University of Pittsburgh

The United States Government As Represented by the Department of Veterans Affairs

Upmc

Mark A McCartney

Rory Alan Cooper

Garrett G Grindle

Jonathan Lee Pearlman

Andrew M Kwarciak

Corey Blauch

William Ammer

A robotic strong arm (RSA) for assisting in the transfer of a person from a first surface to a second surface, comprising: first and second members, wherein in each member comprises a prismatic joint having first and second ends and comprising inner and outer shells and a motor for powered linear movement of the outer shell with respect to the inner shell; a first powered joint interconnecting the second end of the first member with the first end of the second member, wherein the first powered joint provides movement of the second member with respect to the first member; wherein the first end of the first member is attached to a rotatable base and wherein the rotatable base is movably attached for powered movement along a component associated with, and extending around at least a portion of a periphery about, the first surface; and a computer controller for controlling movements of the outer shells, first powered joint, rotation of the rotatable base and movement of the rotatable base and RSA along the component.

Robotic strong arm

Caster alignment mechanism having a first component operably connected to a leg of a mobile device and a second component operably connected to a caster of the mobile device. The first and second components are positioned in parallel orientation to each other wherein alignment of the caster with the leg of the mobile device is achieved by the attractive characteristics of the first component with an upper magnet to the second component with a lower magnet. One embodiment of the caster alignment mechanism includes a fixed gap between the upper magnet and the lower magnet for an always engaged or 'on' mode. The fixed gap can be adjusted to vary magnetic field strength depending on user specifications for ease of turning. Another embodiment of the caster alignment mechanism includes a switching mechanism to change modes between engaged or 'on' mode and disengaged or &#x201c;off&#x201d; mode.

Mobile caster

A shock absorption mechanism for a wheelchair includes a caster fork including a first oblique surface and a second horizontally disposed surface, relative to a horizontal plane of travel of the wheelchair. A portion of the second surface includes a curved profile. A joint is mountable adjacent a first section thereof to a frame of the wheelchair and adjacent a second section thereof to the caster fork. The joint includes a first oblique surface and a second surface for guiding reciprocation of the curved profile portion of the caster fork. A shock absorber is disposed in an oblique orientation between the first oblique surface of the caster fork and the first oblique surface of the joint. The caster fork is pivotable adjacent the second section of the joint. The shock absorber is compressable in a direction generally parallel to the oblique orientation thereof during pivoting of the caster fork.

Oblique angled suspension caster fork for wheelchairs

Growing community of inventors

Saxonburg, PA, United States of America

Mark A McCartney