New manual wheelchair design

FrankNaets · 03-19-2009, 01:16 PM

Dear all,

I am a student in mechanical engineering from Belgium and I am trying to make make some improvements to manual wheelchair design for a design course. If I come up with anything good, I would pass the designs on to a company that could turn it into a real product, or post them up here if they are good to anybody.

The only thing I would like to know from you, is if you would be interested in this kind of functionalities or not at all.

Our main goal would be to improve general accesability with wheelchairs.

One of the mayor design criteria would be that the wheelchair should have a functionality to climb stairs. We would like to make this system man-powered, so no electric motors or anything, but some kind of gearing would be applied to a lever-system to make the task as easy and fast as possible. It is also important that the wheelchair shouldn't need help from another person to climb the stairs. Is the stair-climbing a functionality that would be much appreciated, or not really?

A second modification we would like to implement is actually the entire power-transfer system. We figured that the manner in which one has to push the wheels doesn't seem very ergonomical. It seems that a much more effecient movement would be a "rowing"-motion, so the user would actually be driving 2 sticks that transfer power to the wheels in both the forth and back motion. By generating the constant power-transfer (because you don't have to let go of the wheels to reposition your hands) we thought that climbing steeper ramps and hills could be way easier. Is this something that sounds interesting, or not at all?

If you have any other requests (realistic or not, it doesn't matter), I would be very happy to hear them.

Thank you very much,
Frank

woman from Europe · 03-19-2009, 01:32 PM

I only want to say that if you are making a chair who can climb steps it would be another world for all the wheel chair users. It is steps everywhere in Europe and no lifts so then we can go visiting people, go into the shops, use buses and trams and do most things walking people are doing.

christina-china · 03-19-2009, 01:44 PM

My ideal wheelchair:
1. The weight very light.
2. Are offered in compact.
3. Easy folding when convenient, suitable to facilitate their own car when folded.
4. Intelligent wheelchair, I need to cross the barrier at the time, you can assist me, to fly all the better! Ha ha!
5. Hope Transformers line are wheelchair-bound, can be turned into a couch at the time of rest, exercise at the time of wheelchair sports, wheelchair when traveling into the mountains ......

Wheelchair is my means of transport, I hope that my means of transport more and more intelligent! Can make my life more comfortable!

JAYCUE · 03-19-2009, 02:49 PM

The rowing device exists.
http://www.wijit.com/

FrankNaets · 03-20-2009, 04:10 AM

Thanks for the info,

I hadn't seen the rowing thing yet, but it does seem very similar to what I had in mind, including the shifting system. I do was thinking of adding some extra gears, like on a bicycle, to improve hill-climbing. I was also thinking of making the system a such that it transfers power to wheels while pushing the lever and while pulling the lever, to get a more constant power-flow.

But I guess I can conclude that is might not really be worth putting a lot of effort in this system, since it doesn't really appear to be a huge succes?

ambassador · 03-20-2009, 09:19 PM

-------
Mar 20, 2009

Similar to the ideas that christina-china has humorously suggested, perhaps these prototype devices will inspire your innovative thinking in the matter of wheelchair design.

* Hubo Lab's HUBO FX-1
( http://hubolab.kaist.ac.kr/bbs/zboar...HUBO_FX1_PHOTO )

* Toyota's i-foot
( http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/news/04/1203_1d.html )

Ambassador
-------

Tara · 03-23-2009, 11:12 AM

I agree with Christina,
I would look for one that is very light -- and comes apart so I can chuck it in the car
And one that is discrete as possible -- minimal design.
Please NO -- to all the crap people always suggest
- Do you have cup holders for that thing?
- where are your winter tires?
- Don't you have a reverse beeper?

hahahhahah. Hilarious AND original. really.

03-19-2009, 01:16 PM	#1
FrankNaets Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 1	New manual wheelchair design Dear all, I am a student in mechanical engineering from Belgium and I am trying to make make some improvements to manual wheelchair design for a design course. If I come up with anything good, I would pass the designs on to a company that could turn it into a real product, or post them up here if they are good to anybody. The only thing I would like to know from you, is if you would be interested in this kind of functionalities or not at all. Our main goal would be to improve general accesability with wheelchairs. One of the mayor design criteria would be that the wheelchair should have a functionality to climb stairs. We would like to make this system man-powered, so no electric motors or anything, but some kind of gearing would be applied to a lever-system to make the task as easy and fast as possible. It is also important that the wheelchair shouldn't need help from another person to climb the stairs. Is the stair-climbing a functionality that would be much appreciated, or not really? A second modification we would like to implement is actually the entire power-transfer system. We figured that the manner in which one has to push the wheels doesn't seem very ergonomical. It seems that a much more effecient movement would be a "rowing"-motion, so the user would actually be driving 2 sticks that transfer power to the wheels in both the forth and back motion. By generating the constant power-transfer (because you don't have to let go of the wheels to reposition your hands) we thought that climbing steeper ramps and hills could be way easier. Is this something that sounds interesting, or not at all? If you have any other requests (realistic or not, it doesn't matter), I would be very happy to hear them. Thank you very much, Frank

03-19-2009, 01:32 PM	#2
woman from Europe Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Norway Posts: 6,546	I only want to say that if you are making a chair who can climb steps it would be another world for all the wheel chair users. It is steps everywhere in Europe and no lifts so then we can go visiting people, go into the shops, use buses and trams and do most things walking people are doing. __________________ TH 12, 43 years post

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03-19-2009, 01:44 PM	#3
christina-china Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: T12 and L3 (complete) Posts: 26	My ideal wheelchair: 1. The weight very light. 2. Are offered in compact. 3. Easy folding when convenient, suitable to facilitate their own car when folded. 4. Intelligent wheelchair, I need to cross the barrier at the time, you can assist me, to fly all the better! Ha ha! 5. Hope Transformers line are wheelchair-bound, can be turned into a couch at the time of rest, exercise at the time of wheelchair sports, wheelchair when traveling into the mountains ...... Wheelchair is my means of transport, I hope that my means of transport more and more intelligent! Can make my life more comfortable!

03-19-2009, 02:49 PM	#4
JAYCUE Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: NY Posts: 907	The rowing device exists. http://www.wijit.com/

03-20-2009, 04:10 AM	#5
FrankNaets Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 1	Thanks for the info, I hadn't seen the rowing thing yet, but it does seem very similar to what I had in mind, including the shifting system. I do was thinking of adding some extra gears, like on a bicycle, to improve hill-climbing. I was also thinking of making the system a such that it transfers power to wheels while pushing the lever and while pulling the lever, to get a more constant power-flow. But I guess I can conclude that is might not really be worth putting a lot of effort in this system, since it doesn't really appear to be a huge succes?

03-20-2009, 09:19 PM	#6
ambassador Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 50	------- Mar 20, 2009 Similar to the ideas that christina-china has humorously suggested, perhaps these prototype devices will inspire your innovative thinking in the matter of wheelchair design. * Hubo Lab's HUBO FX-1 ( http://hubolab.kaist.ac.kr/bbs/zboar...HUBO_FX1_PHOTO ) * Toyota's i-foot ( http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/news/04/1203_1d.html ) Ambassador -------

03-23-2009, 11:12 AM	#7
Tara Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 385	I agree with Christina, I would look for one that is very light -- and comes apart so I can chuck it in the car And one that is discrete as possible -- minimal design. Please NO -- to all the crap people always suggest - Do you have cup holders for that thing? - where are your winter tires? - Don't you have a reverse beeper? hahahhahah. Hilarious AND original. really.