Rollikup wheelchair coupling | From a single order to a successful model

Details: Released: 20.05.2021; Last updated: 19.03.2024; Hits: 13103

A product development that makes everyday life easier for many people is the best reward for the designer. A prime example of this is the wheelchair coupling Rollikup from Teuto reserve gGmbH. First developed on behalf of a wheelchair user, the coupling, which is as simple as it is ingenious, has developed into a successful product. Trailers, suitcases and much more can be connected to the wheelchair with the wheelchair via the trailer coupling. All it takes is a flick of the wrist. controls from Heinrich Kipp Werk make that possible.

Contents

The inventor of Rollikup
Rollikup closes market gap wheelchair coupling
- Simply attach the trailer and case
- Quickly lock and unlock with the locking bolt

The inventor of Rollikup

"The Rollikup helps wheelchair users to manage their everyday life as independently as possible," says a pleased Edward Wiebe, Operations Manager at Teuto Inserv gGmbH. "When I developed the first prototype, however, it was not yet clear to me how positive the product would be in the market."

Teuto Inserv was created in 2001 as part of Lebenshilfe Bielefeld as an inclusion company (some of the jobs are occupied by severely disabled people). The total of around 30 employees work in production in the areas of assembly, welding and inspection, electrical equipment testing and digital printing. “It doesn't work, doesn't exist,” is the motto against which the Bielefeld-based company also carries out special orders.

Rollikup closes market gap wheelchair coupling

Such a Special order was the development of a trailer coupling for wheelchairs and the birth of the Rollikup: "In 2018 a trade fair visitor asked me if we could develop a coupling for his manual wheelchair," remembers Mr. Wiebe. “Such a product was previously not available on the market. Some wheelchair users had occasionally converted bicycle clutches for their purposes, but these solutions were not optimal. "

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Up until now, it has seldom occurred to anyone to attach additional loads to manual wheelchairs because it seemed too strenuous for the driver. Can be retrofitted with the move electric drives the radius of action of wheelchairs was significantly expanded and a need arose for the new invention.

The inventor of the Rollikup was happy to accept the challenge: “During implementation, for reasons of efficiency, I tried to use standard parts as much as possible. As part of my research, I first ordered from Kipp various sample parts. ”The shopping list included wing handles, locking bolts and clamping levers. Eduard Wiebe made missing parts himself in the Teuto Inserv workshops in Bielefeld.

The result was one Clutch, consisting of a clamping piece made of plastic, which is permanently attached to the wheelchair axle by means of reducers. It weighs only 170 g and therefore does not represent any significant additional stress for the driver. A square tube can be fixed to the clamping piece via wing screws, which leads to a snap coupling. Because the pivot point was placed behind the tires, the construction is extremely manoeuvrable.

Simply attach the trailer and case

At the Snap coupling For example, bicycle trailer drawbars can be attached with one click. There is no standard in this area, so there is a suitable adapter for almost every trailer. Rollikup users even use large versions with which, for example, children or dogs can be transported. Trolley suitcases and everything that has wheels are just as easy to attach.

At a later date came with the Rollikup + add a complementary invention. The trailer was specially designed to interact with the Rollikup coupling and is used, among other things, to easily transport things such as shopping. The Rollikup + has the dimensions of a standard beverage crate. It was also equipped with numerous components from Kipp.

Quickly lock and unlock with the locking bolt

It is important for the wheelchair user to have the Use trailers self-sufficiently can. The clutch therefore engages automatically and is thus securely locked. "The locking and unlocking of the Rollikup works with one hand blindly behind the back," confirms Eduard Wiebe. “That was an essential requirement. After all, users shouldn't have to constantly ask someone for help. "

A pair of Locking makes this self-sufficient operation possible: The standardized structural component allows moving components to be adjusted quickly. By pulling the pull button or pull ring, a pin is pulled out of the counterpart. This brings the thing into the appropriate position and positions it. Locking bolts made of stainless steel offer high stability and corrosion resistance. A mushroom handle is made of stainless steel or plastic and is used for handy and easy operation of the conical and cylindrical bolts.

Switches, buttons, controls for food machines

Short locking bolts come with the Rollikup Mushroom handle made of thermoplastic. This simple, inexpensive solution meets all the requirements: "I carried out tensile tests with the bolt in which it held the weight of a ton without breaking," explains Eduard Wiebe. "The locking bolt is the be-all and end-all of the coupling and has proven its worth, just like all the other installed products from Kipp."

The product selection fell on components from special durable materials such as stainless steel, aluminum or glass fiber reinforced plastic. This means that users will enjoy their wheelchair for as long as possible. The inventor Eduard Wiebe, on the other hand, will continue to enjoy a lot of positive feedback.