EP1523971A2 - Wheelchair - Google Patents

Abstract

Wheelchair (1) comprises a base body (3) provided with a seat (2), two drive wheels (4), and at least one rear wheel (6) and two front wheels (10). The front wheels are hinged to the base body via a pivot arm and can be moved from a base position into a raised or lowered position. A lifting device (20) is arranged between the base body and the seat. An upper stop restricting the pivoting movement of the pivot arm is connected to a moving component (22) of the lifting device.

Description

The invention relates to a wheelchair with a base body on which a seat and on the two drive wheels and at least one Rear wheel and two front wheels are arranged, with the front wheels each at least one rotatable about a horizontal axis, an abutment having pivot arm hinged to the body are and are from a basic position in a raised or a raised position lowered position are movable, with an upper stop to Limiting the pivoting movement of the pivot arm provided is.

From US 6,554,086 B1 a wheelchair is known, the two Drive wheels and two pivotable about a horizontal axis Front wheels has. In addition, behind the rear wheels are still one or two support wheels provided. To avoid obstacles, such as Curbs, easy to overcome, is every one of Fixed front wheels on a spring-loaded arm, whose Swivel axis with the axis of rotation of the drive wheels is identical or arranged in the region of the drive axle on the frame of the wheelchair is.

When driving over an obstacle, the front wheels swivel above, whereby a spring is tensioned, which after passing over the Block the front wheels to their original position or basic position moved back. From this basic position, the front wheels can also be pivoted to a lowered position, for example a depression is passed through or a curb shut down. The swivel range upwards is through limited a stop which is arranged on the frame. Of the Stop can be by a frame member or a compression spring be formed.

On the other hand, wheelchairs are known with a lifting device by means of which raised the seat and possibly also changed in its inclination can be. The lifting device enables the handicapped person to its seating position to the environment, especially in terms of Height, adjust, so that, for example, in the kitchen too Objects in wall cabinets or the like for the disabled be reached. By raising the seat is the Focus of the wheelchair also raised, resulting in a sloping ground can lead to a tilting moment.

It is based on the US 6,554,086 B1 object of the invention, the Range of use of wheelchairs with swiveling front wheels under Maintain security requirements.

This task is solved with a wheelchair, in which between Body and seat a lifting device is provided and in the the upper stop with a moving component of the lifting device connected is.

The invention is based on the recognition that a wheelchair over Swing-up front wheels has better obstacles to be able to overcome, not readily with a lifting device for the seat can be combined without the lifting device with the Pivotability of the front wheels is correlated. This correlation occurs above the upper stop, which with a moving component of Lifting device is connected.

The term "swivel range" refers to the vertical movement the front wheels, which are independent of a vertical axis can be rotated.

Since there are two front wheels, there are preferably two as well Abutment and two upper stops available.

The swivel range of the front wheels is preferably not limited by a stop when retracted lifting device. A restriction of the pivoting range can be done, for example, by the spring force acting on the pivot arm return spring. When retracted lifting device is thus a swivel range available, which is required in order to overcome the usual obstacles, such as curbs or the like, easily.
When the lifting device is extended, the swivel range of the front wheels is defined by the upper stop.

When the lifting device is extended and the center of gravity is displaced upwards, the pivoting range by the reduced to the lifting device coupled upper stop. at then fully extended lifting device is preferably no or only a small swivel range available.

The upper stop can be so with the moving component of the Hubeinrichtung connected and be designed such that at the beginning the extension of the lifting device, the pivoting of the Front wheels is completely prevented or the swivel range preferably continuously restricted until the maximum Lifting height is reached.

As a moving component of the lifting device all components come one Lifting device in question, which are capable of the upper stop when starting up the lifting device in the desired manner move down to the swivel range of the front wheels limit.

Preferably, the lifting device has a scissor joint. In In this case, it is advantageous if a lifter strut of the Scherengelenkes is connected to the upper stop.

If the lifting device has a lifting column, can according to a Another embodiment of the upper stop via a rocker with the Be connected lifting column.

Preferably, the upper stop is on the moving component of the Lifting arranged that the upper stop at extended lifting device in a lower position (position B) and with the lifting device retracted in an upper position (position A) is located.

In the lower position (position B) is thus the pivoting range of Front wheels restricted accordingly, so that no longer the entire swing range is available. In his upper Position (position A) is the top stop either as far above positioned that arranged on the pivot arm abutment no Contact or the top stop is outside the Movement path of the abutment arranged, so that thus the entire swing range is provided.

Preferably, in the basic position of the swing arm, the upper Stop in its lower position B spaced from the abutment arranged. Under Home position, the position of the front wheel becomes a flat floor surface understood in the case of extended even Lifting device is not the risk of tipping over. In that sense can the upper stop in its lower position (position B), though small, yet spaced apart from the abutment, so that for the front wheels still a correspondingly small swivel range is available to drive over, for example, smaller obstacles to be able to. This is particularly beneficial in the home where For example, carpets or door sills are run over have to. Which pivoting range can be allowed depends on the design of the wheelchair and the maximum lifting height of the seat from.

Preferably, the upper stop comprises one on the base body pivotable pawl, on which one connected to the moving component Actuator attacks. This embodiment has the advantage that the stroke movement can be translated. One Gear ratio of 1.5 to 1 to 3 to 1, in particular from 2 to 1 is preferred.

The translation also has the advantage of having the lifting device correspondingly large forces are exerted on the abutment can. This is necessary if, for example, the front wheels maximally swung and the operator in this State the lifting device would like to fully extend. This process could possibly cause the wheelchair to tip over, especially if the wheelchair is on a sloping floor surface is moved. In this case, the second upper stop comes early in contact with the abutment, so that on further booting the Abutment is pressed down. This is the abutment form stable accordingly and is preferably as a Angle element executed. This is because the wheelchair has one or more has two rear wheels that are movable or rigid on the body can be attached, the drive wheels from the bottom surface lifted, so that a further journey is prevented.

For movably arranged rear wheels, i. at rear wheels, around a horizontal axis are pivotally mounted, the lifting of the occurs Drive wheels later than with rigidly attached rear wheels.

Preferably, the pawl has a slot in which the free end the actuating element is guided displaceably. The latch preferably has at least one flat stop surface on. The pawl can also be designed as a cam and For example, have planar and curved stop surfaces.

Accordingly, the abutment is an element with at least one flat abutment surface. Also, the abutment can at least one or have a plurality of curved abutment surfaces. About the Arrangement and design of the stop surface and the Abutment surface and their mutual adaptation can vary depending on Type of wheelchair the desired positions are set.

The following are exemplary embodiments of the invention explained in more detail with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Darstellung eines Rollstuhls in Seitenansicht,

Fig. 2

Antriebsrad und Vorderräder des in Fig. 1 gezeigten Rollstuhls in vergrößerter Darstellung in Grundposition,

Fig. 3

die in Fig. 2 gezeigte Ausführungsform mit angehobenem Vorderrad,

Fig. 4

die in Fig. 2 dargestellte Ausführungsform mit ausgefahrener Hubeinrichtung,

Fig. 5

die in Fig. 2 gezeigte Ausführungsform mit ausgefahrener Hubeinrichtung und angehobenem Vorderrad,

Fig. 6 und 7

die Seitenansicht eines Antriebsrades und Vorderrades in vergrößerter Darstellung gemäß einer weiteren Ausführungsform.

Show it:

Fig. 1

a schematic representation of a wheelchair in side view,

Fig. 2

Drive wheel and front wheels of the wheelchair shown in Fig. 1 in an enlarged view in basic position,

Fig. 3

the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 with raised front wheel,

Fig. 4

the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 with extended lifting device,

Fig. 5

the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 with extended lifting device and raised front wheel,

6 and 7

the side view of a drive wheel and front wheel in an enlarged view according to another embodiment.

In Fig. 1, a wheelchair 1 is shown in side view. The wheelchair 1 has a base body 3, for example, a Framework can be. On the main body 3 are two drive wheels. 4 and corresponding drive motors 5 are arranged. Behind the Drive wheels 4 are in the embodiment shown here Rear wheels 6 rigidly attached to the base body 3. In front of the drive wheels 4 are front wheels 10, each on two pivot arms 11a, 11b are arranged pivotable about a horizontal axis, so that a pivoting movement in the direction of the arrow is possible.

On the base body 3 is a lifting device 20, the one Scherengelenk 21 has. On the lifting device 20 is the Seat 2, the raised by means of this lifting device 20 and possibly also can be changed in terms of its inclination.

At the lifter brace 22 of the scissors joint 21 is an upper stop 30 disposed with an abutment 12 on the pivot arm 11 interacts. The individual positions of the abutment 12 and the upper limit stop 30 can be associated explained in more detail with the following figures 2 to 6.

FIG. 2 is a section of the wheelchair shown in FIG. 1 shown enlarged. The side view was on the drive wheel 4th and the front wheel 10 and the associated pivoting mechanism limited to better explain the details. The The following explanations also apply to those on the arranged opposite side of the wheelchair wheels.

On the base body 3, the two pivot arms 11 a and 11 b hinged, with only the pivot point 15 of the lower arm 11 b can be seen. At the two pivot arms 11a and 11b is on attached to the front end of a control head 17 and a front fork 16, which carries the front wheel 10. At the lower pivot arm 11 b is a Abutment 12 attached, in the embodiment shown here an angle sheet consists. This abutment 12 has a flat Abutment surface 13, which in the position I shown here with respect to Vertical is arranged inclined. The angled portion 14 of Abutment element 12 serves to stiffen.

In the basic position shown here (position I), in which the front wheel 10 rests on the flat bottom surface 7, the abutment is 12th spaced from the upper stop 30 arranged.

On the lifter brace 22, an actuator 40 is fixed, the order the fulcrum 41 is pivotally mounted. At the free end of the Actuator 40 is a connecting element 42 in the form of a Bolzens arranged, which engages in a slot 34 of a pawl 32, the forms the upper stop 30. The pawl 32 has on its underside a stop surface 33, which is also flat. Because the Lifting device in the representation shown here in the is retracted position, the pawl 32 is about the fulcrum 35th pivoted upwards, so that the abutment 12 is not with the pawl 32 can come into contact because the spring force of the tension spring 18, the is arranged between the base body 3 and the first pivot arm 11b, is chosen large accordingly. This position of the top stop 30 is referred to as position A.

In Fig. 3, the front wheel 10 is pivoted about the height H ₂ . The lifting device is still in the retracted position. This means that the upper stop 30 is in the position A, ie in the raised or pivoted away position. The position of the abutment 12 is referred to as position III. The position III is the maximum possible pivotal position of the front wheel 10, which is limited by the spring 18. The height H ₂ is sufficient, for example, to drive over a curb.

In Fig. 4, starting from the Fig. 2, the lifting device is shown in the fully extended state. As a result, the lifter brace 22 is shown inclined, with the result that the actuator 40 is pivoted about the pivot point 41 down. This also has the consequence that the connecting element 42 in the slot 34 of the pawl 32 slides down and the pawl 32 about the pivot point 35 also pivots down so that the position B is occupied, whereby the pivoting range of the front wheel 10 is significantly reduced , This prevents the operator from passing over high obstacles when the lifting device is extended, which could lead to an overall unstable position of the wheelchair. The abutment 12 is in position I, because the front wheel 10 rests on the bottom surface 7. The two contact surfaces, ie the abutment surface 33 and the abutment surface 13 are extended by two lines, so that it can be seen that there is a distance D which allows a slight pivotal movement of the front wheel 10, as shown in FIG. For safety reasons, the lifting height is limited to H ₁ .

In the event that the front wheel should be at the height H ₂ and that only then the lifting device is extended upwards, the abutment 12 would be pressed down on the pawl 32. This leads to a lifting of the drive wheel 4, because the wheelchair 1 would then have contact only via the rear wheels 6 and the front wheels 10 to the bottom surface. Continued travel is then not possible, which causes the operator to first continue the lifting device in the lowered, non-hazardous position.

FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment in which the Lifting device 20 has a lifting column 23. The lifting column 23 is how in Fig. 7 can be seen more clearly, via a rocker 24, the one Fulcrum 25 has, connected to the actuating element 40, the as in the previously shown embodiments of the pawl 32 attacks. The Rocker 24 is guided in a slot 26 of the lifting column 23. Of the Movement and the positioning of pawl and abutment 12 corresponds to the previous one in the different stages of movement explained embodiments of Figures 2 to 5.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

wheelchair

2

Seat

3

body

4

drive wheel

5

engine

6

rear wheel

7

floor area

10

front

11a

Upper swivel arm

11b

lower swivel arm

12

abutment

13

Abutment surface

14

angled section

15

Fulcrum of the lower arm

16

front fork

17

control head

18

mainspring

20

lifting device

21

scissor joint

22

Lifterstrebe

23

Lifting column

24

seesaw

25

Fulcrum of the rocker

26

Long hole

30

upper stop

32

pawl

33

stop surface

34

Long hole

35

pivot point

40

actuator

41

pivot point

42

connecting element

Claims (13)

Wheelchair with a base body on which a seat and on the two drive wheels and at least one rear wheel and two front wheels are arranged, wherein the front wheels are articulated in each case via at least one pivotable about a horizontal axis, an abutment having pivot arm on the base body and from a basic position in a raised or a lowered position are movable, wherein an upper stop for limiting the pivoting movement of the pivot arm is provided, characterized in that between the base body (3) and seat (2) a lifting device (20, 23) is provided and
in that the upper stop (30) is connected to a moving component (22, 24) of the lifting device (20, 23). Wheelchair according to Claim 1, characterized in that the upper stop (30) is connected to the moving component (22, 23) such that the upper stop (30) is in a lower position (position B) when the lifting device (20) is extended. and when the lifting device (20) is in an upper position (position A). Wheelchair according to claim 2, characterized in that in the basic position of the swivel arm (11a, 11b), the upper stop (30) in its lower position (B) spaced from the abutment (12) is arranged. Wheelchair according to one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the upper stop (31) comprises a base (3) pivotally mounted pawl (32) on which a with the moving member (22, 24) connected to actuator (40) attacks. Wheelchair according to claim 4, characterized in that the pawl (32) has at least one flat abutment surface (33). Wheelchair according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the pawl (32) has a slot (34) in which the free end of the actuating element (40) is guided displaceably. Wheelchair according to one of claims 1-6, characterized in that the abutment (12) is an element with at least one flat abutment surface 13. Wheelchair according to one of claims 1-7, characterized in that the lifting device (20) has a scissors joint (21). A wheelchair according to claim 8, characterized in that the upper stop (30) is connected to a fan strut (22) of the scissors joint (21). Wheelchair according to one of claims 1-7, characterized in that the lifting device (20) has a lifting column (23). Wheelchair according to claim 10, characterized in that the upper stop (30) via a rocker (24) with the lifting column (23) is connected. Wheelchair according to one of claims 1-11, characterized in that the at least one rear wheel (6) is rigidly fixed to the base body (3). Wheelchair according to one of claims 1-11, characterized in that the at least one rear wheel (6) is pivotally mounted on the base body (3).

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