Turning a Regular folding wheelchair into a standing wheelchair.

[bendoe341]

Hi!

As the title suggests, I am trying to see if theres a way to make a regular wheelchair into a standing wheelchair. The most common ones are folding (which is one that I have now, a similar one is attatched below). So far, it seems like the places that need to have joints, are instead welded. Whats the best way to go about changing the welded points into joints that allows standing? This part seems feasible but a bigger problem is the lifting mechanism. I was thinking of using gas springs but having trouble how I would propel myself up and down and keeped it locked. Any suggestions is appreciated!

[jboggs]

Welcome to the forum. Don't be surprised if you get few replies. But don't let that lack of replies to your question lead you to think there is no interest. Its simply that any competent answer is going to be based on lots of specific details. Details which you have not provided. And I'm not sure you could provide them within the limitations of this forum.

Without an in-depth knowledge of the existing framework, it's really impossible to answer your question. Generically, is there a way? Is it possible? Maybe. That's about the best answer you're going to get.

I don't know if you're an engineer, but after having been one myself for several decades, I can tell you this - most folks drastically underestimate the amount of work it takes to design something that to the average eye might look fairly simple.

Also, most members of this forum would expect fairly some compensation for the work involved in creating a new mechanism.

My best suggestion to you would be this: Start asking around. Look in the yellow pages and Google for a good local machine shop. Try to find out about their reputation if you can. Local manufacturing companies would know something about them. Find one or two that seem promising and call them. Tell them what you're trying to do over the phone. Discuss it in as much detail as you can, and ask if you could come for a visit to personally show them your challenge and your ideas. Who knows? You might get one with folks like some of the guys I know that love nothing more than a hands-on challenge.

Actually I have another suggestion too. I have worked with numerous competitive high school robotics teams. Many of them have taken on special community projects to design and build devices to help the disabled. Send me a private message with your location and I'll see what I can find.