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US 8,910,975 B2Granted
Wheelchair with suspension
AssigneeInvacare Corporation
InventorsRobert Bekoscke, Damon Jurkiewicz, Gerald Fought
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of a suspension for a vehicle is provided. The suspension includes, for example, a frame and a locking assembly. The locking assembly inhibits tipping of a frame of the vehicle when tipping of the frame is detected.
Claims21
A wheelchair comprising:
- a seat;
- a pair of drive wheels supporting the seat;
- a first front caster coupled to the seat such that the first front caster is moveable upwardly and downwardly with respect to the seat;
- a second front caster coupled to the seat such that the second front caster is moveable upwardly and downwardly with respect to the seat;
- a first rear caster coupled to the seat such that the first rear caster is moveable upwardly and downwardly with respect to the seat;
- a second rear caster coupled to the seat such that the second rear caster is moveable upwardly and downwardly with respect to the seat;
- at least one stabilizing assembly coupled to the first and second front casters;
- at least one trigger that controls the stabilizing assembly configured to sense positions of the first and second rear casters;
- wherein the trigger causes the stabilizing assembly to enter a disengaged state where the stabilizing assembly allows upward and downward movement of the first front caster and the second front caster relative to the frame when the first rear caster moves downward from a normal operating position relative to the frame and the second rear caster is in a normal operating position relative to the frame;
- and
- wherein the trigger causes the stabilizing assembly to enter an engaged state where upward movement of the first front caster and the second front caster relative to the frame is inhibited when both of the rear casters move downward from normal operating positions relative to the frame.
8 more elements
A wheelchair comprising:
- a frame;
- a seat supported by the frame;
- a pair of drive wheels supporting the frame;
- a first front caster coupled to the frame such that the first front caster is moveable upwardly and downwardly with respect to the frame;
- a second front caster coupled to the frame such that the second front caster is moveable upwardly and downwardly with respect to the frame;
- a first rear caster coupled to the frame such that the first rear caster is moveable upwardly and downwardly with respect to the frame;
- a second rear caster coupled to the frame such that the second rear caster is moveable upwardly and downwardly with respect to the frame;
- a stabilizing assembly coupled to the first and second front casters;
- a trigger in communication with the stabilizing assembly;
- wherein the stabilizing assembly inhibits the first front caster and the second front caster from moving upward relative to the frame when the trigger senses that both of the rear casters have moved downward from normal operating positions relative to the frame;
- and
- wherein the stabilizing assembly allows upward movement of the first front caster and the second front caster relative to the frame when the trigger senses that one or more of the rear casters have returned to a normal operating position relative to the frame.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.