Sunrise Medical Quickie F40, Owner'S Manual

Page: 18 / 48

Issue 6 14
Using your wheelchair
Operating the control joystick
When engaging the main on/off
switch, allow a few seconds prior
to moving the joystick. This allows
the system to self check and for
the battery level indicator to display
the charge state of the battery.If
you move the joystick too soon, the
battery level indicator will scroll,
disabling drive to your wheelchair.
Whilst this is not harmful to your
wheelchair, you will need to switch
off and then back on to clear the
system (Fig. 14).
If this is your first encounter
in driving a power chair then
select the lowest speed setting .
Move the joystick gradually in the
direction you wish to go. Proceed
slowly until you become of aware
of the small movements required
of the joystick. Do not push the
joystick too quickly forward.
Anticipation of the direction
of travel is soon acquired and
correction is then made instinctively
in the same way that a car driver
always turns the steering wheel in
the direction he wants to go, even
though the car and wheel may want
to go another way. Look ahead
when you are driving, and not at
the control pod but do remember
that only practice will enable you
to become proficient. Brakes will
operate as soon as the joystick is
released and allowed to return to
its centre position. On level ground,
this should bring you to a halt
within one chair’s length.
On a steep hill, it may travel slightly
further and you will notice the
brakes being automatically applied
when the chair is nearly stationary.
Once the brakes have been
applied, switching off will make no
difference to the brakes, although
it is always safer when remaining
stationary for a period of time to
switch off. If you need to do an
emergency stop, then switch off the
on/off switch. This will immediately
apply full braking and bring the
chair to a rapid halt.
This should only be done
when travelling in the forward
direction and never when
travelling in reverse as the
severe braking effect could be
hazardous.
Fig. 14