Abstract:
An off-road chair comprises a U-shaped chassis configured to receive a rider in a wheel chair type (manual or electric); at least one wheel attached to the chassis; and a floor section. The floor section is configured to attach to the bottom of the U-shaped chassis and to provide a floor; be lowered to provide a ramp for the rider to get on the floor section; and be raised to attach to a bottom part of the U-shaped chassis. The U-shaped chassis is configured to receive a wheel chair type (manual or electric) carrying the rider. The off-road chair further comprises a front bumper attached to a front of the U-shaped chassis, wherein the front bumper is configured to swing up with respect to the U-shaped chassis, enabling the rider to get on the floor section; and be lowered to lock to the chassis and protect the rider.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
       [0001]    This non-provisional patent application claims the benefit of priority in, and incorporates by reference the entire content of, U.S. provisional application No. 62/032,009, filed Aug. 1, 2014, and entitled “Versatile Off Road Chair.” 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates generally to versatile off-road chairs, and in particular to an off-road vehicle with a U-shaped chassis that enables users to get on and ride the vehicle with their wheelchair or other types of chairs. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Riders often use off-road vehicles to access rough terrains such as hills, snowy roads, uneven paths in forests, etc. Such terrains, however, are not accessible to disabled people that, for example, use a wheelchair. Similarly, a rider may wish to ride in such terrains while sitting in a power chair or a wheelchair that the rider can move in and out of the vehicle. The systems and methods of this disclosure address such and similar needs, as well as other improvements in off-road vehicles. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]    The drawings are not necessarily to scale or exhaustive. Instead, emphasis is generally placed upon illustrating the principles of the embodiments described herein. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in this specification and constitute a part of it, illustrate several embodiments consistent with the disclosure. Together with the description, the drawings serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. 
           [0005]    In the drawings: 
           [0006]      FIGS. 1A-1E  show different views of a versatile off-road vehicle, called Ripchair, according to some embodiments. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  shows a part set that includes different parts of a Ripchair according to some embodiments. 
           [0008]      FIGS. 3A-3D  show different views of a U-shaped chassis according to some embodiments. 
           [0009]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  show flowcharts for building and assembling a chassis according to some embodiments. 
           [0010]      FIGS. 5A-5C  illustrate some of the mechanisms used in combining the chassis with the front bumper and the lower section according to some embodiments. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a dimension drawing, showing dimensions of a Ripchair according to one embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. The same or similar reference numbers may be used in the drawings or in the description to refer to the same or similar parts. Also, similarly named elements may perform similar functions and may be similarly designed, unless specified otherwise. Details are set forth to provide an understanding of the exemplary embodiments. Embodiments, e.g., alternative embodiments, may be practiced without some of these details. In other instances, well known techniques, procedures, and components have not been described in detail to avoid obscuring the described embodiments. 
         [0013]    Various embodiments disclose features of versatile off-road chairs. In some embodiments, a versatile off-road chair is called a Ripchair™. One example if a Ripchair is Ripchair 3.0 manufactured by Howe and Howe Technologies. 
         [0014]    Various embodiments provide a unique off-road chair that combines different important features. One feature includes a shape that can receive and accommodate a power chair, wheelchair, or alike. Such feature is accomplished by having a U-shaped chassis with a ramp type floor that allows the chair to back up into the off-road chair. The other features is achieving rigidity and sturdiness for negotiating rough terrains despite the U-shaped chassis. These features are achieved by different parts that form the chassis, such as internal plates, or attach to the chassis, such as a front bumper or hinged floor. These features are further explained below. 
         [0015]      FIGS. 1A-1E  show different views of a Ripchair  100  according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, a Ripchair is able to carry one or more people. In some embodiments, the Ripchair can receive a wheelchair or in a chair. The Ripchair may lock in that wheelchair or chair, and carry it around. A person may sit in the wheelchair or the chair, and ride the Ripchair. 
         [0016]    Ripchair  100  includes a top section  110 , a top-back section  120 , a front bumper  130 , a U-shaped chassis  140 , side track section  150 , a floor section  160 , an engine  170 , and one or more fuel tanks  167 . In some embodiments, side track section  150  may be replaced with wheels or similar structures. 
         [0017]    Top back section covers engine  170 . Floor section  160  forms a floor of the Ripchair. Floor section  160  includes a ramp composed of ramp floor  162  and ramp assist plate  164 . 
         [0018]    Attached to chassis  140 , are steering handles  148 , used for steering or accelerating Ripchair  100 . In some embodiments, steering handles  140  are connected to a hinge point at their bottoms, where they are then connected to a push/pull cable. The push/pull cable connects to hydrostatic transmission control valves that cause acceleration or deceleration of the Ripchair. 
         [0019]    Chassis  140  further includes a console area  149 . Console area  149  includes controls such as buttons and knobs for operating Ripchair  100 . These controls may be configured for different operations such as switching the Ripchair on or off. Console area  149  may also hold a shaft mount motion controller designed for operators that do not have full use of their hands. 
         [0020]    Side track section  150  includes sprocket  192 , suspension carrier  193 , tension bracket  194 , dogleg assembly  195 , and suspension spring  196 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 1E  shows a chair  180  positioned inside a Ripchair  100  according to an embodiment. Chair  180  may, for example, be a wheelchair (manual or electric) in which a person sits and rides Ripchair  100 . The person, may, for example back up wheelchair  180  into the riding area in the center of chassis  140  to be get positioned inside Ripchair  100 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  shows a part set  200  that includes different parts of a Ripchair according to some embodiments. Part set  200  includes a top-back section  220 , a front bumper  230 , a chassis  240 , a ramp floor  262 , a ramp assist plate  264 , a front sprocket  292 , suspension carrier  293 , track tension bracket  294 , dogleg assembly  295 , and suspension spring  296 . 
         [0023]    Ramp assist plate  264  attaches to the front of ramp floor  262  to form the floor section. Ramp assist plate  264  may be hinged to the front of ramp floor  262 , such that it can move up and down. Moreover, in some embodiments, ramp floor  262  includes chair lock  265 . Chair lock  265  provides a lock to which a chair can lock when the chair enters the Ripchair and is positioned on floor section  260 . In some embodiments, the chair may be a wheelchair, and chair lock  265  may be a wheelchair lock for locking the wheelchair to the floor. 
         [0024]    The parts may be assembled together to enable different features of the Ripchair, as further described below. In some embodiments, one or more of the parts are made from aerospace grade aluminum and designed for high strength and low weight. 
         [0025]      FIGS. 3A-3D  show different views of a U-shaped chassis  300  according to some embodiments. In particular,  FIG. 3A  shows a profile view ( 300 ( a )) and a bottom view ( 300 ( b )) of chassis  300 . The U shape of the chassis enables many of the functionalities of the Ripchair according to some embodiments. As seen, the U-shaped chassis provides a riding area  302  in the middle. The U shape and riding area  302  allow for the Ripchair to encompass or surround another vehicle or chair. To drive the Ripchair, a user may enter and ride in riding area  302  on foot, or in a vehicle such as a wheelchair, chair, etc. 
         [0026]    In some embodiments, chassis  300  is built from parts and in shapes that add structure and flexibility to the chassis, such that it can stand torques and pressures during rides in uneven and rough terrains. The structure acts as a rigid frame that allows for chassis  300  to resist vertical and horizontal deformation forces. 
         [0027]    In particular, as seen in  FIGS. 3B-3D , chassis  300  includes an upper floor plate  311 , lower floor plate  312 , two inner walls  321 , two outer walls  322 , a backbone  330 , three top bars that include two armrest support bars  341  and one cross top bar  342 , a lower armrest plate  351 , and an upper armrest plate  352 . Upper and lower floor plates are both U-shaped, in that they accommodate and form parts of riding area  302 . Similarly, lower and upper armrest pates  351  and  352  are both U-shaped and form the structure on which console area  149  is installed. In chassis  300 , four plates that are installed horizontally provide separate enforcement planes, and add rigidity and strength to chassis  300 . These horizontal plates are, from bottom to top, lower floor plate  312 , upper floor plate  311 , lower armrest plate  351 , and upper armrest plate  352 . These horizontal plate also all U-shaped, in that each of them forms a U-shaped open area that forms part of the riding area  302 . 
         [0028]    Further, backbone  330  acts as an anchoring point for the entire structure. In some embodiments, backbone  330  is made of square tubes. 
         [0029]    In addition to their versatility and sturdiness, the off-road chairs of the embodiments may be built in an economical and efficient manner. Many of their parts, for example, can be cut from flat plates, bent or folded if necessary, and then attached together. 
         [0030]    For example, in some embodiments, chassis  300  of  FIGS. 3A-3D  can be built and assembled in an efficient manner.  FIGS. 4A and 4B  show flowcharts  400  and  450 , which illustrates the building and assembly of the parts according to some embodiments. 
         [0031]    In  FIG. 4A , step  410 , many parts of chassis  300  are cut from a flat metallic plate in the desired form. In some embodiments, these parts are cut by a precision from one or more flat metallic plates. The parts that can thus be cut may include upper and lower floor plates, inner and outer walls, and lower and upper armrest plates. In addition, some other parts of the Ripchair, such as the fuel tank, may also be cut from flat metallic plates. After cutting these parts from flat plates, tongues or grooves may also be cut in specific parts of the plates. 
         [0032]    In some embodiments, the metallic plates are aluminum plates. The metallic plate may also be made of different types of steel, titanium, etc. Moreover, some embodiments use a flow waterjet to accurately cut the different parts, and their grooves or tongue. In some embodiments, the accuracy of the flow waterjet device is about 0.002-0.003 of an inch. 
         [0033]    Some other parts of the Ripchair may not be cut out of flat plates. Those parts include, for example, the backbone, armrest support bars, or cross top bar. These three types of parts, for example, may be cut out of metallic tubes. For the backbone, the metallic tubes are welded together to form the backbone. 
         [0034]    In step  420 , some of the parts folded to their desired shapes. For example, the upper armrest plate may be folded along folding lines seen in, e.g.,  FIG. 3A . Similarly, the cut plate for the fuel tank may be folded to form the fuel tank. 
         [0035]    In step  430 , the parts that are thus prepared are assembled to form the chassis, as further detailed in  FIG. 4B   
         [0036]      FIG. 4B  shows a flowchart  450  showing the steps included in an assembly of chassis parts according to some embodiments. 
         [0037]    In step  452 , inner walls  321  are placed and attached inside of backbone  330  as shown in, e.g.,  FIGS. 3B-3D . In step  454 , upper floor plate  311  is installed in place, as also shown in  FIGS. 3B-3D . In some embodiments, the upper floor plate is installed by fitting into corresponding grooves located in inner walls  321 . 
         [0038]    In step  456 , lower floor plate  312  is installed below backbone  330 . In some embodiments, the lower floor plates also fits into corresponding grooves in inner walls  321 . 
         [0039]    In step  458 , two armrest support bars  341  are attached to backbone  330 . In some embodiments, the armrest support bars are welded to vertical arms  332  of the backbone. 
         [0040]    In step  460 , lower armrest plate  351  is installed. In some embodiments, the lower armrest plate is attached to inner walls  321  by fitting into corresponding grooves. 
         [0041]    In step  462 , cross top bar  342  is installed by, for example, being welded in place. 
         [0042]    In step  464 , upper armrest plate  352  is installed. In some embodiments, the upper armrest plate is also attached to inner walls  321  by fitting into corresponding grooves. 
         [0043]    In step  466 , two outer walls  322  are attached outside the above assembled parts to complete building chassis  300 . 
         [0044]    In some embodiments, the above-listed parts may be assembled in a different order. For example, instead of steps  452  and  454 , upper floor plate  311  may be first attached to two inner walls  321 . Backbone  330  may then be installed by sliding two vertical arms  332  up the corresponding slots in upper floor plate  311 . After that, lower floor plate  312  may be installed in the manner described in step  456 . 
         [0045]    As explained above, assembling chassis  300  requires few steps that include some interlocking of parts by, e.g., fitting tongues into grooves. After being fitted in place, the parts may further be welded along their contacts to strengthen the attachment. 
         [0046]    Moreover, to make manufacturing the Ripchair faster, easier, and more accurate, the chassis is designed using plate pieces of material that are notched to fit other flat pieces. 
         [0047]      FIGS. 5A-5C  illustrate some of the mechanisms used in combining the chassis with the front bumper and the lower section according to some embodiments. In particular,  FIG. 5A  shows a view of a Ripchair  500  according to an embodiment. Ripchair  500  includes front bumper  530 , chassis  540 , and lower section  560 . Lower section  560  includes a floor section having a ramp  564 . Chassis  540  includes two side walls  542  on its two sides. Side walls  542  include the two inner walls, the two outer walls, and the console area discussed above. 
         [0048]    Front bumper  530  is hinged to the back of chassis  540 . Front bumper  530  is configured to swing down to be placed in front of side wall  542 . When the bumper swings down and into place, the bumper is locked by hinged fingers that connect to solenoid actuators located on chassis  540 . 
         [0049]    During operation, front bumper  530  may be brought down and locked to chassis  540  for safety reasons. Such lowered front bumper is shown, for example, in  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  1 D, and  1 E, The lowered front bumper  530  may protect a passenger of the Ripchair from, for example, being thrown out of the Ripchair due to a forward thrust. In this configuration, front bumper  530  also adds support for forces that act backward against the bumper, and adds structural support to U-Shaped chassis  540 . 
         [0050]    Moreover, front bumper  530  is configured to swing up, as shown in  FIG. 5A . This lifted front bumper  530  allows, for example, a passenger to get on or off Ripchair. In this case, with front bumper  530  up and ramp  564  down, a user can backup a wheelchair or a power chair into Ripchair  500 . Ramp  564 , in its down position shown in  FIG. 5A , provides a bridge for such getting on or off. 
         [0051]    After getting on Ripchair  500 , a user may bring down bumper  530  and lift up ramp  564 . The user can then operate Ripchair  500 . 
         [0052]    In some embodiments, the lowered bumper  530  locks into place by hinged fingers that connect to solenoid actuators.  FIG. 5B  shows some specifics of an interlocking mechanism between front bumper  530  and chassis  540  according to some embodiments. In particular, chassis  540  has a moving lock part that includes a lock hinge  545  and a lock tongue  547 . As shown in  FIG. 5C , when the front bumper comes down, it rests over lock hinge  545 . Moreover, an internal spring pushed out lock tongue  547 , which rests on top of the front bumper and prevents it from moving up. The front bumper is thus locked in place. 
         [0053]    To unlock the front bumper, the rider may operate a corresponding switch. The corresponding switch may activate a solenoid inside chassis. The solenoid may in turn pull back lock tongue  547 , thus releasing the front bumper and allowing it to move up. Alternatively, if for example the solenoid fails, a user may release the lock by pushing back the lock tongue  547 . 
         [0054]      FIG. 5C  shows some specifics of an interlocking mechanism between ramp  564  and chassis  540 . In particular, ramp  564  includes one or more tongues  565 . When ramp  564  is lifted up, tongue  565  enters slots in the matching parts under chassis  540 . This interlocking cause lower section  560  to attach to chassis  540  and add to its reinforcement against external deforming forces. 
         [0055]      FIG. 6  is a dimension drawing, showing some details and dimensions of a Ripchair according to one embodiment. In  FIG. 6 , the dimensions are shown in inches. 
         [0056]    While several exemplary embodiments and features are described here, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations may be possible, without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments. Accordingly, unless explicitly stated otherwise, the descriptions relate to one or more embodiments and should not be construed to limit the embodiments as a whole. This is true regardless of whether or not the disclosure states that a feature is related to “a,” “the,” “one,” “one or more,” “some,” or “various” embodiments. Instead, the proper scope of the embodiments is defined by the appended claims. Further, stating that a feature may exist indicates that the feature may exist in one or more embodiments. 
         [0057]    In this disclosure, the terms “include,” “comprise,” “contain,” and “have,” when used after a set or a system, mean an open inclusion and do not exclude addition of other, non-enumerated, members to the set or to the system. Further, unless stated otherwise or deducted otherwise from the context, the conjunction “or,” if used, is not exclusive, but is instead inclusive to mean and/or. Moreover, if these terms are used, a subset of a set may include one or more than one, including all, members of the set.