Manual wheelchair system for improved propulsion and transfers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10588795-B2
Application number	US-201615269868-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2016
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Mar 17, 2020
Grant date	Mar 17, 2020

Abstract

A manual wheelchair including a collapsible frame having a first lateral member that is connected to first and second braces at their respective first ends. A drive wheel axel extends along a first axis of rotation and engages a drive wheel, the first brace, and a portion of a transmission. A push rim axel extends along a second axis of rotation and engages a push rim wheel, the second brace, and a portion of the transmission, which transmits rotation of the push rim to rotation of the drive wheel. The collapsible frame additionally includes a second lateral member that is connected to the first and second braces as their respective second ends. The first and second braces are configured to release the second lateral member to collapse the manual wheelchair.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A manual wheelchair comprising:
a frame defining a base of support region and including a seat surface having a front edge, first side edge, a second side edge and a back edge, wherein the seat surface is positioned substantially within the base of support region;
a drive wheel connected to the frame and configured to engage a travel surface, the drive wheel having a first axis of rotation and configured to rotate relative to the frame;
a push rim, having a second axis of rotation and configured to rotate relative to the frame, the entire push rim positioned above the travel surface;
a transmission connected to the drive wheel and the push rim and positioned below the seat surface, the transmission configured to transmit rotation of the push rim into rotation of the drive wheel;
a repositioning member including a swing arm having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled to the push rim and a second end is coupled to the drive wheel; and
wherein the repositioning mechanism is configured to allow the push rim to be repositioned relative to the seat surface from a propulsion position to a transfer position via a rotation of the repositioning member about the first axis of rotation such that the first end is rotated over a top of the drive wheel from a position in front of the second end to a position behind the second end to allow a user to transfer into and out of the wheelchair without having to lift over the push rim.

2. The manual wheelchair of claim 1 , wherein the transmission comprises:
a first gear coupled to the drive wheel,
a second gear coupled to the push wheel, and
at least one of a belt or chain connecting the first gear to the second gear to transmit rotation of the second gear to the first gear.

3. The manual wheelchair of claim 2 , wherein the transmission further comprises an idler sprocket configured to maintain fixed tension in the at least one of the belt or chain during movement of the swing arm between the transfer position and the propulsion position.

4. The manual wheelchair of claim 2 , wherein the transmission further comprises an idler sprocket configured to maintain fixed tension in the at least one of the belt or chain during movement of the swing arm between a transfer position and a propulsion position.

5. The manual wheelchair of claim 1 , wherein the push rim repositioning mechanism comprises a quick release mechanism configured to allow the push rim to be disconnected from the manual wheelchair, wherein the push rim is disconnected from the manual wheelchair in the transfer position.

6. The manual wheel chair of claim 1 , wherein the transmission comprises:
a first gear coupled to the drive wheel and disposed proximate the second end of the swing arm,
a second gear coupled to the push rim and disposed proximate the first end of the swing arm, and
at least one of a belt or chain connecting the first gear to the second gear to transmit rotation of the second gear to the first gear.

7. The manual wheelchair of claim 1 , wherein the propulsion position of the push rim is determined based on a shoulder position of a user of the wheel chair.

8. The manual wheelchair of claim 7 , wherein the second axis of rotation of the push rim is located in front of the user's shoulders by a predetermined angle in the propulsion position.

9. A method for configuring a manual wheelchair, the manual wheelchair comprising a frame defining a base of support region and including a seat surface having a front edge, first side edge, a second side edge and a back edge, wherein the seat surface is positioned substantially within the base of support region, a drive wheel connected to the frame and configured to engage a travel surface, a push rim positioned above the travel surface, and a transmission configured to transmit rotation of the push rim to rotation of the drive wheel, and a push rim repositioning mechanism including a swing arm having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled to the push rim and a second end is coupled to the drive wheel, the method comprising:
securing the push rim in a propulsion position wherein the push rim extends along substantially the entire first side edge and above the seat surface in the propulsion position;
activating the push rim repositioning mechanism; and
moving the push rim from the propulsion position to a transfer position via a rotation of the repositioning member about a first axis of rotation such that the first end is rotated over a top of the drive wheel from a position in front of the second end to a position behind the second end.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the activating the push rim repositioning mechanism comprises releasing a connection between the push rim and the manual wheel chair.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the activating the push rim repositioning mechanism comprises releasing a locking mechanism to allow the push rim to move relative to the frame.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the moving the push rim from the propulsion position to a transfer position comprises rotating the push rim relative to the drive wheel.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein securing the push rim in the propulsion position comprises securing the push rim in a position determined based on a shoulder position of a user of the wheel chair.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein securing the push rim in the propulsion position comprises securing the push rim in a position determined based on an axis of rotation of the push rim and a predetermined angle to the shoulder position of the user.

15. A manual wheelchair comprising:
a frame defining a base of support region and including a seat surface having a front edge, first side edge, a second side edge and a back edge, wherein the seat surface is positioned substantially within the base of support region;
a drive wheel connected to the frame, having a first axis of rotation and configured to rotate relative to the frame;
a push rim, having a second axis of rotation and configured to rotate relative to the frame, wherein the second axis of rotation is closer to the front edge of the seat surface than the first axis of rotation in a propulsion position;
a transmission connected to the drive wheel and the push rim and positioned below the seat surface, the transmission configured to transmit rotation of the push rim into rotation of the drive wheel;
a push rim repositioning mechanism configured to allow the push rim to be repositioned relative to the seat surface, wherein the push rim repositioning mechanism comprises a swing arm having a first end connected to the frame and a second end, wherein the swing arm is configured to rotate about the first end relative to the first axis of rotation from the propulsion position to a transfer position, and wherein the first axis of rotation is closer to the front edge of the seat surface than the second axis of rotation in the transfer position.

16. A manual wheelchair comprising:
a frame defining a base of support region and including a seat surface having a front edge, first side edge, a second side edge and a back edge, wherein the seat surface is positioned substantially within the base of support region;
a drive wheel connected to the frame and configured to engage a travel surface, the drive wheel having a first axis of rotation and configured to rotate relative to the frame;
a push rim, having a second axis of rotation and configured to rotate relative to the frame, the entire push rim positioned above the travel surface;
a transmission connected to the drive wheel

Assignees

• Us Gov Veterans Affairs
• Us Gov As Represented By The Department Of Veteran Affairs
• Univ Minnesota

Inventors

• Hansen Andrew H
• Goldish Gary D

Classifications

• A61G5/026 Primary

  Cranks or hand wheels · CPC title

• Y10T74/20834

  Hand wheels · CPC title

• A61G5/024

  having particular operating means · CPC title

• A61G5/027

  by using auxiliary detachable mechanisms · CPC title

• A61G5/023 Primary

  acting directly on hubs or axis · CPC title