REAR WHEEL MOUNT AND OPTIONAL SUSPENSION FOR WHEELCHAIR

摘要

A wheel mount may generally be comprised of an axle plate and a camber tube clamp that may be height adjustable with respect to the axle plate. The camber tube clamp can be selectively mountable upright or inverted so as to increase an overall range of height adjustability. The camber tube clamp can be mountable in front of or behind the axle plate so as to increase an overall range of center-of-gravity adjustability. The camber tube clamp and the axle plate may have an interlocking feature that may allow the camber tube clamp to slide vertically along the axle plate to facilitate height adjustment. A seat collar can be positioned at various locations along a wheelchair frame for center-of-gravity adjustment. The axle plate can be detached from and attached to the seat tube collar to allow the axle plate and camber tube clamp to be reverse mounted in order to increase the range of center of gravity adjustment. A wheelchair suspension system according to the invention may be comprised of a swing arm and at least one elastomer. The swing arm may be adapted to support a rear wheelchair wheel and pivot about an axis substantially fixed to a wheelchair frame. The swing arm can be suspended between two of the elastomers, or be operatively connected to one elastomer so that displacement of the swing arm in either direction about the pivot causes the elastomer to compress.