SLIDING PUSHBAR MECHANISM FOR WHEELCHAIR RIMS

摘要

In the operation of wheelchairs, it is common to have a manual pushbar mechanism that is connected through an arrangement of gears, cogs and axles to drive the wheels of the wheelchair and that may be pushed by the occupant of the wheelchair to propel both the wheelchair and its occupant. In this invention, a new type of manual pushbar mechanism is disclosed. It operates by transmitting rotational force to the main wheels. The pushbar mechanism is returned to its original position after a stroke that transmits the rotational force by sliding back around the wheels. The engagement of a tongue from the pushbar mechanism to the wheels is used to drive the wheels, while its disengagement on the return stroke is used to allow the wheels to continue rotation in the same direction. A switching control is used to engage a different tongue, having a reverse orientation with respect to the wheel, in order to propel the wheelchair in a reverse direction.