Patent ID: 9682603
Date: 2017-06-20
CPC Classifications: A61G,B60G

Claim:
1. A method for adjusting a position of a wheelchair seat assembly, comprising: providing a wheelchair including: a base assembly including a first side and a second side, wherein on each of said first and second sides is mounted a caster and a drive wheel; a seat assembly; a plurality of actuators connected to said base assembly and said seat assembly, wherein said actuators provide said seat assembly with at least four degrees of movement with respect to said base assembly; a computer that is connected to said actuators; and a detector that measures an orientation of said base assembly; determining a default orientation for said seat assembly for a user that is based on a center of gravity of a specific user and said seat assembly when the user is in said seat assembly, said determining step including: positioning the user in said seat assembly; moving said actuators at a command of said computer such that said seat assembly moves linearly forward with respect to said base assembly and tips forward; measuring a first change in the orientation of said base assembly due to a forward tipping caused by the forward movement with said detector; moving said actuators at a command of said computer such that said seat assembly moves linearly backward with respect to said base assembly and tips backward; measuring a second change in the orientation of said base assembly due to a backward tipping caused by backward movement with said detector; sending the measurements of the first and second changes in orientation of said base assembly to said computer; based on said measurements of said first and second changes in orientation of said base assembly, said computer determines a location for said seat assembly where the center of gravity of said seat assembly and the user is positioned approximately above a center of drive wheels; and moving said seat assembly to said default orientation by moving said actuators such that said seat assembly is moved to said location.