Patents by Inventor James C. Thorpe

James C. Thorpe has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6027132
    Abstract: Drive wheel axle assemblies (34, 34A) and caster wheel assemblies (94, 252) are mounted to a wheelchair frame (4, 222). One axle assembly (34) includes an axle adjustment tube (40) secured to the frame and an axle housing (56), defining an axle bore (58), toollessly mounted to the axle adjustment tube at any of several rotary orientations to determine the camber of the drive wheel (36) mounted to the axle assembly. The front to rear position of the axle housing can also be adjusted in a toolless manner using a quick release pin (66). The height of the front end (10) of the frame is changed, to ensure that the caster wheel pivot axis (96) remains vertical, without tools by mounting a caster wheel (98) at various vertical positions within a caster spool housing (100) without exposing the user to oil and grease on the spindle (120) and bearings (121). Another axle assembly (34A) permits the height of the drive wheels (254) to be changed without the used tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Sunrise Medical HHG Inc.
    Inventors: William G. Robinson, James C. Thorpe, Robert A. Taylor
  • Patent number: 5590893
    Abstract: Drive wheel axle assemblies (34) and caster wheel assemblies (94) are mounted to a wheelchair frame (4). Each axle assembly includes an axle adjustment tube (40) secured to the frame and an axle housing (56), defining an axle bore (58), toollessly mounted to the axle adjustment tube at any of several rotary orientations to determine the camber of the drive wheel (36) mounted to the axle assembly. The front to rear position of the axle housing can also be adjusted in a toolless manner using a quick release pin (66). The height of the front end (10) of the frame is changed, to ensure that the caster wheel pivot axis (96) remains vertical, without tools by mounting a caster wheel (98) at various vertical positions within a caster spool housing (100) using a quick release pin (122).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1997
    Assignee: No Limit Designs, Inc.
    Inventors: William G. Robinson, James C. Thorpe
  • Patent number: D439718
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: Liteweight Industries, LLC
    Inventor: James C. Thorpe