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US 5,401,044 AGranted
Two piece collapsible wheelchair
AssigneeReGain, Inc.
InventorMichael H. Galumbeck
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lightweight, two piece wheelchair wherein both pieces are separable and optionally foldable. The wheelchair is driven manually by rotating a pair of opposed handwheels, one of which is contacted by each of the occupant's hands. When a seat positioning crank is rotated by the wheelchair occupant, a seat raising mechanism is activated which moves the seat from a horizontal sitting position to an inclined but substantially vertical position toward the front of the wheelchair. As the seat is raised, the contour of the seat is altered to provide added comfort for the occupant in the standing position.
Claims30
A two piece wheelchair for transporting an occupant comprising:
- a support assembly means, said support assembly means including first and second spaced side frames,
- wheelchair support wheels mounted for rotation upon said first and second side frames, said wheelchair support wheels including at least one drive wheel, and
- wheelchair drive means mounted upon at least one of said first and second side frames and operative to drive said drive wheel, said wheelchair drive means including a manually rotatable hand wheel and transmission means connected between said handwheel and said drive wheel to transmit rotary motion of said hand wheel to said drive wheel, and
- a seat assembly means independent of said support assembly means removably mounted upon said support assembly means and including a seat for supporting the buttocks of an occupant having a front section and a rear section, and a seat back connected to the rear section of said seat and seat drive means operative to engage said support assembly means when said seat assembly means is mounted upon said support assembly means, said seat drive means operating to drive said seat and seat back relative to said support assembly means between a lowermost position relative to said wheelchair support wheels and an uppermost position spaced above said lowermost position wherein said seat assembly means operates to move an occupant of said wheelchair between a sitting position in the lowermost position of said seat and seat back to a standing position in said uppermost position of said seat and seat back, said seat being articulated with said front section being pivotally connected to said rear section, said seat assembly means including seat support means operative to cause said front section to extend outwardly in substantially the same plane as the rear section when said seat and seat back are in the lowermost position while causing the front section to pivot downwardly from the rear section when said seat and seat back are moved to the uppermost position, said rear seat section including a center portion and side portions on either side of said center portion, all of which extend in substantially the same plane when said seat and seat back are in the lowermost position, said seat support means operating to raise said side portions above said center portion of said rear section when said seat and seat back are moved to the uppermost position.
1 more element
A two piece wheelchair for transporting an occupant comprising:
- a support assembly means, said support assembly means including first and second spaced side frames,
- wheelchair support wheels mounted for rotation upon said first and second side frames, said wheelchair support wheels including at least one drive wheel, and
- wheelchair drive means mounted upon at least one of said first and second side frames and operative to drive said drive wheel, said wheelchair drive means including a manually rotatable hand wheel and transmission means connected between said handwheel and said drive wheel to transmit rotary motion of said hand wheel to said drive wheel, and
- a seat assembly means independent of said support assembly means removably mounted upon said support assembly means, said seat assembly means including a seat for supporting the buttocks of an occupant having a front section and a rear section, and a seat back connected to the rear section of said seat and seat drive means operative to engage said support assembly means when said seat assembly means is mounted upon said support assembly means, said seat drive means operating to drive said seat and seat back relative to said support assembly means between a lowermost position relative to said wheelchair support wheels and an uppermost position spaced above said lowermost position, said support assembly means including manually operable brake means operable in an engagement position to engage and prevent rotation of said drive wheel and in a disengagement position to permit rotation of said drive wheel and safety locking means operable by said brake means, said safety locking means operating when said seat assembly means is mounted upon said support assembly means with said seat and seat back in the lowermost position to prevent operation of said seat drive means if said brake means is in the disengagement position.
1 more element
A wheelchair for transporting an occupant comprising,
- a structural frame;
- wheelchair support wheels mounted for rotation on said frame;
- manually operable brake means mounted upon said frame, said manually operable brake means operating in an engagement position to engage and prevent rotation of at least one of said support wheels and in a disengagement position to permit rotation of said support wheels, seat means mounted upon said frame, said seat means including drive means to drive said occupant supporting seat for movement relative to said frame between a lowermost position to an uppermost position spaced above said lowermost position,
- and safety locking means connected for operation by said brake means, said safety locking means operating when said occupant supporting seat is in the lowermost position to prevent operation of said drive means if said brake means is in the disengagement position.
1 more element
A wheelchair for transporting an occupant comprising:
- a structural frame;
- wheelchair support wheels mounted for rotation on said frame;
- seat means including an occupant supporting seat;
- said seat means including drive means operative to change the contour of said occupant supporting seat, and seat support means for supporting said occupant supporting seat, said occupant supporting seat including a section having an upper support surface with a center portion and side portions on either side of said center portion which extend in substantially the same plane when said occupant supporting seat is in a first position, said seat support means operating in response to operation of said drive means to raise said side portions above the plane of said center portion to dish said upper support surface from said side portions toward said center portion thereof.
1 more element
A wheelchair for transporting an occupant comprising:
- a structural frame;
- wheelchair support wheels mounted for rotation on said frame;
- a seat assembly mounted on said frame including an occupant supporting seat having a front and a rear seat section, said front seat section being pivotally connected to said rear seat section, and seat support means operative in a first position to cause said front seat section to extend in substantially the same plane as the rear seat section and in a second position to cause the front seat section to pivot downwardly from the rear seat section;
- and rear seat section contour means operating to engage said rear seat section in said second position of said seat support means to change the contour of said rear seat section.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.