U.S. patent application number 11/042096 was filed with the patent office on 2006-07-27 for connecting device for a joystick controller on an electric wheelchair.
Invention is credited to Samuel Lin.
Application Number | 20060163437 11/042096 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40193979 |
Filed Date | 2006-07-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060163437 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lin; Samuel |
July 27, 2006 |
Connecting device for a joystick controller on an electric
wheelchair
Abstract
A connecting device for a joystick controller on an electric
wheelchair has a post, two rods and a base. The post has two
brackets attached to the post. The two rods are pivotally attached
respectively to the two brackets in parallel with each other. The
base is pivotally attached to the two rods to achieve a four-bar
linkage. The joystick controller is adjustably and detachably
mounted on the base. The four-bar linkage keeps the joystick
controller oriented in a constant direction when the base moves
relatively to the electric wheelchair. Therefore, the joystick
controller has a fixed orientation relative to the wheelchair.
Inventors: |
Lin; Samuel; (Chiayi,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ROSENBERG, KLEIN & LEE
3458 ELLICOTT CENTER DRIVE-SUITE 101
ELLICOTT CITY
MD
21043
US
|
Family ID: |
40193979 |
Appl. No.: |
11/042096 |
Filed: |
January 26, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
248/291.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61G 5/10 20130101; A61G
2203/14 20130101; A61G 5/045 20130101; A61G 5/125 20161101 |
Class at
Publication: |
248/291.1 |
International
Class: |
E04G 3/00 20060101
E04G003/00 |
Claims
1. A connecting device for ajoystick controller on an electric
wheelchair, the connecting device comprising: a post (10) having
two brackets (102) attached to the post (10) in a single horizontal
plane; two rods (20) pivotally attached respectively to the two
brackets (102) in parallel with each other; and a base (30)
pivotally attached to the two rods (20).
2. The connecting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the post
(10) is a rectangular tube and has a front face; an outer face; and
the two brackets (102) attached respectively to the front face and
the outer face, and each bracket (102) being U-shaped and having a
cross member attached to the post (10) and two wings connecting to
the cross member and extending outward from the post (10).
3. The connecting device as claimed in claim 2, wherein each rod
has two ends; and two transverse end sleeves (22) formed
respectively at the two ends, each transverse end sleeve (22) has a
top, a bottom, and two bushings (202) mounted respectively in the
top and the bottom; and each bracket (102) has a pivot pin (104)
penetrating the wings of the two bracket (102) and the transverse
end sleeves (22) of the two rods (20).
4. The connecting device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the base
(30) is rectangular and has: four corners; a top face; a rear edge;
a front edge; an inner edge; an outer edge; two mounting holes
(302) formed diagonally through the base (30) respectively at one
of the four corners between the rear edge and the outer edge and at
one of the four corners between the front edge and the inner edge;
two pivot pins (308) extending respectively through the mounting
holes (302) and pivotally attaching the rods (20) to the base (30);
multiple adjustment holes formed in a line through the base (30)
parallel to the outer edge near the front edge; a U-shaped mounting
bracket (304) attached to the top face of the base (30) and having
a channel defined between the U-shaped mounting bracket (304) and
the base (30); and multiple through holes (306) defined through the
U-shaped mounting bracket (304), communicating with the channel and
correspondingly to align with the adjustment holes in the base
(30); a T-shaped connector (32) engaging the U-shaped mounting
bracket (304) and having a crossbar having two ends; a longitudinal
adjustment leg mounted in the channel in the U-shaped mounting
bracket (304); three attachment holes (322) with two attachment
holes (322) formed respectively through the crossbar near the ends
and the other attachment hole (322) formed through the longitudinal
adjustment leg to selectively align with one through hole (306) in
the U-shaped mounting bracket (304); and two fasteners passing
through the attachment holes (322) in the crossbar and attaching to
the joystick controller (40) to attach the T-connector (32) to the
joystick controller (40); and a knob (34) screwing through the
U-shaped mounting bracket (304) and the attachment hole (322) in
the longitudinal adjustment leg.
5. The connecting device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the base
(30) is rectangular and has: four corners; a top face; a rear edge;
a front edge; an inner edge; an outer edge; two mounting holes
(302) formed diagonally through the base (30) respectively at one
of the four corners between the rear edge and the outer edge and at
one of the four corners between the front edge and the inner edge;
two pivot pins (308) extending respectively through the mounting
holes (302) and pivotally attaching the transverse end sleeves (22)
at the ends of the two rods (20) to the base (30); multiple
adjustment holes formed in a line through the base (30) parallel to
the outer edge near the front edge; a U-shaped mounting bracket
(304) attached to the top face of the base (30) and having a
channel defined between the U-shaped mounting bracket (304) and the
base (30); and multiple through holes (306) defined through the
U-shaped mounting bracket (304), communicating with the channel and
correspondingly to align with the adjustment holes in the base
(30); a T-shaped connector (32) engaging the U-shaped mounting
bracket (304) and having a crossbar having two ends; a longitudinal
adjustment leg mounted in the channel in the U-shaped mounting
bracket (304); three attachment holes (322) with two attachment
holes (322) formed respectively through the crossbar near the ends
and the other attachment hole (322) formed through the longitudinal
adjustment leg to selectively align with one through hole (306) in
the U-shaped mounting bracket (304); and two fasteners passing
through the attachment holes (322) in the crossbar and attaching to
the joystick controller (40) to attach the T-connector (32) to the
joystick controller (40); and a knob (34) screwing through the
U-shaped mounting bracket (304) and the attachment hole (322) in
the longitudinal adjustment leg.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a connecting device, and
more particularly to a four-bar linkage that holds a joystick
controller in a constant orientation.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Electric wheelchairs are a convenient mode of transportation
for patients, aged people or handicapped people because they can go
anywhere by moving a joystick without assistance from other
people.
[0005] A conventional electric wheelchair has a seat, two arms, a
joystick and a connecting device attached to one arm and the
joystick. The connecting device is a rod pivotally connecting the
joystick to the arm so that the joystick extends out from the arm.
By pivoting the connecting device, the joystick can move aside to
keep the joystick from bumping against objects when a user moves
close to a table or a wall. However, the orientation of the
joystick changes when the connecting device pivots relatively to
the electric wheelchair. Consequently, adjusting the direction of
movement of the joystick after every movement of the connecting
device is inconvenient.
[0006] To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides
an improved connecting device for a joystick controller on an
electric wheelchair to obviate the aforementioned problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The main objective of the invention is to provide a
connecting device that keeps a joystick connected to the connecting
device from changing its operational orientation.
[0008] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the
invention will become more apparent from the following detailed
description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connecting device in
accordance with the present invention mounted on an electric
wheelchair;
[0010] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the connecting
device in FIG. 1 and the wheelchair seat;
[0011] FIG. 3 is an enlarged partially exploded perspective view of
the connecting device in FIG. 1 attached to an electric wheelchair
arm;
[0012] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the connecting
device in FIG. 1 attached to an electric wheelchair arm;
[0013] FIG. 5 is an operational bottom view of the connecting
device in FIG. 1 positioned back and near the wheelchair;
[0014] FIG. 6 is an operational bottom view of the connecting
device in FIG. 1 extended out from the wheelchair; and
[0015] FIG. 7 is an operational bottom view of the connecting
device in FIG. 1 positioned forward and near the wheelchair.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0016] A connecting device for a joystick controller on an electric
wheelchair in accordance with the present invention comprises a
post, two rods and a base. The post has two brackets attached to
the post. The two rods are pivotally attached respectively to the
two brackets in parallel with each other. The base pivotally
attached to the two rods forms a four-bar linkage with the two rods
and the post. The joystick controller is adjustably and detachably
mounted on the base. The four-bar linkage keeps the joystick
controller oriented in a constant direction when the base moves
relatively to the electric wheelchair. Therefore, the joystick
controller has a fixed orientation relative to the wheelchair.
[0017] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, a preferred embodiment of
the connecting device in accordance with the present invention
attaches a joystick controller (40) to an arm of an electric
wheelchair (1) and comprises a post (10), two rods (20) and a base
(30).
[0018] The post (10) is attached under an arm of an electric
wheelchair, is a rectangular tube and has a front face, an outer
face, two brackets (102) and two pivot pins (104). The two brackets
(102) are attached respectively to the front face and the outer
face in a single horizontal plane. Thus, the two brackets (102) are
oriented perpendicular to each other. Each bracket (102) is
U-shaped, has a cross member and two wings and is attached to the
post (102) at the cross member so the wings protrude out from the
post (10). Each wing of the bracket (102) has a hole, and the holes
on the two wings are aligned with each other. The pivot pins (104)
are mounted through the holes respectively in the two brackets
(102).
[0019] Each rod (20) has a proximal end, a distal end, a length and
two transverse end sleeves (22). The two rods (20) are the same
length and are pivotally attached respectively to the two brackets
(102) on the post (10) in parallel to attach to the base (30). The
transverse end sleeves (22) are formed respectively at the proximal
end and the distal end. Each transverse end sleeve (22) has a top,
a bottom and two bushings (202) mounted respectively on the top and
bottom. The transverse end sleeve (22) at the proximal end is
aligned with the holes in the two wings and mounted pivotally
between the two wings of one corresponding bracket (102) with the
pivot pin (104).
[0020] The base (30) is connected pivotally to the distal ends of
the two rods (20), is a rectangular panel and has four corners, a
top face, a rear edge, a front edge, an inner edge, an outer edge,
two mounting holes (302), two pivot pins (308), multiple adjustment
holes, a U-shaped mounting bracket (304), a T-connector (32),
multiple fasteners and a knob (34).
[0021] The two mounting holes (302) are formed diagonally through
the base (30) respectively at the corner between the rear edge and
the outer edge and the corner between the front edge and the inner
edge.
[0022] The pivot pins (308) extend respectively through the
mounting holes (302) and pivotally attach the transverse end
sleeves (22) at the distal ends of the rods (20) to the base (30).
Therefore, the two mounting holes (302) in the base (30), the two
rods (20) and the two brackets (102) on the post (10) define a
four-bar linkage.
[0023] The adjustment holes are formed in a line through the base
(30) parallel to the outer edge near the front edge.
[0024] The U-shaped mounting bracket (304) is attached to the top
face of the base (30) and has multiple through holes (306) and a
channel. The through holes (306) are defined through the U-shaped
mounting bracket (304), communicate with the channel and
respectively correspond to align with the adjustment holes in the
base (30).
[0025] The T-shaped connector (32) has a crossbar, a longitudinal
adjustment leg, three attachment holes (322) and two fasteners. The
crossbar has two ends. Two attachment holes (322) are formed
through the crossbar respectively near the two ends, and the other
attachment hole (322) is formed through the longitudinal adjustment
leg. The T-connector (32) is attached to the joystick controller
(40) by fasteners that pass through the attachment holes (322) on
the crossbar and detachably attach to the joystick controller (40).
The longitudinal adjustment leg is mounted in the channel in the
U-shaped mounting bracket (304). The attachment hole (322) through
the longitudinal adjustment leg is selectively aligned with a
through hole (306) in the U-shaped mounting bracket (304) to
accommodate a particular user. Then, the knob (34) screws through
the U-shaped mounting bracket (304) and the attachment hole (322)
to attach the T-connector (32) and the joystick controller (40) to
the base (30).
[0026] With reference to FIGS. 4 to 7, the four-bar linkage of the
connecting device maintains the same orientation of the joystick
controller (40) even when the base (30) is moved relatively to the
wheelchair. Therefore, operation of the joystick controller (40)
results in the same relative movement of the wheelchair. Moreover,
transportation of the electric wheelchair is convenient because the
joystick controller (40) is detachable from the base (30) by
disengaging the knob (34) in a convenient way.
[0027] Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the
present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description,
together with details of the structure and function of the
invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made
in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of
parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent
indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the
appended claims are expressed.
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