Electric wheelchair operation apparatus and vehicle operation method therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018339589-A1
Application number	US-201815954822-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 17, 2018
Priority date	May 29, 2017
Publication date	Nov 29, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electric wheelchair operation apparatus includes a sliding part disposed in an armrest part, a dial part disposed on a tip side of the armrest part, the dial part configured to be moved together with the sliding part in the vehicle forward/backward direction, and an electric wheelchair drive control unit configured to control a traveling motion of an electric wheelchair by associating the amount of movement of the sliding part and/or the moved position thereof with respect to the reference point in the vehicle forward/backward direction detected by a first sensor with a traveling motion of the electric wheelchair in a forward/backward direction and associating the amount of rotation, the rotational position, and/or the rotational torque of the dial part detected by a second sensor with a turning motion of the electric wheelchair in a left/right direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electric wheelchair operation apparatus configured to operate an electric wheelchair so that the electric wheelchair performs a forward/backward movement and a turning motion, comprising:
an armrest part extending in a vehicle forward/backward direction, the armrest part being configured so that a user can put his/her forearm thereon; a sliding part disposed in the armrest part, the sliding part being disposed so that it can be moved relative to the armrest part in the vehicle forward/backward direction; a dial part disposed on a tip side of the armrest part, the dial part being disposed so that it can be moved together with the sliding part relative to the armrest part in the vehicle forward/backward direction and configured so that the user can grasp and rotate the dial part; a first sensor configured to detect an amount of movement of the sliding part and/or a position thereof with respect to a reference point in the vehicle forward/backward direction; a second sensor configured to detect an amount of rotation, a rotational position, and/or a rotational torque of the dial part; and an electric wheelchair drive control unit configured to control a traveling motion of the electric wheelchair by associating the amount of movement of the sliding part and/or the moved position thereof with respect to the reference point in the vehicle forward/backward direction detected by the first sensor with a traveling motion of the electric wheelchair in a forward/backward direction and associating the amount of rotation, the rotational position, and/or the rotational torque of the dial part detected by the second sensor with a turning motion of the electric wheelchair in a left/right direction.

2 . An electric wheelchair operation apparatus configured to operate an electric wheelchair so that the electric wheelchair performs a forward/backward movement and a turning motion, comprising:
an armrest part extending in a vehicle forward/backward direction, the armrest part being configured so that a user can put his/her forearm thereon; a shaft part disposed on a tip side of the armrest part in such a manner that the shaft part can be moved in at least one of the vehicle forward/backward direction and a vehicle up/down direction; a dial part disposed in a tip of the shaft part and configured so that the user can grasp and rotate the dial part; a third sensor configured to detect an amount of inclination, an amount of movement, a position with respect to a reference point, an inclinational torque, and/or a moving force of the shaft part; a second sensor configured to detect an amount of rotation, a rotational position, and/or a rotational torque of the dial part; and an electric wheelchair drive control unit configured to control a traveling motion of the electric wheelchair by associating the amount of inclination, the amount of movement, the position with respect to the reference point, the inclinational torque, and/or the moving force of the shaft part detected by the third sensor with a traveling motion of the electric wheelchair in a forward/backward direction and associating the amount of rotation, the rotational position, and/or the rotational torque of the dial part detected by the second sensor with a turning motion of the electric wheelchair in a left/right direction.

3 . The electric wheelchair operation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a rotation axis of the dial part is inclined from a vertical axis toward an outer side of the user by a predetermined angle.

4 . The electric wheelchair operation apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein a rotation axis of the dial part is inclined from a vertical axis toward an outer side of the user by a predetermined angle.

5 . A vehicle operation method for an electric wheelchair operation apparatus,
the electric wheelchair operation apparatus comprising: an armrest part extending in a vehicle forward/backward direction, the armrest part being configured so that a user can put his/her forearm thereon; a sliding part disposed in the armrest part, the sliding part being disposed so that it can be moved relative to the armrest part in the vehicle forward/backward direction; and a dial part disposed on a tip side of the armrest part, the dial part being disposed so that it can be moved together with the sliding part relative to the armrest part in the vehicle forward/backward direction and configured so that the user can grasp and rotate the dial part, the vehicle operation method comprising: detecting an amount of movement of the sliding part and/or a position thereof with respect to a reference point in the vehicle forward/backward direction; detecting an amount of rotation, a rotational position, and/or a rotational torque of the dial part; and controlling a traveling motion of an electric wheelchair by associating the detected amount of movement of the sliding part and/or the moved position thereof with respect to the reference point in the vehicle forward/backward direction with a traveling motion of the electric wheelchair in a forward/backward direction and associating the detected amount of rotation, the rotational position, and/or the rotational torque of the dial part with a turning motion of the electric wheelchair in a left/right direction.

6 . A vehicle operation method for an electric wheelchair operation apparatus,
the electric wheelchair operation apparatus comprising: an armrest part extending in a vehicle forward/backward direction, the armrest part being configured so that a user can put his/her forearm thereon; a shaft part disposed on a tip side of the armrest part in such a manner that the shaft part can be moved in at least one of the vehicle forward/backward direction and a vehicle up/down direction; and a dial part disposed in a tip of the shaft part and configured so that the user can grasp and rotate the dial part, the vehicle operation method comprising: detecting an amount of inclination, an amount of movement, a position with respect to a reference point, an inclinational torque, and/or a moving force of the shaft part; detecting an amount of rotation, a rotational position, and/or a rotational torque of the dial part; and controlling a traveling motion of an electric wheelchair by associating the detected amount of inclination, the amount of movement, the position with respect to the reference point, the inclinational torque, and/or the moving force of the shaft part with a traveling motion of the electric wheelchair in a forward/backward direction and associating the detected amount of rotation, the rotational position, and/or the rotational torque of the dial part with a turning motion of the electric wheelchair in a left/right direction.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Senba Yoshiyuki
• Kosaka Yusuke
• Izuo Takashi

Classifications

• A61G5/125

  for arms · CPC title

• A61G5/1051 Primary

  Arrangements for steering · CPC title

• A61G5/1054

  Large wheels, e.g. higher than the seat portion · CPC title

• B60K2026/025

  Input devices for controlling electric drive motors · CPC title

• A61G2203/42

  for inclination · CPC title