Patent ID: 6892421

Claim:
A shock absorption mechanism usable in a wheelchair, said mechanism comprising: a caster fork including a first oblique surface and a second surface, each of said surfaces being disposed at first and second angles, respectively, relative to a generally horizontal plane of travel of the wheelchair, a portion of said second surface including a generally curved profile, said caster fork being pivotable about a first axis; a joint mountable adjacent a first section thereof to a frame of the wheelchair and adjacent a second section thereof to said caster fork by means of a pivot connection having a pivoting axis substantially collinear with said first axis for enabling reciprocation of said caster fork about said first axis, said joint including a first oblique surface relative to the generally horizontal plane of travel of the wheelchair, and further including a second surface for guiding reciprocation of said generally curved profile portion of said caster fork about said first axis; and at least one shock absorber mountable at one end thereof to said first oblique surface of said caster fork and at the other end thereof to said first oblique surface of said joint, said shock absorber disposable in an oblique orientation relative to the generally horizontal plane of travel of the wheelchair, wherein, said caster fork is pivotable in a predetermined direction about said first axis adjacent said second section of said joint when mounted adjacent said second section of said joint, and said shock absorber is compressable in a direction generally parallel to said oblique orientation thereof during pivoting of said caster fork, when mounted between said first oblique surface of said caster fork and said first oblique surface of said joint.