GB2307455A

GB2307455A - Personal transport device for a standing driver

Info

Publication number: GB2307455A
Application number: GB9523925A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Hollamby
Original assignee: REHABILITATION SERVICES Ltd
Current assignee: REHABILITATION SERVICES Ltd
Priority date: 1995-11-23
Filing date: 1995-11-23
Publication date: 1997-05-28
Also published as: FR2741528A1; GB9523925D0; DE19648419A1

Description

2307455 PERSONAL TRANSPORT DMCE

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to devices for personal transport, in particu lar devices to increase the mobility of incapacitated persons.

Background to the Invention

For many elderly and infirm people walking around the home is a tiring and sometimes impossible task.

One option for such people is to use a wheel chair in which the per son sits. This removes the need to walk. Known wheel chairs may be propelled by the person sitting therein, or by an electrically driven motor connected by suitable drive means, to the wheels.

Such wheel chairs often too wide to pass through doorways, and as such either cannot be used effectively or necessitate the widening of doorways.

Many items of furniture, fixtures and fittings found in houses are designed for use by a person who is standing essentially upright. For example, light switches, door handles, wardrobes, sinks, cooking appliances and kitchen units.

It is therefore desirable for a person to be able to stand to facilitate the carrying out of many everyday household tasks.

It is known to provide frames upon which an incapacitated person can support himself. Such frames, when used as a walking aid, must be lifted off the ground and moved forwards (or backwards) with each step forward (or backwards). Such frames therefore provide support for an incapacitated person, but do not help the person for whom walking is tiring or impossible.

It would therefore be desirable to enable a person to move around in a standing position.

Summary of the Invention

According to the invention there is provided a personal transport device comprising a chassis member provided with an operator platform upon which the operator stands, at least one handle member, the or each of which acts as balancing aid for the operator, ground engaging support means and at least one traction means and motor therefor, direction and power control means, and at least one means, operable by the operator, to control the direction and power control means.

The or each handle member may be removably mounted to the chassis. The or each handle member may be adjustably mounted to the chassis and a range of adjustability may be provided, so that the height of the or each handle member can be adjusted to suit the height of a particu- lar operator. In a preferred embodiment the or each handle member is pivotally mounted to the chassis member.

Between the handle members, at the front and/or rear thereof, there may be provided at least one cross member which may serve to retain the operator within the device, or as a balancing aid. The cross member mounted rearmost may be provided with a seat or rest, upon which the operator may sit or rest. The or each cross member may be mounted to the or each handle member by mounting means, which may comprise at one end of the cross member a hinge and at the other end thereof a locking means, or at least one co-operating slot and hook. The or each slot and hook may be mounted on the or each handle member and cross member respectively, or on the or each cross member and handle member respectively.

Preferably, the ground engaging support means comprise at least one wheel, more preferably four wheels and even more preferably, at least 5 one of the wheels is a castor wheel.

Alternatively, the ground engaging support means may comprises at least one roller, endless track, or skid.

The traction means may comprise at least one wheel, which may be at least one of the ground engaging support means. Preferably the traction means is in the form of a pair of wheels, each of the pair being mounted on either side and to either the front or the rear of the chassis member.

Alternatively the traction means may comprise at least one endless track, ball, roller, belt or any other means capable of converting the rotary motion produced by the motor into motion of the vehicle.

Preferably the power to each wheel of the traction means is control lable independently, and more preferably each wheel of the traction means is provided with its own electric motor. Advantageously, direction control is achieved by driving the wheels of the traction means at different rela tive speeds.

The or each means operable by the operator, to control the direction and power control means may be mounted on a handle member, and pref erably the or each means is in the form of a joystick.

The motor which drives the traction means may be an electric mo tor, an internal combustion engine, or any other suitable means to gener- ate rotary motion. In the case where the motor is an electric motor, a power source which is preferably in the form of one or more removable batteries is provided.

Advantageously, there is provided within the chassis member, space to locate the removable power source.

Preferably, the operator platform is arranged to allow a person to walk onto it from at least two sides thereof. The operator platform may be so arranged that it is at a level above the ground, on which it stands, is sufficiently low to permit an incapacitated person to walk on to the device with a minimum amount of efforL Such a device is advantageous because it allows incapacitated per sons to move around in a standing position, thus providing such persons with greater independence. The fact that the person is standing means that he can use the fixtures and fittings normally found in the home, with out modification. Such a device is sufficiently narrow to pass through the doorways found in most homes.

By providing access to the operator platform from at least two sides thereof, the danger of the operator becoming trapped on the device is reduced.

The provision of a low operator platform means that the operator can simply walk on to the platform with a minimum amount of effort.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of a personal transport device according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a front view of the personal transport device shown in figure 1.

Description of the Mustrated Embodiment

In figure 1, there is shown a personal transport device comprising a chassis member 1, to which is attached a pair of traction wheels 2, and a pair of castor wheels 3. The said castor wheels 3 serve to support the chas5 sis and enable direction control.

Attached to chassis member 1 are handle members 4. These handle members 4 locate in uprights 13 and are held in place by means of pins 12 which cooperate with holes in the handle members 4. A plurality of such holes may be provided to allow the height of the handle members to be adjusted to suit the height of the person using the device.

Uprights 13 may be U shaped in section, thus allowing the handle members to pivot forwardly about pin 12. This enables the personal transport device to be stored in a smaller space. In such a case further means (not shown graphically) are provided to lock the handle members 4 in position, preventing them from pivoting about pin 12, when the device is in use.

Power source 11, which may take the form of one or more electric batteries, is removably mountable in the chassis member 1.

Referring to figure 2, there is shown mounted in the chassis mem- ber 1, a direction and power control means 7, which is connected to electric motors 8, power source 11 and means 5, operable by the operator, to control the direction and power control means.

An electric motor 8 is provided for each traction wheel 2. Each electric motor 8 is removably and drivingly connectable to its corresponding traction wheel 2.

Direction and power control means 7 allow power to be distributed in equal or unequal amounts, to each of the two electric motors 8. Power may be controlled so as to cause one or both of the electric motors 8 rotate forwards or backwards. Thus the device may be turned left or right, or driven forwards or backwards, or any combination of forwards/backwards and sideways movement may be achieved.

Means 5, operable by the operator, to control the direction and power control means preferably comprises a joystick 6, the operation of which is well known by those skilled in the art. The joystick is connected to the direction and power control means 7 in such a manner that the vehicle moves in the direction in which the joystick is pointed.

An operator platform 10 in the form of a floor plate is provided and is attached to the chassis member 1 in a suitable manner, such as by means of bolts or by welding. A chassis underguard 9 is attachable to the underside of chassis member 1, and serves to protect drive and power control means 7 from any obstacles over which the device may be driven. Operator platform 10 and underguard 9 may be removably attachable to chassis member 1.

Claims

Clainis

1) A personal transport device comprising a chassis member provided with an operator platform upon which the operator stands, at least one handle member, the or each of which acts as a balancing aid for the operator, ground engaging support means and at least one traction means and motor therefor, direction and power control means, and at least one means operable by the operator to control the direction and power control means.

2) A device according to Claim 1, wherein the or each handle mem10 ber is removably mounted to the chassis.

3) A device according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the or each handle member is adjustably mounted to the chassis.

4) A device according to Claims 3, wherein a range of adjustability is provided so that the height of the or each handle member can be ad15 justed to suit the height of a particular operator.

5) A device according to any preceding claim wherein the or each handle member is pivotally mounted to the chassis member.

6) A device according to any preceding claim, wherein between the handle members there is provided at least one cross member which may 20 serve to retain the operator within the device, or as a balancing aid.

7) A device according to Claim 6, wherein the cross member mounted rearmost is provided with a seat.

8) A device according to Claim 7, wherein the or each cross member is mounted to the or each handle member by mounting means.

9) A device according to Claim 8, wherein the mounting means comprise at one end of the cross member a hinge and at the other end thereof a locking means, or at least one co-operating slot and hook.

10) A device according to Claim 9, wherein the or each slot and hook may be mounted on the or each handle member and cross member respectively, or on the or each cross member and handle member respectively.

11) A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the ground engaging support means comprise at least one wheel.

12) A device according to Claim 11, wherein the ground engaging support means comprise four wheels.

13) A device according to Claim 12, wherein at least one of the wheels is a castor wheel.

14) A device according to any of Claims 1 to 10, wherein the ground engaging support means comprise at least one roller, endless track, or skid.

15) A device according to any of Claims 1 to 14, wherein the traction means comprise at least one wheel, endless track, ball, roller, belt or any other means capable of converting the rotary motion produced by the mo tor into motion of the vehicle.

16) A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the traction means comprise at least one wheel, said wheel being ground engaging support means.

17) A device according to Claim 16, wherein the traction means is in the form of a pair of wheels, each of the pair being mounted on either side and to either the front or the rear of the chassis member.

18) A device according to Claim 17, wherein the power to each wheel of the traction meqnq is controllable independently.

19) A device according to Claim 18, wherein each wheel of the trac tion means is provided with its own motor.

20) A device according to Claim 18 or 19, wherein direction control is achieved by driving the wheels of the traction means at different rela tive speeds.

21) A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the or each means operable by the operator to control the direction and power control means is mounted on a handle member.

22) A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the or each means operable by the operator to control the direction and power control means is in the form of a joystick.

23) A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the motor which drives the traction means is an electric motor, an internal combustion engine, or any other suitable means to generate rotary motion.

24) A device according to Claim 23, further comprising a power source.

25) A device according to Claim 24, wherein the power source is in the form of one or more removable batteries.

26) A device according to Claim 25, wherein within the chassis member, there is provided space to locate the or each removable battery.

27) A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the operator platform is arranged to allow a person to walk onto it from at least two sides thereof.

28) A device according to Claim 27, wherein the operator platform is so arranged that it is at a level above the ground on which it stands which is sufficiently low to permit an incapacitated person to walk on to the de vice with a minimum amount of effort.

29) A personal transport device substantially as described with ref erence to, or as shown in, the drawings.