Mobility vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12076284-B2
Application number	US-202217877191-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2022
Priority date	Jul 6, 2018
Publication date	Sep 3, 2024
Grant date	Sep 3, 2024

Abstract

A mobility vehicle may comprise a frame, a first pivot arm, a second pivot arm, and a suspension assembly. The first pivot arm may be coupled to the frame and coupled to a drive wheel. The second pivot arm may be coupled to the frame and coupled to a ground engaging caster wheel. The suspension assembly may be coupled to the frame. The suspension assembly may include a first spring assembly and a second spring assembly. The first spring assembly may be disposed about a first spring axis and coupled to the first pivot arm. The second spring assembly may be disposed about a second spring axis and coupled to the second pivot arm. The first spring axis and the second spring axis may be disposed relative to each other at an angle of no greater than about 150° when the mobility vehicle is operating on horizontal ground.

First claim

I claim:

1. A mobility vehicle comprising:
a drive wheel having a drive wheel axis, configured to propel the mobility vehicle along a ground surface;
a frame having a;
stiffening assembly with a first pivot axis and a second pivot axis disposed between the ground surface and the drive wheel axis;
a drive wheel pivot arm rotatably coupled to the stiffening assembly to pivot the drive wheel about the first pivot axis; and
a caster wheel pivot arm rotatably coupled to the stiffening assembly to pivot a caster wheel about the second pivot axis.

2. The mobility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the stiffening assembly includes a plurality of stiffing members disposed between the ground surface and the drive wheel axis, each stiffening member extending from a left side of the frame to a right side of the frame.

3. The mobility vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the stiffening assembly includes a plurality of bridges each bridge coupled to each of the plurality of stiffening members.

4. The mobility vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of stiffening members consists of two stiffening members and the plurality of bridges consists of two bridges.

5. The mobility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the stiffening member includes a rod, extending from a left side of the frame to a right side of the frame, with a longitudinal axis that is substantially aligned with one of first pivot axis and the second pivot axis.

6. The mobility vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a drive wheel suspension coupled to the drive wheel pivot arm and to the frame.

7. The mobility vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a caster wheel suspension coupled to the caster wheel pivot arm and to the frame.

8. The mobility vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a drive wheel suspension coupled to the drive wheel pivot arm and to the frame;
a caster wheel suspension coupled to the caster wheel pivot arm and to the frame; and
a link fixed to an external face of the frame, wherein the drive wheel suspension and the caster wheel suspension are coupled to the link.

9. The mobility vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the drive wheel suspension comprises:
a drive wheel spring assembly, disposed about a first spring axis, and coupled to the drive wheel pivot arm.

10. The mobility vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the caster wheel suspension comprises:
a caster arm spring assembly, disposed about a second spring axis, and coupled to the caster wheel pivot arm.

11. The mobility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the drive wheel pivot arm comprises an anti-tip element.

12. The mobility vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the drive wheel pivot arm is configured and dimensioned to cause the anti-tip element to pivot relative to the drive wheel axis when the drive wheel pivot arm pivots.

13. The mobility vehicle of claim 3 , wherein each bridge of the plurality of bridges is disposed at a point of the frame that is closest to the ground surface.

14. The mobility vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the caster wheel pivot arm comprises:
a first substantially linear arm segment extending at least from the second pivot axis through a point at which the caster wheel pivot arm is coupled to the caster arm spring assembly; and
a second arm segment extending from the first substantially linear arm segment to at least a stem axis of the caster wheel.

15. The mobility vehicle of claim 1 further comprising:
a drive wheel spring assembly configured to suspend the drive wheel pivot arm from the frame;
a caster arm spring assembly configured to suspend the caster wheel pivot arm from the frame; and
wherein each of the drive wheel spring assembly and the caster arm spring assembly comprises a spring disposed about co-axial damper.

16. The mobility vehicle of claim 8 , wherein a center of gravity of the mobility vehicle is positioned approximately at a midpoint between a vertical line passing through the link.

17. The mobility vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the drive wheel pivot arm is coupled to a gear box, and the gear box is coupled to a motor.

18. The mobility vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the gear box includes an axle coupled to a drive wheel.

19. The mobility vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the drive wheel pivot arm includes a first plate and a second plate, wherein:
the first plate is configured to be coupled to the gear box; and
the second plate is configured to be coupled to the anti-tip element.

20. The mobility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis are disposed between a rotational axis of the caster wheel and the ground surface.

21. The mobility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a plane passing through the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis is generally parallel to the ground surface when the mobility vehicle is operating on horizontal ground.

22. The mobility vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the drive wheel spring assembly includes a first spring axis and the caster arm string assembly includes a second spring axis that is disposed at an angle of about 150 degrees to the first spring axis when the mobility vehicle is operating on horizontal ground.

23. A mobility vehicle comprising:
a frame having a bottom surface;
a stiffening assembly coupled to the bottom surface of the frame;
a first pivot arm coupled to the stiffening assembly and to a drive wheel; and
a second pivot arm coupled to the stiffening assembly and a caster wheel,
wherein the stiffening assembly includes a plurality of stiffing members each stiffening member extending from a left side of the frame to a right side of the frame,
wherein the stiffening assembly includes a plurality of bridges each bridge coupled to each of the plurality of stiffening members, and
wherein the plurality of stiffening members consists of two stiffening members and the plurality of bridges consists of two bridges.

24. A mobility vehicle comprising:
a frame having a bottom surface;
a stiffening assembly coupled to the bottom surface of the frame;
a first pivot arm coupled to the stiffening assembly and to a drive wheel; and
a second pivot arm coupled to the stiffening assembly and a caster wheel,
wherein the stiffening assembly includes a plurality of stiffing members each stiffening member extending from a left side of the frame to a right side of the frame,
wherein the stiffening assembly includes a plurality of bridges each bridge coupled to each of the plurality of stiffening members, and
wherein each bridge of the plurality of bridges is disposed at an outermost point of the frame.

25. A mobility vehicle comprising:
a frame having a bottom surface;
a stiffening assembly coupled to the bottom surface of the frame;
a first pivot arm coupled to the stiffening assembly and to a drive wheel; and
a second pivot arm coupled to the stiffening assembly and a caster wheel,
a drive wheel suspension coupled to the first pivot arm and to the frame;
a castor wheel suspension coupled to the second pivot arm and to the frame; and
a link fixed to an external face of the frame, wherein the drive wheel suspension and the castor wheel suspension are coupled to the link.

26. The mobility vehicle of claim 25 , wherein a center of gravity of the mobility vehicle is positioned approximately at a midpoint between a vertical line passing through the link.

Assignees

• Pride Mobility Products Corp

Inventors

• Davis Jonathan

Classifications

• B60G2300/24

  Wheelchairs · CPC title

• B60G2204/421

  Pivoted lever mechanisms for mounting suspension elements, e.g. Watt linkage · CPC title

• B60G21/045

  between wheels on different axles on the same side of the vehicle, i.e. the left or the right side · CPC title

• B60G3/145 Primary

  the arm forming the axle housing · CPC title

• A61G5/047

  by a modular detachable drive system · CPC title