DK2727568T3

DK2727568T3 - Wheelchair and method of functioning of a wheelchair

Info

Publication number: DK2727568T3
Application number: DK13005159.2T
Authority: DK
Inventors: Thyl Junker; Daniel Levedag; Roman Pagano
Original assignee: Thyl Junker; Roman Pagano; Daniel Levedag
Priority date: 2012-11-02
Filing date: 2013-10-31
Publication date: 2016-03-14
Also published as: EP2727568B1; DE102012021592A1; EP2727568A1; EP2905003B1; EP2905004B1; DE102012021592B4; EP2905004A1; EP2905003A1

Description

The invention relates to a wheelchair with a frame, with a seat comprising a seat element for a person to sit on and a backrest element, with wheels for rolling the wheelchair and with a drive device for driving at least one of the wheels, the seat and the wheels being fastened to the frame.

Generic wheelchairs are thoroughly known from the prior art in order to afford patients or persons with walking difficulties which are temporarily or permanently seated at least a certain mobility. In addition to manually driven wheelchairs, which are propelled by muscle force of the respective user, motor-driven wheelchairs also exist but the construction of which is heavier and which cannot be employed as flexibly. Manually driven wheelchairs are characterized in that a user can manually drive the drive wheels of the wheelchair either directly by way of gripping tyres which are directly rigidly arranged on the drive wheels or indirectly by way of an alternative drive device with lever arms which can be pivoted to the front and to the back. While quite good locomotion possibilities can thereby be achieved, the sitting comfort despite manifold adjusting possibilities frequently leaves much to be desired. In particular regarding permanently sitting persons, this can result in chronic complaints and damaged posture.

In addition, a wheelchair is already known from GB 05907 A which comprises a frame, a seat comprising a seat element for a person to sit on and a backrest element, wheels for rolling the wheelchair and a drive device for driving at least one of the wheels, the seat and the wheels being fastened to the frame. The drive device is mechanically coupled with the seat element and/or with the backrest element in such a fashion that the seat element and/or the backrest element is displaceable relative to the frame by means of the drive device to render possible moving a backside of a person sitting on the seat. Here, the seat element and/or the backrest element are moveably mounted about a horizontal axis which runs transversely to a seat direction of the seat, which coincides with a forward-directed straight-ahead driving direction.

Furthermore, a wheelchair is known from WO 2014/000115 Al, which comprises a frame, a seat comprising a seat element for a person to sit on and a backrest element, wheels for rolling the wheelchair and a drive device for driving at least one of the wheels, the seat and the wheels being fastened to the frame. Furthermore, the drive device is mechanically coupled with the seat element and/or with the backrest element in such a fashion that the seat element and/or the backrest element are displaceable relative to the frame by means of the drive device in order to render possible moving at least a backside of the person sitting on the seat. The seat element is mounted on the frame by means of a seat suspension device in such a fashion that it is rotatable by means of the drive device about a horizontal axis, which is arranged aligned with a seat direction of the seat. In addition, the seat element is operationally connected with a drive device for generating driving forces acting on the wheels of the wheelchair.

The invention is based on the object of further developing generic wheelchairs in such a fashion that in particular the disadvantages mentioned above can be overcome.

The object of the invention is solved by a wheelchair with a frame, with a seat comprising a seat element for a person to sit on and a backrest element with wheels for rolling the wheelchair and with a drive device for driving at least one of the wheels, with which the seat and the wheels are fastened to the frame and with which the drive device according to the invention is mechanically coupled with the seat element and/or with the backrest element in such a fashion that the seat element and/or the backrest element are displaceable by means of the drive device relative to the frame in order to at least render possible moving of the backside of the person sitting on the seat in particular during the rolling of the wheelchair, wherein the seat element and/or the backrest element are/is operationally connected with the drive device subject to bypassing generating driving forces acting on the wheels and wherein the seat element and/or the backrest element neither represent/represents an exclusive nor an additional driving means for driving the wheels.

According to the invention, there is a mechanical coupling between the components of the drive device and at least the seat element, and preferentially also the backrest element.

In this respect, the seat element and preferentially also the backrest element of the seat are mounted on the frame in such a fashion that ideally both are displaceable relative to the frame by means of the drive device in order to render possible moving of the backside and preferentially also the back area of the person sitting on the seat in particular during the rolling of the wheelchair.

Because of the fact that at least the seat element of the seat is mounted relative to the frame in such a fashion that it is actively displaceable relative to the frame of the wheelchair by the drive device, the present wheelchair is characterized by a dynamic seat design by way of which it is possible actively moving the backside of a user of the wheelchair, in particular paralysed areas of the body of the user as a result of which prolonged sitting can be endured substantially more comfortably. This can substantially improve the sitting comfort.

As an advantageous side effect, chronic complaints due to insufficient movement of these areas of the body and posture damage accompanied by this can be prevented or at least reduced. Especially the risk of a degeneration of the spine, of the discs and/or the back muscles due to a lack of movement can be entirely avoided or at least greatly diminished here.

This is not or only inadequately possible with conventional wheelchairs since in the case of these merely static sitting for the user is provided.

In this respect it is advantageous when the movements of the seat in terms of the present invention are coupled to the driving movement of the wheelchair at least in a main driving direction of the wheelchair.

The seat element embodies that part of the seat on which the user ultimately sits. In this respect, the seat element is characterized by a seat area for the respective user.

The mechanical coupling between the components of the drive device and the seat element and/or the backrest element is advantageously in such a fashion that driving forces can be exclusively transmitted from the drive device to the seat element and/or the backrest element or conversely not at all or due to the design only to a negligible minor degree from the seat element and/or the backrest element to components of the drive device or to the wheels of the wheelchair.

The seat element and/or the backrest element are not constituent parts of the drive device for driving the wheels of the wheelchair.

It is advantageous, in particular, when the seat element is directly mounted on the frame and is operationally connected with the drive device or components thereof in such a fashion that the seat element can pass through an oscillating sequence of movements. Because of this, the sitting comfort can be particularly favourably improved.

When in particular the seat element is mounted on the frame by means of a seat suspension device in such a fashion that it is laterally deflectable about a seat element centre position by means of the drive device, paralysed areas of the body of a user of the wheelchair can be very favourably stimulated as a result of which the sitting comfort is substantially improved. Ideally, consequential damage because of the sitting in a wheelchair can thereby be advantageously at least reduced.

Even for these reasons, the object of the invention is also solved by a generic wheelchair which is characterized in that the drive device is mechanically coupled with the seat element and/or with the backrest element in such a fashion that the seat element and/or the backrest element are displaceable relative to the frame by means of the drive device in order to render possible moving the backside of the person sitting on the seat, the seat element being mounted on the frame by means of a seat suspension device in such a fashion that it is laterally deflectable about a seat element centre position by means of the drive device.

For example, the seat suspension device can be configured such that the seat element can be translatorically moved transversely displaceably to the seat direction.

However, a movement along a circular path and/or about a pivot axis or the like can also be advantageously provided here.

It has been shown that the object of the invention is also solved by a generic wheelchair in the case of which the drive device is mechanically coupled with the seat element and/or with the backrest element in such a fashion that the seat element and/or the backrest element is displaceable relative to the frame by means of the drive device in order to at least render possible moving the backside of the person sitting on the seat, the seat element being mounted on the frame by means of a seat suspension device in such a fashion that it is rotatable by means of the drive device about a horizontal axis, which is arranged aligned with the seat direction.

Cumulatively or alternatively the object of the invention is also solved by a generic wheelchair in the case of which the drive device is mechanically coupled with the seat element and/or with the backrest element in such a fashion that the seat element and/or the backrest element is displaceable relative to the frame by means of the drive device in order to at least render possible moving the backside of the person sitting on the seat, the seat element being mounted on the frame by means of a seat suspension device in such a fashion that it is rotatable about a vertical axis by means of the drive device.

In this respect it is also particularly advantageous when cumulatively or alternatively the seat element is mounted on the frame by means of a seat suspension device in such a fashion that it is rotatable by means of the drive device about a vertical axis and/or about a horizontal axis.

These versions can be advantageously selected individually or also in any combination.

The seat comfort can be further improved when the backrest element is also displaceable relative to the frame by means of the drive device.

When in this connection the backrest element is laterally deflectable transversely to the seat direction about a backrest element centre position by means of the drive device, the effects described above can be even further improved.

To this end, the backrest element can be displaceably mounted on a for example curved cross member element.

In this respect, the drive device is mechanically coupled with the backrest element in such a fashion that the backrest element is displaceable relative to the frame by means of the drive device in order to be able to additionally move in particular the lower back area of the person sitting on the seat.

It is to be understood that the backrest element can be mechanically driven in various ways. It is, for example, operationally connected directly with a component of the drive device via a drive element.

When the seat comprises a backrest element which is operationally connected with the seat element in this manner, the movements of the seat element and of the backrest element can be particularly easily matched to one another in terms of design.

An embodiment version to be particularly emphasised provides that the present drive device comprises at least one muscle-operated lever arm element, preferentially two muscle-operated lever arm elements, by means of which at least one of the wheels and the seat element and/or the backrest element can be manually driven.

The upper body can already be favourably trained in particular by a sequence of movements with which two lever arm elements are periodically or alternatingly moved forward or backward on both sides through arm movements of the user. If in addition at least the seat element is rhythmically moved to these alternating arm movements by means of the lever arm elements, it is thereby possible to stimulate and thereby train in addition to the completed movements in the shoulder area at the same time in particular the lower back muscles and almost the entire spine system.

Advantageously, in particular the displacements or the movements of the seat element proceed in such a fashion that in the process natural walking or running movements specifically on the paralysed body areas simultaneously with the upper body areas are simulated.

An advantageous method version thus provides that the backrest element of the seat is oscillatingly moved about a backrest element centre position by means of the at least one muscle-operated lever arm element.

Preferentially, the backrest element is translatorically displaced transversely to the seat direction along a curved path.

It is to be understood that the drive device for the simultaneous driving of relevant components of the seat and at least one of the wheels can comprise differently constructed and operating transmissions. For example, this transmission can comprise a revolving eccentric shaft by means of which in particular the seat element can be oscillatingly driven. A preferred embodiment version provides that the drive device comprises a transmission unit with two input shaft elements that are rotationally oscillatingly drivable and with an output shaft element that is rotationally oscillatingly driveable for driving at least the seat element and with an output shaft element that is continuously circulatingly driveable for driving at least one of the wheels. Because of this, at least one of the wheels and at least the seat element of the seat can be driven moved differently at the same time in an extraordinarily simple design manner.

Thus, the rotationally oscillatingly driveable output shaft element can be rotationally oscillatingly driven and the continuously circulatingly driveable output shaft element can be continuously circulatingly driven by the input shaft elements .

Preferentially, the backrest element is also rotationally oscillatingly or similarly driven with the rotationally oscillatingly driveable output shaft element.

In this respect it is advantageous when the rotationally oscillatingly driveable input shaft elements are arranged operationally connected with the output shaft elements in such a fashion that on the one hand the seat element and/or the backrest element of the seat are oscillatingly and on the other hand a wheel axle element of the wheelchair are continuously circulatingly driveable by these input shaft elements .

It is advantageous, furthermore, when the two rotationally oscillatingly driveable input shaft elements on the one hand are arranged operatively connected with the rotating- oscillatingly driveable output shaft element in each case by bevel wheel elements and on the other hand with the continuously circulatingly driveable output shaft element in each case by way of a free-wheeling device.

Advantageously, the two input shaft elements are always in operative contact with one another via the bevel wheel elements .

Because of this, irregularly generated driving forces can specifically accelerate and drive the continuously circulatingly driveable output shaft element in a circumferential direction by two muscle force-operated lever arm elements. A further preferred embodiment version thus provides in particular under the aspect of a robust lightweight construction that an output bevel wheel element of the rotationally oscillatingly driveable output shaft element simultaneously cogs in each case with an input bevel wheel element of the two rotation-symmetrically driveable input shaft elements. Because of this, the relevant components of the seat can be driven in the narrowest of spaces in an oscillating manner in terms of the invention.

Advantageously, the two input bevel wheel elements of the input shaft elements rotate about a common input axis of rotation .

The output bevel wheel element of the rotationally oscillatingly driveable output shaft element corresponding to these two input bevel wheel elements by contrast rotates about an output axis of rotation which is arranged perpendicularly to the input axis of rotation.

Advantageously, the output bevel wheel is additionally arranged partly between the two input bevel wheels, wherein the free shaft end of the rotationally oscillatingly driveable output shaft element arranged located opposite output bevel wheel in the wheelchair facing the seat or in particular the seat element.

It is additionally advantageous when an output bevel wheel element of the rotationally oscillatingly driveable output shaft element simultaneously cogs in each case with an input bevel wheel element of the two rotationally oscillatingly driveable input shaft elements. Because of this, a transmission of compact construction can be realized. A highly low-maintenance drive device can be provided here when the rotationally oscillatingly driveable output shaft element comprises a bevel wheel element and the continuously circulatingly driveable output shaft element comprises a chain pinion element.

Preferentially, the continuously circulatingly driveable output shaft element in this case can be operatively connected with a wheel axle of the wheelchair via a chain in a sturdy and low-maintenance manner.

It is to be understood that here other transmission means can also be employed between the continuously circulatingly driveable output shaft element and the wheel axle.

For a drive of components of the seat and of the wheelchair itself that is very simple in terms of design it is advantageous when on the two rotationally oscillatingly driveable input shaft elements a muscle force-operated lever arm element each is arranged.

In particular by way of these two muscle force-operated lever arm elements, which are moved forward and backward alternatingly with respect to the seat direction for achieving a driving movement of the wheelchair, the shoulder system of the user is subjected on the one hand to a good training effect while on the other hand a stimulation in particular of paralysed lower areas of the body of the user is possible at the same time, when the seat element as a function of the alternatingly moved lever arm elements for example moves oscillatingly transversely to the seat direction and/or oscillatingly about an axis of rotation.

It is clear that the movements of the seat and/or of the backrest element can be coupled differently as a function of the lever arm positions.

Ideally, the movements of the lever arm elements and of the seat element or of the backrest element are interconnected in a predetermined manner so that a movement of the lever arm elements always results in a predetermined movement of the seat element and/or of the backrest element. It is immaterial here if one or two lever arm elements are now provided here.

Preferentially, a mechanical coupling by means of the present transmission is such that the seat element is rotated about the vertical axis in anti-clockwise direction when seen in seat direction the left lever arm element is displaced forward in driving direction. Here, the right lever arm element moves in opposite direction towards the back.

Ideally, the backrest element correspondingly moves towards the left side of the left lever arm element pushed forward.

Accordingly, the seat element rotates based on the seat direction about the vertical axis in clockwise direction when the right lever arm element is moved forward in driving direction.

In this case, the backrest element can be moved in the direction of the right side of the right lever arm element that is pushed towards the front.

It is to be understood that the seat element in the process cannot only be moved in a horizontal plane or parallel thereto but additionally also pivoted relative to this horizontal plane so that the seat comfort can be again improved.

Cumulatively or alternatively, rocking movements of the seat element are also possible when the wheelchair is suitably driven . A further possible embodiment version provides that the input shaft elements are decoupleable from the continuously circulatingly driveable output shaft element for driving at least one of the wheels as a result of which in particular the seat element of the seat can be driven by the lever arm elements or the like without the wheelchair moving along. Because of this, the seat comfort on the wheelchair can also be substantially increased.

In this respect it is advantageous when the present transmission comprises a suitable clutch device by means of which at least one of the wheels or a wheel axle element in this respect can be decoupled from the input shaft elements.

At any rate it is advantageous when the two muscle-operated lever arm elements are manually pivoted in or against the seat direction and thereby swing the seat element and/or the backrest element transversely to the seat direction in order to improve the sitting comfort in terms of the invention.

It is to be understood that such a coupling device can also be realised in another location for example outside the proposed transmission.

It is particularly advantageous when between the seat element and/or backrest element and components of the drive device a free-wheeling device is arranged in such a fashion that the seat element and/or the backrest element is arranged decoupled with respect to the drive device in such a fashion that driving forces are exclusively transmitted from components of the drive device to the seat element and/or to the backrest element but not from the seat element and/or the backrest element to components of the drive device or to wheels or driving wheels of the wheelchair.

Advantageously, the present wheelchair is additionally characterized by gripping tyre elements on its drive wheels in order to be able to move the wheelchair with an extremely high flexibility. At present it is usual to eguip a wheelchair either with gripping tyre elements or with lever arm elements. Preferentially, both gripping tyre elements as well as lever arm elements for manually moving the wheelchair are however employed here.

The agility of the wheelchair in particular when using the lever arm elements can be achieved when on the lever arm elements in each case a brake actuation means, for example a brake lever element is provided, by means of which an individual brake of a drive wheel can be actuated.

For example, each of the drive wheels comprises a disc brake device by means of which the respective drive wheel can be individually braked with the associated brake lever element. Because of this, the wheelchair can be highly favourably steered.

It is explicitly pointed out once more at this point that the present wheelchair is a patient wheelchair in particular for persons with chronic walking disability and not a bicycle-like carriage of locomotion or the like, with which a seat movement initiated by the driver is used for generating a driving force for driving wheels .

Further advantages, objectives and characteristics of the present invention are explained with the help of the attached drawing and the following description in which manually driven wheelchairs with seat and backrest elements that can be displaced by a drive device are exemplarily shown and described.

In the drawing:

Figure 1A shows schematically a front view of a first manually driven wheelchair with seat and backrest elements that are displaceable by a drive device in each case in a rest operating position in their centre positions;

Figure IB shows schematically a top view of the first manually driven wheelchair from Figure 1A in the rest operating position;

Figure 1C shows schematically a perspective view of the first manually driven wheelchair from the Figures 1A and IB in the rest operating position;

Figure 2A shows schematically a front view of the first manually driven wheelchair in a first operating position with seat and backrest elements differently deflected from the respective centre position;

Figure 2B shows schematically a top view of the first manually driven wheelchair from Figure 2A in the first operating position;

Figure 2C shows schematically a perspective view of the first manually driven wheelchair from the Figures 2A and 2B in the first operating position;

Figure 3A shows schematically a front view of a first manually driven wheelchair with seat and backrest elements that are displaceable by a drive device in each case again in their centre positions;

Figure 3B shows schematically a top view of the first manually driven wheelchair from Figure 3A;

Figure 3C shows schematically a perspective view of the first manually driven wheelchair from the Figures 3A and 3B;

Figure 4A shows schematically a further front view of the first manually driven wheelchair in a further operating position with seat and backrest elements that are deflected in opposite direction from the respective centre position;

Figure 4B shows schematically a top view of the first manually driven wheelchair from Figure 4A in the further operating position;

Figure 4C shows schematically a perspective view of the first manually driven wheelchair from the Figures 4A and 4B in the further operating position;

Figure 5A shows schematically a perspective view of a conventional wheelchair;

Figure 5B shows schematically a further perspective view of the conventional wheelchair from Figure 5A with disassembled seat;

Figure 5C shows schematically a perspective view of the conventional wheelchair from the Figures 5A and 5B and a retrofitting kit that is not according to the invention with seat and backrest elements of a new seat, with a drive device comprising a transmission unit with two lever arm elements for driving wheels of the wheelchair and of the seat and backrest elements of the new seat;

Figure 5D shows schematically a perspective view of the conventional wheelchair from the Figures 5A, 5B and 5C in an assembled state ready for operation;

Figure 6A shows schematically a view of the transmission of the drive devices;

Figure 6B shows schematically a partly sectioned view of the transmission along a section line B-B; and

Figure 6C shows schematically a further partly sectioned view of the transmission along a section line A-A.

The manually driveable wheelchair 1 shown in the Figures 1 to 4 comprises a frame 2, a seat 3 and two drive wheels 4 and 5 at the back and two smaller steering wheels 6 and 7 at the front (see only Figures 1C, 2C, 3C, 4C). The seat 3 substantially consists of a seat element 8 and a backrest element 9. The smaller steering wheels 6 and 7 are each rotatably mounted on the frame 2 about a vertical axis which is not separately drawn in here. The drive wheels 4, 5 each comprise a gripping tyre 10 (only exemplarily numbered), by means of which they can be manually rotated. Both drive wheels 4 and 5 have a common wheel axle element 11 and are thereby rotatably mounted on the frame 2 in bearing bushes which are not shown in more detail.

The seat 3 of the wheelchair 1 defines merely by the arrangement of the seat element 8 and of the backrest element 9 a seat direction 12 on the wheelchair 1, wherein the seat direction 12 coincides with the forward-directed straightahead driving direction 13.

In addition to this, the wheelchair 1 comprises a drive device 15 for driving the two drive wheels 4 and 5.

The drive device 15 comprises to muscle force-operated lever arm elements 16 and 17 which can alternatingly manually directed in seat direction be pushed forward by the user of the wheelchair 1 and manually be pulled back directed against the seat direction 12.

In addition to this, the drive device 15 comprises a transmission unit 20 which is placed beneath the seat 3 in the frame 2 of the wheelchair 1. This transmission unit 20 is described in more detail in the following also in connection with the representations of the Figures 6A, 6B and 6C .

At any rate, the alternatingly manual driving movements of the two lever arm elements 16 and 17 can be transmitted with the help of the transmission unit 20 to the wheel axle element 11 in such a fashion that the drive wheels 4 and 5 can continuously rotate in a circumferential direction and the wheelchair 1 can thus be moved for example in the forward directed straight-ahead driving direction 13.

In addition to this, these alternating manual driving movements of the two lever arm elements 16 and 17 can be utilised according to the invention for displacing the seat element 8 and the backrest element 9 relative to the frame 2 in order to be able to move the backside of the user sitting on the seat 3. A drive of the drive wheels 4 and 5 by way of the movements of the seat 3 or of the backrest element 9 is thereby excluded by a transmission unit 20 which is suitably designed in this respect.

To this end, the seat element 8 and the backrest element 9 are mounted on the frame 2 by means of a seat suspension device 21 which is not shown in more detail here so that both the seat element 8 and also the backrest element 9 are laterally deflectable about a seat element centre position 22 or a backrest element centre position 23 (see Figures 1 and 3) .

Here, the seat element 8 is rotatably mounted about a vertical axis 24. It can thus be radially 28 oscillatingly deflected in a horizontal plane 25 with respect to its front end 26 and its rear end 27 with respect to the seat direction 12.

In addition, the seat element 8 could advantageously additionally oscillate about a horizontal axis 24A, which is arranged aligned in seat direction 12 in the horizontal plane 25 according to the tilting directions 28A, so that the seat element 8 can be additionally tilted out of the horizontal plane 25 when the two lever arm elements 16 and 17 are manually moved. In this exemplary embodiment, this version is drawn in for the sake of completeness but this additional function is omitted in order to keep the wheelchair 1 simple in terms of design.

The backrest element 9 is connected to the seat suspension device 21 via a bow element 29 that it is correspondingly oscillatingly laterally deflected from its backrest centre position 23 when the seat element 8 is deflected about the vertical axis 24.

In this exemplary embodiment, the backrest element 9 always moves laterally opposite to the direction in which the rear end 27 of the seat element 8 is deflected, as a result of which the backside and the lower back area of the user are correspondingly moved.

In order for the backrest element 9 to be sturdily and well guided even under load it is additionally mounted with slide elements 30 and 31 on a bent cross member element 32 of the frame 2.

In this respect, the backrest element 9 is additionally radially 28 displaceably mounted on the frame 9 along a curved curve path 33.

While the wheelchair 1 according to the representations of the Figures 1 is in a rest operating position 34 in which the seat element 8 is in the seat element centre position 22 and the backrest element 9 in the backrest element centre position 23, the wheelchair 1 according to the representations of the Figures 2 is shown in a first operating position 35, in which the left lever arm element 17 is pushed forward in seat direction 12 and the right lever arm element 16 is correspondingly pulled back against the seat direction 12. Here, the seat element 8 is rotated about the vertical axis 22 and with its rear end 27 out of the seat element centre position 22 in the direction of the right lever arm element 16. Accordingly, the backrest element 9 is deflected out of its backrest element centre position 23 in the direction of the left lever arm element 17.

According to the representations of the Figures 3, the wheelchair 1 is again shown in the rest operating position 34.

When the right lever arm element 16 is now pushed forward in seat direction 12 and the left lever arm element 17 correspondingly pulled back against the seat direction 12, the rear end 27 of the seat element 8 pivots in the direction of the left lever arm element 17 and the backrest element 9 in the direction of the right lever arm element 16. Accordingly, the wheelchair 1 is in a further operating position 36 as shown in the representations of the Figures 4.

Following this, this process can repeat wherein both the seat element 8 and also the backrest element 9 again oscillate through the centre positions 22 and 23.

The transmission unit 20 already mentioned above comprises a housing which is not shown for protecting the individual transmission components (see in particular Figures 6).

These transmission components comprise two rotationally oscillatingly driveable input shaft elements 40 and 41 with in each case an outer pin 42 and 43, on which in each case one of the two lever arm elements 16 and 17 is fastened in a rotationally fixed manner. In this respect, movements of the two lever arm elements 16 and 17 can be transmitted to the corresponding input shaft element 40 and 41 respectively.

In addition to this, the transmission components comprise a rotationally oscillatingly driveable output shaft element 44 for driving the seat element 8 and the backrest element 9. The rotationally oscillatingly driveable output shaft element 44 comprises an outer pin 45 on which on the one hand the bow element 29 is fixed with a suitable hub element (not shown). In this respect, rotational movements of the rotationally oscillatingly driveable output shaft element 44 can firstly be transmitted directly to the backrest element 9. On the other hand, an eccentric element (not shown) of the seat suspension device 21 corresponds to this outer pin 45 in such a fashion that secondly the seat element 8 can be correspondingly deflected about the vertical axis 24 by means of the rotational movements of the rotationally oscillatingly driveable output shaft element 44. Here, the vertical axis 24 is distinct from a vertical axis of rotation 46 about which rotationally oscillatingly driveable output shaft element 44 rotationally oscillates. In this respect, the vertical axis 24 and the vertical axis of rotation 46 do not coincide.

Furthermore, the transmission components comprise a continuously circulatingly driveable output shaft element 47 for driving the drive wheels 4 and 5. The continuously circulatingly driveable output shaft element 47 for this purpose carries a chain pinion 48 for driving a chain 49, by means of which in turn the rotational movements of the continuously circulatingly driveable output shaft element 47 can be transmitted to a pinion 50 of the wheel axle element 11. The pinion 50 in this case is advantageously seated directly on a housing shell 51 of a differential part 52 of the wheel axle element 11, as a result of which the wheel axle element 11 as a whole is constructed in a highly compact manner. With the differential part 52, very good cornering of the wheelchair 1 is ensured.

The continuously circulatingly driveable output shaft element 47 lies jointly with the two input shaft elements 40 and 41 on a common input shaft axis of rotation 55. Specifically, the continuously circulatingly driveable output shaft element 47 is operationally connected for this purpose in each case with a free-wheeling device 56 and 57 (see Figure 6C) with the respective input shaft element 40 and 41 respectively. To this end, the two free-wheeling devices 56 and 57 are seated on bearing seat regions 58 and 59 of the continuously circulatingly driveable output shaft element 47, wherein the bearing seat region 58 is mounted within a bush region 60 of the first input shaft element 40 and the bearing seat region 59 within a bush region 61 of the second input shaft element 41.

The two free-wheeling devices 56 and 57 are selected in this exemplary embodiment in such a fashion that with them driving forces which in each case are introduced onto the two input shaft elements 40 and 41 respectively by the muscle-operated lever arm elements 16 and 17 can be directly transmitted to the continuously circulatingly driveable output shaft element 47 when the muscle force-operated lever arms 16 and 17 are each pushed manually forward directed in seat direction 12 by the user.

However, when the user pulls the muscle-operated lever arm element 16 back against the seat direction 12 the freewheeling device 56, because of the free-wheeling effect, no driving forces can be directly transmitted from the input shaft element 40 to the continuously circulatingly driveable output shaft element 47. The force transmission from the input shaft element 40 is rather effected by way of a bevel wheel connection 64 to the input shaft element 41 and from there via the free-wheeling device 57 to the continuously circulatingly driveable output shaft element 47.

In this respect it is generally particularly advantageous in connection with the transmission 20 of the wheelchair 1 when a transmission of manual driving forces in this respect takes place by way of a component of the rotationally oscillatingly driveable output shaft element 44 for driving parts 8 and 9 of the seat 3.

In this respect, it is ensured by means of the two freewheeling devices 56 and 57 that the continuously circulatingly driveable output shaft element 47 can only rotate in a circumferential direction 62 (see Figure 6B) while the rotationally oscillatingly driveable output shaft element 44 positively follows the movements directed forward and backwards of the two muscle force-operated lever arm elements 16 and 17 in both directions through the bevel wheel connection 64, as a result of which a rotational oscillation 65 about the vertical axis of rotation 46 is enforced.

This circumferential direction 62 makes possible a movement of the wheelchair 1 in particular in the straight-ahead driving direction 13. In order to drive backwards with the wheelchair 1, the driving wheels 4 and 5 respectively can be suitably actuated manually by way of the gripping tyres 10.

The two free-wheeling devices 56 and 57 are each mounted with the help of roller or needle bearings in this exemplary embodiment.

The bevel wheel connection 64 substantially consists of an output bevel wheel element 65 of the rotationally oscillatingly driveable output shaft element 44 and in each case an input bevel wheel element 66 of the first input shaft element 40 and an input bevel wheel element 67 of the second input shaft element 41.

The output bevel wheel element 65 is fixed on the rotationally oscillatingly driveable output shaft element 44 by means of a clamping set which is not shown in more detail here and the input bevel wheel elements 66 and 67 are each glued onto the corresponding input shaft element 40 and 41 respectively. It is to be understood that the bevel wheel elements 65, 66 and 67 can alternatively also be shrunk on.

The output bevel wheel element 65 is always in engagement with the two input bevel wheel elements 66 and 67 as a result of which the construction of the transmission unit 20 is maintained simple and sturdy in terms of construction.

In addition to this, the output bevel wheel element 65 cogs with the two input bevel wheel elements 66 and 67 on a side facing the seat so that the rotationally oscillatingly driveable output shaft element 44 can be mechanically connected in a structurally simple manner directly with the components of the seat suspension device 21.

And while the two input shaft elements 40 and 41 each for itself are mounted with a ball bearing device 68 and 69 respectively in the housing (not shown) of the transmission unit 20, the output shaft element 44 is likewise mounted in this housing with a further ball bearing device 70.

In this respect, an extraordinarily compact drive device 15 design is created with the transmission unit 20 described above, by means of which wheelchairs 1 which are not only newly designed at the works can be equipped.

Advantageously, it is possible in addition to retrofit conventional wheelchairs 101, such as for example shown in the Figures 5A to 5C, with a suitable retrofit kit 80.

Accordingly, the conventional wheelchair 101 shown in Figure 5A is approximately identical in construction with the wheelchair 1 shown in the Figures 1 to 4. In this respect, the conventional wheelchair 101 comprises a frame 102 which however is foldable, a seat 103 and two drive wheels 104 and 105 as well as two smaller steering wheels 106 and 107.

From this conventional wheelchair 101, the seat 3 according to the representation as per Figure 5B, is dismantled and then removed and replaced with the retrofit kit 80, which comprises a complete drive device 115.

Since the drive device 115 is almost identical with the drive device 15 of the wheelchair 1, the components of the drive device 115 are marked with identical reference numbers. A renewed function description is omitted in order to avoid repetitions. Reference in this respect is rather made to the figure description of the Figures 1 to 4 and specific reference with respect to the construction of the transmission unit 20 is made to Figures 6.

In this respect, the drive device 115 of the retrofit kit 80 comprises the seat suspension device 21, by means of which the seat element 8 and the backrest element 9 of the seat 3 are displaceable relative to the frame 102. Accordingly, the transmission 20 in the case of the retrofit kit 80 is mechanically coupled or operationally connected to the seat suspension device 21 in the manner explained above. For driving the drive device 115, the two muscle-operated lever arm elements 16 and 17 are again provided. And the drive wheels 104, 105 are connected with the drive device 115 by way of the wheel axle element 11.

It is to be understood that the exemplary embodiments mentioned above are merely first configurations of a wheelchair according to the invention and a retrofit kit. In this respect, the configuration of the invention does not limit itself to these exemplary embodiments.

All features disclosed in the application documents are claimed as being substantial for the invention insofar as these are new compared with the prior art individually or in combination.

List of reference numbers: 1 Wheelchair 2 Frame 3 Seat 4 Right drive wheel 5 Left drive wheel 6 Right steering wheel 7 Left steering wheel 8 Seat element 9 Backrest element 10 Gripping tyre 11 Wheel axle element 12 Seat direction 13 Straight-ahead driving direction 15 Drive device 16 Right lever arm element 17 Left lever arm element 20 Transmission unit 21 Seat suspension device 22 Seat element centre position 23 Backrest element centre position 24 Vertical axis 24A Horizontal axis 25 Horizontal plane 26 Front end 27 Rear end 28 Radial 28A Tilting devices 29 Bow element 30 First slide element 31 Second slide element 32 Cross member element 33 Curved path 34 Rest operating position 35 First operating position 36 Further operating position 40 First input shaft element 41 Second input shaft element 42 First outer pin 43 Second outer pin 44 Rotationally oscillatingly driveable output shaft element 45 Further outer pin 46 Vertical axis of rotation 47 Continuously circulatingly driveable output shaft element 48 Chain pinion 49 Chain 50 Pinion 51 Housing shell 52 Differential part 55 Input shaft axis of rotation 56 First free-wheeling device 57 Second free-wheeling device 58 First bearing seat region 59 Second bearing seat region 60 Bush region 61 Bush region 62 Circumferential direction 64 Bevel wheel connection 65 Output bevel wheel element 66 First input bevel wheel element 67 Second input bevel wheel element 68 First ball bearing device 69 Second ball bearing device 70 Further ball bearing device 80 Retrofit kit 101 Conventional wheelchair 102 Frame 103 Seat 104 Right drive wheel 105 Left drive wheel 106 Right steering wheel 107 Left steering wheel 115 Drive device

Claims

A wheelchair (1; 101) with a frame (2; 102), with a seat (3; 103) comprising a seat part (8) on which a person can sit, and a backrest part (9), with wheels (4, 5, 6, 7; 104, 105, 106, 107) for driving the wheelchair (1; 101) and with a driving device (15; 115) for propelling at least one of the wheels (4, 5; 104, 105) , wherein the wheelchair (3; 103) and the wheels (4, 5, 6, 7; 104, 105, 106, 107) are secured to the frame (2; 102), where the driving device (15; 115) is mechanically coupled to the seat part (8) and / or with the backrest part (9) such that the seat part (8) and / or the backrest part (9) can be moved relative to the frame (2; 102) by means of the drive device (15; 115). at least being able to move the buttocks of the person sitting on the seat (3), where the seat part (8) is mounted on the frame (2; 102) by means of a seat suspension device (21) so that it is supported by the driving device (15; 115) can be guided laterally around a center position (22) for the seat t, and / or by means of the drive device (15; 115) can be rotated about a vertical axis (24) and / or about a horizontal axis (24A) arranged flush with a seating direction (12) for the seat (3; 103), characterized in that the seat part (8) and / or the backrest portion (9) is operably connected to the driving device (15; 115), bypassing to generate driving forces acting on the wheels (4, 5, 6, 7; 104, 105, 106, 107), the seat portion (8) and / or the backrest portion (9) does not constitute either a sole or an additional propulsion means for propelling the wheels (4, 5; 104, 105).

Wheelchair (1; 101) according to claim 1, characterized in that the backrest part (9) can be guided laterally around a central position (23) of the backrest part across the lateral direction (12) by means of the driving device (15; 115).

Wheelchair (1; 101) according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the driving device (15; 115) comprises at least one muscle-driven lever arm element (16; 116), by means of which at least one of the wheels ( 4, 5; 104, 105) and the seat portion (8) and / or the backrest portion (9) may be manually propelled.

Wheelchair (1; 101) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the driving device (15; 115) comprises a gear unit (20) with two inlet shaft elements (40, 41) that can be rotatably rotated and with an output shaft element. (44), which can be propelled pivotally, for driving at least the seat portion (8) and with a continuously rotating output shaft member (47) for driving at least one of the wheels (4, 5; 104; 105).

Wheelchair (1; 101) according to claim 4, characterized in that the inlet shaft elements (40, 41) which can be driven pivotally are arranged operably connected to the output shaft elements (44, 46) such that on one side the seat ( 3) seat portion (8) and / or backrest portion (9) may be oscillatively propelled and, on the other hand, a wheel shaft member (11) of the wheelchair (1; 101) may be continuously rotated by these input shaft members (40, 41).

Wheelchair (1; 101) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the two inlet shaft elements (40, 41) which can be driven pivotally are arranged operably connected on one side to the output shaft element (44) which can be For example, the rotary pivot is propelled, each time by means of cone wheel elements, and, on the other hand, by the output shaft element (47) which can be continuously rotated, each time by means of a free-running device (56, 57).

Wheelchair (1; 101) according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that an output cone wheel element (65) for the output shaft element (44) that can be propelled rotates pivotally, at the same time each time engaging an input cone wheel element (66, 67) for the two drive shaft elements (40, 41) that can be propelled rotate pivotally.

Wheelchair (1; 101) according to one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the output shaft element (44) that can be rotated pivotally comprises an output sprocket wheel element (65) and the output shaft element (47) which can be continuously propelled rotating comprises a chain drive element (48).

Wheelchair (1; 101) according to one of Claims 4 to 8, characterized in that at least one pivotally swinging lever arm element (16) is arranged on the two input shaft elements (40, 41) that can be rotated pivotally.