Personal mobility vehicle

Details Personal mobility vehicle Personal mobility vehicle

1999-02-24

2001-01-23

Rice, Kenneth R. (Department: 3611)

Motor vehicles

Special wheel base

Collapsible or knockdown for storage or transport

C180S334000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06176337

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention is generally directed to powered personal mobility vehicles (“PMV”) and more specifically to PMVs which can be readily assembled and disassembled for ease of transportation.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Individuals with disabilities have traditionally relied upon manually operated wheel chairs for personal mobility. However, for long distances, tight confines, or general convenience, the wheel chair presents problems for the physically challenged. To overcome some of the problems associated with manual wheel chairs, motorized wheel chairs were developed. However, motorized wheel chairs remain cumbersome with respect to transportation of the chair from location to location.
Motorized PMVs which can be assembled and reassembled were developed to overcome the shortcomings of the earlier vehicles. Such PMV's are generally referred to as breakdown or knockdown PMVs. However, prior art PMVs still present problems and inconveniences for users. For example, complicated tools or extreme manipulation of the components are often required for knockdown of the PMV by the user. This can be time consuming or even completely impossible for a physically challenged person, particularly when the person has limited use of a limb, such as is often the case for stroke victims. Many times the disassembly can result in a number of small component parts which may be easily damaged or misplaced. Finally some of the parts are either too heavy or too cumbersome to easily lift into a car or van for transportation by a single individual. Thus, it is desirable to have a PMV which can be easily disassembled, transported and reassembled for use, even with one hand.
Another problem associated with prior art PMVs is a lack of convenient and easy adjustment to provide the operator with a comfortable and safe operating position. This is again an even greater problem when the operator has impaired use of a limb, such as an arm. There remains a need for adjustable components and operating means which are easily accessible on either side of the PMV and provide a wide range of positions for comfort and safe operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes a PMV having front and rear chassis which are releasably connected to one another via a locking means. The rear chassis includes alignment means for aligning the rear chassis with a suspension assembly of the front chassis. Once aligned, the front and rear chassis are locked together. An adjustable seat assembly supports a user while preventing accidental opening of the locking means.


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