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CURB CLIMBING WHEELCHAIR DEVELOPMENT

Award Information

Agency:
Department of Education 		Branch:
N/A 		Award ID:
6955 		Program Year/Program:
1987 / SBIR
Agency Tracking Number:
6955 		Solicitation Year:
N/A 		Solicitation Topic Code:
N/A 		Solicitation Number:
N/A
Small Business Information
Triodyne Inc
5950 W Touhy Niles, IL 60648
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Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No
 
Phase 1
Fiscal Year: 1987
Title: CURB CLIMBING WHEELCHAIR DEVELOPMENT
Agency: ED
Contract: N/A
Award Amount: $30,000.00
 

Abstract:

SIDEWALK RAMPS, ADOPTED FOR THE SAFETY AND CONVENIENCE OF WHEELCHAIR BOUND CITIZENS, HAVE EXHIBITED A NUMBER OF SHORTCOMINGS. MILLIONS OF DOLLARS HAVE BEEN SPENT, AND WILLCONTINUE TO BE SPENT, FOR THE CONVERSION OF CURBS INTO RAMPSA LESS THAN SATISFACTORY SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. A MORE FEASIBLE APPROACH TO ALTERING THE MILLIONS OF CURBS IS THE ADDITION OF CURB CLIMBING CAPABILITIES TO THE FIFTY THOUSANDWHEELCHAIRS PRESENTLY IN THIS COUNTRY. A CURB CLIMBING WHEELCHAIR DESIGN AS PROPOSED HEREIN IS INTENDED MAINLY FOR MANUALLY-POWERED WHEELCHAIRS, ALTHOUGH THE CONCEPTS APPLY TO PROPELLED WHEELCHAIRS AS WELL. EVEN SMALL RIDGES ARE DIFFICULT TO NEGOTIATE WITH A WHEELCHAIR, SO THE DESIGN WILL MINIMIZE THE FORCE EXERTED BY THE RIDER WITH A CONSTANT CENTER-OF-GRAVITY APPROACH. THOUSANDS OF WHEELCHAIRS ARE IN USE WITHOUT CURB CLIMBING ABILITIES. A RETROFIT PACKAGE TO MODIFY THESE WHEELCHAIRS WILL BE INVESTIGATED FOR TECHNOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY. A CURB CLIMBING WHEELCHAIR WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF HANDICAPPED MOBILITY IN URBAN AREAS, AND WILL ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR SIDEWALK RAMPS, WHICH OFTEN CONSTITUTE A HAZARD TO PEDESTRIANS. THE CURB CLIMBING DEVICE WILL BE PRESENTED TO WHEELCHAIR MANUFACTURERS AND HOSPITALS, ESPECIALLY VETERANS HOSPITALS, WHERE THE NEED FOR CURB CLIMBING CHAIRS IS THE GREATEST.

Principal Investigator:

Steven r schmid
MECHANICAL ENGINEER

Business Contact:

Small Business Information at Submission:

Triodyne Inc
5950 W Touhy Niles, IL 60648

EIN/Tax ID:
DUNS: N/A
Number of Employees: N/A
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No