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:
Apr. 25, 1995
Filed:
Nov. 16, 1993
Harold R Wilson, Holland, MI (US);
Michael B Miller, Christiansburg, VA (US);
John Eide, Fincastle, VA (US);
Anthony L Bowman, Christiansburg, VA (US);
Robert T Rogers, Sr, Blacksburg, VA (US);
David R Hawks, Christiansburg, VA (US);
Philip J Bakker, Holland, MI (US);
Haworth, Inc., Holland, MI (US);
Litton Systems, Inc., Beverly Hills, CA (US);
Abstract
A motorized vehicle, particularly a wheelchair, having a joystick controller for controlling energization of driving motors which in turn drive vehicle wheels and control steering of the vehicle. The joystick controller includes fiber-optic arrangements which sense tilting movement of the joystick in forward, rearward, rightward or leftward directions, or a combination thereof. Light signals are generated of an intensity corresponding to the position of the joystick, which signals are converted into electric signals and supplied to a controller which in turn controls energization of the drive motors to control driving and steering of the vehicle.