A brief introduction of electric wheelchair

A Brief Introduction of Electric Wheelchairs

At present, the aging of the global population is particularly prominent, and the development of special disabled groups has brought about the diversified demand of the elderly health industry and the special group industry market. How to provide corresponding products and services for this special group has become a topic of common concern among health industry practitioners and all sectors of society. As people living standard rise, people has put forward higher requirements for the quality, performance and comfort of the products.In addition, the pace of urban life has accelerated, and children have less time to take care of the elderly and patients at home.It is inconvenient for people to use manual wheelchairs, so they cannot be well taken care of. How to solve this problem has become a topic of increasing concern in society. With the advent of electric wheelchairs, people see the hope for a new life. The elderly and the disabled can no longer rely on the help of others, and they can walk independently by operating the electric wheelchair, which makes their life and work easier and more convenient.

1. Definition of Electric Wheelchairs

Electric wheelchair, so the name implies, is a wheelchair driven by electricity. It is based on the traditional manual wheelchair, superimposed high-performance power drive device, intelligent control device, battery and other components, transformed and upgraded.
Equipped with artificially operated intelligent controllers that can drive the wheelchair to complete forward, backward, steering, standing, lying down, and other functions, it is a high-tech products with combination of modern precision machinery, intelligent numerical control, engineering mechanics and other fields.
The fundamental difference from traditional mobility scooters, electric scooters, bicycles and other means of transportation is that the electric wheelchair has an intelligent controller. According to the different operation mode, there are joystick controller, also use of head or blow suction system and other kinds of switch control controller, the latter is mainly suitable for the severe disabled people with upper and lower limb disability.Nowadays, electric wheelchairs have become an indispensable means of transportation for the elderly and disabled people with limited mobility.It is widely applicable to a wide range of people. As long as the user has a clear consciousness and normal cognitive ability, the use of the electric wheelchair is a good choice, but it needs a certain activity space.

2.Classification

There are many types of wheelchairs on the market, which can be divided into aluminum alloy, light material and carbon steel according to the material. As according to the function, they can be divided into ordinary electric wheelchairs and special wheelchairs.Special wheelchairs can be divided into: leisure sports wheelchair series, electronic wheelchair series, toilet wheelchair series, standing wheelchair series, etc.

Ordinary electric wheelchair: It is mainly composed of wheelchair frame, wheel, brake and other devices. It only has electric mobility function.
Scope of application: People with lower extremity disabilities, hemiplegia, paraplegia below the chest but those with one-hand control ability and also the elderly with limited mobility.
Features: The patient can operate the fixed armrest or the detachable armrest. The fixed footrest or the detachable footrest can be folded for carrying or when not in use. There is a one-hand control device, which can move forward, backward and turn. 360 turns on the ground, can be used indoors and outdoors, easy and convenient to operate.
According to different models and prices, it is divided into: hard seat, soft seat, pneumatic tires or solid tires, among which: the price of wheelchairs with fixed armrests and fixed pedals is lower.

Special wheelchair: its functions are relatively complete, it is not only a mobility tool for the disabled and people with limited mobility, but also has other functions.

High-back reclining wheelchair
Applicable scope: High paraplegics and the elderly and infirm
Features: 1. The backrest of the reclining wheelchair is as high as the user’s head, with detachable armrests and rotary footrests. The pedals can be lifted and rotated 90 degrees, and the footrest bracket can be adjusted to the horizontal position 2. The angle of the backrest can be adjusted in a section or without section (equivalent to a bed). The user can rest in a wheelchair. The headrest can also be removed.
Toilet wheelchair
Scope of application: for the disabled and the elderly who cannot go to the toilet on their own.Usually divided into small wheeled toilet chair and wheelchair with toilet, which can be selected according to the occasion of use.
Sports wheelchair
Scope of application: It is used for disabled people in sports activities, divided into two categories: ball and racing. The design is special, and the materials used are generally aluminum alloy or light materials, which are strong and lightweight.
Standing wheelchair
It is a standing and sitting wheelchair for paraplegic or cerebral palsy patients to perform standing training. Through training: prevent patients from osteoporosis, promote blood circulation and strengthen muscle strength training, and avoid bed sores caused of long-term sitting on a wheelchair. It is also convenient for patients to fetch things, so that many patients with leg and foot disabilities or stroke and hemiplegia can use tools to realize their dream of standing and regain a new life.
Scope of application: paraplegic patients, cerebral palsy patients.
Electric wheelchair with other special functions: such as adding massage, rocking chair, GPS positioning, one-key communication and other special functions.

3.The Main Structure

The electric wheelchair is mainly composed of motor, controller, battery and main frame.

Motor
The motor set is composed of motor, gear box and electromagnetic brake
The electric wheelchair motor is generally a DC reduction motor, which is decelerated by a double reduction gear box, and the final speed is about 0-160 RPM. The walking speed of electric wheelchairs should not exceed 6-8km/h, differ according to different countries.
The motor is equipped with clutch, which can realize the conversion of manual and electric modes. When the clutch is in electric mode, it can realize electric walking. When the clutch is in manual mode, it can be manually pushed to walk, which is the same as the manual wheelchair.

Controller
The controller panel generally includes a power switch, a speed adjustment button, a buzzer, and a joystick.
The electric wheelchair controller independently controls the movement of the left and right motors of the wheelchair to realize the wheelchair forward (the left and right motors turn forward at the same time), backward (the left and right motors turn backward at the same time) and steering (the left and right motors rotate at different speeds and directions).
At present, the mainstream electric wheelchair joystick controllers with mature technology in the market are Dynamic from New Zealand and PG from UK.

Battery
Electric wheelchairs generally use lead-acid batteries as power sources, but nowadays lithium batteries are more and more popular, specially for light weighted, portable models. The batteries include a charger interface and a power output interface, generally 24V power supply (controller 24V, motor 24V, charger 24V, battery 24V), use household electricity (110-240V) for charging.

Charger
At present, the chargers mainly use 24V, 1.8-10A, differ by charging time and price.

Technical parameter
1. Rear-drive electric wheelchair Front wheel: 8 inches\9 inches\10 inches, rear wheel: 12 inches\14 inches\16 inches\22 inches;
Front-drive electric wheelchair Front wheel: 12″\14″\16″\22″; Rear wheel: 8″\9″\10″;
2. Battery: 24V20Ah, 24V28Ah, 24V35Ah…;
3. Cruising range: 15-60 kilometers;
4. Driving speed: high speed 8 km/h, medium speed 4.5 km/h, low speed 2.5 km/h;
5. Total weight: 45-100KG, battery 20-40KG;
6. Bearing weight: 100-160KG

4. Advantages of electric wheelchairs

Wide range of users. Compared with traditional manual wheelchairs, the powerful functions of electric wheelchairs are not only suitable for the elderly and infirm, but also for severely disabled patients. Stability, power lasting, and speed adjustable are the unique advantages of electric wheelchairs.
Convenience. The traditional hand-pulled wheelchair must rely on manpower to push and pull forward. If there is no one around to take care of it, you have to push the wheel by yourself. Electric wheelchairs are different. As long as they are fully charged, they can be easily operated without the need for family members to accompany them all the time.
Environmental protection. Electric wheelchairs use electricity to start, which is more environmentally friendly.
Safety. The production technology of electric wheelchairs is becoming more and more mature, and the brake equipment on the body can only be mass-produced after being tested and qualified by professionals for many times. The chance of losing control is close to zero.
Use electric wheelchairs to enhance self-care ability. With an electric wheelchair, you can consider doing daily activities such as grocery shopping, cooking, and go for a stroll. One person + an electric wheelchair can basically do it.

5. How to choose and buy

Seat width: Measure the distance between the hips when sitting down. Add 5cm, which means there is 2.5 cm gap on each side after sitting down. If the seat is too narrow, it is difficult to get in and out of the wheelchair, and the hip and thigh tissues are compressed. If the seat is too wide, it is not easy to sit stable, it is also not convenient to operate the wheelchair, both limbs are easy to fatigue, and it is difficult to enter and exit the door.
Seat length: Measure the horizontal distance between the rear buttocks and the calf gastrocnemius muscle when sitting down, and reduce the measurement result by 6.5cm. If the seat is too short, the weight will mainly fall on the sitting bone, easy to cause expressive local compression; If the seat is too long, it will compress the popliteal fossa, affect local blood circulation, and easily irritate the skin. For patients with short thighs or flexion contracture of the hip or knee, it is better to use a short seat.

Seat height: Measure the distance from heel (or heel) to popliteal fossa when sitting, adding 4cm and place the foot pedal at least 5cm off the ground. If the seat is too high, the wheelchair can’t fit at the table; If the seat is too low, the sitting bones will bear too much weight.

Seat cushion: For comfort and to prevent bedsores，seat cushion is necessary.Common cushions are foam rubber pads (5 to 10cm thick) or gel pads. To prevent the seat from sinking, a 0.6cm thick sheet of plywood can be placed under the seat cushion.

Back height: The higher the back, the more stable, the lower the back, the greater the movement of the upper body and upper limbs. Low back: Measure the distance between the sitting surface and the armpit (with one or both arms extended forward) and subtract 10cm from the result. High back: Measure the actual height of the sitting surface from the shoulder or occipital area.

Armrest height: When sitting down, the upper arm is vertical, and the forearm is placed on the armrest, measure the height from the chair surface to the lower edge of the forearm, add 2.5 cm. Proper armrest height helps maintain correct body posture and balance, and allows the upper limbs to be placed in a comfortable position. If the handrail is too high, the upper arm is forced to lift, easy to be fatigue. If the handrail is too low, you need to lean forward to maintain your balance, which is not only easy to be fatigue, but also affects your breathing.

Other wheelchair accessories: designed to meet the needs for special patients, such as added handle friction surface, case extension, shock absorb device or wheelchair table for patients to eat and write.

6.Maintenance

a. Electromagnetic brake: You can brake only when it is in electric mode! ! !
b. Tires: Always pay attention to whether the tire pressure is normal. This is the most basic.
c. Chair cushion and backrest: Wash chair cover and leather backrest with warm water and diluted soapy water.
d. Lubrication and general maintenance: Always use lubricant to maintain the wheelchair, but do not use too much to avoid oil stains on the floor. Always maintain general maintenance and check whether the screws are secure.
e. Cleaning: Please wipe the frame with clean water, avoid placing the electric wheelchair in a damp place and avoid hitting the controller, especially the joystick; when carrying the electric wheelchair, please strictly protect the controller. When contaminated by the beverage or food, please clean it up immediately, wipe with a cloth with diluted cleaning solution, and avoid using detergent containing grinding powder or alcohol.