Applicant claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of European Application No. 13173402.2 filed Jun. 24, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.
Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a wheelchair lift which enables to lift a wheelchair from a ground level position to an entry level position in a vehicle and inversely.
Description of the Related Art
Vehicular wheelchair lifts are utilized to facilitate lifting of wheelchairs into a vehicle. The wheelchair lift comprises a platform assembly having at least one plate to load a wheelchair. The platform assembly may be moved by a power control assembly among a stowed position in which the platform assembly and other components of the wheelchair are collapsed, an entry level position in which the platform assembly is in an unfolded configuration so that the wheelchair can be loaded onto the platform assembly in a vehicle and a ground level position in which the platform assembly is still unfolded and coplanar to the ground outside the vehicle.
The wheelchair lift is usually permanently mounted in the vehicle by means of a mounting assembly of the wheelchair lift which may be fixed to a floor of the vehicle. In order to avoid disturbing of driving characteristics of the vehicle, the handling of the vehicle and an increase of the fuel consumption of the vehicle, the wheelchair lift should have a low weight. On the other hand, the wheelchair lift has to be stable to load and lift a wheelchair with a person in and out of the vehicle.
There is a need to provide a wheelchair lift having a low weight and which is stable enough to load and lift a wheelchair with a person sitting in the wheelchair inside and outside of a vehicle.
An embodiment of a wheelchair lift having a low weight and being constructed in a stable manner which enables to load and lift a wheelchair is described below in accordance with the invention.
According to a possible embodiment the wheelchair lift comprises a platform assembly to receive a wheelchair, said platform assembly being made from aluminum, a supporting assembly to moveably hold the platform assembly, said supporting assembly being made from aluminum, and a coupling device to pivotably couple the platform assembly to the supporting assembly, said coupling device being made from one of steel or high strength aluminum, for example aluminum alloy 7075, or titanium or magnesium or combinations thereof. The platform assembly may comprise a plurality of profiles of aluminum. The coupling device is fixed to a first one of the plurality of profiles of the platform assembly, and the coupling device is pivotably coupled to the supporting assembly.
The platform assembly may comprise at least one plate having a platform which is pivotably coupled by means of the coupling device to the supporting assembly. The supporting assembly may comprise a first and a second holding arm. The coupling device may comprise a first pivot pin made from one of steel or high strength aluminum, for example aluminum alloy 7075, or titanium or magnesium or combinations thereof to pivotably couple the at least one plate of the platform assembly to the first holding arm, and a second pivot pin made from one of steel or high strength aluminum, for example aluminum alloy 7075, or titanium or magnesium or combinations thereof to pivotably couple the at least one plate of the platform assembly to the second holding arm. The first profile of the platform assembly may extend between the first and second holding arms. The first profile of the platform assembly may comprise a first end section being arranged proximal to the first holding arm and distal to the second holding arm, and a second end section being arranged proximal to the second holding arm and distal to the first holding arm. The first pivot pin may be fixed to the first end section of the first profile of the platform assembly and the first holding arm may pivotably coupled to the first pivot pin. The second pivot pin may be fixed to the second end section of the first profile of the platform assembly and the second holding arm may pivotably coupled to the second pivot pin.
The first and second end section of the first profile of the platform assembly may respectively include a cavity. According to a possible embodiment of the wheelchair lift the first pivot pin may be screwed in the cavity of the first end section of the first profile, and the second pivot pin may be screwed in the cavity of the second end section of the first profile. According to another possible embodiment of the wheelchair lift the first pivot pin may be glued in the cavity of the first end section of the first profile, and the second pivot pin may be glued in the cavity of the second end section of the first profile.
According to another embodiment, the coupling device is configured as a bar made from one of steel or high strength aluminum, for example aluminum alloy 7075, or titanium or magnesium or combinations thereof to pivotably couple the at least one plate of the platform assembly to the first and second holding arm. The coupling device may be formed as an end-to-end bar which is disposed in the cavity of the first profile. The bar may be inserted and fixed in a cavity of the first profile of the platform assembly. A first end section of the bar may protrude from the first end section of the first profile and a second end section of the bar may protrude from the second end section of the first profile. The first holding arm may pivotably coupled to the first end section of the bar and the second holding arm may pivotably coupled to the second end section of the holding arm.
The at least one plate of the platform assembly may comprise an end being closer to the supporting device than other sides/ends of the at least one plate. The first profile of the platform assembly may be arranged at this end of the at least one plate of the platform assembly being proximal to the supporting device. The first profile of the platform assembly may extend along this end/side of the at least one plate of the platform assembly. The first profile may be formed by an extrusion process or by a laser cutting process. The first profile may be welded to other profile of the platform assembly. The first profile may, for example, be formed as a hollow tube.
According to another embodiment of the wheelchair lift the platform assembly may comprise the at least one plate having a platform and first and second side panels arranged at different sides of the at least one plate. The whole platform assembly may be made of the plurality of profiles of aluminum.
According to another embodiment of the wheelchair lift the platform assembly may comprise an inner plate, an outer plate and a hinge unit. Both of the inner and outer plates are configured to support the wheelchair. The inner and outer plate may be configured to be collapsible by means of the hinge unit. The hinge unit may be arranged at a bottom side of the respective platform of the inner and outer plate of platform assembly between the inner and outer plate. The inner and outer plate respectively comprise a platform, a first side panel and a second side panel.
The whole platform assembly comprising the first and the second plate may be made of aluminum. The respective platforms of the inner and outer plates of the platform assembly may be made of at least a second one of the plurality of profiles of the platform assembly. The respective first side panel may be made of at least a third one of the plurality of profiles of the platform assembly, and the respective second side panel may be made of at least a fourth one of the plurality of profiles of the platform assembly. The hinge unit may be made of at least a fifth one of the plurality of profiles of the platform assembly. The profiles may be made by an extrusion process or a laser cutting process and may be welded together, for example by a laser welding process.
The wheelchair lift may further comprise a lifting assembly being connected to a power control assembly and the supporting assembly, and a mounting assembly to mount the wheelchair lift on a floor of the vehicle. In addition to the platform assembly and the supporting assembly with the first and second holding arm the lifting assembly and the mounting assembly may be made from aluminum. The platform assembly, the supporting assembly and the lifting assembly may be composed of profiles/bars of aluminum made by an extrusion process or a laser cutting process. The profiles of the platform assembly, the supporting assembly and the lifting assembly may be made from aluminum alloy 6000/7000.
Since the main components of the wheelchair lift are made from aluminum, the wheelchair lift has a low weight and is not endangered by corrosion. The extrusion or laser cutting process to manufacture the different profiles of aluminum for the platform assembly, the first and second holding arm of the supporting assembly and the lifting assembly enable to construct the wheelchair lift in a cost-saving manner and with large creative freedom regarding the shape of the different components of the wheelchair lift. The use of a coupling device comprising a bar or pivot pins made from one of steel or high strength aluminum or titanium or magnesium or combinations thereof which are fixed to one of the aluminum profiles of the platform assembly enable to ensure that the wheelchair lift may be stable to load and lift a wheelchair.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description present embodiments and are intended to provide an overview or a framework for understanding the nature and character of the disclosure. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding, and are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate various embodiments and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles and operation of the concepts disclosed.
In the exemplified embodiment of the wheelchair lift 1 illustrated in
The inner plate 11 has an end 1101 distal to the hinge unit 13 and an end 1102 proximal to the hinge unit 13. The outer plate 12 has an end 1201 distal to the hinge unit 13 and an end 1202 proximal to the hinge unit 13. An outer roll stop means 14 is mounted to the end 1201 of the outer plate 13, and an inner roll stop means 15 is mounted to the end 1101 of the inner plate 11. In a retracted position of the roll stop means 14, 15 the roll stop means prevent a wheelchair from rolling-off the front end and back end of the platform assembly when the platform assembly is lowered from the entry level position to the ground level position. The roll stop means 14 may be hinged down in the ground level position so that a wheelchair can roll-off or enter the platform assembly. The roll stop means 15 may be hinged down in the entry level position so that a wheelchair can roll-off or enter the platform assembly, for example, in a vehicle.
The wheelchair lift further comprises a power control assembly 80 to control a movement of the platform assembly 10 among a stowed position in which the inner and outer plates 11, 12 of the platform assembly are collapsed as shown in
The wheelchair lift further comprises a supporting assembly 20 to moveably hold the platform assembly 10, and a lifting assembly 90 to lift and lower the supporting assembly 20. The supporting assembly 20 and the lifting assembly 90 are made from aluminum. The lifting assembly 90 comprises parallelogram actuating linkage structure 91 and a parallelogram actuating linkage structure 92. Each of the parallelogram actuating linkage structures 91, 92 have a top actuating arm 911, 921 and a bottom actuating arm 912, 922 which are located substantially parallel to each other. The respective top actuating arms 911, 921 and the respective bottom actuating arms 912, 922 may be coupled by a respective hydraulic cylinder 913, 923.
A respective rear end of the top actuating arms 911, 921 is pivotably coupled to a bearing unit 210, and a respective rear end of the bottom actuating arms 912, 922 is pivotably coupled to a bearing unit 220. The bearing unit 210 is coupled to the power control assembly 80 to control a movement of the platform assembly. The wheelchair lift further comprises a mounting assembly 200 to mount the wheelchair lift 1 on a floor, for example a floor inside a vehicle. The mounting assembly may comprise a mounting plate 200 which may be fixed by screws to the floor of a vehicle. The mounting assembly, especially the mounting plate, may be made of aluminum.
The supporting assembly 20 comprises a holding arm 21 and a holding arm 22 being arranged in a distance to each other. Each of the holding arms 21, 22 comprises an upper and a lower portion which may be formed as a unique part. The respective upper portion of the holding arms 21, 22 is pivotably coupled to the lifting assembly 90. The respective lower portion of the holding arms 21, 22 which is formed as a substantially vertical arm is pivotably coupled to the platform assembly 10, particularly to the inner plate 11 of the platform assembly 10. The holding arms 21, 22 may pivotably coupled to the platform assembly 10 by a coupling device 30.
The coupling device 30 is configured to pivotably couple the platform assembly 10, particularly the inner plate 11 of the platform assembly 10, to the supporting assembly 20. The coupling device 30 can be made from one of steel or high strength aluminum, such as aluminum alloy 7075, or titanium or magnesium or combinations thereof. The coupling device 30 may be fixed to the platform assembly 10 and the supporting assembly 20 may pivotably coupled to the coupling device 30. According to another embodiment the coupling device 30 may be fixed to the supporting assembly 20 and the platform assembly 10 may pivotably coupled to the coupling device 30. The coupling device 30 forms a rotational axis for the inner plate 11 or the holding arms 21, 22 of the supporting assembly 20.
The wheelchair lift comprises an elbow assembly 50 comprising an elbow device 51 and an elbow device 52. The elbow devices 51, 52 respectively comprise a first arm 511, 521 coupled to the inner plate 11, a second arm 512, 522 coupled to the supporting assembly 20, and a hinge element 513, 523 at which the respective first arm 511, 521 and the respective second arm 512, 522 are pivotably connected. The elbow device 51, particularly the arm 511 of the elbow device 51, is pivotably coupled to the side panel 111 of the inner plate 11 by a coupling device 60. The elbow device 52, particularly the arm 521 of the elbow device 52, is pivotably coupled to the side panel 112 of the inner plate 11 by another coupling device 60. The coupling devices 60 can be made from one of steel or high strength aluminum, for example aluminum alloy 7075, or titanium or magnesium or combinations thereof.
The wheelchair lift further comprises a linkage device 71 being arranged between the platform assembly 10 and the elbow device 51, and a linkage device 72 being arranged between the platform assembly 10 and the elbow device 52. The linkage devices 71, 72 may comprise a steel rope or a chain or some rigid elements. The rigid elements may be formed as rods. The rigid elements may pivotably be connected by hinge elements. The linkage devices 71, 72 are partially guided inside the side panels 111, 112. A respective one of the ends of the linkage devices 71, 72 may be coupled to the outer plate 12. A respective other one of the ends of the linkage devices 71, 72 may be coupled to the respective arm 511, 521 of the elbow devices 51, 52.
In order to unfold the wheelchair lift from the stowed configuration to the unfolded configuration in the entry level position, the power control assembly 80 moves the lifting assembly 90 such that the arms 912, 922 of the parallelogram actuating linkage structures 91, 92 decline from the vertical position shown in
In order to put down the wheelchair to the ground level position 3, for example outside a vehicle, the power control assembly 80 slants the lifting assembly 90 anymore so that the unfolded platform assembly 10 is moved by the supporting assembly 20 from the entry level position 2 to the ground level position 3 which is below the entry level position as shown in
The linkage devices 71, 72 facilitate the swing-down deployment motion of the inner and outer plates 11, 12. In the stowed configuration of the wheelchair lift the linkage devices 71, 72 are loosely guided between the elbow devices 51, 52 and the outer plate 12. During the swinging-down movement of the platform assembly the linkage devices 71, 72 are strained so that the linkage devices enable a low and continuous movement of the inner and outer plates 11, 12 during the unfolding procedure.
The platform assembly is made from aluminum. The platform assembly 10 may comprise a plurality of profiles 101, . . . , 107 of aluminum. The profiles may be configured as hollow profiles, such as hollow bars. The hollow profiles may include inner strut members to strengthen the profiles. The profiles may be formed by an extrusion or a laser cutting process. According to a possible embodiment, the inner plate 11 and the outer plate 12 may be formed by profiles 102, 103 and 104 of aluminum. The profile 102 may be formed as a hollow bar to form the respective platform 110, 120 of the inner and outer plate 11, 12. The profile 103 of aluminum forms the side panels 111, 121 of the inner and outer plates 11, 12, and the profile 104 of aluminum forms the side panels 112, 122 of the inner and outer plates 11, 12. The profiles 103 and 104 which forms the side panels 121 and 122 may be belately formed with the slanted front edge shown in
The coupling device 30 is configured to pivotably couple the platform assembly 10, particularly the inner plate 110, to the supporting assembly 20. The coupling device 30 is fixed to the inner plate 11 and pivotably coupled to the supporting assembly 20. The coupling device 30 may be made from one of steel or high strength aluminum, for example aluminum alloy 7075, or titanium or magnesium or combinations thereof which enables a secure and stable coupling between the platform assembly 10 made from aluminum and the supporting assembly 20 made from aluminum. In order to fix the coupling device 30 to the inner plate 11 of the platform assembly 10, the platform assembly 10 comprises a profile 101 of aluminum. The profile 101 of the platform assembly 10 is disposed at the end 1101 of the platform 110 of the inner plate 11 between the side panels 111, 112 of the inner plate 11.
In order to securely and firmly connect the coupling device 30 with the platform assembly 10, the coupling device 30 is fixed to the profile 101 of the platform assembly 10. The coupling device 30 may comprise a pivot pin 31 made from one of steel or high strength aluminum, for example aluminum alloy 7075, or titanium or magnesium or combinations thereof to pivotably couple the platform assembly 10 to the holding arm 21 and a pivot pin 32 made from one of steel or high strength aluminum, for example aluminum alloy 7075, or titanium or magnesium or combinations thereof to pivotably couple the platform assembly 10 to the holding arm 22. According to another embodiment the coupling device 30 may be configured as a bar made from one of steel or high strength aluminum, for example aluminum alloy 7075, or titanium or magnesium or combinations thereof to pivotably couple the platform assembly 10 to the holding arms 21, 22.
The coupling device 60 may comprise a pivot pin 61 made from one of steel or high strength aluminum, for example aluminum alloy 7075, or titanium or magnesium or combinations thereof and a pivot pin 62 made from one of steel or high strength aluminum, for example aluminum alloy 7075, or titanium or magnesium or combinations thereof. The pivot pin 61 of the coupling device 60 is configured to pivotably couple the inner plate 11 to the arm 511 of the elbow device 51. The pivot pin 62 of the coupling device 60 is configured to pivotably couple the inner plate 11 to the first arm 521 of the elbow device 52. The pivot pin 61 may be screwed in or glued on the side panel 111 of the inner plate 11. The pivot pin 62 may be screwed in or glued on the side panel 112 of the inner plate 11. According to another embodiment the coupling device 60 may be configured as a bar made from one of steel or high strength aluminum, for example aluminum alloy 7075, or titanium or magnesium or combinations thereof to pivotably couple the inner plate 11 of the platform assembly 10 to the arm 511 of the elbow device 51 and the arm 521 of the elbow device 52.
The end sections 1011, 1012 of the profile 101 of the platform assembly 10 may include a respective cavity 1013, 1014. According to a possible embodiment of the wheelchair lift the pivot pin 31 is screwed in the cavity 1013 of the end section 1011 of the profile 101 of the platform assembly 10, and the pivot pin 32 is screwed in the cavity 1014 of the end section 1012 of the profile 101 of the platform assembly 10. According to another embodiment of the wheelchair lift the pivot pin 31 is glued in the cavity 1013 of the end section 1011 of the profile 101 of the platform assembly 10, and the pivot pin 32 is glued in the cavity 1014 of the end section 1012 of the profile 101 of the platform assembly 10.
According to another embodiment of the wheelchair lift each of the pivot pins 31, 32 has a first portion 311, 321, a second portion 312, 322 and a third portion 313, 323. The respective second portion 312, 322 is arranged between the respective first portion 311, 321 and the respective third portion 313, 323. The respective second portion 312, 322 of each of the pivot pins 31, 32 has a larger diameter than the respective first portion 311, 321 and the respective third portion 313, 323 of each of the pivot pins 31, 32. The first portion 311 of the pivot pin 31 is pivotably coupled to the holding arm 21. The first portion 321 of the pivot pin 32 is pivotably coupled to the holding arm 22.
According to a possible embodiment of the wheelchair lift, the wheelchair lift may comprise a first bushing element 41 and a second bushing element 42. The first bushing element 41 may be arranged between the holding arm 21 and the first portion 311 of the pivot pin 31. The bushing element 41 enables that the pivot pin 31 and the holding arm 21 are pivotably coupled without any friction there between. The bushing element 42 may be arranged between the holding arm 22 and the first portion 321 of the pivot pin 32. The bushing element 42 enables that the pivot pin 32 and the holding arm 22 are pivotably coupled without any friction there between.
According to an embodiment of the wheelchair lift the third portion 313 of the pivot pin 31 is formed with a thread 3130 to screw the third portion 313 of the pivot pin 31 in the cavity 1013 of the end section 1011 of the profile 101 of the platform assembly 10. The third portion 323 of the pivot pin 32 may also formed with a thread 3230 to screw the third portion 323 of the pivot pin 32 in the cavity 1014 of the end section 1012 of the profile 101 of the platform assembly 10.
According to another embodiment of the wheelchair lift the third portion 313 of the pivot pin 31 may be glued in the cavity 1013 of the end section 1011 of the profile 101 of the platform assembly. The third portion 323 of the pivot pin 32 may be glued in the cavity 1014 of the end section 1012 of the profile 101 of the platform assembly 10.
According to a possible embodiment of the wheelchair lift the side panel 111 may include a hole 1110. The pivot pin 31 may be inserted in the hole 1110 of the side panel 111 such that the second portion 312 of the pivot pin 31 is disposed in the hole 1110 of the side panel 111. The side panel 112 may include a hole 1120, and the pivot pin 32 may be inserted in the hole 1120 of the side panel 122 such that the second portion 322 of the pivot pin 32 is disposed in the hole 1120 of the side panel 122.
The wheelchair lift may comprise a first deflection unit 230 to deflect the linkage device 71 inside the side panel 111 to the side panel 121 of the outer plate 12. The first deflection unit 230 may be disposed inside the side panel 111. The linkage device 72 is deflected in the same manner by a second deflecting unit 230 disposed inside the side panel 112 to the side panel 122 of the outer plate 12. The first and second deflecting units 230 may be formed as a pulley.
The wheelchair lift may further comprise a first and second arrestor element 240. A first part 241 of the first arrestor element 240 is movably connected inside the side panel 121 of the outer plate 12. A first part 241 of second arrestor element 240 is movably connected inside the side panel 122 of the outer plate 12. In the stowed configuration of the platform assembly the second part of the first arrestor element abuts on the holding arm 21 and the second part of the second arrestor element abuts on the holding arm 22 so that the foldable platform assembly is firmly held at the holding arms of the supporting assembly 20 in the stowed configuration of the wheelchair lift. In the unfolded configuration the respective first and second parts 241, 242 of the arrestor element 240 are covered inside the side panels 111, 112 or 121, 122.
The wheelchair lift 1 is shown in the
The wheelchair lift may be used to lift any load or may operate without being operated with a load. Furthermore, the wheelchair lift can be mounted to any location where it can be moved from the stowed to the unfolded configuration which does not necessarily require mounting to a vehicle.
Many modifications and other embodiments set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which the embodiments pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the description and the claims are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. It is intended that embodiments cover the modifications and variations of the embodiments provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
1 wheelchair lift
2 entry level position
3 ground level position
10 platform assembly
11 inner plate of the platform assembly
12 outer plate of the platform assembly
13 hinge unit
14, 15 roll stop means
110 platform
111, 112 side panel
120 platform
121, 122 side panel
20 supporting assembly
21, 22 holding arms
30 coupling device
31, 32 pivot pin
41, 42 bushing element
50 elbow assembly
51, 52 elbow device
60 coupling device
61, 62 pivot pin
70 linkage assembly
71, 72 linkage device
80 power control assembly
90 lifting assembly
200 mounting assembly
210, 220 bearing unit
230 deflection unit
240 arrestor element
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13173402 | Jun 2013 | EP | regional |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20140377047 A1 | Dec 2014 | US |