FR2887504A1 - Public transport vehicle access ramp for e.g. user in wheelchair, has protection case with middle compartment for housing panel and lateral cases each comprising lateral adjacent compartments for housing panel handling units - Google Patents

Abstract

The ramp has a panel (1) movable between a horizontal stowing position in which it is housed in a protection case (2) and an inclined utilization position in which it is extracted outside the case. The case has a middle compartment (6) housing the panel and lateral cases (5) each comprising lateral adjacent compartments housing panel handling units such as connecting rods (14), pad (24) and its guide rail (25), chain, drive wheel (18), free wheel (19) and fastening bolts. The panel has a front edge with a flexible mass which rests on the ground when the panel is in the utilization position.

Description

Retractable ramp for access to a vehicle, public transport vehicle

especially.

Technical Field of the Invention

  The present invention is in the field of devices intended to facilitate user access to a vehicle, including a public transport vehicle. It relates to a retractable ramp access to such a vehicle for users with reduced mobility in particular.

State of the art

  Vehicles are known, and more particularly public transport vehicles, which are equipped with a ramp to facilitate their access to users with reduced mobility, such as users traveling in a wheelchair or using a stroller, for example. Such a ramp comprises a panel which is movable between a storage position in which it is retracted in a horizontal station in a protective housing fixed under the chassis of the vehicle, and a position of use in which it is extracted from the housing to be placed in an inclined station between a threshold of access to the vehicle and the ground. For this purpose, the panel is equipped with maneuvering means for its movement between the storage position and the position of use. These operating means combine drive means and translational guide the panel inside the housing for its displacement parallel to the floor of the vehicle, with pivoting means of the rear edge of the panel extracted from the housing for its passage between horizontal and inclined stations.

  Such an access ramp is described in particular in document WO02 / 02043 (METALIC SA et al). More particularly, the translational drive means of the panel comprise an actuating slide interposed between the panel and a belt which circulates around a driving wheel and a free wheel, and which extends over the length of the housing. The rotation of the drive wheel by a motor means drives the belt and causes a movement in translation of the operating slide in relation to the panel. This results in a translational movement of the panel relative to the housing allowing its extraction out of the latter or conversely its storage in the housing, according to the direction of rotation of the drive wheel.

  The guide means consist of two parallel slides, between which guide rollers whose axes are integral with the actuating slide. The slides are of a length equivalent to that of the panel increased that of the maneuvering slide.

  The pivoting means of the rear edge of the panel comprise two generally U-shaped connecting rods, which are interposed between the actuating slider and the panel, being located on either side of the latter.

  Each connecting rod is articulated on the operating slide and on the rear edge of the panel. The rods each comprise a cam formed in the bottom of the U on its inner face and a stop formed at the base of the U on its outer face. At the end of translation of the panel, the cams come into contact with lifting rollers integral with the housing. This results in a pivoting of the rods until the stops come into contact with restraints, the rods pivoting 90 to place the rear edge of the panel to the threshold of the vehicle.

  A disadvantage of such an organization maneuvering means and pivoting means lies in their large size under the chassis of the vehicle. The arrangement of these means between them and their cooperation to move the panel between its storage position and its position of use, require a large space under the vehicle frame. In addition, the camming of the pivoting means involves a significant offset of the axes of articulation of the connecting rods relative to the general plane of extension of the panel in the storage position, this offset significantly contributing to the congestion of the means. pivoting.

  As a result, there is a voluminous nature of the protective housing, which houses the panel and its operating means. However, the presence of such a housing in the space between the vehicle frame and the ground induces a risk of attachment between the housing and obstacles located on the ground. Such clashes are likely to cause the deterioration or destruction of the housing and the elements it houses.

Object of the invention

  The purpose of the present invention is to provide an access ramp of the aforementioned kind intended to equip a vehicle to facilitate access for users with reduced mobility. It is more particularly targeted by the present invention to provide such an access ramp whose means of maneuvering and pivoting of the panel are of limited size, to best restrict the volume of the protective housing housing the panel in the position of storage. It is also an object of the present invention to provide such an access ramp which does not have any projection to be crossed for a user in a wheelchair.

  The ramp of the present invention is a ramp for access to a vehicle, the ramp comprising a generally rectangular panel which has a front edge and a trailing edge with respect to the vehicle. The panel is provided with means for its operation between a storage position in a horizontal station in which it is housed in a protective box fixed under the floor of the vehicle, and a use position in inclined station in which the front edge of the panel rests on the ground while its rear edge is placed opposite a threshold of access to the vehicle. The operating means combine drive means and translational guiding means of the panel inside the housing, with means for pivoting the rear edge of the panel for its passage between the horizontal and inclined stations.

  According to the present invention, such a ramp is mainly recognizable in that the protective housing comprises laterally adjacent compartments substantially placed in the same plane, including a median compartment for housing the panel and at least one lateral compartment for housing the operating means . As a result of the lateral adjacency arrangement of the median and lateral compartments which house respectively the panel and the operating means a reduced overall height of the protective housing. This space limitation limited in height allows to place the protective housing under the floor of the vehicle avoiding the risk of attachment of the housing with obstacles located on the ground. The height of such a housing is particularly likely to not exceed a size of the order of 40 mm to 45 mm. In addition, the laterally remote arrangement of the compartments housing the operating means of the panel, placed on either side thereof, reinforces the parallelism of the operation of the panel avoiding undue jamming thereof during the its movement inside the case.

  The protective casing preferably consists mainly of two lateral boxes forming a respective lateral compartment and between them the median compartment. The casing is advantageously made of anodized aluminum to protect the means it houses from soiling, such as splashing water, salt, hydrocarbon or grit. The boxes are advantageously organized in groups of cells giving them strength and lightness, for a reduced height. More particularly, the boxes are subdivided into cells, open or closed, giving them adequate rigidity, despite the low height of the boxes, of the order of 44 mm, and the weight gain resulting from their hollowed out character.

  The at least one lateral compartment is preferably subdivided into laterally adjacent cells respectively housing the drive means, the guide means and the pivoting means.

  The casing advantageously comprises a first end cell open on the median compartment and housing the pivoting means, a median cell housing the guide means, and a second end cell housing the drive means.

  The second end cell is preferably bordered by a cell for receiving fasteners for fastening the housing to the chassis of the vehicle.

  Preferably, the box further comprises a lower median cell of reinforcement, which is overhung by the median cell and which extends between the end cells.

  The boxes are preferably equipped with connecting members to each other consisting for example of front and rear link reinforcements. The upper and lower faces of the housing are closed by respective plates. The connecting members of the boxes together are fixed thereto indifferently by reversible fixing means, such as by bolting, or by irreversible fastening means, such as by welding. Longitudinal and / or transverse reinforcement tubes are capable of equipping the casing to give the latter a suitable rigidity. As for the sheets, they are advantageously fixed to the caissons by reversible connection means, for example by bolting, so as to be easily dismountable in order to enable maintenance operations to be carried out.

  The front face of the housing is advantageously closed in storage position of the panel by a tilting flap. These arrangements are such that the housing in the storage position of the panel is a sealed enclosure for protecting the means it houses. The tilting flap is preferably equipped with return means in plating position against the housing when the panel is retracted inside the latter. When the panel is maneuvered in translation for its extraction from the housing, it pushes the tilting flap which disappears spontaneously so as to leave free passage for the panel.

  The drive means and the guide means are advantageously associated with a cross member fixed along the rear edge of the panel for the maneuvering and the translational guidance of the latter. The drive means of the panel comprise one or more electric, pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders or even one or more belts or chains in a loop circulating around a free wheel and a drive wheel connected by a drive shaft to an actuator such as 'a motor. In the latter case, the motor is likely to be placed out of the housing, a shaft-type transmission means and cardan device or the like connecting the motor to the cross-member.

  According to an alternative embodiment of the operating means, the latter are associated with disengaging means accessible from outside the housing. These disengaging means make it possible to operate the panel manually and to arrange it in an inclined station, or conversely to bring the panel of the inclined station back to the storage position in the event of failure of the mechanism.

  According to various embodiments of the guide means, these consist of one or more guide rails, ball rails or pads made of plastic for example.

  The crossbar is advantageously fixed to the panel via a pair of lateral rods participating pivoting means. These rods are articulated at their respective ends on the cross member and on the panel around respectively a first and a second pivot axis. It will be noted at this stage of the description that the length of the connecting rods is in correspondence with the thickness of the floor of the vehicle to allow positioning of the rear edge of the panel opposite the access threshold to the vehicle. In addition, the first and second pivot axes are preferably aligned along an axis substantially parallel to the general plane of extension of the panel. It follows from these provisions that the height of the boxes is likely to be of the order of the thickness of the panel, if necessary increased by the diameter of support rollers of the panel inside the protective housing.

  The pivoting means preferably associate cooperating members respectively provided on each of the connecting rods and on the front end of the boxes, to cause the tilting of the panel at the end of its displacement in translation.

  According to a first embodiment of said cooperating members, these consist of fingers formed on the connecting rods and inclined ramps fixed to the boxes. The fingers are likely to be equipped with wheels to facilitate their sliding along the corresponding inclined ramp.

  According to a second embodiment of said cooperating members, these 15 consist of fingers fixed to the box and catch hooks of these fingers formed on the connecting rods.

  The rods advantageously comprise in the central zone a clearance formed between the first and second pivot axes, said clearance constituting a passage for the upper front edge of the housing during pivoting of the panel.

  The rear edge of the panel is preferably equipped with an auxiliary panel elastically articulated on the panel to cap a residual space between the rear edge of the panel and the access threshold to the vehicle. These provisions are such that the auxiliary panel is spontaneously disposed substantially in the extension of the inclined station panel, and folded or arranged in the extension of the panel in storage position. The auxiliary panel is intended in particular to cap the residual space between the rear edge of the panel and the access threshold to the vehicle, this residual space being occupied by at least one sliding guide rail of the vehicle. Maneuvering the opening of these doors leaves free said residual space, which is likely to interfere with a user when moving on the panel. The auxiliary panel is then operated to cap the residual space by biasing means, such as a set of springs, participating in its elastic articulation on the panel.

  The front edge of the panel is preferably equipped with a flexible mass of resilient bearing against the ground. These provisions are such that a wheelchair user can access the panel without having to jump between the panel and the ground.

  This flexible mass is advantageously honeycombed and is connected to the front edge of the panel through a connecting member allowing a movement of the flexible mass relative to the panel. According to a preferred embodiment, the connecting member is formed of a T shaped junction flange that comprises the flexible mass, this junction flange being elastically deformable and being housed inside a correspondingly shaped slideway that includes the front edge of the panel.

Description of the figures.

  The present invention will be better understood, and details will arise from the description that will be made in connection with the figures of the attached plates, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic top view of a ramp of access according to the invention.

  Fig.2 is a schematic sectional view of a box member of a protective case of the ramp illustrated in the previous figure.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of a flexible mass equipping the front edge of a participating panel of the ramp illustrated in FIG.

  Fig.4a to Fig.4f are schematic side views of a ramp shown in Fig.1, illustrating successively the operation of the panel from its horizontal station to its inclined station.

  The fig.5a and fig.5b are schematic side views of a ramp shown in Fig.1, illustrating successively the operation of an auxiliary panel equipping the rear edge of the panel.

  In Fig.1, an access ramp for equipping a public transport vehicle is shown in the storage position of a panel 1 which it has inside a protective housing 2. The panel 1 is movable between a stationary storage position in the horizontal station in the protective housing 2 and an inclined station use position in which the panel 1 is removed from the protective housing 2, its front edge 3 resting on the ground while its rear edge 4 is placed opposite a threshold of access to the vehicle. The passage of the panel 1 in the use position from its storage position is effected firstly from a translational movement of the panel 1 to extract it out of the protective casing 2, then by a pivoting movement of the rear edge 4 of the panel 1 to position it opposite the threshold of access of the vehicle. The panel 1 preferably has on its upper face a non-slip structure.

  The protective housing 2 consists mainly of two lateral boxes 5 between which is provided a median compartment 6 for housing the panel 1 in the storage position. The caissons 5 are connected to each other by reinforcements before 7 and rear 8 and by upper 9 and lower plates 10, visible in Fig.5a and Figs. 5b for example, to give the protective housing 2 a waterproof character. The front reinforcement 7 of the protective housing 2 is equipped with a tilting flap 11 can be erased to allow the extraction of the panel 1 out of the protective housing 2 and its setting inclined station. The tilting flap 11 is equipped with one or more springs 12 or the like, for pressing the flap 11 against the protective casing 2 when the panel 1 is retracted inside the latter 2.

  The protective housing 2 houses a cross member 13 movable in translation, which is fixed to the rear edge 4 of the panel 1 by means of a pair of connecting rods 14. The connecting rods 14 are articulated at their respective ends on the cross member 13 and on the panel 1 around respectively a first 15 and a second 16 axis of pivoting. To reduce at best, the thickness of the caissons 5 the first 15 and second 16 pivot axes of the rods 14 are aligned substantially parallel to the plane of the panel 1 in the storage position. The tilting towards the ground of the panel 1 results from its pivoting around the second hinge axis 16 through which it is connected to the connecting rods 14.

  Each end of the crosspiece 13 is secured to a chain 17 which circulates around a drive wheel 18 and a freewheel 19 whose axes of rotation are substantially parallel to the general axis of extension of the crosspiece 13. The axes of rotation of the drive wheels 18 are connected to each other by a drive shaft 20 which is rotated by means of a motor member 21 by means of a disengaging member 22. last 22 is accessible from outside the protective housing 2 and is operable via a manual control handle 23, the implementation actuates the disengagement member 22 to separate the motor 21 and the shaft Training 20.

  The crossbar 13 is equipped with a pair of pads 24 which rest on a respective guide rail 25 formed in the protective housing 2. The front edge 3 of the panel 1 is based on a pair of wheels 26 housed in the compartment median 6, the axes of rotation of the rollers 26 being integral with the front reinforcement 7.

  Referring also to FIG. 2, each box 5 is partitioned to be organized into a cluster of cells, giving it a rugged and yet lightweight character, for a smallest possible height, of the order of 40 mm to 45 mm. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, each box has four cells 27,28,29,30 laterally adjacent. A first end cell 27 is open on the median compartment 6 and houses a connecting rod 14 of the panel 1 on the crosspiece 13. A median cell 28 houses the shoe 24 and its guide rail 25. A second cell 25 end 29 houses the chain 17 and the driving wheels 18 and free 19. A cell 30 bordering the second end cell 29 receives fixing bolts of the protective housing 2 to the vehicle frame. Each box 5 preferably comprises an additional cell 43 disposed between the end cells 27 and 29 and overhung by the median cell 28, to reinforce the rigidity of the box 5.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the rods 14 are equipped with a lateral finger 31 intended to circulate along a respective inclined ramp 32 formed in the first end cell 27 of the caissons 5 in the vicinity of the front reinforcement 7 of the protective case 2.

  In Fig.3, a flexible mass 33 of substantially triangular section is intended to equip the front edge 3 of the panel 1 and to rest on the ground when the panel 1 is placed in the use position. This flexible mass 33 has two recesses 34,35 to promote its crushing when a user accesses the ramp from the ground. The flexible mass 33 comprises a connecting member 36 with the front edge 3 of the panel 1, which is arranged in T. This connecting member 36 cooperates with a complementary conformation groove which is formed in the front edge 3 of the panel 1. The assembly obtained from the flexible mass 33 on the front edge 3 of the panel 1 via the linking member 36 organized T-shaped wing, allows a flexion of the flexible mass on the panel of an angular movement that can reach 20, to facilitate access to the panel 1 by the user.

  The flexible mass 33 is capable of being equipped with at least one sensor for detecting a possible obstacle. This sensor may, for example, equip at least one of the recesses 34, 35 that the flexible mass 33 comprises.

  In FIG. 4a, the panel 1 is being extracted out of the protective casing 2, caused by the translational movement of the crosspiece 13. The tilting flap 11 is partially lowered to allow the passage of the panel 1 carried by the wheels 26. The translational movement of the crosspiece 13 continues until the total extraction of the panel 1 out of the protective housing 2. In this position, the panel 1 is released from its support on the wheels 25 , and tilts towards the ground, by pivoting about the second pivot axis 16, as illustrated in fig.4b. The front edge 3 of the panel 1 rests on the ground while its rear edge 4 is supported by the rods 14. In FIG. 4c, the translational movement of the crosspiece 13 continues, the lateral fingers 31 of the connecting rods 14 come into contact with the ramps 32 which are inclined towards the front of the protective casing 2 so that when the lateral fingers 31 circulate the along inclined ramps 32, as shown in Fig.4d and Fig.4.e, it results in pivoting rods 14 about the first axis of pivoting 15 and consequently a lifting of the rear edge 4 of the panel 1 in look at the threshold of access to the vehicle. Note that the rods 14 have a clearance 37 at their upper face to allow passage of the upper front edge of the protective housing 2 during the pivoting of the panel 1. In Fig.4f, the panel 1 is shown in the use position , the rear edge 4 of the panel 1 being placed opposite the access threshold to the vehicle.

  In fig.5a and fig.5b, an auxiliary panel 38 is articulated to the rear edge 4 of the main panel 1 to cap a residual space 39 located between the vehicle access threshold and the panel 1. This residual space 39 results from the presence of guide rails 40 of the doors of the vehicle 41. The auxiliary panel 38 is equipped with a spring 42 or the like, to place it spontaneously overhanging said residual space 39 when the ramp is in the position of use. During the passage of the panel 1 of the inclined station to the storage station, the annex panel 38 folds spontaneously against the panel 1.

Claims (19)

claims   1.- Ramp for access to a vehicle, this ramp comprising a panel (1) of generally rectangular shape which has with respect to the vehicle a front edge (3) and a rear edge (4), the panel (1) being equipped means for its operation between a storage position in horizontal station in which it is housed in a protective housing (2) fixed under the floor of the vehicle, and a use position in inclined station in which the front edge (3) of the panel (1) rests on the ground while its rear edge (4) is placed opposite a threshold of access to the vehicle, the control means of the panel (1) associating drive means (17, 18, 19) and guide means (24,25) in translation of the panel (1) inside the housing (2), with pivoting means (14,31,32) of the rear edge (4) of the panel ( 1) for its passage between the horizontal and inclined stations, characterized in that the protective casing (2) comprises compa laterally adjacent compartments (6,27,28,29,30) substantially in the same plane, including a median compartment (6) for housing the panel (1) and at least one lateral compartment (27,28,29,30) to house the maneuvering means.   2. Ramp for access to a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the protective housing (2) consists mainly of two lateral boxes (5) forming a respective lateral compartment (27, 28, 29, 30). and arranging between them the median compartment (6).   3. Ramp for access to a vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that the boxes are organized in groups of cells (27,28,29,30, 43) giving them strength and lightness for a reduced height.   4. Ramp for access to a vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one lateral compartment (27, 28, 29, 30, 43) is subdivided into laterally adjacent cells housing respectively the means of drive (17,18,19), the guide means (24,25) and the pivot means (14,31,32).   5. Ramp for access to a vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that the box (5) has a first end cell (27) open on the median compartment (6) and housing the pivoting means (14). , 31,32), a median cell (28) housing the guide means (24,25), and a second end cell (29) housing the drive means (17,18,19).   6. Ramp for access to a vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that the second end cell (29) is bordered by a recess (30) for receiving fasteners of the housing (2) to the frame of the vehicle.   7. Ramp for access to a vehicle according to any one of claims 5 and 6, characterized in that the box (5) has a lower median cell (43) of reinforcement, which is overhung by the median cell ( 28) and extending between the end cells (27, 29).   8. Ramp for access to a vehicle according to any one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that the boxes (5) are connected to one another by reinforcements before (7) and rear (8). ), the upper and lower faces of the housing (2) being closed by respective plates (9,10).   9. Ramp for access to a vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the front face of the housing (2) is closed in the storage position of the panel (1) by a tilting flap (11).   10. Ramp for access to a vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drive means (17, 18, 19) and the guide means (24, 25) are associated with a crossbar (13) fixed along the rear edge (4) of the panel (1) for the operation and the translational guidance of the latter (1).   11. Ramp for access to a vehicle according to claim 10, characterized in that the cross member (13) is fixed to the panel (1) via a pair of lateral rods (14) participating means of pivoting (14,31,32), these connecting rods (14) being articulated at their respective ends on the cross member (13) and on the panel (1) around respectively a first (15) and a second (16) axis pivoting.   12. Ramp for access to a vehicle according to claim 11, characterized in that, in the storage position of the panel (1), the first (15) and second (16) pivot axes are aligned along a substantially parallel axis in the general plane of the panel (1).   13. Ramp for access to a vehicle according to any one of claims 11 and 12, characterized in that the pivoting means (14,31,32) associates cooperating members (31,32) respectively formed on each of connecting rods (14) and on the front end of the boxes (5), to cause the panel (1) to tilt as a result of its displacement in translation.   14. Ramp for access to a vehicle according to claim 13, characterized in that said cooperating members (31,32) consist of fingers (31) formed on the rods (14) and inclined ramps (32) fixed to the caissons (5).   15.- Ramp for access to a vehicle according to claim 13, characterized in that said cooperating members consist of fingers attached to the box and 30 hooks for gripping these fingers formed on the connecting rods.   16.- Ramp for access to a vehicle according to any one of claims 11 to 15, characterized in that the rods (14) comprise in the central zone a recess (37) formed between the first (15) and second (16) ) pivot axes, said clearance (37) constituting a passage for the upper front edge of the housing (2) during the pivoting of the panel (1).   17. Ramp for access to a vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rear edge (4) of the panel (1) is equipped with an auxiliary panel (38) elastically articulated on the panel ( 1) to cap a residual space (39) between the rear edge (4) of the panel (1) and the access threshold to the vehicle.   18. Ramp for access to a vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the front edge (3) of the panel (1) is equipped with a flexible mass (33) of resilient bearing against the ground.   19. Ramp for access to a vehicle according to claim 18, characterized in that the flexible mass (33) is honeycombed (34,35) and is connected to the front edge (3) of the panel (1) via a connecting member (36) allowing a movement of the flexible mass (33) relative to the panel (1).