Apparatus for a manually-powered wheelchair comprising a frame and first and second wheel rotatably coupled to the frame. Each wheel includes a hand rim and a drive wheel. For each of the first and second wheels, a multiple speed transmission coupled to the wheel comprises a transmission output coupled to the drive wheel, a transmission input coupled to the hand rim, and at least two gears selectively coupling the transmission output to the transmission input. The transmission allows the drive wheel and the hand rim to rotate concentrically with one another but at different speeds. A selector is provided for selecting one of the at least two gears. A controller controls the selector to operate the transmission for the first and/or second wheel.

A hand rim or push rim for a wheelchair wheel. The hand rim includes a rim structure with a convex bearing surface on a circumference of the rim structure, wherein the convex bearing surface is off-centered with respect to a center of the rim and tilted in an outer direction with respect to the wheelchair. Also provided is a wheelchair wheel hand rim cover, wherein the cover is made of ethylene vinyl acetate. There is also provided a fastening system for fastening a hand rim to a wheel. The fastening system includes fixing elements selectively and slideably interfacing with a plurality of anchor elements for selectively setting a separation distance between the hand rim and the wheel.

The presently disclosure describes a motion assistance system for a wheelchair, for example, a powered drive wheel system that can continually drive a wheelchair in a circular or elliptical path. The motion assistance system comprises a mounting mechanism attachable to one or more structural elements of the wheelchair, and a drive linkage pivotable with respect to the mounting mechanism. A drive wheel can be mounted to an end of the drive linkage such that the drive wheel contacts the ground when installed on the wheelchair. The drive wheel comprises a plurality of lateral rollers positioned radially about the circumference of the power drive wheel. The lateral rollers can rotate about an axis tangential to the circumference of the drive wheel in order to facilitate driving the wheelchair in a radial direction.

A walking assist apparatus includes a pair of wheels, at least one first driving unit that drives the pair of wheels, a main body that rotatably supports the pair of wheels, and a grip that is disposed at one end of the main body to be able to be gripped. The walking assist apparatus includes a sensor unit configured to detect an angular change in an inclination angle of the main body in a pitch direction, and a first control unit configured and programmed to control an operation of the at least one first driving unit based on an output of the sensor unit such that the angular change of the main body is zero.

A mobility vehicle includes a personal mobility vehicle having at least one wheel body and a power-assisting system. The power-assisting system includes an actuation unit, a sensing unit and a signal processing unit. The actuation unit has a motor and a power amplifier geared with the motor. The sensing unit includes a motor rotation speed sensor, a multi-axis accelerometer and a multi-axis gyroscope, so as to sense the velocity, acceleration and the absolute angular velocity of the mobility vehicle in motion in real time. The signal processing unit is connected to the actuation unit and the sensing unit, so as to process the signals of the sensing unit. Then, the actuation unit performs inertia compensation, damping compensation and gravity compensation to the mobility vehicle through a dynamic signal-conditioning algorithm. When the mobility vehicle is actuated by human-power, the power-assisting system assists the power automatically to save human labor.

Wheelchair drive boost apparatuses, drive assisted wheelchairs, and wheelchair drive boost systems are disclosed. A wheelchair drive boost apparatus includes a housing, a drive wheel including a drive axis that is movable with respect to the housing, a drive lever that engages with the drive wheel to cause the drive wheel to rotate, a transmission that couples the drive lever to the drive wheel, and an engager having a first position and a second position. The engager is configured to move the drive axis with respect to the housing.

Wheelchair drive boost apparatuses, drive assisted wheelchairs, and wheelchair drive boost systems are disclosed. A wheelchair drive boost apparatus includes a housing, a drive wheel including a drive axis that is movable with respect to the housing, a drive lever that engages with the drive wheel to cause the drive wheel to rotate, a transmission that couples the drive lever to the drive wheel, and an engager having a first position and a second position. The drive wheel is coupled to the transmission via a one-way engagement mechanism that permits free rotation of the drive wheel with respect to the drive lever in a first direction and constrains rotation of the drive wheel with respect to the drive lever in a second direction opposite the first direction. The engager is configured to move the drive axis with respect to the housing.

A human-powered wheelchair for use on land and in water that comprises flotation and propulsion means. The wheelchair can be propelled by the operator on land in a manner similar to a typical wheelchair. The wheelchair can be propelled in the water by propellers that are mechanically and rotationally coupled to the side wheels of the wheelchair.

The presently disclosure describes a motion assistance system for a wheelchair, for example, a powered drive wheel system that can continually drive a wheelchair in a circular or elliptical path. The motion assistance system comprises a mounting mechanism attachable to one or more structural elements of the wheelchair, and a drive linkage pivotable with respect to the mounting mechanism. A drive wheel can be mounted to an end of the drive linkage such that the drive wheel contacts the ground when installed on the wheelchair. The drive wheel comprises a plurality of lateral rollers positioned radially about the circumference of the power drive wheel. The lateral rollers can rotate about an axis tangential to the circumference of the drive wheel in order to facilitate driving the wheelchair in a radial direction.

An apparatus and method for automated wheelchair assistance. The automated wheelchair assistance includes a lightweight apparatus for converting a manual wheelchair into an electronic wheelchair, attachable to and removable from a manual wheelchair. The apparatus includes a touch contact sensing technology that is configured to detect the user's hand on the handrims of the rear wheel, and a system that detects the motion of the wheelchair and provides assistive force to the rear wheels of the wheelchair to aid propelling a manual wheelchair. The apparatus uses a network device (e.g., smart phone, electronic tablet, wearable, etc.) in order to move the manual wheelchair to a user from a remote location for use, move the manual wheelchair automatically away from the user after use, and drive the wheelchair without physical input to wheels and control power and speed settings of the manual wheelchair assistance.