# US 10,245,193 B2 · Brake system for wheelchair > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,245,193 B2 - Document ID: US10245193B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/552,139 - Filed: 2016-03-07 - Published: 2018-02-15 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-06 - Assignees: Motion Composites Inc. - Applicants: Motion Composites Inc. - Inventors: David Gingras; Pierre-Andre Couture; Michael Archambault - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10245193B2 ## CPC - A61G 5/101: {of the parking brake type, e.g. holding the wheelchair} - A61G 5/1018: {on the running surface} - A61G 5/1035: {manipulated by wheelchair user} - A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00) ## Abstract A brake system for a wheelchair comprises a lever assembly adapted to be movably connected to a wheelchair frame, the lever assembly having a handle portion for hand manipulation. A brake unit is adapted to be pivotally connected to relative to the wheelchair frame, the brake unit having a brake end adapted to contact the wheel. An actuator portion and a follower portion are in the brake system, the follower portion cooperating with the actuator portion for the brake unit to be selectively displaceable between at least two configurations, including a floating configuration in which the brake end contacts the wheel so as to automatically pivot into blocking contact with the wheel when the wheel rotates rearwardly, while allowing a forward rotation of the wheel, and a locking configuration in which the brake end is manually locked into blocking contact with the wheel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A brake system for a wheelchair comprising: a lever assembly adapted to be movably connected to a wheelchair frame, the lever assembly having a handle portion for hand manipulation; a brake unit adapted to be pivotally connected to relative to the wheelchair frame, the brake unit having a brake end adapted to contact the wheel; an actuator portion and a follower portion in the brake system, the actuator portion having a projecting interface, the follower portion having a groove receiving the projecting interface of the actuator portion for the brake unit to be selectively displaceable between at least two configurations, as a response to movements of the lever assembly, each of the at least two configurations caused by a cooperation between the projecting interface and the groove, of the at least two configurations including a floating configuration in which the brake end contacts the wheel so as to automatically pivot into blocking contact with the wheel when the wheel rotates rearwardly, while allowing a forward rotation of the wheel, and a locking configuration in which the brake end is manually locked into blocking contact with the wheel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The brake system according to claim 1, wherein the projecting interface of the actuator portion is an actuator pin at an end of the lever assembly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The brake system according to claim 2, further comprising at least one roller bearing supporting the actuator pin in the lever assembly. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The brake system according to claim 1, wherein the follower portion is the follower groove in a body of the brake unit, the follower groove receiving the projecting interface of the actuator portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The brake system according to claim 4, wherein the follower groove has a receptacle for captive engagement of the actuator portion in the locking configuration of the brake system. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The brake system according to claim 4, wherein the follower portion cooperates with the actuator portion for the brake unit to be selectively displaceable to a bypass configuration in which the brake end is held away from the wheel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The brake system according to claim 6, wherein the follower groove has a receptacle for captive engagement of the actuator portion in the bypass configuration of the brake system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The brake system according to claim 4, further comprising an indexing mechanism blocking movement of the lever assembly relative to the wheelchair frame in the at least two configurations. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The brake system according to claim 8, wherein the indexing mechanism has a biasing ball biased against the lever assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The brake system according to claim 1, wherein the follower portion cooperates with the actuator portion for the brake unit to be selectively displaceable to a bypass configuration in which the brake end is held away from the wheel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The brake system according to claim 1, further comprising a spring biasing the brake unit against the wheel in the floating configuration. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The brake system according to claim 1, further comprising a structural member to which the lever assembly and the brake unit are pivotally connected. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The brake system according to claim 12, wherein the structural member is configured to be releasably fixed to the wheelchair frame by at least one clamp. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The brake system according to claim 12, wherein the follower portion is a follower groove in a body of the brake unit, the follower groove receiving the actuator portion, wherein the brake system has calibration configuration in which the brake end is displaceable with said structural member to a predetermined visual position relative to the wheel when the actuator portion is at a passageway entering the follower groove. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A wheelchair comprising: a frame; wheels rollingly mounted to the frame; and at least one of the brake system described in claim 1. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The wheelchair according to claim 15, comprising two of the brake system with one said brake system for each of two rear wheels of the wheelchair, the two brake systems being mirror images of one another.