EP2653143B1 - Coach with a lifting device as an aid to entry for a wheelchair user - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a coach with a lift device as a boarding aid for wheelchair users, especially a coach as usual Hochbodenbus with a side door associated entry area, which has a pedestal underbody level and a staircase with several steps from the pedestal to the raised floor.

• Es ist bereits eine zusätzliche, relativ weit oben beispielsweise über einer Hinterachse angesetzte Schlagtüre bekannt, aus der mittels Hebelgestängen und Kragarmen eine Hubbühne von oben herab auf den Boden unter die Schlagtür schwenkbar ist. Dort kann ein Rollstuhlfahrer auf die Hubbühne fahren, wonach diese noch außerhalb des Reisebusses nach oben in horizontaler Stellung auf das Niveau des Hochbodens anhebbar ist und dann der Rollstuhlfahrer ins Innere des Busses fahren kann. Eine solche zusätzliche Schlagtür mit schwenkbarer Hubbühne hat eine Reihe von Nachteilen: die zusätzliche Türöffnung erfordert einen ungünstigen Eingriff in die sonst durchgehende Fahrzeugstruktur, insbesondere ins Fahrzeuggerippe. Zudem erfordert die Anordnung eine massive Ausführung wegen der großen Hebelkräfte, was zu einem ungünstigen Mehrgewicht führt. Weiter sind Dichtigkeitsprobleme mit aufwendigen Dichtmaßnahmen zu lösen, wobei durch die zusätzliche Schlagtür auch das serienmäßige Außendesign gestört ist. Weiter ist eine aufwendige Absturzsicherung wegen der großen Hubhöhe erforderlich. Die zusätzliche Schlagtür führt zudem zu einer Diskriminierung eines Rollstuhlfahrers, da ein solcher Eingang nur von Rolistuhlfahrern und nicht von anderen Busreisenden benutzbar ist.

Such a coach is only limited suitable without special boarding aids for the entrainment of wheelchair users, since the entry area is relatively small and the stairs are steep. A wheelchair user must be laboriously and laboriously brought up the steep stairs with the assistance of auxiliary persons as well as the folded wheelchair. In order to simplify such a procedure and make it more comfortable for a wheelchair user, lift devices are already known as access aids to coaches:

• It is already an additional, relatively far above, for example, about a rear axle scheduled impact door from which by means of lever linkages and Kragarmen a lifting platform from the top down on the ground under the breech door is pivotally. There, a wheelchair user can drive on the lifting platform, after which this is still outside the coach up in a horizontal position to the level of the raised floor can be raised and then the wheelchair user can drive into the interior of the bus. Such an additional sliding door with a pivoting lifting platform has a number of disadvantages: the additional door opening requires an unfavorable intervention in the otherwise continuous vehicle structure, in particular in the vehicle frame. In addition, the arrangement requires a massive design because of the large leverage, resulting in an unfavorable extra weight. Next tightness problems are solved with elaborate sealing measures, which is disturbed by the additional door and the standard exterior design. Next is a complicated fall protection required because of the large lifting height. The additional door also leads to a discrimination of a wheelchair user, since such an input is only available to Rolistuhlfahrern and not from other bus travelers.

A well-known boarding aid for wheelchair users consists of an inclined lift as a stairlift, with which the wheelchair users sitting in the wheelchair along the stairs to the raised floor is pulled up obliquely. This entry aid also has a number of disadvantages: the passage for a wheelchair with a wheelchair user must be at least so large due to legal requirements that a cuboid with a height of 1,350 mm, a length of 1,200 mm and a width of 800 mm standardized wheelchair can be transported by wheelchair. This requires compared to a standard series door a relatively higher special door of at least 2.5 m in height. As a result, the vehicle structure must be changed with a breakthrough in the parapet and the skeleton must rebuild the door frame in a complex manner. Furthermore, upper discs must be cut, which can lead to leakage problems and disturbs the exterior and interior look. In addition, since the entrance door to the on-board toilet is usually located next to the staircase, a wheelchair user can not easily use the on-board toilet by carrying the stairlift.

document DE102006060123 discloses a coach with a lift device with all the technical features of the preamble of claim 1.

The object of the invention is in contrast to further develop a generic touring coach with a lift device as a boarding aid for wheelchair users so that no interferences and changes in the vehicle structure are required for a wheelchair user pleasant function.

This object is achieved with the features of claim 1.

According to the invention the lift device is designed as a vertical lift, wherein the pedestal in the entry area as a plate-shaped lifting platform from a lower-level home position is vertically displaceable in a lifting position to the level of the raised floor.

The basic idea according to the invention therefore consists in placing a wheelchair user in the wheelchair on the pedestal and transporting it vertically upwards in the access area, for which purpose the door opening of a standard door is sufficient in size. In addition, a vertical lift can be easily and inexpensively manufactured with good and safe function.

The pedestal area in front of the stairs is dimensioned relatively narrow in conventional constructions, so that the stairs the passenger compartment in the transverse direction as little as possible intersect. Such a narrow platform surface is not yet suitable as an accessible lifting platform surface for receiving a wheelchair. In a further development is therefore proposed to form the stairs with their steps as a staircase, which is at least partially displaceable from the entry area under the raised floor in a release position to increase the accessible platform surface or to increase the liftable Hubbühnenfläche from its basic position close to the entry edge. By this measure, the required platform depth or lifting platform depth of at least 1,200 mm can be created according to the legal requirements.

Structurally simple and inexpensive, this measure can be carried out in that aligned on both sides of the staircase in the direction of displacement guide devices, preferably roller guides are mounted according to a drawer extension.

A shift of the staircase can basically be done manually. For a convenient displacement, however, an actuatable motor drive is proposed, with which the staircase optionally radio-controlled between its basic position and its release position is displaced. As a drive, at least one cost-effective and reliable pneumatic cylinder drive can be used.

When moving the staircase into its release position, tripping hazards can occur without additional measures at the top step. The top stairway step of the stairs should therefore be designed as flush in its basic position with the floor level floor pivoting part, which rests on the staircase and is pivotable downwards. For this purpose, this should preferably be connected via at least one hinge in the manner of a piano hinge or film hinge with the adjacent floor, such that when moving the staircase into its release position, the support of the bottom pivot part is released so that it folds down and a backward shift the floor box is moved automatically back to its pivoted basic position of the staircase.

To allow the wheelchair to be placed on the lifting platform in front of the entrance area of the coach, an extension device is proposed on the lifting platform, preferably as double-sided roller guides corresponding to a drawer extension, in such a way that the lifting platform at the height of the underbody level from its basic position from the entry area into a Extended position is extendable. In order to still allow a comfortable driving a wheelchair user on the extended lifting platform, also the plate-shaped lifting platform should be held on the extension device by means of a lowering device. The lowering device is realized as a scissor frame and / or with chains or traction ropes and rollers With such a lowering device, the lifting platform can be lowered in its extended position on the ground in front of the entry area into a lowered position. After a wheelchair user has driven onto the lowered lifting platform, it can be raised again and retracted into the entry area. Preferably, these movements are performed under motor control. Simple and cost-effective, this is possible with a pneumatic cylinder drive.

As a vertical lift for the retracted in the entry area lifting platform can be used advantageously a fork lift, which can be designed in a similar function similar to a forklift and can be easily integrated into the confined spaces of the boarding area. For this purpose, at least two each mounted on one side of a lifting device forked parts are provided, which engage with each other spaced therefrom optionally supported by the extension device lifting platform. The lifting device comprises vertical guide rails respectively assigned to the forked parts mounted there, which guide rails are arranged on a transverse wall of the access area with a length from the lower lifting platform basic position to the raised floor. The fork parts are coupled together and controlled by motor height in height along the guide rails adjustable. As movement-transmitting elements, cables and / or spindles, etc. can be used in a manner known per se, wherein preferably the technique also used in forklifts can be used with chain drives. Thus, the lifting platform and a wheelchair standing thereon can be moved from its lower basic position to a high-floor flush position and back so that a comfortable entry and exit of a wheelchair user in the coach is thus possible in particular in connection with the extension and retraction procedure of the lifting platform ,

Usually, a toilet door for an adjacent bus toilet is arranged in the entry area. In the above embodiment of the vertical lift, the guide rails can be arranged on a transverse wall of the boarding area with respect to such a toilet door, so that their usual position and function is not limited. Particularly advantageous so that the bus toilet in the lower basic position of the lifting platform can also be used comfortably and without restrictions with the wheelchair.

In a further embodiment, it is proposed as a precautionary measure that the shaft-shaped cutout of the access area is delimited at the top of the raised floor by at least one safety fence which can be lowered into the raised floor. Such a lowering allows unobstructed leaving the Hubbühnenbereichs, after which the barrier can be moved back to its operating position.

Advantageously, the safety function of such a barrier is automated in that the at least one barrier can be lowered by a motor and coupled mechanically and / or with the height adjustment of the lifting platform. In this case, the barrier is to be moved automatically in the lowered position in the upper lifting position of the lifting platform and vice versa extended in the lower normal position of the lifting platform and optionally in intermediate positions in their locking functional position.

For a flexible loading with multiple wheelchairs and possibly to compensate for different floor levels in high ground area a relatively displaceable to the raised floor platform is further proposed, which has at least the size of the footprint of a wheelchair and the delimiting the lifting platform in its upper stroke position is displaced and away from there is displaceable to other high ground areas. This allows a wheelchair user to drive from the lifting platform to the movable platform and change. By shifting it, it can reach all places adjacent to the sliding area on the platform in the bus.

In many coaches, the raised floor in its longitudinal center on a lower longitudinal corridor on which both sides are arranged at a higher ground level, the bus seats. The projecting platform can advantageously be arranged displaceably along such a longitudinal passage at its upper side, preferably by means of double-sided roller guides. If bus seats with known fast connections solvable attached, they can be removed accordingly quickly and shelves for wheelchairs are created. With the help of the sliding platform, the coach can be flexibly loaded with many wheelchairs, whereby individual arrangements are possible. It is thus advantageous also using the platform and the lifting platform for each wheelchair user toilet use possible.

Effortless and comfortable, the displacement of the platform can be carried out under motor control. Particularly useful here is a radio control, optionally in conjunction with a radio control for the lifting platform. Such control can be performed by an operator or possibly also with corresponding remote control devices directly by Rolistuhlfahrern.

In summary, it is found that with the devices and measures according to the invention with relatively little conversions and installations on a production bus, a largely simple and carefree transport of wheelchair users is possible.

Reference to a drawing, the invention will be further explained.

Fig. 1

eine schematische, perspektivische Darstellung eines Einstiegbereichs eines Reisebusses mit einem Rollstuhl,

Fig. 2

eine Draufsicht auf den Bereich nach Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

eine perspektivische Seitenansicht des Bereichs nach Fig. 1 mit einer ausgefahrenen Hubbühne,

Fig. 4

eine Detailansicht der Hubbühne mit einer Absenkvorrichtung,

Fig. 5

eine Draufsicht auf den Einstiegbereich mit einem Rollstuhl auf der eingefahrenen Hubbühne in ihrer unteren Grundstellung,

Fig. 6

eine perspektivische Ansicht der Darstellung nach Fig. 5,

Fig. 7

eine Detaildarstellung einer Kombination aus einer Ausfahr- und Absenkvorrichtung sowie einem Gabellift für die Hubbühne mit einer gekoppelten Abschrankung,

Fig. 8

eine Detaildarstellung des Gabellift mit gekoppelter Abschrankung,

Fig. 9

eine Draufsicht auf die Hubbühne in ihrer oberen Hubstellung mit einem Rollstuhl und einer abgesenkten Abschrankung,

Fig. 10

eine perspektivische Draufsicht auf den Einstiegbereich mit abgesenkter Hubbühne und ausgefahrener Abschrankung sowie einem oder mehrerer Rollstühle in ihrer Transportposition,

Fig. 11

eine perspektivische Draufsicht auf den Businnenraum mit einer verschiebbaren Plattform im Bereich der Hubbühne, und

Fig. 12

eine Ansicht entsprechend Fig.11 mit verschobener Plattform und einem entsprechend eingeparkten Rollstuhl.

Show it:

Fig. 1

a schematic, perspective view of an entry area of a coach with a wheelchair,

Fig. 2

a top view of the area after Fig. 1 .

Fig. 3

a perspective side view of the area after Fig. 1 with an extended lifting platform,

Fig. 4

a detailed view of the lifting platform with a lowering device,

Fig. 5

a top view of the entry area with a wheelchair on the retracted lifting platform in its lower basic position,

Fig. 6

a perspective view of the illustration after Fig. 5 .

Fig. 7

a detailed representation of a combination of an extending and lowering device and a fork lift for the lifting platform with a coupled barrier,

Fig. 8

a detailed view of the fork lift with coupled barrier,

Fig. 9

a top view of the lifting platform in its upper stroke position with a wheelchair and a lowered barrier,

Fig. 10

a perspective top view of the entry area with lowered lifting platform and extended barrier and one or more wheelchairs in their transport position,

Fig. 11

a perspective top view of the bus interior with a sliding platform in the lifting platform, and

Fig. 12

a view accordingly Figure 11 with suspended platform and a correspondingly wheelchair.

In Fig. 1 is a partial view of a coach 1 with a side entry area 2 shown schematically. In the entry area 2 a staircase is arranged in a conventional manner, which leads from a lower pedestal 4 to a raised floor 5 of the bus 1. In front of the access area 2, a wheelchair 6 is schematically drawn, which together with a wheelchair user (not shown) through the access area 2 on the raised floor 5, possibly without assistance to arrive. For this purpose, both the step height (marked with 390 mm) from the footprint of the ground floor of the coach with the lying on underbody platform surface and then the height to the raised floor 5 is overcome. The passage dimensions and movement sequences are to be dimensioned so that the drawn cuboid with a length of 1,200 mm, a width of 800 mm and a height of 1,350 mm can be transported, as these cuboid dimensions as normalized sizes for a wheelchair with wheelchair users legally determined and are prescribed.

As in Fig. 1 shown is the lowest step for the entry of non-disabled persons relatively close to the outer entrance edge, so that at the height of the pedestal 4 is not a sufficiently deep floor space according to the prescribed cuboid length of 1,200 mm is available. Therefore, according to the invention, the staircase 3 is formed as a one-piece staircase 7, which is inserted in the vehicle transverse direction from the pedestal area under the raised floor 5 on a both sides and bottom side (not shown in detail) roller guide (arrow 8). This inserted release position for enlarging the pedestal area is in plan view Fig. 2 shown schematically with the dashed box 9. Thus, the required large free floor space with a length of at least 1200 mm for the inclusion of the wheelchair 6 is obviously created.

In Fig. 2 is also shown schematically that the top step 10 is pivotally hinged (pivot axis 11) is hinged to the raised floor 5 and thereby automatically collapses during insertion of the staircase 7 and is accordingly pivoted in a backward displacement of the staircase 7 in its tread position.

The pedestal 4 is formed as a plate-shaped lifting platform 12 which is extendable on both sides roller guides 13, 14 from the entry area 2 in height of the subsoil level in front of the bus 1. This is in the top view Fig. 2 dashed and indicated by arrow 15. In Fig. 3 the extended position of the lifting platform 12 is shown in a perspective view.

In order to allow the wheelchair 6 to be raised to the lifting platform 12 (arrow 16), it is further necessary to lower the extended lifting platform 12 in total and horizontally on the ground in front of the wheelchair 6.

The necessary elements of the extension and lowering are largely from the detailed views of Fig. 4 and 7 to be taken from: in Fig. 4 the front rail parts 13, 14 of the roller guides of the extension device are shown, wherein the rear rail parts, as shown in FIG Fig. 7 seen mounted on forks 17, 18 of a fork pin 19, as described in more detail below. Out Fig. 4 is also the lowering mechanism of the lowering can be seen, which consists of a pneumatic cylinder 20 as a controllable drive and two cable guides 21, 22, to which the lifting platform 12 is suspended for a uniform horizontal lowering (the same arrangement is also required on the rail 14, but omitted there for clarity).

When the wheelchair 6 or the wheelchair user has ascended the extended and lowered (arrows 15 and 23) lifting platform 12 (arrow 16), the lifting platform 12 is raised again to the subsoil level by actuation of the pneumatic cylinders 20 and then shifted back into the access area 2. This results in a position of the wheelchair 6 on the lifting platform 12 in its lower basic position, as in the plan view Fig. 5 or in the perspective view Fig. 6 shown.

From this position of the wheelchair this can now be transported together with the lifting platform 12 vertically upwards (arrow 33) to the level of the raised floor 5.

For this purpose, the fork lift 19 is used as a vertical lift, with details in Fig. 7 and 8th is shown. For this purpose, vertical guide rails 24, 25 are arranged on a transverse wall 26 of the access area 2, which extend from the floor level to the floor level. The transverse wall 26 lies opposite a transverse wall, which contains a (not shown) toilet door with subsequent bus toilet. The fork parts 17, 18 of the fork pin 19 are mounted on the guide rails 24, 25 on one side and guided vertically adjustable. For this purpose, similar to a forklift, two spaced and driven by an electric motor 27 chain drives 28, 29 are used. Alternatively or additionally, the assembly or assembly could also be operated pneumatically or hydraulically by means of appropriate cylinders, the chains would then connect, for example, the individual components. Thus, the lifting platform 12 mounted on the fork parts 17, 18 via the roller guides 13, 14 is displaceable from its lower basic position into the upper raised position flush with the floor, possibly together with a wheelchair.

As a security element is also above the transverse wall 26 a lowered into the raised floor 5, bow-shaped barrier 30 is arranged. How out Fig. 10 can be seen, is a suitable place for the wheelchair 6 subsequent to the extended barrier 30. To reach this space, it is necessary that the area of the barrier 30 is run over by the wheelchair 6 (arrow 31), so that in particular the barrier 30 at the position of the lifting platform 12 must be lowered in its upper stroke position. This will, as in Fig. 8 represented by a mechanical motion coupling solved by the barrier 30 engages with drivers 32 in the rear chain areas of the chain drives 28, 29 such that at a vertical displacement (arrow 33) of the fork parts 17, 18 and an increase in the lifting platform 12 coupled and automatically the Restraint 30 is pulled down (arrow 34). Accordingly, in a subsequent lowering of the lifting platform 12, the barrier 30 automatically returns to its functional position Fig. 10 extended. As in Fig. 10 also indicated by dashed lines, a plurality of wheelchairs 6 can be loaded one after the other and transported in a row. However, since the high floor 5, as in most coaches has a lowered in the level averaging 35, a total free ride of the wheelchairs with any choice of location is not possible.

In order to make this possible, a platform 36 is slidably mounted on the central aisle 35 and on both sides (not shown in detail) roller guides, which is moved to the back of the bus when not in use in a parking position and controlled by a drive displaceable in use along the central aisle 35 is.

As in Fig. 11 shown can in addition to the wheelchair 6 another wheelchair 37 raised to the floor level 5 with the lifting platform 12 and moved to the displaced before the lifting platform 12 platform 36 (arrow 38). The lifting platform 36 can then be moved together with the wheelchair 37 in a front area (arrow 39), so that then the wheelchair 37 again leaves the platform 36 (arrow 40) and can be parked here before the construction 41 of a bus toilet. Obviously, if the usual rows of seats have been removed in the case of appropriate platform displacements, the coach can be partially or completely filled with wheelchairs.

Claims (8)

1. A coach having a lift apparatus as an access aid for wheelchair users, wherein the coach (1) is a high-floor bus with an access region (2) which is assigned to a lateral door and has a platform (4) at low-floor level and a set of stairs (3) with a number of steps from the platform (4) to the high floor (5), wherein the lift apparatus is designed in the form of a vertical lift (19), whereby the platform (4), as a panel-like lifting panel (12), can be displaced vertically from a low-floor-height basic position into a lifted position level with the high floor (5), wherein the panel-like lifting platform (12) is retained, and mounted, by an extending apparatus such that the lifting platform (12), at low-floor level, can be extended from its basic position, out of the access region (2), into an extended position,
   characterized
   in that the panel-like lifting platform (12) is retained on the extending apparatus by means of a lowering apparatus (20, 21, 22), in the form of a scissors-action framework and/or with chains or traction cables and rollers, such that the lifting platform (12), in its extended position, can be lowered into a lowered position on the ground in front of the access region (2), and therefore a wheelchair user (6) can move on to the lowered lifting platform (12) and then, on the lifting platform (12), can be raised to low-floor level and delivered to the access region (2).
2. The coach according to Claim 1, characterized in that the set of stairs (3) with its steps is designed in the form of a staircase (7) which, in order to increase the accessible lifting-platform surface area for a suitable resting surface for a wheelchair user (6), can be displaced from its basic position, at least part of the way out of the access region (2) beneath the high floor (5), into a freeing position.
3. The coach according to Claim 2, characterized in that guide apparatuses oriented in the displacement direction are fitted on either side of the staircase (7), and in that the staircase (7) can be displaced with drive control between its basic position and its freeing position.
4. The coach according to Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the uppermost step of the set of stairs (3) is a pivoting floor part (10) which, in its basic position, has its surface flush with the high-floor level and which rests on the staircase (7) and can be pivoted downwards and is connected to the adjacent floor, by at least one hinge, in the form of a piano hinge or film hinge, such that, when the staircase (7) is displaced into its freeing position, the support for the pivoting floor part (10) is also freed and said part swings downwards and, when the staircase (7) is displaced back into its basic position, the pivoting floor part (10) is also moved automatically into its pivoted-up, basic position.
5. The coach according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the lifting platform (12) can be displaced in a controlled manner by means of at least one drive from its basic position into the extended position and from the extended position into the lowered position and back again.
6. The coach according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the vertical lift is configured in the form of a fork lift (19) having at least two fork parts (17, 18) which are each mounted on one side of a lifting devise, are spaced apart from one another and engage beneath the lifting platform (12) fastened thereon, possibly with the extending apparatus (13, 14), in that the lifting device comprises vertical glide rails (24, 25), which are assigned in each case to the fork parts (17, 18) mounted there and are arranged vertically on a transverse wall (26) of the access region (2) with a length extending from the level of the basic position of the lifting platform up to the high floor (5), and in that the fork parts (17, 18) can be height-adjusted along the vertical guide rail (24, 25) with motor control, and coupled by movement-transmitting elements such as chain drives (28, 29) and/or cable drives and/or spindles, such that the lifting platform (12) and a wheelchair (6) resting thereon can be displaced from the basic position at the bottom up to a lifted position flush with the high floor and back.
7. The coach according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the shaft-form cutout of the access region (2) on the high floor (5) is bounded by at least one partition (30), which can be lowered into the high floor (5).
8. The coach according to Claim 7, characterized in that the partition (30) can be lowered by motor and is coupled mechanically (32) and/or by way of the height-adjustment means (28, 29) of the lifting platform (12) such that the at least one partition (30), in the upper, lifted position of the lifting platform (12), is lowered and, in the flower, basic position of the lifting platform (12) and possibly in intermediate positions, is extended into the functional position.

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