US Patent:
20080069678, Mar 20, 2008
Inventors:
Sebastian Mahler - Tampa FL, US
Alec Beasley - Tampa FL, US
Ramy Wassef - Clearwater FL, US
Vanja Kravarusic - St. Petersburg FL, US
Shawn Shoemaker - Myakka City FL, US
Assignee:
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA - Tampa FL
International Classification:
B65G 69/22
Abstract:
A device to help an individual with a disability carry his or her bag or storage unit on their wheelchair or other mobility device, without requiring a large space to deploy the storage and retrieval product. The invention consists of a set of arms, connected to a sliding mechanism along a track. When the user wishes to access his or her belongings, the bag slides from a storage position behind the wheelchair to a retrieval position perpendicular to the wheelchair's armrest. The deployment process is accomplished without rotating the entire mechanism around a central axis. Thus, the invention keeps the storage unit close to the wheelchair and therefore takes up less space during retrieval and increases stability during deployment.