EP3764967B1 - Wheelchair - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to wheelchairs which find a particularly advantageous application for moving severely disabled people, in particular with the help of a third person, and for helping the latter to move the chair.

Wheelchairs are already known which comprise controllable means for moving and driving them. These means, such as, for example, control devices known by the term “joysticks”, are available to the disabled person who can manipulate them himself, provided that he is physically and/or intellectually capable of doing so.

Such armchairs are for example described and illustrated in the US5778996 and US8132634 .

If this is not the case, so that the disabled person can still move around, if only to walk around, for example, the wheelchair is driven by a third person. It is then also possible that the ground on which the wheelchair must be moved is not very rolling, or even that the third person is not strong enough to push the wheelchair, which limits the possibilities of movement of the wheelchair.

Also, the purpose of the present invention is to produce a wheelchair which makes it possible to help a third person to move it and to drive it.

• un châssis porteur avec une assise pour recevoir une personne,
• au moins deux roues,
• des moyens pour monter lesdites deux roues en rotation par rapport au châssis respectivement dans deux plans sensiblement parallèles,
• une source d'énergie,
• deux moteurs électriques commandables à partir d'entrées de commande respectives reliées à ladite source d'énergie, lesdits deux moteurs électriques étant respectivement couplés aux deux roues pour les entraîner en rotation et étant aptes à être commandés dans deux sens de rotation,
• deux inverseurs, chaque inverseur ayant deux positions de connexion et comportant une première partie d'inverseur et une seconde partie d'inverseur mobiles l'une par rapport à l'autre, les deux inverseurs étant interposés en série entre ladite source d'énergie et respectivement les entrées de commande respectives des deux moteurs électriques, une des deux parties d'inverseur comportant deux pôles de contact et l'autre partie d'inverseur comportant une manette constituée d'une lamelle élastique, les deux dites parties d'inverseur étant aptes à être commandées en déplacement l'une par d'apport à l'autre de façon que la manette puisse venir, à partir d'une position de repos, en contact avec l'un deux pôles ou avec l'autre,
• des moyens pour monter fixement la première partie d'inverseur de chaque inverseur sur ledit châssis, et
• des moyens pour commander le déplacement de la seconde partie d'inverseur de chaque inverseur par rapport à la première partie d'inverseur de façon à amener ladite manette au contact de l'un ou de l'autre des deux pôles en fonction du sens de rotation qui est souhaité pour lesdits deux moteurs, lesdits moyens pour commander le déplacement de la seconde partie d'inverseur de chaque inverseur par rapport à la première partie comportant un tube, des moyens pour fixer cette seconde partie d'inverseur de chaque inverseur au tube et des moyens pour monter ce tube en déplacement par rapport à la première partie d'inverseur de chaque inverseur, les moyens pour fixer une première extrémité de chaque lamelle sur le tube de façon que la seconde extrémité de la lamelle soit située, dans la position de repos, entre les deux pôles et sans contact avec eux comportant un manchon monté coulissant de façon sensiblement congruente à l'intérieur du tube, ledit manchon comportant une fente dans laquelle est fixée la première extrémité de la lamelle, caractérisé par le fait que ledit tube est agencé de façon que ses deux extrémités entourent en déplacement libre, au moins partiellement, la première partie d'inverseur de chaque inverseur.

More specifically, the subject of the present invention is a wheelchair comprising:

• a carrying frame with a seat to receive a person,
• at least two wheels,
• means for mounting said two wheels in rotation relative to the frame respectively in two substantially parallel planes,
• a source of energy,
• two electric motors controllable from respective control inputs connected to said energy source, said two electric motors being respectively coupled to the two wheels to drive them in rotation and being able to be controlled in two directions of rotation,
• two inverters, each inverter having two connection positions and comprising a first inverter part and a second inverter part movable relative to each other, the two inverters being interposed in series between said energy source and respectively the respective control inputs of the two electric motors, one of the two inverter parts comprising two contact poles and the other inverter part comprising a lever consisting of an elastic lamella, the two said inverter parts being suitable to be controlled in movement one by contribution to the other so that the handle can come, from a rest position, in contact with one of the two poles or with the other,
• means for fixedly mounting the first inverter part of each inverter on said frame, and
• means for controlling the movement of the second inverter part of each inverter relative to the first inverter part so as to bring said lever into contact with one or the other of the two poles depending on the direction of rotation which is desired for said two motors, said means for controlling the displacement of the second inverter part of each inverter with respect to the first part comprising a tube, means for fixing this second inverter part of each inverter to the tube and means for mounting this tube for movement relative to the first inverter part of each inverter, the means for fixing a first end of each slat on the tube so that the second end of the slat is located, in the position at rest, between the two poles and without contact with them comprising a sleeve mounted to slide in a substantially congruent manner inside the tube, said sleeve comprising a slot in which t fixed the first end of the slat, characterized in that the said tube is arranged so that its two ends surround free displacement, at least partially, the first inverter part of each inverter.

• La figure 1 est une vue d'ensemble en perspective cavalière d'un mode de réalisation du fauteuil roulant selon l'invention,
• La figure 2 est un bloc diagramme, en accord avec la figure 1, permettant d'expliciter la structure fonctionnelle du fauteuil roulant selon l'invention,
• La figure 3 est une vue en écorché et en perspective d'un élément constitutif essentiel du fauteuil roulant selon l'invention en accord avec les figures 1 et 2, et
• La figure 4 un schéma permettant d'expliciter le fonctionnement et l'utilisation du fauteuil roulant selon l'invention, en accord avec le mode de réalisation illustré sur les figures 1 à 3.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear during the following description given with regard to the appended drawings by way of illustration but in no way limiting, in which:

• The figure 1 is an overview in bird's eye perspective of an embodiment of the wheelchair according to the invention,
• The figure 2 is a block diagram, in accordance with the figure 1 , making it possible to explain the functional structure of the wheelchair according to the invention,
• The picture 3 is a cutaway and perspective view of an essential constituent element of the wheelchair according to the invention in accordance with the figures 1 and 2 , and
• The figure 4 a diagram making it possible to explain the operation and use of the wheelchair according to the invention, in accordance with the embodiment illustrated in the figures 1 to 3 .

It is first specified that the figures represent a preferred embodiment of the object according to the invention, but that there may be other embodiments which meet the definition of this invention.

It is also specified that, when, according to the definition of the invention, the object of the invention comprises "at least one" element having a given function, the embodiment described may comprise several of these elements. Conversely, if the embodiment of the object according to the invention as illustrated comprises several elements of identical function and if, in the description, it is not specified that the object according to this invention must necessarily comprise a number particular of these elements, the object of the invention may be defined as comprising "at least one" of these elements.

Finally, it is specified that when, in the present description, an expression defines on its own, without specific particular mention concerning it, a set of structural characteristics, these characteristics can be taken, for the definition of the object of the protection requested, when technically possible, either separately or in total and/or partial combination.

It is also specified that, in the present description, if the adverb “substantially” is associated with a given qualifier, this qualifier must be understood in the strict or approximate sense.

With reference to the appended figures, the present invention relates to a wheelchair for a disabled person.

The wheelchair according to the invention comprises a carrier frame 10 with a seat 11 to receive a person, at least two wheels 21, 22, and means for mounting these two wheels 21, 22 in rotation relative to the frame 10 respectively in two substantially parallel planes.

These two wheels can be of any type, preferably pneumatic as illustrated in the figure 1 . But they could be, for example, of the caterpillar type or the like.

The chair further comprises an energy source 30 and two electric motors 23, 24 controllable from respective control inputs 25, 26 connected to the energy source 30, for example a rechargeable battery, these two electric motors being respectively coupled to the two wheels 21, 22 to drive them in rotation and being capable of being controlled in two directions of rotation.

All the means described above are well known in the prior art and will therefore not be further defined here, for the sole purpose of simplifying the present description.

According to one characteristic of the invention, the wheelchair further comprises two inverters of the electric type, known per se, 41, 42, each inverter having two connection positions and comprising a first part of inverter 101 and a second part of inverter 102, these two inverter parts being movable relative to each other. These two inverters 41, 42 are interposed in series, figure 2 , between the energy source 30 and respectively the respective control inputs 25, 26 of the two electric motors 23, 24,

One of the two inverter parts 101 comprises two contact poles 43, 44 and the other inverter part 102 comprises a handle 45, the two inverter parts being capable of being controlled in movement by one to the other so that the handle can come, from a rest position (in which it is not in contact with one or the other of the two poles), in contact with one two poles 43, 44 or with each other.

Means 53 are also provided for fixedly mounting the first inverter part 101 of each inverter on the frame 10 via attachment means 12 schematically illustrated on the figure 1 and 4 , and means 50 for controlling the movement of the second inverter part 102 of each inverter relative to the first inverter part so as to bring the lever 45 into contact with one or the other of the two poles 43, 44.

For example, the attachment means 53 mentioned above may consist of tabs, angles or the like and, as illustrated, hollow elbows 53-1, 53-2 forming an integral part of the frame 10 via the attachment means 12, as those illustrated on the figure 1 , 3 and 4 .

According to an advantageous embodiment, the means 50 for controlling the movement of the second inverter part 102 of each inverter 41, 42 relative to the first part 101 comprise a tube 51, on which an able-bodied person can act by pushing or traction, as will be explained below, means 53 for fixing this second inverter part 102 of each inverter 41, 42 to the tube 51, and means for mounting this tube in displacement relative to the first inverter part 101 of each inverter.

The tube 51 can be made of any material, preferably an electrically insulating material such as plastic, or even a metallic material, but taking care to provide, if necessary depending on the structure of the inverters, insulators between the tube and the inverters.

The second inverter part 102 of each inverter 41, 42 comprising a lever 45 and this lever being consisting of an elastic lamella, means 52-1, 52-2 are provided for fixing a first end of each lamella to the tube 51 so that the second end of the lamella is, in the rest position, i.e. that is to say when no force (manual or otherwise) is exerted on the tube 51 with respect to one of the two parts of the inverter, located between the two poles 43, 44 and without contact with them. These means 52-1, 52-2 comprise a sleeve mounted to slide in a substantially congruent manner inside the tube, the sleeve comprising a slot in which the first end of the lamella 45 is fixed.

In addition, the tube 51 is arranged so that its two ends freely move around, at least partially if not completely, respectively the inverter part 101 of each inverter 41, 42, figure 4 .

Quite preferably, the means for mounting the tube 51 in displacement relative to the first inverter part 101, of each inverter comprise elastic means able to act elastically directly or indirectly on the tube relative to the frame. in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tube 51.

These elastic means capable of acting along a perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tube 51 can be made in several ways, for example as illustrated by at least one annular seal 58 made of a material of very low elasticity, for example foam, interposed between the first part 101 of each inverter and the inner wall of the tube 51.

Such annular seals 58 made of an elastic material are therefore capable of being crushed in a diametrical direction by application of a force, in particular transmitted by the tube 51, and of returning to their initial state when this force is cancelled. These seals can also constitute means for preventing impurities, dust or the like from penetrating into the inverters and/or the tube 51.

However, according to a more preferred embodiment, while retaining the annular seals 58 in their protective function as defined above, the elastic means capable of acting along a perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tube 51 are constituted by the lamella elastic 45 itself and means for securing the second end of the slat to the inverter part 101, which is fixed to the frame, comprising the two contact poles 43, 44 so that the slat portion between its first and second ends passes between these two poles 43, 44.

The means for securing the second end of the slat to the part of the inverter 101 concerned may consist of two lugs 103, 104 made of electrically insulating material and integral with this part of the inverter, which grip the second end of the lamella. This realization has not been specifically illustrated, but is relatively visible in the Lo magnifying part on the picture 3 .

In this way, when no force is exerted on the tube, the strip is not subjected to any elastic deformation, it is in the rest position and is not in contact with one or the other of the two poles 43, 44.

In this way also, if for example forces are applied to the tube 51 both perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the tube and to the direction which causes the inverters to act (this direction is advantageously chosen so that it is parallel to the rolling plane of the chair and perpendicular to the plane of the slat), that is to say if the third person presses the tube 51 in the plane of the slat 45, no command is sent to the motors (the slats moving between the poles 43, 44 without coming into contact with them). The tube 51 can be used as a simple handle, without the motors consuming energy from the source 30.

According to an advantageous embodiment, such as that which is illustrated in the appended figures, the tube 51 consists of two half-tubes 51-1, 51-2 and means 60 for butting them together so as to substantially coaxial.

These means 60 are advantageously constituted by a box, the electronic motor control circuit then being at least partly housed in this box. As for the means for connecting the energy source 30 to the two electric motors 23, 24, they are then constituted by wired connections via the electronic circuit, the wired connections passing inside the half-tubes 51-1, 51- 2.

According to another preferred embodiment, the chair further comprises means 200 for determining the intensity of the force which is exerted on the slats to control the speed of rotation of the motors.

These means 200, very schematically illustrated in the picture 3 , comprise for example force sensors (or strain gauges), four in number, two per inverter, these sensors being able to output signals which are a function of the force which is exerted on the tube 51 and therefore on the slats, and an electronic control circuit which processes these signals to control the motors so as to modulate their speed of rotation according to the value of the intensity of the electrical signal delivered by the sensors. Such an electronic control circuit is within the domain of those skilled in the art in the field of electronics and will therefore not be further defined here, still for the sole purpose of simplifying the present description.

Likewise, it is preferable that the motors 23, 24 be brushless motors known per se and referred to by technicians under the term “brushless”.

These brushless motors themselves comprise control elements for rotating them in one direction or the other and elements for modulating their speed of rotation.

The structure of the wheelchair according to the invention, a preferred embodiment of which is described above, namely in the case where the second parts 102 of the inverters comprising the levers are integral with the tube 51 as illustrated in the figures 1 to 4 , makes it easy to achieve the goals defined in the preamble of the present description. However, it is clearly specified that the opposite embodiment to that illustrated in the figures is possible, namely with the levers (second inverter parts 102) secured to the frame 10 and the first inverter parts 101 fixed to the tube 51.

Indeed, the wheelchair as described above can be used in the following way:
For the able-bodied third person to be able to easily control the chair, it suffices for him to exert pushes or pulls on the tube 51 in the plane of the direction which makes the reversers act, according to combinations of the four arrows A, BC and D ( figure 4 ) which schematically illustrate the four possible forces.

1. (i) en exerçant deux forces identiques selon le couple de flèches C-D ou A-B, il est possible, grâce aux capteurs de force, d'accélérer le déplacement du fauteuil, soit vers l'avant soit vers l'arrière.
2. (ii) en exerçant une force selon l'une des flèches A à D, il est possible de faire tourner le fauteuil en n'actionnant que le moteur qui lui est associé, le fauteuil pivotant alors autour de la roue dont le moteur n'est pas commandé.
3. (iii) en exerçant deux forces antagonistes selon les flèches A-D ou B-C, il est possible d'obtenir le pivotement du fauteuil selon un rayon de courbure plus petit que celui obtenu lors de la commande selon le point (ii) ci-dessus.

For example :

1. (i) by exerting two identical forces according to the couple of arrows CD or AB, it is possible, thanks to the force sensors, to accelerate the movement of the chair, either forwards or backwards.
2. (ii) by exerting a force according to one of the arrows A to D, it is possible to rotate the chair by actuating only the motor associated with it, the chair then pivoting around the wheel whose motor does not is not ordered.
3. (iii) by exerting two antagonistic forces according to the arrows AD or BC, it is possible to obtain the pivoting of the wheelchair according to a smaller radius of curvature than that obtained when ordering according to point (ii) above.

These maneuvers facilitate the driving of the wheelchair by the accompanying third person who positions himself at the back of the chair to grasp and manipulate the tube 51 which is presented, as illustrated, in the form of an ergonomic touch handle which allows this third person to act according to a two-handed driving, reassuring, comfortable and easy.

This practical wheelchair will allow people with disabilities, whether fully dependent or not, generalized accessibility without limitation or restriction to all areas of life: social life, education, schooling for young children and adolescents, adapted jobs, leisure and culture for adults.

It also finds its place in places where disabled persons with reduced mobility who are not self-sufficient or self-sufficient must be moved or travel on medium or long journeys, regardless of the quality of the ground on which these journeys must be made (obviously in some limitations though).

Claims (8)

1. Wheelchair comprising:

   • a support frame (10) with a seat (11) to receive a person,

   • at least two wheels (21, 22),

   • means for mounting said two wheels (21, 22) rotatably with respect to the frame (10) respectively in two substantially parallel planes,

   • an energy source (30),

   • two electric motors (23, 24) controllable from respective control inputs (25, 26) connected to said energy source (30), said two electric motors being coupled respectively to the two wheels (21, 22) to rotate them and being capable of being controlled in two directions of rotation,

   • two reversers (41, 42), each reverser having two connection positions and comprising a first reverser part (101) and a second reverser part (102) movable with respect to each other, the two reversers (41, 42) being interposed in series between said energy source (30) and respectively the respective control inputs (25, 26) of the two electric motors (23, 24), one of the two reverser parts (101) comprising two contact poles (43, 44) and the other reverser part (102) comprising a lever (45) constituted of an elastic strip, the two said reverser parts being capable of being controlled in movement against each other such that the level, starting from a rest position, can come into contact with one or other of the two poles (43, 44),

   • means (53) for securely mounting the first reverser part (101) of each reverser on said frame (10), and

   • means (50) for controlling the movement of the second reverser part (102) of each reverser (41, 42) with respect to the first reverser part so as to bring said lever (45) into contact with one or other of the two poles (43, 44) according to the direction of rotation which is desired for said two motors (23, 24), said means (50) for controlling the movement of the second reverser part (102) of each reverser (41, 42) with respect to the first part (101) comprising a tube (51), means (53) for fixing this second reverser part (102) of each reverser (41, 42) to the tube (51) and means for mounting this tube in movement with respect to the first reverser part (101) of each reverser, the means for fixing a first end of each strip onto the tube (51) such that the second end of the strip is located, in the rest position, between the two poles (43, 44) and without contact with them comprising a sleeve slidingly mounted substantially congruent to the inside of the tube, said sleeve comprising a slot wherein is fixed the first end of the strip (45), characterised by the fact that said tube is arranged such that its two ends surround in free movement, at least partially, the first reverser part (101) of each reverser (41, 42).
2. Chair according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the means for mounting said tube in movement with respect to the first reverser part (101) of each reverser comprise elastic means capable of acting elastically on said tube with respect to the frame, following a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of this tube (51).
3. Chair according to claim 2, characterised by the fact that the elastic means capable of acting following a perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tube (51) are constituted by said elastic strip (45) and means for securing the second end of said strip onto the reverser part (101) comprising the two contact poles (43, 44) such that the strip portion comprised between its first and second ends passes between these two poles (43, 44).
4. Chair according to claim 3, characterised by the fact that the elastic means capable of acting following a perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tube (51) are constituted by at least one ring seal (58) made of a material of very low elasticity interposed between the first part of each reverser and the inner wall of the tube.
5. Chair according to one of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that said tube (51) is constituted of two half-tubes (51-1, 51-2) and of means (60) for attaching them to each other substantially coaxially.
6. Chair according to claim 5, characterised by the fact that said means (60) for attaching the two half-tubes substantially coaxially are constituted by a casing, a part of the electronic circuit for controlling motors being housed in said casing, and that the means for connecting said energy source (30) to the two electric motors (23, 24) are constituted by wired connections via said electronic circuit, said wired connections passing inside said half-tubes (51-1, 51-2).
7. Chair according to one of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that it further comprises means (200) for determining the intensity of the force which is exerted on said strips to control the rotation speed of the motors.
8. Chair according to one of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that said motors (23, 24) are brushless motors.

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