Patent Issued for Active Stability Devices And Systems For Mobile Devices (USPTO 10,289,650)

2019 MAY 24 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- United States Government (Washington, District of Columbia, United States) has been issued patent number 10,289,650, according to news reporting originating out of Alexandria, Virginia, by NewsRx editors.

The patent’s inventors are Pearlman, Jonathan L. (Pittsburgh, PA); Duvall, Jonathan Aaron (Pittsburgh, PA); Gebrosky, Benjamin Todd (Gibsonia, PA); Cooper, Rory Alan (Gibsonia, PA).

This patent was filed on September 22, 2016 and was published online on May 27, 2019.

From the background information supplied by the inventors, news correspondents obtained the following quote: “The following information is provided to assist the reader in understanding technologies disclosed below and the environment in which such technologies may typically be used. The terms used herein are not intended to be limited to any particular narrow interpretation unless clearly stated otherwise in this document. References set forth herein may facilitate understanding of the technologies or the background thereof. The disclosure of all references cited herein are incorporated by reference.

“Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs) such as electronic power wheelchairs (EPW) as illustrated in FIG. 1A, scooters as illustrated in FIG. 1B and manual wheelchairs as illustrated in FIG. 1C are very beneficial to the people with mobility impairments. As used herein, the term ‘personal mobility device’ or PMD refers to mobile devices to transport a person, thereby increasing the mobility of the person. However, those benefits come with some risks. One such risk lies in the stability of the PMD. A review of the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database shows that one of the most frequent adverse events connected to these devices is their inclination to tip; causing the user to be thrown from the device and injured, sometimes severely. In a study done between 1975 and 1993, 25.7% of the wheelchair safety incidents reported to the FDA were from a tip and/or fall. R. Lee Kirby, S. A.-S. Wheelchair Safety-Adverse Reports to the Food and Drug Administration, American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 308-312 (1995).

“To help prevent these injuries the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the FDA and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) require that PMDs are tested for stability issues and that the results then be published in the user manual. Testing the PMDs and reporting the results do not necessarily mean that they are stable. However, the VA has become more proactive about requiring that PMDs be more stable. They have indicated in their requests for low cost EPW’s that they are dynamically stable on a 6.degree. slope.

“It is a good idea to change the design of the PMDs to make them more stable; however any design change may affect the performance of the device as well. Slowing the speed of the device reduces mobility and independence. Making a wider frame can limit access to narrow places. Stiff suspension reduces user comfort. Passive anti-tip devices limit some safe maneuvers and can be ineffective if not properly adjusted to the user’s specifications.”

Supplementing the background information on this patent, NewsRx reporters also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “In one aspect, a system for use with a mobile device includes at least one sensor to sense a variable related to tilting of the mobile device and at least one activatable system in operative connection with the sensor. The at least one activatable system increases stability of the mobile device upon actuation/change in state thereof on the basis of data measured by the at least one sensor. A variable related to tilting includes variables that indicate concurrent, actual tilting as described herein as well as variables predictive of imminent tilting. Activatable systems hereof change state upon actuation or activation to increase stability of the mobile device by reducing, eliminating or preventing tilting. The system may further include a control system in operative connection with the at least one sensor and in cooperative connection with the at least one activatable system to control whether the at least one activatable system is activated on the basis of data measure by the at least one sensor.

“The at least one activatable system may, for example, include at least one activatable damper system or at least one activatable brake system. In a number of embodiments, the at least one activatable system is in operative connection with a suspension system of the mobile device. In a number of embodiments, the at least one activatable system is in operative connection with at least one abutment member adapted to contact a surface upon which the mobile device is supported to increase or enhance stability or prevent instability.

“In a number of embodiments, the mobile device is a personal mobility device. The personal mobility device may, for example, be an electrically powered wheelchair or an electrically powered scooter.

“Activatable systems in operative connection with at least one abutment member adapted to contact a surface upon which the mobile device is supported to increase or enhance stability or prevent instability may, for example, be used in connection with manually powered wheelchair or powered wheelchairs. In a number of embodiments, the abutment member includes a wheel that moves up and down before activation of the activatable system, but requires more force to move upon or down or is prevented from moving up or down upon activation of the activatable system. The wheel may, for example be biased to remain in contact with a surface upon which the mobile is traveling when the activatable system in not activated.

“In a number of embodiments, the mobile devices (or suspension systems thereof in some embodiment) may operate independently of the activatable systems. The activatable systems hereof need not be formed integrally with systems upon manufacture thereof and are, for example, readily adapted to be attached to an existing mobile device.

“In another aspect, a method of operating a mobile device includes providing at least one sensor to sense a variable related to tilting of the mobile device in operative connection with the mobile device, providing at least one activatable system in operative connection with the sensor, and activating the at least one activatable system to increase stability of the mobile device on the basis of data measured by the at least one sensor. The method may further include providing a control system in operative connection with the at least one sensor and in cooperative connection with the at least one activatable system to control whether the at least one activatable system is activated on the basis of data measured by the at least one sensor. As described above, the at least one activatable system may, for example, include at least one activatable damper system or at least one activatable brake system.

“In another aspect, a mobile system includes an anti-tip system including at least one sensor to sense a variable related to tilting of the mobile system, and at least one activatable system in operative connection with the sensor. The at least one activatable system increases stability of the mobile system on the basis of data measured by the at least one sensor.

“The present devices, systems, and methods, along with the attributes and attendant advantages thereof, will best be appreciated and understood in view of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“What is claimed is:

“1. A system for use with a mobile device for travelling upon a surface comprising: a plurality of wheels for operatively engaging a surface, at least one sensor to sense a variable having a threshold value indicative of a loss of contact between at least one of the plurality of wheels and the surface or an imminent loss of contact between at least one of the plurality of wheels and the surface during operative use of the mobile device, a control system in operative connection with the at least one sensor, and at least one abutment member in operative connection with the control system, wherein the at least one abutment member is configured to have a first position at which the at least one abutment member does not contact the surface until the threshold value is sensed by the sensor, and wherein the control system is configured to activate an actuator in operative connection with the at least one abutment member upon sensing of the threshold value to move the at least one abutment member to a second position at which the at least one abutment member is configured to contact the surface upon tipping of the mobile device.

“2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of abutment members in operative connection with the control system, wherein each of the plurality of abutment members is in a first position at which the abutment member does not contact the surface, and wherein the control system is configured to activate one or more actuators in operative connection with one or more of the plurality of abutment members to move the one or more of the plurality of abutment members to a second position at which the one or more of the plurality of abutment members is configured to contact the surface upon tipping of the device.

“3. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one abutment member is positioned on a rear of the mobile device, on a side of the mobile device or on a front of the mobile device.

“4. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is a personal mobility device.

“5. The system of claim 4 wherein the personal mobility device is an electrically powered wheelchair or an electrically powered scooter.

“6. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is a manually powered wheelchair.

“7. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one abutment member operates independently of a suspension system of the mobile device.

“8. The system of claim 7 wherein the system is configured to be added to a previously manufactured mobile device.

“9. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one abutment member comprises a wheel on an end thereof.

“10. The system of claim 9 wherein the wheel of the at least one abutment member remains in contact with the surface when activated to the second position and is retracted to the first position so that is does not contact the surface under normal use of the mobile device when not activated.

“11. A method of operating a mobile device including a plurality of wheels for operatively engaging a surface comprising: providing at least one sensor to sense a variable having a threshold value indicative of a loss of contact between at least one of the plurality of wheels and the surface or an imminent loss of contact between at least one of the plurality of wheels and the surface during operative use thereof in operative connection with the mobile device, providing a control system in operative connection with the at least one sensor, providing at least one abutment member in operative connection with the control system, maintaining the at least one abutment member in a first, retracted position in which the at least one abutment member does not contact a surface of the environment in which the mobile device is used until the threshold value is sensed, and actuating an actuator via the control system to extend the at least one abutment member to a second, extended position via the control system upon sensing of the threshold value, the at least one abutment member being configured to contact the surface of the environment in which the mobile device is used upon tipping of the mobile device in the second, extended position.

“12. The method of claim 11 further comprising providing a plurality of abutment members in operative connection with the control system, maintaining each of the plurality of abutment members in a first, retracted position in which the at least one abutment member does not contact a surface of the environment in which the mobile device is used until the threshold value is sensed, and actuating via the control system one or more actuators in operative connection with one or more of the plurality of abutment member to move the one or more of the plurality of abutment members to a second, extended position at which the one or more of the plurality of abutment members is configured to contact the surface upon tipping of the device.

“13. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one abutment member is positioned on a rear of the mobile device, on a front of the mobile device or on a side of the mobile device.

“14. The method of claim 11 wherein the mobile device is a personal mobility device.

“15. The method of claim 14 wherein the personal mobility device is an electrically powered wheelchair or an electrically powered scooter.

“16. The method of claim 11 wherein the mobile device is a manually powered wheelchair.

“17. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one abutment member operates independently of a suspension system of the mobile device.

“18. The method of claim 17 wherein the at least one sensor, the at least one abutment member and the control system are configured to be added to a previously manufactured mobile device.

“19. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one abutment member comprises a wheel which remains in contact with the surface when activated to the second, extended position and does not contact the surface in the first, retracted position.

“20. A mobile system, comprising: an anti-tip system comprising at least one sensor to sense a variable having a threshold value indicative of a loss of contact between at least one of a plurality wheels of a mobile device and a surface engaged by the plurality of wheels during operative use of the mobile device or an imminent loss of contact between at least one of the plurality of wheels and the surface and at least one abutment member in operative connection with the control system, wherein the at least one abutment member is configured to have a first position at which at least one abutment member does not contact a surface of an environment in which the mobile device is used until the threshold value is sensed by the sensor, and wherein the control system is configured to activate an actuator to move the at least one abutment member upon sensing of the threshold value to a second position at which the at least one abutment member is configured to contact the surface upon tipping of the mobile device.”

For the URL and additional information on this patent, see: Pearlman, Jonathan L.; Duvall, Jonathan Aaron; Gebrosky, Benjamin Todd; Cooper, Rory Alan. Active Stability Devices And Systems For Mobile Devices. U.S. Patent Number 10,289,650, filed September 22, 2016, and published online on May 27, 2019. Patent URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=10,289,650.PN.&OS=PN/10,289,650RS=PN/10,289,650

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