Animal Mobility Assistance Device: Maneuvering Wheel Joint System Design for Animal Wheelchairs
October 2024 I Developer & Author (Patent Holder)
Animal Mobility Assistance Device: Maneuvering Wheel Joint System Design for Animal Wheelchairs
October 2024 I Developer & Author (Patent Holder)
Problem & Purpose
The idea was born out of a few years of volunteering at animal shelters and seeing that many dogs, particularly senior dogs, sick or disabled ones, were having mobility issues. All three were severely impacted by the neglect and abusive confinement condition they lived in, often found shaking or sometimes bouncing off walls after spending much of their life locked up. While cheap dog wheelchairs might be on the market now, they often do not provide adequate mobility. They are non-adjustable or don't accommodate different-sized dogs with a variety of disabilities. Balancing should provide additional and widespread rotational freedom, which inherently jeopardizes the safety of motion. This concept tries to solve this problem with a wheelchair that enhances a dog's mobility and body adaptation.
Process
The process involved studying and identifying the failures of current wheelchairs. That led me to sketch; for mobility and adjustability, I wanted the chair piece by piece, after which came modeling, prototyping, and refined designing. Finally, the process ended with filing a patent for this new wheelchair system.
Design Process: Sketch, 3D Modeling, and Prototyping
Solutions
The wheelchair system includes several key components designed for ease of use and adjustability:
Rear Wheels: Two sturdy wheels that provide stability and flexible movement for the dog.
Rotation Angle Adjustment Rings: Allow control over the rear wheels' rotation, offering either 360-degree or restricted movement for safety.
Vertical Frames: Support the rear wheels and include adjustable height and wheel locking features to fit various dog sizes.
Horizontal Frames: Connect the vertical frames, which can be adjusted in width to accommodate different dog sizes.
Side Frames: Adjustable in length, these connect the wheelchair to the dog’s vest for a secure fit.
Results
Mobility: Special connections between the horizontal axis, vertical frame, and wheels were made with ball bearings to smooth up wheel rotation. The wheels can also rotate the full 360 degrees around the vertical axis, improving wheelchair freedom of movement.
AdjustabilityTuner-grade Tuner: A separate adjustment ring mechanism was integrated at the attachment of the wheel, which enables adjusting how many degrees you can steer. The wheels will spin freely when the ring is off, but with it on, you can control how much movement there is in those rear wheels depending on what your dog needs to move more controlled. The vertical and rear side frames are additionally size adjustable to help the wheelchair support different-sized dogs with front and back leg disabilities.
Mobility and Adjustability Improvement through Ball-bearing and Rotational Angle Adjustment Device
Impacts
This can make a real difference in the lives of disabled and elderly dogs, providing an affordable, practical solution for improved mobility. There is more emphasis on controlling and securing than the existing wheelchair model; it is ideal for animal shelters or as a keeper. This resultant invention gives our dogs their independence and a good quality of life.
The design is currently under patent review in South Korea
This design is currently under patent review in South Korea (Patent pending: #10-2024-0139700).
Patent Application Notification