Patent ID: 8210295

Claim:
A method of operating a wheelchair having a frame, a left wheel rotatably coupled to the frame; a right wheel coaxial with the left wheel, and rotatably coupled to the frame; a seat having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, a left armrest at the first side of the seat, and a right armrest at the second side of the seat, the method comprising: pressing on an inboard surface of the right armrest at the second side of the seat, to rotate the right wheel backward; pressing on an inboard surface of the left armrest at the first side of the seat, to rotate the left wheel backward; pressing on an outboard surface of the right armrest opposite the inboard surface of the right armrest, to rotate the right wheel forward; pressing on an outboard surface of the left armrest opposite the inboard surface of the left armrest, to rotate the left wheel forward; pressing on the inboard surface of the left armrest while pressing on the inboard surface of the right armrest, to move the wheelchair in translation in a backward direction; and pressing on the outboard surface of the left armrest while pressing on the outboard surface of the right armrest, to move the wheelchair in translation in a forward direction.