GB2130977A - Safety devices for securing wheelchairs in vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

The device 10 has upright members 13, 14 with two lower ends 61, 61' for engaging a floor, and a single upper end for engaging a roof 65. The height can be adjusted using releasable clamp 55. There is a backrest and headrest 70, a lap belt 96, 97 and shoulder harness 103, 104. A further belt arrangement 80 may hold the chair to the device at a location below the seat. The device may be adjustable on the floor 63. The device can be removably mounted in a vehicle and a latch may hold it in the installed position. In an alternative arrangement the device does not extend to the roof of the vehicle. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to safety devices This invention relates to safety devices.

According to one aspect of the invention a safety device for use with a wheel chair comprises a structure having laterally spaced lower ends adapted for engagement with lower mounting means and a single upper end adapted for engagement with an upper mounting.

In use the lower mounting means may form part of a vehicle floor and the upper mounting(s) part of a vehicle roof, the floor and roof being of the passenger compartment. The term roof is intended to include upper structures for example a luggage rack.

According to another aspect of this invention a safety device for use with a wheel chair comprises an upwardly extending structure and means for operatively connecting the structure to a wheel chair frame at or below the level of the wheel chair seat. The lower end of the structure may be adapted for engagement with lower mounting means. The structure may have upper and lower ends adapted for engagement with upper and lower mountings.

The structure may comprise an A frame; the A frame may include at its top a single upwardly extending element. Means may be provided for adjusting the end (element) up and down relative to the frame. The adjusting means may comprise a projection co-operable with a guide surface so that rotation of said end/element effects said adjustment.

The means for operatively connecting the chair to the structure may comprise an elongate member engageable with upright side members of a frame of the wheel chair, and means for adjusting the effective length of the elongate member.

There may be means for operatively connecting an occupant of the chair to the device. For example elongate means may be connected to the device and be adapted to extend round the occupant and chair.

The elongate means may comprise a lap belt.

The elongate means may comprise a shoulder harness.

The elongate means may comprise means operable to release the connection. The releasable means may be operable by a single movement.

The device may comprise a deformable backrest and headrest for the occupant.

The structure may comprise laterally spaced upwardly extending box-section members. The box-section members may comprise nesting U-shaped members having confronting webs.

In one arrangement the device may include support means adapted to extend in use downwardly and rearwardly. Means may be provided for connecting the lower end of the support means to a floor or the like on which the structure is supported.

The support means may be pivoted to the remainder of the structure.

The support means may comprise laterally spaced struts extending respectively from laterally spaced upwardly extending members.

The invention may be performed in various ways and two specific embodiments with possible modifications will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a bus incorporating a safety device of Figs. 4 to 8; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the bus interior; Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the bus; Fig. 4 is a rear view of a safety device; Fig. 5 is a front view of the device; Fig. 6 is a side view of the device; Fig. 7 is a rear perspective view of part of the device on a larger scale; Fig. 8 is a perspective view part broken away of part of the device of Fig. 4 on a larger scale; Fig. 9 shows a possible modification; Fig. 10 shows another possible modification; Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 4 of another safety device;; Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 6 of the device of Fig. 11; Figs. 13, 14, 15 show forms of mounting; and Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 4 of part of another embodiment; Fig. 1 7 is a view of part of Fig. 16 with part removed; Fig. 1 8 is a view on an enlarged scale of part of Fig. 17; Fig. 1 9 is a section through a latch; Fig. 20 is a view of Fig. 19 in another position; and Fig. 21 is a front view of belts of Fig. 16.

Referring first to Figs. 4 to 8, a safety device 10 comprises a frame 11 made generally of aluminium and adapted for use with a wheel chair 12.

The frame 11 is generally of A-shape and comprises two laterally spaced uprights 13, 1 4 which are inclined towards each other as they extend upwardly from a floor 15. Each upright 13, 14 comprises two U-section members 1 6, 1 7 with confronting webs 16a, 17a and nested one within the other (Fig. 7). Towards their lower ends the uprights are connected by a channel-section cross-member 18 in which the sides of the channel are cut away at its ends which are bolted to webs 1 6a at 19 with the ends of the sides of the channels engaging opposed side faces 1 6 of the uprights.

Spaced above cross-member 1 8 is a further channel-section cross-member 20 in which the sides 21 are cut-away to receive closely the uprights and the web 22 is rivetted at 23 to the webs 1 7a and bent round to be rivetted to webs 1 6a at 24 (Fig. 7).

The ends of the sides 21 receive bolts 25 held by nuts 26.

Above the cross-member 20 is another channel cross-member 27 rivetted to webs 1 6a at 28.

At their upper ends the webs of the uprights 1 3, 14 are rivetted to front and rear cross-plates 29, 30 embraced by downwardly facing and upwardly facing confronting channel cross members 31, 32 whose ends are cutaway to receive the uprights. The web 32a of the cross member 32 (Fig. 8) has rivetted to it a plate 33 fixed to part 34 of a tube 35, the part 34 defining a spiral surface 36 extending from the plate 33 and ending in notch 37. A solid bar 38 extends through the plate 33 and along tube part 34 and at its upper end has a tapered pin 39 of reduced cross-section.

A projection 40 extends radially from the bar 38 and rides on surface 36 so that as the bar 38 is rotated in one or other senses it rises or falls relative to plate 33. Thus the overall height of the device can be adjusted.

The device includes a unitary upholstered support 70 comprising, for example, a shaped plywood sheet provided on its front with foam padding, the whole being covered with suitable material and bolted or rivetted to L-shape brackets 71 rivetted to the uprights 1 3, 14. The support 70 provides a backrest 72 and a headrest 73.

A downwardly extending tongue 51 with rearwardly facing vertical guide 52 is fixed to the rear of the support 70.

Near its lower end the bar 38 has a peripheral groove which receives a collar 53 from which a parallel-sided projection 54 extends into the guide 52. A knurled knob 55 includes a threaded stem 56 engageable with the collar 53 and with the bar 38 and extending through the collar 53 so that on rotation of the knob 55 the stem 56 can engage the collar 53 to hold the bar 38 against rotation.

Thus by release of the knob, axial movement of the bar, and re-tightening of the knob the bar 38 can be moved upwards or downwards.

The lower ends of the uprights 1 3, 14 receive internal plugs (not shown) in firm engagement.

Tapered pins 61 extend downwards from the plugs, the laterally outer surface portions 61' of the two pins being parallel, for example.

Thus with the bar 38 lowered, the pins 61 can be inserted into circular apertures 23 in plates 62 fixed to or in a floor 63 (15), and then the bar 38 can be manually rotated and extended to bring the single pin 39 into a circular aperture in plate 64 or in a roof structure 65, with the shoulder 66 engaging the plate 64 and the bottom ends of the uprights respectively engaging the plates 62. The uprights 13, 14 are then slightly in compression.

Shoulder 66 (Fig. 8) is preferably bevelled to conform to the roof surface.

The device 10 is intended for use with a wheelchair indicated generally at 80 which is conventional and includes a collapsible frame 81 and rear and front pairs of wheels 82, 83. The frame 81 may comprise rearwardly facing handles 84, which may be detachable, and upright rear side members 85 (Fig. 4). Wheels 82 are normally the larger, see Fig. 11.

The wheel chair has frame members which support material providing a seat 81a and a back rest 81 b in the usual way. Part of the back rest may be detachable with the handles.

Means may be provided for holding the wheel chair to the device. In the present case a webbing belt 90 of the kind used in vehicle safety harness extends between the web 22 and bolts 25 and to the rear of webs 1 6a (Fig. 7) and has ends 91, 92 connectable by a releasable sliding buckle 93 so that the effective length of the belt can be adjusted. The web 90 is passed round the side members 85 of the wheelchair and the web tightened. The wheelchair is thus restrained against forward and sideways movement relative to the uprights at a location at or below the level of the chair seat 81 a and below the level of the hip joints of an occupant or user of the wheel chair.

Means are provided for holding the occupant with respect to the device. In the present case end fastenings 95 for web belts 96, 97 are respectively pivotally mounted at 98, 99 to the uprights and the belts extend cross-wise round the members 85 just above the seat 81 a and at their other ends are releasably connectable to a 4-way releasable connector 102. The connector 102 may for example be of the kind used with parachutes and comprising a central button which can be pressed to release all four belts. Belts 96, 97 constitute a lap belt and engage the user in the region of and about the level of the hip joints.

The other two belts 103,104 form a shoulder harness for the occupant and extend over support shoulders 105, 106 and are connected to a belt 107 secured to mounting 108 pivotal on crossmember 20 at 109.

Belts 103,104 engage shoulders 105, 106 so that tension in the belts is taken by or applied to the support 70 rather than by the occupant.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 3, a bus 40 has an internal floor 41 and an offset rear door 42 which, as can be seen in Figure 2, can be opened 1 800 (see 42a) within the width of the bus body 43. The bus has double seats 44 and single seats 45. The three rear double seats can be removed to accommodate two safety devices, or the two rear double seats can be removed to accommodate one safety device. The fixed locating peg or pin 39 extends into a socket and a plate in the bus roof 46 and the bottom locating pegs or pins 61 extend into sockets 23 in plates in the bus floor 41, see Fig. 1. The bus floor 41 is substantially smooth and free from obstructions. The bus floor 47 in front of the rear door 42 can be raised and lowered by an electro-hydraulic system indicated diagrammatically at 48 and driven from an electro-hydraulic power pack. The floor portion 47 can be raised and lowered manualiy. Thus the rear door can be opened, the floor portion 47 lowered, a wheel chair moved onto the floor 47 which is then raised enabling the chair to be manoeuvred into position in engagement with the safety device (Figs. 4, 5). The chair and occupant are then restrained against forward, rearward and sideways forces. In accident conditions, for example, the occupant may be restrained against forces up to 10 g or even more, for example up to 32 g. The safety device can be sized according to requirements. The safety device could be installed or used in vehicles other than that shown.

In use, the bus seats are removed, the safety device is installed, the wheel chair is then brought into position, the buckle 93 is adjusted to hold the chair in reiation to the device. In this condition, the wheel chair is restrained against moving in any direction.

The wheel chair is held towards its rear and thus reduces any tendency of the chair to pivot forwards about a location towards its front if the vehicle runs into an obstacle.

If the vehicle runs into an obstacle, the uprights initially tend to bow, convex forwards. Any tendency of the pins to leave the sockets in floor or roof can be resisted by providing the sockets with key-hole slots, e.g. 23a Fig. 9, and providing an enlarged head 110 on the pins giving a shoulder 111 which on bowing may be moved downwards to engage the periphery of the socket wall 112 as shown dotted in Fig. 10 to resist separation of upright and socket. The slots need not be keyhole.

Fig. 9 shows also an alternative arrangement in which the uprights are initially slightly in tension.

In this case the lower ends of the uprights are circular and threaded and receive a rotatable collar 11 3 whose end can be inserted in the keyhole and then the collar be rotated to shorten the upright and draw the head 110 against the socket wall.

In a modification, instead of belt 90 having sliding buckle connection, it may be provided at its end with claws or hooks indicated diagrammatically at 11 5 in Fig. 5 which can engage the chair frame members 85. Means would again be provided for varying the effective length of the belt to tighten the belt and draw the claws firmly into engagement with the chair frame.

It will be observed that the belt 90 engages the chair frame so as to provide a largely horizontal restraining force, reducing tendency of the chair to pivot.

In the initial position, the frame 11 is inclined slightly rearwardly as it extends upwardly. For example the horizontal distance between top and bottom mountings 64, 62 may be 25.5 cm (10 inches).

In situations where there is not sufficient room to bring the wheel-chair to a forward facing position, the restraint or safety device may be installed to face rearwards (with frame 11 inclined forwardly) and accept a rearwardly facing wheelchair to provide the required restraint.

The safety device of Figs.11 12 is generally similar to that of Figs. 4 to 8 but does not extend to the roof or upper mounting. The uprights 13, 14 extend to just below the top of the support 70 and are connected at their upper ends by cap plate 120 rivetted or otherwise fixed to them. As above, the belt 90 engage the wheelchair frame uprights 85 beneath seat 81a and in this case above rear wheel axles 82a.

Fore and aft chair frame lower side members 121 are below cross-member 18. Bracing struts (not shown in Fig. 11) are provided for the uprights 13, 14. Each upright 13, 14 has fixed to it a bracket 1 22 to which is bolted at 123 a strut 124 which in the operative position shown extends downwardly and rearwardly. The strut 124 is of steel or alloy for example, and is of U-section with the web 1 24a facing rearwards. A channel section fore and aft member 1 26 is at the bottom of each upright.

The member 126 may be outer L-section members 127 having walls 128 between which is secured channel member 129 secured to members 127 by bolts 130. The walls 128 may be cut-away at their ends at 1 31. The lower ends of the respective upright and strut engage the web 132 and bolts 133 extend through them and walls 128. The rear bolt 134 is located no further rearwards than plate 64 in the embodiment of Fig. 4.

The members 126 may be secured to the floor by bolts 134 extending through holes in the web 1 32. The various bolts are provided with nuts.

In another arrangement shown in Fig. 13 the web 132 has a U-slot 1 35 at each end receiving the stem 136 of a clamp 137 having a ball end 138 cooperable in a key-hole in socket 139 flush with the floor. A nut 140 can be tightened to engage web 132. This is particularly for a public service vehicle. A peg stop 141 may be inserted through member 126 (web 132) to engage with aperture 141 a in a plate 141 b secured to the floor 63 to resist any tendency of the member 126 to slide.

Fig. 14 shows another mounting, in which channel members 126 are modified at each end to receive bars or tubes 1 44 which connect them.

The tubes 144 are at right angles to members 126. Laterally spaced between members 126 are two channel tracks 1 42 secured by bolts to the floor and each having a slot 143 in its upper surface shaped to provide a series of wider portions. The cross bars 1 44 are clamped by clamps 145 including a disc and spring catch (Fig.

15) in the slot 1 43 and connected to threaded stem 146 carrying nut 147 for tightening the clamp onto the bar 144. The clamp can be selectively positioned lengthwise of the slot or track and is held in place by axially movable formation 1 45a which engages the slot wider portions to prevent sliding, the disc 1 45b holding the clamp in the track. Spring 1 45c biasses formation 1 45a downwards. A threaded screw 1 48 engages the base of the track and enables the orientation of the clamp to be adjusted. Other constructions can be used on the clamp instead of the disc and spring catch.

Fasteners of the kind illustrated in Figs. 13, 14, 1 5 are available under the name QUIKLOK from C. N. Unwin Limited of Yeovil, England. Other forms of fastener may be used to mount the restraint to the floor.

In the construction of Figs.11,12 the uprights 1 3, 14 could possibly be of U-section (web facing rearwards of the restraint) rather than box-section.

When the device of Figs. 11, 12 is in a vehicle, for example a public service vehicle or a taxi, or ambulance, with the restraint in a forward facing position, the chair is restrained against movement relative to the floor in all directions, particularly forwards and sideways, and the occupant of the chair is also restrained, particularly against forward movement relative to the restraint or to the floor.

The restraint could be positioned to face forwards or rearwards.

On removal of bolts 133 holding the members 13, 14 to the members 126 and release of bolts 133 holding the struts, the members 13, 14 can be swung forwards about pivot 123 to permit the channels 126 to be swung rearwards on to struts 13, 14 and the members 1 3, 14 then moved rearwards to collapse the restraint for packaging or storage. The nut and bolt 1 23 is arranged to permit this.

The arrangement of Figs. 1 6 to 20 is generally similar to Figs. 4 to 8 having a single pin 39 but bar 38 is in two parts 120, 121 connected by threaded connection 122 so that the overall height can be adjusted to suit requirements, the parts being held in the desired position by lock nut 123. Bar 120, 121 can be raised and lowered.The bar has an operating handle 124 which (Fig. 19) can be held in the bar-raised position by releasable latch 125 biassed upwardly by a spring 1 26. The latch 125 has a housing 127 and a bolt 128 can be screwed partly through housing 1 27 from latch 125 to lock the arm 1 24 in the bar-raised position (Fig. 19). If the bolt 128 is screwed out of the housing 1 27 into the latch 125, the latch can be pulled down by latch handle 1 29 against spring 126 (Fig. 20) to enable the arm 124 to be rotated to lower the bar 120,121.

Structure 130 supports cam 131 having cam surface 132 engageable by cam pin 133 in bar 121 so that rotation of arm 124 raises or lowers the bar (Fig. 1 8).

Belts 96, 97 are pivoted at 134,135 to uprights 14, 13 and form a lap belt (Fig. 21) with releasable buckle 1 36. In this case shoulder belts 103, 104 have end loops 105, 106 through which pass belts 97, 96 respectively, the loops (belts) having sliding clasps 107, 108 enabling the shoulder belts to be tightened. In this embodiment the belt 90 can be omitted if desired.

Claims (22)

1. A safety device for use with a wheelchair comprising a structure having laterally spaced lower ends adapted for engagement with lower mounting means and a single upper end adapted for engagement with an upper mounting.

2. A safety device as claimed in claim 1, in which the structure comprises an A-frame including at the top of the A-frame a single upwardly extending element.

3. A safety device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, including means for adjusting the single end up and down relative to the frame.

4. A safety device as claimed in claim 3, in which the adjusting means comprises a projection cooperable with a guide surface so that rotation of said single end effects said adjustment.

5. A safety device as claimed in any preceding claim, including means for operatively connecting an occupant of the chair to the device.

6. A safety device as claimed in claim 5, in which the connecting means comprises elongate means connected to the device and adapted to extend round the occupant and chair.

7. A safety device as claimed in claim 6, in which the elongate means comprises a releasable lap belt.

8. A safety device as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7, in which the elongate means comprises a releasable shoulder harness.

9. A safety device as claimed in claim 5, in which the connecting means is releasabie by an occupant of the chair.

10. A safety device as claimed in any preceding claim, including a deformable headrest and backrest for an occupant of the chair.

11. A safety device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the structure comprises laterallyspaced box-section members.

12. A safety device as claimed in claim 11, in which the box-section members comprise nesting U-shaped members having confronting webs.

1 3. A safety device as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising means for operatively connecting the structure to a wheel chair at or below the level of the wheel chair seat.

14. A safety device as claimed in claim 13, in which the means for operatively connecting the chair to the structure may comprise an elongate member engageable with upright side members of a frame of the wheel chair, and means for adjusting the effective length of the elongate member.

1 5. A safety device for use with a wheelchair substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 4 to 8, or Fig. 9, or Fig. 10 or Figs. 11 and 12, of the accompanying drawings.

1 6. A safety device for use with a wheelchair comprising an upwardly extending structure and means for operatively connecting the structure to a wheel chair frame at or below the level of the wheel chair seat.

17. A safety device as claimed in claim 16, including support means adapted to extend in use downwardly and rearwardly.

18. A safety device as claimed in claim 16, including means for connecting the lower end of the support means to a floor or the like on which the structure is mounted.

1 9. A safety device as claimed in claim 18, in which the support means is pivoted to the remainder of the structure.

20. A safety device as claimed in any of claims 1 7 to 19, in which the support means comprises laterally spaced struts extending respectively from laterally spaced upwardly extending members.

21. A safety device for use with a wheelchair substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 1 3 to 1 5 of the accompanying drawings.

22. A vehicle including a safety device as claimed in any preceding claim.