DEVELOPMENT OF A NON-POWERED LIFT FOR WHEELCHAIR USERS: -MECHANISM TO TRANSMIT ROTATION OF WHEELS BY MANY ROLLERS -

ABSTRACT Wheelchair users need lifts to climb up / down steps at entrances with small spaces. Lifts driven by motors or hydraulic equipments are large and expensive. They also need switches to start / stop actuators. The aim of our study is to develop a compact and non-powered lift for wheelchair users. We have already made a lift driven by wheels of a wheelchair on it, however, it has some problems. Because wheelchair direction was fixed, a user must enter the lift backward in case of ascent. Complicated mechanism must be equipped so that small front casters can pass through the lift stage and large rear wheels can drive the lift. Therefore, a new non-powered lift using many rollers is proposed to improve these problems.