Wheelchair Hub With Offset Discs for Eccentric Motion
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high manufacturing costs and limited customization options of standard wheelchair wheel hubs make it difficult to produce individualized hubs that meet the diverse aesthetic and therapeutic requirements of wheelchair users, particularly for medical applications.
Innovation Solution
The wheel hub design features offset centers between the outer hole circle and centering hole of each hub disk, allowing for adjustable eccentric movement and easy replacement of hub disks, along with an integrated receiving collar for a braking device, which can be adapted to various wheelchair variants without significantly increasing production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If hub bodies are manufactured individually by turning from solid material to meet customized requirements, then customization options for spoke arrangements and designs are improved, but manufacturing costs increase considerably
Solution Approach 1:
The hub is divided into a standardized hub body and interchangeable hub discs. The hub body is manufactured once as a standard component, while different hub discs with various spoke arrangements can be attached to the same hub body, eliminating the need to manufacture individual customized hub bodies for each configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
A single standardized hub body design serves multiple purposes by accommodating different hub discs with varying spoke arrangements and designs. This universal hub body can be used across multiple wheelchair configurations, reducing manufacturing complexity and costs.
2Ease of manufacture
If standard hub bodies are used to reduce manufacturing costs, then ease of manufacture is improved, but the ability to meet individual aesthetic and therapeutic requirements deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The hub system is segmented into a standardized hub body and interchangeable hub discs. This allows the hub body to be manufactured once as a standard component, while customization is achieved through different hub discs that can be attached to the same hub body.
Solution Approach 2:
The hub system becomes dynamic and adaptable through the interchangeable hub discs. Users can change hub discs to adjust spoke arrangements and designs according to aesthetic preferences and therapeutic requirements, transforming a static standard hub into a customizable system.
3Ease of repair
If hub discs are detachably fixed on the hub body, then ease of repair and customization is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hub is segmented into a hub body and detachable hub discs, allowing easy separation and replacement of components. This segmentation enables users to change hub discs without replacing the entire hub assembly, simplifying customization and repair processes.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making the entire hub body customizable and difficult to manufacture, the invention inverts the approach by making the hub discs interchangeable while keeping the hub body standardized. This reversal simplifies manufacturing while maintaining customization capabilities.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design reduces manufacturing costs, expands the usability of wheelchairs for therapeutic purposes, and allows for adjustable movement to support vestibular rehabilitation, while enabling easy attachment of a braking device compatible with multiple wheelchair types.
Implementation Method 1
the center point (18) of the outer bolt circle of each hub disc (4, 5) and the center point (17) of the centering bore (12) of the respective hub disc (4, 5) are offset from each other by a dimension U... The dimension U creates an alternating movement of the wheelchair during rotation of the wheel due to an irregular eccentric rotation of the wheel
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A wheel hub for wheelchairs is presented, comprising a hub body (1) which has a central inner through-bore (2) and is provided on its outer cylindrical circumferential surface (3) with two spaced-apart circular hub discs (4, 5) projecting outwards beyond the circumferential surface (3), each having an outer circle of holes (19) of through-bores (20) for inserting spokes, in which, according to the invention, the hub discs (4, 5) are detachably and rotationally fixed as separate components on a radial stop surface (6, 7) of each ring body (8, 9) projecting outwards from the outer circumferential surface (3) of the hub body (1), wherein the stop surfaces (6, 7) are arranged on the opposite outer sides of the ring bodies (8, 9).