Wheel assembly and wheelchair

• US 20060076822A1
• Filed: 10/08/2004
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lamprich Medical, LLC
• Original Assignee: Lamprich Medical, LLC
• Inventors: Lamprich, Bradley Keith, Lamprich, Lonnie Jay
• Granted Patent: US 7,264,315 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 301/5.230
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/02 propelled by the patient or disabled person
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/10 Parts, details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1008 for gradually slowing down the wheelchair
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1018 on the running surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1024 Brake discs
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1035 manipulated by wheelchair user
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 19/003 Multidirectional wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2310/302 by welding
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2380/12 Ball bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/84 Wheelchairs

Abstract

A wheel assembly having multiple small rotatable wheels mounted laterally thereon whereby lateral movement as well as forward and backward movement is provided. A pair of the wheel assemblies are utilized on a hand-propelled wheelchair that can be moved laterally as well as in the standard forward-reverse motion. The wheelchair comprises a frame, one or more axles, a pair of main wheels rotatable on the one or more axles, and a plurality of small rotatable outer wheels positioned laterally on the main wheels.

Claims

1. A wheel assembly capable of forward or reverse motion as well as lateral motion comprising:

a main wheel rotatable on an axle; and

a plurality of small rotatable outer wheels positioned laterally on the main wheel.

2. The wheel assembly of claim 1 wherein the main wheel is rotatable in a first plane on the axle and each small rotatable outer wheel is rotatable on the main wheel in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane.

3. The wheel assembly of claim 1 which further comprises a hand rail rigidly attached to the main wheel.

4. The wheel assembly of claim 1 wherein the small rotatable outer wheels comprise ball bearings.

5. The wheel assembly of claim 1 wherein each small rotatable outer wheel comprises an inner race, ball bearings, an outer race, and a tire mounted on the outer race.

6. The wheel assembly of claim 1 wherein each small rotatable outer wheel comprises a hub having side cone bearings and sides and an outer circumference on which a tire is disposed.

7. The wheel assembly of claim 1 which further comprises a plurality of spokes between which the small rotatable outer wheels are positioned.

8. The wheel assembly of claim 1 wherein the small rotatable outer wheels have outer surfaces shaped to maximize the circularity of the main wheel.

9. A wheelchair capable of forward-reverse motion as well as lateral motion comprising:

a frame;

one or more axles;

a pair of main wheels rotatable on one or more axles; and

a plurality of small rotatable outer wheels positioned laterally on the main wheels.

10. The wheelchair of claim 9 wherein each main wheel is rotatable in a first plane on one or more axles and the small rotatable outer wheels are rotatable on the main wheels in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane.

11. The wheelchair of claim 9 wherein the wheelchair is hand-propelled.

12. The wheelchair of claim 9 which further comprises hand rails attached to the main wheels for enabling hand propulsion.

13. The wheelchair of claim 9 wherein the small rotatable outer wheels comprise ball bearings.

14. The wheelchair of claim 9 wherein each small rotatable outer wheel comprises an inner race, ball bearings, an outer race, and a tire mounted on the outer race.

15. The wheelchair of claim 9 wherein each small rotatable outer wheel comprises a hub having side cone bearings and sides and an outer circumference on which a tire is disposed.

16. The wheelchair of claim 9 wherein each main wheel further comprises a plurality of spokes between which the small rotatable outer wheels are positioned.

17. The wheelchair of claim 9 wherein the small rotatable outer wheels have outer surfaces shaped to maximize the circularity of the main wheels.

18. The wheelchair of claim 9 which further comprises a lateral braking system for preventing undesired lateral motion.

19. A method of laterally moving a hand-propelled wheelchair comprising wheel assemblies capable of forward-reverse motion as well as lateral motion, the wheel assemblies including main wheels mounted rotatably on one or more axles and a plurality of small rotatable outer wheels laterally positioned on the main wheels comprising the steps of:

exerting a lateral force against a proximate object; and

moving the wheelchair laterally.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the wheelchair includes a brake for preventing the rotation of the small rotatable outer wheels and the brake is released prior to exerting the lateral force against a proximate object.