Collapsible wheelchair
First Claim
1. A carriage for carrying a person in a seated position down stairs under the control of an operator, the carriage comprising:
- a main frame;
a seating assembly pivotally connected to the main frame for pivotal movement between open and closed positions;
a pair of wheel means rotatably mounted on the main frame to support the carriage for movement over a surface; and
a rail assembly to support the carriage for movement down a series of steps, and pivotally connected to the main frame for pivotal movement between open and closed positions, the rail assembly includingi) a rail member pivotally connected to the main frame,ii) a back roller rotatably mounted on the rail member adjacent a back end thereof,iii) an endless belt mounted on one of the wheel means and on the back rollers for movement around an endless path between said one of the wheel means and the back rollers, and to support the carriage for movement down the series of steps, andiv) a multitude of additional support rollers rotatably mounted on the rail member, between the wheel means and the back roller, to guide and support the endless belt as it moves around said endless path.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A collapsible carriage or wheelchair, generally comprising a main frame, a seating assembly, a pair of wheel subassemblies, and a pair of rail assemblies. Preferably, the wheelchair further includes a back support assembly, an upper frame section, a front wheel, a front support assembly, and a harness system. The elements and components of the wheelchair are connected together so that the wheelchair can be quickly and easily expanded from a collapsed form to an open form. Generally, the seating assembly is provided to form a seat for a person, the wheel subassemblies are used to support the wheelchair for movement over floors and other flat surfaces, and the rail assemblies are provided to support the wheelchair for movement down stairs. The back support assembly helps to hold the wheelchair stationary while a person is being seated in the chair, the upper frame section provides direct support for the head and upper back of a person seated in the chair, and the harness system is used to hold a person in the wheelchair.
75 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A carriage for carrying a person in a seated position down stairs under the control of an operator, the carriage comprising:
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a main frame; a seating assembly pivotally connected to the main frame for pivotal movement between open and closed positions; a pair of wheel means rotatably mounted on the main frame to support the carriage for movement over a surface; and a rail assembly to support the carriage for movement down a series of steps, and pivotally connected to the main frame for pivotal movement between open and closed positions, the rail assembly including i) a rail member pivotally connected to the main frame, ii) a back roller rotatably mounted on the rail member adjacent a back end thereof, iii) an endless belt mounted on one of the wheel means and on the back rollers for movement around an endless path between said one of the wheel means and the back rollers, and to support the carriage for movement down the series of steps, and iv) a multitude of additional support rollers rotatably mounted on the rail member, between the wheel means and the back roller, to guide and support the endless belt as it moves around said endless path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A carriage for carrying a person in a seated position down stairs under the control of an operator, the carriage comprising:
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a main frame; a seating assembly pivotally connected to the main frame for pivotal movement between open and closed positions; a pair of wheel means rotatably mounted on the main frame to support the carriage for movement over a surface; and a rail assembly to support the carriage for movement down a series of steps, and pivotally connected to the main frame for pivotal movement between open and closed positions, the rail assembly including i) a rail member pivotally connected to the main frame, ii) a multitude of rollers rotatably supported by and positioned along the rail member, iii) an endless belt mounted on one of the wheel means and on the multitude of rollers for movement around an endless path between said one of the wheel means and one of the rollers, and to support the carriage for movement down the series of steps, and iv) a braking subassembly to apply an adjustable pressure to the endless belt to help control movement of the carriage down the series of steps. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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7. A carriage for carrying a person in a seated position down stairs under the control of an operator, the carriage comprising:
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a main frame; a seating assembly pivotally connected to the main frame for pivotal movement between open and closed positions; a pair of wheel means rotatably mounted on the main frame to support the carriage for movement over a surface; and a rail assembly to support the carriage for movement down a series of steps, and pivotally connected to the main frame for pivotal movement between open and closed positions, the rail assembly including i) a rail member pivotally connected to the main frame, ii) a multitude of rollers rotatably supported by and positioned along the rail member, iii) an endless belt mounted on one of the wheel means and on the multitude of rollers for movement around an endless path between said one of the wheel means and one of the rollers, and to support the carriage for movement down the series of steps, and iv) a flange mounted on the rail member and forming an elongated groove; wherein the seating assembly includes i) a side member pivotally mounted on the main frame and extending rearward therefrom to a position adjacent said flange, and ii) a cross bar connected to the side member for pivotal movement therewith, and extending through the elongated groove for sliding movement therealong; and wherein as the seating assembly pivots between the open and closed positions thereof, the cross bar slides along the elongated groove and pivots the rail assembly between the open and closed positions thereof. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A carriage for carrying a person in a seated position down stairs under the control of an operator, the carriage comprising:
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a main frame; a seat assembly pivotally connected to the main frame for pivotal movement between open and closed positions; a pair of wheels rotatably mounted on the main frame to support the carriage for movement over a surface; a rail assembly to support the carriage for movement down a series of steps, and pivotally connected to the main frame for pivotal movement between open and closed positions; and a support assembly supported for pivotal movement between raised and lowered positions, wherein in the lowered position, the support assembly engages the surface, and the support assembly and the wheels support the carriage in a stable stationary position on the surface, and in the raised position, the support assembly does not interfere with movement of the carriage. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A carriage for carrying a person in a seated position down stairs under the control of an operator, the carriage comprising:
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a main frame; a seating assembly pivotally connected to the main frame for pivotal movement between open and closed positions; a pair of back wheels rotatably mounted on the main frame to support the carriage for movement over a surface; a rail assembly to support the carriage as the carriage moves down a series of steps, and pivotally connected to the main frame for pivotal movement between open and closed positions; a front support assembly pivotally connected to the seating assembly and to the main frame for movement between extended and retracted positions, wherein in the extended position, the front support assembly extends forward from the main frame and downward from the seating assembly and the front support assembly engages said surface, and the front support assembly and the back wheels support the carriage for steady movement over said surface, in the retracted position, the front support assembly is closely adjacent to the main frame, and as the seating assembly moves between the open and closed positions thereof, the seating assembly moves the front support assembly between the extended and retracted positions. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A carriage for carrying a person in a seated position down stairs under the control of an operator, the carriage comprising:
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a main frame; a seating assembly pivotally connected to the main frame for pivotal movement between open and closed positions; a pair of wheels rotatably mounted on the main frame to support the carriage for movement over a surface; a rail assembly to support the carriage for movement down a series of steps, and pivotally connected to the main frame for movement between open and closed positions; first and second belt sections mounted on the main frame, and including means to connect the belt sections together, across a front of a person seated in the carriage, to hold said person therein; a third belt section mounted on the seating assembly and adapted to extend between first and second legs of the person seated in the carriage, and including means to connect the third belt section to the first and second belt section. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A carriage for carrying a person in a seated position down stairs under the control of an operator, the carriage comprising:
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a main frame; a seating assembly pivotally connected to the main frame for pivotal movement between open and closed positions; a pair of wheels rotatably mounted on the main frame to support the carriage for movement over a surface; a rail assembly to support the carriage as the carriage moves down a series of steps, and pivotally connected to the main frame for pivotal movement between open and closed positions; and a linking member pivotally connected to both the seating assembly and to the rail assembly, the linking member moving the rail assembly between the open and closed positions thereof as the seating assembly pivots between the open and closed positions thereof. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. the seat assembly extends both forward and rearward of the main frame;
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the rail assembly extends rearward of the main frame; and the linking member is pivotally connected to the seating assembly rearward of the main frame.
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Specification