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US 10,743,796 B2Granted
Wheelchair foot sensor alarm
OwnerSteven Goldmeierinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A foot sensor alarm for wheelchairs, detects if a wheelchair occupant's foot has fallen off of a wheelchair footrest. The sensor and alarm make a wheelchair occupant or care giver aware that a foot has fallen off of one or more of the footrests. Sensors may include contact closure sensors, with snap-action switches or magnetically actuated reed switches can be used. Battery-operated window alarms with piezoelectric sound emitters send out vibratory or audio sounds as alarms. An occupancy sensor seat pad is used to power up the alarm system. A flashing light emitting diode can be wired in parallel with each sound emitter to provide a visual alarm as well.
Claims21
An alarm system for a wheelchair comprising:
- said wheelchair comprising a seat, arm rests, a back rest, and a footrest adapted to support a foot of a user;
- a sensor pedal mounted on said footrest, said sensor pedal extending along one edge thereof from a spring hinge attached to said footrest, said spring hinge biasing a distal end of said sensor pedal away from said footrest;
- an actuating magnet bonded to an underside of said distal end of said sensor pedal;
- a normally closed sensor switch mounted on said footrest opposite said magnet whereas there is a gap between said magnet and said sensor switch when said footrest is unoccupied;
- said sensor switch being part of an electric circuit which issues an alarm when said footrest becomes unoccupied when said wheelchair is being occupied;
- said gap being closed when said footrest is being occupied, said magnet being in close proximity to said sensor switch to maintain said sensor switch in an open position wherein said electric circuit is open and inactive, said gap upon being opened when said footrest becomes unoccupied causing said sensor switch to close said electric circuit resulting in an alarm being issued;
- and
- an on-off switch mounted in said seat for turning on said electric circuit when said wheelchair is occupied.
5 more elements
A method of alarming a wheelchair comprising the steps of:
- providing said wheelchair with a seat, arm rests, a back rest, and a footrest to support a foot of a user;
- mounting a sensor pedal on said footrest of said wheelchair, said sensor pedal extending along one edge thereof from a spring hinge attached to said footrest, said spring hinge biasing a distal end of said sensor pedal away from said footrest;
- bonding an actuating magnet to an underside of said distal end of said sensor pedal;
- mounting a normally closed sensor switch on said footrest opposite said magnet whereas there is a gap between said magnet and said sensor switch when said footrest is unoccupied;
- incorporating said sensor switch into an electric circuit which issues an alarm when said user's foot leaves said footrest at a time when said wheelchair is being occupied by said user;
- the user's foot closing said gap when said foot is on said footrest, said magnet being in close proximity to said sensor switch causing said sensor switch to remain in an open position wherein said electric circuit is open and inactive;
- the user's foot being removed from said footrest causing said gap to open and said magnet to move away from close proximity to said sensor causing said sensor switch to close said electric circuit resulting in an alarm being issued;
- and
- mounting an on-off switch in said seat for turning on said electric circuit when said wheelchair is occupied.
6 more elements
An alarm system for a wheelchair comprising:
- said wheelchair comprising a seat, arm rests, a back rest, and a footrest adapted to support a foot of a user;
- a sensor pedal mounted on said footrest, said sensor pedal extending along one edge thereof from a flexible joint attached to said footrest, said flexible joint biasing a distal end of said sensor pedal away from said footrest;
- an actuator bonded to an underside of said distal end of said sensor pedal;
- a normally closed sensor switch mounted on said footrest opposite said actuator whereas there is a gap between said actuator and said sensor switch when said footrest is unoccupied;
- said sensor switch being part of an electric circuit which issues an alarm when said footrest becomes unoccupied when said wheelchair is being occupied;
- said gap being closed when said footrest is being occupied, said actuator being in close proximity to said sensor switch to maintain said sensor switch in an open position wherein said electric circuit is open and inactive, said gap upon being opened when said footrest becomes unoccupied causing said sensor switch to close said electric circuit resulting in an alarm being issued;
- and
- an on-off switch mounted in said seat for turning on said electric circuit when said wheelchair is occupied.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.