Patent ID: 6357774
Filing Date: 2002-03-19
Classification: A61G,Y10S

Abstract:
A wheelchair conversion kit for converting into an obstacle-mounting wheelchair a conventional wheelchair having a frame, a main pair of circular wheels each mounted on a respective opposite side of the rear of the frame, and a steerable smaller pair of circular wheels each mounted on a respective opposite side of the frame forward of the main pair of circular wheels, parts in the kit being adapted to be fitted to the frame after removal of the main pair and smaller pair of circular wheels, the parts in the kit comprising:a pair of belted support members each adapted to be fitted to a respective side of the frame, each of the belted support members comprising: a frame structure on the periphery of which are mounted a series of load-bearing rotatable members; an endless belt mounted on the series of load-bearing rotatable members, the rotatable members configuring peripheral movement of the belt around the frame structure into a defined path, a first segment of the defined path being adapted to extend proximate to a surface of ground traversed by the obstacle-mounting wheelchair, the first segment having a shallow convex curvature such that only a portion of the first segment of the defined path of the belt is in contact with the ground at any one time; and, a pendulum member having one end pivotally mounted on the frame structure of the belted support member, the pendulum member being adapted to extend downwardly in use from its one end, and having its other end adapted to be attached to the respective side of the wheelchair frame; and, a pair of obstacle-mounting guide members, each guide member having a first part adapted to be attached at a forward position on the wheelchair, and having a second part connected by a respective resilient member to the first part and biased so as to normally extend in an upwardly forwardly direction on the wheelchair; wherein, when the obstacle-mounting wheelchair encounters obstacles of a defined size or less during forward movement, each second part of the guide members initially rotates to compress or retract the respective resilient member after first contact with the obstacle, the resilient members then acting to return the second parts toward their original positions, the action of the second parts in returning toward such original positions lifting a forward end of the first segment of the defined path of each belt and thereby allowing the obstacle-mounting wheelchair to smoothly mount the obstacle.