Enhanced Wheelchair System with Stability and Fine-Tuning Features
Legal Citation
Summary of the Inventive Concept
An improved wheelchair system that enhances stability, safety, and convenience for users, featuring a stabilizer mechanism, adjustable engager, and self-aligning technology.
Background and Problem Solved
The original wheelchair patent, while providing a means for users to securely engage with a vehicle body structure, has limitations in terms of stability and ease of use. The new inventive concept addresses these limitations by introducing a stabilizer mechanism, adjustable engager, and self-aligning technology to ensure a secure and convenient user experience.
Detailed Description of the Inventive Concept
The enhanced wheelchair system comprises a seat, body frame, wheel, seat back, and engager, as well as a stabilizer mechanism to maintain stability during engagement and disengagement. The engager can be adjusted for fine-tuning the engagement force between the seat back and vehicle body structure. Additionally, a sensor can be integrated to detect the distance between the engager and vehicle body structure, providing feedback to adjust the engager's position for optimal engagement. The self-aligning engager automatically adjusts its position to match the vehicle body structure's shape and size.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The new inventive concept introduces a stabilizer mechanism, adjustable engager, and self-aligning technology, which are not present in the original patent. These features provide a significant improvement in stability, safety, and convenience, making the new inventive concept novel and non-obvious.
Alternative Embodiments and Variations
Alternative embodiments of the enhanced wheelchair system could include different types of stabilizer mechanisms, adjustable engager designs, and self-aligning technologies. Additionally, the system could be adapted for use with various types of vehicles or mobility aids.
Potential Commercial Applications and Market
The enhanced wheelchair system has significant commercial potential in the mobility and healthcare industries, particularly in the areas of wheelchair accessibility and user convenience. The target market includes wheelchair users, caregivers, and mobility aid manufacturers.
CPC Classifications
| Section | Class | Group |
|---|---|---|
| A | A61 | A61G5/1067 |
| A | A61 | A61G3/02 |
| A | A61 | A61G3/0808 |
Section 103 Obviousness Analysis (PHOSITA)
Field of Art
Mobility assistance devices, specifically wheelchair design and vehicle integration technologies, requiring expertise in mechanical engineering, ergonomics, and assistive technology adaptation
Person of Ordinary Skill (PHOSITA) Profile
A mechanical engineer with 3-5 years experience in mobility device design, familiar with wheelchair integration systems, vehicle accessibility modifications, and adaptive mobility technologies
Obviousness Rationale
A PHOSITA would recognize that the PTD's proposed stabilizer mechanism, adjustable engager, and self-aligning technologies represent predictable engineering variations that naturally extend the source patent's wheelchair engagement system. These modifications represent standard problem-solving approaches in mobility device design, addressing known challenges of wheelchair stability and vehicle integration through incremental technological improvements.
Obvious Combinations & Variations
Original Patent Information
| Patent Number | US 11,857,472 |
|---|---|
| Title | Wheelchair |
| Assignee(s) | MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION |