Automatic traveling cart

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12275342-B2
Application number	US-202117523394-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2021
Priority date	Nov 16, 2020
Publication date	Apr 15, 2025
Grant date	Apr 15, 2025

Abstract

An automatic traveling cart includes a connecting arm that connects a wheelchair to a front portion or a rear portion of the automatic traveling cart. The automatic traveling cart transports the wheelchair while a user is placed on the wheelchair without intentionally placing the wheelchair on the cart.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic traveling cart comprising:
a connecting arm that connects a wheelchair to a front portion or a rear portion of the automatic traveling cart, and the connecting arm maintains contact of the wheelchair with ground as the automatic traveling cart moves the wheelchair, the connecting arm includes a fixture configured to secure the connecting arm to a handle of the wheelchair and a shock absorber having a piston rod that expands and contracts to allow vertical movement between the automatic traveling cart and wheelchair and maintain contact of the wheelchair with the ground.

2. The automatic traveling cart according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting arm allows a change in a vertical position of the wheelchair with respect to the automatic traveling cart.

3. The automatic traveling cart according to claim 1 , wherein when the wheelchair is connected to the automatic traveling cart by the connecting arm, a turning radius of the automatic traveling cart is made larger than a turning radius of the automatic traveling cart when the wheelchair is not connected to the automatic traveling cart.

4. The automatic traveling cart according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting arm connects the wheelchair to the front portion of the automatic traveling cart in a state in which the wheelchair is directed in a traveling direction of the automatic traveling cart.

5. The automatic traveling cart according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting arm connects the wheelchair to the rear portion of the automatic traveling cart in a state in which the wheelchair is directed in a traveling direction of the automatic traveling cart.

6. The automatic traveling cart according to claim 4 , wherein the automatic traveling cart changes a traveling track of the automatic traveling cart so that an outer rear wheel in a turning direction of the automatic traveling cart draws a track more outward than an outer front wheel in the turning direction.

7. The automatic traveling cart according to claim 5 , wherein the automatic traveling cart changes a traveling track of the automatic traveling cart so that an inner rear wheel in a turning direction of the automatic traveling cart draws a track more inward than an inner front wheel in the turning direction.

8. An automatic traveling cart comprising:
a connecting arm that connects a wheelchair to a front portion or a rear portion of the automatic traveling cart, and the connecting arm maintains contact of the wheelchair with ground as the automatic traveling cart moves the wheelchair, the connecting arm includes a fixture configured to secure the connecting arm to the wheelchair and a shock absorber having a piston rod that expands and contracts to allow vertical movement between the automatic traveling cart and wheelchair and maintain contact of the wheelchair with the ground, the connecting arm includes a forearm and an upper arm connected together by a joint that allows rotational adjustment therebetween, with the joint configured to lock and maintain an angle between the forearm and the upper arm, and the upper arm comprises the piston rod.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kanata Tetsuya
• Iwami Yozo
• Katsumata Yuhei
• Honda Daisaku
• Narita Saki
• Fukudome Hideki
• Watabe Takuya
• Ichikawa Naoko
• Maniwa Yuta
• Nishikawa Yuki

Classifications

• B62D63/04

  Component parts or accessories · CPC title

• A61G5/047 Primary

  by a modular detachable drive system · CPC title

• A61G5/003

  Wheelchairs attached to a cycle steerable by an attendant (wheel chairs propelled by the patient A61G5/02) · CPC title

• G05D2105/30

  for social or care-giving applications · CPC title

• G05D2105/24

  personal mobility devices · CPC title