A center-of-gravity tilt-in-space wheelchair includes a base, a seat for supporting an occupant, and tracks supporting the seat for selective seat movement relative to the base. Wheels are adapted to support the base relative to a supporting surface. The tracks serve as rolling or sliding surfaces t
A center-of-gravity tilt-in-space wheelchair includes a base, a seat for supporting an occupant, and tracks supporting the seat for selective seat movement relative to the base. Wheels are adapted to support the base relative to a supporting surface. The tracks serve as rolling or sliding surfaces that allow the seat to rotate with respect to the base. Each track has a constant-radius arc with a focal point that is adapted to be coincident with the center of gravity of the wheelchair occupant. A low-friction supports the base relative to the seat. The low-friction support may include low friction elements that mate with the tracks to support for the tracks. The support can be adjustable to permit the overall tilt angle range of the tracks to be adjusted. The wheelchair seat can be adjusted to maintain the focal point of the constant-radius arc of the tracks coincident with the center of gravity of the wheelchair occupant. The front and rear wheels can be adjusted fore and aft relative to the focal point. A coupling includes plates having upper ends operatively attached to one another with seat canes therebetween and lower ends releasably attached relative to the side tubes. The lower ends can be movable in a longitudinal direction relative to the side tubes while remaining operatively connected to the side tubes. A base frame can include side frames having an offset at a front end and a caster housing supported by the offset. The offset is directed up to minimize the height of the side frames and down to maximize the height.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. A wheelchair comprising: a base; a plurality of wheels that are adapted to support the base relative to a supporting surface; a seat for supporting an occupant; and one or more tracks supporting the seat, the one or more tracks serving as a rolling or sliding surface that all
What is claimed is: 1. A wheelchair comprising: a base; a plurality of wheels that are adapted to support the base relative to a supporting surface; a seat for supporting an occupant; and one or more tracks supporting the seat, the one or more tracks serving as a rolling or sliding surface that allows the seat to rotate with respect to the base, the one or more tracks having a substantially constant-radius arc with a focal point that is adapted to be substantially coincident with the center of gravity of the wheelchair occupant. 2. A wheelchair according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of wheels comprises front and rear wheels that are adjustable fore and aft relative to the focal point so that the distance between the front and rear wheels can be shortened or lengthened. 3. A wheelchair according to claim 1 further comprising a low friction support assembly supporting the seat relative to the base, the low friction support assembly being adjustable to change an overall range of seat tilt by fixing the low friction support assembly to the base at different angular orientations. 4. A wheelchair according to claim 1 further comprising a low friction support assembly comprising one or more rollers that support each of the one or more tracks so that the one or more tracks are free to rotate in a direction of rotation upon the one or more rollers but are otherwise constrained by the rollers from moving traverse to the direction of rotation. 5. A wheelchair according to claim 4 wherein the one or more tracks and the corresponding one or more rollers each has at least a portion thereof that has a mating cross-sectional contour that prevents transverse movement of the rollers. 6. A wheelchair according to claim 1 wherein the seat is an element of an adjustable seating system that allows the center of gravity of a wheelchair occupant to be moved fore and aft in order to locate the center of gravity at the focal point of the substantially constant-radius arc. 7. A wheelchair according to claim 6 wherein the adjustable seating system comprises a seat frame that, in addition to the seat, includes a backrest and a footrest assembly, all of which are adapted to be adjusted fore and aft with respect to the focal point. 8. A wheelchair comprising: a base; a plurality of wheels that are adapted to support the base relative to a supporting surface; a seat for supporting an occupant; one or more tracks supporting the seat, the one or more tracks serving as a rolling or sliding surface that allows the seat to rotate with respect to the base, the one or more tracks having a substantially constant-radius arc with a focal point that is adapted to be substantially coincident with the center of gravity of the wheelchair occupant; and a motor operatively connected between the base and the seat so that the seat can be rotated about the center of gravity of a wheelchair occupant. 9. A wheelchair according to claim 1 further comprising motors operatively connected to one or more of the plurality of wheels for driving the wheels operatively connected thereto. 10. A wheelchair comprising: a base; front and rear wheels that are adapted to support the base relative to a supporting surface; a seat for supporting an occupant; and one or more tracks supporting the seat, the one or more tracks serving as a rolling or sliding surface that allows the seat to rotate with respect to the base, the one or more tracks having a substantially constant-radius arc with a focal point that is adapted to be substantially coincident with the center of gravity of the wheelchair occupant, wherein the one or more tracks are adjustable fore and aft with respect to the base and the front and rear wheels so that the position of the focal point relative to the front and rear wheels may be changed. 11. A wheelchair comprising: a base; a plurality of wheels that are adapted to support the base relative to a supporting surface; a seat for supporting an occupant; one or more tracks supporting the seat, the one or more tracks serving as a rolling or sliding surface that allows the seat to rotate with respect to the base, the one or more tracks having a substantially constant-radius arc with a focal point that is adapted to be substantially coincident with the center of gravity of the wheelchair occupant; and one or more protrusions that are adapted to be engaged with one or more recesses in the one or more tracks so that the protrusions enter the recesses to lock the tracks into an angular position and are adapted to be retracted from the recesses so that the seat can be rotated to a different tilt angle relative to the base. 12. A wheelchair comprising: a base; a plurality of wheels that are adapted to support the base relative to a supporting surface; a seat for supporting an occupant; and one or more curved tubes supporting the seat, the one or more tubes serving as a rolling or sliding surface that allows the seat to rotate with respect to the base, the one or more tubes having a substantially constant-radius arc with a focal point that is adapted to be substantially coincident with the center of gravity of the wheelchair occupant. 13. A wheelchair according to claim 12 further comprising pivoting plates with holes therein situated about each of the one or more curved tubes, the holes being slightly larger than the diameter of the tube so that the tube can pass freely through the plates when the plates are pivoted so that axes of the holes are aligned with the arc of the tube and so that the tube is prevented from passing through the plates when the plates are pivoted so that the axes of the holes are not aligned with the arc of the tube. 14. A wheelchair comprising: a base; a plurality of wheels that are adapted to support the base relative to a supporting surface; an adjustable seating system for supporting an occupant, the adjustable seating system including a seat, a backrest, and a footrest assembly, the seat comprising a seat frame that further comprises laterally spaced side tubes and the backrest comprising laterally spaced canes supported relative to the side tubes by couplings, the couplings including an assembly of plates having upper ends operatively attached to one another and lower ends attached to the side tubes so that the lower ends of the plates can move relative to the side tubes while remaining operatively connected to the side tubes; and one or more tracks supporting the seat assembly, the one or more tracks serving as a rolling or sliding surface that allows the seat to rotate with respect to the base, the one or more tracks having a substantially constant-radius arc with a focal point that is adapted to be substantially coincident with the center of gravity of the wheelchair occupant, the seat, the backrest, and the footrest assembly being adjusted fore and aft with respect to the focal point. 15. A wheelchair comprising: a base; a plurality of wheels that are adapted to support the base relative to a supporting surface; a seat; one or more tracks located between the base and the seat, the one or more tracks having a constant-radius arc supporting the seat for movement in fore and aft directions relative to the base; and a low friction support supported by one of either the base or the seat, the low friction support comprising low friction elements that mate with the one or more tracks to provide sole support for the one or more tracks. 16. A wheelchair comprising: a base; a plurality of wheels that are adapted to support the base relative to a supporting surface; a seat; one or more tracks having a constant-radius arc supporting the seat for movement relative to the base; and a low friction support assembly supported by one of either the base or the seat, the support permitting an overall tilt angle range of the seat to be adjusted. 17. A wheelchair according to claim 16 wherein the low friction support assembly is a carriage supported by one of either the base or the seat, the carriage being angularly adjustable in a vertical plane relative to the base or the seat to permit the overall tilt angle range of the seat to be adjusted. 18. A wheelchair comprising: a base; a plurality of wheels that are adapted to support the base relative to a supporting surface; a seat for supporting an occupant; one or more tracks supporting the seat, the one or more tracks having a constant-radius arc with a focal point that is adapted to be coincident with the center of gravity of a wheelchair occupant; and the wheelchair seat being structured to be adjusted while maintaining the focal point of the constant-radius arc of the one or more tracks coincident with the center of gravity of the wheelchair occupant. 19. A wheelchair according to claim 18 wherein the seat has a depth that is measured in a fore and aft direction and the seat is structured to permit the seat depth to be adjusted. 20. A wheelchair according to claim 19 wherein the seat has a seat back that is adjustable fore and aft. 21. A wheelchair according to claim 19 wherein the seat has leg rests that are adjustable fore and aft. 22. A wheelchair according to claim 18 wherein the seat is adjustable fore and aft relative to the base. 23. A wheelchair according to claim 18 wherein the seat has a surface for supporting the occupant and the surface is adjustable in height. 24. A wheelchair comprising: a base; a plurality of wheels that are adapted to support the base relative to a supporting surface; a seat for supporting an occupant; and one or more tracks supporting the seat, the one or more tracks serving as a rolling or sliding surface that allows the seat to rotate in fore and aft directions with respect to the base, the one or more tracks having a substantially constant-radius arc with a focal point that is adapted to be substantially coincident with the center of gravity of the wheelchair occupant. 25. A wheelchair comprising: a base; a plurality of wheels that are adapted to support the base relative to a supporting surface; a seat; one or more tracks having a substantially constant-radius arc having a focal point, the constant-radius arc supporting the seat for tilt movement in fore and aft directions relative to the base over a range of tilt angles; and a low friction support assembly supported by one of either the base or the seat, the support assembly being adjustable to permit the range of tilt angles to be rotated relative to the focal point. 26. A wheelchair comprising: a base; a plurality of wheels adapted to support the base; a seat for supporting an occupant; one or more arcuate tracks supporting the seat and operatively associated with the seat to permit rotation of the seat relative to the base; and the seat being horizontally adjustable to permit fore and aft positioning of the occupant's center of gravity relative to the one or more arcuate tracks. 27. A wheelchair according to claim 26 wherein the one or more arcuate tracks comprises a constant-radius arc with a focal point, and the seat may be adjusted to locate the occupant's center of gravity in substantial fore/aft alignment with the focal point of the one or more arcuate tracks. 28. A wheelchair according to claim 26 wherein the one or more arcuate tracks comprise the sole track support for the seat relative to the base. 29. A wheelchair according to claim 26 wherein the seat includes a backrest frame and one or more foot supports, and the adjustment of the seat includes fore and aft positioning of both the backrest frame and the one or more footrests to maintain a generally consistent seating orientation for the occupant at different fore and aft locations of the seat. 30. A wheelchair according to claim 26 wherein the seat and one or more supporting tracks comprise an occupant support assembly and the entire occupant support assembly is horizontally adjustable relative to the base. 31. A wheelchair according to claim 30 wherein the occupant support assembly may be adjusted relative to the base without moving the seat relative to the one or more supporting tracks. 32. A wheelchair according to claim 26 wherein the angular orientation of the one or more arcuate tracks may be adjusted relative to the base to permit variation in the overall range of seat tilt achieved through rotation of the seat.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (28)
Suiter Charles J., Adjustable wheelchair having a tilting and reclining seat.
Geiger Richard (Alameda CA) Robertson A. Scott (San Francisco CA) Page Neville (San Francisco CA), Wheelchair frame assembly and components for use thereon.
Vereen, III, Royal Leo; Nearburg, Mark Kleber; Cobb, Price Daniels; Mitchum, Thomas Allan, Wheelchair with four wheel independent suspension and modular seating.
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