Hoveround Corporation

Sunstate Mobility Corporation

Other

Merits Health Products Co., Ltd.

Thomas E Kruse

John C Traxler

Timothy Philipp

Jeffrey R Moone

Personal mobility vehicle

A positioning and control system to selectively position and to monitor and record the position of the seat frame, back rest frame and leg rest supports of a powered wheelchair wherein the positioning and control system comprises a seat positioning mechanism including a seat tilt positioning assembly and a back rest recline positioning assembly to position the tilt of the seat frame and the recline of the back rest frame respectively, and a leg rest positioning mechanism including leg rest positioning assemblies to position the leg rest supports, and a system control including an operator input control and a microprocessor to control, monitor and record the position of the seat frame, back rest frame and the leg rest supports.

Seat positioning and control system

A self propelled personal mobility vehicle lift operable in a stored configuration and a deployed configuration operatively mounted to the rear portion of a vehicle to selectively lift and remove a self propelled personal mobility vehicle into and from the rear portion of the vehicle, the self propelled personal mobility vehicle lift includes a stanchion or tower assembly pivotally mounted to a lift mounting assembly secured to the vehicle, a boom assembly to support a hoist assembly and a lift support assembly to support the self propelled personal mobility vehicle lift when deployed telescopingly coupled to the upper and lower portions of the stanchion or tower assembly respectively, the hoist assembly includes a hoist mechanism having a flexible hoist element to couple the self propelled personal mobility vehicle lift to the self propelled personal mobility vehicle when the self propelled personal mobility vehicle lift is in the deployed configuration to selectively lift or lower the self propelled personal mobility vehicle into or from the rear portion of the vehicle.

Wheelchair lift

A personal mobility vehicle having a low center of gravity and compact overall size which facilitates travel in narrow hallways and in negotiating sharp turns both indoors and out of doors on smooth and uneven surfaces. The vehicle includes a generally horizontally disposed frame supported in close proximity above the ground by a pair of side-by-side spaced steerable rear wheels and two spaced motor-driven front wheels. A battery arrangement is connected to and supported by the frame and operably connected between a control lever in electrical communication with an electronic circuit and the motors for propelling the front wheels through a transaxle arrangement and for steering the rear wheel. By the side-by-side spaced rear wheel arrangement, steering angles of up to about 90.degree. are achieved without stalling propulsion. A seat is provided whereby a user's feet may be comfortably supported on the frame or separate removable or fixed foot rests. Outrigger type anti-scuff and anti-tip wheels are also provided and may be in combination with a forwardly positioned ramp assist wheel connected beneath a forwardly perimeter of the frame to assist the vehicle in travelling over a ramp or bump.

A self-propelled personal mobility vehicle and frame therefor and method of assembly of the dismantled vehicle. The frame includes a front support for a steerable wheel and a coupling member connected to a rear portion of the frame which is releasibly engagable with a drive assembly operably positioned immediately rearward of the frame. The drive assembly includes a centrally positioned drive gear housing having a transversely extending tubular drive shaft housing and spaced rear support wheels operably connected at each end of the drive shaft housing for supporting and propelling the vehicle. The coupling member is releasibly engaged over the drive shaft housing by first lifting the rear of the frame with the drive assembly resting on the ground. The frame is then moved diagonally rearwardly or toward the drive assembly and downwardly so that, when fully engaged over and upon the drive shaft housing, the coupling member, by frame and vehicle weight alone, prevents further lateral and fore and aft (e.g. all linear movement) between the frame and the drive assembly. The drive assembly may then be rotated about the rear wheels and drive shaft housing from an independent at-rest position into locked, operable position and automatically releasibly secured by a lock and latch arrangement.

Releasible coupling mechanism for components of a personal mobility

A personal mobility vehicle having a very low center of gravity and compact overall size which facilitates travel in narrow hallways and in negotiating sharp turns both indoors and out of doors on smooth and uneven surfaces. The vehicle includes a generally horizontally disposed frame supported in close proximity above the ground by a steerable, motor-driven rear wheel and two spaced front wheels. A battery arrangement is connected to and supported by the frame and operably connected between a control lever in electrical communication with an electronic circuit and the motors for propelling and steering the rear wheel. A seat is provided whereby a user's feet may be comfortably supported on the frame. An arcuate cushioning ring connected and extending radially from the perimeter of the frame fixed objects such as walls, doorways and the like to facilitate tight maneuvers. Outrigger type anti-scuff and anti-tip wheels are also provided and may be in combination with a forwardly positioned ramp assist wheel connected beneath a forwardly perimeter of the frame to assist the vehicle in travelling over a ramp or bump.

A personal mobility vehicle having a very low center of gravity and compact overall size which facilitates travel in narrow hallways and in negotiating sharp turns as into a doorway along a narrow hall. The vehicle includes a generally horizontally disposed preferably circular, disc-shaped frame supported in close proximity above the ground by a steerable, motor-driven rear wheel and two spaced front wheels. A battery arrangement is connected to and supported by the frame and operably connected between a control lever in electrical communication with an electronic circuit and the motors for propelling and steering the rear wheel. A seat is provided whereby a user's feet may be comfortably supported on the frame. A circular cushioning ring, either fixed or preferably rotatably mounted and extending radially from the perimeter of the frame, contacts fixed objects such as walls, doorways and the like to facilitate tight maneuvers not heretofore possible with other such vehicles. Outrigger type anti-scuff and anti-tip wheels may also be provided.

Growing community of inventors

Sarasota, FL, United States of America

Thomas E Kruse