THEORY: Eliminate the intermittent jarring action required to human power current wheelchairs, with a mechanical assist.
DATE of ORIGIN: June, 2014.
DESCRIPTION: By adding a power assist to the chair, one hundred percent of the human effort, can go into powering the chair with a consistent energy stroke . Additionally, the chair could be powered by one arm for convenience or both axles powered individually for agility.
The idea is to remove the hand grip wheel from the wheelchair. This form of powering the chair requires the operator to push the chair forward by gripping the hand wheel and thrusting their effort forward and down. Relying on the strength of the arms and torso. More importantly, this form of operation requires a power stroke and a re-position stroke. The second stroke does not power the chair and is a required but ineffective stroke. This wasted effort makes the energy effort intermittent. This intermittent energy effort results in a 30% re-position ratio. 70% forward effort, 30% reposition effort.
The wheelchair assist is designed to provide a continuous power stroke. Without the loss momentum. 95% forward effort, 5% mechanical effort. By using gear reduction ratios it will also make it easier to power the chair to individuals. As well, the wheelchair axle could be clutched. This would allow the operator to work the chair with one arm and one assist, attached to a fixed axle, or allow the chair to be operated with each wheel assist working individually.
The “Grip” of the assist could be a handle or a round knob or any other type of grip.
By turning one assist forward and one assist backward will turn the chair left and right. Maintaining full agility.
In the case of sport. If the operator was right-handed and worked the ball with their right hand, then the clutch lever would be on the left hand assist such that they could power the chair straight forward with the left arm and the left assist. Once the player has passed the ball they release the clutch and regain full agility.
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