초록 ▼

A wheelchair having a structural frame, a first pair of front, ground-engaging wheels and a pair of fixed drive wheel assemblies, each including a hub is provided. The invention further includes a free floating handle or lever arm rotatably attached to at least one of the drive wheel assemblies. The

A wheelchair having a structural frame, a first pair of front, ground-engaging wheels and a pair of fixed drive wheel assemblies, each including a hub is provided. The invention further includes a free floating handle or lever arm rotatably attached to at least one of the drive wheel assemblies. The lever arm engages the hub of each wheel drive assembly through the use of a friction engagement system, thereby enabling propulsive forces to be exerted on the wheelchair to propel the wheelchair in either a forward or rearward direction. The leverage thereby obtained is not limited by the radius of the wheel rim and the amount of leverage desired may be controlled by the user simply by placing the user\s grasp at various locations along the lever arm. The lever arm and friction engagement system may also serve as a braking system for the wheelchair.

대표청구항 ▼

A wheelchair, comprising: a structural frame, including a chassis, a seat and a back rest; a pair of front wheels attached to the chassis and positioned below the seat; a pair of drive wheel assemblies mounted on the chassis on each side of the seat for independent rotation about a horizontal axis,

A wheelchair, comprising: a structural frame, including a chassis, a seat and a back rest; a pair of front wheels attached to the chassis and positioned below the seat; a pair of drive wheel assemblies mounted on the chassis on each side of the seat for independent rotation about a horizontal axis, each drive wheel assembly including a wheel rim and a hub having an axle; a drum having a diameter smaller than the wheel rim attached to the hub of at least one drive wheel assembly and fixed statically thereto, the drum defining a first laterally facing contact surface; an arm including a pad having a second laterally facing contact surface for frictionally engaging the first contact surface of the drum; and means for rotatably supporting the arm on the axle of the drive wheel assembly and including pivot means for enabling the arm to be moved between first and second lateral positions; wherein when the arm pivots from the first to the second lateral position, the second contact surface of the pad frictionally engages the first contact surface of the drum to enable a person seated in the wheelchair (i) to propel the drive wheel assemblies forward using the frictional forces between the first and second contact surfaces by rotating the arm in a first direction, (ii) to propel the drive wheel assemblies backwards using the frictional forces between the first and second contact surfaces by rotating the arm in a second direction or (iii) to brake the wheelchair using the frictional forces between the first and second contact surfaces.