Wheelchair having speed and direction control touchpad

• US 20030192728A1
• Filed: 05/05/2003
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bruce A. Jaenke, Joseph B. Richey II
• Original Assignee: Bruce A. Jaenke, Joseph B. Richey II
• Inventors: Jaenke, Bruce A., Richey, Joseph B. II
• Granted Patent: US 6,926,106 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/204
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/14 Joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/045 Rear wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 180/907 Motorized wheelchairs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 297/04 Wheelchair

Abstract

A wheelchair having a speed and direction control touchpad. The touchpad comprises two separated semi-conductive film layers, one measuring an X coordinate and one measuring a Y coordinate. When pressure is applied to the layers bringing them into contact with each other, an X, Y coordinate location is produced and the wheelchair is moved in a direction and speed analagous to the location of the pressure applied to the touchpad. A change in location of the pressure will result in a corresponding change in direction and speed. The touchpad also has a neutral or no movement activation point.

Claims

1. A wheelchair comprising:

a frame supporting a drive wheel;

at least one motor supported on said frame for driving said drive wheel;

a controller operatively connected with said motor;

a touchpad supported on said frame, said touchpad having an output that is indicative of desired speed and direction of movement of said wheelchair;

a single cable operatively connecting said touchpad with said controller;

a first electrical connector on said signal cable for transmitting electrical signals between said touchpad and said controller; and

a second electrical connector on said signal cable for transmitting electrical signals to said touchpad and for transmitting electrical signals to said controller.

2. A wheelchair as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second electrical connector defines a port for receiving electrical signals for reprogramming or diagnosis of said touchpad or of said controller.

3. A wheelchair as set forth in claim 2 wherein said touchpad can be programmed to have a neutral point at which a user must start to activate the wheelchair or can alternatively can be programmed so that a user does not have to start at a neutral point at to activate the wheelchair.

4. A wheelchair as set forth in claim 3 wherein said touchpad can be programmed so that if a user'"'"'s finger or other contact pressure contacting element is lifted from the touchpad for more than a predetermined period of time, the user must reactivate the touchpad and wheelchair by starting from the neutral point.

5. A wheelchair comprising:

a frame supporting a drive wheel;

at least one motor supported on said frame for driving said drive wheel;

a controller operatively connected with said motor; and

a programmable touchpad supported on said frame and operatively connected with said controller, said touchpad having adjacent first and second semiconductive layers and having an output that is indicative of desired speed and direction of movement of said wheelchair;

said touchpad having a first programmable state in which said motor can be activated only after contact of said semi-conductive layers at a neutral point;

said touchpad having a second programmable state in which said motor can be activated without initial contact of said semi-conductive layers at a neutral point.

6. A wheelchair as set forth in claim 5 wherein said touchpad has a third programmable state upon absence of pressure contact for a period of time greater than a predetermined period of time, in which said motor can be activated only after contact of said semi-conductive layers at a neutral point.

7. A wheelchair as set forth in claim 5 wherein said touchpad has a third programmable state upon absence of pressure contact for a period of time greater than a predetermined period of time, in which said motor can be activated only after contact of said semi-conductive layers at a neutral point.

8. A wheelchair as set forth in claim 7 wherein said predetermined period of time is in the range of up to one second.

9. A wheelchair comprising:

a frame supporting a drive wheel;

at least one motor supported on said frame for driving said drive wheel;

a controller operatively connected with said motor; and

a programmable touchpad supported on said frame and operatively connected with said controller, said touchpad having an output that is indicative of desired speed and direction of movement of said wheelchair;

said touchpad having a central area for controller activation and a surrounding area for wheelchair speed and direction control.

10. A wheelchair as set forth in claim 9 wherein said central area of said touchpad includes a neutral point located at intersection of X and Y axes of said touchpad.

11. A wheelchair as set forth in claim 9 wherein said wheelchair speed and direction control area of said touchpad provides control of speed and direction of said wheelchair that is proportional to the distance from said central area.

12. A wheelchair as set forth in claim 9 comprising a protective overly containing a graphic overlay or template which contains markings or nonmenclature which serve to aid the user of the wheelchair.

13. A wheelchair as set forth in claim 9 wherein said touchpad is operative upon user contact with an actuation force in the range of from about one quarter ounce to about one ounce.

14. A wheelchair as set forth in claim 9 wherein said touchpad has a programmable state in which, after absence of pressure contact on said touchpad for a period of time greater than a predetermined period of time, said motor can be activated only by contact in said central area.

15. A wheelchair as set forth in claim 14 wherein said predetermined period of time is in the range of up to one second.