GB2139178A - Wheelchair stowage apparatus for motor vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

A wheelchair (18) can be stowed on a vehicle roof with the minimum of physical effort on the part of the user by apparatus including a container (16) for the wheelchair (18), the container (16) being arranged to be mounted on the roof of a vehicle and means being container (16) about a pivotal provided for lifting and lowering the connection to a basal part (12) and means 24 being provided for lifting the wheelchair (18) into the container (16) with the latter in a raised condition. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Wheelchair stowage apparatus for motor vehicles The invention relates to wheelchair stowage apparatus for motor vehicles.

Various wheelchair stowage arrangements are already known, but most of these entail the fitting of the wheelchair, in folded condition, within the vehicle concerned so that the interior space of the vehicle is thereby reduced either for the accommodation of passengers or of goods. A further drawback in relation to most known arrangements is that the stowage of the wheelchair involves a certain amount of physical effort on the part of the user (or perhaps of a helper) in hoisting the wheelchair inboard of the vehicle once he has transferred himself from the wheelchair into the driving seat or into a passenger seat of the vehicle.

The object of the invention is to provide apparatus whereby such difficulties are at least alleviated.

According to the invention, there is provided wheelchair stowage apparatus for fitment to a motor vehicle, the apparatus including a container for the wheelchair, the container being arranged to be mounted for transport in a position laid flat across the roof the vehicle but being pivotally connected to a basal part so that it can be brought to an upstanding position at the drivers or passengers side of the vehicle roof, power operated means being provided for lifting and lowering said container about its pivotal connection to the basal part, and means being provided whereby the wheelchair can be lowered from or raised into the raised container.

The apparatus may also include a laterally extendable element of the basal part, the container for the wheelchair being pivotally connected to said laterally extendable element so that, in being brought to an upstanding position, the container can be caused to overlie the ground on the appropriate side of the vehicle. In this case, the power operated means for lifting and lowering the container about its pivotal connection to the basal part will preferably perform the dual function of sliding the laterally extendable element of the basal part outwardly or inwardly as or when the container is raised or lowered. The power operated means for lifting and lowering the container about its pivotal connection to the basal part may include a reversible electric motor and screw and nut mechanism for acting on one end of a strut the other end of which is pivotally connected to the container.

Resilient means will preferably be provided for biasing the container towards a semi-raised position whereby the initial lifting movement and the initial lowering movement of the container is assisted by said resilient means. Such resilient means may be constituted by a torsion bar. The means which are provided whereby the wheelchair can be lowered from or raised into the raised container may include hoist mechanism located within the container and including a lifting cable a free end of which can be connected to or disconnected from the wheelchair.

In this case, the hoist mechanism will preferably be power operated by means of a reversible electric motor. An aperture in the container through which the wheelchair can be lowered from or raised into the container when the latter has been brought to the upstanding position at the driver's or passenger's side of the vehicle roof may be closed by a door pivotally connected to the container in such a way that it is caused to automatically fall open as the container is raised and is caused to fall closed as the container is lowered. In this case, the door will preferably be provided at least at one end with a lever, the arrangement being such that as the container is being returned to the transport position the lever is brought into contact with an abutment by means of which the door is safely held shut.

In order that the invention may be fully understood and readily carried into effect, the same will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure lisa view of wheelchair stowage apparatus embodying the invention, viewed from the front of a vehicle to which it is fitted in a loading or unloading condition, Figure 2 is a side view of the vehicle with the wheelchair fully loaded, Figure 3 is a front view of the vehicle with the wheelchair fully loaded, and Figure 4 is a perspective view of a slightly modified apparatus, a container part being shown in a partly raised condition.

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, the wheelchair stowage apparatus there illustrated, and fitted to a vehicle generally indicated 10, includes a base frame 12 attached to the roof of the vehicle in the manner of a roof rack so that it extends substantially the full width of the vehicle. The base frame is shown to be provided with a laterally extendable element 14, and an outer end of this is pivotally connected to a container 16 which as viewed in Figures 2 and 3 is of shallow box shape (being of a depth to accommodate a wheelchair 18 in its folded condition). However, in Figure 1 the container 16 is shown to be in a raised condition and in a position whereby the wheelchair can either be raised into or lowered from the container, offset from the side of the vehicle but within reach of the driver seated in the vehicle drivers seat.The container is shown to be held in its raised position by means of a pair of struts 20.

Means which are provided for raising or lowering the container to or from the vertical position in which it is shown in Figure 1 include a reversible electric motor 22 and mechanism (not shown) associated with the base frame 12, the mechanism including a drive screw and nut arrangement acting on the lower ends of the struts 20. The arrangement is such that when the motor 22 is switched on to displace the container from the position in which it is shown in Figures 2 and 3, the screw and nut arrangement is effective first to displace the laterally extendable element 14to the position in which it is shown in Figure 1 and then to raise the container to the vertical position.When the motor 22 is switched on to bring the container back to its fully stowed position, the screw and nut arrangement is effective first to lower the container and then to retract the laterally extendable element 14. Detent means (not shown) are provided to ensure that the laterally extendable element remains in its outwardly extended position until the container has been lowered. Only on completion of the lowering movement of the container is the extendable element able to be retracted. Limit switches (not shown) are provided to stop the motor at the completion of each combination of movements.

Means which are provided whereby the wheelchair in its folded condition can be lowered from or raised into the vertically or substantially vertically disposed container 16 are constituted by an electric motor driven hoist mechanism 24 which is mounted within the container and from which a lifting cable 26 extends. The free end of the lifting cable is provided with a quick release hook 28 which the driver of the vehicle, by reaching out through the door opening concerned, can very easily connect to or disconnect from his wheelchair. Switches (not shown) are provided and can be operated by the driver to raise and lower the container and to operate the hoist motor to lower or raise the wheelchair as required.

(These switches may be provided within the vehicle but more conveniently may be provided on a control box on a trailing cable so that the controls can be operated in any position either inside or outside the vehicle).

A door 30 which, when the vehicle is travelling, closes the side of the container through which the wheelchair is caused to pass as it is being raised or lowered by the hoist mechanism, is freely hinged about the axis 32 shown in Figures 1 and 3. The arrangement is such that the door is caused to automatically fall open as the container 16 is raised to the vertical or substantially vertical position, and is caused to fall closed as the container is lowered to the position in which it is shown in Figures 2 and 3.

However, as shown in Figure 1, the door is provided at one end with a lever 34 and as the container is being brought to the transport position, that is to say the lowered position in which it is shown in Figure 3, an end portion of the lever engages an upstanding post 36 which is connected to the base frame. The arrangement is such that whenever the wheelchair is being transported in stowed condition within the container, the door is safely held shut by the upstanding post bearing against the lever 34.

Referring now to Figure 4, in the slightly modified apparatus there illustrated with the container 16 shown in a semi-raised position, it can be seen that the base frame 12 includes a pair of box section cross members 13 the opposite ends of which are attached to the roof of the vehicle in the manner of a roof rack. It will also be seen that there are a pair of struts 20 acting at the front and rear ends of the container 16, for lifting and lowering the latter, the lower ends of the struts being pivotally connected to the opposite ends of an operating member 42 and their upper ends being pivotally connected to the container.A single drive screw 38 is located centrally of the base frame; it is axially located in side members 11 of the base frame (only one of which is visible in Figure 4) but engages a nut 40 carried by the operating member 42, the arrangement being such that as the drive screw rotates it traverses the operating member transversely of the base frame to raise or lower the container, depending upon the direction of rotation of the screw. The opposite ends of the operating member 42 are provided with rollers 43 which engage the cross members 13 of the base frame. In this way the operating member is prevented from canting and the struts 20 are acted upon equally to raise and lower the container.

It can also be seen in Figure 4that a laterally extendable part of the base frame is constituted by a pair of box section elements 17 which are pivotally connected to the container and slidably located within the box section cross members of the base frame. In the condition in which the apparatus is shown in Figure 4, the box section elements 17 have been traversed outwards from the box section cross members 13 of the base frame to the limit of their travel, being pushed outwards by the struts 20, before said struts have started to raise the container.

(The means whereby the outwards movement of the box section elements 17 from the cross members of the base frame is limited are not shown).

Resilient means are in this case provided for biasing the container 16 towards the semi-raised position in which it is shown in Figure 4, whereby the initial lifting movement and the initial lowering movement of the container is assisted by said resilient means. The resilient means referred to are constituted by a torsion bar 44, the opposite ends of which are rigidly secured to the base frame and container respectively.

A further modification in this case is the fitment of a shallow side panel 46 between the cross members of the base frame 12. As shown, this has curved ends and fits snugly in an aperture in the side of the container when the latter has been lowered into position on the base frame. The side panel serves to hide the lifting mechanism from view and also serves to provide fore and aft location for the container at that side of the vehicle when the container has been lowered.

Various other modifications may be made. For example, there could be provided a pair of torsion bars 44 constituting the resilient means for biasing the container towards the semi-raised position in which it is shown in Figure 4. Furthermore, it will be understood that the apparatus could quite well be adapted for the stowage of a wheelchair which is incapable of being folded. This would of course involve the provision of a container large enough to take the full width ofthewheelchair. It will also be understood that it may be found that the base frame need not necessarily be provided with the laterally extendable part; in this case, the container would be pivotally connected directly to a fixed side edge of the base frame. The user may in this case be capable of guiding the wheelchair in its vertical movement sufficiently clear of the side of the vehicle. However, if the base frame is in fact provided with the laterally extendable part it is not essential for this to be extended outwards before the container is lifted by the power operated means. The arrangement could be such that the container is lifted before the laterally extendable part is caused to move, or indeed both movements could take place simultaneously.It will also be understood that it may not be necessary for the container to be moved to a fully vertical position in order to allow the wheelchair to be lowered from it or hoisted into it, especially if the container is pivotally connected directly to a fixed side edge of the base frame; it may be found that the container need only move upwards to assume an angle of, say, 60 , especially if the container is provided with telescopic guide elements along which the wheelchair can slide in its vertical movement. Indeed, it is even possible for the wheelchair to be attached to a cradle device which can be lowered from or elevated into the container.The means referred to for safely holding the door of the container closed when the wheelchair is in stowed condition need not necessarily be constituted by the very simple mechanism including the upstanding post 36 illustrated in Figures 1 and 3. It may be constituted by a much more compact latch mechanism operated by the movement of the container andlorthe laterally extendable element of the basal part. It will also be understood that the apparatus could be powered by means other than an electric motor. For example, at least one hydraulic ram could be used for moving the laterally extendable element of the basal part and hydraulic rams could replace the struts 20.

Indeed, it would even be possible by means of suitable gearing or pulley mechanism to couple both movement together for operation by a single hydraulic ram or a single pair of hydraulic rams.

Similarly, the single electric motor could be caused to operate the laterally extendable element of the basal part and to effect the lifting of the container by suitable chain and chainwheel mechanism instead of by the use of a threaded screw.

Although it is essential for the container to be able to be raised and lowered by power operated means, it will be understood that the hoist mechanism by means of which the wheelchair can be lowered from or raised into the vertically or substantially vertically disposed container could conceivably be manually operable, winder mechanism in this case being positioned within easy reach of the user of the wheelchair.

It will of course be understood that although primarily designed for the use of a disabled driver, the wheelchair may well be used by a disabled passenger and consequently may be arranged to be lowered to, or hoisted into its stowed position from, the passenger side of the vehicle. It will also be understood that in many cases, although used by a disabled driver, the wheelchair may well be stowed away by a passenger (perhaps an elderly passenger) lacking the strength to lift the chair into the vehicle or onto its roof.

Claims (11)

1. Wheelchair stowage apparatus for fitment to a motor vehicle, the apparatus including a container for the wheelchair, the container being arranged to be mounted for transport in a position laid flat across the roof of the vehicle but being pivotally connected to a basal part so that it can be brought to an upstanding position at the drivers or passengers side of the vehicle roof, power operated means being provided for lifting and lowering said container about its pivotal connection to the basal part, and means being provided whereby the wheelchair can be lowered from or raised into the raised container.

2. Wheelchair stowage apparatus according to claim 1, including a laterally extendable element of the basal part, the container for the wheelchair being pivotally connected to said laterally extendable element so that, in being brought to an upstanding position, the container can be caused to overlie the ground on the appropriate side of the vehicle.

3. Wheelchair stowage apparatus according to claim 2, in which the power operated means for lifting and lowering the container about its pivotal connection to the basal part performs the dual function of sliding the laterally extendable element of the basal part outwardly or inwardly as or when the container is raised or lowered.

4. Wheelchair stowage apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the power operated means for lifting and lowering the container about its pivotal connection to the basal part includes a reversible electric motor and screw and nut mechanism for acting on one end of a strut the other end of which is pivotally connected to the container.

5. Wheelchair stowage apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, in which resilient means are provided for biasing the container towards a semi-raised position whereby the initial lifting movement and the initial lowering movement of the container is assisted by said resilient means.

6. Wheelchair stowage apparatus according to claim 5, in which the resilient means referred to are constituted by a torsion bar.

7. Wheelchair stowage apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the means which are provided whereby the wheelchair can be lowered from or raised into the raised container include hoist mechanism located within the container and including a lifting cable a free end of which can be connected to or disconnected from the wheelchair.

8. Wheelchair stowage apparatus according to claim 7, in which the hoist mechanism is power operated by means of a reversible electric motor.

9. Wheelchair stowage apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, in which an aperture in the container through which the wheelchair can be lowered from or raised into the container when the latter has been brought to the upstanding position at the driver's or passenger's side of the vehicle roof is closed by a door pivotally connected to the container in such a way that it is caused to automatically fall open as the container is raised and is caused to fall closed as the container is lowered.

10. Wheelchair stowage apparatus according to claim 9, in which the door is provided at least at one end with a lever, the arrangement being such that as the container is being returned to the transport position the lever is brought into contact with an abutment by means of which the door is safely held shut.

11. Wheelchair stowage apparatus constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.