ACTIVE STABILITY DEVICES AND SYSTEMS FOR MOBILE DEVICES

• US 20130197732A1
• Filed: 01/25/2013
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: US Department of Veterans Affairs (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: Jonathan L Pearlman, Rory Alan Cooper
• Inventors: PEARLMAN, JONATHAN L., DUVALL, JONATHAN A., GEBROSKY, BENJAMIN T., COOPER, RORY ALAN
• Application Number:
  US13/750,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20130197732A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/14 Joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/42 for inclination
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/00 Chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs chairs with toilet conveniences A47K11/04; devices enabling patients or disabled persons to operate an apparatus or device not forming part of the body A61F4/00; running gear or propulsion features B60K; bicycles specially adapted for disabled riders B62K3/16 ; Invalid chairs having removable seats specially adapted to be transferred with the invalid to a vehicle and support the invalid during use of the vehicle A61G3/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/043 Mid wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/063 with eccentrically mounted wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/068 with extensible supports pushing upwards, e.g. telescopic legs
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1054 Large wheels, e.g. higher than the seat portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1089 Anti-tip devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/128 for feet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00

Abstract

A system for use with a mobile device includes at least one sensor to sense a variable related to tilting of the mobile device and at least one activatable system in operative connection with the sensor. The at least one activatable system increases stability of the mobile device upon actuation/change in state thereof on the basis of data measured by the at least one sensor. A variable related to tilting includes variables that indicate concurrent, actual tilting as described herein as well as variables predictive of imminent tilting. Activatable systems hereof change state upon actuation or activation to increase stability of the mobile device by reducing, eliminating or preventing tilting.

Claims

1. A system for use with a mobile device comprising:

at least one sensor to sense a variable related to tilting of the mobile device, and at least one activatable system in operative connection with the sensor, the at least one activatable system increasing stability of the mobile device upon activation thereof on the basis of data measured by the at least one sensor.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a control system in operative connection with the at least one sensor and in cooperative connection with the at least one activatable system to control whether the at least one activatable system is activated on the basis of data measured by the at least one sensor.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the at least one activatable system comprises at least one activatable damper system or at least one activatable brake system.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the at least one activatable system is in operative connection with a suspension system of the mobile device.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one activatable system is in operative connection with at least one abutment member adapted to contact a surface upon which the mobile device is supported to increase stability.

6. The system of claim 3 wherein the mobile device is a personal mobility device.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the personal mobility device is an electrically powered wheelchair or an electrically powered scooter.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein the mobile device is a manually powered wheelchair.

9. The system of claim 4 wherein the suspension system may operate independently of the activatable system.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the system is adapted to be attached to an existing mobile device.

11. The system of claim 5 wherein the abutment member comprises a wheel that is free to move up and down before activation of the activatable system, but requires more force to move upon or down or is prevented from moving up or down upon activation of the activatable system.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the wheel is biased to remain in contact with a surface upon which the mobile is traveling when the activatable system in not activate.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising providing a control system in operative connection with the at least one sensor and in cooperative connection with the at least one activatable system to control whether the at least one activatable system is activated on the basis of data measure by the at least one sensor.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the at least one activatable system is in operative connection with a suspension system of the mobile device.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one activatable system is in operative connection with at least one abutment member adapted to contact a surface upon which the mobile device is supported to increase or enhance stability or prevent instability.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the mobile device is a personal mobility device.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the personal mobility device is an electrically powered wheelchair or an electrically powered scooter.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the mobile device is a manually powered wheelchair.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the at least one sensor, the at least one activatable system and the control system are adapted to be attached to an existing mobile device.

23. The method of claim 16 wherein the abutment member comprises a wheel that is free to move up and down before activation of the activatable system, and requires more force to move up or down or is prevented from moving up or down upon activation of the activatable system.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the wheel is biased to remain in contact with a surface upon which the mobile device is traveling when the activatable system in not activate.

13. A method of operating a mobile device comprising:

providing at least one sensor to sense a variable related to tilting of the mobile device in operative connection with the mobile device, providing at least one activatable system in operative connection with the sensor, and activating the at least one activatable system to increase stability of the mobile device on the basis of data measured by the at least one sensor.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the at least one activatable system comprises at least one activatable damper system or at least one activatable brake system.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein the suspension system may operate independently of the at least one activatable system.

25. A mobile system comprising an anti-tip system comprising:

at least one sensor to sense a variable related to tilting of the mobile system and at least one activatable system in operative connection with the sensor, the at least one activatable system increasing stability of the mobile system on the basis of data measured by the at least one sensor.