DESCRIPTION

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention falls within the technical field concerning aids for people subject to walking limitations or who are unable to move independently and refers to a device for the powered movement of disabled or limited mobility people and their accompanying persons where said device is suitable to be applied to a wheelchair or to other means such as shopping carts, walkers and similar means with front and rear wheels.

BACKGROUND ART

Devices paired or pairable with wheelchairs for the locomotion of the chair and for the movement of the user of this chair are known. Typically, these devices include an electric accumulator and an electronic control system connected to the accumulator to power an electric motor mechanically connected to the rear wheels of the chair. The electronic control system is equipped with commands for the user of the chair and/or for a person who looks after or accompanies the user.

Prior art document US2020331554 discloses a powered wheeled riding device having at least one rear wheel that is not powered, the device being configured to receive left and right foot inputs from a user and to control accordingly a left motor and a right motor for moving respective left and right wheels forwardly and backwardly, in order to steer the device without changing a direction of the wheels relative to a frame of the riding device.

Prior art document US2019151185 discloses a wheeled walker comprising a first wheel pair that is in the front and a second wheel pair that is behind, a frame that includes struts oriented backwards and each supporting a rear wheel, a platform that is attached at the wheeled walker and that includes at least one wheel and a standing surface arranged between the rear wheels for a person using the wheeled walker, and an electric motor drive that is configured to propel the wheeled walker.

Prior art document US10285894 discloses a hoverboard walker attachment apparatus to motorize a standard walker. The apparatus has a principal support having a vertical stem, a pair of arms, and a hoverboard clamp on a base of the principal support. The hoverboard clamp is removably disposed on a middle of a hoverboard such that it is completely fixed. A user sits on a seat of the walker and places his or her feet onto a pair of platforms of the hoverboard.

A disadvantage of these known devices consists in the fact that they help the attendant in moving the wheelchair, but he must still proceed on foot.

Another disadvantage of the known devices mentioned above is that they can be difficult to steer by the user and by the attendant and they generally impose very strict speed limits. Carts and similar means or walkers are also known, intended to facilitate walking and possibly the transport of things which would otherwise be excessively burdensome due to the limited capabilities of those who use such means.

A disadvantage of these known means consists in the fact that the user is in any case forced to push them while walking.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to propose a device for the movement of people that can be coupled to a wheelchair for disabled people, to a cart for supporting and/or transporting things, to a wheelchair for children, to a walker and to similar means provided with at least one front wheel to allow the person accompanying the disabled person or infant or who uses them to govern them, to move them and to be transported effortlessly.

Another object is to propose a device that can be easily coupled to a vehicle making it self-propelled and uncoupled to bring it back to its original functionality.

A further object is to propose a device which can be easily and alternatively used on various vehicles.

Another object is to propose a device which can be paired with vehicles with three or more wheels while maintaining great ease of steering. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The features of the invention are highlighted below with particular reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figures 1 to 3 respectively show side, top and rear axonometric views of the device for the movement of people, object of the present invention, in a condition in which a connection portion thereof is fixed to a carriage means consisting of a common four-wheeled pushable mobile chair, the front and rear wheels of which rest on a horizontal floor and in which such means is detached from a thrust and support portion of said device; - Figures 4 to 6 show side, top and rear axonometric views respectively of the connection, fixed to the chair, and thrust and support portions of Figure 1 mutually coupled and in which all the wheels of the chair are still resting on a horizontal plane;

Figures 7 to 9 show enlarged views corresponding to those of Figures 4 to 6 in an operative condition in which the weights of the parts and of the users of the chair and of the thrust and support portion have led to the lifting of the front wheels of the carriage means realizing, with the thrust and support element, a three-wheel assembly;

Figures 10 to 12 show side, top and rear axonometric views respectively of the assembly consisting of the chair and the connection and thrust and support portions mutually coupled in a left-hand steering condition;

Figures 13 to 16 respectively show enlarged left side, front, right side and top views of the thrust and support portion of the device;

Figures 17 and 18 respectively show bottom and top axonometric views of the thrust and support portion of the device;

Figures 19 and 20 respectively show side and axonometric views of a first variant of the device object of the present invention connected to a carriage means consisting of a wheelchair;

Figures 21 and 22 show side views of a second variant of the device object of the present invention paired with a carriage means consisting of a wheelchair and respectively in a lowered and in a raised condition of a seat member.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION With reference to Figures 1 to 18, numeral 1 indicates the device, object of the present invention, for the movement of people who drive carriage means S consisting of one of wheelchairs for users of the same or one among carts, wheeled containers for the transport of goods, merchandise and objects, wheeled aids for facilitating the movement of such persons and others. The invention is not limited to a device for wheelchairs, but the device is preferably assigned to be used with carriage means consisting of a wheelchair, mainly with wheelchairs of the “off the shelves kind” or, in alternative, on purpose designed. Preferably said wheelchairs are equipped with two rear wheels and with one or two front wheels. In general, said carriage means S comprises a set of front 2 and rear 4 wheels. Figures 1 to 12 illustrate by way of example the device in association with a wheelchair for a human user, not shown, for example an injured, a convalescent, an elderly person who cannot walk and who is unable to independently use such chair which is governed, that is driven, by the person, for example a family member, a caregiver, or an acquaintance, who accompanies and cares for said user.

Alternatively, the invention provides that the device can be associated or paired with a cart, for example with two rear wheels and at least one front wheel, which can be used to transport foodstuffs or goods even by a person with limited capabilities thanks to the device; likewise, the device can allow a debilitated or physically limited person to carry even heavy things through a trolley or bag with two rear wheels and a set of front wheels, or to accompany a child placed in a three- or four-wheel pushchair, or to use walkers equipped with suitable wheels.

In the following, while referring particularly to the case of the wheelchair, since illustrated and intuitive, the term carriage means S will in any case be understood as one of: wheelchairs, carts, wheeled containers, walkers or other devices equipped with at least a front wheel and at least one rear wheel.

The device 1 is conceived in such a way as to allow the use of the carriage means S completely deprived of the device itself or removable parts thereof; in this use condition U of one of the carriage means S, the lower portions, intended to meet with the floor T, of the corresponding wheels 2, 4 identify just as many support points which define, at least approximately and within the construction tolerance, a resting geometrical plane P regardless of the position or orientation of the carriage means itself. In the following, this resting geometrical plane P will be used in determining orientations and inclinations. The device 1 comprises at least: a clutch connection portion 3, equipped with complementary first connection 5 and second connection 13; the first connection 5 is fixed to the carriage means S by means of a set of fixing members 7 and has a respective coupling geometrical axis C coinciding with its own longitudinal geometrical axis; - a thrust portion 11 equipped with the second connection 13, complementary to the first 5 and removably lockable thereto; the second connection 13 is fixed to a frame or body of the thrust portion 11; at least the rotatable hub of a powered wheel 15 is connected to such frame or body and a platform 17 is connected thereto for supporting the person who governs the carriage means S and the device at least by means of controls 19 for the speed of the powered wheel 15; a steering articulated joint 21 inserted in one of the first 5 and second 13 connections or in the portion adjacent to the second connection 13 of the frame or body of the thrust portion 11; this steering articulated joint 21 has a respective rotation axis perpendicular to the coupling geometrical axis C.

Preferably and as illustrated, the steering articulated joint 21 is integrated in the second connection 13 making it articulated. The joints first 5 and second 13 can be of the kind allowing a limited and/or frictioned and/or elastic mutual axial rotation when connected.

The powered wheel 15, that is the driving wheel, can be for example of the type equipped with an electric motor integrated in its own hub or of the type kinematically connected (by means of pulleys and belts and/or gears) to an electric motor or gearmotor housed in the thrust portion 11. In both cases the motor of the powered wheel 15 is of the electric type and is powered by electric battery elements 23 fixed above the housing for the upper portion of such powered wheel 15 and is controlled by the controls 19. In an operative condition O in which the first 5 and second 13 connections are mutually connected, the rotation axis of the steering articulated joint 21 is almost perpendicular to the plane of the floor T, a possible user can be seated on the chair or on the carriage means and the person in charge of driving is supported by the platform 17. This person can tilt the powered wheel 15 with respect to the rear wheels 4 by gripping the push handles of the carriage means S, obtaining the steering, and he controls the speed by means of the controls 19.

In particular, said coupling geometrical axis C of the first connection 5 is inclined upwards by an angle A of at least 2°, with respect to said resting geometrical plane P and, again with reference to the operative condition, the hub of the powered wheel 15 is connected to the frame or body of the thrust portion 11 so that the first 5 and second 13 connections are placed at a height from the floor T approximately equal to the radius of this wheel 15. More particularly the geometrical rotation axis of the powered wheel 15 crosses or almost crosses the coupling geometrical axis C. Preferably, when the first 5 and second 13 connections and the longitudinal geometrical axis of the frame or body are aligned or nearly aligned, the axis of the hub of the powered wheel 15 intersects or nearly intersects the coupling geometrical axis C. The first connection 5 and at least a portion of the second connection 13 are aligned with the coupling geometrical axis C, where the latter axis C and the development or longitudinal axis of the frame or body of the thrust portion 11 are almost parallel to the plane of the floor T while the resting geometrical plane P is inclined by at least 2° with respect to said plane of the floor T and the carriage means S are inclined by an angle in the opposite direction and equal to the angle A lifting the front wheels 2 from the floor. The invention provides that the same capability to lift the front wheel in the operative condition can be achieved by an alternative of the first 5 and second 13 connections and of the body; for instance the coupling axis C of the connections can be oriented at any angle, for instance parallel to the resting geometrical plane P, and the frame or body can be curved or differently shaped to keep the powered wheel spaced and lifted in respect to the resting geometrical plane P. The platform 17 of the thrust portion 11 has two treads for the feet of the person in charge of driving. The controls 19 for the speed of the device consist of the right tread which pivots around a central transverse axis. The front portion of the right tread of the controls 19 is connected to means for controlling the forward speed and the corresponding rear portion is connected to means for controlling the braking; the reverse gear is operated by means of a respective control, for example a reverse gear switch fixed or connected to the body of the thrust portion 11. The right and left treads are separated and mutually spaced by the powered wheel 15 or by a housing for the upper portion of such wheel, obtained in the thrust portion 11. The thrust portion 11 can be equipped with a barycentric lifting handle, placed straddling the housing for the wheel, and which can carry a power switch, the reverse gear switch, indicators, and any other auxiliary controls.

The first 5 and second 13 connections are of the quick coupling and disengaging type, where one of them 5, 13 is equipped with a cavity, for example conical or truncated conical, and with a transverse cylindrical pin axially moveable through such cavity, and the other one 13, 5 is provided with a protrusion of a shape complementary to said cavity to be removably housed in the latter, and this protrusion is equipped with a transverse seat for the transverse pin whose insertion in this seat mutually and removably blocks these first 5 and second 13 connections whose longitudinal geometrical axes, in a condition of mutual fastening, coincide with the coupling geometrical axis C. One end of the transverse cylindrical pin is equipped with a knob for manual actuation of the pin and the release or block of the first 5 and second 13 connections, allowing for the rapid and very simple removal and application of the thrust portion 11 so as to allow the traditional use, i.e. manual use, of the carriage means S or the motorized use thereof. Each one in the assembly of fixing members 7, preferably four in number, consists of a rod of adjustable length having one end articulately connected to the first connection 5 and the opposite end provided with a fastening for a corresponding element of the carriage means S. Such rods of the fixing members 7 can be, for example, telescopic of the type with clamping collar or of the screw and nut screw type or of the turnstile or turnbuckle type. In the first case, the length is adjusted by loosening the collar that mutually clamps the external tubular and internal elements of the rod, allowing the internal one to slide into the external one until the desired length is reached, by tightening the collar the elements and the length of the rod are blocked at the desired value. In the second case, the adjustment of the length of each rod of the fixing members 7 is obtained by rotating one of the respective elements, external tubular with nut screw or internal and threaded, with respect to the other; fixing the ends of the rod prevents rotation and blocks the length at the desired value. In the third case, the length is adjusted by rotating the tubular central member with opposite nut screws of the turnstile or turnbuckle, then locking it to the opposite threaded stems by means of nuts.

The adjustment of the lengths of the fixing members 7 allows, where necessary, to adjust the height from the floor T and the inclination of the coupling geometrical axis C of the first connection 5. It should be noted that the invention, by providing for the detachment from the floor of the front wheels 2 of the carriage means S, prevents these from disturbing and making the motion irregular, due to their reduced diameter and to the fact that they are pivoting, and from making the steering difficult. The invention also provides that the device 1 may also include one or more carriage means, even of a different type and with different functions.

The first variant of the device 1, shown in figures 19 and 20, comprises two wheels 15 of which at least one is powered; preferably both wheels 15 are powered. These wheels are coaxial and mutually spaced; preferably the platform 17 is placed between these wheels 15. Alternatively, the platform 17 can be placed in a front or upper or rear position with respect to the wheels 15. In this variant, the second connection 13 or the frame or body of the thrust portion 11 can be equipped with an axial articulated j oint 25 intended to allow for the mutual rotation of the thrust portion 11 and of the carriage means S around a rotation axis coinciding with or parallel to the coupling geometrical axis C, thus the rear wheels 4 of the carriage means and the wheels 15 of the device are in contact with the floor T even if the latter is irregular. The device 1 of the second variant of figures 21 and 22 comprises a seat member 27 for the person who controls the device and the wheelchair. The seat member 27 can be of the motorcycle type or the like and can be equipped with two pairs of pantograph side arms which connect this seat member 27 to a respective joint connected to the thrust portion 11. This joint or the seat member 27 is equipped with a stop for the rotation of the arms which can rotate between two extreme conditions in which the seat member 27 is respectively lowered and in a raised and retracted position in which it can be used.