Assistive Pushcart with Actuated Brakes and Third Wheel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing assistive devices for rollerblading do not adequately address the stability and safety needs of users with mobility deficits, such as amputees or those with traumatic brain injuries, as they lack effective stabilization and braking mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A foldable assistive pushcart device with rotationally coupled first and second wheels, a handle for stabilization, and actuated brakes, along with additional stability features like third wheels to prevent tipping, which allows users to grasp and control the device for enhanced stability and safety during rollerblading and running.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing assistive devices are used for rollerblading, then basic mobility assistance is provided, but stability and safety are insufficient for users with mobility deficits
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into functional modules: a frame structure, a separate handle assembly with hand grips, independent brake mechanisms for each wheel, and an actuator system. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall system reliability without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The device introduces a longitudinal dimension to the traditional lateral wheel arrangement by adding a third wheel at the front, creating a triangular base that extends in the direction of motion. This dimensional change significantly improves stability and prevents tipping forward, directly addressing the reliability concern.
2Ease of operation
If a foldable design is implemented for convenience, then portability is improved, but structural stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The frame incorporates foldable joints that allow the structure to transition between deployed and collapsed configurations. When deployed, the frame maintains rigid triangular geometry for stability; when collapsed, it compacts for portability. This dynamic design resolves the contradiction between structural stability and ease of operation.
3Reliability
If brakes are added to control stopping, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The braking function is extracted as a separate, dedicated mechanism rather than being integrated into the wheel structure. Each wheel has its own brake assembly that can be independently actuated, providing precise safety control without requiring a complex integrated system. This extraction simplifies the overall design while maintaining high safety standards.
4Stability of the object's composition
If third wheels are added to prevent tipping, then stability is improved, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The addition of a third wheel at the front creates a triangular configuration that extends the device in the longitudinal dimension. This dimensional change provides inherent anti-tipping stability by distributing weight across three contact points, forming a stable base that prevents both lateral and longitudinal tipping without requiring complex active stabilization systems.
Data Source
AI summary
An assistive pushcart device for rollerblading includes a set of first wheels and a set of second wheels that are rotationally coupled to a frame proximate to a front and a back of the frame, respectively. A handle that is coupled to and extends transversely from the back of the frame is configured to be grasped in one or two hands of a user to stabilize the user as the user locomotes the frame along a surface. Each of set of brakes is operationally coupled to a respective one of the first wheels and the second wheels. The set of brakes is positioned to selectively slow and stop rotation of at least one of the first wheels and the second wheels. An actuator that is coupled to the handle and operationally coupled to the set of brakes is positioned to selectively actuate the set of brakes.