Drive U-drive IFU User guide

U-Drive IFU Page 1 Issued 10/11
Contents
1. Introduction
2. Safety Procedures
3. Parts Description
4. Installation Instructions
5. Disassembly and Transportation
6. Battery Charging and Care
7. Operating the U-Drive
8. Inspection and Maintenance
9. Troubleshooting
10. Specification
11. Warranty
Introduction
The U-Drive system is designed to attach to
a user propelled wheelchair to turn it in to a
U-Drive. The U-Drive system can either be
removed or put in to neutral to allow the
user to propel the wheelchair manually.
The U-Drive system is designed to work in
conjunction with specific wheelchairs. The
list of wheelchairs your model will fit is
available from Drive Medical.
The U-Drive is controlled by the wheelchair
user independently.
The U-Drive uses a 24V 12ah battery pack,
which uses 2x 12V 12ah sealed lead acid
batteries (supplied).
The U-Drive is manufactured by Drive
Medical Ltd and is CE marked. Drive
Medical Ltd is an ISO 9001 and ISO 13485
certified Medical Device Manufacturer.
Safety Procedures
Ensure the U-Drive is installed as far to the
front of the wheelchair frame as is possible.
When connecting / disconnecting the
battery from the U-Drive or the charger
make sure both the power to the charger
and U-Drive joystick are switched off.
Ensure the U-Drive is secured in transit. It is
also recommended that the battery is
disconnected.
Ensure that the battery is charged only with
the battery charger supplied with the U-
Drive. Using another battery charger may
cause damage or injury.
Whilst the U-Drive has been EMC tested, it
may be susceptible to certain types of
electromagnetic waves. Avoid close
proximity to mobile phones, commercial
broadcast towers and emergency services’
radios. Other household appliances are not
known to pose any such risk. If involuntary
movement occurs, switch off the U-Drive
and report this to your dealer.
The U-Drive should not be used when it is
snowing or during heavy rain. This may
cause damage to the U-Drive. The U-Drive
should not be exposed to damp conditions
or direct sunlight.
Ensure the strap is hooked on to the left
hand wheelchair push handle and is taught
to prevent the U-Drive from dropping when
driving over pot holes, etc.
Before Driving
The user needs to be familiar with the use
and operation of this U-Drive before driving.
Ride on the pavement and pedestrian areas
only. Never ride on motorways or dual
carriageways. Only use roads to cross to
other side of the pavement.

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Be aware of traffic when crossing or using
roads.
Use extreme caution when driving your U-
Drive in busy areas such as shopping malls.
Do not drive the U-Drive under the influence
drink or drugs, or when you are tired.
Be careful when using the U-Drive in low
light. It has not been designed for use at
night.
Before using the U-Drive in busy or
hazardous environments, familiarise yourself
with the operation of the U-Drive. Practice
in an open and safe area which is free from
hazards and other people. Use a low speed
for your initial practice.
Always remain in the wheelchair seat
whilst using the U-Drive. Do not stand
on the footplate.
Whilst Driving
Do not use your U-Drive on surfaces that are
muddy, gravelly, bumpy, narrow, snowed
over, icy; or on towpaths near to canals
which are not guarded.
Do not use your U-Drive outside when it is
raining, snowing, misty or windy.
Do not make erratic turnings on your U-
Drive.
Bear in mind driving motions such as
accelerating, stopping, turning, reversing,
and the effect of gradients.
Slow down when driving on gradients.
Always lean forward when climbing a steep
gradient. Do not travel on gradients
exceeding those stated in the specification.
Most access ramps are 5º which is a suitable
incline for the U-Drive.
When climbing an incline, try to keep
your U-Drive moving. If you must stop,
start up again slowly, and then
accelerate cautiously. When driving
down an incline, do so slowly and in
the forward direction only. If your U-
Drive starts to move faster than you
anticipated or desired, allow the chair
to come to a complete stop by
releasing the joystick. Push the
joystick slightly forward and continue
travelling slowly down the incline.
When climbing an incline, do not
zigzag or drive at an angle up the face
of the incline. Always drive your
wheelchair straight up the incline.
This greatly reduces the possibility of
a tip or a fall.
Do not drive on roads with large drops or
potholes.
The U-Drive is not suitable for carrying
passengers.
Do not use the U-Drive to carry heavy goods.
Do not use a mobile phone or other wireless
communication devices whilst driving.
Always stop somewhere suitable and switch
off the U-Drive before using the phone.
Do not set in freewheel mode when driving,
especially on a gradient. Ensure that the U-
Drive’s automatic brakes are applied before
use.
Do not exceed the weight limit of the U-
Drive.

U-Drive IFU Page 3 Issued 10/11
Parts Description
2 1 3
4
6
5
1. Joystick Bracket (Includes 2 silver
clamps and 1 black joystick receiver)
2. Joystick Control
3. U-Drive Wheelchair Bracket
4. U-Drive Unit
5. Battery Pack
6. Measuring Bar
7. Charger (not shown)
Installation Instructions
Note: Installation should be completed by a
Drive Medical Specialist Dealer.
1. Joystick Installation
Using a hex key, undo the sections of the
clamp. Attach the two silver sections around
the armrest tubing, ensuring the section with
the tapped holes is inwards. (Photo 1).
Position the black joystick receiver against
the outside silver clamp. Turn until the
tubing of the receiver is horizontal. Reattach
the screws using the hex key. (Photo 2).
Loosen the knob on the side of the tubing
and slide the tubing attached to the joystick
inside the receiver tubing.
Position the joystick as required by the user
and secure by retightening the knob, as
shown in the photo 3.
Photo 1
Photo 2
Photo 3

U-Drive IFU Page 4 Issued 10/11
2. Bracket Installation
Install both brackets at the front of the
horizontal tube of the wheelchair frame,
ensuring the white nylon part is pointing
towards the rear of the chair (as shown by
the photo above).
When installing the brackets:
a. Ensure the white nylon section of the
brackets are inside the wheelchair frame
and point towards the rear of the frame
b. Ensure the brackets do not interfere with
the front castor wheels. Test this by
swivelling the castor forks and checking
all parts are clear of the brackets.
c. Ensure that the brackets are positioned
exactly opposite each other so the U-
Drive mounting bar is straight and easy to
push in to the bracket. If required, use
the measuring bar to check the brackets
are correctly positioned before securing
on the tubing.
3. U-Drive Unit Installation
Position the U-Drive unit behind the
wheelchair and ensure that the motors are
in the DRIVE position. Operate the lever
marked “Press or Pull” and push down the
yellow handle on the other lever to retract
the round pegs on the horizontal bar on the
front of the unit (as shown below).
Pull back the wheelchair and position so that
the mounting bar slides in to the brackets on
the wheelchair frame (as shown below).

U-Drive IFU Page 5 Issued 10/11
Operate the lever marked “Press or Pull” (as
shown below). The yellow handle will
automatically rise and the unit should now
be locked in position.
Plug the lead from the joystick in to the U-
Drive as shown below. If required, secure
the joystick cable to the wheelchair using
cable ties.
Loop the strap over the push handle and
adjust so that it is taught, as shown below.
(The strap is used to prevent the U-Drive
from dropping in to pot holes, etc)
4. Battery Pack Installation
To install, slot the battery pack in to the
receiver on the U-Drive and the pack will
automatically lock in to place.
Disassembly and Transportation
The disassembly procedure is essentially the
assembly procedure in reverse.
1. Remove the battery pack by lifting the
pack up by the handle whilst pressing the
grey button marked PRESS.
2. Unloop the strap from the push handle.
3. Pull out the joystick connector from the
U-Drive.
4. Operate the PUSH or PULL lever and
press the yellow handle down.
5. Push the wheelchair away from the U-
Drive.
The wheelchair can now be folded. The U-Drive
can be lifted using the handle at the front and
the chassis at the rear.

U-Drive IFU Page 6 Issued 10/11
Notes:
The battery supplied with the U-Drive is
classified as safe for air travel by
compliance with IATA special provision A67.
The battery pack has a handle to make it
easy to carry.
Battery Charging and Care
The U-Drive can either be charged through the
joystick (if the battery pack is installed) or the
battery pack (if this is removed).
Follow the procedure below to charge using the
joystick:
1. Switch the U-Drive off.
2. Plug the charger’s power cord into the
mains.
3. Plug the charger’s round connector in to the
socket located underneath the front of the
joystick unit.
4. Switch on the plug socket.
5. The charger’s LED will illuminate orange to
indicate the batteries are charging. The
charging duration is about 8 hours. To
ensure optimum performance a 12-hour
charge is recommended.
6. The orange LED will turn green when
charging is complete.
7. Turn off the charger, disconnect the power
cord and the round plug from the joystick
unit.
Follow the procedure below to charge using the
battery pack:
1. Switch the U-Drive off.
2. Remove the battery pack from the U-Drive
as described previously.
3. Plug the charger’s power cord into the
mains.
4. Plug the charger’s round connector in to
the socket located by the handle of the
battery pack.
5. Switch on the plug socket.
6. The charger’s LED will illuminate orange to
indicate the batteries are charging. The
charging duration is about 8 hours. To
ensure optimum performance a 12-hour
charge is recommended.
7. The orange LED will turn green when
charging is complete.
8. Turn off the charger, disconnect the power
cord and the round plug from the battery
pack.

Suggestion
1. Do not disconnect the charger
cord if charging is not completed.
The battery life will be seriously
shortened or decayed if the
battery is repeatedly used without
being fully charged. Therefore be
sure to charge the battery fully
every time.
2. Always complete the charging until
the LED light turns green. NEVER
stop charging before it is complete.
3. When fully charged, the battery
charger will still trickle charge the
battery to ensure optimum range.
4. If you do not use your powerpack
for a long time, it should be
charged at least every week to
keep the battery in a fully usable
condition.
5. The ambient temperature will
affect charging time. Charging time
will be longer in the winter.
6. After charging, do not leave the
charger socket plugged in to the
battery pack or joystick, as this will
cause a power drain on the battery
pack and temporarily reduce its
range.
7. The batteries carry a twelve-month
manufacturer's warranty. This
warranty only covers issues
relating to manufacturing faults,
and not faults relating to failure to
recharge the batteries as
instructed above.

U-Drive IFU Page 7 Issued 10/11

Attention: Please follow the rules below
to avoid accidents while charging.
1. Only use the supplied charger, and
recharge the battery to its full
capacity every time. You may
damage the battery if you use a
charger which is not to the correct
specification.
2. Never disassemble or modify the
charger.
3. Please charge in a well-ventilated
space where there is no direct
exposure to the sunlight. Do not
charge in surroundings where it is
humid, raining or dewy.
4. Do not charge in temperatures less
than -10°C or higher than +50°C as
the charger may not work well &
batteries may become damaged.

Warning
1. Keep away from flammable objects
while charging as this may lead to
fire or battery explosion.
2. Do not smoke while charging as the
battery may release hydrogen gas.
Always charge your battery in a
well-ventilated space.
3. Never connect or disconnect the
plug or cord with wet hands whilst
charging. Do not connect or
disconnect the plug or cord when
they are wet, it may lead to electric
shock.
Charger
The charger supplied has an LED which changes
colour depending on its status:
If the LED is lit ORANGE then the charger is
switched on and charging
If the LED is lit GREEN then the charger is
switched on and has finished the bulk of its
charging and the batteries can be used.
However, we recommend that you leave the
charger charging for a couple of hours after
the green LED has lit. This will maintain and
probably increase the capacity of your
batteries.
The LED will also illuminate GREEN if the
charger is switched on but not connected to
the batteries.
Batteries
Do not expose the battery pack to
temperatures below -10º or above 50ºC
when charging or storing.
The batteries are maintenance free and there
is no need to inspect the battery liquid or
refill with water.
You are required to charge the batteries on a
regular basis. Even if the powerpack is not
used, it should be charged at least once a
week.
The battery supplied with the U-Drive is
classified as safe for air travel by compliance
with IATA special provision A67.
Charging the Batteries
Using the charger supplied, the charging
duration is about 8 hours.
However, to ensure optimum performance
we recommend a 12-hour charge.
We also recommend that the batteries are
not charged for more than 24 hours.

U-Drive IFU Page 8 Issued 10/11
Operating the U-Drive
On / Off Button
Horn
Battery Gauge
Speed / Profile Indicator
Increase Speed / Profile
Decrease Speed / Profile
Charger and
Programmer socket
Control Panel
(see previous
diagram)
Joystick
Joystick Control Panel shown above
HOW TO OPERATE THE U-DRIVE
1. Joystick. The primary function of the joystick
is to control the speed and direction of the
wheelchair. The further you push the joystick
from the centre position the faster the
wheelchair will move. When you release the
joystick the brakes are automatically
applied.
2. On / Off button. The on/off button applies
power to the control system electronics,
which in turn supply power to the
wheelchair’s motors. Do not use the on/off
button to stop the wheelchair unless there is
an emergency. (If you do, you may shorten
the life of the wheelchair drive components).
The battery gauge shows you that the
wheelchair is switched on. It also indicates
the operating status of the wheelchair.
3. Increase Speed / Profile. Press this button to
increase the maximum speed of the
wheelchair.
4. Decrease Speed / Profile. Press this button
to decrease the maximum speed of the
wheelchair.
5. Speed / Profile Indicator. This shows the
maximum speed of the wheelchair. The more
LEDs are lit, the faster the maximum speed.
The wheelchair can be configured to use
drive profiles. However, this is not included
by default. For more information about drive
profiles, contact your dealer. If the speed
indicator ripples, this means the wheelchair
is locked.
To unlock / lock the wheelchair:
Switch the wheelchair on
Hold down the on/off button for 1 second
(lock only)
Deflect the joystick forwards until the control
system bleeps
Deflect the joystick backwards until the
control system bleeps
Release the joystick. There will be a long
bleep and the wheelchair will be unlocked /
locked.
6. Horn. Press this button to sound the horn.
The horn will stop when you release the
button.
7. Battery Gauge. This shows the battery
power level of the wheelchair.
The more LEDs that are lit, the more power
is left in the battery. The LEDs will be lit
constantly when the wheelchair is operating
normally.

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If the LEDs on the battery gauge are
stepping up (i.e. the number of LEDs lit
quickly increases then resets to 1), the
battery charger is connected and the
wheelchair drive inhibited.
If the battery gauge is flashing slowly then
the wheelchair is operating normally, but the
batteries need recharging as soon as
possible.
If the battery gauge LEDs are flashing
rapidly this indicates a fault with the
wheelchair. If you have a problem with your
wheelchair consult the table below. If the
problem persists after you have followed the
advice herein then restarted the wheelchair,
contact your dealer.
1 Bar
The battery needs
charging or there is a
bad connection to the
battery. Check the
connections to the
battery. If the
connections are good, try
charging the battery.
2 Bar
The left hand motor has
a bad connection. Check
the connections to the
left hand motor.
3 Bar
The left hand motor has
a short circuit to a
battery connection.
Contact your service
agent.
4 Bar
The right hand motor has
a bad connection. Check
the connections to the
right hand motor.
5 Bar
The right hand motor has
a short circuit to a
battery connection.
Contact your service
agent.
6 Bar
The wheelchair is being
prevented from driving
by an external signal. The
exact cause will depend
on the type of wheelchair
you have, one possibility
is the battery charger is
connected.
7 Bar
A joystick fault is
indicated. Make sure that
the joystick is in the
centre position before
switching on the control
system.
8 Bar
A control system fault is
indicated. Make sure that
all connections are
secure.
9 Bar
The parking brakes have
a bad connection. Check
the parking brake and
motor connections. Make
sure the control system
connections are secure.
10 Bar
An excessive voltage has
been applied to the
control system.
This is usually caused by
a poor battery
connection. Check the
battery connections.
10 Bar +
Speed
This is where the Speed
Indicator and 10 bars are
lit.
A communication fault is
indicated. Make sure that
joystick cable is securely
connected and not
damaged.