Mid-wheel drive power wheelchair
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A power wheelchair comprising:
- a. a frame;
b. a seat supported on the frame, the seat having a cushion portion and a back portion for respectively supporting a person'"'"'s thighs and buttocks and a person'"'"'s back when the person is in a seated upright position;
c. a pair of drive wheels positioned on opposite sides of the frame and rotatable about transverse axes positioned below a central portion of the cushion of the seat;
d. drive means for causing rotation of the drive wheels for powered movement of the wheelchair;
e. means for controlling the rotation on the drive wheels by the drive means;
f. at least one idler wheel connected to the frame and positioned behind the drive wheels and rearward of the back portion of the seat, the idler wheel mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis and supported for rotational movement about a vertical axis;
g. anti-tip idler wheels positioned forward of the drive wheels and the cushion portion of the seat, the forward anti-tip idler wheels positioned off the ground when the drive wheels and rear idler wheels are in their normal ground engaging position on level ground; and
h. a resilient suspension supporting the idler wheels forward of the front portion of the frame.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A front wheel drive power wheel chair has the drive wheel axis of rotation forward of the wheelchair user'"'"'s eyes and cranial center of perception.
279 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A power wheelchair comprising:
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a. a frame; b. a seat supported on the frame, the seat having a cushion portion and a back portion for respectively supporting a person'"'"'s thighs and buttocks and a person'"'"'s back when the person is in a seated upright position; c. a pair of drive wheels positioned on opposite sides of the frame and rotatable about transverse axes positioned below a central portion of the cushion of the seat; d. drive means for causing rotation of the drive wheels for powered movement of the wheelchair; e. means for controlling the rotation on the drive wheels by the drive means; f. at least one idler wheel connected to the frame and positioned behind the drive wheels and rearward of the back portion of the seat, the idler wheel mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis and supported for rotational movement about a vertical axis; g. anti-tip idler wheels positioned forward of the drive wheels and the cushion portion of the seat, the forward anti-tip idler wheels positioned off the ground when the drive wheels and rear idler wheels are in their normal ground engaging position on level ground; and h. a resilient suspension supporting the idler wheels forward of the front portion of the frame. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A power wheelchair comprising:
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a support frame; a seat removably mounted to the frame, the seat having a cushion for supporting a person'"'"'s buttocks and thighs, and a back for supporting a person'"'"'s back when seated upright in the seat; pair of drive wheels mounted on the frame and rotatable about a transverse axis, the drive wheel axis positioned below the cushion of the seat and forward of the back of the seat; a motor for rotation of the drive wheels, the motor supported on the frame; a battery for supplying power to the motor, the battery being removably supported on the frame; at least one ground-engaging castor type idler wheel connected to the frame behind the drive wheels and rearward of the back of the seat; at least one anti-tip idler wheel positioned forward of the drive wheels and the cushion of the seat, the at least one forward anti-tip idler wheel positioned off the ground when the drive wheels and rear idler wheels are in their normal ground engaging position on level ground; and a suspension for supporting the idler wheel forward of the front portion of the frame, the suspension pivotally attached at one position to the frame and having a spring attached to the frame at a second position, the suspension permitting an upward arcuate movement of the idler wheel relative to the pivot and the spring resiliently compressing in the event of wheelchair pitching forward or the idler wheel contacting the ground or an obstacle.
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7. A power wheelchair comprising:
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a frame having a front portion, a rear portion and a top portion; a seat removably mounted on the top portion of the frame, the seat having a cushion for supporting an person'"'"'s buttocks and thighs and a back for supporting a person'"'"'s back when seated in the seat, the back of the seat positioned above the rear portion of the frame; a pair of drive wheels independently mounted on the frame and rotatable about an axis transverse to the frame, the drive wheel axis positioned below the seat and forward of the center of the cushion of the seat; a motor for rotation of the drive wheels, the motor supported on the frame; a joystick for controlling the activation of the motor and resulting movement of the wheelchair by the drive wheels; a battery for supplying power to the motor, the battery removably supported on the frame; at least one ground-engaging idler wheel connected to the rear portion of the frame behind the drive wheels; at least one anti-tip idler wheel positioned forward of the drive wheels, the front of the cushion of the seat and the forward portion of the frame, the at least one forward anti-tip idler wheel positioned off the ground when the drive wheels and rear idler wheels are in their normal ground engaging position on level ground; and a resilient suspension supporting the idler wheel forward of the front portion of the frame.
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8. A power wheelchair comprising:
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a frame having a front portion, a rear portion and a top portion; a seat removably mounted on the top portion of the frame, the seat having a cushion for supporting an person'"'"'s buttocks and thighs and a back for supporting a person'"'"'s back when seated in the seat, the back of the seat positioned above the rear portion of the frame; a pair of drive wheels independently mounted on the frame and rotatable about an axis transverse to the frame, the drive wheel axis positioned below the seat and forward of the center of the cushion of the seat; a motor for rotation of the drive wheels, the motor supported on the frame; a joystick for controlling the activation of the motor and resulting movement of the wheelchair by the drive wheels; a battery for supplying power to the motor, the battery removably supported on the frame; a pair of ground-engaging castor wheels connected to the rear a portion of the frame behind the drive wheels; at least one anti-tip idler wheel positioned forward of the drive wheels, the front of the cushion of the seat and the forward portion of the frame, the forward anti-tip idler wheel positioned off the ground when the drive wheels and rear idler wheels are in their normal ground engaging position on level ground; and a resilient suspension for the forward idler wheel, the suspension supporting the idler wheel forward of the front portion of the wheelchair frame.
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Specification