Patent ID: 6257610
Filing Date: 2001-07-10
Classification: A61G

Abstract:
A wheelchair, comprising:a frame;a seat attached to the frame;a plurality of support wheels rotatably mounted to the frame; andat least one of a first and second rotary propulsion device rotatably coupled to the frame and manually rotatable relative to the frame, the first rotary propulsion device including a roller element positioned beneath the seat and having a circular cross-sectional shape with a first external surface portion accessible from above and shaped to releasably engage a user's foot and a second external surface portion projecting downwardly and configured to engage a support surface, the first and second external surface portions being rotatable with each other at the same angular rotation rate, the second external surface portion configured to roll along the support surface and propel the frame and support wheels in a selected direction as the user's foot rotates the first external surface portion, the second rotary propulsion device having first and second tread support wheels rotatably coupled to the frame and a tread element positioned beneath the seat and extending around the first and second tread support wheels, the tread element having an internal surface portion engaged with the first and second tread wheels and an external surface portion configured to engage the user's foot and engage the support surface, the external surface portion rolling along the support surface and propelling the frame and the support wheels in the selected direction as the user's foot moves the tread around the tread rollers.