The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 23, 1987
Filed:
Oct. 01, 1985
Baxter R Watkins, Foster City, CA (US);
Other;
Abstract
A stair-climbing wheelchair having a sensor at the front end thereof for sensing the presence of a stair step or an inclined ramp. The sensor emits signals which reflect from a surface and to a receptor in the sensor, the receptor being coupled to a microprocessor which determines not only the linear distance traveled by the wheelchair in a forward direction, but also the height of a stair step. Thus, when the tracks are down, a microprocessor associated with the sensor will shut off the drive motors to the tracks if the slope of the stairway is too great when the tracks are down. In such a case, the wheelchair backs away from the stairway and does not go down it. If the slope is less than a predetermined value, such as 30.degree.-35.degree., the wheelchair can move down the stairway in the normal fashion.