US3921744A - Wheelchair with detachable drive means - Google Patents

Wheelchair with detachable drive means Download PDF

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Publication number
US3921744A
US3921744A US511363A US51136374A US3921744A US 3921744 A US3921744 A US 3921744A US 511363 A US511363 A US 511363A US 51136374 A US51136374 A US 51136374A US 3921744 A US3921744 A US 3921744A
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United States
Prior art keywords
wheelchair
drive assembly
slots
motor
drive
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US511363A
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English (en)
Inventor
Robert Benoit
Andre Mairet
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Individual
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Individual
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Publication date
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Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3921744A publication Critical patent/US3921744A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61G—TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
    • A61G5/00—Chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs
    • A61G5/04—Chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs motor-driven
    • A61G5/047—Chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs motor-driven by a modular detachable drive system
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61G—TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
    • A61G5/00—Chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs
    • A61G5/10—Parts, details or accessories
    • A61G5/1051—Arrangements for steering
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61G—TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
    • A61G5/00—Chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs
    • A61G5/10—Parts, details or accessories
    • A61G5/1005—Wheelchairs having brakes
    • A61G5/1013—Wheelchairs having brakes engaging the wheel
    • A61G5/1018—Wheelchairs having brakes engaging the wheel on the running surface

Definitions

  • a wheelchair has a detachable drive means so that it is useful both indoors under manual power and outdoors under motor power.
  • the drive means is manipulable by the occupant himself, and to this end comprises a drive wheel and motor with steering handle bars, and means to detachably interconnect this assembly at each side of the wheelchair.
  • the connecting means comprises ramps that guide laterally sliding pins toward their sockets, and rotatable cams received in vertical slots at the forward ends of the wheelchair armrests.
  • the present invention relates to wheelchairs for physically handicapped people, of the type that are provided with drive motors.
  • the motorized wheelchair has been quite heavy and unsuitable for use indoors. It has thus been necessary for the invalid to have two wheelchairs: a relatively light one for use indoors, and a motordriven one for use outdoors for travelling greater distances. It is often difficult for the occupant to change from chair to chair, especiallyif he is heavy.
  • Another object of the present invention is the provision of such a wheelchair, which will be conveniently convertible from manual operation to motor drive, and vice versa, by the occupant himself.
  • Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a wheelchair with detachable drive means, the attachment and detachment of which is easily effected by the occupant of the chair.
  • a wheelchair which is generally of the indoor type, and which is provided on either side of its footrest with a guide ramp for detachable coupling to a drive motor-driven wheel-handle bar assembly which carries semicircular rearwardly extending shafts that on their rearward ends carry laterally displaceable pins or lugs whose mountings ride up the ramps and seat in upwardly open recesses, after which the pins may be laterally slid into sockets beneath the arms of the chair.
  • the forward ends of the armrests of the wheelchair are vertically slotted; and the rearwardly extending shafts of the detachable drive assembly carry at their upper rear ends cams rotatable about horizontal axes selectively to enter those vertical slots thereby to provide a further connection between the detachable assembly and the wheelchair.
  • Vertically adjustable feet carried by the rear ends of the shafts cooperate with the drive wheel to provide threepoint support for the drive assembly when detached from the wheelchair.
  • the feet are elevated from the ground when the drive assembly is attached to the chair.
  • Brakes for the wheelchair are also carried by the rear ends of the shafts of the drive assembly and comprise brake pads selectively applicable against the large rear wheels of the chair.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wheelchair according to the present invention, with the drive assembly attached;
  • FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the structure interconnecting the forward end of one armrest and the adjacent end of the footrest of the chair itself, with the drive assembly removed, showing the means that provide the connections to the drive assembly;
  • FIG. 3 is a perspective view from the rear, showing the drive assembly as seen by the occupant of the wheelchair;
  • FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view, looking toward one outer side of the wheelchair, showing the drive assembly at the left almost completely engaged with the wheelchair to the right'of FIG. 4;
  • FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the parts more fully engaged.
  • FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIGS. 4 and 5 but showing the parts fully engaged and ready for power drive of the wheelchair.
  • Wheelchair 1 comprises a chassis 3 of hollow tubular construction, a seat 4, a back 5, large rear wheels 6 and 7 and small forward wheels 8 of which only one is visible in FIG. 1, and a footrest 9.
  • Drive assembly 2 comprises a drive and steering wheel 10 mounted at the lower end of a fork 11 which is surmounted by a column 12 carrying the handle bars 13 and the conventional steering, braking, and motor control members.
  • Fork 11 also carries a column 15 that carries rearwardly extending semicircular shafts 16.
  • FIG. 2 shows in greater detail the structure of the wheelchair, at one side thereof, for detachably receiving the drive assembly.
  • the armrest 17 of the wheelchair terminates forwardly in a plug 18 having a vertical slot 18' therein.
  • An intermediate vertical tube 19 depends from armrest 17 and slides in a lower tube 20 of chassis 3, which terminates forwardly in a forward end 20'.
  • An elbowed tube 21 at its rear end carries a sleeve 22 vertically adjustable on tube 19 by means of set screw 23 thereby to regulate the height of armrest 17.
  • An intermediate tube 24 interconnects tube 21 and sleeve 25 that surrounds forward end 20' of tube 20.
  • a socket 26 (FIG. 4) or 26 (FIG. 2) comprises a semicylindrical upwardly opening seat 27, which in the FIG.
  • tube 21 carries a connector 31 for telescopically fixing the height of footrest 9.
  • the drive assembly is seen as viewed by the occupant of the wheelchair prior to assembly to the chair.
  • the semicircular shafts 16 are comprised in fact by verticallyspaced tubes 32 and 33 to the rear ends of which are secured a vertical tube 35 in which a rod 36 is vertically slidable.
  • the vertically slid position of rod 36 is selectively fixed by a set screw 37, so that the lower ends of rods 36 provide, with drive wheel 10, three-point support for the drive assembly when detached and not in use.
  • Each rear end of tube 33 carries a horizontal sleeve 33 in which is disposed a pin or lug 38 manipulable by handle 39.
  • Pins 38 are coaxial on a horizontal axis, as are the sockets 26 or 26' that selectively receive them.
  • Each rear end of tube 32 carries a cam 40 eccentri cally mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis under the control of a handle 41.
  • Brakeshoes 42 selectively applicable against large rear wheels 6, are carried at the rear ends of tubes 43 and 44 which at their forward ends are mounted for pivotal movement about a vertical axis on sleeve 35.
  • a plate 45 mounts shoes 42 for pivotal movement into and out of engagement with wheels 6 under the command of a cable 46 manipulated in a conventional manner from the handle bars 13, a spring 47 tending to draw shoes 42 out of engagement with wheels 6.
  • Latch means (not shown) are provided for releasably maintaining the brake means in inwardly swung operative position adjacent wheels 6.
  • the occupant of the chair rolls his chair manually toward the drive means which are resting in the position shown in FIG. 3. He aims the ramps 30 for the sleeves 33', until these sleeves slide up the ramps 30 in the FIG. 4 relationship. Further drawing the parts together, the occupant causes the sleeves 33 to seat in the sockets 26. He then pushes inwardly on each handle 39 to move the pins 38 into the tube 28 or hole 29', depending on the manner of formation of the receptacle for the pin.
  • the handle 41 can then be swung forwardly, from the FIG. position to FIG. 6 position, so that the cams 40 enter the vertical slots 18.
  • the members 40 are called cams, because they bear against the bottoms of the slots 18' with sufficient force, and with sufficient leverage under the action of handle 41, to tilt the wheelchair slightly rearwardly so that the small forward wheels 8 are elevated from the ground and the wheelchair now has three-point support on the large wheels 6 and the drive wheel 10.
  • the occupant can then start the motor, which can be electric or gasoline powered, and operate the motor from the controls provided in a conventional manner on the handle bars 13.
  • a wheelchair and a drive assembly for said wheelchair, said drive assembly comprising a motor and a wheel driven by said motor disposed forwardly of said wheelchair, and means carried by said drive assembly and extending rearwardly of said motor and driven wheel to both sides of said wheelchair for detachably connecting said drive assembly to said wheelchair, said means including means disposed on opposite sides of said wheelchair when said drive as-- sembly is connected to said wheelchair and within reach of and manipulable by the hands of the occupant of the wheelchair to effect the connection and discon- I nection of said drive assembly to and from said wheelchair.
  • said connecting means comprising ramps on each side of said wheelchair guiding rearwardly extending portions of said drive assembly toward seats on said wheelchair for the interconnection of said drive assembly with said wheelchair.
  • said connecting means comprising means on said wheelchair defining vertical slots at each side of the wheelchair, and vertically swinging means on said drive assembly selectively engageable in said slots.
  • said vertically swinging means comprising cam means actuated by le- 7 said drive assembly when the drive assembly is detached from the wheelchair.

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Handcart (AREA)
  • Motorcycle And Bicycle Frame (AREA)
US511363A 1973-10-02 1974-10-02 Wheelchair with detachable drive means Expired - Lifetime US3921744A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR7335107A FR2245331B1 (xx) 1973-10-02 1973-10-02

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3921744A true US3921744A (en) 1975-11-25

Family

ID=9125787

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US511363A Expired - Lifetime US3921744A (en) 1973-10-02 1974-10-02 Wheelchair with detachable drive means

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (1) US3921744A (xx)
JP (1) JPS5076744A (xx)
BE (1) BE820208A (xx)
CH (1) CH600867A5 (xx)
DE (1) DE2446573C3 (xx)
FR (1) FR2245331B1 (xx)
GB (1) GB1472613A (xx)
SE (1) SE396008B (xx)

Cited By (23)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4152005A (en) * 1978-01-31 1979-05-01 Richard Vanore Tricycle for handicapped individuals
US4452327A (en) * 1980-11-06 1984-06-05 Mowat Donald J Motorized vehicle
US4641847A (en) * 1985-12-16 1987-02-10 Busse Ronald E Single lever control wheel chair
US5020815A (en) * 1989-10-17 1991-06-04 Scott Orthotic Labs, Inc. Self-propelled, steerable wheelchair
US5494126A (en) * 1994-06-02 1996-02-27 Meeker; Galen L. Apparatus and method for attaching a motorized wheel to a wheelchair
US5862874A (en) * 1997-06-19 1999-01-26 University Of Pittsburgh Steering mechanism for short wheelbased four-wheeled vehicles
US6050593A (en) * 1997-04-30 2000-04-18 Golden Technologies, Inc. Personal mobility vehicle
US6129165A (en) * 1996-07-03 2000-10-10 Pride Mobility Products, Corporation Curb-climbing power wheelchair
US6170585B1 (en) * 1998-10-01 2001-01-09 Lee A. Turner Trailer driver
US6176337B1 (en) 1997-04-30 2001-01-23 Golden Technologies, Inc. Personal mobility vehicle
US6186252B1 (en) 1996-07-03 2001-02-13 Pride Mobility Products, Corporation Foldable midwheel drive power chair
US20040108147A1 (en) * 2001-02-12 2004-06-10 Vincent Ross Wheelchair mobility unit
US6766871B2 (en) 2002-06-27 2004-07-27 George S. Sawyer Attachment means for attaching a wheelchair to a motorized apparatus
US6883632B2 (en) 2001-06-29 2005-04-26 Mchardy Lang J. Manual-electric wheelchair drive device
US20060000664A1 (en) * 2004-07-02 2006-01-05 Chao-Kuo Huang Motorized apparatus for towing a wheelchair
US20060131084A1 (en) * 2004-12-22 2006-06-22 Fred Rupp Motorized handle
US7306250B1 (en) 2004-08-17 2007-12-11 Daniel Mills Method of attaching a manually operated wheelchair to a motorized scooter
WO2009094695A1 (en) * 2008-01-29 2009-08-06 Ezyrider Recreational Vehicles Pty Ltd A vehicle
US20160324705A1 (en) * 2013-07-08 2016-11-10 Batec Mobility, S.L. Safety device for an auxiliary wheelchair element
USD786741S1 (en) 2015-11-16 2017-05-16 Amigo Mobility International, Inc. Lateral stability wheel
USD800410S1 (en) 2015-11-23 2017-10-17 Amigo Mobility International, Inc. Material handling cart
USD805004S1 (en) 2015-07-01 2017-12-12 Amigo Mobility International, Inc. Brake release handle
USD955685S1 (en) 2015-11-23 2022-06-21 Amigo Mobility International, Inc. Material handling cart

Families Citing this family (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3200157A1 (de) * 1981-08-05 1983-02-24 Sigrid 6393 Wehrheim Osterland "rollstuhl-zuggeraet"
DE3200153A1 (de) * 1982-01-04 1983-07-14 Sigrid 6393 Wehrheim Osterland "rollstuhlzusatzgeraet"
GB2124985A (en) * 1982-07-01 1984-02-29 Jones Edward Daniel Steerable drive unit for wheelchair
EP0255457B1 (fr) * 1986-07-07 1991-03-06 René Cauneille Rampe pour fauteuil orthopédique électrique
DE19935506B4 (de) * 1999-07-28 2009-07-09 Georg Binnen Elektromotorisch angetriebenes Zuggerät für Rollstühle
ES2673174T3 (es) 2015-02-04 2018-06-20 Alber Gmbh Dispositivo de dirección auxiliar y arnés de silla de ruedas
DE102015102381B4 (de) 2015-02-19 2018-05-30 Alber Gmbh Vorspannlenkvorrichtung und Rollstuhlgespann
CN115024906A (zh) * 2021-02-22 2022-09-09 吴振维 驱动装置

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3351148A (en) * 1965-10-24 1967-11-07 Shawn M Solomon Self-operable detachable power unit attachment for wheel chairs and power control unit therefor
US3381973A (en) * 1966-08-25 1968-05-07 Lottie M. Carr Combination invalid's chair and cot
US3387681A (en) * 1966-02-14 1968-06-11 Rodney R. Rabjohn Power operated wheel chair
US3688857A (en) * 1970-08-17 1972-09-05 Michael J Miller Self-mounting power unit for wheel chairs

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE787244A (fr) * 1971-08-05 1973-02-05 Siemens Ag Systeme pour le deroulement d'operations d'exploitation pour centraux de telecommunications a commande par calculateurs, notammentpour centraux telephoniques

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3351148A (en) * 1965-10-24 1967-11-07 Shawn M Solomon Self-operable detachable power unit attachment for wheel chairs and power control unit therefor
US3387681A (en) * 1966-02-14 1968-06-11 Rodney R. Rabjohn Power operated wheel chair
US3381973A (en) * 1966-08-25 1968-05-07 Lottie M. Carr Combination invalid's chair and cot
US3688857A (en) * 1970-08-17 1972-09-05 Michael J Miller Self-mounting power unit for wheel chairs

Cited By (25)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4152005A (en) * 1978-01-31 1979-05-01 Richard Vanore Tricycle for handicapped individuals
US4452327A (en) * 1980-11-06 1984-06-05 Mowat Donald J Motorized vehicle
US4534438A (en) * 1980-11-06 1985-08-13 Midon Engineered Products, Inc. Motorized vehicles
US4641847A (en) * 1985-12-16 1987-02-10 Busse Ronald E Single lever control wheel chair
US5020815A (en) * 1989-10-17 1991-06-04 Scott Orthotic Labs, Inc. Self-propelled, steerable wheelchair
US5494126A (en) * 1994-06-02 1996-02-27 Meeker; Galen L. Apparatus and method for attaching a motorized wheel to a wheelchair
US6129165A (en) * 1996-07-03 2000-10-10 Pride Mobility Products, Corporation Curb-climbing power wheelchair
US6186252B1 (en) 1996-07-03 2001-02-13 Pride Mobility Products, Corporation Foldable midwheel drive power chair
US6050593A (en) * 1997-04-30 2000-04-18 Golden Technologies, Inc. Personal mobility vehicle
US6176337B1 (en) 1997-04-30 2001-01-23 Golden Technologies, Inc. Personal mobility vehicle
US5862874A (en) * 1997-06-19 1999-01-26 University Of Pittsburgh Steering mechanism for short wheelbased four-wheeled vehicles
US6170585B1 (en) * 1998-10-01 2001-01-09 Lee A. Turner Trailer driver
US20040108147A1 (en) * 2001-02-12 2004-06-10 Vincent Ross Wheelchair mobility unit
US6883632B2 (en) 2001-06-29 2005-04-26 Mchardy Lang J. Manual-electric wheelchair drive device
US6766871B2 (en) 2002-06-27 2004-07-27 George S. Sawyer Attachment means for attaching a wheelchair to a motorized apparatus
US20060000664A1 (en) * 2004-07-02 2006-01-05 Chao-Kuo Huang Motorized apparatus for towing a wheelchair
US7216728B2 (en) * 2004-07-02 2007-05-15 Chao-Kuo Huang Motorized apparatus for towing a wheelchair
US7306250B1 (en) 2004-08-17 2007-12-11 Daniel Mills Method of attaching a manually operated wheelchair to a motorized scooter
US20060131084A1 (en) * 2004-12-22 2006-06-22 Fred Rupp Motorized handle
WO2009094695A1 (en) * 2008-01-29 2009-08-06 Ezyrider Recreational Vehicles Pty Ltd A vehicle
US20160324705A1 (en) * 2013-07-08 2016-11-10 Batec Mobility, S.L. Safety device for an auxiliary wheelchair element
USD805004S1 (en) 2015-07-01 2017-12-12 Amigo Mobility International, Inc. Brake release handle
USD786741S1 (en) 2015-11-16 2017-05-16 Amigo Mobility International, Inc. Lateral stability wheel
USD800410S1 (en) 2015-11-23 2017-10-17 Amigo Mobility International, Inc. Material handling cart
USD955685S1 (en) 2015-11-23 2022-06-21 Amigo Mobility International, Inc. Material handling cart

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2446573C3 (de) 1978-08-24
SE396008B (sv) 1977-09-05
JPS5076744A (xx) 1975-06-23
FR2245331B1 (xx) 1976-10-01
CH600867A5 (xx) 1978-06-30
FR2245331A1 (xx) 1975-04-25
GB1472613A (en) 1977-05-04
BE820208A (fr) 1975-01-16
SE7412300L (xx) 1975-04-03
DE2446573B2 (de) 1977-12-22
DE2446573A1 (de) 1975-04-03

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