Wheelchair comprising a remote control

• US 7,832,515 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2006
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hans-Peter Barthelt
• Original Assignee: Hans-Peter Barthelt
• Inventors: Barthelt, Hans-Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Shriver, II; J. Allen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gurari; Erez
• Application Number:
  US11/795,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20080115987A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,757 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.51, 180/65.6, 180/167, 180/168, 180/169, 180/907, 180/908
• US Class Current: 180/167
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/12 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/726 for automatic deactivation, e.g. deactivation of actuators or motors
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/045 Rear wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1051 Arrangements for steering
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1054 Large wheels, e.g. higher than the seat portion
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A wheelchair having a remote controlled electric drive system so that the user is able to move the wheelchair away or retrieve it without the assistance of another person. The electric drive system includes multiple safety features for precluding hazardous situations that result from accidentally or unintentionally setting the drive system in motion while the wheelchair is occupied.

Claims

1. A wheelchair (1) for moving a person seated thereon comprising:

a chair frame (2) having wheels (3, 4) that are rotatably supported by said chair frame (2), a seating surface (31) supported on said frame, at least two of said wheels being manually rotatable by a person seated on the wheelchair seating surface for manually moving the wheel chair while occupied with the person seated thereon, an electrical drive system (26, 47) including a storage battery (47) for providing electrical power and at least one electric motor for driving at least one of said wheels (3), said drive system (26, 47) having a power capability for applying force to said at least one driven wheel (3) that is sufficient for moving the wheelchair when unoccupied with no person seated on the seating surface but has insufficient power for moving the wheelchair when occupied by a person seated thereon and supporting the weight of the person, a remote control (40, 41, 51) for remotely controlling operation of said drive system (27, 47) such that the wheelchair may be moved and controlled by the remote-control (40, 41, 51) when unoccupied.

2. The wheelchair according to claim 1, including a controllable clutch (21, 28) arranged between at least one electric motor (26) and said at least one driven wheel (3), and said clutch being disengageable to a disengaged state in response to the weight of a person occupying the wheelchair and engageable to an engaged state when the wheelchair (1) is unoccupied.

3. The wheelchair according to claim 1, including a controllable electric switchgear (60) arranged between the electric motor (26) and the storage battery (47), said switchgear being in a switched off state when the wheelchair (1) is occupied by a person and in the switched-on state when the wheelchair (1) is unoccupied.

4. The wheelchair according to claim 1, including a sensor (31) for detecting whether the wheelchair (1) is occupied by a person or is unoccupied.

5. The wheelchair according to claim 4, including a controllable clutch (21, 28) arranged between at least one electric motor (26) and said at least one driven wheel (3), and said clutch being in a disengaged state when the wheelchair (1) is occupied by a person and in an engaged state when the wheelchair (1) is unoccupied, and said sensor (31) being operable for controlling said clutch (21, 28).

6. The wheelchair according to claim 4, including a controllable electric switchgear (60) arranged between the electric motor (26) and the storage battery (47), said switchgear being in a switched off state when the wheelchair (1) is occupied by a person and in the switched-on state when the wheelchair (1) is unoccupied, and said sensor (31) is operable for controlling said switchgear (60).

7. The wheelchair according to claim 4, in which said seating surface is movably supported, and said sensor (31) is operable in response to movement of said seating surface.

8. The wheelchair according to claim 4, in which said sensor (31) is operable for switching the remote-control receiver (51) on or off.

9. The wheelchair according to claim 2, in which said seating surface (31) is connected to an actuating element (24) of said clutch (21, 28) for controlling the clutch.

10. The wheelchair according to claim 3, in which said seating surface (31) is movably supported and connected to an actuating element of the switchgear (60) for controlling the switchgear (60).

11. The wheelchair according to claim 1 in which said seating surface is part of a toilet chair.

12. The wheelchair according to claim 1 including two said motors (26), one of said motors being operable for driving of one said wheel, and the other said motor being operable for driving another wheel of said wheels.

13. The wheelchair according to claim 1 in which said remote control (40, 41, 51) is operable for switching said motor (26) into three switching states including a first state wherein the power to the motor (26) is switched off, a second state in which the power to the motor is switched on with one polarity, and a third state in which power to the motor is switched to a polarity opposite said one polarity.

14. The wheelchair according to claim 13 in which said remote control (40, 41, 51) includes two relays (40, 41), each said relay having a movable contact (38, 39) that can be selectively brought into electrical contact with one of two stationary contacts (42, 43, 44, 45).

15. A wheelchair (1) for moving a person seated thereon comprising:

a chair frame (2) having wheels (3, 4) that are rotatably supported by said chair frame (2), a seating surface (31) supported on said frame, at least two of said wheels being manually rotatable by a person seated on the wheelchair seating surface for manually moving the wheel chair while occupied with the person seated thereon, an electrical drive system (26, 47) including a storage battery (47) for providing electrical power and at least one electric motor for driving at least one of said wheels (3), a controllable clutch (21, 28) arranged in a drive connection between said electric motor (26) and said at least one driven wheel (3), said clutch being moveable to a disengaged state in response to the weight of a person seated on said seating surface and said clutch being movable to an engaged state when the wheelchair (1) is unoccupied with no person seated on the seating surface, a remote control (40, 41, 51) for controlling the drive system (26, 47) remotely, and said remote control including a remote-control receiver (51) mounted on the wheelchair (1).

16. The wheelchair according to claim 15, including a sensor (31) for detecting whether the wheelchair (1) is occupied by a person or is unoccupied.

17. The wheelchair according to claim 16, in which said sensor (1) is operable for controlling said clutch.

18. The wheelchair according to claim 16, in which said seating surface is movably supported, and said sensor (31) is operable in response to movement of said seating surface.

19. The wheelchair according to claim 16, in which said sensor (31) is operable for switching the remote-control receiver (51) on or off.

20. The wheelchair according to claim 15, in which said seating surface (31) is connected to an actuating element (24) of said clutch (21, 28) for controlling the clutch.

21. The wheelchair according to claim 15, in which said seating surface (31) is movably supported and connected to an actuating element of said clutch for controlling the clutch.

22. The wheelchair according to claim 15 in which said drive system has a power rating such that the force for moving the wheelchair (1) exerted on said at least one said driven wheel (3) is less than the force required for moving the wheelchair while it is occupied by a person.

23. A wheelchair (1) for moving a person seated thereon comprising:

a chair frame (2) having wheels (3, 4) that are rotatably supported by said chair frame (2), a seating surface (31) supported on said frame, at least two of said wheels being manually rotatable by a person seated on the wheelchair seating surface for manually moving the wheel chair while occupied with the person seated thereon, an electrical drive system (26, 47) including a storage battery (47) for providing electrical power and at least one electric motor for driving at least one of said wheels (3), a controllable electric switchgear (60) arranged between the electric motor (26) and the storage battery (47), said switchgear being movable to a switched off state in response to the weight of a person seated on said seating surface and said switch gear being movable to a switched on state when the wheelchair (1) is unoccupied with no person seated on the seating surface, a remote control (40, 41, 51) that serves for controlling the drive system (26, 47) remotely, and said remote control including a remote-control receiver (51) mounted on the wheelchair (1).

24. The wheelchair according to claim 23, including a sensor (31) for detecting whether the wheelchair (1) is occupied by a person or is unoccupied.

25. The wheelchair according to claim 23, in which said sensor is designed for controlling said switchgear.

26. The wheelchair according to claim 24, in which said seating surface is movably supported, and said sensor (31) is operable in response to movement of said seating surface.

27. The wheelchair according to claim 25, in which said sensor (31) is operable for switching the remote-control receiver (51) on or off.

28. The wheelchair according to claim 23, in which said seating surface is movably supported and is connected to an actuating element of the switch gear for controlling the switch gear.

29. A wheeled structure for supporting of the weight of a person for movement during usage comprising:

a frame (2) having wheels (3, 4) that are rotatably supported by said chair frame (2), at least two of said wheels being manually rotatable by a person supported on said chair frame for manually moving the wheel chair while occupied by the person, an electrical drive system (26, 47) including a storage battery (47) for providing electrical power and at least one electric motor for driving at least one of said wheels (3), said drive system (26, 47) having a power capability for applying force to said at least one driven wheel (3) that is sufficient for moving the wheelchair when unoccupied by a person with no weight of the person supported by the frame but insufficient for moving the wheelchair when said frame is supporting the weight of the person during usage, a remote control (40, 41, 51) for remotely controlling operation of said drive system (27, 47) such that the wheelchair may be moved and controlled by the remote-control (40, 41, 51) when not in use by the person.

30. The wheelchair according to claim 29 in which said supporting structure is a toilet chair.

31. The wheelchair according to claim 29 in which said supporting structure is a walker for supporting part of the weight of a person while walking.