GB2298170A

GB2298170A - Stowing and transporting a wheelchair on a vehicle roof

Info

Publication number: GB2298170A
Application number: GB9503362A
Authority: GB
Inventors: George Mackey
Original assignee: GEORGE MACKEY
Current assignee: GEORGE MACKEY
Priority date: 1995-02-21
Filing date: 1995-02-21
Publication date: 1996-08-28
Also published as: GB9503362D0

Abstract

An assembly for stowing a wheelchair on the roof of a car or other vehicle comprises a fixed housing 10 mounted to the vehicle roof, a framework 18 which is slidably extendable and retractable into the housing 10, and an extending frame 16 which is pivotally coupled to the outer end of the framework 18. In use, the framework 18 is extended from the housing 10 and the extending frame 16, which carries a folded wheelchair 14, pivots to a vertical position and is raised and lowered using a crank handle 22.

Description

Wheelchair stowing assembly This invention relates to an assembly for stowing a wheelchair on the roof of a car or other vehicle.

A number of arrangements have previously been proposed for stowing a wheelchair on the roof of a car. However, these suffer from various disadvantages: some are difficult to use, in particular for lowering the wheelchair to the ground or to raising it onto the roof; others are complicated and yet others are expensive.

We have now devised an assembly for stowing a wheelchair on the roof of a vehicle, which is of relatively simple and inexpensive construction yet is relatively easy to use.

In accordance with this invention, there is provided an assembly for stowing a wheelchair on the roof of a car or other vehicle, the assembly comprising a fixed structure for mounting to the vehicle roof, and element mounted to said structure and manually slidable transverse of the vehicle between retracted and extended positions, an extending arrangement which is coupled to an outer end of said sliding element and, in use, carries the wheelchair in folded condition, and manually operable means for extending said arrangement, when the slidable element is in its extended position, for lowering the wheelchair to the ground.

Preferably the fixed structure comprises a housing which encloses the folded wheelchair when stowed.

Preferably the sliding element comprises a framework which is slidably mounted within the housing. Preferably the extending arrangement comprises a frame which is pivotally coupled to the outer end of the sliding element: normally this frame lies in a generally horizontal position, but can pivot to a generally vertical orientation when the sliding element is pulled out to its extended position, so as to bring the folded wheelchair into the vertical.

Preferably a crank handle is mounted to the sliding element, so that it can be operated once the sliding element is pulled out, in order to extend the extending arrangement and so lower the wheelchair to the ground.

The assembly in accordance with this invention can be operated by a driver from the driving seat of his car, to lower the wheelchair to the ground alongside the car and just behind his door. The driver is then able to manoeuvre from his driving seat and into the wheelchair.

An embodiment of this invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a schematic front view of a car having a wheelchair stowing assembly mounted to its roof, and showing the wheelchair when stowed; FIGURE 2 is a similar view showing the assembly just after the wheelchair has been slide out of its housing; FIGURE 3 is a similar view showing the wheelchair in a partially lowered position; and FIGURE 4 is a similar view showing the wheelchair when fully lowered to the ground.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a wheelchair stowing assembly mounted to the roof of a car. The assembly comprises a box-shaped housing 10, which in the example shown is mounted to the car by means of support arms 12 engaged with and secured to the opposite edges of the car roof, in the manner of a conventional roof rack. The housing 10 encloses the wheelchair 14 in folded condition and the assembly is mounted either above or just to the rear of the front doors of the car, and is arranged so that the driver, whilst remaining in the driver's seat, can lower the wheelchair to the ground (as shown in Figure 4) and can then open his door, open up the folded wheelchair and manoeuvre into it.

The folded wheelchair 14 is carried on a telescopic or extending frame 16, which is pivotally and slidably coupled to a framework 18 which is slidably mounted within the housing 10.

An end wall 20 of the housing 10 is fixed to the outer end of the extending frame 16, and is normally positioned to close the end of the housing (Figure 1) but also forms a rest for the wheelchair as the latter is lowered to the ground (or raised onto the car roof).

In order to lower the wheelchair to the ground, a latch 21 (Figure 1) is operated by the driver from his driving seat, to release the end wall 20 of the housing 10. The driver can then pull the end wall 20 outwardly, causing the framework 18 to slide outwardly: Figure 2 shows the condition once the framework 18 has been fully extended in this manner, and also shows that the frame 16 is now able to pivot relative to the sliding framework 18, to bring the frame 16 and the wheelchair 14 into a vertical orientation.

A crank handle 22, provided with a ratchet action, is mounted to the front edge of the sliding framework 18 and is connected by a cable system (indicated schematically at 23) to the extending frame 16. The driver, still in his driving seat, is able to turn the crank handle 22 to allow the frame 16 to extend, firstly to the position shown in Figure 3 and then to the position shown in Figure 4, to lower the wheelchair 14 to the ground. Thus, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the frame 16 comprises an outer and inner sections 16a,16b: the outer section 16a has the housing end wall fixed to it and is slidable relative to the inner section 16b, which is pivotally and slidably mounted to the framework 18.In a first part of the lowering movement, the inner section 16b of the frame 16 slides downwardly (from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 3), then in the final part of the lowering movement, the outer section 16a of the frame 16 slides downwardly relative to the inner section 16b.

Once the wheelchair has been lowered to the ground, as shown in Figure 4, it will be appreciated that the wheelchair will be positioned just to the rear of the driver's door. The driver can then open his door, reach and open the wheelchair, and manoeuvre into the wheelchair. Preferably the driver should roll the wheelchair off the frame 16 and then retract the assembly into its housing 10, before he manoeuvres from the driving seat and into the wheelchair.

Upon returning to the car, the driver can manoeuvre into the driving seat and then stow the wheelchair away again by following the above-described steps in reverse order.

Claims

1) An assembly for stowing a wheelchair on the roof of a car or other vehicle, the assembly comprising a fixed structure for mounting to the vehicle roof, and element mounted to said structure and manually slidable transverse of the vehicle between retracted and extended positions, an extending arrangement which is coupled to an outer end of said sliding element and, in use, carries the wheelchair in folded condition, and manually operable means for extending said arrangement, when the slidable element is in its extended position, for lowering the wheelchair to the ground.

2) An assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the fixed structure comprises a housing which encloses the folded wheelchair when stowed.

3) An assembly as claimed in claim 2, in which the sliding element comprises a framework which is slidably mounted within the housing.

4) An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the extending arrangement comprises a frame which is pivotally coupled to the outer end of the sliding element.

5) An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim in which a crank handle is mounted to the sliding element, so that it can be operated once the sliding element is extended, in order to extend the extending arrangement and lower the wheelchair to the ground.

6) An assembly for stowing a wheelchair substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.