9765results about "Wheelchairs/patient conveyance" patented technology

A method is provided for permitting a module which is configured to perform a dedicated function on a bed to use a graphical interface. Graphic format data used by the module is downloaded, if necessary, and stored in a memory of the graphical interface.

A multi-port reconfigurable battery has at least one bank of statically joined series connected battery cells, each including a positive and negative pole connected through switches to respective output connections on at least one port. Processor controlled switches reconfigure the cells to provide power for electrical loads on one or more ports and simultaneously provide charging on one or more other ports. An alternative configuration divides groups of series connected cells into separate battery banks that permit other configurations. Ports are configurable to share one electrically common connection with other ports providing a simplified configuration (multi-tap reconfigurable battery). Applications include selectable motor speed control and battery regeneration schemes matched to motor output, and single or multiphase AC power output at selectable frequencies for use as an Uninterruptible Power Supply. The battery is also described as a power source for a forced-air induction system (e.g. electric supercharger) for a combustion engine.

An apparatus and method for transporting a payload over a surface is provided. A vehicle supports a payload with a support partially enclosed by an enclosure. Two laterally disposed ground-contacting elements are coupled to at least one of the enclosure or support. A motorized drive is coupled to the ground-contacting elements. A controller coupled to the drive governs the operation of the drive at least in response to the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle to dynamically control balancing of the vehicle.

A center of gravity (C / G) control system for a vehicle includes sensors to measure the center of gravity shift and mass shift of the human body in relation to the vehicle, a controller to determine outputs, a dynamically adjustable vehicle system, and a power supply. The sensor measures the direction and rate of shift of the center of gravity and mass shift of the human and creates a representative input signal. The controller determines the appropriate outputs in response to the relative center of gravity shift data received. The dynamically adjustable vehicle system receives the controller output and performs the expected action.

The present embodiments provide an integrated patient room having multiple features designed to enhance the safety, satisfaction and / or outcomes for a patient and / or caregiver. In one embodiment, the integrated patient room comprises at least one bed and at least one chair. The bed and the chair can each assume a wide range of positions, and can be pre-programmed into preferred positions. Further, the bed, chair, and / or other components in the patient room may be automatically synchronized with one another to facilitate transfer of a patient. A touch screen monitor with an intuitive graphical user interface may be employed as a communication portal. The functions of the bed, chair and / or other components in the room may be accessed and / or controlled through the communication portal.

A wheelchair suspension having plurality of pivoting linkages to lift and retract a front castor assembly to facilitate traversing an obstacle or rough terrain. In this regard, a wheelchair suspension having a frame member and at least one a pivoting assembly is provided. The pivoting assembly has, for example, a first linkage pivotally coupled to the frame member and a second linkage pivotally coupled to the frame member. At least one front caster assembly is coupled to the first and second linkages wherein upward pivotal movement of the first linkage causes the caster assembly to undergo upward vertical movement and upward pivotal movement of the second linkage causes the caster assembly to undergo lateral movement inward toward the wheelchair.

A controller for providing user input of a desired direction of motion or orientation for a transporter. The controller has an input for receiving specification by a user of a value based on a detected body orientation of the user. User-specified input may be conveyed by the user using any of a large variety of input modalities, including: ultrasonic body position sensing; foot force sensing; handlebar lean; active handlebar; mechanical sensing of body position; and linear slide directional input. An apparatus that may include an active handlebar is provided for prompting a rider to be positioned on a vehicle in such a manner as to reduce lateral instability due to lateral acceleration of the vehicle.

A suspension for a vehicle is provided. The suspension includes, for example, a frame and a releasable locking assembly. The releasable locking assembly has, for example, a first assembly movably coupled to the frame, a second assembly movably coupled to the frame, and wherein movement of the frame relative to the first and second assemblies causes the first and second assemblies to engage each other to limit further movement of the frame in at least a first direction.

Apparatus and methods for endodontic treatment of teeth provide effective cleaning of organic material (such as pulp and diseased tissue) from the root canal system. In an embodiment, a compressor system generates high pressure liquid (e.g., water) that flows through an orifice to produce a high-velocity collimated jet of liquid. The high-velocity jet is directed toward a surface of a tooth, for example, an exposed dentinal surface, and impingement of the jet onto the surface generates an acoustic wave that propagates throughout the tooth. The acoustic wave effectively detaches organic material from dentinal surfaces and tubules. The detached organic material is flushed from the root canal system by the liquid jet and / or by additional irrigation.

A self-propelled battery-powered wheelchair replaces an ordinary wheelchair and provides improved access to homes. The wheelchair includes stair climbing, slope climbing, and reclining while requiring only minimal driver skill and strength. Operation on level ground is similar to the operation of a conventional wheelchair. Support for normal operation is provided by a rear caster and wheels on the front corners. Its compact width and length enable negotiating narrow doorways and turning in small spaces. To ensure stability on stairs, moveable skids are mounted to the four corners of the wheelchair. Parallelogram linkages move the front skids down and forward during climbing. Another parallelogram linkage moves the caster and rear skids up and at an angle during climbing. The wheelchair is steerable on stairs as needed to align with the stair path and accommodate slightly spiraling stairs. The wheelchair accommodates stair steps of different riser heights and tread lengths. A pair of spoked or spider wheels with small wheels at the ends of the spokes are rotably mounted to the sides of the wheelchair. The spider wheels engage the stairs to propel and stabilize the wheelchair during climbing of stairs. Methods are provided to monitor and control the pitch attitude of the wheelchair and nearness of wheelchair supporting components to the stairs. Motion and control are provided by electric motors, sensors, a computer, and driver inputs. Propulsion power for conventional level operation, slope climbing, and stair climbing operation is transmitted through the same motors and wheels.

An improved portable patient transfer device comprising a small wheeled base having a vertically disposed telescoping lifting column extending upwardly therefrom. A patient support means extends from the column to support the patient. A crank, accessible to both patient and attendant, is used to raise and lower the lifting column for transfer between surfaces with different heights, such as beds, wheelchairs, and car seats. The lift my be closed and temporarily attached to a wheelchair for convenient transport with a patient. The lift is small and lightweight and may be easily transported and stored. The lift is further economical to manufacture.

A wheelchair has a base and a plurality of wheels supporting the base on a supporting surface. At least one of the wheels is a driven wheel. One of the wheels may be a non-driven wheel. One or more of the wheels, driven or non-driven, is adapted to be steered. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, all of the wheels are driven and steered independently of one another. The wheelchair also has a seat that is mounted for movement relative to the base. Movement of the seat is preferably controlled independently of the steering direction of the wheels. The wheelchair may further include one or more sensors for controlling the stability of the wheelchair. These sensors may include wheel position sensors, speed sensors, rate-of-turn sensors, accelerometers, and proximity detectors. Such sensors would be useful in controlling the tracking of the wheelchair, avoiding the occurrence of tipping and tilting, and avoiding impact with obstacles.

A controller for providing user input of a desired direction of motion or orientation for a transporter. The controller has an input for receiving specification by a user of a value based on a detected body orientation of the user. User-specified input may be conveyed by the user using any of a large variety of input modalities, including: ultrasonic body position sensing; foot force sensing; handlebar lean; active handlebar; mechanical sensing of body position; and linear slide directional input. An apparatus that may include an active handlebar is provided for prompting a rider to be positioned on a vehicle in such a manner as to reduce lateral instability due to lateral acceleration of the vehicle.

A pivoting side mount (26) which may used, for example, to attach a pelvic stabilization device (21) to a wheelchair. The pivoting side mount (26) includes first and second pivot brackets (152, 150) that are rotatably connected to one another and a spring (154), such as a rubber spring, for limiting the rotating movement of the two brackets relative to one another. A quick release assembly (28) is also provided. The quick release assembly (28) includes a receiver (30) and a body (40) that fits into the receiver. The body (40) includes one or more latches (42) that are biased outward and that snap into notches (44) in the receiver (30) when the body (40) is placed in the receiver (30). A release plate (46) is provided for releasing the latch or latches (42) from the notches (44).

An electrically driven hub includes an electrical mechanism including an electrical motor and a planetary gear system connected to the electrical mechanism. A first fixed shaft is connected to the stator of the electrical motor and a second fixed shaft is connected to a second end of the stator of the electrical motor. The first and second fixed shafts are connected to the vehicle frame. A one-way clutch is connected between a cover of the hub and the planetary gear system so that the hub is rotated when the planetary gear system is activated by the motor.

Method for controlling a vehicle that includes a support, at least one wheel, a platform coupled to the at least one wheel, a coupling structure having a support portion coupled to the support and a platform portion coupled to the platform that allows the support portion to move or slide fore and aft with respect to the platform portion, an actuator coupled to the coupling structure to control the position of the support portion relative to the platform portion, a drive coupled to the at least one wheel to deliver power to the at least one wheel to propel the vehicle and maintain the platform level, and a controller coupled to the drive to control the drive and coupled to the actuator to control the actuator.

The invention discloses a view line tracking method and an assistant system for the handicapped by using the method. The method comprises the steps of image pretreatment, the orientation of a human eye area by utilizing Harr features, blinking recognition, the inspection and judgment of LED reflecting lightspot in pupils, the accurate position of pupil centre, the calculation of view line direction and so on. The system comprises an embedded-like platform, a camera, a display screen and four LED and wheelchair running control modules which are installed at the four corners of the display screen and arranged into a rectangular. The system is an embedded-type system, which carries out blinking inspection, the inspection of the reflecting lightspots against infrared light sources on corneas, the accurate position of the pupil centers and the judgment of view line directions by the camera and a processor, tracks the view line of human eyes and, meanwhile, carries out the recognition of the status of the human eyes by judging the view line directions of the human eyes when gazing on the screen, thus realizing the functions of wheelchair control, music play control, text reading and webpage rolling. The invention is convenient for use and has high accuracy, thereby being capable of bringing great convenience for the lives of the handicapped.

A wheel assembly for a small-scale machine includes a pair of opposing, individually-driven wheels, associated motors and possibly one or more gear assemblies. The motors receive separate drive signals from a control electronics subsystem of the wheel assembly. The motors can be connected to the wheels via the gear assemblies. Because the wheels are separately driven, driving the two wheel assemblies at similar or different speeds drives the wheel assembly over straight or curved paths. An orientation assembly allows the orientation of the wheels to the machine to be controllably altered. A height adjusting assembly allows the distance between the wheels and a point on the machine where the wheel assembly is attached to be adjusted. The rotational axis that the wheel assembly rotates about when re-oriented need not pass through either wheel of the wheel assembly. The wheels can be driven by control signals generated by on-board control electronics.

Systems and methods for using a liquid jet apparatus for dental treatments are disclosed. In one implementation, the liquid jet apparatus may include a handpiece configured to deliver a high velocity liquid jet to a desired location in the mouth of a patient. The handpiece may include a positioning member having a channel through or along which the jet can propagate. The positioning member may have a distal end portion configured to be at least partially disposed in a pulp cavity, canal space, or opening in the tooth under treatment. During operation, the jet may impact an impingement surface of the distal end portion of the positioning member and be deflected as a spray through one or more openings in the distal end portion. The liquid jet apparatus may be used for root canal treatments.

A climate controlled seat assembly comprises a chamber defined by a substantially fluid impermeable layer, the fluid impermeable layer having a first side and second side, the first side comprising a plurality of openings, a support structure positioned within the chamber, the support structure being configured to substantially maintain the shape of the chamber, a fluid transfer device configured to provide a volume of fluid to the chamber, a fluid inlet in fluid communication with both the chamber and the fluid transfer device, a fluid distribution layer positioned adjacent to the first side of the fluid impermeable layer and a seat covering positioned along the fluid distribution layer. In some embodiments, the fluid distribution layer is configured to generally distribute fluid from the openings toward the seat covering.

A drivewheel assembly is connectable between a frame of a wheeled chassis and a drivewheel, and provides powered rotation for operatively moving the frame and chassis in a user-controllable direction along an underlying supporting surface and for selectively reorienting the drivewheel to change the direction of movement of the frame and chassis along the supporting surface. A motor connected to the drivewheel and operable to rotate the drivewheel is mounted to the frame for pivotal rotation relative to the frame about an orienting axis substantially perpendicular to the drivewheel axis of rotation. In a first operating mode of the drivewheel assembly the motor is coupled to the frame so as to prevent pivotal rotation of the motor about the orienting axis and maintain the current orientation of the drivewheel, whereby operation of the motor to rotate the drivewheel causes the frame and chassis to move along the supporting surface in a direction determined by the current orientation of the drivewheel. In a second operating mode of the drivewheel assembly the motor is decoupled from the frame so as to permit pivotal rotation of the motor about the orienting axis, whereby operation of the motor to rotate the drivewheel causes the motor to pivotally rotate about the orienting axis and thereby effects reorientation of the drivewheel for movement of the frame and chassis in a different direction determined by the reoriented drivewheel.

Methods and apparatus for reconfiguring a battery and / or an electric motor assembly for an electric bicycle drive system are provided. A battery having a plurality of battery cells in a first configuration adapted to provide a first battery voltage can be reconfigured into a second configuration adapted to provide a second battery voltage. The second battery voltage may be lower than the first battery voltage. The battery can be charged when in the second configuration. Similarly, an arrangement of two or more electric motors can be provided in a first configuration adapted to provide at least one of a first torque output during a driving action and a first regenerative voltage output during a braking action. The motors can be reconfigured into a second configuration adapted to provide at least one of a second torque output during the driving action and a second regenerative voltage output during the braking action.

A class of transporters for carrying an individual over ground having a surface that may be irregular. Various embodiments have a motorized drive, mounted to the ground-contacting module that causes operation of the transporter in an operating position that is unstable with respect to tipping when the motorized drive arrangement is not powered. Related methods are provided for determining the maximum operating speed of the transporter from measurement of battery parameters and transporter motor current and for limiting the speed of the transporter to maintain stability based on various sets of operationally imposed margins.

A height adjustable seat tube includes an outer tube and an inner tube is inserted into the outer tube. An end cap is fixed to the inner tube and a valve unit in the inner tube extends through the end cap and co-movable linearly with the inner tube. An inlet valve is connected to the inner tube. An oil tube is connected between the inlet valve and the valve unit. A first oil room is defined between the oil tube and the valve unit. An oil storage member is connected between a connection member and the end cap. A first air room is defined between the inlet valve, the oil storage member and the inner tube. A second oil room is defined between the oil tube, the oil storage member and the end cap. An oil path is in communication between the first and second oil rooms.

A base for receiving a seat has a longitudinally extending chassis having a front end, a rear end, a central portion positioned therebetween and opposed sides extending longitudinally between the front and rear ends; at least one drive wheel mounted below the central portion; a plurality of rotatably mounted wheels positioned around the chassis and mounted at a fixed distance below the chassis; and a biasing member associated with the at least one drive wheel to bias the at least one drive wheel to engage the surface on which the base is situated and reduce the weight supported by the rotatably mounted wheels whereby the rotatably mounted wheels support sufficient weight of the base and the unoccupied seat to define a stable platform.