Patent ID: 6247715
Filing Date: 2001-06-19
Classification: A61G,Y10T

Abstract:
A lever-operated wheelchair which is movable only in a forward direction by operating a lever in a reciprocating motion and having push rims (13) on a pair of wheels rotatably mounted on left and right sides of a frame, comprising an operation lever (2) rockably supported at a rearward end on a main pivot (3) on each of the left and right sides of the frame (1), each operating lever (2) is provided with a pair of one-way clutch driving links (4.sub.1, 4.sub.2), in such a way that upper ends of said links (4.sub.1, 4.sub.2) are pivotally connected to the operation lever (2) via mutually spaced apart sub pivots (5.sub.1, 5.sub.2) which are located a predetermined distance forwardly from said main pivot (3), while lower ends of said links (4.sub.1, 4.sub.2) are pivotally connected to a pair of forward and backward arms respectively (7.sub.1, 7.sub.2), which extend from opposite sides of a hub spindle (9) of a one-way clutch assembly (6), said one-way clutch assembly (6) being provided on a hub (11) of each wheel and comprising a forward rotation clutch (8.sub.1) and a reverse rotation clutch (8.sub.2), wherein every time the operation lever (2) is pushed and pulled in forward and rearward directions respectively, the forward and backward arms (7.sub.1, 7.sub.2) operatively engage with said one-way clutch assembly (6) to cause said forward rotation clutch (8.sub.1) to engage and said reverse rotation clutch (8.sub.2) to disengage when said operation lever is pushed and to cause said forward rotation clutch (8.sub.1) to disengage and said reverse rotation clutch (8.sub.2) to engage when said operation lever is pulled, thereby driving said hub (11) and a respective wheel only in a forward direction of rotation.