pivotal movement of said control arm in both vertical and horizontal direction and producing speed and steering control signals in proportion thereto respectively for said drive motor means.