Wheelchair with suspension arms

• US 8,297,388 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2008
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Invacare International SARL (Invacare Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Invacare International SARL (Invacare Corporation)
• Inventors: Lindenkamp, Horst, Farwer, Jens
• Primary Examiner(s): Shriver, II, J. Allen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gurari, Erez
• Application Number:
  US12/522,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20100102529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,751 Days
• Field of Search: 280/250.1, 280/304.1, 180/65.1, 180/907
• US Class Current: 180/65.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/14 Joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/045 Rear wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/06 with obstacle mounting facilities, e.g. for climbing stairs, kerbs or steps
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1078 with shock absorbers or other suspension arrangements between wheels and frame

Abstract

Each wheel (10, 14/20, 24) of the wheelchair (1) is fixed to a suspension arm (11,15/21, 25). A force transmitting device, for example a spring and damper of the wheelchair unit, directly connects two suspension arms situated on the same side of the wheeled conveyance, so that forces exerted on one of the wheels are transmitted to the other wheel. In this way, obstacles can more conveniently be overcome. A further advantage of the wheelchair is that it can be easily upscaled and driving properties can be adjusted according to a user'"'"'s preferences.

Claims

1. A wheelchair comprising:

a base having a left and a right side; and

at least two wheels on each of said left and right sides of the base, the at least two wheels including a motorized wheel and a castor wheel;

wherein each of said wheels is supported by a respective suspension arm, with each suspension arm being pivotally coupled to the base at a pivot axis;

wherein the pivot axes of the suspension arm of the castor wheel and of the suspension arm of the motorized wheel on the left and right side of the wheelchair, respectively, are situated next to each other, horizontally offset, with both of the pivot axes in between the castor and the motorized wheel;

wherein a force transmitting device directly connects the suspension arm of the castor wheel of one side of the base with the suspension arm of the motorized wheel of the same side of the base so that upon upward pivoting of the suspension arm of the castor wheel a downward force is exerted by the suspension arm of the motorized wheel; and

wherein the pivot axes of the suspension arms of the castor wheels are situated at the same height or lower than the axes of rotation of the castor wheels, with respect to the ground, when the motorized wheels and the castor wheels stay on the ground.

2. The wheelchair of claim 1 wherein the suspension arms of the castor wheels are oriented towards a front end of the base and the suspension arms of the motorized wheel are oriented toward a rear end of the base.

3. The wheelchair of claim 1 wherein the pivot axes of the suspension arm of the castor wheel and of the suspension arm of the motorized wheel are disposed on the base at equal height from a horizontal ground on which the wheelchair is placed.

4. The wheelchair of claim 1 wherein an angle between horizontal and a longitudinal axis of the force transmitting device is in the range of from 0°

to 70°

.

5. The wheelchair of claim 1 in which the force transmitting device is a spring, a damper, a combined spring and damper unit, or a rigid bar.

6. The wheelchair of claim 1 in which the pivot axes of the suspension arms of the motorized wheels are situated at the same height or lower than the axes of rotation of the motorized wheels, with respect to the ground, when the motorized wheels and the castor wheels stay on the ground.

7. The wheelchair of claim 1 in which the force transmitting device is attached so that upon pivoting of the suspension arm of the castor wheel, forces are directly and horizontally transmitted to the suspension arm of the motorized wheel.

8. The wheelchair of claim 1 further comprising a second force transmitting device connected at one end to a rear part of the base and connected at a second end to a rear part of the suspension arm of the motorized wheel, whereby the second force transmitting device is arranged so as to vertically transmit forces between the base and the suspension arm of the motorized wheel.

9. The wheelchair of claim 1 wherein the suspension arms of the castor and the motorized wheels each comprise a curved arm extending partly along a substantially parallel circle of the respective wheel from the respective pivot axis of the suspension arm to the top of the respective wheel.

10. A wheelchair, comprising:

a base having a left side and a right side; and

at least two wheels on each of said left and right sides of the base, the at least two wheels including a motorized wheel and a castor wheel;

wherein each of said wheels is supported by a respective suspension arm, with each suspension arm being pivotally coupled to the base at a pivot axis;

wherein the pivot axes of the suspension arm of the castor wheel and of the suspension arm of the motorized wheel on the left and right side of the wheelchair, respectively, are situated next to each other, horizontally offset, with both of the pivot axes in between the castor and the motorized wheel;

wherein a force transmitting device directly connects the suspension arm of the castor wheel of one side of the base with the suspension arm of the motorized wheel of the same side of the base so that upon upward pivoting of the suspension arm of the castor wheel a downward force is exerted by the suspension arm of the motorized wheel; and

wherein the base comprises a substantially horizontal loading area for batteries, the loading area being situated at a height with respect to the ground, which is at or lower than the height of axes of rotation of the castor wheel.

11. A wheelchair comprising:

a base having a left and a right side; and

at least two wheels on each of said left and right sides of the base, the at least two wheels including a motorized wheel and a castor wheel;

wherein each of said wheels is supported by a respective suspension arm, with each suspension arm being pivotally coupled to the base at a pivot axis;

wherein a force transmitting device directly connects the suspension arm of the castor wheel of one side of the base with the suspension arm of the motorized wheel of the same side of the base so that upon upward pivoting of the suspension arm of the castor wheel a downward force is exerted by the suspension arm of the motorized wheel; and

wherein the pivot axes of the suspension arms of the castor wheels are situated at the same height or lower than the axes of rotation of the castor wheels, with respect to the ground, when the motorized wheels and the castor wheels stay on the ground.

12. The wheelchair of claim 11 wherein the suspension arms of the castor wheel are oriented towards a front end of the base and the suspension arms of the motorized wheel are oriented toward a rear end of the base.

13. The wheelchair of claim 11 wherein the pivot axes of the suspension arm of the castor wheel and of the suspension arm of the motorized wheel are disposed on the base at equal height from a horizontal ground on which the wheelchair is placed.

14. The wheelchair of claim 11 wherein an angle between horizontal and a longitudinal axis of the force transmitting device is in the range of from 0°

to 70°

.

15. The wheelchair of claim 11 in which the force transmitting device is a spring, a damper, a combined spring and damper unit, or a rigid bar.

16. The wheelchair of claim 11 in which the pivot axes of the suspension arms of the motorized wheels are situated at the same height or lower than the axes of rotation of the motorized wheels, with respect to the ground, when the motorized wheels and the castor wheels stay on the ground.

17. The wheelchair of claim 11 in which the force transmitting device is attached so that upon pivoting of the suspension arm of the castor wheel, forces are directly and horizontally transmitted to the suspension arm of the motorized wheel.

18. The wheelchair of claim 11 further comprising a second force transmitting device connected at one end to a rear part of the base and connected at a second end to a rear part of the suspension arm of the motorized wheel, whereby the second force transmitting device is arranged so as to vertically transmit forces between the base and the suspension arm of the motorized wheel.

19. The wheelchair of claim 11 wherein the suspension arms of the castor and the motorized wheels each comprise a curved arm extending partly along a substantially parallel circle of the respective wheel from the respective pivot axis of the suspension arm to the top of the respective wheel.

20. The wheelchair of claim 11 in which the pivot axis of the suspension arm of the castor wheel is horizontally offset with respect of the pivot axis of the suspension arm of the motorized wheel of the same side.

21. The wheelchair of claim 11 in which the pivot axis of the two suspension arms on one side of the wheelchair are situated next to each other, both positioned in between the castor and motorized wheels.

22. A wheelchair, comprising:

a base having a left side and a right side; and

at least two wheels on each of said left and right sides of the base, the at least two wheels including a motorized wheel and a castor wheel;

wherein each of said wheels is supported by a respective suspension arm, with each suspension arm being pivotally coupled to the base at a pivot axis;

wherein a force transmitting device directly connects the suspension arm of the castor wheel of one side of the base with the suspension arm of the motorized wheel of the same side of the base so that upon upward pivoting of the suspension arms of the castor wheel a downward force is exerted by the suspension arm of the motorized wheel; and

wherein the base comprises a substantially horizontal loading area for batteries, the loading area being situated at a height with respect to the ground, which is at or lower than the height of axes of rotation of the castor wheel.