Embodiments of the present disclosure include a wheelchair configured to reposition an occupant between a lowered and a raised position. The wheelchair can include a frame, a seat moveable relative to the frame, a drive wheel, and one or more pairs of arm assemblies. The arm assembly includes a whee
Embodiments of the present disclosure include a wheelchair configured to reposition an occupant between a lowered and a raised position. The wheelchair can include a frame, a seat moveable relative to the frame, a drive wheel, and one or more pairs of arm assemblies. The arm assembly includes a wheel configured to move from a first spatial location when the wheel chair is operating on flat, level ground to a second spatial location that is different than the first spatial location. Arm limiters that can selectively engage the arm assembly dependent on the position of the arm assembly and surface conditions of ground and can limit the range of motion of the arm assembly and sometimes other operational aspects of the chair.
대표청구항▼
1. A powered wheelchair comprising: a frame;a seat;a lift mechanism coupled to the seat, the lift mechanism configured to move the seat from a lowered position to a raised position;a pair of drive wheels;at least one drive coupled to the frame and configured to apply a torque to at least one of the
1. A powered wheelchair comprising: a frame;a seat;a lift mechanism coupled to the seat, the lift mechanism configured to move the seat from a lowered position to a raised position;a pair of drive wheels;at least one drive coupled to the frame and configured to apply a torque to at least one of the drive wheels;an arm assembly including an arm member that is pivotably coupled to the frame and a wheel assembly rotatably coupled to the arm member proximate a distal end of the arm member, the arm member being operatively configured to be in a first position relative to the frame when the powered wheelchair is operating on flat ground and to be rotatable from that first position; andan arm limiter supported by the frame and configured to inhibit motion of the arm member, the arm limiter having a first configuration in which the arm member is rotatable from its first position through a first range of rotation, and a second configuration in which the arm member is rotatable from its first position only through a second range of rotation that is smaller than the first range of rotation,provided that the arm limiter is prevented from transitioning into the second configuration when the arm member is rotationally different from its first position relative to the frame by more than 4 degrees. 2. The powered wheelchair of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor configured to detect whether the arm limiter is in the first or second configuration. 3. The powered wheelchair of claim 2, wherein the arm limiter includes the at least one sensor. 4. The powered wheelchair of claim 2, further comprising at least one controller in communication with the at least one sensor. 5. The powered wheelchair of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to receive input from an input device to operate the chair in an elevated motion mode, and in response to the input, prevent the arm limiter from transitioning into the second configuration when the position of the at least one arm assembly is rotationally different from the first position. 6. The powered wheelchair of claim 4, further comprising a seat lift sensor in communication with the controller, the seat lift sensor configured to detect whether the seat is elevated from the lowest position. 7. The powered wheelchair of claim 1, wherein the second range of rotation is about zero (0) degrees of rotation, such that the arm member is rotationally fixed relative to the frame. 8. The powered wheelchair of claim 1, wherein the arm member is a front arm member. 9. The powered wheelchair of claim 1, wherein the arm assembly is a front anti-tip arm assembly and the arm limiter is an elongate structure that is coupled to the frame at a pivot, such that (i) in the first configuration the arm limiter is not engaged with the front anti-tip arm assembly and the arm limiter provides no limitation of the motion of the arm member, and (ii) in the second configuration the arm limiter is pivoted relative to the first configuration to a position that limits the front anti-tip arm assembly to its second range of rotation. 10. The powered wheelchair of claim 9, wherein the front anti-tip arm assembly includes a caster assembly and the wheel is in contact with the ground during steady speed operation on flat and level ground. 11. The powered wheelchair of claim 9, wherein when the arm limiter is in the first configuration, the wheelchair speed is unrestricted by a controller while the seat is in its lowermost position. 12. The powered wheelchair of claim 11, wherein when the arm limiter is in the second configuration and the seat is not in its lowermost position, the wheelchair speed is limited to a maximum raised-seat drive speed. 13. The powered wheelchair of claim 11, wherein maximum raised-seat drive speed is no more than 5.0 mph. 14. The powered wheelchair of claim 11, wherein maximum raised-seat drive speed is no more than 3.75 mph. 15. The powered wheelchair of claim 11, wherein when the arm limiter is not in the second configuration and the seat is not in its lowermost position, the wheelchair speed is limited to a reduced raised-seat drive speed that is less than the maximum raised-seat drive speed. 16. The powered wheelchair of claim 14, wherein the reduced raised-seat drive speed is no more than 3.0 mph. 17. The powered wheelchair of claim 15, wherein the reduced raised-seat drive speed is no more than 1.5 mph. 18. The powered wheelchair of claim 9, wherein the first range of rotation is about 20 degrees of rotation about the pivot axis relative to the first position, and the second range of rotation is less than about 20 degrees about the pivot axis relative to the first position. 19. The powered wheelchair of claim 9, wherein the arm member is elongate along an axis, and the arm member is curved as it extends along the axis. 20. The powered wheelchair of claim 1, wherein the arm limiter includes a rotatable member that is rotatably coupled to the frame, the rotatable member being rotatable between the first configuration and the second configuration. 21. The powered wheelchair of claim 20, further comprising a biasing member that biases the arm limiter toward the second configuration. 22. The powered wheelchair of claim 20, further comprising an actuator, the actuator configured to transition the rotatable member toward the second configuration when the wheelchair is operating in an elevated motion mode. 23. The powered wheelchair of claim 20, further comprising at least one controller and at least one sensor in communication with the at least one controller, the at least one controller configured to cause the rotatable member to transition toward the second configuration when the controller receives an input to operate the wheelchair in an elevated motion mode. 24. The powered wheelchair of claim 23, wherein the arm limiter further includes a transfer linkage coupled to the actuator so as to operatively couple the actuator to the rotatable member. 25. The powered wheelchair of claim 20, wherein the rotatable member defines a proximal end and an opposed distal end that is moveable relative to the proximal end, the distal end configured to be disposed adjacent to the arm member. 26. The powered wheelchair of claim 20, wherein the rotatable member defines one of a ramped edge and a curved edge. 27. The powered wheelchair of claim 26, wherein the ramped edge or the curved edge is configured to cause the rotatable member to progressively restrict the range of rotation of the arm member relative to the frame as the rotatable member rotates between the first and second configurations. 28. The powered wheelchair of claim 20, wherein the arm assembly includes at least one stop member supported by the arm member, the stop member positioned to be engaged by the rotatable member. 29. The powered wheelchair of claim 28, wherein the stop member includes an upper surface and a rearward surface offset with respect to the upper surface, wherein a distal end of the rotatable member is configured to abut the stop member upper surface when the rotatable member is in the second configuration. 30. The powered wheelchair of claim 29, wherein the rearward surface of the stop member is configured to abut the rotatable member so as to prevent the rotatable member from transitioning into the second configuration. 31. The powered wheelchair of claim 29, wherein the stop member is monolithic with the arm member.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (44)
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Jackson, Mark A.; Tarter, John J.; Greig, Mark E.; Stevens, Rex W.; Koerlin, James M.; Traxinger, Samuel D.; Zhou, Daniel Z.; Killebrew, Allen B., Midwheel drive wheelchair with independent front and rear suspension.
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