Wheel chair abstract
A detachable transmission mechanism for a wheel chair includes
a control unit, an engaging unit, a battery unit and a transmission
device. The original front wheels of the wheel chair can be detached
and the hub and the pivot part are mounted to both the upper and
lower frames of the wheel chair. The battery unit can be fixed to
the wheel chair under the seat thereof. When a control switch is
turned on, the driving wheel can rotate in a forward or a reversed
direction with the wheel chair being capable of moving forward or
backward. By turning the handle, a follower wheel at the bottom
of the wheel chair can be rotated to allow the wheel chair making
a turn.
Wheel chair claims
What is claimed is:
1. A detachable transmission mechanism for a wheel chair, comprising:
a control unit, having a vertical shaft connecting with a handle,
passing through a hub and having an axial rod extending from an
lower part thereof; an engaging unit, including a connecting frame
with two extending outward limit plates at a lower end of the vertical
shaft and a fixing base disposed between two extending outward limit
plates, each of the two limit plates having an axial hole being
passed through by the axial rod with a joining part being located
at a bottom thereof, the fixing base having a fitting ring for receiving
and joining a sleeve with the axial rod being connected to the sleeve
and passing through the lower limit plate for connecting with a
connecting piece, and the fitting ring at a lateral side thereof
having a pivotal part; a battery unit, further comprising a case
and at least a battery inside the case, being fixedly attached to
the pivotal part; and a transmission device, further comprising
an electric motor and an output unit, the output unit being connected
to the pivotal part so to form a movement relation and an output
shaft extending from a lateral side thereof to connect with a driving
wheel; whereby, once original front wheels of the wheel chair are
detached and the hub and the pivot part are mounted to an upper
and a lower frames of the wheel chair, the battery unit can be fixed
under a seat of the wheel chair; when a control switch is turned
on, the driving wheel can rotate in a forward or a reversed direction
with the wheel chair moving forward or backward; and by turning
the handle, a follower wheel at a bottom of the wheel chair can
be rotated so as to allow the wheel chair making a turn.
2. The detachable transmission mechanism for a wheel chair as defined
in claim 1, wherein the hub is a sleeve placed in a U-shaped clip
and a pivot lever extending from the a lateral side thereof connects
with the frames of the wheel chair and fixes the hub in position
to rotate the vertical shaft.
3. The detachable transmission mechanism for a wheel chair as defined
in claim 2, wherein the pivot lever and a pressing piece enclose
and hold the frame of the wheel chair by way of threaded fastening.
4. The detachable transmission mechanism for a wheel chair as defined
in claim 1, wherein the vertical shaft is formed by an outer pipe
fitting with an inner pipe, the outer pipe having a plurality of
positioning holes and the inner pipe at an end thereof having an
elastic strip with an abrupt button extending outward laterally
from the inner pipe for being selectively inserted into one of the
positioning holes and the outer pipe being able to lift or descend
adjustably.
5. The detachable transmission mechanism for a wheel chair as defined
in claim 1, wherein a fastener is provided between the handle and
an top of the vertical shaft so that by stirring an engaging stem
and turning a nut, a pipe clip connecting with the handle can be
loosened or tightened so as to adjust an inclination angle of the
hand and to fix the handle.
6. The detachable transmission mechanism for a wheel chair as defined
in claim 4, wherein a lower end of the outer pipe has a fastener
to prevent the two pipes from being apart from each other.
7. The detachable transmission mechanism for a wheel chair as defined
in claim 1, wherein a joining plate extending laterally from the
bottom of the vertical shaft fixedly connects with the connecting
frame to form a relation of movement link.
8. The detachable transmission mechanism for a wheel chair as defined
in claim 1, wherein the pivotal part, which is located at a lateral
side of the fitting ring, is composed of a base lever and support
lever, which are perpendicular mutually but are disposed at different
level for being joined to the two frames at the lower part of the
wheel chair.
9. The detachable transmission mechanism for a wheel chair as defined
in claim 8, wherein the base lever and the support lever enclose
and are fixed to another frame of the wheel chair with a pressing
piece respectively by way of threaded fastening.
10. The driving device in a wheel chair as defined in claim 8,
wherein the support lever is connected to a sleeve cap at a bottom
of the battery unit.
11. The detachable transmission mechanism for a wheel chair as
defined in claim 1, wherein the hub at two ends thereof is inserted
with a bearing respectively for the axial rod passing through.
12. The detachable transmission mechanism for a wheel chair as
defined in claim 1, wherein a washer and spring are disposed between
the hub and the lower limit plate for the axial rod passing through
so as to form a shock absorption system with the spring being compressed
and extended.
13. The detachable transmission mechanism for a wheel chair as
defined in claim 1, further comprises a manual control unit with
a follower plate and an engaging plate being positioned sequentially
at an outer side of the driving wheel, an engaging groove being
arranged at an outer side of the output shaft passing through an
axial shaft hole of the driving wheel and in turn engaging with
an engaging bolt corresponding to the follower plate, the engaging
plate towards the direction of the driving wheel having at least
two projections inserted into a plurality of through holes and engaging
holes surrounding the follower plate and shaft hole so that the
engaging plate can move synchronously with the driving wheel and
the engaging plate fits with a relay pipe is provided with a spring
and a washer positioned sequentially so at to allow the shaft bolt
to pass through and to be fastened to the output shaft; whereby,
by pulling the engaging plate outwards along the relay pipe and
thus compressing the spring, the engaging projections are released
from the engaging hole and through hole so as to connectively contact
with the surface of the follower plate with the driving wheel losing
an effect of traction and becoming idle.
14. The detachable transmission mechanism for a wheel chair as
defined in claim 13, wherein the shaft hole at both ends thereof
is attached with a bearing respectively.
Wheel chair description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a detachable transmission
mechanism for a wheel chair and particularly to an electric transmission
mechanism used in a wheel chair with which a used wheel chair can
be attached by way of DIY (Do It Yourself) so as to become an electric
wheel chair.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] The wheel chair was specially developed for handicapped
or slowly moved aged persons and while a user sits in the wheel
chair and pushes both lateral large wheels with both hands actuating
grip rings coaxially connecting with the large wheels, the movement
of the wheel chair can be obtained purposely. A weak person or a
hand-hindered person resulting from illness or wound usually is
unable to exert a force to the large wheels so that it is necessary
to ask some other persons for gripping the handles at rear side
of the wheel chair before the wheel chair can be moved. Hence, the
conventional wheel chair has to be assisted by the user himself
or any other person in order to meet the basic requirement of movement.
[0005] Accordingly, the so called electric wheel chair has been
developed and the feature of the electric wheel chair is a transmission
mechanism is provided under a "h" shaped seat, that is,
one of two rear wheels is designed as the driving wheel and the
other one rear wheel is the follower wheel so as to constitute a
basis of moving forward. Two front wheels are controlled by a stir
stem located at the armrests being shifted to front, rear, left
or right so that the wheel chair can move toward a direction desired
by the user. Although the conventional wheel chair has a good and
easily operated control device, there still are following deficiencies:
1) the transmission mechanism of the electric wheel chair has to
be driven with the electric power and it becomes unmoved in case
of the electric power is depleted and the basic function of manual
drive has lost; 2) In order to obtain the effect of speed differential
(that is, the inner side rear wheel has a less rotational speed
than the outer side rear wheel) for the two rear wheels and to avoid
turning over or a risk of being unable to turn during the wheel
chair making a turn, a sophisticate speed change box has to be mounted
between the two rear wheels so that it increases the complicity
of the transmission mechanism of the wheel chair; and 3) due to
both the body and the transmission mechanism of the conventional
electric wheel chair being made with complication, the production
cost thereof is pretty high so that the retail price thereof is
much more expensive and is not possible to become prevalent among
handicapped and motion hindered persons.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] An object of the present invention is to provided a detachable
transmission mechanism for a wheel chair. The detachable transmission
mechanism includes a control unit, an engaging unit, a battery unit
and a transmission device. The original front wheels of the wheel
chair can be detached and the hub and the pivot part are mounted
to both the upper and lower frames of the wheel chair. The battery
unit can be fixed to the wheel chair under the seat thereof. When
a control switch is turned on, the driving wheel can rotate in a
forward or a reversed direction with the wheel chair being capable
of moving forward or backward. By turning the handle, a follower
wheel at the bottom of the wheel chair can be rotated to allow the
wheel chair making a turn.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The present invention can be more fully understood by reference
to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:
[0008] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a detachable transmission
mechanism for a wheel chair according to the present invention;
[0009] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a manual control
device and a driving device according to the present invention;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the transmission
mechanism of the present invention being ready to be assembled to
a wheel chair; and
[0011] FIGS. 4A and 4B are assembled perspective view of the transmission
mechanism and the wheel chair shown in FIG. 3 with two different
projection angles.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0012] Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4A and 4B, the detachable transmission
mechanism for a wheel chair consists of a control unit 1, an engaging
unit 2, a battery unit 3 and a transmission device 4.
[0013] Wherein, the control unit 1 is mainly to provide the entire
transmission device 4 the ability to move and turn with a vertical
shaft 11 at the top thereof engaging with a handle 12 being held
and operated by a user and at the bottom thereof being connected
to the engaging unit 2. The vertical shaft 11 passes through a fixed
hub 13 on the frame of the wheel chair so that the vertical shaft
is able to rotate. The hub 13 consists of a sleeve 131 contained
inside a U-clip 132 and at least one screw 133 can pass through
the U-clip 132 and tightened with a nut 134 so that the U-clip 132
can be associated with the screw 133 firmly. A pivot lever 135 is
extended from the bottom of the U-clip 132 to be connected to the
wheel chair frame. By using a screw 137 passing through a pressing
piece 136 and then fixing onto the pivot lever 135, the frame can
be enclosed and held at one lateral side of the wheel chair.
[0014] Nevertheless, to accommodate body types of different users,
the vertical shaft 11 has a function of being adjustably lifted
or descended. A plurality of positioning holes 112 are lined up
on an outer pipe 111 and the lower part of the outer pipe 111 fits
with an inner pipe 113, which has a button hole 114 at the opening
thereof is disposed corresponding to the positioning holes 112.
And a V-shaped elastic strip 115, inserted into the opening of the
inner pipe, has an abrupt button 116 extends outward laterally from
the button hole 114 and engages with one of the positioning holes
112 selectively so as to lift the outer pipe 111. Moreover, a fastener
14 is provided at the joint between the outer pipe 111 and the handle
12 and also the joint between the outer pipe 111 and the inner pipe
113 respectively. By stirring an engaging stem 141 and relatively
turning a nut 142, a loose/tightness effect on a pipe clamp 143
and thus the handle 12 can be adjusted to a suitable angle and provides
better comfort during operating the transmission mechanism. Furthermore,
a tight fit between the outer pipe 111 and the inner pipe 113 can
be obtained instead of becoming loose and disconnected from each
other easily.
[0015] The engaging unit 2 consists of a connecting frame 21 and
a fixing base 22. The connecting frame 21 has a F shape and there
are two limit plates 211, 212 extending outward from a lateral side
thereof with an axial hole 213, 214 on each of the limit plates.
An axial rod 117 extends downward from the bottom of the inner pipe
113 to pass through the axial holes 213, 214. Furthermore, a joining
plate 118 extends laterally from the bottom of the inner pipe 113
and is attached to and fastened to the limit plate 211 with a screw
and a nut such that the vertical shaft 11 is supported on top of
the connecting frame and thus form a relative movement with the
connecting frame. The bottom of the connecting frame 21 has an inversed
U-shaped joining part 215, which is connected to the output unit
42 of the transmission device 4 by a screw rod.
[0016] The fixing base 22 is disposed between the two limit plates
211, 212 and provided with a fitting ring 221 corresponding to the
two axial holes 213, 214. A central bore 222 of the fitting ring
221 receives a sleeve 23 and the sleeve 23 is attached with an engaging
plate 231 such that the engaging plate and the ring plate 223 can
be joined to each other firmly. The sleeve 23 at the upper and the
lower end thereof is inserted with a bearing 232 respectively and
the axial rod 117 can pass through the bearings 232 for being able
to rotate with facility. The axial rod 117 further passes through
a washer 233, a spring 234 and the lower limit plate 212 and then
fastened to a connecting piece 235 so as to form a shock absorption
system and accommodate to the rugged and rough road surface. In
order to join the fixing base 22 to the wheel chair firmly, it is
possible to provide a pivotal part, for instance, a base lever 224
and a support 225 extending in a way of being perpendicular to each
other but disposed in different levels such that the base lever
224 and the support 225 can be joined to two perpendicular frames
underneath the wheel chair respectively. Furthermore, by making
use of two urging plates 226 being passed through by a screw 227
and engaging with the base lever 224 and support 225 respectively,
the frames can be clamp commonly and the fixing base 22 can be fixed
to a lateral side of the wheel chair at the lower part thereof.
[0017] Further, in order to fix the battery unit 3 in position,
please refer to FIG. 3 again. A battery 32 shown is received in
a case 31 and the bottom of the case 31 is attached with a lever
cap 33 for the support lever passing through. By pressing the knob
34 tightly onto the support lever 225, this will make the battery
unit 3 fixed under the seat of the wheel chair and the contact poles
35 thereof provide the power needed by the transmission device 4.
[0018] The transmission device 4 consists of a motor 41, an output
unit 42 and a driving wheel 43. Wherein, the output unit 42 can
be a turbine reducer, a pulley or a gear in practice. Referring
to FIG. 2 again, when the motor 41 starts to run, it will make the
output shaft 421, which extends from the output unit 42 laterally
to turn in the forward or revered direction according to the operation
of a user. Thus, the driving wheel 43, which is connected to the
output shaft, can move forward or backward. The characteristic of
the present invention is that the driving wheel 43 is connected
with a manual control device 44, that is, a shaft hole 431 in the
driving wheel 43 is inserted with a respective bearing 432 at both
ends thereof and an outer flange surrounding the shaft hole 431
provides at least two engaging holes 433. An engaging groove 422
is provided on the output shaft 421 and extends longitudinally to
pass over the two bearings 432 and a follower plate 441. The follower
plate 441 is provided with an engaging bolt 442 and a through hole
443 corresponding to the engaging groove 422 and the engaging hole
433 so that the follower plate 441 can rotate synchronously with
the driving wheel 43. An engaging plate 444 is attached to the outer
wall of the follower plate 441. The engaging plate 444 is pierced
with a relay pipe 446 and has an engaging projection 445 corresponding
one of the engaging holes 433 so that the engaging projection 445
can pass though and fit with the engaging hole 433 and the engaging
plate 444 can rotate with the driving wheel 43. Furthermore, on
the other side of the engaging plate 444, a spring 447 and a washer
448 are placed one after another for a fixing bolt 449 passing through
and being fastened to the output shaft 421. When the battery 32
in the battery unit 3 is depleted, the driving wheel 43 will not
be able to turn. At this moment, the only thing has to be done by
the user is to hold and then pull the engaging plate 444 outward
along the relay pipe 446. Under this circumstance, the spring 447
is compressed and the engaging projection 445 is free from both
the engaging hole 433 and through hole 443 so that the engaging
plate 444 is unable to rotate with the driving wheel 43 and the
driving wheel is therefore in a state of no traction. Hence, the
user can push the grip ring of the wheel and make the two large
wheels at the two lateral sides of the wheel chair to rotate and
move forward and the driving wheel 43 is in a state of idling and
acts as a driven wheel.
[0019] Referring to FIGS. 3, 4A and 4B again, the detachable transmission
mechanism of this invention has been built up as a master structure
and a power supply part by way of modularized design. Thus, in case
of the detachable transmission mechanism of the present invention
being assembled with an existing wheel chair, a small wheel at the
front lateral side of the wheel chair has to be removed first and
then the pivot lever 135, base lever 224 and support lever 225 are
respectively attached to the upper and lower frame of the wheel
chair. Next, both the pressing piece 136 and the urging plate 226
is used for enclosing and holding the frame such that the master
structure can be fixed to a lateral side of the wheel chair. After
that, the battery unit 3 and the support lever 225 are joined to
each other so as to locate the power supply part in position before
the assembly job is completed. Hence, once the control switch on
the handle 12 is operated, the driving wheel 43 can move forward
or backward. In case of making a turn, the user just has to hold
and rotate the handle 12 and the driving wheel 43 can turn to another
direction extremely conveniently.
[0020] It is appreciated that the effectiveness of the present
invention resides in the transmission mechanism can be associated
with an existing wheel chair used in ordinary families, hospitals,
nursing home or rehabilitation center and it is not necessary to
acquire an expensive electric wheel chair. Moreover, when the power
of the battery unit is consumed, adjusting the manual device with
hands will make the driving wheel not able to be actuated by the
engaging plate and become in a state of idling. The wheel chair
is then changed to the manual control and can move by pushing with
hands. Furthermore, the present invention does not need complicated
design of speed change box and wheel chair frame so that the production
cost can be greatly reduced and the goal for popularity and low
cost can be reached advantageously and it is impossible for the
conventional electrical wheel chair can achieve effectively. Furthermore,
the vertical shaft and the handle can be adjusted to lift and turn
to accommodate for the build types of different users so that the
user can obtain utmost comfort due to human engineering consideration
in the present invention.
[0021] While the invention has been described with reference to
the a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that
modifications or variations may be easily made without departing
from the spirit of this invention, which is defined by the appended
claims. |