Abstract:
The present invention provides a wheelchair structure, which is available with a handle, seat and wheel body. The handle is provided with an integrated control seat, and the wheel body is provided with auxiliary drive unit and combined positioning member. The integrated control seat can be assembled securely onto the wheelchair handles of different diameters and curvatures, and the swinging angle can be adjusted flexibly. Thus, it is possible to guarantee outstanding adaptability of assembly, efficient and convenient operation with improved applicability.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     NAMES OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     REFERENCE TO AN APPENDIX SUBMITTED ON COMPACT DISC 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a wheelchair, and more particularly to an innovative wheelchair. 
     2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98 
     An independent auxiliary drive unit is already developed in the industry. The auxiliary drive unit is composed of a wheel body, drive motor, fuel cell and an integrated control seat. The auxiliary drive unit is mounted on the rear side of the wheelchair for driving the wheelchair. The integrated control seat of the auxiliary drive unit is assembled onto the handle of the wheelchair, and also provided with a starting switch and acceleration lever for startup/closing and speed control of the drive unit. 
     As for the typical integrated control seat, the coupling portion is often designed according to the specification and shape of the wheelchair handle, so the integrated control seat could only be assembled onto the customized wheelchair handle. Yet, there are control seats currently available with various specifications and shapes of the wheelchair handles, along with different sizes of hands and operating habits of the users. When the user is intended to install an auxiliary drive unit on the wheelchair, the user may find it difficult for assembly and positioning since the integrated control seat cannot be mated with the wheelchair handle. To this end, this auxiliary drive unit cannot be widely applied. 
     Moreover, the shortcoming of the typical auxiliary drive unit lies in inconvenient assembly and disassembly of the drive unit and the wheelchair, making it necessary for further improvement to meet the customer demands. 
     Thus, to overcome the aforementioned problems of the prior art, it would be an advancement in the art to provide an improved structure that can significantly improve efficacy. 
     Therefore, the inventor has provided the present invention of practicability after deliberate design and evaluation based on years of experience in the production, development and design of related products. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Based upon the innovative wheelchair of the present invention, the assembly end of integrated control seat is provided with adjustable clamp and swinging portion. The integrated control seat can be assembled securely onto the wheelchair handles of different diameters and curvatures. The swinging angle can be adjusted flexibly, such that it is possible to guarantee outstanding adaptability of assembly, convenient adjustment and ease-of-operation to meet the diversified customer demands. 
     Based upon the arrangement of the combined positioning member, the assembly frame and the wheel body of wheelchair body can be connected and fixed easily. When it is intended for disassembly, the rings of pulling portion at top of left and right pins are pulled upwards via the connector, so that the assembly frame can be released. This structure ensures simple assembly and disassembly of the auxiliary drive unit and wheelchair body for efficient and convenient operation with improved applicability. 
     Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  depicts a perspective view of the present invention, showing the integrated control seat adapted onto the existing wheelchair handle. 
         FIG. 2  depicts a partial exploded perspective view of the integrated control seat of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  depicts a partial assembled perspective view of the integrated control seat of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  depicts a schematic view of the integrated control seat of the present invention with adjustable swinging angle. 
         FIG. 5  depicts a schematic view of the application of the present invention, showing the integrated control seat adapted onto another wheelchair handle. 
         FIG. 6  depicts an exploded perspective view of the wheel body and auxiliary drive unit of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  depicts an assembled schematic view of the assembly end of the assembly frame and the connecting slot of the wheelchair frame. 
         FIG. 8  depicts a schematic view of the operation of the present invention, showing the pins at both sides of the wheelchair frame being driven by the connector. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The features and the advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood upon a thoughtful deliberation of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIGS. 1-8  depict preferred embodiments of wheelchair structure of the present invention. The embodiments are provided only for explanatory purposes with respect to the patent claims. 
     The wheelchair includes a wheelchair body  10  with a handle  11 , a seat  12  and a wheel body  13 . 
     The wheelchair also includes an integrated control seat  20 , used to control the operating state of the auxiliary drive unit  30  installed on the wheelchair body  10 . The integrated control seat  20  comprises a starting switch  21  and an acceleration lever  22 . An electrical connecting wire  23  is fixed laterally on the integrated control seat  20 . The integrated control seat  20  is provided with an assembly end  24  allowing for assembly onto the handle  11  of the wheelchair body  10 . The assembly end  24  of the integrated control seat  20  is provided with an adjustable clamp  25 , which contains clamping port  26  allowing to change the clamping amplitude. The assembly end  24  of the integrated control seat  20  comprises a swinging portion  27 , which enables the integrated control seat  20  to change dynamically the swinging angle, and a control member  28  is assembled to adjust the adjustable positioning or release state of the swinging portion  27 . The auxiliary drive unit  30  comprises a wheel body  31 , a drive member  32  and a power supply assembly  33 . 
     The wheelchair further includes an assembly frame  40 , transversely assembled onto the auxiliary drive unit  30 . The assembly frame  40  is defined into two assembly ends  41 , and also is provided with adjustment member  42  that determines the extension length of two assembly ends  41 . 
     The wheelchair includes a combined positioning member  50 , assembled at left and right sides of the wheel body  13  of wheelchair body  10 . The combined positioning member  50  contains a connecting slot  51 , which is provided with a lateral guide inlet  52  and an internal retaining wall  53 . At a top of the connecting slot  51 , there is an accommodating seat  54 , wherein a groove  55  is used for inserting a pin  56  and elastic member  57 . A retaining portion  58  with a single-sided oblique guide surface  581  is arranged at bottom of the pin  56 . The elastic member  57  is used for supporting downwards the pin  56  normally, enabling the retaining portion  58  to be protruded into the connecting slot  51  for positioning purpose, or enabling the single-sided oblique guide surface  581  to align with the lateral guide inlet  52  of the connecting slot  51 . At a top of the pin  56 , a pulling portion  59  is protruded from the accommodating seat  54  to pull upwards the pin  56  into a release state. 
     Based on internal and external plywood  251 ,  252  arranged symmetrically, the adjustable clamp  25  is screwed at the middle section via a pivot bolt  60 . A torsion spring  61  is assembled at the pivot bolt  60 , and, at inner side of the exterior of internal and external plywood  251 ,  252 , a corresponding arched flange  253  is arranged to form the clamping port  26 . The interior of the internal plywood  251  is fastened onto the integrated control seat  20  via a bolt  62 . The adjustable clamp  25  also comprises a packing locator  63 . The packing locator  63  has a screw bolt  632  with rotary knob  631  so that a rotating cylinder  65  with tapped hole  64  is screwed onto the interior of the external plywood  252 , and a long through-hole  66  is opened on the inner wall of the internal plywood  251 . Then, the screw bolt  632  is allowed to penetrate the long through-hole  66 , and the tapped hole  64  of the rotating cylinder  65  is abutted into the trough  622  of the bolt head  621  at inner end of the internal plywood  251 . 
     As for the preferred embodiment of the swinging portion  27  at the assembly end  24  of integrated control seat  20 , a protruding seat  241  is formed on the assembly end  24  of the integrated control seat  20 . The protruding seat  241  is defined to form an internal wall  242  and external wall  243 . The protruding seat  241  is transversely provided with a through-hole  244 , so that the inner wall of the internal plywood  251  of aforementioned adjustable clamp  25  is abutted onto the internal wall  242  of the protruding seat  241 . The control member  28  is comprised of a rotary knob  282  with a threaded hole  281 , and then the bolt  62  is used to penetrate the internal plywood  251  of the adjustable clamp  25 , through-hole  244  of the protruding seat  241  and the threaded hole  281  of rotary knob  282 , enabling the bolt head  621  of the bolt  62  to be abutted onto the internal plywood  251  of the adjustable clamp  25 . The stud of the bolt  62  is screwed onto the threaded hole  281  of the rotary knob  282 . 
     The assembly end  41  of the assembly frame  40  could be embedded into the lateral guide inlet  52  of the connecting slot  51 , and then forcibly pushed forwards the single-sided oblique guide surface  581  to cross the retaining portion  58  of the pin  56 . Next, the assembly end  41  of the assembly frame  40  is limited securely between the internal retaining wall  53  of the connecting slot  51  and the retaining portion  58  of the pin  56 . Conversely, when the pin  56  is pulled upwards by the pulling portion  59 , the retaining portion  58  is disengaged from the connecting slot  51 , so the assembly end  41  of the assembly frame  40  could be released from the connecting slot  51 . 
     A reducing through-hole  551  is arranged at top of the groove  55  of the accommodating seat  54 , so that the top of the pin  56  penetrates the reducing through-hole  551  to form the pulling portion  59 . Rings  70  are arranged on the pulling portion  59 . Then, the rings  70  at the left and right sides of the pin  56  of the wheel body  13  of wheelchair body  10  are linked by a connector  71  (strip, rope, chain, rod) for simultaneous motion. 
     Based upon above-specified structures, the present invention is operated as follows: 
     One function of the integrated control seat  20  is that can be assembled onto wheelchairs of different diameters via the adjustable clamp  25 . Referring to  FIG. 4 , the rotary knob  631  of the packing locator  63  could be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise to drive the screw bolt  632  and tapped hole  64  of the rotating cylinder  65  for relative screwing motion. The rotating cylinder  65  will shift forwards and backwards on the screw bolt  632 , thus driving the external plywood  252  to generate swinging behavior, leading to varied clearance of the clamping port  26  formed between internal and external plywood  251 ,  252  of the adjustable clamp  25 . Based on the adjustable structure of the clamping port  26  of the adjustable clamp  25 , the integrated control seat  20  could be assembled onto the handle  11  of different diameters; meanwhile, the adjustable clamp  25  could be fastened securely with the use of packing locator  63 . 
     The second function of the integrated control seat  20  is to change the swinging angle of the integrated control seat  20  via the swinging portion  63 , so as to adjust the spacing between the acceleration lever  22  and handle  11  for manual operation. Referring to  FIG. 4 , the rotary knob  282  of the control member  28  could be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise to control the positioning or adjustment state of the integrated control seat  20 . When the rotary knob  282  is loosened, the internal wall  242  of the protruding seat  241  and the internal plywood  251  of the adjustable clamp  25  will become loosened, so the swinging angle of the integrated control seat  20  can be adjusted. Conversely, when the rotary knob  282  is tightened, the internal wall  242  of the protruding seat  241  and the internal plywood  251  of the adjustable clamp  25  will become tightened for positioning the integrated control seat  20 . 
     Additionally, based on the adjustable swinging characteristics, the integrated control seat  20  can be applied to wheelchair handles of different shapes. Referring to  FIG. 4 , the adjustable clamp  25  of the integrated control seat  20  is adapted onto the cross-bar section of the handle  11 . Referring also to  FIG. 5 , the adjustable clamp  25  of the integrated control seat  20  is adapted onto the curved section of the handle  11 B. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the assembly frame  40  is provided with adjustment member  42  that can define the protruding length of two assembly ends  41  in line with the extended width of the wheelchair body  10 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , when the assembly end  41  of the assembly frame  40  enters transversely into the lateral guide inlet  52  of the connecting slot  51 , the assembly end  41  will slide along the single-sided oblique guide surface  581 , so that the retaining portion  58  will push upwards the elastic member  57  and make it accumulate elastic force under the transverse force applied by the assembly end  41 . As such, the assembly end  41  can smoothly slide into the connecting slot  51 . When the assembly end  41  passes through the retaining portion  58 , the elastic member  57  will release the elastic force, and then the retaining portion  58  will slide down and protrude from the groove  55 . The assembly end  41  is just positioned between the internal retaining wall  53  and retaining portion  58 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , the pulling portion  59  is fitted with a ring  70 . The rings  70 , at left and right sides of the pin  56  of the wheel body  13 , are linked by a connector  71  (strip, rope, chain, rod) for simultaneous motion. When it is intended to be disengaged from the assembly end  41  at both ends of the assembly frame  40 , the connector  71  could be pulled so that the pulling portion  59  at top of the pin  56  can protrude simultaneously from the reducing through-hole  551 , allowing the retaining portion  58  to recess into the groove  55  and then disengage the assembly end  41  of the assembly frame  40 .