Device helps wheelchair-bound to swivel

A team of inventors has developed a device that allows a standard wheelchair to swivel like an office chair, giving disabled individuals additional freedom in their movement. The added ability will particularly serve well for those working in office cubicles.

Similar to a kitchen "lazy Susan," the prototype device consists of a platform made from two circular aluminum plates. Sandwiched between the plates are approximately 500 nylon balls riding in a channel machined into the top plate, allowing the platform and its cargo to spin easily in either direction. The entire platform is less than 1/2-in. thick, allowing a wheelchair to be easily rolled up onto the platform or off.

According to Dennis Wess of Pennsylvania State University, one of the platform's co-inventors, the decision to use nylon balls instead of steel was based on the quieter action of nylon, and that a steel ball could progressively leave micro-dents in the aluminum raceway. The aluminum-nylon combination in the prototype can support a 250 lb. load, yet rolls easily enough for an individual with limited upper extremity strength to turn a complete 360 degrees with little effort.

The device also features a locking mechanism to keep the wheelchair in a stationary position. At this phase of the design it is a series of holes spaced 45 degrees apart around a circle, with a mating hole in the lower plate and a locking pin attached to a 16-in. long handle that is easily accessed by the user. The lock also can prevent individuals stepping on the platform from injuring themselves when the device is not in use. Proposals have been made for a production version to use an electronic solenoid for the lock, with a wireless remote trigger mountable on a wheelchair so the platform would secure as the user rolls away. There are also suggestions for a motor on the turntable itself for the benefit of individuals who lack any upper body strength.

The University's Intellectual Property Office is actively seeking an industrial partner who is interested in commercializing the device.

--RM

For more information: Circle 480 - The Pennsylvania State University Intellectual Property Office