A handle assembly for a cart with a power assist function can sense the direction that a user's force is applied, and provide assist power in the corresponding direction, such that the user can easily move the cart. A cart including the handle assembly allows the user to conveniently move the cart.

Provided are a handle assembly for a cart having a power assist function, and a cart in which the power assist function enables a user to easily move the cart by detecting a direction, in which a force of the user is applied, to assist power in the relevant direction. According to the handle assembly and the cart, the user can easily move the cart by detecting the direction, in which the force of the user is applied, to provide auxiliary power (a power assist function) in the relevant direction, thereby improving convenience of the user.

Disclosed herein are a cart handle assembly with power assist function, which enables a user to easily move a cart by detecting a direction, in which a user's force is applied, to assist power in that direction, and a cart having the same. According to the disclosure, it is possible to improve user's convenience since a user can easily move a cart by detecting a direction, in which a user's force is applied, to provide an assist force (power assist function) in that direction.

A stroller can include a body having a pair of driving wheels mounted to left and right sides thereof; a motor configured to rotate the pair of driving wheels; a frame comprising a lower part connected to the body, the frame extending upwards from the lower part; a handle connected to the frame; a sensor unit including a force detection sensor configured to detect force applied to the handle, a touch sensor configured to detect whether the handle is being grasped, and a wheel sensor configured to detect rotation of the pair of driving wheels; and a controller configured to calibrate the force detection sensor based on data detected by the touch sensor and the wheel sensor.

A cart can include a body having driving wheels mounted to left and right sides thereof; a motor configured to rotate the driving wheels; a frame comprising a lower part connected to the body, the frame extending upwards from the lower part; a handle connected to the frame; a sensor unit including a tilt sensor configured to detect a tilt of the body, and a touch sensor configured to detect whether the handle is grasped; and a controller configured to in response to determining that the handle is not grasped based on data detected by the touch sensor, determine whether the cart is located on a slope based on data detected by the tilt sensor, change a control parameter of the motor based on whether the cart is located on the slope and perform a braking operation in different ways based on whether the motor is rotating.

A gyroscopically-responsive power assisted moment arm is disclosed for use in connection with vehicles such as load carrying devices. A moment arm extends to a pivot point such that when a longitudinal force is applied at the moment arm, a sensor senses such force and outputs an energizing signal to a motor to drive a wheel. If a rotational or vertical force is applied to the moment arm, the motor need not be driven. According to the invention, therefore, a power assist can be provided to a user to drive a wheel in a desired direction of transport while not causing drive during tipping or unloading of the load carrying portion of the vehicle. Such an apparatus can be advantageously applied to a power assisted wheelbarrow, as one exemplary application.

A wheelbarrow with an electric motor built into the wheel helps the user to push and brake the wheelbarrow. A sensor is installed on the handle support, which detects the position of the hand in the axial direction. A button is mounted on the handle support next to the handle. There is an acceleration sensor and a gyroscope on the wheelbarrow. Based on the axial movement of the hand, the wheelbarrow controller calculates the pushing or pulling force of the arms on the handles. The operation of the electric motor is controlled by the wheelbarrow controller via the motor controller, based on the information received from the motor controller, the detected sensor values and the switch status. As a result, the force of the electric motor can be used effectively for an additional drive or braking, so that the required push force of the arms can be reduced. When braking, the motor acts as a generator and charges the battery. Two batteries are placed in the supported legs of the wheelbarrow, which contributes to the weight balance of the wheelbarrow and allows good cooling of the batteries. The construction of the frame provides battery protection and is adapted to transportation on a towing hitch of a passenger car.

The invention relates to a medical transport device for dependent persons. The invention also relates to an auxiliary drive for the motorised transportation of such a medical transport device for dependent persons according to the invention. The invention furthermore relates to a method for transporting such a medical transport device for dependent persons according to the invention.

A walking aid vehicle (1) includes: an operation part (3) provided on an upper portion of a vehicle body for grasping by a user in a walking posture; a detector (30) for detecting an operation force applied to the operation part; and an inclination detector (20) for detecting inclination of the vehicle body. When an advance direction inclination detected by the detector is less than threshold, a normal control (100) generates a normal direction torque in the drive motor (40L, 40R) responsive to pushing the operation part (3) forward and generates a reverse direction torque in the drive motor responsive to pulling the operation part rearward, and when the advance direction inclination is equal to or greater than threshold and pushing operation force is detected, a shift to a pull control (110) is made which generates normal direction torque in the drive motor responsive to a pulling operation force.

A stroller frame, comprising at least one motor, particularly an electric motor, for assisted driving of the stroller frame, a pusher bar for pushing the stroller frame and at least one force sensor device for detecting a direction and/or an amount of force and/or a force component acting on the pusher bar, and/or for detecting a value derived from said force or force component, particularly a temporal change of the force or force component.