# US 9,872,804 B2 · Powered wheelchair configurations and related methods of use > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,872,804 B2 - Document ID: US9872804B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/093,538 - Filed: 2016-04-07 - Published: 2016-07-28 - Granted: 2018-01-23 - Earliest claimed: 2005-07-14 - Assignees: Pride Mobility Products Corporation - Applicants: Pride Mobility Products Corporation - Inventors: John Puskar-Pasewicz; Kip D. Alder - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9872804B2 ## CPC - A61G 5/061: {for climbing stairs} - A61G 5/042: {Front wheel drive} - A61G 5/043: {Mid wheel drive} - A61G 5/06: with obstacle mounting facilities, e.g. for climbing stairs, {kerbs or steps} - A61G 5/1078: {with shock absorbers or other suspension arrangements between wheels and frame} - A61G 5/1089: {Anti-tip devices} - B60K 1/04: of the electric storage means for propulsion - B62D 61/10: with more than four wheels {(tractors of the low ground pressure type B62D49/002)} - A61G 5/14: Standing-up or sitting-down aids - B60Y 2200/84: Wheelchairs - Y10S 180/907: Motorized wheelchairs - Y10S 297/04: Wheelchair - A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00) - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract A wheelchair includes a frame, a chair, a pair of drive wheels, a pair of rear wheels, and a pair of front wheels. Each front wheel is part of a front arm assembly that is rigidly coupled to a drive via a mounting plate. The mounting plate is connected to the wheelchair frame by a pivot. The drives are transversely mounted. The batteries are disposed rearward of the drives. The wheelchair seat can be moved forward to provide access to the batteries without fully removing the wheelchair from the frame. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A power wheelchair, comprising: a frame having a left side and a right side; a drive wheel on each side of the frame, each drive wheel defining a drive wheel axis; a motor on each side of the frame; a seat attached to the frame; and a front arm assembly on each side of the frame, each front arm assembly including: a) a vertical plate to which the associated motor is rigidly attached, where the vertical plate defines a substantially planar surface that is substantially perpendicular to the drive wheel axis and the vertical plate is pivotably coupled to the frame at a pivot axis, wherein the pivot axis is located forward of the drive wheel axis and below the drive wheel axis, and the pivot axis on each side of the chair has a vertical height that is less than the vertical height of a front wheel axis when the drive wheels and front wheels are on level ground; b) a front arm extending from the vertical plate and being immovable with respect to the vertical plate; and c) a front caster assembly coupled to the front arm and comprising the front wheel, whereby the vertical plate, the front arm, and the motor are capable of pivoting about the pivot axis in response to motor torque. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The power wheelchair of claim 1, wherein the planar surface extends along a length, and the vertical plate defines a thickness that is parallel to the drive wheel axis and that is less than the length. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The power wheelchair of claim 1, where each motor is a transverse motor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The power wheelchair of claim 1, where at least a portion of each motor is forward of the drive wheel axis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The power wheelchair of claim 1, wherein said front castor assembly contains a front wheel rotatably coupled to the front arm, the front wheel defining a front wheel axis, wherein a vertical position of the pivot axis is spaced from and positioned relatively below a line drawn between the drive wheel axis and the front wheel axis when the drive wheels and front wheels are on level ground. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The power wheelchair of claim 1, wherein the front arm is located approximately at a lowermost portion of the frame. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The power wheelchair of claim 1, wherein the front arm is rigidly attached to the vertical plate. ### Claim 8 A power wheelchair comprising: a frame having a left side and a right side, each side of the frame having: a) a drive wheel defining a drive wheel axis; b) a motor operatively associated with the drive wheel; c) a plate to which the motor is rigidly attached, where at least a portion of the plate defines a substantially planar surface that is substantially perpendicular to the drive wheel axis and the vertical plate is pivotably coupled to the frame at a pivot axis, wherein the pivot axis is parallel to the drive wheel axis such that the planar surface can rotate about the pivot axis in a plane perpendicular to the drive wheel axis in response to motor torque, wherein the pivot axis is located within the substantially planar portion of the plate; a front arm that is immovable with respect to the plate and extends forward from the plate; and a front caster assembly having a caster wheel coupled to the front arm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The power wheelchair of claim 8, wherein each pivot axis is located forward of and below the drive wheel axis. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The power wheelchair of claim 8, wherein each motor is transversely mounted. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The power wheelchair of claim 8, wherein each pivot axis is spaced apart from the drive wheel axis by a horizontal dimension that is about 40-65% of the horizontal distance between the drive wheel axis and the axis of the front caster wheel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The power wheelchair of claim 8, wherein the vertical position of each pivot axis is positioned relatively below a line drawn between the drive wheel axis and the axis of the front caster wheel when the drive wheels and front wheels are on level ground.