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Lift Base
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Counterweight
Overall Lift
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ME 415W
Special Olympics
| Project Information |
| Project Title: | Portable Lift for Handicapped Swimmers | ||
| Sponsor: | Centre County Special Olympics | ||
| Faculty Coach: | Dr. Martin Trethewey | ||
| Course: | ME 415W, Fall 2001 | ||
| Team Members: | Lindsay Keller | Todd Byers | Kevin Mintzer |
| Derek Lim | Alan Kong | ||
| Problem Statement |
|
Due to the difficulty of lifting handicapped
individuals into and out of a pool, numerous devices have been developed and
refined. Several companies have supplied thousands of wheelchair users
with pool lifts to assist them in and out of the pool.
Alternatively, portable pool lifts would be ideal as they can be transported by either car or van to the swimming pool location. Unfortunately, there are few portable lifts on the market. The objective, and the goal of the assigned project, is to design a portable pool lift for wheelchair-bound swimmers that can be transported with them to the pool.
|
These lifts, however,
are not portable and are costly, especially for most public pools to afford.
These associated setbacks give reason for many pools not to invest in pool
lifts, and consequently prohibit wheelchair bound individuals from using the
pool.| Project Objectives |
The main objective sought was to deliver a fully functional prototype that is:
- Lightweight-- The main component of this prototype will weigh less than 75 pounds with additional pieces weighing a total of no more than 50 pounds so that the lift is manageable by a single person.
- Small-- All components of the lift will fit conveniently into the trunk of a midsize sedan or van.
- Easily Assembled-- The lift is able to be assembled by an individual in approximately 20 minutes or less, including fill up time for water bladder counterweight.
- Lift capacity-- A person weighing 200 lbs or less can be accommodated.
- Portable-- Due to the small size and weight, as well as other mobility features, is easily transported from one location to another.
| Executive Summary |
In order to develop a portable pool lift that allows wheelchair bound individuals to be transported into and out of a pool, Pool Side Power brainstormed and developed three possible designs. Background information gathered from patents, existing stationary and portable pool lifts, local swimming pools, and input from coaches and pool managers was incorporated into the three preliminary designs. Each design was evaluated and ranked on size, weight, portability, construction feasibility, cost, and safety. This assessment allowed Pool Side Power to deduce which design was most feasible and applicable to the design task at hand. The chosen design underwent further development before fabrication of the fully functioning prototype. Testing of the lift was conducted to ensure that all objectives were effectively met.