IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0009856
(2004-12-11)
|
등록번호 |
US-7490683
(2009-02-17)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
26 인용 특허 :
27 |
초록
▼
A mid-wheel drive power wheelchair for use by handicapped and disabled persons is provided having a frame, a seat supported by the frame, a pair of drive wheels supported on the frame under the seat, drive means for causing rotation of the drive wheels, power means for supplying power to the drive m
A mid-wheel drive power wheelchair for use by handicapped and disabled persons is provided having a frame, a seat supported by the frame, a pair of drive wheels supported on the frame under the seat, drive means for causing rotation of the drive wheels, power means for supplying power to the drive means, a rearward idler wheel, a forward anti-tip device and a resilient suspension supporting the forward anti-tip device, the suspension being attached to the drive means rearward of the front portion of the frame.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A power wheelchair comprising: a. a frame; b. a seat supported by said frame; c. a pair of drive wheels positioned below a central portion of said seat on opposite sides of said frame and supported thereon, said drive wheels rotatable about transverse axes; d. drive means for
What is claimed is: 1. A power wheelchair comprising: a. a frame; b. a seat supported by said frame; c. a pair of drive wheels positioned below a central portion of said seat on opposite sides of said frame and supported thereon, said drive wheels rotatable about transverse axes; d. drive means for causing rotation of said drive wheels, said drive means being operatively connected to said frame rearward of said front portion of said frame; e. power means for supplying power to said drive means to move the wheelchair; f. control means for controlling the rotation of said drive wheels by said drive means; g. at least one idler wheel operatively connected to said frame and positioned behind said drive wheels and rearward of the back of said seat, said idler wheel mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis and supported for rotational movement about a vertical axis; h. at least one anti-tip device operatively connected to said frame and positioned forward of said drive wheels and said frame, said anti-tip device being operatively connected to said drive means and being positioned off the ground when said drive wheels and said rear idler wheel are in their normal ground-engaging position on level ground; and i. a resilient suspension supporting said forward anti-tip device for resisting upward arcuate movement of said anti-tip device, said resilient suspension comprising a first assembly and a first member, said first assembly being operatively attached to said drive means at a first location rearward of the front portion of said frame and said first member being pivotally attached to said frame at a second location, said first member comprising a substantially upright portion and a substantially transverse portion having an angle therebetween, said first assembly being pivotally attached to said substantially upright portion of said first member at a third location rearward of the front portion of said frame, and the substantially transverse portion of said first member being operatively attached to said anti-tip device. 2. The power wheelchair of claim 1, wherein said resilient suspension pivotal attachment second location is coincident with the front portion of said frame. 3. The power wheelchair of claim 1, wherein said first assembly includes a spring assembly and said first member includes a connecting arm, said spring assembly being operatively attached adjacent one end thereof to said drive means at said first location, and pivotally attached adjacent another end thereof to said connecting arm at said third location, said connecting arm being pivotally attached to said frame at said second location. 4. The power wheelchair of claim 3, wherein said connecting arm pivotal attachment second location is coincident with the front portion of said frame. 5. The power wheelchair of claim 3, wherein said spring assembly includes a spring and a shall, said spring surrounding said shaft, and said shaft being operatively attached adjacent one end thereof to said drive means at said first location, and pivotally attached adjacent another end thereof to said connecting arm at said third location. 6. The power wheelchair of claim 3, wherein said connecting arm is operatively attached to said anti-tip device at a fourth location. 7. The power wheelchair of claim 1, further including a pair of anti-tip devices and a pair of resilient suspensions, each one of said resilient suspensions being operatively connected to one of said anti-tip devices. 8. The power wheelchair of claim 3, further including a pair of anti-tip devices and a pair of resilient suspensions, each one of said resilient suspensions being operatively connected to one of said anti-tip devices. 9. The power wheelchair of claim 1, wherein said seat has a cushion portion for supporting an operator's thighs and buttocks and a back portion for supporting an operator's back when the operator is in a seated upright position. 10. The power wheelchair of claim 1, which further includes a seat support member attached to said frame for supporting said seat above said frame. 11. The power wheelchair of claim 1, wherein said drive wheels are positioned below a central portion of said seat. 12. The power wheelchair of claim 1, wherein said drive means includes at least one motor for powered movement of the wheelchair. 13. The power wheelchair of claim 1, wherein said power means includes a battery. 14. The power wheelchair of claim 1, wherein said first location operative attachment point is rearward of said second location pivotal attachment point. 15. The power wheelchair of claim 3, wherein said third location pivotal attachment point is rearward of said second location pivotal attachment point and is rearward of the front portion of said frame. 16. The power wheelchair of claim 3, wherein said anti-tip device is forward of the front portion of said frame and said spring assembly is rearward of said anti-tip device and no further forward than the front portion of said frame. 17. The power wheelchair of claim 3, wherein said anti-tip device is forward of the front portion of said frame and said spring assembly is rearward of the front portion of said frame. 18. The power wheelchair of claim 3, wherein said spring assembly comprises a shaft, a spring surrounding said shaft and operatively in contact with said drive means, and a nut assembly mounted on said shaft and in operative contact with said drive means for providing selectable compression of said spring in order to provide adjustment of the spring force applied to said anti-tip device to resist arcuate upward movement thereof upon forward tipping of the power wheelchair or upon said said anti-tip device encountering an obstacle. 19. The power wheelchair of claim 18, wherein said nut assembly is operative to compress said spring in order to adjust the distance of said anti-tip device from the ground on a flat, level surface when said drive wheels and said rear idler wheel are in contact with the ground. 20. The power wheelchair of claim 3, wherein said connecting arm includes more than one attachment point for pivotal attachment of said spring assembly thereto at said third location. 21. The power wheelchair of claim 1, wherein the position of said anti-tip device off the ground is adjustable by selectively modifying said resilient suspension. 22. The power wheelchair of claim 3, wherein said resilient suspension includes means for adjusting the length of said spring assembly. 23. The power wheelchair of claim 22, wherein the position of said anti-tip device off the ground is adjustable by selectively adjusting the length of said spring assembly. 24. The power wheelchair of claim 3, wherein the position of said anti-tip device off the ground is adjustable by selectively modifying the pre-load force of said spring assembly. 25. The power wheelchair of claim 3, wherein the pre-load force of said spring assembly is adjustable by compressing or decompressing said spring assembly. 26. The power wheelchair of claim 1, wherein said resilient suspension includes a spring assembly and a connecting arm, said spring assembly including a shaft, first biasing means and second biasing means, said first and second biasing means being operatively associated with said shaft and being in operative contact with each other, and said shaft being operatively attached at one end thereof to said drive means at said first location, and pivotally attached at another end thereof to said connecting arm at said third location, said connecting arm being pivotally attached to said frame at said second location. 27. The power wheelchair of claim 26, wherein said first biasing means and said second biasing means each exert a different biasing force. 28. The power wheelchair of claim 26, wherein said first biasing means and said second biasing means are adapted to urge said anti-tip device toward the ground. 29. The power wheelchair of claim 26, wherein said first biasing means comprises a first spring and said second biasing means comprises a second spring, said first spring and said second spring surrounding said shaft and being in operative contact with each other, each of said first spring and said second spring exerting a different biasing force, and wherein said first spring and said second spring uge said anti-tip device toward the ground. 30. The power wheelchair of claim 29, wherein said first spring has a predetermined amount of compression, and the amount of compression of said second spring is adjustable. 31. The power wheelchair of claim 29, wherein said first spring and said second spring have a member therebetween, said member being in operative contact with said first spring and said second spring. 32. The power wheelchair of claim 31, wherein said member is a washer. 33. The power wheelchair of claim 29, wherein said spring assembly includes a first nut assembly proximate one end of said first spring and in operative contact therewith, and a second nut assembly proximate one end of said second spring and in operative contact therewith. 34. The power wheelchair of claim 33, wherein said first nut assembly is operative to exert a compressive force on said first spring, and said second nut assembly is operative to exert a compressive force on said second spring. 35. The power wheelchair of claim 33, wherein said first nut assembly includes a first nut and a first washer, and said second nut assembly includes a second nut and a second washer. 36. The power wheelchair of claim 1, wherein said anti-tip device is an idler wheel, said idler wheel mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis and supported for rotational movement about a vertical axis. 37. The power wheelchair of claim 3, wherein said anti-tip device is an idler wheel, said idler wheel mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis and supported for rotational movement about a vertical axis. 38. The power wheelchair of claim 6, wherein said connecting arm operative attachment fourth location is a pivotal attachment. 39. A power wheelchair comprising: a. a frame having a front portion, a rear portion and a top portion; b. a seat removably mounted on the top portion of said frame, the seat having a cushion portion for supporting a person's buttocks and thighs and a back portion for supporting a person's back when seated in said seat, said back portion being positioned above the rear portion of said frame; c. a pair of drive wheels independently mounted on said frame and rotatable about an axis transverse to said frame, the drive wheel axis positioned below said seat and forward of the center of said cushion portion; d. a motor for causing rotation of said drive wheels, said motor being supported on said frame; e. a joystick for controlling the activation of said motor and resulting movement of the power wheelchair by said drive wheels; f. a battery for supplying power to said motor, said battery being operatively supported on said frame; g. at least one ground-engaging idler wheel connected to the rear portion of said frame behind said drive wheels; h. at least one anti-tip idler wheel positioned forward of said drive wheels, the front of said cushion portion and the forward portion of said frame, said forward anti-tip idler wheel being positioned off the ground when said drive wheels and said rear idler wheel are in their normal ground-engaging position on level ground; and i. a resilient suspension supporting said forward anti-tip idler wheel, said resilient suspension being operatively attached to said motor at a first location and pivotally attached to said frame at a second location, each of said first location and said second location being no further forward than the front portion of said frame. 40. A power wheelchair comprising: a. a frame having a front portion, a rear portion and a top portion; b. a seat removably mounted on the top portion of said frame, the seat having a cushion portion for supporting a person's buttocks and thighs and a back portion for supporting a person's back when seated in said seat, said back portion being positioned above the rear portion of said frame; c. a pair of drive wheels independently mounted on said frame and rotatable about an axis transverse to said frame, the drive wheel axis positioned below said seat and forward of the center of said cushion portion; d. a motor for causing rotation of said drive wheels, said motor being supported on said frame; e. a joystick for controlling the activation of said motor and resulting movement of the power wheelchair by said drive wheels; f. a battery for supplying power to said motor, said battery being operatively supported on said frame; g. at least one ground-engaging idler wheel connected to the rear portion of said frame behind said drive wheels; h. at least one anti-tip idler wheel positioned forward of said drive wheels, the front of said cushion portion and the forward portion of said frame, said forward anti-tip idler wheel being positioned off the ground when said drive wheels and said rear idler wheel are in their normal ground-engaging position on level ground; and i. a resilient suspension for said forward anti-tip idler wheel, said resilient suspension supporting said forward anti-tip idler wheel and being operatively attached to said motor at a first location no further forward than the front portion of said frame and pivotally attached to said frame at a second location no further forward than the front portion of said frame. 41. A power wheelchair comprising: a. a frame; b. a seat supported by said frame; c. a pair of drive wheels positioned below a central portion of said seat on opposite sides of said frame and supported thereon, said drive wheels rotatable about transverse axes; d. drive means for causing rotation of said drive wheels, said drive means being operatively connected to said frame at a first location and operatively connected to said frame at a second location, said first and said second locations being no further forward than the front portion of said frame; e. power means for supplying power to said drive means to move the wheelchair; f. control means for controlling the rotation of said drive wheels by said drive means; g. at least one idler wheel operatively connected to said frame and positioned behind said drive wheels and rearward of the back of said seat, said idler wheel mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis and supported for rotational movement about a vertical axis; h. at least one anti-tip device operatively connected to said frame and positioned forward of said drive wheels and said frame, said anti-tip device being in engagement with the ground when said drive wheels and said rear idler wheel are in their normal ground-engaging position on level ground; and i. a resilient suspension supporting said forward anti-tip device, said suspension being operatively attached to said drive means at a third location and operatively attached to said frame at a fourth location. 42. The power wheelchair of claim 41, wherein each of said third location and said fourth location is no further forward than the front portion of said frame. 43. The power wheelchair of claim 41, wherein said anti-tip device is an idler wheel, said idler wheel mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis and supported for rotational movement about a vertical axis. 44. The power wheelchair of claim 43, wherein said idler wheel is a caster wheel.
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