Wheel assembly and wheelchair
First Claim
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1. A wheel assembly capable of forward or reverse motion as well as lateral motion comprising:
- a first wheel rotatable on an axle;
a plurality of small rotatable outer wheels positioned laterally on the first wheel, wherein said first wheel functions as the axle for said small rotatable outer wheels; and
, a lateral braking system carried by said wheel, said lateral braking system movable from a position contacting said small rotatable outer wheels thereby precluding rotation of said small rotatable outer wheels to a position permitting rotation of said small rotatable outer wheels.
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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.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A wheel assembly capable of forward or reverse motion as well as lateral motion comprising:
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a first wheel rotatable on an axle;
a plurality of small rotatable outer wheels positioned laterally on the first wheel, wherein said first wheel functions as the axle for said small rotatable outer wheels; and
,a lateral braking system carried by said wheel, said lateral braking system movable from a position contacting said small rotatable outer wheels thereby precluding rotation of said small rotatable outer wheels to a position permitting rotation of said small rotatable outer wheels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 21, 24)
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19. A method of laterally moving a hand-propelled wheelchair across a floor, the wheel chair 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 positioned on the main wheels, wherein each main wheel functions as the axle for said small rotatable outer wheels, the method comprising the steps of:
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exerting a lateral force against a proximate object thereby causing said small rotatable outer wheels in contact with said floor to rotate on said main wheels; and
moving the wheelchair laterally. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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22. A method of laterally moving a wheel supported device across a floor, the wheel supported device 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 positioned on the main wheels, wherein each main wheel functions as the axle for said small rotatable outer wheels, the method comprising the steps of:
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exerting a lateral force against a proximate object thereby causing said small rotatable outer wheels in contact with said floor to rotate on said main wheels; and
moving the wheelchair laterally. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification