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WO1992004223A1 - Equipement moteur pour fauteuil roulant - Google Patents

Equipement moteur pour fauteuil roulant Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1992004223A1
WO1992004223A1 PCT/US1991/006336 US9106336W WO9204223A1 WO 1992004223 A1 WO1992004223 A1 WO 1992004223A1 US 9106336 W US9106336 W US 9106336W WO 9204223 A1 WO9204223 A1 WO 9204223A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
drive
hub
handle
wheel
locking pin
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1991/006336
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Paul V. Garin, Iii
Donald E. Lusk
Original Assignee
Fortress Lite-Style, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US07/578,587 external-priority patent/US5161630A/en
Application filed by Fortress Lite-Style, Inc. filed Critical Fortress Lite-Style, Inc.
Publication of WO1992004223A1 publication Critical patent/WO1992004223A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61G—TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
    • A61G5/00—Chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs
    • A61G5/04—Chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs motor-driven
    • A61G5/041—Chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs motor-driven having a specific drive-type
    • A61G5/045—Rear wheel drive
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61G—TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
    • A61G5/00—Chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs
    • A61G5/10—Parts, details or accessories
    • A61G5/1054—Large wheels, e.g. higher than the seat portion
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61G—TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
    • A61G2203/00—General characteristics of devices
    • A61G2203/10—General characteristics of devices characterised by specific control means, e.g. for adjustment or steering
    • A61G2203/14—Joysticks

Definitions

  • motorized wheelchairs tend to be bulkier than nonmotorized wheelchairs and are not built to provide optional manual self propulsion by the occupant.
  • the rear drive wheels are usually smaller than the rear wheels of a nonmotorized wheelchair and are usually mounted farther rearward than the wheels of a nonmotorized wheelchair.
  • the central axis of the rear wheels must be moved behind the wheelchair seat back to preclude tipping of the wheelchair.
  • a manually releasable wheelchair hub drive assembly in accordance with the invention enables the occupant of a motorized wheelchair to manually connect and disconnect the rear wheels and the rear wheel drive motors.
  • the center of rotation of the rear wheels is placed behind, at or ahead of the wheelchair seat back and full size 24 inch wheels are provided for the wheelchair.
  • a manual drive ring is provided on the outside of each rear wheel to enable the occupant to disconnect the drive motors and manually self propel the wheelchair at will.
  • the hub drive assembly does not interface with folding of the wheelchair to a laterally more compact condition for storage or travel.
  • a substantially identical hub drive assembly is provided for each rear wheel.
  • Each hub drive assembly includes an electric drive motor, a laterally extending worm gear assembly coupled to the drive motor, a rear drive axle having an inner end connected to the worm gear assembly and an opposite outer end, a drive hub fixed to the outer end of the drive axle and a driven hub or spider secured to the rear wheel of the wheelchair at a central hub region. Rotational force is transmitted from the drive motor, through the worm gear assembly and drive axle to the outer drive hub.
  • the drive hub has a pair of diametrically opposed, axially extending locking pin holes extending therethrough. A pair of locking pins and a pair of helical coil springs are disposed in the locking pin holes.
  • the outer ends of the locking pins terminate in a shank which connects through a pivot pin to opposite sides of a U-shaped handle.
  • the locking pins are eccentrically secured to the handle such that when the handle is rotated to a disengaged position, the locking pins are pulled laterally outward away from engagement with the driven hub.
  • the driven hub has multiple axially extending locking pin holes radially spaced for opposed alignment with the pairs of locking pins.
  • the locking pins become positioned opposit" a pair wf holes in the driven hub and are forced into engagement by the coil springs. The rear wheel is thus engaged to the drive motor.
  • the wheelchair is free of the motor drag and inertia and can be controlled as if it were a nonmotorized wheelchair.
  • the wheelchair occupant can reach down to the rear wheel hub position, toggle the control handle to the engaged position and proceed with motorized operation of the wheelchair.
  • the wheel drive assembly is arranged to allow folding of the wheelchair to a laterally more compact position in a manner similar to a nonmotorized wheelchair.
  • the control handle preferably has two distinguishable opposite surfaces, such as smooth and rough, to enable the occupant to tell by tactile feel and without looking whether or not the rear wheels are engaged to the drive motors. For example, an outwardly facing rough surface could indicate engagement.
  • Fig. 1 is a simplified perspective view of a selectively power driven or occupant self propelled wheelchair housing a selectively connectable wheel drive assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention
  • Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the wheel drive assembly in accordance with the invention
  • Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the wheel drive assembly shown . in Fig. 2 with locking pins in an engaged position;
  • Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of the wheel drive assembly shown in Fig. 2 with locking pins in a disengaged position;
  • Fig. 5a is a front perspective view of a U-shaped toggle handle used in the wheel drive assembly shown in Fig. 2;
  • Fig. 5b is a rear perspective view of a U-shaped toggle handle used in the releasable wheel drive assembly shown in Fig. 2;
  • Fig. 6 is a simplified rear perspective view of a power driven wheelchair in accordance with the invention with the battery support assembly removed. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment
  • a foldable, selectively power driven or manually self propelled wheelchair 10 in accordance with the invention includes opposed right and left side frames 12, 14 providing the primary structural support for wheelchair 10.
  • a seat 16 having a back support 18 extends between frames 12, 14 to support a wheelchair occupant (not shown) .
  • Also supported by the frames 12, 14 are left and right rear wheels 20, 22, left and right castor mounted front wheels 24, 26, left and right foot supports 28, 30, a motor drive system 32 and an energy supply system in the form of a battery support assembly 34.
  • the re. ⁇ r wheels 20, 22 are identically mounted on a frame 10 by a selectively releasable hub drive mechanism or assembly 40 as illustratively shown for rear wheel 20.
  • the wheelchair side frames 12, 14 are made primarily of strong, lightweight tubing of a metal such as aluminum.
  • the side frames are connected by a foldable supporting structure 42.
  • the side frames 12, 14 include a pair of vertically extending members 44, 46 which support seat back 18 between them and terminate in a pair of rearwardly extending handles 48, 50.
  • the side frames 12, 14 further include longitudinally extending tubular members 52, 54 which support a battery support assembly 34.
  • Front vertical frame members 56, 58 extend upwardly from longitudinal frame members 52, 54 and then bend rearward to provide arm rests 60, 62.
  • the seat 16 is either removable or foldable to allow the wheelchair 10 to be folded to a more laterally compact condition.
  • the motor drive system 32 includes a manual joy stick controller 70 receiving energy from the energy supply system 34 and two motors 72, 74 independently driving the rear wheels 20, 22 in response to manipulation of the joy stick controller 70.
  • the front wheels 24, 26 are castor mounted and have no independent steering capability. They are passively responsive to the steering motion of the wheelchair 10. Steering may thus be completely controlled through the independent motion of rear wheels 20, 22.
  • Occupant manual propulsion of wheelchair 10 is enabled by providing large, 24 inch diameter rear wheels 20, 22 by providing a center of rotation for wheels 20, 22 at or in front of the seat back support 18, by mounting a manual- propulsion or drive ring 80 on the outside of wheels 20, 22 and by coupling the wheels 20, 22 to their respective drive motors 72, 74 through a manually releasable hub assembly 100.
  • hub assembly 100 is disengaged the associated rear wheel 20, 22 of wheelchair 10 is completely disconnected from drive motors 72, 74.
  • a separate hub assembly 100 connects each drive motor 72, 74 to its associated rear wheel 20, 22 respectively.
  • hub assembly 100 coupling motor 72 to rear wheel 20 is illustrated and described in detail, it will be appreciated that a substantially identical hub assembly connects drive motor 74 to rear wheel 22.
  • Hub assembly 100 includes a drive axle 112 having an inner driven end permanently coupled through an axially extending worm gear assembly 114 to motor 72 which has an axis of rotation extending perpendicular to drive axle 112. While most of drive axle 112 is cylindrical in shape, an outer, free end 116 of drive axle 112 has a square shape and is received in mating relationship by an axially or laterally extending square aperture 118 in a generally cylindrical drive hub 120. The square shapes of end 116 and aperture 118 serve as a key to prevent relative rotation between shaft 112 and drive hub 120.
  • a bolt 128 secures drive hub 120 to free end 116 of drive axle 112. Worm gear assembly 114 and its output shaft 112 carried thereby are mounted by bolts 122 to a metal plate
  • Drive axle 112 receives and rotationally supports a central hub 126 of rear wheel
  • the releasable hub assembly 100 includes a spider 136 which engages central hub 126, a pair of locking pins 138, 140, a pair of springs 142, 144, a toggle handle 146, and a pair of pivot pins 148, 150 for pivotally securing handle 146 to the locking pins 138, 140.
  • Central hub 126 is preferably made of plastic and has a cylindrical center hub 152 that is connected by multiple radial spokes 154 to a cylindrical middle hub 156. Bearings 158 rotationally mount center hub 152 and hence wheel 20 on drive axle 112.
  • Spider 126 is a generally cup-shaped member having a generally cylindrical sidewall 160 and a disk shaped end wall 162 affixed thereto.
  • Sidewall 160 has multiple axial slots 164 which mate with spokes 154 as spider 126 is slid into engagement with central hub 126. The engagement between spokes 154 and slots 164 precludes relative rotation between spider 136 and central hub 126 of wheel 20.
  • the end wall 162 of spider 136 has a large central bore 170 which surrounds the center hub 152 and receives drive axle 112 and multiple axially extending, circumferentially spaced, diametrically opposed pairs of locking pin holes 172 distributed at equal radii about central axis 130.
  • Spider 136 is made of metal so that locking pin holes 172 can receive locking pins 138, 140 without sustaining damage that might be inflicted if locking pins 138, 140 were allowed to directly engage the plastic central hub 126.
  • Drive hub 120 is a generally cylindrical member having a laterally outward facing circular end surface 174 having a rectangular shaped slot or groove 176 defined therein to a depth of about 3/8 inch.
  • a pair of locking pin bores 178, 180 extend axially through drive hub 120 at radial positions matching the radial positions of locking bushings 172 in spider 136.
  • Bores 142, 144 each have a large diameter section 182 that mates with the large diameter laterally inward locking end 184 of locking pins 138, 140 and a small diameter section 186 that guides a small diameter shank portion 188 of locking pins 138, 140.
  • Handle 146 is a generally U-shaped member having a cross bar 194 with two side bars 196, 198 depending therefrom in parallel opposed relationship.
  • the side bars 196, 198 terminate in ends 200, 202 having slots 204, 206 adapted to receive the outward ends of shank portions 188 of respective locking pins 138, 140.
  • a pair of transverse bores 210, 212 pass through the ends 200, 202 of side bars 196, 198 in a direction parallel to cross bar 194.
  • Handle 146 has first and second opposed parallel planar side surfaces 216, 218. Bores 210, 212 are located eccentrically with respect to these side surfaces 216, 218 and also with respect to ends 200, 202 to enable the axial positioning of locking pins 148, 150.
  • the shanks 188 of locking pins 148, 150 are sufficiently long relative to the depth of large diameter section 182 of bores 138, 140 and the thickness of drive hub 120 that they may be forced laterally outward to a position wherein transverse pivot pin bores 222, 224 located near the ends thereof extend beyond the outer surface of drive hub 120. From this position the ends 200, 202 of handle 146 can be joined with the shank ends of locking pins 148, 150 with the ends being received into slots 204, 206 such that bores 222, 224 may be axially aligned with the bores 210, 212 in handle 146.
  • pivot pin 148 may be inserted into bores 222 and 210 to pivotally attach locking pin 138 to handle side member 196 and pivot pin 150 may be inserted into bores 224 and 212 to pivotally attach locking pin 140 to hand side member 198.
  • locking pins 138, 140 thus attached to handle 146 they may be released to allow springs 142, 144 to force handle ends 200, 202 axially inwardly into rectangular groove 176.
  • the sidewalls of groove 176 then serve to restrain pivot pins 148, 150 to maintain the assembled arrangement.
  • the bores 210, 212 are eccentrically located closer to second surface 218 than first surface 216 and closer to first surface 216 than to ends 200, 202.
  • the 146 may thus be toggled by rotation between two stable positions 180 degrees apart.
  • the two surfaces 216, 218 are made tactilely distinguishable by roughening surface 216 at area 228, by defining letters in one of the surfaces or by means of some other technique which allows a wheelchair occupant to determine the toggle state of handle 146 simply by touching the handle surface and without visual inspection. The occupant may thus be able to readily determine whether or not the rear wheel hubs are engaged or disengaged.
  • handle 146 is rotated to the position wherein first surface 216 faces outward as shown in Fig. 3, the locking pins 138, 140 are released so as to be forced by springs 142, 144 toward the spider 136.
  • handle 146 When handle 146 is toggled 180 degrees to the disengaged condition as shown in Fig. 4, the locking pins 138, 140 are lifted from the bores 172 in spider 120 to allow rear wheel 20 to turn freely relative to drive hub 120. In this position, the wheel chair occupant can feel the smooth side 218 of handle 146. Wheelchair 10 can be manually guided and propelled without encountering any drag from the drive motors 72, 74.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Handcart (AREA)

Abstract

Un équipement moteur (40) sur roue arrière pour fauteuil roulant motorisé peut être sélectivement enclenché et désenclenché par l'occupant afin de permettre l'utilisation dudit fauteuil roulant (10) en mode soit motorisé soit propulsé par l'occupant lui-même. Pour chaque roue arrière (20, 22) un moteur d'entraînement (72, 74) est connecté par l'intermédiaire d'un ensemble à vis sans fin (114) s'étendant axialement et un essieu moteur arrière (112) à un moyeu d'entraînement (120). Le moyeu d'entraînement (120) est positionné à l'extérieur de la roue arrière (20, 22) et il supporte une poignée de commande (146), laquelle à son tour commande une paire de goupilles de bloquage (136, 140) s'engageant sélectivement dans le moyeu d'entraînement (120) ou se désengageant de celui-ci (120) à partir de la roue arrière (20, 22). L'équipement moteur (40) permet le pliage plus compact latéralement dudit fauteuil roulant (10).
PCT/US1991/006336 1990-09-04 1991-09-04 Equipement moteur pour fauteuil roulant WO1992004223A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US07/578,587 US5161630A (en) 1990-09-04 1990-09-04 Wheelchair drive assembly
US578,587 1990-09-04
CA002035743A CA2035743A1 (fr) 1990-09-04 1991-02-05 Mecanisme d'entrainement pour fauteuil roulant
CA2,035,743 1991-02-05

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1992004223A1 true WO1992004223A1 (fr) 1992-03-19

Family

ID=25674473

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US1991/006336 WO1992004223A1 (fr) 1990-09-04 1991-09-04 Equipement moteur pour fauteuil roulant

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO1992004223A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0697300A1 (fr) * 1994-08-17 1996-02-21 Ulrich Alber GmbH Véhicule de faible dimension équipé d'un moteur monté dans le moyen d'au moins une roue motrice

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3889773A (en) * 1973-02-05 1975-06-17 Vessa Ltd Drive disconnect for motorized wheelchair
GB2102360A (en) * 1981-06-26 1983-02-02 Barrett Limited W And F Wheel-chair motorised drive unit
US4504094A (en) * 1982-09-16 1985-03-12 Everest And Jennings Canadian Limited Drive mechanism for invalid carriages
US4512613A (en) * 1982-12-02 1985-04-23 Everest & Jennings, Inc. Wheel hub latch mechanism for power wheelchairs
US4773495A (en) * 1984-02-24 1988-09-27 Gerhard Haubenwallner Drive motor, which is supplied by an energy source, for disk-shaped or wheel-shaped members with a control mechanism

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3889773A (en) * 1973-02-05 1975-06-17 Vessa Ltd Drive disconnect for motorized wheelchair
GB2102360A (en) * 1981-06-26 1983-02-02 Barrett Limited W And F Wheel-chair motorised drive unit
US4504094A (en) * 1982-09-16 1985-03-12 Everest And Jennings Canadian Limited Drive mechanism for invalid carriages
US4512613A (en) * 1982-12-02 1985-04-23 Everest & Jennings, Inc. Wheel hub latch mechanism for power wheelchairs
US4773495A (en) * 1984-02-24 1988-09-27 Gerhard Haubenwallner Drive motor, which is supplied by an energy source, for disk-shaped or wheel-shaped members with a control mechanism

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0697300A1 (fr) * 1994-08-17 1996-02-21 Ulrich Alber GmbH Véhicule de faible dimension équipé d'un moteur monté dans le moyen d'au moins une roue motrice

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