Motorized wheelchair
First Claim
1. A motorized wheelchair, comprising:
- left and right drive wheels connected to a wheelchair chassis and providing rolling support for said motorized wheelchair;
a left motor in operative communication with the left drive wheel;
a right motor in operative communication with the right drive wheel;
a first wheelchair chassis rate-of-turn sensor arranged to provide a first signal outputting a first wheelchair chassis actual turn rate;
a first wheel speed sensor arranged to provide a second signal indicative of a speed of said left drive wheel;
a second wheel speed sensor arranged to provide a third signal indicative of a speed of said right drive wheel; and
a controller in operative communication with the left and right motors, first rate-of-turn sensor, and said first and second speed sensors, said controller arranged to independently control the left and right motors to drive the left and right drive wheels based at least in part on operator manipulation of one or more input devices, said controller also arranged to combine the first, second, and third signals to detect wheelchair drift and wheelchair veer; and
wherein detecting wheelchair drift and wheelchair veer comprises comparing the wheelchair chassis actual turn rate to an expected wheelchair chassis turn rate, wherein the expected wheelchair chassis turn rate is based at least in part on the second and third signals.
17 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A motorized wheelchair includes left and right drive wheels, left and right motors, rate-of-turn sensor, first and second speed sensors, and controller arranged to combine signals from the sensors in a manner that detects drift. Alternatively, the motorized wheelchair includes left and right drive wheels, left and right motors, first and second rate-of-turn sensors, and controller arranged to combine signals from the sensors in a manner that compensates for voltage offset errors. In another arrangement, the motorized wheelchair includes left and right drive wheels, left and right motors, first and second rate-of-turn sensors, input device, and controller arranged to combine signals from the sensors and input device in a manner that controls the motors using an integrated turn rate error. Several methods for controlling each wheelchair configuration are also provided. These methods process signals associated with desired, expected, or actual turn rate to determine if the wheelchair is off course.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A motorized wheelchair, comprising:
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left and right drive wheels connected to a wheelchair chassis and providing rolling support for said motorized wheelchair; a left motor in operative communication with the left drive wheel; a right motor in operative communication with the right drive wheel; a first wheelchair chassis rate-of-turn sensor arranged to provide a first signal outputting a first wheelchair chassis actual turn rate; a first wheel speed sensor arranged to provide a second signal indicative of a speed of said left drive wheel; a second wheel speed sensor arranged to provide a third signal indicative of a speed of said right drive wheel; and a controller in operative communication with the left and right motors, first rate-of-turn sensor, and said first and second speed sensors, said controller arranged to independently control the left and right motors to drive the left and right drive wheels based at least in part on operator manipulation of one or more input devices, said controller also arranged to combine the first, second, and third signals to detect wheelchair drift and wheelchair veer; and wherein detecting wheelchair drift and wheelchair veer comprises comparing the wheelchair chassis actual turn rate to an expected wheelchair chassis turn rate, wherein the expected wheelchair chassis turn rate is based at least in part on the second and third signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of controlling a motorized wheelchair, comprising:
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independently controlling left and right motors to drive corresponding left and right drive wheels connected to a wheelchair chassis based at least in part on operator manipulation of one or more input devices associated with an input device; sensing a first parameter using a first wheelchair chassis rate-of-turn sensor and providing a first signal outputting a first wheelchair chassis actual turn rate; sensing a second parameter using a first wheel speed sensor and providing a second signal indicative of a speed of said left drive wheel; sensing a third parameter using a second wheel speed sensor and providing a third signal indicative of a speed of said right drive wheel; and combining the first, second, and third signals to detect wheelchair drift and wheelchair veer, and wherein detecting wheelchair drift and wheelchair veer comprises comparing the wheelchair chassis actual turn rate to an expected wheelchair chassis turn rate, wherein the expected wheelchair chassis turn rate is based at least in part on the second and third signals. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A drive control device for a vehicle comprising left and right drive wheels connected to a vehicle chassis, said drive control device including:
- a controller in operative communication with an input device and a first vehicle chassis rate-of-turn sensor, wherein said first vehicle chassis rate-of-turn sensor is provided for sensing and outputting an actual turn rate of the vehicle, wherein a first wheel speed sensor is arranged to provide a first signal indicative of a speed of the left drive wheel, wherein a second wheel speed sensor is arranged to provide a second signal indicative of a speed of the right drive wheel, wherein the controller is arranged to detect vehicle drift and vehicle veer by processing the actual turn rate with the first and second signals.
- View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
Specification