Improvement of Wheel Chair Step-Traveling Performance by Swing Arm Caster

摘要

A swing arm caster for a wheelchair is proposed which is effective for traveling over a step. It is difficult to travel over only an inch height step by a conventional wheel chair. A shock occurs when the caster wheel collides against a step. The wheel of the swing arm caster is supported by a fork through swing arms. This swing arm changes continuously the direction of a horizontal approaching speed vector to a vertical one. Therefore, a wheel chair obtains an upward acceleration, which results easy traveling of a step smoothly without collision shock.