DuaLock: A Simultaneously Locking Wheelchair Lock
By Giannetti, Matthew; Dave, Atman; Farragut, Kristina; RESNA 2012 Student Design Competition,Publication Date: June 13, 2012
Paper outlines the development of a wheelchair locking system that can be operated with one arm. Designed for a client with hemiplegia following stroke, the DuaLock locking system allows for the simultaneous locking and unlocking of both wheelchair locks from a single side. The system is side independent, which means that regardless of which side is engaged or disengaged, both wheels lock or unlock simultaneously. The DuaLock functions by taking advantage of the pivot point in a standard wheelchair lock. Two cables transmit the force from the handles by attaching to opposing sides of the pivot. When either handle is pushed, the lock of that side is engaged and the cable attached to the top of the pivot also pulls at the bottom of the opposite handle, providing the same force to lock both sides simultaneously. The process is reversed when the handle is pulled to unlock. The locks used were standard issue Invacare locks installed on the Tracer EX2 wheelchair. The locks were modified by changing the handle to a custom handle to accommodate the cable attachments. The DuaLock was designed by engineering students at Tulane University.
Assistive Products Discussed: INVACARE IVC TRACER EX2 WHEELCHAIR
Published by: Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) (Website:http://www.resna.org)
Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) (Web Site: http://www.resna.org )
Link to text: http://aac-rerc.psu.edu/wordpressmu/RESNA-SDC/2012/06/13/dualock-a-simultaneously-locking-wheelchair-lock-tulane-university/
