Motion conversion assembly and vehicle

• US 6,158,757 A
• Filed: 07/24/1998
• Issued: 12/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tidcomb, Steven
• Original Assignee: Tidcomb, Steven
• Inventors: Tidcomb, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, J. J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOTTORFF, CHRISTOPHER
• Application Number:
  US09/122,543
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 280/233, 280/251, 280/253, 280/242.1, 280/243, 280/304, 280/244, 280/250.1, 180/907, 403/321, 403/322.1, 403/322.4, 403/324, 403/325
• US Class Current: 280/250.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/023 acting directly on hubs or axis
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/025 Levers
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 1/12 operated by both hand and foot power
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 1/28 characterised by the use of flexible drive members, e.g. chains
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/599 Spring biased manipulator

Abstract

An occupant-propelled vehicle comprising a vehicle body and a first vehicle propulsion system that comprises a first drive wheel, a drum rotatably coupled to the vehicle frame and drivingly engaged with the drive wheel, a movable force receiver, an elongated and flexible motion conversion member drivably coupled with the force receiver with a first reference point spaced a given effective-travel distance from a second reference point and a body portion overlying the drum, and an actuator mechanism for actuating the motion conversion member between a slackened, disengaged state and a tensioned state wherein there is frictional engagement between the drum and the motion conversion member. The actuator mechanism may be automatic or manual.

Claims

1. An occupant-propelled vehicle for being propelled by an occupant over an environmental surface, the occupant-propelled vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body; and

a first vehicle propulsion system comprising;

a first drive wheel rotatably coupled to the vehicle frame for contact with an environmental surface;

a drum rotatable coupled to the vehicle frame and drivingly engaged with the drive wheel such that a rotation of the drum in a first rotary direction yields a rotation of the drive wheel in a first rotary direction;

a movable force receiver for receiving an input force from an occupant;

an elongated and flexible motion conversion member for converting reciprocating motion to rotary motion, the motion conversion member with a first reference point spaced a given effective-travel distance from a second reference point and a body portion between the first reference point and the second reference point overlying the drum, the motion conversion member drivably coupled to the force receiver so that an input force imparting movement to the force receiver imparts endwise, driven movement to the motion conversion member;

an actuator mechanism operably associated with the motion conversion member for selectively increasing the effective-travel distance between the first reference point and the second reference point thereby actuating the motion conversion member from a slackened, disengaged state wherein there is substantially free movement between the drum and the motion conversion member to a tensioned state wherein there is frictional engagement between the drum and the motion conversion member wherein an input force imparting movement to the force receiver imparts endwise movement to the motion conversion member to impart rotary motion to the drum to impart rotary motion to the drive wheel and thereby to propel the vehicle and wherein a restriction on the movement of the force receiver tends to restrict rotary motion of the drum;

wherein the force receiver is drivingly coupled to a first connection point and to a second connection point of the motion conversion member wherein the drum is interposed between the first and second connection points whereby an input of force to the force receiver in a first direction imparts an endwise movement to the flexible motion conversion member and, when the motion conversion member is tensioned, imparts rotary motion to the drum and rotary motion to the drive wheel in a first rotary driving direction and an input of force to the force receiver in a second direction imparts an opposite endwise movement to the flexible motion conversion member and, when the motion conversion member is tensioned, imparts rotary motion to the drum in a second rotary driving direction; and

an elongate and generally rigid drive arm drivably connected to the force receiver at at least one drive point wherein at least one connection point of the flexible motion conversion is drivably and fixedly coupled to the drive arm.

2. The occupant propelled vehicle of claim 1 wherein the drum is drivingly engaged with the drive wheel such that a rotation of the drum in a second rotary direction yields a rotation of the drive wheel in a second rotary direction and a restriction of rotation of the drum yields a restriction of rotation of the drive wheel whereby, when the motion conversion member is actuated to a tensioned state wherein there is frictional engagement between the drum and the motion conversion member, a restriction on the movement of the force receiver tends to restrict rotary motion of the drum to restrict the rotary motion of the drive wheel and thereby to brake the vehicle.

3. The occupant-propelled vehicle of claim 1 wherein the drum is coaxial with the drive wheel.

4. The occupant-propelled vehicle of claim 1 wherein the motion conversion member overlies the drum from a first winding side whereby endwise movement of the motion conversion member in a first reciprocating direction while the motion conversion member is in a tensioned state imparts rotary motion to the drum in the first rotary direction.

5. The occupant-propelled vehicle of claim 1 wherein the motion conversion member overlies the rum from a second winding side whereby endwise movement of the motion conversion member in first reciprocating direction while the motion conversion member is in a tensioned state imparts rotary motion to the drum in a second rotary direction.

6. The occupant-propelled vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a second vehicle propulsion system independent of the first vehicle propulsion system, the second vehicle propulsion system comprising;

a second drive wheel rotatably coupled to the vehicle frame for contact with an environmental surface,

a second drum rotatably coupled to the vehicle frame and drivingly engaged with the second drive wheel such that a rotation of the second drum in a first rotary direction yields a rotation of the second drive wheel in a first rotary direction;

a second movable force receiver for receiving an input force from an occupant;

a second elongated and flexible motion conversion member for converting reciprocating motion to rotary motion, the second motion conversion member with a first reference point spaced a given effective-travel distance from a second reference point and a body portion between the first reference point and the second reference point overlying the second drum, the second motion conversion member drivably coupled to the second force receiver so that an input force imparting movement to the second force receiver imparts endwise, driven movement to the second motion conversion member; and

a second actuator mechanism operably associated with the second motion conversion member for selectively increasing the effective-travel distance between the first reference point and the second reference point thereby actuating the second motion conversion member from a slackened, disengaged state wherein there is substantially free movement between the second drum and the second motion conversion member to a tensioned state wherein there is frictional engagement between the second drum and the second motion conversion member wherein an input force imparting movement to the second force receiver imparts endwise movement to the second motion conversion member to impart rotary motion to the second drum to impart rotary motion to the second drive wheel and thereby to propel the vehicle and wherein a restriction on the movement of the second force receiver tends to restrict rotary motion of the second drum;

thereby permitting an independent propulsion of the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel to permit propulsion of the vehicle by an effectively simultaneous propulsion of the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel and a selective steering of the vehicle by a differential propulsion of the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel.

7. The occupant-propelled vehicle of claim 1 wherein the actuator mechanism comprises a flexible inner member slidably contained in an outer sheath, the actuator mechanism with an actuated end operably connected to the drive arm and to a connection point of the motion conversion member wherein an actuation of the actuator mechanism slides the inner member toward an actuating end of the actuator mechanism thereby producing relative motion between the drive arm and the connection point of the motion conversion member to increase the distance between the first reference point and the second reference point of the motion conversion member thereby inducing a frictional engagement between the motion conversion member and the drum.

8. The occupant-propelled vehicle of claim 7 wherein the outer sheath is fixedly connected to the drive arm at a termination point of the outer sheath and the inner member of the actuator mechanism extends beyond the termination point to overly a circumferential edge of the drum and then to drivably and fixedly connect to the drive arm such that the inner member is also the motion conversion member.

9. The occupant-propelled vehicle of claim 7 wherein the motion conversion member has a first end reciprocatably and drivably connected to the drive arm and a second end drivably and fixedly connected to the drive arm and the actuated end of the actuator mechanism is operably connected to the first end of the motion conversion member and to the drive arm for producing relative motion therebetween.

10. The occupant-propelled vehicle of claim 9 wherein the outer sheath of the actuator mechanism is fixedly coupled to the drive arm and the inner member is coupled to the first end of the motion conversion member to establishing a reciprocatable and drivable connection of the motion conversion member with the drive arm.

11. The occupant-propelled vehicle of claim 1 wherein the force receiver is a force receiving lever with a length wherein the lever is pivotally connected to the vehicle at a pivot axis whereby an oscillation of the force receiver imparts an endwise, reciprocating movement to the motion conversion member of a given maximum amplitude.

12. The occupant-propelled vehicle of claim 11 wherein the force receiver comprises a first section slidably engaged with a second section whereby the length of the lever may be adjusted selectively.

13. The occupant-propelled vehicle of claim 11 wherein the vehicle body is a wheelchair body with a seat for an occupant supportably retained by the wheelchair body.

14. The occupant-propelled vehicle of claim 11 wherein the drive point of the drive arm is adjustable along at least a part of the length of the lever proximally or distally to the pivot axis by an adjusting means whereby the maximum amplitude of the reciprocating movement may be increased by adjusting the drive point distally away from the pivot axis and the maximum amplitude of the reciprocation movement may be decreased by adjusting the drive point proximally toward the pivot axis.

15. The occupant-propelled vehicle of claim 14 further comprising a selectively operated shifter mechanism adjustably coupling the drive arm to the lever whereby the shifter mechanism effectively controls the drive point of the drive arm.

16. The occupant-propelled vehicle of claim 15 wherein the shifter mechanism comprises a sleeve slidably engaged with the lever, a multiplicity of tip receivers generally aligned along at least a portion of the length of the lever, and a coupler connected to the sleeve with a lever engaging tip retractably biased to engage at least one of the tip receivers whereby the lever engaging tip may be retracted from a given tip receiver to permit a sliding of the sleeve along the lever with a consequent adjustment the drive point of the drive arm.

17. The occupant-propelled vehicle of claim 16 wherein the coupler is tiltable about a fulcrum point whereby a tilting of the coupler pivots the coupler about the fulcrum point to retract the lever engaging tip to permit a sliding of the sleeve.

18. The occupant-propelled vehicle of claim 17 wherein the coupler comprises a rod with a knob matingly connected to a first end of the rod and a hilt for providing a fulcrum point fixed at a point along a length of the rod.

19. The occupant-propelled vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a means for permitting a quick release of the first drive wheel from the vehicle frame.

20. The occupant-propelled vehicle of claim 19 wherein an axle cylinder is rigidly coupled to the vehicle frame and rotatably retains the drum, wherein an axle passes through the axle cylinder and retains the first drive wheel, and further comprising a means for permitting the axle to slide from within the axle cylinder and a means for drivingly engaging the drum with the first drive wheel.

21. The occupant-propelled vehicle of claim 20 wherein the means for permitting the axle to slide from within the axle cylinder comprises a quick-release button operably associated with a compressible ball snap.

22. The occupant-propelled vehicle of claim 20 wherein the means for drivingly engaging the drum with the first drive wheel comprises a slotted drum sleeve extending from the drum and into driving association with the first drive wheel.

23. An occupant-propelled vehicle for being propelled by an occupant over an environmental surface, the occupant-propelled vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body; and

a first vehicle propulsion system comprising;

a first drive wheel rotatably coupled to the vehicle frame for contact with an environmental surface;

a drum rotatably coupled to the vehicle frame and drivingly engaged with the drive wheel such that a rotation of the drum in a first rotary direction yields a rotation of the drive wheel in a first rotary direction;

a movable force receiver for receiving an input force from an occupant;

an elongated and flexible motion conversion member for converting reciprocating motion to rotary motion, the motion conversion member with a first reference point spaced a given effective-travel distance from a second reference point and a body portion between the first reference point and the second reference point overlying the drum, the motion conversion member drivably coupled to the force receiver so that an input force imparting movement to the force receiver imparts endwise, driven movement to the motion conversion member;

an actuator mechanism operably associated with the motion conversion member for selectively increasing the effective-travel distance between the first reference point and the second reference point thereby actuating the motion conversion member from a slackened, disengaged state wherein there is substantially free movement between the drum and the motion conversion member to a tensioned state wherein there is frictional engagement between the drum and the motion conversion member wherein an input force imparting movement to the force receiver imparts endwise movement to the motion conversion member to impart rotary motion to the drum to impart rotary motion to the drive wheel and thereby to propel the vehicle and wherein a restriction on the movement of the force receiver tends to restrict rotary motion of the drum; and

a means for biasing the actuator mechanism toward a non-actuated position comprising a clutch collar substantially surrounding the drum and interposed between the drum and the flexible motion conversion member wherein the clutch collar is resiliently compressible about the drum by the actuation of the motion conversion member into a tensioned state by the actuator mechanism.

24. The occupant-propelled vehicle of claim 23 wherein the force receiver is drivingly coupled to a first connection point and to a second connection point of the motion conversion member wherein the drum is interposed between the first and second connection points whereby an input of force to the force receiver in a first direction imparts an endwise movement to the flexible motion conversion member and, when the motion conversion member is tensioned, imparts rotary motion to the drum and rotary motion to the drive wheel in a first rotary driving direction and an input of force to the force receiver in a second direction imparts an opposite endwise movement to the flexible motion conversion member and, when the motion conversion member is tensioned, imparts rotary motion to the drum in a second rotary driving direction.

25. The assembly of claim 23 wherein the clutch collar is supported by an axle cylinder whereby there is substantially no frictional contact between the clutch collar and the drum when the motion conversion member is in a non-tensioned state.

26. The assembly of claim 25 wherein the clutch collar has an outer periphery defining a furrow for supporting the motion conversion member.

27. The assembly of claim 26 wherein the clutch collar has an annular groove for supporting the drive arm.

28. The assembly of claim 23 further comprising a friction contact surface disposed on an inner surface of the clutch collar.

29. The assembly of claim 23 further comprising a friction contact surface disposed on an outer surface of the clutch collar.