Multi-directional lever drive system

摘要

A multi-directional lever drive system comprising a lever drive assembly comprising a lever for imparting actuation for driving a shaft through a roller mechanism, and engaging a switch assembly whereby the properties of the roller mechanism can be selected to drive the shaft forward, neutral, and reverse. The proposed switch assemblies enable convenient direction control from the same lever that inputs actuation to the drive assembly, making the lever drive assembly suitable for systems such as a lever propelled wheelchair, a winch, and hand tools.

主权项

1. A multi-directional lever drive system comprising:
a lever drive assembly comprising:
a shaft having a proximal annular section and an opposite distal cam section having at least one cam surface and defining a drive axis therebetween;a sleeve slidably received over the shaft and coupled thereto so as to have substantially no axial movement therebetween and to rotate as driven by the shaft, the sleeve being formed at a sleeve proximal end with a first means for imparting relative rotational movement and being formed at an opposite sleeve distal end with at least one axially offset lengthwise slots having a roller bearing positioned within each;a switch assembly including a switch member formed having a switch bore and a second means for imparting relative rotational movement, the switch member being slidably installed over the proximal end of the sleeve so that the first and second rotational movement means are operatively engaged, the switch member being coupled to the shaft so as to rotate substantially in tandem therewith while sliding axially relative to both the shaft and the sleeve; anda lever having a lever distal end and an opposite lever proximal end at which the lever is engaged with the switch assembly so as to selectively shift the switch axially along the shaft and sleeve, the lever having a lever axis running between the lever proximal end and the lever distal end; a shaft clutch assembly comprising a mount having a first drive element being configured to selectively engage the at least one cam surface of the shaft through the roller bearings positioned thereon by way of the sleeve slots, the mount being further formed having at least one mount hole for mechanically coupling the lever to the mount, whereby the roller bearings are selectively brought into abutting contact with the cam surfaces of the shaft as the lever is actuated to shift the switch assembly axially along the shaft and thereby shift the second rotational movement means relative to the first rotational movement means and thereby cause the sleeve to rotate relative to the shaft so as to adjust the position of the sleeve slots and thus the roller bearings relative to the cam surfaces and so shift the shaft clutch assembly, further whereby rotation of the mount as by movement of the lever drives the shaft in a particular direction based on the selective actuation of the lever.