Wheel Chair
Wheel Chair
Wheel Chair
Challenged
1 2
and Elder People
3, 4
Mohan Kumar R. , Lohit H. S. , Manas Ranjan Mishra Md. Basheer Ahamed .
1-Student, M. Sc. [Engg.], 2- Asst. Prof., 3- Asst. Prof.
Department of Design, M. S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies, Bangalore 560058.
4- Technical Director, M/S Sidhi Vinayaka Fab Engineering Pvt. Ltd, Bangalore
Abstract
Wheel Chair is a mobility device designed for shifting patients, moving physically challenged people from one
place to another with the help of attendee or by means of self propelling. The wheel chair is divided into two different
types based on the power used for mobility: 1. Manually powered wheelchairs. 2. Electric powered wheelchairs. Manual
powered wheelchairs are driven by manual power which are again classified into foldable and non-foldable with or with
out commode design. Electrical powered wheel chairs runs with electric power however manual operation is required to
operate the joystick for the movement of the chair. The redesign of manual wheel chair was considered for this project.
The design of wheel chair started by means of literature review to know its evaluation from earlier to the
present generation. Market study was carried out to know the present competators available in the market with cost
analysis of the existing product. Ethnography study was done to observe the need, the importance of the existing product
and to address the design gap in the existing product to the user need through questionnaries. The feed back was taken
from different users and attendees, concept generation and design execution was done by the implementation of design
methodologies like Quality Function Deployment, Mind mapping, Product Design Specification.
The final output is a wheel chair which gives multiple option to the user and attendee by providing ease of
defecation, cleaning and changing of clothes. Adjustable back rest, arm rest, leg rest provides comfort for the patient
while resting. The adjustable arm rest provide ease of shifting the patient from chair to the bed or to the vehicle. Facility
provided for keeping plate while having food, reading and keeping water bottle. Additional to this alarm facility is
provided to inform the attendee that there is a need of his / her presence to the patient. Validation of the prototype is done
and usage is found satisfactory.
Key Words: Mobility Device, Wheel Chair, Ethnographic Research, QFD, PDS.
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Product Design
Product design is the concept of systematic
approach in understanding the user requirement,
existing deficits, possible improvement and inventing
new designs through idea generation, concept
development, and concept realization thereby bringing Fig. 1 Nomenclature of a rigid frame wheel chair
newer products and solutions for the better quality of
life. 1.5 Need for New Design in a Wheel Chair
At present patients are facing problem while defecating.
1.2 Wheel Chair Patients needs to be lifted up and helped to remove the
A chair with wheels designed as a replacement for dress and make them defecate, which is discomforting
walking is known as wheel chair. This is used for to the patients in emergency condition. The design of
movement of physically disabled, elder people, children back rest in the existing wheel chair creates repetitive
who have difficulty and are unable to walk. This device stress injury if the patient is sitting for a long time. The
comes in many variations like self propelled, propelled present design of brake needs to be improved for better
by the motor or with the help of an attendee to push. impact and application of brake in slope area. Arm rest
Figure 1 & 2 shows the parts of rigid frame and X creates obstruction while shifting the patient from
frame wheel chair and its parts [1]. wheel chair to vehicles, no solution in the existing
design to make ease of shifting of patient to
transportation vehicle.
2.2 Different Types of Wheel Chairs Attendant propelled wheel chairs (Figure 4) are
those wheel chairs which are known as transport
There are various types of wheel chairs, we are
wheelchairs that require attendees help for the
differentiating the wheel chair based on the mode of
movement. The wheel chair is designed such that there
power used for drive. These wheel chairs are is no big rear wheels with rim for the moving, moulded
differentiated in to two types as below [3]:
seating, light weight, push handles, support backrest,
Manual wheel chair hand brake system. These chairs are commonly seen in
Electric powered wheel chair airports to move passengers in to the seats [3]. Manual
2.3 Manual Wheel Chair wheel chair are again classified into two types as shown
in below (Figures 5 and 6) [3]
Manual wheel chairs are driven with the help of man o Rigid wheel chair
power as source of energy for moving the chair, these o Foldable wheel chair
are self propelled or propelled with the help of attendee
[2]. The self propelled wheel chairs (Figure 3) are
i. M. TECHNOLOGIES Manufacturer of
Hospital Equipments, Hospital Supplies,
Hospital Furniture, Medical Furniture,
Hospital Beds, Hospital Trolley, Wheelchairs,
This thumb rule is used for both designing the seat for
Table 1. Quality Functional Deployment
both male female, this standard is mainly used for
determining the dimensions of a seat. In this standard it
is explained that 95th percentile for male and female are
found to be 449 to 529mm respectively and combined
95th percentile value i.e. 479mm for general purpose
seat design [11].
4. CONCEPT GENERATION
4.1 PDS and QFD
Based on the Gemba study, data analysis and
questionnaires, the below list briefly illustrates essence
of customer voice.
Fig. 23 Concept 2
4.7 Concept 4
Fig. 26 Concept 5
Concept 5 was generated with the help of the PDS
structure implemented on the design of wheel chair.
Fig. 25 Concept 4 The design was developed with improved commode
design for ease of defecation for the patients and elder
Concept 4 was generated with the help of the PDS
people. Rotatable arm rest was provided to increase the
structure implemented on the design of wheel chair.
comfort for the arms while resting by rotating the arm
The design was developed with improved commode
rest to comfortable angle and for the ease of shifting the
design for ease of defecation for the patients and elder
patient from chair to the bed or to the vehicle. Design is
people. Sliding arm rest was provided to increase the
Fig. 30 Semi finished final model Fig. 33 Validation from user at home
Figure 5.5 shows the complete assembled product and The wheel chair was taken to the hospital and feedback
inclined product to 0 back rest and leg rest was taken from different user Figure 6.2 shows the
. patient who is using the wheel chair in the hospital. The
patient and attendee was allowed to use the wheel chair
at the end of the day the feedback was taken from the
patient and the attendee by means of pictures and
videos suggestion was taken for the improvements in
the existing product.
Feedback was taken from the Chief Administrator,
Administrator, Doctors, Nurses and Attendees. The
feedback was collected verbally and through video. The
collected data was accumulated and incorporated as
future work.