Vehicular suspension system
AssigneeAtlantic Richfield Company
InventorDonald F. Wilkes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wheelchair and rolling suspension system are supported by a pair of inclined, nested circular hoops. The hoops may be manually driven by lever arms accessable to the chair occupant. Moreover, the drive system permits the chair to negotiate straight lines, gradual and sharp curves, as well as to rotate about a vertical axis. The wheelchair is a two-wheel system having self-righting characteristics and is collapsible for storage and transportation. A seat assembly is articulatable between a vertically upright position and a fully reclined position. In addition, the wheelchair can function as a rocking chair.
Claims26
A vehicle suspension system comprising:
- frame means;
- a pair of ground engaging hoops, each hoop having a generally toroidal shape, defining a corresponding plane and being rotatable within that plane;
- hoop support means carried by the frame means for rotatably supporting each hoop so that its plane is inclined relative to a supporting surface and relative to the plane of the other hoop;
- and
- frame support means for supporting the frame means on each of the ground engaging hoops.
A wheelchair for disabled persons comprising:
- a seat;
- and
- a rolling suspension means for supporting the seat, having round-engaging rolling supports with an apparent radius of curvature greater than the actual radius of curvature of the rolling supports, the elevation of the center of gravity for the combined seat and suspension means being below the elevation of the center of the apparent curvature so that the wheelchair is self-righting.
A wheelchair for disabled persons comprising:
- a seat;
- and
- a rolling suspension means for supporting the seat, having ground-engaging rolling supports with an apparent radius of curvature greater than the actual radius of curvature of the rolling supports, the elevation of the center of gravity for the combined seat and suspension means being below the elevation of the center of the apparent curvature so that the wheelchair is self-righting;
- and
- wherein the rolling suspension means includes:
- frame means;
- a pair of ground-engaging hoops, each hoop defining a corresponding plane and rotatable within that plane;
- hoop support means for rotatably supporting each hoop so that its plane is inclined relative to a supporting surface and relative to the plane of the other hoop;
- and
- frame support means for supporting the frame means on each of the ground-engaging hoops.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.