×

Wheelchair brake apparatus and wheelchair including same

  • US 6,739,610 B2
  • Filed: 04/08/2002
  • Issued: 05/25/2004
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2002
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
Patent Images

1. An automatically engageable and releasable brake apparatus adaptable to be attached to a wheelchair, said brake apparatus comprising:

  • a connection mechanism adapted to be attached directly to a portion of the frame of the wheelchair proximate a rear wheel of the wheelchair, said connection mechanism comprising a pivoting member having a pivot axis, said pivoting member being rotatably coupled to said connection mechanism and extending in a direction substantially parallel to the rotational axis of the rear wheel of the wheelchair, said pivoting member comprising at least one through-bore passing from a portion of an outer surface of said pivoting member through said pivot axis and terminating at an opposed portion of the outer surface of said pivoting member, and said pivoting member further comprises at least one fastening bore positioned perpendicular to said at least one through-bore, wherein said at least one fastening bore passes from the outer surface of said pivoting member, intersects said pivot axis, and terminates proximate said pivot axis at a position within said at least one through-bore;

    a seat actuation member extending from a portion of said connection mechanism and adapted to be positioned substantially beneath the seat of the wheelchair;

    a shaft member extending from a first end thereof to an opposed second end thereof, and positioned to extend substantially downwardly from a portion of said connection mechanism proximate said first end of said shaft member; and

    a friction member positioned proximate said second end of said shaft member and adapted to contact a surface on which the wheelchair is sitting;

    wherein occupational ingress activates said seat actuation member to move from a first position to a second position, which in turn causes said shaft member to move such that said friction member substantially contemporaneously moves from a first position in substantial contact with the surface on which the wheelchair is located to a second position spaced a distance above the surface on which the wheelchair is located.

View all claims
  • 1 Assignment
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×