Climbing and descending vehicle

• US 4,790,548 A
• Filed: 06/01/1987
• Issued: 12/13/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fabien Decelles, Pierre Decelles
• Original Assignee: Fabien Decelles, Pierre Decelles
• Inventors: Decelles, Fabien, Decelles, Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Diederiks, Jr., Everett G.
• Application Number:
  US07/056,249
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 280/242 WC, 280/DIG. 10, 280/5.2, 280/5.26, 297/DIG. 4, 180/901, 180/907, 180/6.2, 180/6.48, 180/6.5, 180/8.2, 180/8.3
• US Class Current: 280/5.26
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/061 for climbing stairs
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/065 with three or more wheels mounted on a rotary cross member, e.g. spiders or spoked wheels with small wheels at the end of the spokes
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/107 positioning the whole seat forward or rearward
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/34 Wheel chairs
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/642 Slope of road
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/34 Stabilising upright position of vehicles, e.g. of single axle vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/60 using power supplied by batteries in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 9/06 with spiders or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 57/00 Vehicles characterised by having other propulsion or other ground- engaging means than wheels or endless track, alone or in addition to wheels or endless track sledges B62B; motor sledges B62M
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 57/022 consisting of members having both rotational and walking movements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 280/10 Stair climbing chairs

Abstract

A stair-climbing and descending vehicle is disclosed, comprising a frame and a pair of transverse, co-axial, power-driven axles, each rotatably carrying a spider assembly at its outer end. Each spider has at least three wheels, one at each equi-spaced extremity of its radial arms. Each axle drives either the spider or the associated wheels through a differential gearing. When climbing a stairway, the spiders are rotated immediately when the wheels are prevented from rotating by encountering a stair riser. The differential also serves to safety and smoothly descend the stairs. The vehicle is adapted for use as a wheelchair, in which case a chair-shifting device is provided to shift the center of gravity of the vehicle, rearwardly.

Claims

1. A stair climbing and descending vehicle comprising:

a frame;

a pair of co-axial axles, each independently and each rotatively mounted on said frame transversely of said vehicle;

a spider freely rotatable on each axle and forming at least three radial arms;

the two spiders disposed on opposite sides of said vehicle;

evenly-spaced ground-engaging wheels, each rotatably mounted at one extremity of a radial arm;

a differential gearing including an input gear fixed to each axle;

an output gear freely rotatable on each axle

intermediate pinions meshing with said input and output gears and rotatable on radial stud shafts fixed to said spider;

a direction-reversing transmission means carried by each radial arm and serving as a driving link between said output gear and the respective wheels, whereby the driving force of each axle is apportioned to said wheels and to said spider to rotate said spider when any of said wheels is prevented from rotating, and wherein the wheels rotate in the same direction as the spider;

each said spider comprising an inner plate, a parallel outer plate and an internal plate between said inner and said outer plates;

said internal plate having a central circular opening;

said differential gearing being located between said inner plate and said internal plate, and said transmission means being located between said internal plate and said outer plate.

2. A stair climbing and descending vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein said spider further includes a cylindrical member surrounding said differential gearing and to which said stud shafts are fixed.