Apparatus and method for attaching a motorized wheel to a wheelchair

An apparatus for attaching a drive wheel to a wheelchair, said wheelchair including a frame, a pair of manually-driven wheels rotatably mounted on the frame, and at least one idler wheel mounted on the frame, said apparatus comprising:

• a first mounting bracket adapted for mounting on the frame of the wheelchair, said first bracket defining a C-shaped open slot, said slot defining an interior cam surface and being open on a front side thereof and enclosed on bottom, back and top sides thereof and said first bracket further defining an opening;
• a second mounting bracket adapted for mounting on the frame of the wheel chair, said second bracket defining a C-shaped open slot, said slot defining an interior cam surface and being open on a front side thereof and enclosed on bottom, back and top sides thereof and said second bracket further defining an opening;
• a mounting frame adapted for mounting on the motorized wheel, said frame having first and second laterally-extending fixed pins and corresponding first and second laterally-extending slidable pins;
• and
• said first fixed pin being received in said C-shaped open slot defined by said first mounting bracket, said second fixed pin being received in said C-shaped open slot defined by said second mounting bracket, said first laterally-extending slidable pin being releasably received in said opening defined by said first bracket, and second laterally-extending slidable pin being releasably received in said opening defined by said second bracket.

A wheelchair with a detachable motorized wheel supported by a support surface, said wheelchair comprising:

• a wheelchair frame;
• a seat attached to the wheelchair frame;
• a pair of manually-driven wheels rotatably mounted on the wheelchair frame;
• at least one idler wheel mounted on the wheelchair frame so as to be rotatable both about its rotational axis and about a vertical axis;
• a motorized wheel;
• a mounting frame operatively connected to the motorized wheel, said frame having a laterally-extending member;
• and
• a mounting bracket operatively connected to the frame of the wheel chair, said bracket defining an open slot for receiving said member, said slot defining an interior cam surface and being open on a front side thereof and enclosed on bottom, back and top sides thereof;
• whereby when said mounting frame and motorized wheel are pivoted about said laterally-extending cylindrical member, said member bears against said interior cam surface to lift the at least one idler wheel off the support surface so that the wheelchair is supported by the pair of manually-driven wheels and the motorized wheel.

A method for mounting a motorized wheel to a frame of a wheelchair having two rear manually-driven wheels and at least one idler wheel with a mounting frame attached to the motorized wheel, said mounting frame including a first and a second laterally-extending member, and a mounting bracket attached to the wheelchair frame, said mounting bracket having an interior cam surface and a receptacle, the method comprising the steps of:

• positioning the motorized wheel relative to the wheelchair so that the first member of the mounting frame engages the cam surface of the mounting bracket;
• pivoting the motorized wheel and mounting frame about the first member until the second member is aligned with and in position for engagement with the receptacle on the mounting bracket;
• and
• engaging the receptacle with the second member to attach the motorized wheel to the wheelchair.

An apparatus for attaching a drive wheel to a wheelchair, said wheelchair including a frame, a pair of manually-driven wheels rotatably mounted on the frame, said wheelchair supported by a support surface, said apparatus comprising:

• a mounting bracket adapted for attachment to the frame of the wheelchair, said bracket defining an open slot, said slot having an interior cam surface and being open on a front side and enclosed on bottom, back and top sides thereof;
• a mounting frame operatively connected to the drive wheel, said frame having a laterally-extending member, wherein said laterally-extending member is positionable within said slot, and said mounting frame further including a width adjusting means for selectively varying and adjusting the width of the frame to accommodate a variety of different wheelchairs;
• and
• said laterally-extending member bears against said interior cam surface when said mounting frame and drive wheel are pivoted about said laterally-extending member.

An apparatus for attaching a drive wheel to a wheelchair, said wheelchair including a frame, a pair of manually-driven wheels rotatably mounted on the frame, said wheelchair supported by a support surface, said apparatus comprising:

• at least two mounting brackets adapted for attachment to the frame of the wheelchair, each of said brackets defining an open slot, said slot having an interior cam surface and being open on a front side and enclosed on bottom, back and top sides thereof;
• a mounting frame operatively connected to the drive wheel, said frame having at least two laterally-extending members, wherein said laterally-extending members are positionable within said slot;
• and
• said laterally-extending members bear against said interior cam surface when said mounting frame and drive wheel are pivoted about said laterally-extending member.

An apparatus for attaching a drive wheel to a wheelchair, said wheelchair including a frame, a pair of manually-driven wheels rotatably mounted on the frame, said wheelchair supported by a support surface, said apparatus comprising:

• a mounting bracket adapted for attachment to the frame of the wheelchair, said bracket defining an open slot, said slot having an interior cam surface and being open on a front side and enclosed on bottom, back and top sides thereof, said mounting bracket further defining a circular opening therein;
• a mounting frame operatively connected to the drive wheel, said frame having a laterally-extending member, wherein said laterally-extending member is positionable within said slot;
• and
• said laterally-extending member bearing against said interior cam surface when said mounting frame and drive wheel are pivoted about said laterally-extending member, said laterally-extending member of the mounting frame being a pin extending from the mounting frame;
• and a second pin extending from the mounting frame and selectively engaging the opening in the bracket, and wherein said second pin is selectively slidable within the mounting frame so as to be moveable between a retracted position and an extended position in engagement with the mounting bracket.

An apparatus for attaching a drive wheel to a wheelchair, said wheelchair including a frame, a pair of manually-driven wheels rotatably mounted on the frame, said wheelchair supported by a support surface, said apparatus comprising:

• a mounting bracket adapted for attachment to the frame of the wheelchair, said bracket defining an open slot, said slot having an interior cam surface and being open on a front side and enclosed on bottom, back and top sides thereof;
• a mounting frame being operatively connected to the drive wheel, said mounting frame including a center support tube for receiving and connecting with the drive wheel;
• and
• a pair of transverse support tubes attached to the center support tube, the transverse support tubes including the cylindrical member for engagement with the mounting bracket;
• and
• said laterally-extending member bears against said interior cam surface when said mounting frame and drive wheel are pivoted about said laterally-extending member.

A method for mounting a motorized wheel to a frame of a wheelchair having two rear manually-driven wheels and at least one idler wheel with a mounting frame attached to the motorized wheel, said mounting frame including a first and a second laterally-extending cylindrical members, and a mounting bracket attached to the wheelchair frame, said mounting bracket having an interior cam surface and a receptacle, the method comprising the steps of:

• positioning the motorized wheel relative to the wheelchair so that the first cylindrical member of the mounting frame engages the cam surface of the mounting bracket;
• providing an installation handle for selective attachment to the drive wheel;
• actuating the extension handle to pivot the drive wheel and mounting frame about the first cylindrical member until the second cylindrical member is aligned with and in position for engagement with the receptacle on the mounting bracket;
• and
• engaging the receptacle with the second cylindrical member to attach the motorized wheel to the wheelchair.

A method for mounting a motorized wheel to a frame of a wheelchair having two rear manually-driven wheels and at least one idler wheel with a mounting frame attached to the motorized wheel, said mounting frame including a first and a second laterally-extending member, and a mounting bracket attached to the wheelchair frame, said mounting bracket having an interior cam surface and a receptacle, the method comprising the steps of:

• positioning the motorized wheel relative to the wheelchair so that the first cylindrical member of the mounting frame engages the cam surface of the mounting bracket;
• pivoting the motorized wheel and mounting frame about the first cylindrical member until the second cylindrical member is aligned with and in position for engagement with the receptacle on the mounting bracket;
• extending the second member longitudinally from a retracted position to an extended position;
• and
• engaging the receptacle with the second member to attach the motorized wheel to the wheelchair.