WO2017121588A1

WO2017121588A1 - Electric wheelchair

Info

Publication number: WO2017121588A1
Application number: PCT/EP2016/082019
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Zeller; Michael Pauli
Original assignee: Otto Bock Mobility Solution Gmbh
Priority date: 2016-01-15
Filing date: 2016-12-20
Publication date: 2017-07-20
Also published as: DE102016100662A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an electric wheel chair comprising a chassis (10) on which are arranged two drive wheels (1, 2) spaced apart from each other by a track width (SA), and two non-driven steering wheels (21, 22) which pivot about a vertical axis (H) and are mounted on a shared wheel axle (23) so as to rotate about a rotational axis (D), the wheel axle (23) being arranged in a mounting block (24), transversely to the vertical axis (H), such that it can oscillate.

Description

electric wheelchair

The invention relates to an electric wheelchair with a chassis, on which two spaced in a track spaced drive wheels and two pivotable about a vertical axis steering wheels are arranged.

Such a wheelchair is known for example from DE 10 2013 015 816 A1. The steering wheels are spaced from each other in a track spaced front of the chassis, the larger rear wheels behind. This wheelchair has a high driving stability and is relatively safe due to its four wheels from tipping over. He can only be used on paved roads.

DE 102 37 878 A1 discloses a wheelchair for golfers, which has three wheels with balloon or wide tires. At the front, the drive wheels spaced apart in the track width are provided. Rear, the wheelchair has a central steering wheel, which is pivotable through 360 ° about a vertical axis. The arrangement of the three wheels, the off-road mobility of the wheelchair is guaranteed. Outside of a golf course, the wheelchair can be used, so that handicapped people can move in rough terrain. The swiveling of the rear steering wheel through 360 ° ensures an extremely small turning circle. In order to provide the user of the wheelchair with ground contact while playing golf, this is equipped with an upright seat, which brings the user in an upright standing position. The foot is supported in the erected position of the seat on the ground, whereby a high stability of the vehicle and the user is ensured during the blow.

Since the rear steering wheel in diameter is significantly smaller than the front drive wheels, there is a risk that the steering wheel, when it gets into a pothole or a rut, is led out of its adjusted Lenklage and suddenly evades. Especially if the wheelchair in a lateral slope There is a risk of tipping over. Especially in rough terrain suddenly appearing depressions and tracks are nothing unusual, so that the risk of tipping over is not to be underestimated.

DE 10 2006 032 844 A1 discloses an auxiliary drive device for manual wheelchairs, in which two drive wheels driven by an electric motor are rotatably mounted on a pendulum axle. This drive device is connected to the wheelchair if it is not pushed by an assistant or manually driven by the user. About the auxiliary drive device of the wheelchair is steered simultaneously.

On this basis, the known wheelchair should be improved.

To solve the problem, a generic wheelchair is characterized by two non-driven steering wheels pivotable about a vertical axis, rotatably mounted on a common wheel axis about a rotation axis, wherein the common wheel axle is arranged in a bearing block oscillating transversely to the vertical axis.

By this configuration, the familiar from the known four-wheeled wheelchair and safe driving stability with the off-road capability of the well-known three-wheeled wheelchair is combined.

Preferably, the bearing block is pivotally mounted on a fork pin, which is received in a chassis-fixed fork bridge about the vertical axis pivotally (rotatably). For this purpose, the bearing block may be mounted on a bearing pin arranged perpendicular to the vertical axis.

The steering wheels, the wheel axle, on which the steering wheels are mounted, the bearing block and the fork pin preferably form a structural unit, which are detachably connected to the chassis via the fork bridge. In order to ensure the directional stability of the wheelchair, the steering wheels are arranged opposite the vertical axis in a caster angle. The fork pin is centrally provided between the two steering wheels, so that both steering wheels are arranged centrally to the drive wheels in a wheelbase.

It can also be provided four steering wheels, which are arranged in pairs to each other and form a second track. In this case, the four steering wheels are preferably combined to form two units, each with a wheel axle, a bearing block and a fork pin.

To limit the pendulum movement of the wheel axle, at least one stop can be provided. Preferably, two stops are provided, which also serve as end position buffer, which acts to damp at a maximum pendulum deflection of the wheel axle.

The steering wheels are preferably at least partially covered by a strainer arranged radially to them, whose distance from the steering wheels is constant independently of the pendulum movement of the wheel axle. The dirt catcher thus oscillates with the steering wheels.

The bearing block may be a rigid axle, an elastic or a resilient element or be formed by a multi-joint connection. The wheel axle can be equipped with at least one spring-damper unit with which the pendulum movement of the steering wheels can be actively stabilized.

With the aid of a drawing, an embodiment of the invention will be described below.

Show it:

Figure 1 - the perspective view of a wheelchair;

Figure 2 - a perspective view of a unit with the two steering wheels;

Figure 3 - the view according to viewing arrow III of Figure 2;

Figure 4 - the view according to viewing arrow IV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 - a section through the vertical axis of the assembly;

Figure 6 - a further sectional view through the assembly;

Figure 7 - a schematic representation of a structural unit in section through the

Vertical axis;

FIG. 8 shows a schematic illustration of a further structural unit in section through the vertical axis;

FIG. 9 shows a schematic illustration of another structural unit in section through the vertical axis;

FIG. 10 shows a schematic illustration of a further structural unit in section through the vertical axis;

Figure 1 1 - a schematic representation of another unit in section through the vertical axis. The electric motor driven wheelchair essentially consists of the chassis 10, the seat 12 arranged thereon, the drive wheels 1, 2 arranged on the chassis 10 in a track SA and the rear steering wheels 21, 22 arranged in a wheelbase a therefor. The seat 12 can be made 1 pivoted to an upright position, so that the user is brought into a standing position and is supported by the seat and the backrest in this position back. Be legs have in this position above the lowered to the ground supported foot 13 ground contact.

The two steering wheels 21, 22 are rotatably mounted on a common wheel axle 23 about a rotation axis D. The wheel axle 23 is mounted in a bearing block 24 so as to oscillate about the vertical axis H (see FIG. For this purpose, in the bearing block 24 a perpendicular to the vertical axis H extending bearing pin 26 is provided, on which the wheel axle can be pivoted in two directions of rotation, so that it oscillates transversely to the vertical axis H.

Figures 2 to 6 show that the steering wheels 21, 22, the wheel axle 23, the bearing block 24 and the fork pin 25 are combined to form a unit 20. The fork pin 25 is formed in two parts in order to set a caster angle α for the steering wheels 21, 22 can. With the vertically extending first part 25.1 of the fork pin 25 is connected to the fork bridge 1 1 on the chassis. The second part 25.2 has the bearing block 24. The assembly 20 may also include a steering wheel 21, 22 partially covering mud flaps 27. The steering wheels 21, 22 are arranged about the vertical axis H pivotable about 360 ° on the chassis 10 (see Figure 3). The assembly 20 is thus freely rotatably supported about the vertical axis H.

In principle, in order to increase the driving stability, it is also possible to arrange two structural units 20 on the chassis 10. Then, four steering wheels are provided, which are spaced apart in pairs in a second track SL, the track SL being centered between each pair of steering wheels 21, 22. will measure. The track width SL may be less than or equal to the track width SA of the drive wheels 1, 2.

FIGS. 7 to 11 show, in a schematic representation, various connection forms of the pendulum axle in section.

In the embodiments shown in Figures 7 and 8, the bearing block 24 is mounted to oscillate around the bearing pin 26. Between the bearing block 24 and a fixedly connected to the fork pin 25 carrier 30 springs or spring / damper units 29.1, 29.2 are arranged, through which the direction indicated by the double arrows pendulum movement of the steering wheels 21, 22 is damped. When the springs 29.1, 29.2 are completely compressed, the stops 28.1, 28.2 form.

In the embodiments shown in Figures 9 and 10, the bearing block 240 is formed as an elastic element, which can also dampen the pendulum motion, which is indicated by the double arrows, whereby the pendulum motion of the steering wheels 21, 22 is stabilized.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 1 1 of the bearing block is formed by a multi-joint connection. The axles 23.1, 23.2 of the steering wheels 21, 22 are articulated on the fork pin 25 via a respective joint 26.1, 26.2. For active stabilization of the pendulum movement of the steering wheels 21, 22, a spring or a spring / damper unit 29.1, 29.2 can also be provided here. The damping can also be done within the joints 26.1, 26.2.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 drive wheel

2 drive wheel

10 chassis

1 1 fork bridge

12 seat

13 footrest

20 unit

21 steering wheel

22 steering wheel

23 wheel axle

24 bearing block

25 fork pins

25.1 first part

25.2 second part

26 stub axles

26.1 joint

26.2 joint

27 dirt trap

28.1 stop

28.2 stop

29.1 spring / damper

29.2 Spring / Damper

30 carriers a gauge

D rotation axis

H vertical axis

SA gauge

SL gauge α caster angle

Claims

claims

1 . Electric wheelchair with a chassis (10) on which two in a track (SA) spaced drive wheels (1, 2) and two about a vertical axis (H) pivotally mounted on a common wheel axle (23) about a rotational axis (D) rotatably mounted , non-driven steering wheels (21, 22) are arranged, and the wheel axle (23) is arranged in a bearing block (24) transversely to the vertical axis (H) oscillating.

2. Electric wheelchair according to claim 1, characterized in that the bearing block (24) on a fork pin (25) is fixed, which is pivotally received in a chassis-fixed fork bridge (1 1) about the vertical axis (H).

3. Electric wheelchair according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the

Wheel axle (23) on a perpendicular to the vertical axis (H) extending bearing pin (26) is mounted.

4. Electric wheelchair according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the steering wheels (21, 22), the wheel axle (23), the bearing block (24) and the fork pin (25) form a structural unit (20) with the chassis ( 10) via the fork bridge (1 1) is releasably connected.

5. Electric wheelchair according to claim 1, characterized in that the steering wheels (21, 22) relative to the vertical axis (H) in a caster angle (a) are arranged.

6. Electric wheelchair according to claim 1, characterized in that the steering wheels (21, 22) are arranged centrally between the drive wheels (1) in a wheelbase (a).

7. Electric wheelchair according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that four steering wheels (21, 22) are provided, which are arranged in pairs to each other and form a second track (SL) between the vertical axes (Hi, Hb).

8. Electric wheelchair according to claim 7, characterized in that the four steering wheels (21, 22) to two units (20) each having a wheel axle (23), a bearing block (24) and a fork pin (25) are summarized.

9. Electric wheelchair according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one stop (28.1, 28.2) for limiting the oscillating movement of the wheel axle (23) is provided.

10. Power wheelchair according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the steering wheels (21, 22) are at least partially covered by a radially arranged to them mud flaps (27) whose distance from the steering wheels (21, 22) regardless of the pendulum movement of the Wheel axle (23) is constant.

1 1. Electric wheelchair according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bearing block (24) is a rigid axle.

12. Electric wheelchair according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bearing block (24) is an elastic element.

13. Electric wheelchair according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bearing block (24) is a resilient element (240).

14. Electric wheelchair according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bearing block (24) is a multi-joint connection. Electric wheelchair according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on the wheel axle (23) is a spring-damper unit angeord net, which is effective in a pendulum motion.