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US 2006/0213705 A1Published application
Wheelchair suspension
AssigneeInvacare Corporation
InventorJames Molnar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a wheelchair suspension that includes a pivoting assembly. The pivoting assembly includes at least two linkages. The pivoting assembly is structured so that the drive assists the wheelciar in traversing obstacles.
Claims61
1-30. (canceled)
A wheelchair suspension comprising:
- a frame;
- and
- a pivoting assembly mounting at least one front caster and a drive wheel to the frame, the pivoting assembly comprising an upper link and a lower link, the upper link being pivotally mounted to the at least one front caster and to the frame at respective upper pivot axes, the lower link being pivotally mounted to the at least one front caster and to the frame at respective lower pivot axes, the distance between the upper pivot axes being different than the distance between the lower pivot axes, and one of the upper or lower links having a drive assembly coupled thereto.
A wheelchair suspension comprising:
- a frame, and
- a pivoting assembly comprising a first linkage means linking at least one front caster to the frame via first and second upper pivoting means, a second linkage means linking the at least one front caster to the frame via first and second lower pivoting means, and the first and second upper pivoting means separated from each other by a first distance and the first and second lower pivoting means separated from each other by a second distance, the first and second distances being different from each other, and one of the first or second linkage means further configured for attaching a drive assembly thereto.
A wheelchair comprising:
- a frame means;
- a front caster means;
- a means for driving the wheelchair over a supporting surface;
- a means for suspending the front caster means and the means for driving in a dependent suspension orientation so that the means for driving can cause upward movement of the front caster means;
- and
- a means for controlling the lateral movement of the front caster means when the front caster means is moving in an upward direction.
3 more elements
A wheelchair comprising:
- a frame;
- a drive assembly;
- a first member coupled to the drive assembly and comprising a first pivot joint that connects the first member to the frame;
- a second member having a second pivot joint that connects the second member to the frame;
- at least one front caster coupled to at least one of the first and second members;
- a third member having a third pivot joint connecting the third member to the first member and a fourth pivot joint connecting the third member to the second member so that movement of the first member causes movement of the second member and movement of the at least one front caster.
3 more elements
A wheelchair suspension comprising:
- a frame member;
- a pivoting assembly having:
- a first linkage pivotally coupled to the frame member;
- and
- a second linkage pivotally coupled to the frame member;
- a drive assembly coupled to the first linkage;
- at least one rear caster;
- and
- at least one front caster assembly coupled to the first and second linkages wherein upward pivotal movement of the first and second linkages causes the caster assembly to move toward the drive assembly.
6 more elements
A wheelchair suspension comprising:
- a main frame;
- first and second side frame assemblies, each side frame assembly comprising:
- interfaces for releasably attaching the side frame assembly to the main frame;
- a pivoting assembly having:
- a first link pivotally coupled to the frame member;
- and
- a second link pivotally coupled to the frame member;
- a drive assembly coupled to the first link;
- at least one rear caster;
- and
- at least one front caster assembly coupled to the first and second links wherein upward pivotal movement of the first and second links causes the caster assembly to move toward the drive assembly.
8 more elements
A wheelchair suspension comprising:
- a frame;
- at least one rear caster coupled to the frame;
- a pivoting assembly mounting a front caster and a drive wheel to the frame, the pivoting assembly comprising:
- an upper link pivotally mounted to the front caster and to the frame at respective upper pivot axes;
- a lower link pivotally mounted to the front caster and to the frame at respective lower pivot axes;
- wherein the distance between the upper pivot axes is different than the distance between the lower pivot axes, and the pivoting assembly is coupled to a drive wheel such that torque applied to the drive wheel is transferred to the upper and lower links.
3 more elements
A method of operating a wheelchair having a frame, a drive wheel, a rear caster and a front caster comprising:
- biasing the front caster into engagement with the ground;
- applying torque to the drive wheel;
- transferring the torque from the drive wheel to the front caster such that the caster is lifted and moved toward the frame.
A wheelchair suspension comprising:
- a frame;
- a rear caster coupled to the frame;
- a drive wheel;
- a front caster;
- a pivoting assembly that couples the drive wheel and the front caster to the frame such that torque applied to the drive wheel is transferred from the drive wheel to the front caster such that the caster is lifted from the ground and moved toward the frame.
2 more elements
A wheelchair suspension comprising:
- a frame;
- a rear caster coupled to the frame;
- a drive wheel;
- a front caster;
- and
- a pivoting means that couples the drive wheel and the front caster to the frame such that torque applied to the drive wheel is transferred from the drive wheel to the front caster such that the caster is lifted from the ground and moved toward the frame.
3 more elements
A wheelchair suspension comprising:
- a frame member;
- a pivoting assembly having:
- a first linkage pivotally coupled to the frame member;
- and
- a second linkage pivotally coupled to the frame member;
- a drive assembly coupled to the first linkage;
- at least one rear caster;
- and
- at least one front caster assembly pivotally coupled to the first and second linkages wherein pivotal movement of the first and second linkages causes the caster assembly to move away from the drive assembly.
6 more elements
A wheelchair suspension comprising:
- a frame;
- at least one rear caster coupled to the frame;
- a pivoting assembly mounting a front caster and a drive wheel to the frame, the pivoting assembly comprising:
- an upper linkage pivotally mounted to the front caster and to the frame at respective upper pivot axes;
- a lower linkage pivotally mounted to the front caster and to the frame at respective lower pivot axes;
- wherein the distance between the upper pivot axes is different than the distance between the lower pivot axes, and the pivoting assembly is coupled to a drive wheel such that torque applied to the drive wheel causes the upper and lower links to urge the front caster away from the frame.
3 more elements
A wheelchair comprising:
- a frame;
- a seat supported by the frame;
- a pair of rear casters coupled to the frame;
- a pair of front casters each connected to a front caster mounting bracket;
- a pair of drive assemblies, each comprising a drive motor and a drive wheel;
- a pair of pivoting assemblies mounting the pair of front casters and the pair of drive assemblies on opposite sides of the frame, each pivoting assembly comprising:
- an upper linkage assembly pivotally mounted to the front caster mounting bracket and pivotally mounted to the frame, the upper linkage assembly including a first sub-linkage fixedly connected to the drive assembly and a second sub-linkage pivotally coupled to the front caster mounting bracket;
- a lower linkage pivotally mounted to the front caster mounting bracket and pivotally mounted to the frame;
- a spring coupled to at least one of the first and second linkages.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.