Worm gear assembly for a medical mobility apparatus permitting manual reverse mobility
AssigneeReliance Electric Industrial Company
InventorMaurice E. Swisher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A worm gear assembly for a medical mobility apparatus, such as a motorized wheelchair or scooter, comprises a worm and a worm gear. The worm is operatively coupled to a motor shaft of a drive motor of the medical mobility apparatus. The worm gear, which is disposed on an intermediate shaft, is adapted for being driven by the worm and is adapted for driving a drive wheel of the medical mobility apparatus. The worm gear and the worm have a gear ratio of less than 10:1 and the worm has a lead angle in the range of about 20-30.degree.. This arrangement permits the worm gear to selectively drive the worm and permits manual reverse mobility of the medical mobility apparatus.
Claims5
A worm gear assembly for a medical mobility apparatus, the worm gear assembly comprising:
- a worm, said worm being adapted to be operatively coupled to a motor shaft of a drive motor of said medical mobility apparatus;
- an intermediate shaft;
- a worm gear, said worm gear being disposed on said intermediate shaft, and said worm gear being adapted for being driven by said worm and being adapted for driving a drive wheel of said medical mobility apparatus,
- wherein said worm gear and said worm have a gear ratio of less than 10:1 and said worm has a lead angle in the range of about 20-30.degree. so as to permit said worm gear to selectively drive said worm and so as to permit manual reverse mobility of said medical mobility apparatus without disengaging any part of the worm gear assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.