Back to results
US 6,883,632 B2Granted
Manual-electric wheelchair drive device
OwnerLang J. McHardy, Willie Urenainventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An input device (such as a rotational hand crank) receives a constantly-applied motion, and outputs a signal to a controller which, in turn, sends an appropriate signal to an electric motor, which is connected to the chair via a mechanical transmission. The wheel is removably mounted in front of a wheelchair such that the front wheels of the chair are lifted above the ground. The device is generally steered manually, such as by pivoting an input device to one side.
Claims18
A wheelchair drive device comprising:
- a frame configured to be mounted to a wheelchair;
- a controller mounted to the frame;
- an input device mounted on the frame in a position such that a continuous physical motion may be applied thereto, the input device being in electrical communication with the controller;
- an electric motor configured to be driven by the controller;
- a wheel rotatably held by a portion of the frame at a central axis of the wheel and being pivotable about an axis which is normal to the central axis of the wheel;
- and
- a transmission in mechanical communication with the motor and the wheel such that the wheel is driveable by the motor;
- wherein the controller is configured to receive an input signal from the input device only when the continuous motion is applied to the input device, and wherein the controller is configured to provide power to the motor only when the input signal is received.
5 more elements
A wheelchair drive device comprising:
- an input device configured to receive a continuous physical motion applied by a user;
- a motor in electrical communication with the input device;
- a wheel pivotably held by a frame such that the wheel is pivotable about an axis which is normal to a central axis of the wheel, the frame being configured to be mountable to a front of a wheelchair so as to place the input device within arm's reach of an occupant seated in the wheelchair;
- a transmission disposed between the motor and the wheel such that the wheel is driveable by the motor;
- wherein the device is configured such that when the continuous physical motion stops, the motor also stops.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.