No Access

STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF CARBON COMPOSITE FRAME FOR FOLDABLE ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR DEVELOPMENT

New Technology Convergence Team, R&D Division, CAMTIC Advanced Mechatronics Technology, Institute for Commercialization, Jeonju, Jeonbuk 54852, Korea

E-mail Address: wschong@camtic.or.kr

Search for more papers by this author

MI YEON SHIN

Division of Convergence Technology Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Jeonbuk 54896, Korea

E-mail Address: sinmy5324@gmail.com

Search for more papers by this author

, and

CHANG HO YU

Division of Convergence Technology Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Jeonbuk 54896, Korea

E-mail Address: goody0418@jbnu.ac.kr

Corresponding author.

Search for more papers by this author

https://doi.org/10.1142/S0219519419400451Cited by:3 (Source: Crossref)

This article is part of the issue:

A Special Selection on Biomechanics in Medical Applications – Part I;
Guest Editors: Esteban Peña Pitarch, Agnès Drochon and Eddie Y. K. Ng

Abstract

Electric wheelchairs developed so far have difficulties for elderly people to use, because of their bulkiness and heavy weight. To address this problem, this study presents a design for the construction of an electric wheelchair with an application of light duty materials at frame and a foldable structure that can be easily loaded in a narrow space. A structural analysis was performed to evaluate the structural safety of the foldable wheelchair. For the purpose of analysis, a carbon composite was used as the material for the frame; Structure Mechanics Module of COMSOL Multiphysics was used as the analysis software; and for the boundary condition, the lower part of the body frame was fixed, and a load of 150kg was applied to the upper part of the wheelchair. According to the results of the structural analysis, a maximum displacement of 2.869mm occurred at the handle where the carbon composite was applied, and tensile and compressive stress of 103MPa and 107.3MPa, respectively, were measured at the seat part of the wheelchair where the load was applied. The safety factors were 7.5 and 5.5 for tensile stress and compressive stress, respectively. A maximum variation of 0.0872mm occurred at the aluminum wheel shaft, and a maximum variation of 0.2046mm occurred at the joint. The maximum stress was 116.3MPa that corresponded to a safety factor of 2.66; this indicates that the wheelchair can be considered to be structurally safe as the safety factor exceeds the initial target of 2.

Keywords:

References

1. Chae SY, An NY , A study of the psychosocial impact on use of assistive technology devices of spinal cord injury patients, J Spec Educ Rehab Sci 51 :179–196, 2012. Google Scholar
2. Kwon SJ , The current status and policy implications of assistive devices use in Korea, Health Welfare Policy Forum 55 :27–38, 2001. Google Scholar
3. Su EG, The actual condition of the handicapped home visiting service and the effect on the quality of life of the handicapped, Master Thesis, Kaya University, Gimhae, 2007. Google Scholar
4. Lee DY, Rhee KM, Lee DY, Lee SC, Lee SW, Lim MJ, Kim KM , A study on the conceptual design of cars accessible for persons with disabilities, J Spec Educ 5 :139–159, 2004. Google Scholar
5. Oh JS, A study on the mobility right for independent living of the severely physically handicapped, Master Thesis, Iksan, Wonkwang University, 2002. Google Scholar
6. Di Marco A, Russell M, Masters M , Standards for wheelchair prescription, Austn Occup Ther J 50 :30–39, 2003. Crossref, Google Scholar
7. Huh CD, Shin JY , The current state of mobility rights for disabled persons in Korea and its direction for improvement, J Rehabil Res 15 :1–25, 2011. Google Scholar
8. Kwon HC, Chae SY , A study of the psychosocial impact of wheelchair use on physical disabilities, Disabil Employ 20 :33–50, 2010. Crossref, Google Scholar
9. Kong JY , The safety incidents survey of mobility assistive device users, J Special Educ Rehabil Sci 52 :1–16, 2013. Google Scholar
10. Kim JS, Cho YB , Research of smart integrated control board function improvement for personal electric wheelchair’s safe driving, J Digit Contents Soc 19 :1507–1514, 2018. Crossref, Google Scholar
11. Lim JH, A study to design the wheelchair carrier for the disable driver, Master thesis, Daegu, Daegu University, 2009. Google Scholar
12. Park HS, Kim HK, Kim YS , Automatic vehicle delivery algorithm to reflect time complexity for the transportation vulnerable, J Inst Electron Eng Korea, 54 :43–52, 2017. Google Scholar
13. Lee CK, Kim IC, Lee WR , A study of board the train designed for wheelchair users on welding condition, J Korean Soc Manuf Technol Eng 22 :92–99, 2013. Google Scholar
14. Koo HM, Jeong DH, Kong JY, Chae SY , A study on the using realities and satisfaction of the wheelchair of the disabled, J Spec Educ 6 :229–245, 2005. Google Scholar
15. Kim KM, A study on the kinematic and dynamic analysis of a self-driving automobile’s the welfare vehicle for the handicapped, Master Thesis, Daegu University, Daegu, 2005. Google Scholar
16. Ko KW, Hwang KS , A study on effect of special transportation system of disabled person on acceptance of disability and quality of life, J Korea Academia-Industrial Cooperation Soc 15 :1963–1970, 2014. Crossref, Google Scholar
17. Kong JY, Kwon SJ, Park JY , Analysis of status about repair support of assistive technology devices: Focusing on mobility devices, J Rehabil Res 17 :253–271, 2013. Google Scholar
18. Vidosic JP , Machine Design Projects, Ronald Press Co., NY, 1957. Google Scholar