A folding electric wheelchair with elevating seat that provides the user an electronic driving system powered by two lithium-ion batteries that is sealed to be weatherproof, able to drive over different terrain types and slope grades on any given day whether it's raining or sunny, lightweight, and portable for transportation, travel-friendly, compact in overall size when in the folded position to fit into a small space for storage. An ergonomically contoured seat with an actuator that can raise and lower the seat base overall height. A bump dampening and terrain vibration system with the supporting frame pieces (34), (42), and (50) having an oval shape. The manner of how the embodiment operates to fold and unfold consists of specific hinge joint embodiments including: (46), (48), (58) and (64).

A support device has a main support surface for a person's body, including an auxiliary device influencing the main support surface shape. The auxiliary device includes: a group of supports supporting the main support surface, positioned on the side of the main support surface facing away from the body-supporting side, the supports each including a sub-support surface; an adjuster for each sub-support surface influencing the height of each sub-support surface. The device also includes a monitor for each sub-support surface monitoring the height of the respective sub-support surface; and a programmable control unit controlling the adjuster. The supports include an elastically bendable plate connected to the adjuster. The bending plate is connected to the sub-support surface to influence its height depending on the extent of bending imposed by the adjuster. The adjuster includes an electromotor on the concave side of the bending plate.

A machine-assisted method of manufacturing a customized anatomical seat cushion for a user is provided, the method comprising the steps of capturing anthropometric measurements of the user in a seated position; inputting the captured anthropometric measurements in a three-dimensional (3D) computer-aided design (CAD) model to reproduce buttock of the user; generating a 3D anatomical seat cushion representation fitting the shape of the user based on the 3D CAD model of the buttock of the user; and machining a support structure according to the generated 3D anatomical seat cushion.

A wheelchair is provided. First supports for supporting a user of the wheelchair are unevenly disposed to form a perimeter, and second supports for supporting the user of the wheelchair are unevenly disposed at least partially within the perimeter of the first supports. The first supports support the user when the first supports are in a raised position and the second supports are in a lowered position. The second supports support the user when the second supports are in a raised position and the first supports are in a lowered position. A alternation of supporting the user with the first supports or the second supports facilitates reduction of pressure sores of the user. In various embodiments, multiple groups of supports are used, the supports contour to a user's anatomy and/or the supports are pneumatic.

An air valve assembly includes a housing defining an internal channel configured to receive a first member, the first member is fluidly connected to an air source, a plunger member positioned in the internal channel and configured to slide relative to the housing, a biasing member positioned in the internal channel and configured to apply a biasing force onto the plunger member, and a sealing member positioned in the internal channel and defining a first inflation aperture, the plunger member slidably received by the first inflation aperture. In a first inflation configuration, the first member is configured to form a magnetic connection with the sealing member and contact the plunger member to overcome the biasing force, the plunger member is configured to responsively slide relative to the first inflation aperture to facilitate a flow of air between the sealing member and the plunger member.

A multi-position airflow control assembly includes a valve housing, a valve body received by the valve housing, a plurality of connectors coupled to the valve body, each connector configured to fluidly connect to an inflation zone of a cellular cushion, and a control assembly partially received by the valve body. The control assembly includes a seal member, and an actuation assembly operably connected to the seal member and configured to rotate the seal member relative to the valve body. The seal member is configured to rotate between a first position and a second position.

The invention provides a customizable seating support for a seat base that is particularly useful for supporting a physically disabled person in a chair, such as a wheelchair. The seating support includes a posterior portion and a pair of thigh supports that are connected to the posterior portion, via a multi-directional connection, so that the position of at least one thigh support is independently adjustable to tilt upwardly or downwardly or to pivot outwardly relative to the posterior portion to an abducted position. In some embodiments, at least one of the thigh supports may be configured to pivot inwardly relative to the posterior portion to an adducted position.

Introduced here are pressure-mitigation systems able to mitigate the pressure applied to a human body by the surface of an object (also referred to as a “structure”). A controller device (or simply “controller”) can be fluidically coupled to a pressure-mitigation device that includes a series of selectively inflatable chambers. When a pressure-mitigation device is placed between a human body and a surface, the controller can continuously, intelligently, and autonomously circulate fluid through the chambers of the pressure-mitigation device. Normally, the controller circulates air through the chambers of the pressure-mitigation device, though the controller could circulate another fluid, such as water or gel, through the chambers of the pressure-mitigation device. The controller may cause the chambers to be selectively inflated, deflated, or any combination thereof.

Introduced here are pressure-mitigation systems able to mitigate the pressure applied to a human body by the surface of an object (also referred to as a “structure”). A controller device (or simply “controller”) can be fluidically coupled to a pressure-mitigation device that includes a series of selectively inflatable chambers. When a pressure-mitigation device is placed between a human body and a surface, the controller can continuously, intelligently, and autonomously circulate fluid through the chambers of the pressure-mitigation device. Normally, the controller circulates air through the chambers of the pressure-mitigation device, though the controller could circulate another fluid, such as water or gel, through the chambers of the pressure-mitigation device. The controller may cause the chambers to be selectively inflated, deflated, or any combination thereof.

Introduced here are pressure-mitigation systems able to mitigate the pressure applied to a human body by the surface of an object (also referred to as a “structure”). A controller device (or simply “controller”) can be fluidically coupled to a pressure-mitigation device that includes a series of selectively inflatable chambers. When a pressure-mitigation device is placed between a human body and a surface, the controller can continuously, intelligently, and autonomously circulate fluid through the chambers of the pressure-mitigation device. Normally, the controller circulates air through the chambers of the pressure-mitigation device, though the controller could circulate another fluid, such as water or gel, through the chambers of the pressure-mitigation device. The controller may cause the chambers to be selectively inflated, deflated, or any combination thereof.