GB2539170A

GB2539170A - Magnetic propulsion wheelchair

Info

Publication number: GB2539170A
Application number: GB1506189.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Cunningham Frank
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-04-13
Filing date: 2015-04-13
Publication date: 2016-12-14
Also published as: GB2539170A9; GB201506189D0

Abstract

A magnet powered wheelchair that uses magnets as a means of propulsion. The use of magnets may be used in a plurality of methods to achieve movement that will preferably include having a lever mechanism that pushes magnets together to achieve a pushing motion, a method that uses adhesive magnetic strips applied to the outer ring on each wheel, a method in which the outer grip is magnetised in order to achieve one part of the propulsion effect, or a combination of the above. Further embodiments also include repositioning the wheels or adding a rear stabilising wheel. The magnet may preferably be added to existing folding wheelchairs and be unusual in shape.

Description

MAGNETIC PROPULSION WHEELCHAIR

Description

A wheelchair that uses the power of powerful magnets for propulsion to move a wheelchair as required either forward, backward, or in a turning circle. These magnets may have shields on or blinds on the sides to minimise interference with other metals.

It is well known that when two magnets of the same polarity are brought together this creates a pushing motion between them with the more powerful magnets making a powerful pushing force.

The idea here is to use that very same propulsion force between the magnets to power a wheelchairs movement with very powerful magnets that can push those wheels with a significant amount of weight in the chair.

This can be done by various methods with one being that the magnets would be held in the users hands (magnets are available at present for example in the shape of a hand grip that is shielded but can pick up steel sheets weighting 50kg or more.) These would be in each hand with a similar pole magnetic adhesive strip attached to the steel grip around outside of the actual wheel. Then the person could push these together to get the propulsion needed.

Another way of doing this would be if the powerful magnets themselves were fitted on a lever type device or mechanism that when the lever is pushed if would activate the device this could be similar to a brake lever on many wheelchairs at present and could operate in a similar fashion to a pedal bike mechanism when the brakes are applied using various links and leverage's to force two objects together.

The outer steel ring on the wheelchair itself could be magnetised or converted to have magnets attached permanently in order to simplify the innovation being presented. Then it would be a case of manual hand magnets of a lever type system to get the desired result.

Indeed this very concept could be used on many other types of wheelchairs and not just the standard folding wheelchair at present that uses a steel type ring attached to the wheel itself.

The magnetic force would obviously be between the surface of the steel ring grip and the magnet bearing down on the steel ring in order to power the wheelchair as needed. For example it could be that only one side is activated manually or via a lever mechanism in order to get the chair to turn around and then simple do the same on the other side to turn it in the other direction. The forward motion would again depend on where the magnets were positioned or placed in order to get the desired effect.

It may be the case that the lever device is placed in an unusual position on the chair or that the wheels themselves need to be fixed in a position further forward on the frame of the chair or the seating is moved backwards on the chair with perhaps a stabilising small wheel at the back of the chair in the middle in order to have correct positioning required for this particular invention to work to full capacity.

BENEFITS OF THIS MAGNETIC WHEELCHAIR

1. Zero running costs 2. Very little maintenance costs as battery power can be expensive to run and maintain.

3. Much lighter and easier to move around and transport.

4. Much more convenient as it would still be easy to fold up compact and fit into a small car boot as opposed to the heavy, bulky, battery powered chair that does not fold to a small space and often needs special transport and equipment.

5. No anxiety about battery running flat when out shopping for example so also much more relaxing to use.

6. It would be a novel and radical design that I believe will change the whole outlook regarding standard folding wheelchairs.

7. Should be easy to apply and adapt this kind of innovation to millions of these wheelchairs already in circulation.

8. Eco and environmentally friendly as it needs no expensive batteries to either make or dispose of or electric to run it.

9. No more waiting many hours for the batteries to charge in order to go out.

10. Powered wheelchair then becomes available to more people in isolated places because of the simplicity of the idea.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A magnetic powered wheelchair that uses magnets for propulsion.
2. A type of wheelchair that can either use a lever type mechanism in order to force or push the magnets together in order to get that pushing motion to power the chair or hand held powerful magnets to do the same.
3. A type of concept that could also use adhesive magnetic strips applied to the steel outer ring on each wheel of the wheelchair.
4. A type of concept that could also have the steel outer grip magnetised in order to get one part of the propulsion effect.
5. A type of concept that could easily be applied to millions of existing manual folding wheelchairs
6. A type of innovation that could be made incorporated into a brand new style of wheelchair with the outer steel grip either magnetised or having powerful magnets attached and also incorporating a lever type mechanism or other device that pushes these two magnetic forces together for the desired effect.
7. A type of new style of wheelchair that could also have the frame altered to accommodate either wheels further forward of seating further back in order to get the desired effect and also with the option to put smaller stabilising wheels at the back of the chair or in other positions in order to get the correct effect.
8. The magnets themselves may well be an unusual type of design or shape in order to achieve the required result.