AU750311B2 - Ramp device for transport vehicles - Google Patents

Description

-1- P/00/0011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

oo eeee o *e *o eo Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for service in Australia: Invention Title: KENNETH JOHN STUCKEY Applicant CARTER SMITH BEADLE 2 Railway Parade Camberwell Victoria 3124 Australia RAMP DEVICE FOR TRANSPORT VEHICLES Details ofAssociated Provisional Application: Australian Patent Application No. PP5007 filed 31 July 1998 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us -2- RAMP DEVICE FOR TRANSPORT VEHICLES This invention relates to a ramp device for transport vehicles and more particularly to a ramp device enabling a wheelchair and occupant to readily enter a transport vehicle. The invention has particular utility in taxi vehicles where it is necessary to accommodate wheelchair occupants in a safe and comfortable manner.

To this end the wheelchair and occupant must be securely strapped within the vehicle and have sufficient space both within and during the entry and exit of the vehicle.

Whilst the ramp device is constructed primarily for the purpose of transferring wheelchair occupants to and from a vehicle it will be apparent that it could be used for other purposes.

Various different arrangements for raising wheelchair occupants into vehicles have been contemplated and some are currently being utilised. For example, hoists and lifts which are either inside or outside the vehicle hydraulically operate a platform which raises and lowers the load (wheelchair and occupant) to and from the vehicle.

Such apparatus is slow to operate, heavy and cumbersome and vulnerable to mechanical failure. In the case of wheelchair occupants, the lifts and hoists often invoke feelings of anxiety. In the event of mechanical breakdown it can be difficult or impossible for a wheelchair occupant to exit or enter a vehicle until a repair is effected. When positioned inside a vehicle hoists and lifts occupy valuable cargo or e• passenger space.

Another known arrangement comprises ramps of various forms which are manually operated to extend from the vehicle (usually the rear of a van type vehicle) to enable a wheelchair occupant to manoeuvre the chair into the vehicle. In order to reduce the incline angle of the ramp it is required to be relatively long and this can cause problems because there may not always be sufficient space behind or beside the vehicle to extend the ramp. To minimise the length of the ramp it is known to combine the ramp with a cut-away sloping section in the rear of the vehicle or a PRS:AM:#28959:COMPLETE 30 July 1999 004056335 3 lowered floor section to accommodate the wheelchair within the vehicle. In both these cases the available floor space within the vehicle, for cargo or passengers, is greatly reduced when the vehicle is not being used to transport wheelchair occupants. Whilst it is also known to provide temporary lowering of the vehicle suspension during the loading or unloading procedure this still has to be combined with the sloping ramp section or lowered floor section in the vehicle floor, to achieve the desired result.

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved ramp device which obviates one or more of the aforementioned deficiencies of existing arrangements.

Thus the invention provides a ramp device for transport vehicles, said ramp device comprising a ramp member which is accommodated, in a retracted position, over a sunken portion in the vehicle floor in a manner whereby said ramp member covers said sunken portion and restores it to normal floor level for transit use, said 00 00 V 15 sunken portion having an inclined base extending from said normal floor level downwardly towards the vehicle perimeter, and said ramp member being mounted to said vehicle by a pivotal arm arrangement whereby a first end of the ramp 00 member adjacent said perimeter is able to move outwardly and downwardly whilst an opposite end slides outwardly and downwardly on said inclined base, thus providing in an extended position, a ramp upon which a wheelchair and occupant may be driven to facilitate entry into said vehicle.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, particular embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the rear portion of a transport vehicle showing a ramp device according to one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is similar to Figure 1 showing the ramp device in the retracted position; Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 of an alternative embodiment of k the -4ramp device, Fig 4 is similar to Fig 3 but showing the ramp device in the extended position, Fig 5 is a schematic side elevation of the ramp device of Figs 3 and 4 in the retracted position; and Fig 6 is similar to Fig 5 with the device shown in the extended position.

A van 10 or other vehicle having suitable roof height to accommodate a wheelchair and occupant is shown in Figs 1 and 2 with a ramp device according to one embodiment of the invention. As shown in Fig 1, a section of the vehicle floor 11 is cut-away to provide a recess into which a ramp device 12 is accommodated.

Vertical side members 13 are provided in the cut-away portion in order to close off access to the underside of the vehicle floor.

The ramp device 12 consists essentially of a lower ramp section 14 which is pivotally connected at one end to rail members 15 which form part of a frame structure beneath the vehicle and at opposite sides of the cut-away floor section. The lower ramp section 14 is pivotal from the position shown in Fig 1 where its other end bears on the ground, to a vertically extending position as shown in Fig 2 where it occupies part of the space filled by the rear door of the vehicle.

An upper ramp section 16 is pivotally connected at one end to pivot pins located between the ends of the lower ramp section 14. The other end of the upper ramp section 16 is free to slide on a guide or guides (not shown) within the cut-away floor section. As will be evident when the lower ramp section 14 is pivoted from the position shown in Fig 1 to the position shown in Fig 2, the upper ramp section 16 25 moves upwardly to replace the removed floor section. In other words, the upper ramp section 16 replaces the floor of the vehicle whereby the vehicle is effectively restored PRS:AM:#28959:COMPLETE 30 July 1999 into a full use vehicle when the ramp device is in the retracted position.

In order for a wheelchair and occupant to enter the vehicle it is merely necessary to extend the ramp device to the position shown in Fig 1 wherein the wheelchair with occupant is easily moved to a position on the upper ramp section 16.

This can be achieved by the wheelchair occupant acting alone to propel the wheelchair along the ramp or may occur with the assistance of another person. Once the wheelchair and occupant are on the upper ramp section 16 the lower ramp section 14 is lifted to the vertical position. This may be achieved by handles (not shown) on the lower end of the ramp section 14 and for this purpose hydraulic, pneumatic or electric actuators (not shown) may be provided. Alternatively the entire operation may be power operated. This movement or retraction of the ramp device causes the wheelchair and occupant to be moved to a position at normal floor level within the vehicle whereby the wheelchair and occupant may be harnessed into the vehicle to provide safety during transit. Foldable seats (not shown) may be provided in the rear of the vehicle which are retracted to provide space for the wheelchair occupant. In other words a split rear seat may be provided to fold, from a position wherein two halves combine to form a rear bench seat over the ramp device when the ramp device is in the retracted position, to a folded position wherein the two halves fold to a vertical orientation against respective sides of the vehicle. In the usable position the 20 respective seat portions attach to brackets mounted on the floor adjacent the sides of the cut-away floor section. The brackets are in fact arranged on the sides of a fabricated floor section incorporating the cut-away section. This ensures that there is sufficient strength in the floor to support and retain the seat in the usable position.

In order to remove the vertically extending lower ramp section 14, when the 25 device is in the retracted position a second embodiment is contemplated and shown in Figs 3 and 4. According to the embodiment of Figs 3 and 4, the upper ramp section 16 is pivotally connected to the vehicle in a manner which allows it to move outwardly from the vehicle and into an inclined position as the device is extended.

PRS:AM:#28959:COMPLETE 30 July 1999 For this purpose, crank arms 17 are provided between the vehicle and the upper ramp section 16. The crank arms 17 are pivotally connected at one end to brackets 18 mounted on the vehicle floor adjacent respective sides of the cut-away section, and at their other ends are pivotally connected to the upper ramp section 16 towards the outer or downwardly extending end of the ramp section 16. Extension of the ramp device 12 causes the upper section 16 to move outwardly and downwardly whilst the inner end of the upper ramp section 16 slides on a guide or guides (not shown) similar to what occurs in the embodiment of Figs 1 and 2.

The lower ramp section 14 according to the second embodiment, slides underneath the upper ramp section 16 and is supported by flanges 19 on the inside of side walls 20 forming part of the upper ramp section 16.

As will be evident, the ramp device of this second embodiment is able to be retracted to replace the floor which has been removed as a result of the cut-away portion and does not have an upwardly extending protrusion as in the first embodiment which restricts access to the rear of the vehicle. Side rails 21 on the upper ramp section 16 provide safety against the wheels of a wheelchair moving off i" the sides of the ramp section 16.

Figs 5 and 6 again show the ramp device of Figs 3 and 4 in order to more clearly show the movement of the ramp sections 14 and 16 between the retracted position shown in Fig 5 and the extended position shown in Fig 6. As is evident in Fig 6, the forward end of the upper ramp section 16 slides rearwardly and downwardly as the device is extended. According to a modification of the embodiments shown in Figs 3 6, the brackets 18 forming pivot points for the upper ramp section 16 are mounted on support members which themselves move rearwardly and downwardly due to hydraulic actuators. This modification, which is not shown in the drawings, enables the upper ramp section 16 to move further rearward and further downwardly in order to provide greater clearance or head room between the ramp and PRS:AM:#28959:COMPLETE 30 July 1999 -7the top of the vehicle opening. According to this modification, the lower ramp section is not required since the additional movement achieved by the upper ramp section 16 enables it to bear on the ground and provide a suitable ramp without the need for the other section.

The ramp device described above can be used alone or can be combined with air suspension to lower the rear of the vehicle and further decrease the length of the ramp and the ramp incline. Whilst the device has been described in its application to a van, it could clearly be incorporated into vehicles such as modified station wagons which have a lengthened and raised cab behind the rear wheels. Furthermore, the device could be provided to the side of a vehicle to enable the wheelchair occupant to enter the vehicle from the curb side.

It should be evident that the ramp device of the present invention provides an improved means for wheelchair occupants accessing a vehicle. Furthermore, once inside the vehicle, the wheelchair occupant is accommodated at the normal vehicle floor level rather than being isolated in a lowered well at the rear of the vehicle. By being at the normal floor level, the wheelchair occupant can move to a position forward from the ramp device whereby a further wheelchair occupant can enter the vehicle. In this manner two or more wheelchair occupants can be transported o: simultaneously or alternatively the rear seats can be folded down and a number of o: normally seated passengers can be carried in conjunction with wheelchair occupants.

Whilst the ramp device has been described in relation to manual or power assisted operation a system of counter balancing springs may also be used to assist in manual operation.

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*eoeo° PRS:AM :#28959:COMPLETE 30 July 1999

Claims (9)

1. A ramp device for transport vehicles, said ramp device comprising a ramp member which is accommodated, in a retracted position, over a sunken portion in the vehicle floor in a manner whereby said ramp member covers said sunken portion and restores it to normal floor level for transit use, said sunken portion having an inclined base extending from said normal floor level downwardly towards the vehicle perimeter, and said ramp member being mounted to said vehicle by a pivotal arm arrangement whereby a first end of the ramp member adjacent said perimeter is able to move outwardly and downwardly whilst an opposite end slides outwardly and downwardly on said inclined base, thus providing in an extended position, a ramp upon which a wheelchair and occupant may be driven to facilitate entry into said vehicle.

2. A ramp device according to claim 1 wherein a second ramp member is adapted to extend from said first end in said extended position of said ramp member to provide a lower ramp section and thereby increase the ramp length.

3. A ramp device according to claim 2 wherein said second ramp o member provides said pivotal arm arrangement and is pivotally connected, at one end, to said vehicle so as to pivot from a vertically extending orientation in said retracted position, to a position wherein the other end bears on the ground and provides said lower ramp section in said extended condition, said ramp member being pivotally connected, at said first end, to said second ramp member said ramp member further providing a means of lifting said wheelchair and occupant from a ramp position to a level floor position as said ramp is retracted.

4. A ramp device according to claim 2 wherein, said second ramp member is slidable from underneath said ramp member to provide said lower ramp section.

A ramp device according to claim 1 wherein said pivotal arm arrangement is a crank arm which is pivotally connected at one end to said vehicle and at the other end to said ramp member, and the pivotal connection at said one end of said crank arm is itself adapted to move outwardly and downwardly relative to said vehicle whereby the extent of movement of said ramp member is increased.

6. A ramp device according to claim 4 wherein said ramp member has 004056335 9 side rails to prevent the wheels of said wheelchair moving off the sides thereof.

7. A ramp device according to claim 5 wherein said ramp member has side rails to prevent the wheels of said wheelchair moving off the sides thereof.

8. A ramp device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a hydraulic pneumatic or electric actuator is provided to operate said device between said retracted and extended positions.

9. A ramp device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings. A ramp device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 3 6 of the accompanying drawings. Dated: 14 May 2002 FREEHILLS CARTER SMITH BEADLE Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: KENNETH JOHN STUCKEY 0@ .00: 0 *0.0