Patent Publication Number: US-8985600-B2

Title: Adjustable wheelchair seat

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation of, and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 to, previously filed and co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 13/920,528, filed Jun. 18, 2013, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The disclosure is directed to vehicles, such as wheelchairs. More particularly, the disclosure is directed to wheelchairs configured to be used in one or more activities in which a user is participating. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Conventional vehicles (e.g., mobility vehicles), such as wheelchairs, may be manually operated and/or may be powered by a motor. Illustratively, manual and powered or motorized wheelchairs typically include a frame, a seat supported by the frame and a plurality of wheels in communication with the frame. Typically, a powered or motorized wheelchair may include a motor supported by a structure of the frame, where the motor may be in communication with one or more wheels connected to the frame. Typical powered or motorized vehicles include a power source. For example, typical power sources may include a battery located within the frame. 
     SUMMARY 
     This disclosure is directed to several alternative or complementary designs of, materials of, and methods of using vehicles, such as wheelchairs. Although it is noted that various wheelchairs exist, there exists need for improvement on those devices. 
     Accordingly, one illustrative embodiment of the disclosure may include a vehicle assembly having a frame, a seat supported by the frame, and a plurality of wheels supporting the frame. The seat and frame of the wheelchair may each have a plane extending therethrough and equidistance from the first side of the wheelchair and the second side of the wheelchair. The seat of the wheelchair, in some cases, may be adjustable in a first direction and a second direction to position the plane of the seat in a position offset from and parallel to the plane of the frame. Additionally, the seat of the wheelchair, in some cases, may be adjustable to position the plane of the seat in a non-parallel orientation with respect to the plane of the frame. 
     In some instances, the disclosure may include a wheelchair assembly including a seat, one or more wheels, and a support, where the seat may have a base and a back portion facing a first direction. The support may support the seat and the one or more wheels with respect to the seat. The seat of the wheelchair assembly may be laterally adjustable in a second direction and a third direction, where the second and third direction may be substantially perpendicular to the first direction. Additionally, the seat may be rotatable toward the first direction and the second direction with respect to the support. 
     In operation, the wheelchair may be used in any of one or more methods of adjustment. For example, a seat of the wheelchair may be laterally slid in one of a first direction and a second direction. Further, the seat of the wheelchair may be rotated toward the one of the first direction and the second direction. The first direction and/or the second direction in which the seat is laterally adjusted and toward which the seat is rotated may be substantially perpendicular to a third direction in which a back portion of the seat is facing. Additionally, a user may roll a bowling ball or participate in a sporting activity while seated in the laterally adjusted and rotated seat to roll the bowling ball or otherwise participate from an off-centered and rotated or tilted position. Additionally, or alternatively, the wheelchair may be used in other activities (including sporting activities). Such activities may include, but are not limited to fencing, horse shoes, lawn bowling, track and field events, bocce ball, tennis, basketball, softball, gardening, etc. 
     The above summary of some example aspects is not intended to describe each disclosed embodiment or every implementation of the claimed disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure may be more completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view from above of an illustrative powered wheelchair structure; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view from a front of an illustrative powered wheelchair structure; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view from a rear of an illustrative powered wheelchair structure; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view from a side of an illustrate powered wheelchair structure; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view from a top of an illustrative powered wheelchair structure; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view from the rear of an illustrative powered wheelchair structure; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic view from the rear of an illustrative powered wheelchair structure; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view from the rear of an illustrative powered wheelchair structure; 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic view from the rear of an illustrative powered wheelchair structure; 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic perspective view from above an illustrative seat adjustment mechanism of an illustrative powered wheelchair structure; and 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic flow diagram of an illustrative method of a powered wheelchair. 
     
    
    
     While the disclosure is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit aspects of the claimed disclosure to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the claimed disclosure. 
     DESCRIPTION 
     For the following defined terms, these definitions shall be applied, unless a different definition is given in the claims or elsewhere in this specification. 
     All numeric values are herein assumed to be modified by the term “about”, whether or not explicitly indicated. The term “about” generally refers to a range of numbers that one of skill in the art would consider equivalent to the recited value (i.e., having the same function or result). In many instances, the term “about” may be indicative as including numbers that are rounded to the nearest significant figure. 
     The recitation of numerical ranges by endpoints includes all numbers within that range (e.g., 1 to 5 includes 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, and 5). 
     Although some suitable dimensions, ranges and/or values pertaining to various components, features and/or specifications are disclosed, one of skill in the art, incited by the present disclosure, would understand desired dimensions, ranges and/or values may deviate from those expressly disclosed. 
     As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the term “or” is generally employed in its sense including “and/or” unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. 
     The following detailed description should be read with reference to the drawings in which similar elements in different drawings are numbered the same. The detailed description and the drawings, which are not necessarily to scale, depict illustrative embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed disclosure. The illustrative embodiments depicted are intended only as exemplary. Selected features of any illustrative embodiment may be incorporated into an additional embodiment unless clearly stated to the contrary. Further, any numbers used to describe like features (e.g., a first wheel and a second wheel) are used for clarity of descriptiveness purposes and are not meant to limit the interpretation or scope of such features. 
     Generally, as described herein, a mobility vehicle assembly may be a wheelchair  10 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-9 , or any other vehicle. The wheelchair  10  may be manually operated or may be a powered wheelchair  10 . In some instances, the wheelchair  10  may include a frame or support  12 , one or more seats  14 , and/or one or more similar or dissimilar wheels  16  (e.g., a first wheel  16   a , a second wheel  16   b , a third wheel  16   c , a fourth wheel  16   d , etc.), where at least one wheel  16  may be configured to be out of the way of a user when the user swings its arm. For example, as shown in the Figures, on a performance side of the wheelchair  10  (e.g., a side of the wheelchair  10  without an armrest  42 , a joystick controller  46 , other potentially restrictive feature, or with a potentially restrictive feature that can be adjusted and/or moved from a user&#39;s path), the first wheel  16   a  and the third wheel  16   c  may be positioned such that they do not fully restrict a user&#39;s arm motion (e.g., an arm has a full or substantially full range of motion) when the user is swinging its arm (e.g., while rolling a bowling ball, tossing a softball, swinging a golf club, swinging a tennis racquet, etc.). 
     In some cases, the wheelchair  10  may be motorized. A motorized wheelchair  10  may include a power generator (e.g., a motor  36 ) and energy to feed the power generator (e.g., a battery  38 , such as a full-size marine battery or other battery  38 , as desired), as shown throughout  FIGS. 1-9 . The power generator may be any type of motor, such as an electric motor, a gas motor, or other motor typically used on mobility vehicles (e.g., motorized wheelchairs  10 ). The battery  38  may be any type of battery configured to store electricity and may include one or more batteries, as desired. The motor  36  and the battery  38  may be in at least electrical communication with one another and may be in a single housing, separate housings, separable housings, or one or more of the motor  36  and the battery  38  may not include a housing, as desired. Additionally, or alternatively, the battery  38  may be utilized to power a motor  70  utilized to adjust the seat  14  with respect to the frame or support  12 . As shown in  FIGS. 1-9 , the motor  36  and the battery  38  may be supported by the frame or support  12  of the wheelchair  10 . In some instances, one or more of the motor  36  and the battery  38  may be supported by or at or near a base of the frame or support  12 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     In addition to, or in alternative to, a battery  38  and/or a motor  36  positioned on the second side  12   b  of the frame or support  12 , the frame or support  12  may support a weight. In some instances, the weight may act as a ballast and may be positioned so as to facilitate maintaining a center of gravity of a user and wheelchair  10  between the first side  10   a , the second side  10   b , the third side  10   c , and the fourth side  10   d  of the wheelchair  10  when a user is participating in an activity in which the user may need to lean toward a side of the wheelchair  10 . Illustratively, the weight may include one or more of the motor  36 , the battery  38 , and any other feature having a mass and/or configured as a ballast to facilitate maintaining a center of gravity of a user and the wheelchair  10 . 
     The wheelchair  10  may have any size and/or dimension. For example, the distance from the seat  14  to a floor or ground may be at least one inch, at least two inches, at least five inches, at least ten inches, at least eighteen inches, at least twenty inches, etc. Similarly, other features of the wheelchair  10  may take on any typical or atypical sizes or dimensions of wheelchairs  10 , as desired. 
     The frame or support  12  may be configured to be in communication with the one or more seats  14  (e.g., the frame or support  12  may be configured to support the seat(s)  14 ) and/or in communication with the one or more wheels  16 . In one example, the frame or support  12  may support the seat  14  and support the one or more wheels  16  with respect to the seat  14   
     The seat(s)  14  may be a suitable type of seat. For example, the seat  14  may be one or more layers of fabric and/or other material(s) extending between, under, on, and/or over a seat frame, the seat  14  may have a cushioned base portion and fabric back portion, the seat  14  may be an automobile seat, and/or the seat  14  may have any other configuration, as desired. In some instances, the seat  14  may have a plurality of portions. For example, the seat  14  may have a first portion  30  (e.g., the base portion) and a second portion  32  (e.g., the back portion). In some instances, the first portion  30  of the seat  14  may have a depth D, as shown in  FIG. 1 , where the depth D may have a first distance. The second portion  32  of the seat  14  may have a height H, as shown in  FIG. 1 , where the height H may have a second distance. Illustratively, the second distance may be equal to the first distance, the second distance may be less than first distance, or the second distance may be greater than the first distance (e.g., such as in an automobile seat), as shown in  FIGS. 1-9 . 
     The first portion  30  and second portion  32  of the seat  14  may have any number of sub-portions spanning from a first side  10   a  of the wheelchair  10  to a second side  10   b  of the wheelchair  10 . As shown in the Figures, the first portion  30  and the second portion  32  of the seat  14  each may comprise a single sub-portion (e.g., cushions or other seat dividers), but this is not required and one or more of the first portion  30  and the second portion  32  may have multiple seat sub-portions. For example, the seat  14  may have a single sub-portion configured for a single person, a single sub-portion configured for multiple people, multiple sub-portions configured for a single person, multiple sub-portions configured for multiple people, and/or any other set of sub-portions configured for any number of people. In one example, the first portion  30  and the second portion  32  of the seat  14  may each have one sub-portion toward the first side  10   a  of the wheelchair  10  and a separate sub-portion toward the second side  10   b  of the wheelchair  10  (not shown). 
     The wheels  16  may have a suitable shape and/or dimension as desired. In some instances, smaller diameter wheels  16  as compared to larger diameter wheels  16  may allow the wheelchair  10  to have a center of gravity nearer a floor or ground surface. Further, the wheels  16  may have any thickness, width, and/or density, as desired. For example, high pressure wheels  16  or solid rubber wheels  16  may be used and may reduce centrifugal bouncing when a user of the wheelchair  10  is participating in activities. Alternatively, or in addition, the wheelchair  10  may have other advancing mechanisms including, but not limited to, tracks, rotating bands, skis, and other similar and/or dissimilar advancing mechanisms. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-9 , the wheelchair  10  may include one or more armrests  42  (e.g., two armrests  42  are shown in  FIG. 1  and one armrest  42  is shown in  FIGS. 2-9 ). The armrests  42  may be configured for any purpose. For example, the armrests  42  may be configured for comfort while a user uses the wheelchair  10 , to support a user while the user may be positioned within the adjusted wheelchair  10 , and/or configured for other purposes. In some instances, one or more of the armrests  42  may be moveable or adjustable to clear or substantially clear a side of the wheelchair  10  (e.g., a performance side of the wheelchair  10 ) to allow a user to participate in an activity by providing a space to the side of the wheelchair  10  for a full or substantially full range of motion for a user&#39;s arm, which may facilitate the user&#39;s participation in an activity. 
     As shown in the figures, the armrest  42  may support a joystick controller  46  or other controller. The joystick controller  46  may be configured to be interacted with to navigate the wheelchair  10  and/or adjust the positioning of the seat  14  from side-to-side and/or adjust a rotation of the seat  14 . In some cases, the armrest  42  may support a separate controller configured to adjust the position of the seat. Alternatively, or in addition, the joystick controller  46  or other controller (e.g., a seat adjusting controller, etc.) may be connected to any other feature of the wheelchair  10 , including, but not limited to, the frame or support  12  and the seat  14 . Other controllers and controller configurations are contemplated. 
     In some instances, a pair or more of the one or more wheels  16  (e.g., the first wheel  16   a  and the second wheel  16   b  or the third wheel  16   c  and the fourth wheel  16   d ) may be configured to rotate about a wheel axis W-W ( FIG. 3 ) or W′-W′ ( FIG. 2 ) of the wheelchair  10 . For example, the first wheel  16   a  may be configured to rotate relative to the frame or support  12  and about the wheel axis W-W, and the second wheel  16   b  may be configured to rotate relative to the frame or support  12  and about the wheel axis W-W, as shown in  FIG. 3 , where one or more wheel axles or wheel extensions may extend through axis W-W. In some cases, the pair of wheels  16  may be configured to rotate about the wheel axis W-W or W′-W′ may be positioned or located toward a rear portion of the wheelchair  10  (as shown in  FIG. 3 ) or a front portion of the wheelchair  10  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ). Alternative, or in addition, one or more of the wheels  16  may be caster wheels or other wheel types that are configured to rotate and/or swivel about a wheel axis W-W, W′-W′, or other axis. 
     The frame or support  12  may have a plane B-B extending therethrough, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  (note, plane B-B (e.g., a second plane) overlaps with plane A-A (e.g., a first plane) in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ). In some instances, the plane B-B may be positioned between an edge of a first side  12   a  of the frame or support  12  and an edge of a second side  12   b  of the frame or support  12  and may extend through an edge of a third side  12   c  of the frame or support  12  and an edge of a fourth side  12   d  of the frame or support  12 . In one example, the plane B-B (e.g., a central plane) may be positioned equidistance from the first side  16   a  of the frame or support  12  and from the second side  16   b  of the frame or support  12 , but this may not always be the case. 
     Generally, the frame or support  12  may be separable from other features of the wheelchair  10  and may be configured to be used in a variety of wheelchair  10  orientations. For example, the frame or support  12  may be configured to be used in a wheelchair  10  that may have an orientation for a right-handed user needing to be able to lean toward the right to participate in one or more activities and/or in a wheelchair  10  that may have an orientation for a left-handed user needing to be able to lean toward the left to participate in activities. Such a configured frame or support  12 , in some cases, may be symmetric about plane B-B of the frame or support  12  and/or symmetric from the rear  10   d  of the wheelchair  10  to the front  10   c  of the wheelchair  10  to facilitate being used in the manufacturing of wheelchairs  10  manufactured for left-handed users and wheelchairs  10  manufactured for right-handed users. Some example wheelchair frames may be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/650,566 filed on Oct. 12, 2012 and entitled “MULTIPURPOSE VEHICLE”, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-9 , the frame or support  12  may include a double K-frame. As best shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the double K-frame frame or support  12  may have an outer frame  18 . From an upper left corner of the outer frame  18  one sub-support  19  may extend to a lower mid-portion of the outer frame  18 . From an upper right corner of the outer frame  18  one sub-support  19  may extend to the lower mid-portion of the outer frame  18  adjacent the other sub-support  19 . From a lower left corner of the outer frame  18  a mid-support  20  may extend to a mid portion of one of the sub-supports  19  (e.g., the closest sub-support  19 , the sub-support  19  that will provide the most support for the wheelchair  10 , or other sub-support  19 ). From a lower right corner of the outer frame  18  a mid-support  20  may extend to a mid portion of one of the sub-supports  19  (e.g., the closest sub-support  19 , the sub-support  19  that will provide the most support for the wheelchair  10 , or other sub-support  19 ). The sub-supports  19  and the mid-supports  20  may be positioned in substantially the same positions at the third side  12   c  of the frame or support  12  and the fourth side  12   d  of the frame or support  12 . Alternatively, or in addition, any side of, or portion in, the outer frame  18  may include one or more sub-supports  19  and/or one or more mid-supports  20  in any orientation, as desired. Although the outer frame  18 , the sub-supports  19 , and the mid-supports  20  are described and shown herein as being in particular orientations with respect to one another, it is contemplated the outer frame  18 , the sub-supports  19 , and/or the mid-supports  20  may have other spatial relationships that may be substantially similar to the described orientations and/or that are different than the described orientations. In some instances, the frame or support  12  may include one or more less or additional sub-supports  19  and/or mid-supports  20 , and/or the outer frame  18 , the sub-supports  19 , and/or the mid-supports  20  may take on and/or form shapes other than those described and shown herein. 
     In some instances, the seat  14  may have a plane A-A extending therethrough, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  (as noted above, plane A-A overlaps with plane B-B in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ). The plane A-A may be positioned between an edge of the first side  10   a  of the wheelchair  10  and an edge of the second side  10   b  of the wheelchair  10  and may extend through an edge of a third side  10   c  of the wheelchair  10  and an edge of a fourth side  10   d  of the wheelchair  10 . In one example, the plane A-A (e.g., a central plane) may be positioned equidistance or substantially equidistance from the edge of the first side  10   a  of the wheelchair  10  and from the edge of the second side  10   b  of the wheelchair  10 , but this may not always be the case. The edges of the sides (e.g., sides  10   a - 10   d ) of the wheelchair  10  may be defined by the outer perimeter of the wheelchair  10  at a particular height and may be formed by outer edges of the frame or support  12 , the seat  14 , or other features of the wheelchair  10 . Alternatively, or in addition, the edges of the sides (e.g., sides  10   a - 10   d ) of the wheelchair  10  may be defined by a box formed around the wheelchair that has edges running tangential to the widest, tallest, and lowest points thereon. 
     In some instances, the seat  14  may be adjustable. For example, the seat  14  may be adjustable (e.g. laterally adjustable) in at least a first direction  60  (as shown in  FIG. 6 ) and a second direction  62  (as shown in  FIG. 7 ), where the seat may be adjusted with respect to the frame or support  12 . Illustratively, the first direction  60  and second direction  62  may be relative to a direction (e.g., the third direction  64 ) in which the seat  14  (e.g, the second portion  32  or back portion of the seat  14 ) is facing. In one example, the first direction  60  and the second direction  62  may be substantially perpendicular to the third direction  64  in which the second portion  32  of the seat  14  is facing, as shown in  FIG. 3 . As used herein, “substantially perpendicular” may mean within about one degree of being perpendicular, within about two degrees of being perpendicular, within about five degrees of being perpendicular, within ten degrees of being perpendicular, within twenty degrees of being perpendicular, or within forty-five degrees of being perpendicular. 
     Adjusting the seat  14  in the first direction  60  and/or the second direction  62  may position the plane A-A of the seat  14  in a position offset from and parallel to the plane B-B of the frame or support  12 . Alternatively, or in addition, the seat  14  may be adjusted in the third direction  64  and/or a fourth direction  66 , where the third direction  64  and the fourth direction  66  may be substantially perpendicular to the first direction  60  and the second direction  62 . When adjusting the seat  14  in the third direction  64  and/or the fourth direction  66 , the orientation of the plane A-A of the seat  14  with respect to the plane B-B of the frame or support  12  (e.g., the angle and/or distance between the plane A-A and the plane B-B) may not change. For example, if the plane A-A is in-line with the plane B-B, the plane A-A is offset from but parallel to the plane B-B, or if the plane A-A is non-parallel to the plane B-B, after adjusting the seat  14  in the third direction  64  and/or the fourth direction  66  the plane A-A may be in substantially the same orientation with respect to the plane B-B (e.g., the plane A-A remains in-line with the plane B-B, the plane A-A remains offset from but parallel to and the same distance from the plane B-B, or the plane A-A remains non-parallel to and the same angle from the plane B-B). 
     Additionally, or alternatively, the seat  14  may be adjustable such that the plane A-A of the seat  14  may be positioned in a non-parallel orientation with respect to the plane B-B of the frame or support  12 . For example, the seat  14  or a portion thereof may be adjustable (e.g., rotated, tilted, lifted) toward the first direction  60  (e.g., a top of the seat  14  may be rotated toward the first direction  60  about an axis extending through the third side  14   c  and the fourth side of the seat  14 ) and/or the second direction  62  (e.g., a top of the seat  14  may be rotated toward the second direction  60  about an axis extending through the third side  14   c  and the fourth side of the seat  14 ) to position the plane A-A of the seat  14  in a non-parallel orientation with respect to the plane B-B of the frame or support  12  and form an angle Q between the plane A-A and the plane B-B, as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . To adjust the seat  14  such that the plane A-A of the seat  14  is in a non-parallel position with respect to the plane B-B of the frame or support  12 , the seat  14  may be rotated or tilted toward the first direction and/or the second direction. Illustratively, the seat  14  may be rotated or tilted toward a direction when a side of the seat  14  from which a direction starts (e.g., the first direction  60  starts from the side  10   a  and travels toward the side  10   b ) is adjusted up and away from the frame or support  12 . Further, the seat  14  may be adjusted, such that the seat  14  is rotated toward the third direction  64  and/or the fourth direction  66 . The third direction  64  and/or the fourth direction  66  may be substantially perpendicular to the first direction  60  and/or the second direction  62 . 
     Illustratively, a first track  26  may engage a second track  28  of an adjustment mechanism  58 , as shown in  FIG. 10 , to facilitate lateral (e.g., side-to-side) and/or angled adjustment of the seat  14 . Illustratively, the first track  26  may be connected to the seat  14  or may otherwise extend from the seat  14  and the second track  28  may be connected to the frame or support  12  or may otherwise extend from the frame or support  12 . In some instances, the first track  26  may slide in the first direction  60  and/or the second  62  direction along the second track  28  to adjust the position of the plane A-A of the seat  14  with respect to the plane B-B of the frame or support  12 . 
     The adjustment mechanism  58  may be directly connected to the seat  14  and/or the support  12 . Alternatively, or in addition, the adjustment mechanism  58  may be indirectly connected to one or more of the seat  14  and/or the frame or support  12  through one or more extensions  56  or other features. In some instances, a lever  54  may be utilized to facilitate connecting and/or releasing the adjustment mechanism  58  from the extension  56 . 
     The seat  14  may be adjusted with respect to the frame or support  12  in any manner. For example, the position and/or orientation of the seat  14  may be manually adjusted and/or may be adjusted by a motor or other powered adjustment actuator that may be controllable via the joystick controller  46  or other controller. In one example, a motor  70  may be in communication with the seat  14  to position the plane A-A of the seat  14  in a position offset from and parallel to the plane B-B of the frame or support  12  (e.g., to laterally adjust the seat  14  in the first direction  60  and/or the second direction  62 ) and/or to position the plane A-A of the seat  14  in a non-parallel orientation with respect to the plane B-B of the frame or support  12  (e.g., to rotate the seat  14  toward the first direction  60  and/or the second direction  62 ). Additionally, or alternatively, the motor  70  may be actuated to adjust the seat in any other direction and/or in any other manner. 
     In some instances, as shown in  FIG. 10 , the motor  70  and/or connections thereto may be capable of effecting rotation of one or more threaded rods  72  and/or one or more female threaded members  74  (e.g., a nut or other female threaded member). Illustratively, threads of the threaded rod  72  or threads of the female threaded member  74  may be configured to engage threads of one or more threaded female pieces  74  or threads of one or more threaded rods  72 , respectively, fixed with respect to the seat and/or the first track  26 . As a result of the configuration shown in  FIG. 10 , when the threads of the threaded rods  72  engage the threads of the female threaded members  74  and the motor  70  is actuate to rotate the threaded rods  72 , the rotation of rods  72  within the female threaded members  74  may laterally adjust the seat  14  with respect to the frame or support  12 . 
     In some instances, as shown in  FIG. 10 , the motor  70  and/or connections thereto may be capable of effecting rotation of one or more pivot rods  76 . The pivot rods  76  may be affixed to, or fixed with respect to, a bridge bar  78  extending radially therefrom, where the bridge bar  78  may be pivotally connected to one or more seat supports  80  connected to the seat  14 . As a result of the configuration shown in  FIG. 10 , when the motor  70  is actuated to rotate the pivot rods  76 , the bridge bars  78  are rotationally adjusted to raise and/or lower the seat supports  80 , which may allow for rotational adjustment of the seat  14 . In some cases, a first side  14   a  of the seat  14  may be raised and the seat  14  rotated toward the first direction  60 , a second side  14   b  of the seat  14  may be raised and the seat  14  rotated toward the second direction  62 , and/or a first side  14   a  of the seat  14  may be raised and a second side of the seat  14  may be raised to effectively adjust a height of the seat  14 . Illustratively, the seat  14  may have a third side  14   c  and a fourth side  14   d , where the first and second sides  14   a ,  14   b  of the seat may be opposite sides and may be substantially perpendicular to the third and fourth sides  14   c ,  14   d  of the seat  14 . 
     In operation, the wheelchair  10  or other wheelchair may be adjusted with a method  100 , as shown in  FIG. 11 , among other methods. The wheelchair  10  including the seat  14  supported by the frame or support  12  may be utilized in the method  100 , where the method  100  includes sliding  102  the seat  14  in one of the first direction  60  and the second direction  62 . Further, the method  100  may include rotating  104  the seat  14  toward the one of the first direction  60  and the second direction  62 . As discussed above, the first direction  60  and the second direction  62  may be substantially perpendicular to a third direction  64 , where the second portion  32  (e.g., the back portion) of the seat faces the third direction  64 . In some instances, when the seat is laterally sliding  102 , the first track  26  (e.g., the track of the seat  14 ) may slide along the second track  28  (e.g., the track of the frame or support  12 ). One may manually laterally slide  102  the seat  14  or manually rotate  104  the seat  14 , or one may utilize the motor  70  to laterally slide  102  or rotate  104  the seat  14 . In one example, the method  100  may include actuating the motor  70  to laterally slide the seat  14  in one of the first direction  60  and the second direction  62  and rotate the seat  14  toward the one of the first direction  60  and the second direction  62  in which the seat  14  has been laterally slid. Alternatively, or in addition, the motor  70  may be actuated to rotate the seat toward one of the first direction  60  and the second direction  62  opposite the direction in which the seat  14  has been laterally slid. In some instances, the rotating  104  of the seat  14  may be performed before laterally sliding  102  the seat  14 . 
     In some instances, the seat  14  of the wheelchair  10  may be adjusted to facilitate rolling a bowling ball while bowling or to facilitate participating in any other sport or activity (e.g., fencing, trimming a garden, tossing a ball underhand, dribbling a basketball, swinging a racquet or club, participating in a track and field event, etc.). In one example, the method  100  may include a user rolling  106  a bowling ball while seated in the seat  14 , wherein the seat  14  may be laterally slid and rotated with respect to the frame or support  12  that supports the seat  14  to roll the bowling ball from an off-centered and titled position (e.g., where the seat  14  is slid and rotated toward the direction of a user&#39;s arm that will be utilized to roll the bowling ball). Additionally, or alternatively, the adjustability of the seat  14  of the wheelchair  10  may allow or facilitate a user seated in the seat  14  to perform acts which may otherwise be restricted by the user&#39;s position in the seat  14 . 
     The configuration of the wheelchair  10  may take on numerous other embodiments while staying within the spirit of this disclosure. For example, the wheelchair  10  may have any number of wheels  16  (e.g., three wheels  16  with one wheel  16  in back or in front and two wheels  16  in the other of the back or front), one or more accessories, and/or any design specification, as desired. Illustratively, one or more optional accessories may be used with the wheelchair  10  in addition to or as an alternative to the accessories discussed herein, some of which may be shown in  FIG. 1 . For example, the wheelchair  10  may include one or more footrests, one or more joystick controllers  46  or other controller(s) to maneuver a motorized wheelchair  10  and/or parts thereof (including parts of a manual wheelchair), one or more removable or non-removable ball racks to support bowling balls, one or more trays, one or more handles, and/or other similar or dissimilar accessories that facilitate comfort and functionality while using the wheelchair  10 , as desired. In some instances, the accessories and/or other features of the wheelchair  10  may be connected to one another in any manner. For example, the accessories and/or other features may connect to one another through a weld connection, a threaded connection, a ball-detent connection, a hook and loop connection, a pressure-fit connection, a slide connection, a bayonet connection, or through any other separable or non-separable connection mechanism. 
     Those skilled in the art will recognize that the present disclosure may be manifested in a variety of forms other than the specific embodiments described and contemplated herein. Accordingly, departure in form and detail may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure as described in the appended claims.