Wheelchair drive boost

Abstract

Wheelchair drive boost apparatuses, drive assisted wheelchairs, and wheelchair drive boost systems are disclosed. A wheelchair drive boost apparatus includes a housing, a drive wheel including a drive axis that is movable with respect to the housing, a drive lever that engages with the drive wheel to cause the drive wheel to rotate, a transmission that couples the drive lever to the drive wheel, and an engager having a first position and a second position. The drive wheel is coupled to the transmission via a one-way engagement mechanism that permits free rotation of the drive wheel with respect to the drive lever in a first direction and constrains rotation of the drive wheel with respect to the drive lever in a second direction opposite the first direction. The engager is configured to move the drive axis with respect to the housing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wheelchair drive boost apparatus comprising:
 a housing;   a drive wheel comprising a drive axis, wherein the drive axis is movable with respect to the housing;   a drive lever that engages with the drive wheel to cause the drive wheel to rotate;   a transmission that couples the drive lever to the drive wheel, wherein the drive wheel is coupled to the transmission via a one-way engagement mechanism that permits free rotation of the drive wheel with respect to the drive lever in a first direction and constrains rotation of the drive wheel with respect to the drive lever in a second direction opposite the first direction; and   an engager having a first position and a second position, wherein the engager is configured to move the drive axis with respect to the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The wheelchair drive boost apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the wheelchair drive boost apparatus is coupled to a wheelchair. 
     
     
         3 . The wheelchair drive boost apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the engager in a first position disposes the drive wheel in contact with a wheel of a wheelchair. 
     
     
         4 . The wheelchair drive boost apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the engager in the second position disposes the drive wheel out of contact with a wheel of a wheelchair. 
     
     
         5 . The wheelchair drive boost apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the housing comprises a planar side having a slot; and   the drive wheel includes an axial shaft that moves within the slot in response to movement of the engager.   
     
     
         6 . The wheelchair drive boost apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the engager comprises an engage lever and a linkage that couples the engager to the drive wheel. 
     
     
         7 . The wheelchair drive boost apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the linkage is a four-bar linkage and the engage lever, when located in the first position, is at or near a dead point condition. 
     
     
         8 . The wheelchair drive boost apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the transmission comprises a gear train disposed between the drive lever and the drive wheel, wherein the gear train comprises a first gear spur concentric with the drive lever and a second gear spur concentric with the drive wheel. 
     
     
         9 . The wheelchair drive boost apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one-way engagement mechanism is a strap clutch mechanism. 
     
     
         10 . The wheelchair drive boost apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one-way engagement mechanism is a one-way bearing. 
     
     
         11 . The wheelchair drive boost apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a friction brake, wherein the friction brake comprises:
 a brake actuator disposed in the drive lever; and   a brake effector selectively positionable with respect to the housing.   
     
     
         12 . A drive-assisted wheelchair comprising:
 a main wheel; and   a drive boost apparatus removably engagable with the main wheel, the drive boost mechanism comprising:   a housing,   a drive wheel comprising a drive axis, wherein the drive axis is movable with respect to the housing,   a drive lever that engages with the drive wheel to cause the drive wheel to rotate,   a transmission that couples the drive lever to the drive wheel, wherein the drive wheel is coupled to the transmission via a one-way engagement mechanism that permits free rotation of the drive wheel with respect to the drive lever in a first direction and constrains rotation of the drive wheel with respect to the drive lever in a second direction opposite the first direction, and   an engager having a first position and a second position, wherein the engager is configured to move the drive axis with respect to the housing.   
     
     
         13 . The drive-assisted wheelchair of  claim 12 , wherein the engager in a first position disposes the drive wheel in contact with the main wheel. 
     
     
         14 . The drive-assisted wheelchair of  claim 12 , wherein the engager in a second position disposes the drive wheel out of contact with the main wheel. 
     
     
         15 . The drive-assisted wheelchair of  claim 12 , wherein the transmission comprises a gear train disposed between the drive lever and the drive wheel, wherein the gear train comprises a first gear spur concentric with the drive lever and a second gear spur concentric with the drive wheel. 
     
     
         16 . The drive-assisted wheelchair of  claim 12 , wherein the one-way engagement mechanism is a strap clutch mechanism. 
     
     
         17 . The drive-assisted wheelchair of  claim 12 , wherein the one-way engagement mechanism is a one-way bearing. 
     
     
         18 . The drive-assisted wheelchair of  claim 12 , further comprising a friction brake, wherein the friction brake comprises:
 a brake actuator disposed in the drive lever; and   a brake effector selectively positionable with respect to the housing.   
     
     
         19 . A wheelchair drive boost system comprising:
 a wheelchair comprising a first main wheel and a second main wheel;   a first wheelchair drive boost assembly comprising a first drive lever, a first drive wheel frictionally contacting the first main wheel, and a first transmission that couples the first drive lever to the first drive wheel via a first one-way engagement mechanism; and   a second wheelchair drive boost assembly comprising a second drive lever, a second drive wheel frictionally contacting the second main wheel, and a second transmission that couples the second drive lever to the second drive wheel via a second one-way engagement mechanism,   wherein:
 a forward movement of the first drive lever causes the first drive wheel to propel the first main wheel forward and a forward movement of the second drive lever causes the second drive wheel to propel the second main wheel forward, and 
 the first transmission and the second transmission each multiply the respective forces applied to the first drive lever and the second drive lever to increase a force of the forward movements of the respective first main wheel and second main wheel. 
   
     
     
         20 . The wheelchair drive boost system of  claim 19 , wherein the first one-way engagement mechanism and the second one-way engagement mechanism are each a strap clutch mechanism or a one-way bearing.