Patents by Inventor Tom Whelan

Tom Whelan 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).

  • Center-of-gravity tilt-in-space wheelchair
    Patent number: 7007965
    Abstract: A center-of-gravity tilt-in-space wheelchair includes a base, a seat for supporting an occupant, and tracks supporting the seat for selective seat movement relative to the base. Wheels are adapted to support the base relative to a supporting surface. The tracks serve as rolling or sliding surfaces that allow the seat to rotate with respect to the base. Each track has a constant-radius arc with a focal point that is adapted to be coincident with the center of gravity of the wheelchair occupant. A low-friction supports the base relative to the seat. The low-friction support may include low friction elements that mate with the tracks to support for the tracks. The support can be adjustable to permit the overall tilt angle range of the tracks to be adjusted. The wheelchair seat can be adjusted to maintain the focal point of the constant-radius arc of the tracks coincident with the center of gravity of the wheelchair occupant. The front and rear wheels can be adjusted fore and aft relative to the focal point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Sunrise Medical HHG Inc.
    Inventors: Todd Bernatsky, Philip Schreiber, Tom Whelan, Wayne Hanson, Steven L. Lindquist, Jerry Houtart, Richard Schneider, Allen B. Killebrew, Mike Nordquist
  • Center-of-gravity tilt-in-space wheelchair
    Publication number: 20040188979
    Abstract: A center-of-gravity tilt-in-space wheelchair includes a base, a seat for supporting an occupant, and tracks supporting the seat for selective seat movement relative to the base. Wheels are adapted to support the base relative to a supporting surface. The tracks serve as rolling or sliding surfaces that allow the seat to rotate with respect to the base. Each track has a constant-radius arc with a focal point that is adapted to be coincident with the center of gravity of the wheelchair occupant. A low-friction supports the base relative to the seat. The low-friction support may include low friction elements that mate with the tracks to support for the tracks. The support can be adjustable to permit the overall tilt angle range of the tracks to be adjusted. The wheelchair seat can be adjusted to maintain the focal point of the constant-radius arc of the tracks coincident with the center of gravity of the wheelchair occupant. The front and rear wheels can be adjusted fore and aft relative to the focal point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventors: Todd Bernatsky, Philip Schreiber, Tom Whelan, Wayne Hanson, Steven L. Lindquist, Jerry Houtart, Richard Schneider, Allen B. Killebrew, Mike Nordquist