Back to results
US 7,243,935 B2Granted
Wheelchair having a pivot provision adjacent the knee of a user
AssigneeLudgerus Beheer B.V.
InventorStefanus Theodorus A. G. Beumer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Wheelchair of which a sitting support is pivotable about a virtual or non-virtual pivot axis, extending substantially horizontally, substantially at right angles to a main driving direction of the wheelchair, wherein the upper part of the body of the user, at least its center of gravity, viewed in the main driving direction, lies behind the pivot axis and wherein the pivot axis is located preferably adjacent the hinge point of the knees of a user seated in the wheelchair during use. The sitting support may be freely pivotable about said pivot axis or be fixed at a particular pivot angle. The pivot axis can for instance be designed as a torsion bar.
Claims24
A wheelchair, comprising:
- a substructure;
- and
- a sitting support;
- wherein the substructure is provided with at least two wheels and the sitting support comprises at least one seat, wherein the sitting support is attached via coupling means to the substructure such that, during use, at least the seat is pivotable about a pivot axis extending substantially horizontally, substantially at right angles to a main driving direction of the wheelchair, which pivot axis, viewed in the main driving direction, lies far forward, in particular in front of the center of the seat;
- wherein the coupling means comprise a blocking provision with which at least the seat can be fixed in a desired pivoted position (φ);
- and
- wherein the blocking provision is arranged such that the seat can pivot in a resilient manner about the fixed desired pivoted position (φ) through an angle (φ3);
- wherein the pivot axis is formed by a torsion bar;
- wherein the sitting support, in particular the seat, is supported at a distance from the pivot axis, by at least one damping element;
- and
- wherein the at least one damping element is an elastic element filled with air or liquid, which is pivotably connected to the substructure and the seat of the sitting support, and whose length can be blocked.
8 more elements
A wheelchair, comprising:
- a substructure;
- and
- a sitting support;
- wherein the substructure is provided with at least two wheels and the sitting support comprises at least one seat, wherein the sitting support is attached via coupling means to the substructure such that, during use, at least the seat is pivotable about a pivot axis extending substantially horizontally, substantially at right angles to a main driving direction of the wheelchair, which pivot axis, viewed in the main driving direction, lies far forward, in particular in front of the center of the seat;
- wherein the pivot axis is formed by an adjustable torsion bar,
- wherein the torsion bar comprises a tube, which is provided on opposite sides with a cover, wherein within the tube at least one leaf spring is received, the ends of which are locked in a receiving provision provided on each cover and wherein a bias of the torsion bar is settable by turning one or each cover.
3 more elements
A wheelchair, comprising:
- a substructure;
- and
- a sitting support;
- wherein the substructure is provided with at least two wheels and the sitting support comprises at least one seat, wherein the sitting support is attached via coupling means to the substructure such that, during use, at least the seat is pivotable about a pivot axis extending substantially horizontally, substantially at right angles to a main driving direction of the wheelchair, which pivot axis, viewed in the main driving direction, lies forward, in particular in front of the center of the seat;
- wherein the coupling means between the substructure and the sitting support at least comprise one resilient element;
- and
- wherein the bias of the at least one resilient element is settable such, that at least the at least one seat of the sitting support in unloaded condition is tilted forward and in a condition loaded by a user is substantially horizontal or is tilted backwards , wherein the pivot axis is formed by an adjustable torsion bar comprising a tube, which is provided on opposite sides with a cover, wherein within the tube at least one leaf spring is received, the ends of which are locked in a receiving provision provided on each cover and wherein a bias of the torsion bar is settable by turning one or each cover.
4 more elements
A wheelchair, comprising:
- a substructure;
- and
- a sitting support;
- wherein the substructure is provided with at least two wheels and the sitting support comprises at least one seat, wherein the sitting support is attached via coupling means to the substructure such that, during use, at least the seat is pivotable about a pivot axis extending substantially horizontally, substantially at right angles to a main driving direction of the wheelchair, which pivot axis, viewed in the main driving direction, lies far forward, in particular in front of the center of the seat;
- wherein the coupling means comprise a blocking provision with which at least the seat can be fixed in a desired pivoted position (φ);
- and
- wherein the blocking provision is arranged such that the seat can pivot in a resilient manner about the fixed desired pivoted position (φ) through an angle (φ3), wherein the pivot axis is formed by an adjustable torsion bar comprising a tube, which is provided on opposite sides with a cover, wherein within the tube at least one leaf spring is received, the ends of which are locked in a receiving provision provided on each cover and wherein a bias of the torsion bar is settable by turning one or each cover.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.