How an electric wheelchair works depends on the different elements that the electric wheelchair has and the type of electric wheelchair that an individual has purchased. The four components in an electric wheel chair include the motor, the battery, the drive, and the wheelchair controller. All of the latter components are used in unison to operate the chair.
Motors
The motors in electric wheelchairs are powered by either a wet or dry cell battery. There are three types of wheelchair motors. Each motor is suitable for specific purposes; some motors are better for light weight operations while others are better for heavy duty-operations.
A two-pole motor is installed in electric wheelchairs intended for indoor use and is found in lightweight electric powered chairs. The electricity from the battery enters the wheelchair motor via two separate points. The chairs using this motor are capable of transporting an individual weighing up to 250 pounds.
A four-pole motor is used in heavy-duty electric chairs; the chair is therefore suitable for indoor and outdoor use. The electricity derived from the battery gives the motor more power since it enters the motor via four points.
Gearless/brushless motors are limited in their number of parts, and this means that fewer mechanisms make any contact when the chair is in operation. This motor is the newest electric chair motor offered and is as powerful as the four-pole motors currently found in most electric wheelchairs.
Battery
The batteries in electric wheel chair are sealed and are identified as SLA batteries, or sealed lead acid batteries. The battery is a wet or dry cell device that offers four to five amps of power. Wheelchair batteries can be charged overnight or during the daytime hours when not in use so that they can be used whenever necessary.
Drive
Drive options in electric wheelchairs include the rear wheel, front wheel, center driven and four-wheel drive options. Wheelchairs with rear-wheel drive propel the larger back wheels on the chair and offer the individual swift movement. The rear-wheel driven wheelchairs are chiefly used on flat terrain. Center-driven chairs are also used on flat terrain; such chairs deliver quality turning controls. For outdoor purposes, the front wheel and four-wheel drive variations are recommended; the chairs with four-wheel drive, while slower, supply more stability on uneven terrain.
Controller
The electric wheelchair is controlled by a handle, a joystick, a motion sensitive tube, a head-to-chin controller or an eye-to-computer screen controller, depending upon the degree of disability that the individual using the electric powered chair has. The controller is a computer interface which is responsible for amperage, speed control and the maintenance of straight line propelling and turning control when the chair is in use.
The interface derives its energy from a rechargeable battery, and the controller gives the individual the ability to move the chair forward, backward, left and right and to make any variation of turns up to 360 degrees. The controller will also advise the wheelchair owner when the battery requires recharging. The controller is also capable of manipulating the electric wheelchair's tilt features and recline options and sometimes supplies the user with chair lifting/elevation options too.
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