CHASSIS FOR A MOBILITY AID AND FOR AN ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR

Abstract

A chassis for a mobility aid, the mobility aid including at least one base two lateral walls, and at least one connecting element which connects the two lateral walls. The chassis includes a plurality of positioning aids for each lateral wall, a bracket that can be connected to one lateral wall in at least three different configurations, and a drive unit that is connected to each bracket, wherein a bracket configuration on the lateral walls determines the type of drive for the mobility aid.

Claims

1. A chassis for a mobility aid, comprising: at least two side walls, each side wall comprising multiple positioning aids; at least one connecting element connecting the two side walls; a bracket which is connectable to each side wall in at least two different arrangements; a drive unit which is connected to the bracket; wherein the arrangement of the bracket on the side wall determines a type of drive of the mobility aid.

2. The chassis as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a stub shaft fastened to the bracket to receive the drive unit.

3. The chassis as claimed in claim 2, wherein the stub shaft is arranged horizontally from the chassis.

4. The chassis as claimed in claim 1, wherein the brackets are arranged symmetrically on the chassis.

5. The chassis as claimed in claim 1, wherein the positioning aids comprise holes for fastening screws or rivets, or elevations or indentations or rails.

6. The chassis as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bracket is connected to at least one of the side walls by screw-connecting or riveting or bonding or welding.

7. The chassis as claimed in claim 1, wherein the chassis comprises at least one base.

8. The chassis as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bracket is connectable to at least one of the side walls in at least three different arrangements.

9. A chassis for an electric wheelchair, comprising: at least two side walls, each side wall comprising a hole pattern provided by a plurality of bores; two end walls; a bracket provided with a stub shaft, the bracket being connectable to each respective side wall in at least two different arrangements; wherein the arrangement of the bracket on at least one of the side walls determines a type of drive of the wheelchair.

10. The chassis as claimed in claim 9, further comprising at least one base.

11. The chassis as claimed in claim 9, wherein the bracket is connectable to the at least one side wall in at least three different arrangements.

12. The chassis as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a drive unit, the stub shaft receives the drive unit, and the drive unit has at least one drive wheel and one electric motor driving the drive wheel.

13. The chassis as claimed in claim 12, wherein the drive unit is pivotably mountable on the bracket with a spring-damper unit.

14. The chassis as claimed in claim 9, wherein the bracket has an L-shaped structure with a short leg and a long leg.

15. The chassis as claimed in claim 14, wherein the stub shaft is arranged on the short leg.

16. The chassis as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a journal for fastening the spring-damper unit, the journal being arranged on the long leg.

17. The chassis as claimed in claim 15, wherein the stub shaft and the journal are arranged in a region of the free ends of the legs.

18. The chassis as claimed in claim 12, wherein the bracket is fastenable to the at least one side wall at least at three points.

19. The chassis as claimed in claim 18, wherein the hole pattern of one side wall includes at least nine bores.

20. The chassis as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a battery pack to supply power to the electric motors, the batter pack being received between the end walls and the side walls.

Description

[0030] Exemplary embodiments of the invention on the basis of an electric wheelchair are explained in more detail below by means of a drawing, in which:

[0031] FIG. 1shows a perspective representation of the chassis for front-wheel drive;

[0032] FIG. 2shows a perspective representation of the chassis for central drive;

[0033] FIG. 3shows a perspective representation of the chassis for rear-wheel drive;

[0034] FIG. 4shows a perspective representation of a front-wheel drive wheelchair;

[0035] FIG. 5shows a perspective representation of a central drive wheelchair;

[0036] FIG. 6shows a perspective representation of a rear-wheel drive wheelchair;

[0037] FIG. 7shows a perspective representation of a drive unit;

[0038] FIG. 8shows an exploded representation of the drive unit according to FIG. 7 with a drive wheel;

[0039] FIG. 9shows a perspective representation of the chassis with the drive unit attached.

[0040] As already mentioned, mobility aids in the sense of the invention are generally speaking orthopedic devices for persons with limited mobility. They can be, for example, wheelchairs, walking aids or walker frames, buggies or other devices and instruments which increase mobility. In particular, an electric wheelchair, as already stated in the introduction, is offered in three different drive variations and is consequently particularly appropriate for the application of the invention so that said invention will be described below by way of an electric wheelchair (1).

[0041] The electric wheelchair (1) consists substantially of a chassis (10), a seat frame 5 with backrest 4 mounted on the chassis 10 for receiving a seat as well as drive wheels 2 and steering wheels 3.

[0042] The chassis 10 is realized in a box-shaped manner and is formed by a base 11, oppositely situated end walls 12, 14 and oppositely situated side walls 13, 15. The walls 12, 13, 14, 15 and the base 11 can be welded together at the adjoining side edges. An L-shaped bracket 16 with a short leg 16 and a long leg 16 is screw-connected to each side wall 13, 15. The bracket 16 can be screwed on in three different arrangements. The arrangement of the bracket 16 determines the type of drive.

[0043] In order to be able to realize the different arrangements, each side wall 13, 15 comprises a hole pattern which includes a plurality of bores 15.1, 15.2, 15.3; 15.4, 15.5, 15.6; 15.7, 15.8, 15.9; 15.10, 15.11, 15.12. The hole pattern can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the bores 15.10, 15.11, 15.12 being present in triplicate as a set. Two sets are hidden by the long leg 16 of the bracket 16 in the figures. The short leg 16 is provided with bores 16.1, 16.2, 16.3 which match the hole pattern with the bores 15.1, 15.2, 15.3; 15.4, 15.5, 15.6 and 15.7, 15.8, 15.9. The long leg 16 is provided with bores 16.4, 16.5, 16.6, the arrangement of which matches the bores 15.10, 15.11, 15.12 of the hole pattern. A further connecting point is provided outside in the region where the short leg 16 and the long leg 16 meet. More bores 15.16, 15.17, the arrangement of which in the hole pattern matches the bore 16.7 in the respective arrangement of the bracket 16 on the side wall 13, 15, are also provided here correspondingly in the side walls 13, 15.

[0044] The bracket 16 comprises a stub shaft 17 or axle bolt on its short leg 16 and a journal 18 on its long leg 16.

[0045] The stub shaft 17 serves for receiving a drive unit 20 which is pivotably mounted on the journal 18 by means of a spring-damper unit 21. The drive unit 20 includes a drive wheel 2, a drive motor 22 and a gearing unit 23 with a flange 23 for receiving the drive wheel 2 as well a receiving frame 24 which is provided with a connector 14.1. Drive motor 22 and gearing unit 23 are screw-connected to the receiving frame 24. The spring-damper unit 21 is connected at its lower end to the receiving frame 24, the receiving frame 24 with its connector 24.1 is then fitted onto the stub shaft 17 and the spring-damper unit 21 is connected by way of its upper end to the journal 18. The wheel 2 is finally fitted onto the flange 23 so that the drive is fixed.

[0046] As a result of the box-shaped embodiment of the chassis 10, it is possible to receive a battery pack (not shown here) for supplying energy to the electric motors 22 between the side walls 13, 15 and the end walls 12, 14, said battery pack is supported on the base 11 and is secured to said base to prevent it slipping.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0047] 1 Wheelchair [0048] 2 Drive wheel [0049] 3 Steering wheel [0050] 4 Backrest [0051] 5 Seat frame [0052] 10 Chassis [0053] 11 Base [0054] 12 End wall [0055] 13 Side wall [0056] 14 End wall [0057] 14.1 Connector [0058] 15 Side wall [0059] 15.1 Bore [0060] 15.2 Bore [0061] 15.3 Bore [0062] 15.4 Bore [0063] 15.5 Bore [0064] 15.6 Bore [0065] 15.7 Bore [0066] 15.8 Bore [0067] 15.9 Bore [0068] 15.10 Bore [0069] 15.11 Bore [0070] 15.12 Bore [0071] 15.13 Bore [0072] 15.14 Bore [0073] 15.15 Bore [0074] 15.16 Bore [0075] 15.17 Bore [0076] 16 Bracket [0077] 16 Short leg [0078] 16 Long leg [0079] 16.1 Bore [0080] 16.2 Bore [0081] 16.3 Bore [0082] 16.4 Bore [0083] 16.5 Bore [0084] 16.6 Bore [0085] 16.7 Bore [0086] 17 Stub shaft [0087] 18 Journal [0088] 20 Drive unit [0089] 21 Spring-damper unit [0090] 22 Electric motor [0091] 23 Gearing unit [0092] 23 Journal [0093] 24 Frame [0094] 24.1 Connector