Granted Patent B2

US 12,622,827 · App. 18/370,485 · Granted May 12, 2026

Inventors: Harald Kauffmann (Balingen, DE); Thomas Birmanns (Balingen, DE)

Assignee: Motion Advantage Verwaltungs-GmbH

A61G5/045G01D5/145G01L1/22

Abstract

Claims (45)

1 . A wheelchair comprising:

at least one drive wheel ( 4 ), wherein the at least one drive wheel ( 4 ) comprises a wheel rim ( 5 );

an electrical drive means ( 3 ) connected to the at least one drive wheel ( 4 ) and configured to selectively rotate the at least one drive wheel ( 4 ) in response to a travel signal;

at least one elastically deformable push rim ( 8 ) mounted to the wheel rim ( 5 ) by at least two connecting elements ( 9 ) distributed about the circumference of the at least one drive wheel ( 4 ), wherein each of the at least two connecting elements ( 9 ) comprises a longitudinal axis extending between the location at which each of the at least two connecting elements ( 9 ) is mounted to the at least one push rim ( 8 ) and the location at which each of the at least two connecting elements ( 9 ) is mounted to the wheel rim ( 5 ), and further wherein at least one of the at least two connecting elements comprises a signal generator ( 10 );

wherein each of the at least two connecting elements ( 9 ) is configured to pivot about at least one pivot bearing upon the deformation of the at least one push rim ( 8 ) resulting from the application of force to the at least one push rim ( 8 ) in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the at least two connecting elements;

wherein the signal generator is configured to generate a travel signal corresponding to the degree of deformation of the at least one push rim where the at least one push rim is mounted to the at least two connecting elements ( 9 ); and

wherein the travel signal is transmitted to a control unit ( 15 ), and further wherein the control unit ( 15 ) activates the electrical drive means ( 3 ) so as to selectively rotate the at least one drive wheel ( 4 ).

2 . The wheelchair according to claim 1 , wherein each of the connecting elements ( 9 ) are articulatedly connected to (i) the wheel rim ( 5 ) by means of a first pivot bearing ( 11 ), and (ii) to the at least one push rim ( 8 ) by means of a second pivot bearing ( 12 ).

3 . The wheelchair according to claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first pivot bearing ( 11 ) and/or the second pivot bearing ( 12 ) comprises a roller bearing.

4 . The wheelchair according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two connecting elements ( 9 ) are connected to the at least one push rim ( 8 ) by means of a push rim bracket ( 7 ) that points radially inwardly or outwardly from the push rim ( 8 ), or are connected to the wheel rim ( 5 ) by means of a bearing point ( 6 ) that points radially outwardly or inwardly from the wheel rim ( 5 ).

5 . The wheelchair according to claim 1 , wherein the signal generator ( 10 ) is a Hall probe ( 13 ) which is situated at the wheel rim ( 5 ) or at the push rim ( 8 ) and faces a connecting element ( 9 ), and which detects a movement of a magnet ( 14 ) situated at this connecting element ( 9 ).

6 . The wheelchair according to claim 1 , characterized in that the signal generator ( 10 ) comprises a bending beam and a strain gauge.

7 . The wheelchair according to claim 1 , wherein the signal generator ( 10 ) comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a magnetostrictive sensor, a magnetoresistive sensor, an inductive sensor, and an optical sensor.

8 . A wheelchair comprising:

at least one drive wheel ( 4 ), wherein the at least one drive wheel comprises a wheel rim ( 5 );

an electrical drive means ( 3 ) connected to the at least one drive wheel ( 4 ) and configured to selectively rotate the at least one drive wheel ( 4 ) in response to a travel signal;

at least one elastically deformable push rim ( 8 ) mounted to the wheel rim ( 5 ) by at least two connecting elements ( 9 ) distributed about the circumference of the at least one drive wheel ( 4 );

wherein each of the at least two connecting elements ( 9 ) comprises a longitudinal axis extending between the location at which each of the at least two connecting elements ( 9 ) is mounted to the at least one push rim ( 8 ) and the location at which each of the at least two connecting elements ( 9 ) is mounted to the wheel rim ( 5 ), and further wherein at least one of the at least two connecting elements comprises a signal generator ( 10 );

wherein at least one of the at least two connecting elements ( 9 ) comprises an elastically deformable force element, and further wherein the signal generator is configured to detect elastic deformation of the force element along the longitudinal axis of the connecting element, and to generate a travel signal corresponding to the degree of deformation of the force elements;

wherein the travel signal is transmitted to a control unit ( 15 ), and further wherein the control unit ( 15 ) activates the electrical drive means ( 3 ) so as to selectively rotate the at least one drive wheel ( 4 ).

9 . The wheelchair according to claim 8 , wherein each of the connecting elements ( 9 ) are articulatedly connected to (i) the wheel rim ( 5 ) by means of a first pivot bearing ( 11 ), and (ii) to the push rim ( 8 ) by means of a second pivot bearing ( 12 ).

10 . The wheelchair according to claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first pivot bearing ( 11 ) and the second pivot bearing ( 12 ) comprises a roller bearing.

11 . A method for controlling an auxiliary drive for a wheelchair comprising:

providing a wheelchair ( 1 ) comprising:

at least one drive wheel ( 4 ), wherein the at least one drive wheel ( 4 ) comprises a wheel rim ( 5 );

an electrical drive means ( 3 ) connected to the at least one drive wheel ( 4 ) and configured to selectively rotate the at least one drive wheel ( 4 ) in response to a travel signal;

at least one elastically deformable and push rim ( 8 ) mounted to the wheel rim ( 5 ) by at least two connecting elements ( 9 ) distributed about the circumference of the at least one drive wheel;

wherein each of the at least two connecting elements ( 9 ) comprises a longitudinal axis extending between the location at which each of the at least two connecting elements ( 9 ) is mounted to the at least one push rim ( 8 ) and the location at which each of the at least two connecting elements ( 9 ) is mounted to the wheel rim ( 5 ), and further wherein at least one of the at least two connecting elements comprises a signal generator ( 10 );

wherein each of the at least two connecting elements ( 9 ) is configured to pivot about at least one pivot bearing upon the deformation of the at least one push rim ( 8 ) resulting from the application of force to the at least one push rim ( 8 ) in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the at least two connecting elements;

wherein the signal generator ( 10 ) is configured to generate a travel signal corresponding to the elastic deformation of the at least one push rim where the at least one push rim is mounted to the at least two connecting elements ( 9 );

transmitting the travel signals generated by the signal generator ( 10 ) to a control unit ( 15 ) to control the electrical drive means ( 3 ); and

activating the electrical drive means ( 3 ) by the control unit ( 15 ), whereby to rotate the at least one drive wheel ( 4 ).

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the the wheel rim ( 5 ) is deformable, and further wherein deformation of the wheel rim ( 5 ) applies force to the plurality of connecting elements ( 9 ).

13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein a deflection, in the same direction, of the plurality of connecting elements ( 9 ) is converted by the control unit ( 15 ) into a travel signal in the rotational direction of the deflection.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the travel signal corresponds to the degree of deflection of the connecting element ( 9 ).

15 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein a deflection, in an opposite direction, of the plurality of connecting elements ( 9 ) is converted by the control unit ( 15 ) into a control signal.

16 . A method for controlling an auxiliary drive for a wheelchair, the method comprising:

providing a wheelchair ( 1 ) comprising:

at least one drive wheel ( 4 ), wherein the at least one drive wheel comprises a wheel rim ( 5 );

an electrical drive means ( 3 ) connected to the at least one drive wheel ( 4 ) and configured to selectively rotate the at least one drive wheel ( 4 ) in response to a travel signal;

at least one elastically deformable push rim ( 8 ) mounted to the wheel rim ( 5 ) by at least two connecting elements ( 9 ) distributed about the circumference of the wheel rim ( 5 );

wherein each of the at least two connecting elements ( 9 ) comprises a longitudinal axis extending between the location at which each of the at least two connecting elements ( 9 ) is mounted to the at least one push rim ( 8 ) and the location at which each of the at least two connecting elements ( 9 ) is mounted to the wheel rim ( 5 ), and further wherein at least one of the at least two connecting elements comprises a signal generator ( 10 );

wherein at least one of the at least two connecting elements ( 9 ) comprises an elastically deformable force element, and further wherein the signal generator is configured to detect elastic deformation of the force element along the longitudinal axis of the connecting element, and to generate a travel signal corresponding to the degree of deformation of the force element;

transmitting the travel signals generated by the signal generator ( 10 ) to a control unit ( 15 ) to control the electrical drive means ( 3 ) and

activating the electrical drive means ( 3 ) by the control unit ( 15 ), whereby to rotate the at least one drive wheel ( 4 ).

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (15)