Innovative electric wheelchair

Profile

• What was needed: iglidur plain bearings
• Requirements: For the bearings of the wheels, the bearings had to be able to absorb high radial forces (several thousand Newtons) and be insensitive to corrosion and maintenance-free. An easy-to-install and cost-effective solution was also sought.
• Industry: Medicine
• Success for the customer: iglidur plain bearings are tough, wear-resistant, maintenance-free and lubrication-free. In addition, the previously encountered corrosion-related clamping problems are now a thing of the past.

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► iglidur G flanged bearing
► iglidur plain bearing sample box

Problem

The TopChair-S is the only electric wheelchair that can climb several steps without the presence of an attendant and without the attachment of a fixed frame. It offers people with reduced mobility a new way to get around unaccompanied at home, at work or in the city. To implement this, the wheelchair has an innovative double movement system consisting of four wheels (including two drive wheels at the rear) for moving on flat ground two caterpillar belts (with rubber toothed belts) for climbing up or down steps. For the bearings of the wheels, components were needed that could absorb high radial forces (several thousand Newtons) while being completely insensitive to corrosion and maintenance-free. In addition, the designers were also looking for a solution that would be easy to fit into the wheelchair and at the same time keep costs as low as possible.

Solution

For the movement of the front and rear wheels, our iglidur plain bearings were decided. These meet the requirements of the wheel bearings that resulted from the area of application. This makes the bearings particularly robust and able to absorb the loads resulting from the use of the wheelchair as well as the weight of the TopChair S. It was also important for a pleasant product experience that no maintenance had to be carried out on the bearings. As the plain bearings are self-lubricating, the manufacturer or user does not need to invest any time in the plastic components. And wear problems as well as the corrosion-related clamping problems previously experienced with other bearings are now a thing of the past. The iglidur materials and their different compositions can be individually defined and adapted for each application. This means that the perfect plain bearing solution can always be found for every requirement profile.