Wheelchair Back-Pedal Lock
Built a wheelchair back pedal lock for manual wheelchair users.
The Need
The need to be addressed here was for a middle ground in which the wheelchair can move forward and turn on forward motion but would not roll backwards. This allowed the wheelchair user to propel themselves up hills and long ramps without the fear of rolling backward if they lose grip or get tired. This would be beneficial for both self- propelled wheelchair users as well as those who aid wheelchair users by pushing their wheelchair from behind. Wheelchair users and aids are subjected to long steep inclines of wheelchair ramps and it is difficult to propel up the entire incline. Unexpected rolls can sometimes be the cause of falls from speed or loss of control or place the user in dangerous situations such as rolling back towards a busy street or rolling into other pedestrians. As a result, using the device will improve the overall safety for wheelchair users.
The Solution
We planed to address this need by designing and building a rollback brake that allows for forward motion without rollback. This would likely either be a friction lock or a ratchet system that can easily be set on or off so that it doesn’t affect movement when it is off. The team explored the larger design concepts and considered their merits before narrowing it down to the idea with the most potential. We found a universal solution with attaching the brakes, such as along the axle of the wheels, or along the backrest bars. In any case, we implemented the brake such that it can be activated and deactivated via a simple switch, this control will be small and flexible enough to be placed anywhere the wheelchair user desires. The location of the brake controls will be around the armrests or the wheels of the wheelchair. This way the user and whoever is propelling them would be able to turn on and off the brake as needed. The goal of this device was to be simple enough that prior knowledge is not required to add it on to an existing wheelchair.
The Team
Alejandro Hervella
Guidelson Celamy
Katherine McElderry