US 12,257,196 B2
Wheelchair for improved muscular skeletal system alignment
Linda Smith Swerdlow, Los Angeles, CA (US); and Henning Zieger, Los Angeles, CA (US)
Appl. No. 17/437,011
Filed by Aligned As Designed, LLC, Los Angeles, CA (US)
PCT Filed Mar. 6, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/021492
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 7, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/181233, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 10, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/814,662, filed on Mar. 6, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0175595 A1, Jun. 9, 2022
Int. Cl. A61G 5/02 (2006.01); A61G 5/08 (2006.01); A61G 5/10 (2006.01); A61G 5/12 (2006.01)
CPC A61G 5/026 (2013.01) [A61G 5/025 (2013.01); A61G 5/0808 (2016.11); A61G 5/1037 (2013.01); A61G 5/121 (2016.11); A61G 5/128 (2016.11); A61G 2210/10 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A wheelchair configured to impart motion on one or more lower extremities of a user to inhibit inelasticity in joints of the one or more lower extremities as a result of extended immobility, and to promote a natural alignment of one or more upper extremities of the user during manipulation of the wheelchair, the wheelchair comprising:
a seat assembly comprising a seat and a backrest;
two ground-engaging wheels;
a hub assembly including a first drive-wheel and a first chain, and a second drive-wheel and a second chain, the first drive-wheel being operably coupled to the second drive-wheel;
a hand mechanism assembly including a first arm drive-wheel operably coupled to the first drive-wheel via the first chain, the first arm drive-wheel being configured to be operated using a first upper extremity of a user; and
a foot mechanism assembly including a first leg drive-wheel operably coupled to the second drive-wheel via the second chain, the first leg drive-wheel being configured to impart motion of a first lower extremity of the user on a side opposite the first upper extremity used to operate the hand mechanism assembly,
wherein the wheelchair is configured such that actuation of the first arm drive-wheel of hand mechanism assembly by the upper extremity actuates the first leg drive-wheel of the foot mechanism assembly to impart the motion on the first lower extremity, and causes one of the ground-engaging wheels to rotate, thereby resulting in contralateral locomotion, and
wherein the hand mechanism assembly further comprises a first linkage fixedly coupled to the first arm drive-wheel, at least one elongate grip link pivotably coupled at a first end, either directly or indirectly, of the first linkage, and a grip coupled to a second end of one of the at least one elongate grip links, the grip being configured to be moved when force is applied thereto by the first upper extremity of the user, wherein the first linkage converts translational movement of the grip into rotational movement of the first arm drive-wheel.