Adjustable Mechanical Reacher
By Morse, Matthew C.; Mollendorf, Joseph C.; NSF 2005 Engineering Senior Design Projects to Aid Persons With Disabilities, pp. 162-163Publication Date: 2005
Description of a mechanical device for people with limited mobility to reach items in remote places. Developed at the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department at State University of New York at Buffalo, the device is an improvement over existing mechanical reachers as its length can be adjusted to suit the user’s needs. It is composed of a frame, hand grip, trigger, a sliding arm and fixed arm fit inside the frame, and a two-prong collar acting as a pivot point for two object-grasping paddles. The sliding arm moves longitudinally within the frame by squeezing the hand grip and trigger together. As the sliding arm moves rearward, the object-grasping paddles are forced together by the two-prong collar. When the trigger is released, the sliding arm moves longitudinally forward and the object-grasping paddles move apart. The Adjustable Mechanical Reacher is adjustable in length from 33 to 39 inches and can move objects up to 1 pound. Cost of production was circa $45.
Published by: Creative Learning Press, Inc. (Website:http://www.creativelearningpress.com)
Link to text: http://nsf-pad.bme.uconn.edu/2005/Buffalo.pdf
ISBN: 1-931280-03-7
