Wheelchair accessory
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wheelchairs lack protection from inclement weather and visibility to motorists, particularly at night or in rainy or snowy conditions, due to the absence of overhead coverings and lighting, posing safety concerns for users.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible and detachable wheelchair accessory featuring a retractable canopy for weather protection and a neon-lighted telescoping flag pole for increased visibility, both operated by control pads and housed in storage compartments for easy use and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a wheelchair is used without additional accessories, then it provides basic mobility, but it lacks protection from inclement weather and visibility to motorists
Solution Approach 1:
The accessory is divided into separate functional modules: a retractable canopy assembly for weather protection and a telescoping flagpole assembly for visibility enhancement. Each module can be independently deployed and stored, allowing the wheelchair to gain protective functions without permanently increasing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The canopy and flagpole are designed with retractable and telescoping mechanisms respectively, allowing them to be extended when needed and retracted when not in use. This dynamic design enables the accessory to provide protection and visibility only when required, maintaining a compact profile during storage.
2Reliability
If a retractable canopy and neon-lighted pole are added to the wheelchair, then protection from inclement weather and visibility are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The accessory integrates multiple safety functions into a single attachment system: the canopy provides rain and snow protection while the telescoping flagpole with neon lighting enhances visibility. Both functions are mounted on the same wheelchair frame using universal mounting brackets, consolidating multiple safety needs into one integrated solution.
Solution Approach 2:
The flagpole utilizes a telescoping design where smaller diameter sections are nested within larger sections, allowing the pole to extend to significant height when needed while maintaining a compact storage size. Similarly, the canopy folds into a compact configuration that nests within the available space on the wheelchair frame.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the canopy and flagpole are always extended, then protection and visibility are maximized, but they interfere with the chair's handling and storage
Solution Approach 1:
Both the canopy and flagpole are designed with retractable mechanisms that allow them to be extended when safety is needed and retracted when handling or storage is required. The retractable canopy folds along track guides, and the telescoping flagpole compresses into a compact form, enabling the wheelchair to maintain full maneuverability and storage capability when the accessory is not in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The accessory includes control pads that allow the user to deploy or retract the canopy and flagpole with a simple button press before needing them. This preliminary action capability ensures that when safety conditions arise (such as approaching rain or entering a low-visibility area), the protective features are already in position, and when storage is needed, they can be quickly retracted in advance.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for use with a wheelchair and more particularly to a collapsible wheelchair accessory as used to improve the visibility and comfort of an occupant of a wheelchair. Generally speaking, the wheelchair accessory includes a collapsible canopy, which can be opened and extended over the top of a wheelchair to protect the rider from rain and snow. Attached to one side of the canopy is a telescoping neon-lighted pole that projects at least six feet above the canopy, which will make the presence of the wheelchair visible to motorists from a great distance away.