Patent ID: 7413038

Claim:
A powered wheelchair comprising: a frame; a seat mounted on the frame; a pair of drive wheels on opposing sides of the frame; a drive motor operatively coupled to at least one of the drive wheels for powering the movement of the drive wheel and the wheelchair; at least one anti-tip assembly comprising a suspension arm having a suspension arm pivot axis, said suspension arm extending from said suspension arm pivot axis; said suspension arm pivot axis being vertically spaced above the ground plane surface on which the wheelchair normally rests to define a suspension arm pivot height, an anti-tip wheel assembly including an anti-tip wheel, an anti-tip axis about which the anti-tip wheel can rotate, and at least one support arm coupled to the anti-tip wheel; said anti-tip wheel assembly disposed proximate the extended end of the suspension arm; and an anti-tip suspension connecting the anti-tip wheel assembly to the suspension arm, said anti-tip suspension including a substantially horizontal anti-tip pivot axis about which the anti-tip wheel assembly is capable of pivoting in response to the anti-tip wheel engaging an obstacle, the anti-tip suspension pivot axis being vertically spaced above the ground plane to define an anti-tip suspension pivot height; the suspension arm pivot height being relatively less than the anti-tip suspension pivot height.