EP0255457A2 - Loading ramp for an electric wheelchair - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device kit consisting of three elements aiming at simplifying the method of controlling, loading and driving of electric wheel chairs, to which kit there is added, for the severely handicapped, a fourth device which is much more costly, entirely mechanised, and encompasses the functions of the three devices above. It consists of a traction device, a control key acting on the direction the advancing, the reversing and the immobilisation of the functioning, a platform for loading onto the vehicle of a dismountable mechanical stair module, a special trailer for towing transport with accessories protective covers and a special padlock to prevent the device from being borrowed by children as a plaything. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention according to form and intended embodiment, in wood, plastic, aluminum or light composite materials, relates to a Kit of three devices which combine and which is used using the own traction of the electric motor for the loading of an orthopedic wheelchair, on a vehicle, as well as its own mobility on stairs:
A fourth device, much more expensive is attached to it for the purpose of being used by disabled people with reduced mobility, fully mechanized and including, by itself, the functions of the three above exposed, apart from the accessories: drawbars, hooks, trailer and security padlock, for the latter the inventive object only suits the appropriate place where it is placed.

Existing decks for loading wheelchairs are either rigid, sliding underneath or retractable at the rear for vehicle trailers or for large vehicles; as for those said to motorists, there is only one particularly expensive bolt system because of the fact of the use of motive power, or electric, or compression of the carrier vehicle. As for the system of mechanical or nestable elements for climbing or descending stairs by a faureuil, they are practically non-existent.

The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks. The invention as characterized in the claims solves the problems associated with the use of private vehicles fitted with non-removable cylinders or ramps, by means of the supply of light parts, all of which are foldable and retractable, reduced in a box with handles transformable into a trailer towable by the electric wheelchair to which is added the elements of escalators, for the less silvery or less handicapped and to our fully mechanized device, more complete for the others.

The advantages obtained with this invention consist essentially in that it is now possible to charge by force even of the orthopedic wheelchair in conditions of safety satisfied on station wagons or having supported at the rear using the traction control of said wheelchair, therefore in addition the faculty with the handicapped people to climb stairs steps having stages.

• La figure I représente, en perspective une coupe en abrégé d'un type de fauteuil électrique orthopédique existant muni de son système de tractage I, d'une coupe cadenas judiciement installé 2 et d'une coupe générale de la clef de commandes 3 s'adap­tant au guidon
• La figure 2 représente en perspective frontale en abrégé une coupe du pont en bois crée à l'initiale: aujourd'hui remplacé par le nouveau pont moins encombrant et plus léger, dont le détail figure, en figure 3 suivante.
• La figure 3 représente, en perspective frontale latérale pont en bois initialement crée comportant deux chevrons profonde­ment rainés 5 munis, en ses rainures de deux plateaux coulis­sants 6 auquel se situe de part et d'autres deux crochets inversés et amorçage du fauteuil 7 et d'accrochage au véhicule 8 avec leur autre extrémité deux arrêts 9, inversés eux aussi butants aux taquets I0 en position d'ouverture. Le tout est renforcé à droite des verrins à vis I2 munis de poignées I3, par des boulons traversants de part et d'autres I4 munis de papillons de serrage I5 auquel peut être ajouté falcutativement des crochets de suspension I6 pour rangement éventuel. L'ensem­ble est bien lié et fortement tenu par un plateau plaqué de marine, non déformable I7 tenu par les boulons I4.
• La figure 4 représente en perspective la face pleine et extérieure des chevrons 5.
• La figure 6 représente en perspective les manchons revendiqués en accessoires I8 et le cadenas de sécurité 2.
• La figure 7 représente, en perspective la coupe du système de tractage présentée en abrégé I composé de deux barres métalli­ques lègères portant en leurs extrémitées des anneaux fixes 20 finis par des mousquetons 2I prévus pour accrocher au caddie 22 et un piton courbé 23 boulonné 24 fixé au timon de support du siège du fauteuil 25.
• La figure 8 représente en perspective la coupe du système de clef de commandes et de direction, présenté en abrégé 3ainsi qu'au système connu existant dans lequel elle s'emboîte. Le système existant connu, est composé d'une base circulaire 26 sur laquelle est tenu par boulon 27 un tube 28 dont l'extrémité apposée, comporte un craineau au 29 prévu par le maintien de la direction de la roue avant et en son sein au fond est montée une commande potensionmettre réostatique conditionné en prise par une fente 30 prévue pour avance dans sens arrière ou avant. Le système faisant objet est caractérisé par une clef 3 qui raccourcit toutes les commandes pout ôter le guidon 4 trop haut, elle se compose : un tube 3I muni d'une poignée fixe 32 avec encoche et craineau 33 pour tenir la direction et d'un autre tube plus mince 34 munie de poignée fixe 35 et qui pivote dans le précédent et dont l'embout 35 est applati pour faire corps avec la fente 30, les poignées en leurs extrémitées sont équipées de manchons plastiques 37 sauf une que peut, de façon facultative recevoir le frein du guidon démontable.
• La figure 9 représente en perspecive la coupe du nouveau pont de chargement qui a pour avantage d'être plus léger, indéfor­mable aux intempéries et plus facile à manier que celui initialement prévu et le remplace tout en gardant le principe de base de revendications elle se compose de quatre rails en U - de largeur dégradante emboîtables en situation de replie dont le premier 38, le plus large de ces rails comporte en son extrémité des crochets arrondis à 90° 39 destinés à servir de point d'arrimage au véhicule en son autre extrémité, il s'emboîte dans le suivant 40 sous lequel est fixé solidement une patte de soutein - 4I, ce rail 40 est muni dessous et en son centre d'une encoche 42 destinée à recevoir un téton 43 préalablement fixé à la toise 44 pour des raisons de sécurité l'encoche 42 le téton 43 et donc la toise 44 doivent s'imbriquer à 75% de la longueur du rail 40 les rails suivants 45 et 46 sont imbriqués selon le même processus que les deux précédents pour des raisons de risques de flechis­sement, d'état de déclivité de la route ou du véhicule, les rails 38 - 40 - 45 - 46 doivent être déployés par pièces de minimun 2, 3 ou 4 éléments ne dépassant pas 2 mètres.
• La figure I0 représente en perspective la coupe de la toise 44 constituée d'une cornière en U renversé 47 dans lequel est visé les tétons 43 destinés à recevoir les rails 40 à inter­valle calculé des dimensions d'écartement des roues du fauteuil orthopédique cette cornière 47 est destinée à recevoir en son centre, articulé par des coupilles 48 des pieds télescopiques 49 confectionnés de tubes 50 et 5I emboî­tables bloqués par des vis à papillons 52 il reste à noter que selon figure I0 les rails 38- 40 -45 - 46 sont percés à chaque embout et en leurs extrémités pour recevoir en position de montage des rivets plats à collerettes 53 dans lesquels s'enclavent des clips 54 pour assurer la régidité de l'en­semble.
• La figure II représente en perspective la coupe des élements d'ensemble du dispositif pour monter les escaliers elle se compose de charnières spéciales doubles 55 sur lesquelles sont soudés en partie supérieure amovibles vers le haut des U latéraux 56 comportant à chaque extrémité des patins de serrages 57 d'une pièce avec vis et poignées, ses U 56 d'une dimension minimun de I2 cm à chacun sont liés entre eux dans la largeur du système par des plaques soudées 58 sur lesquelles glissent sur demande et suivant grandeur et hauteur des esca­liers, dans les 24 cm de jeux des plateaux légers 59 portant dimensions de cîmes de 3 escaliers moyens soit environ 60 cm sur 70 cm la partie inférieure de la charnière 55 d'une partie battante prolongée jusqu'au 3/4 du plat de marche mais libre et l'autre partie tombante du haut de marche munies d'une toise 56 bis à goupille 57 bis qui vient se fixer à un trou ou unpiton fixé au plateau 59 qui seront munis toutes les deux marches entre les charnières 55 de coussinets de mousse spéciaux et leurs parties inférieures seront enduites d'un produit anti-dérapant le plateau d'amorce sera équipé d'un crampon caoutchouc même système que celui actuel utilisé pour les échelles.
• La figure I2 représente en perspective la coupe des U soudés 56, des plaques 58, des plateaux 59 et patins de serrages 57.
• La figure I3 représente en perspective de coupe la caisse 60 munie 66 poignées 6I confectionnées d'un couvercle 62 à charnières 63 sous lequel est installé un timon rétractable 64 deux verrousde surêté 65 et deux pieds 66 à roues rétrac­tables 67 par système à vis qui s'accrochera au piton recourbé 23 qui est prévu pour recevoir tractage ou cadenas.
• La figure I4 représente en perspective la caisse transformable 60 en situation repliée prévu pour recevoir tous les élements et accessoires, ainsique les cannes du handicapé.
• La figure I5 représente vu de profil latéral l'aspect mécanique du quatrième dispositif composé d'un carénage 69 sur lequel est installé le bâti 70 servant de base aux pignons 7I actionnés par des chaines 72 entrainés par deux autres pignons doubles mobiles 73 eux aussientrainant une chaîne 74 qui est elle aussi entrainé par un tapis 75caoutchouc strié manoeuvré par le mouvement rota­tif des roues du fauteuil.
  En avant, par exemple les roues entrainent le tapis 75 qui entrai­ne la chaîne 74 vers l'arrière qui fait tourner la chaîne 72 sous jeu du pignon couplé 73, inversé, l'entraine vers le haut, pendant que celui d'en face, sous la même traction la suit. En haut les pignons, chaînes et tapis s'arrêtent retenus par le cliquet à ressort 74 qui sous l'effet d'inversion manuelle peut amorcer le sens inverse vers la descente, par sécuritéla même réplique du système se trouve de l'autre côté du dispositif: pignons, chaines et cliquet.
  Devant ce dispositif nous voyons disposé de façonschématique et identiques au dispositif précédant rangés dans un logement spécial 75, en situation dépliés, ils font office de pont soutenus par une console pliée dans un sens 76 moins rigide dans l'autre prolongé par une corde 77 finie d'un anneau 78.
• La figure I6 reprente en coupe vue de dessus et de face le qua­trième dispositif comportant les carénages 69, une vue du tapis 75 en blanc et le fauteuil posé dessus.

The invention is described below in detail using drawings representing only one embodiment.

• Figure I shows, in perspective an abridged section of a type of existing orthopedic electric chair with its towing system I, a suitably installed padlock section 2 and a general section of the control key 3 s' adapting to the handlebars
• FIG. 2 represents in abridged frontal perspective a cross section of the wooden bridge created initially: today replaced by the new less bulky and lighter bridge, the details of which are shown in the following figure 3.
• FIG. 3 represents, in lateral frontal perspective, a wooden bridge initially created comprising two deeply grooved rafters 5 provided, in its grooves with two sliding plates 6 which is located on either side and two inverted hooks and priming of the chair 7 and hooking to the vehicle 8 with their other end two stops 9, also reversed butting against the lugs I0 in the open position. The whole is reinforced to the right of the screw jacks I2 provided with handles I3, by through bolts on the part and other I4 provided with tightening butterflies I5 to which hooks I6 can be added for optional storage. The whole is well linked and strongly held by a marine plated, non-deformable plate I7 held by the bolts I4.
• FIG. 4 represents in perspective the solid and external face of the rafters 5.
• FIG. 6 shows in perspective the sleeves claimed as accessories I8 and the security padlock 2.
• FIG. 7 represents, in perspective, the section of the towing system presented in abbreviation I composed of two light metal bars carrying at their ends fixed rings 20 finished with carabiners 2I provided for hanging on the caddy 22 and a curved stud 23 bolted 24 fixed to the support rod of the chair seat 25.
• Figure 8 shows in perspective the section of the key control system and direction, presented in abbreviation 3 as well as the existing known system in which it fits. The known existing system, is composed of a circular base 26 on which is held by bolt 27 a tube 28 whose end affixed, includes a groove at 29 provided by maintaining the direction of the front wheel and within it within bottom is mounted a potentiostatic control put into gear engaged by a slot 30 provided for advance in reverse or forward direction. The object system is characterized by a key 3 which shortens all the commands to remove the handlebar 4 which is too high, it consists of: a tube 3I provided with a fixed handle 32 with notch and groove 33 to hold the steering and a another thinner tube 34 provided with a fixed handle 35 and which pivots in the previous one and the end piece 35 of which is flattened to form a body with the slot 30, the handles at their ends are fitted with plastic sleeves 37 except one that can, so optional receive the handlebar brake removable.
• Figure 9 shows in perspective the section of the new loading bridge which has the advantage of being lighter, non-deformable in bad weather and easier to handle than the one initially planned and replaces it while keeping the basic principle of claims it consists four U-shaped rails - degrading width nestable in a folded situation, the first 38, the widest of these rails has hooks rounded at 90 ° 39 at its end intended to serve as a tie-down point for the vehicle at its other end , it fits into the following 40 under which is securely fixed a support leg - 4I, this rail 40 is provided below and in its center with a notch 42 intended to receive a stud 43 previously fixed to the height rod 44 for security reasons the notch 42 the stud 43 and therefore the height rod 44 must be nested at 75% of the length of the rail 40 the following rails 45 and 46 are nested according to the same process as the previous two for reasons of risk. If bending, declivity of the road or vehicle, the rails 38 - 40 - 45 - 46 must be deployed in pieces of at least 2, 3 or 4 elements not exceeding 2 meters.
• Figure I0 shows in perspective the section of the height rod 44 consisting of an inverted U angle 47 in which is aimed the pins 43 intended to receive the rails 40 at a calculated interval of the dimensions of the spacing of the wheels of the orthopedic chair this angle 47 is intended to receive in its center, articulated by cups 48 of the telescopic legs 49 made of interlocking tubes 50 and 5I blocked by butterfly screws 52 it should be noted that according to figure I0 the rails 38-40 -45-46 are drilled at each end piece and at their ends to receive, in the mounting position, flat rivets with flanges 53 in which clips 54 are inserted to ensure the evenness of the assembly.
• Figure II shows in perspective the section of the overall elements of the device for climbing the stairs it consists of special double hinges 55 on which are welded in the removable upper part lateral U 56s comprising at each end tightening pads 57 in one piece with screws and handles, its U 56 with a minimum dimension of I2 cm to each are linked together across the width of the system by welded plates 58 on which slide on request and depending on the size and height of the stairs, within 24 cm of play of the light trays 59 bearing dimensions of the tops of 3 medium staircases, ie approximately 60 cm by 70 cm the lower part of the hinge 55 of an extended swing part up to 3/4 of the step but free and the other drop part of the top of the step fitted with a measuring rod 56 bis with a pin 57 bis which is fixed to a hole or unpiton fixed to the plate 59 which will be provided all the two steps between the hinges 55 of special foam pads and their lower parts will be coated with a non-slip product the primer plate will be equipped with a rubber crampon same system as that currently used for ladders.
• FIG. I2 shows in perspective the section of the welded U's 56, the plates 58, the plates 59 and the clamping pads 57.
• Figure I3 shows in sectional view the box 60 provided with 66 handles 6I made up of a cover 62 with hinges 63 under which is installed a retractable drawbar 64 two safety latches 65 and two feet 66 with retractable wheels 67 by screw system which s 'will hang on the curved piton 23 which is intended to receive towing or padlock.
• Figure I4 shows in perspective the convertible box 60 in the folded position intended to receive all the elements and accessories, as well as the canes of the disabled.
• Figure I5 shows a side view of the mechanical aspect of the fourth device composed of a fairing 69 on which is installed the frame 70 serving as a basis for the sprockets 7I actuated by chains 72 driven by two other mobile double sprockets 73 them also resulting in a chain 74 which is also driven by a ribbed rubber mat 75 maneuvered by the rotary movement of the wheels of the chair.
  In front, for example the wheels drive the belt 75 which drives the chain 74 backwards which rotates the chain 72 under play of the inverted coupled gear 73, drives it upwards, while that opposite, under the same pull follows it. At the top the sprockets, chains and belts stop retained by the spring pawl 74 which under the effect of manual reversal can initiate the opposite direction towards the descent, for safety the same replica of the system is on the other side of the device: sprockets, chains and ratchet.
  In front of this device we see arranged schematically and identical to the previous device stored in a special housing 75, in unfolded situation, they act as a bridge supported by a console folded in one direction 76 less rigid in the other extended by a rope 77 finished of a ring 78.
• Figure I6 shows in section view from above and from the front the fourth device comprising the fairings 69, a view of the carpet 75 in white and the armchair placed on it.

Claims (7)

1. I - Control, loading and traction device for electric orthopedic chairs. Kit of three devices, which are combined aiming, using the own traction of the electric motor of the wheelchair, to load the latter, according to the embodiment contained in Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, maintained at its base, but, modified 9 and I0, to which is added a fourth fully mechanized device, much more expensive in figure I5 and I6, but, for the disabled with reduced mobility and a set of mechanized elements in figure 2 for climbing in stages, successive steps of the stairs . To all this, there is added, as accessories, a trailer body convertible in figure I3 and I4, which in the case of the fourth device, figure I5 and I6, is provided fixed, but, always convertible into a body, according to figure I4, s' also add accessories I8 sleeves and padlock 2. 2. Key Control Device: characterized in that it includes a fixed handle 32 which acts on the steering and another handle 35 which enables the command pulse to be activated or regressed, front or rear, depending on the side hurry. 3. Loading bridge device: characterized in a folding and retractable bridge in FIG. 9, comprising folding telescopic rods for support in FIG. I0, capacity for rapid reducibility, light and can be bulky. 4. Tractor device characterized by the creation of a system, according to FIG. 7, provided with I9 traction bars, linked to a curved stud 23 fixed to the seat support. 5. Dipositif elements of escalators mechanized, figure II and I2 characterized in the fact, that sounds the action of the hinge 55, folded up, of handicapped can assemble the elements, without going down from the armchair, acting on the lateral U 56, by folding back towards him, to introduce the panels 59, which are tightened and adjusted according to height and length of the steps by means of the screw pads and handles 57, the whole being held by the height rods 56 bis fixed in a hole in the plate 59 and so on 4. 6. Folding and retractable trailer device, characterized in that, under the action of the handles 68, acting on the foot 66 the wheels 67 retract and the drawbar 64 retracts: the whole being secure, in the event of theft, by closures 65 and padlocks 2, which can be placed there. 7. Fully mechanized device according to FIGS. I5 and I6, characterized in that, under the action of the simple wheels of the wheelchair, at the level desired by the action of driving the belt 75. It drives the chain 74 , which in turn drives the sprockets 73 which in turn actuate the large chains, 72, which raise, under the effect of the sprockets 73 mobility, the wheelchair.
The rails acting as a bridge are contained in the special housing 75 and are deployed by hand, held in suspension by the console 76, the rope 77 and the ring 78, which is fixed to the rails by means of the hook 79.

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