Automatically controlled therapeutically shifting wheelchair seat

• US 7,614,699 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2007
• Issued: 11/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hank Torres
• Original Assignee: Hank Torres
• Inventors: Torres, Hank, Marsden, Randal Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Edell; Joseph F
• Application Number:
  US11/733,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20080097256A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 297/344.1, 297/344.12, 297/344.15, 297/344.16, 297/344.18, 297/344.19, 297/344.2
• US Class Current: 297/344.14
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/20 Displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/42 for inclination
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/44 for weight
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2210/10 for orthopedics
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/045 Rear wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1043 Cushions specially adapted for wheelchairs
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1059 adjusting the height of the seat
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1081 with shock absorbers or other suspension arrangements between frame and seat
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/02 Stretching or bending or torsioning apparatus for exercising
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0149 Seat or chair
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2203/0431 in 90°/90°-position, like on a chair
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0224 Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0268 using sensors or detectors for adapting the seat or seat part, e.g. to the position of an occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0272 using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/39 Seats tiltable to compensate for roll inclination of vehicles

Abstract

A controller module for a wheelchair automatically, automatedly adjusts position of the wheelchair seat with respect to the wheelchair base. The wheelchair seat is pivotally connected to the wheelchair base, for movement of the seat with respect to the base by a powered actuator. The controller module includes a microprocessor connected to the powered actuator for operating the powered actuator to move the seat. A sensor, such as a 3-axis sensor, is connected to the microprocessor. The microprocessor performs a programmed sequence, to periodically adjust the seat position when the wheelchair seat is occupied, through feedback from the sensor. The controller module can provide medical and therapeutic benefits by operations of periodically adjusting the seat position, thereby varying a wheelchair occupant'"'"'s pressure contacts, weights, and loadings against the seat.

Claims

1. A wheelchair supported by a surface, comprising:

a base;

a seat pivotally connected to the base for at least two degrees of rotational freedom of movement of the seat with respect to the base, the seat having a bottom and a backrest and resting atop the base with the bottom substantially parallel to the surface when in a reference position;

a 3-axis accelerometer connected to the seat, for determining position of the seat with respect to the reference position;

a load sensor connected to the seat, for sensing force against the seat;

an actuator connected to the base and the seat, the actuator capable of rotating the seat position in the at least two degrees of rotational freedom of movement of the seat with respect to the reference position;

a powered controller connected to the actuator, and communicatively connected to the 3-axis accelerometer and the load sensor, the powered controller, in response to the load sensor and the 3-axis accelerometer, activates the actuator varying position of the seat with respect to the reference position via pivot of the seat on the base; and

a logic processor of the powered controller, communicatively connected to the 3-axis accelerometer and the load sensor, for invoking the powered controller to activate the actuator, the logic processor responsive to the 3-axis accelerometer determining position of the seat and the load sensor sensing force against the seat, for rotationally varying seat position in respect to the reference position by pivot on the base at intervals.

2. The wheelchair of claim 1, wherein the controller and the sensor are modular and retrofittable to the wheelchair.

3. The wheelchair of claim 1, further comprising:

a vertically linear actuator connected to the base and the seat for raising and lowering the seat with respect to the base.

4. A wheelchair, comprising:

a base, including powered features;

a seat pivotally connected to the base, for rotational freedom of movement of the seat with respect to the base;

a first actuator connected to the seat and the base;

a second actuator connected to the seat and the base;

a controller connected to the first actuator and the second actuator;

a user interface panel connected to the controller;

a load sensor of the seat, connected to the controller;

a processor of the controller, the processor connected to the load sensor and the user interface panel, for periodically activating the first actuator and the second actuator responsive to the load sensor and the user interface panel; and

wherein the processor when operatively engaged via the user interface panel, at periodic intervals responsive to the sensor, operates the controller to activate the actuators and adjustably vary rotational position of the seat in pivotal connection to the base.

5. The wheelchair of claim 4, wherein the first actuator and the second actuator, via logical determination by the processor of the controller in response to the user interface and selective activation of the first actuator and the second actuator by the controller, is capable of linearly raising and lowering the seat with respect to the base, maintaining rotational positioning of the seat with respect to the base in the at least two degrees of rotational freedom of movement of the seat with respect to the base.

6. A method of controlling a wheelchair to vary position of a seat pivotally connected to a wheeled base of the wheelchair for at least two directions of rotational freedom of movement of the seat with respect to the base, comprising the steps of:

attaching a controller to a powered actuator, the powered actuator connected to the seat and the base for rotational shift of the seat in at least two directions of rotational freedom of movement on actuation of the powered actuator;

attaching a weight sensor to the seat, the weight sensor detects a load applied to the seat;

communicatively connecting the weight sensor to the controller;

attaching a 3-axis accelerometer to the seat, the 3-axis accelerometer detects a position of the seat with respect to a reference position;

communicatively connecting the 3-axis accelerometer to the controller;

detecting the load by the weight sensor;

signaling by the weight sensor to the controller, an indicator of the load applied to the seat;

detecting the position by the 3-axis accelerometer;

signaling by the 3-axis accelerometer to the controller, an indicia of the position of the seat; and

programming the controller to periodically, at intervals, responsive to the steps of signaling by the weight sensor and signaling by the 3-axis accelerometer, activate the powered actuator to rotationally shift the seat in pivot on the base;

wherein the step of programming causes the controller to intervallicly activate the actuator in response to the load on the seat to variably rotationally shift the seat to provide therapeutic benefit to an occupant of the wheelchair.