Rollable User-Support Device with Multi-Mode Seat and Wheel Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing physical assistance devices, such as rollators and wheelchairs, lack versatility in configuration and control mechanisms to efficiently transition between seated and standing positions, and do not provide adequate stability and maneuverability in different user orientations.
Innovation Solution
A rollable user-support device with a rigid frame, a seat that can be positioned in multiple configurations, and mechanisms to prevent rolling and swiveling of wheels, allowing the device to operate in three modes: neutral, chair, and rollator modes, with a seat manipulation mechanism that stores energy for elevation and a backrest folding mechanism for compact storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the seat is elevated to assist user standing, then user support capability is improved, but wheel stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The device dynamically adjusts wheel functionality based on operational mode. In chair mode, wheels are locked to prevent rolling and swiveling for stability. In rollator mode, the seat is folded and wheels are unlocked to allow rolling and swiveling for mobility. This dynamic reconfiguration resolves the contradiction between stability during seat elevation and mobility during transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The wheel control system is segmented into independent roll prevention and swivel prevention mechanisms. This allows selective control of wheel degrees of freedom - the roll prevention mechanism locks the wheel's rolling motion while the swivel prevention mechanism controls the caster's swiveling capability, enabling precise stability management in different modes.
2Ease of operation
If the device is configured for chair mode, then seated comfort is improved, but maneuverability in opposite direction deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The device dynamically reconfigures between chair mode and rollator mode. In chair mode, the seat is positioned for comfortable seating and wheels are controlled for stability. In rollator mode, the seat is folded forward and the device can be pushed in the opposite direction with the user standing behind. This dynamic transformation enables the device to provide both seated comfort and opposite-direction maneuverability as needed.
3Stability of the object's composition
If wheel swiveling is prevented for stability, then positional stability is improved, but maneuverability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The swivel prevention mechanism operates dynamically based on operational mode. In chair mode with elevated seat, the swivel prevention mechanism is activated to prevent caster swiveling and maintain positional stability. In rollator mode with folded seat, the mechanism is deactivated to allow free swiveling for maneuverability. This dynamic control resolves the contradiction between stability and maneuverability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A rollable user-support device comprising a rigid frame with first legs and second legs, each with a rollable and swivelable wheel, a seat with a seat folding mechanism and/or a seat manipulation mechanism. The seat manipulation mechanism can be operable to move the seat, with a user seated thereon, between a lower rearward seating position and an elevated forward seating position, and the seat folding mechanism can be operable to move the seat between the elevated forward seating position and a folded position, at least one of the devices being connected to a swivel prevention mechanism associated with the first wheels. The device can constitute a bidirectional rollable user-support device operable in the following three modes (a) a neutral mode, in which the seat is in the elevated frontward position and the first wheels are prevented from rolling and swiveling; (b) a first, chair mode in which the seat is in the lower rearward position rollable in a first direction with a user accommodated on the seat and facing in the first direction; and (c) a second, rollator mode in which the seat is in the folded position and the first wheels are prevented from swiveling, enabling the device to be rolled in a second direction opposite the first direction with a standing user facing in the second direction.