Wheelchair Dockage and Storage System

This invention relates to an assembly to be installed within a vehicle, such as a van or the like, for lifting and storing a wheelchair into the vehicle.

Various means have been devised for maneuvering a wheelchair into and out of a vehicle. Some devices raise and lower the wheelchair with a person sitting in the wheelchair, while others carry the person, leaving the wheelchair to be stored by another person. For example, the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,910,432 to Browne et al, and 4,015,725 to Ryan et al teach assemblies for lifting wheelchairs, the assemblies including gear and chain mechanisms. However, there are no assemblies which provide means for raising and folding a wheelchair into a vehicle.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an assembly for raising and collapsing a wheelchair having collapsible legs, the assembly including first leg engagement means for reversibly engaging the proximal leg of the wheelchair and having a lowered position and a raised position, and second leg engagement means for reversibly engaging the distal leg of the wheelchair and being operatively connected to the first leg engagement means for movement between the raised and lowered positions therewith. The second leg engagement means has a retracted and extended position relative to the first leg engagement means. Drive means reversibly moves the first and second leg engagement means between the raised and lowered positions for raising the wheelchair and reversibly moves the second leg engagement means from the extended position to the retracted position to reversibly collapse the distal leg of the wheelchair against the proximal leg. The instant invention further provides a method of raising and collapsing the wheelchair including the steps of attaching a first arm of the assembly to the proximal leg of the wheelchair and extending a second arm of the assembly and attaching it to the distal leg of the wheelchair. The first arm is pivoted upwardly to raise the first and second arms and the wheelchair attached thereto, and the second arm is then retracted relative to the first arm to collapse the legs of the wheelchair together.

An embodiment of an assembly for raising and collapsing a wheelchair having collapsible legs constructed in accordance with the instant invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along line 3--3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the instant invention disposed within a vehicle shown schematically in cross section;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the instant invention disposed within the vehicle wherein a wheelchair is disposed adjacent to the vehicle;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the instant invention disposed within the vehicle wherein the instant invention engages the wheelchair;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of the instant invention disposed within the vehicle wherein the instant invention is raising the wheelchair;

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of the instant invention disposed within the vehicle wherein the instant invention has raised and collapsed the wheelchair;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the instant invention disposed within the vehicle wherein the wheelchair is disposed adjacent to the vehicle; and

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the instant invention disposed within the vehicle wherein the instant invention engages the wheelchair.

An assembly for raising and collapsing a wheelchair constructed in accordance with the instant invention is generally shown at 10.

The assembly 10 includes first leg engagement means comprising a first hook 12 extending horizontally outwardly from and opening inwardly relative to the distal end of a first arm 14 and a second leg engagement means comprising a second hook 16 extending downwardly from an opening upwardly and outwardly relative to the distal end of a second arm 18. The first arm 14 is operatively connected to the second arm 18 for moving the hooks 12 and 16 between a raised and lowered position therewith, the second arm 18 having a retracted and extended position relative to the first arm 14 for extending and retracting the second hook 16 relative to the first hook 12. That is, the second arm 18 extends and retracts relative to the first arm 14 to extend and retract the second hook 16 relative to the first hook 12. The first arm 14 pivots with the second arm 18 to raise and lower the first and second hooks 12, 16.

The assembly 10 further includes drive means for reversibly moving the first and second hooks 12 and 16 between the raised and lowered positions for raising a wheelchair which is operatively connected thereto and for reversibly moving the second hook 16 from the extended position to the retracted position to reversibly collapse the wheelchair, as will be described below.

The drive means includes a gear drive motor 20 having a gear drive shaft 22 operatively connected to the first arm 14 for moving the first arm between the raised and lowered positions. The first arm 14 may be mounted on a mounting block 24, the mounting block 24 being fixedly mounted on the gear drive shaft 22 whereby rotation of the gear drive shaft 22 rotates the mounting block 24 and the first arm 14 to raise and lower the first and second hooks 12 and 16. The drive means further includes a sprocket drive motor 26 having a sprocket drive shaft 27 and a drive sprocket 28 operatively connected to the sprocket drive shaft 27. The gear drive shaft 22 is pivotally journalled or rotatably mounted within a bushing 30 disposed within the drive sprocket 28 for rotating movement relative thereto. The gear drive shaft 22 rotates independently of the drive sprocket 28 without actuating movement of the drive sprocket 28. The sprocket drive motor 26 drives the sprocket drive shaft 27, thereby rotating the sprocket 28. In operation, the gear drive motor 20 drives the gear drive shaft 22 to raise and lower the first and second arms 14 and 18, the gear drive shaft 22 rotating within bushing 30 and being supported by the sprocket 28 while rotating independently thereof. In other words, the sprocket 28 provides aupport means for supporting the distal end of the gear drive shaft 22.

The first arm 14 includes a channel 32 extending axially therethrough as shown in FIGS. 1 through 3. The second arm 18 is slidably mounted within the channel 32 for movement between the extended and retracted positions. The second arm 18 includes gear means operatively connected to the drive sprocket 28 for actuating the sliding movement of the second arm 18 through the channel 32. The gear means includes a rack gear 34 disposed axially along the upper surface of the second arm 18, and a driven gear 36 operatively connected to the drive sprocket 28 by a belt or chain 38, and a pinion gear 40 operatively connected to the driven gear 36 by a shaft member 42. The shaft 42 is supported within the first arm 14 by bushing 44. The pinion gear 40 has radially extending teeth which engage teeth of the rack gear 34. Actuation of the pinion gear 40 by the sprocket drive motor 26 extends or retracts the second arm 18 by the coaction of the pinion gear 40 and rack gear 34.

The assembly 10 further includes sensor means for sensing when the second arm 18 is in the retracted position. The sensor means may comprise a pressure sensitive switch 46 which turns off the motors 20 and 26 when the second arm 18 is moved to the retracted position so as to bring the switch 46 in contact with the first hook 12.

The operation of the instant invention is best shown in FIGS. 4 through 10 and is best described by dividing the operation into five cycles.

As shown in FIG. 4, in cycle 1 the assembly 10 is initially within the inner compartment of an automobile or van which is schematically and generally shown at 48. The vehicle 48 has a doorway 50, a door 51 being movable between an opened and closed position within the doorway 50. The second arm 18 of the assembly 10 is in the retracted position within the first arm 14, and the first arm 14 and second arm 18 are in the raised position. A conventional wheelchair, generally indicated at 52, is brought to a position next to the doorway 50. The wheelchair 52 has a first leg 54 proximate to the vehicle 48 and a second leg 56 which is distal with respect to the vehicle 48. The legs 54 and 56 are connected together by scissor arms 58 which allow the wheelchair 52 to be collapsed.

As shown in FIG. 5, the first arm 14 and second arm 18 are moved to the lowered position by the gear motor 20, the sprocket drive motor 26 driving the pinion gear 40 in a counterclockwise direction thereby maintaining the second arm 18 in the retracted position. In other words, when the first arm 14 and second arm 18 are initially extending upwardly and are driven to the lowered position by the gear motor 20 while the sprocket drive motor 26 is not driving the pinion gear 40 (that is, the pinion gear is kept stationary), the result is that the second arm 18 will be extended as the first arm 14 is lowered. Similarly, when the second arm 18 is in the extended position, as the first arm 14 and second arm 18 are raised by the gear motor 20 and the pinion gear 40 is kept stationary, the result is that the second arm 18 will be retracted as the first arm 14 and second arm 18 are raised. Likewise, in order to maintain the second arm 18 in the retracted position while the gear motor 20 lowers the first arm 14 and second arm 18, the sprocket drive motor 26 must coincidentally drive the pinion gear 40 in a counter-clockwise direction. Similarly, the sprocket drive motor 26 must rotate the pinion gear 40 in a clockwise direction as the gear motor 26 raises the first arm 14 and second arm 18 to maintain the second arm 18 in a stationary position in relation to the first arm 14. The locking and unlocking of the sprocket drive motor 26 would be controlled by electrical switches.

During the second cycle, as shown in FIG. 6, the first arm 14 is attached to the wheelchair 52 by connecting the first hook 12 of the first arm 14 to the proximal leg 54 of the wheelchair 52. The sprocket drive motor 26 is actuated to drive the pinion gear 40 in a clockwise direction thereby extending the second arm 18 to the extended position shown in FIGS. 6 and 10 for engagement of the second hook member 16 with the distal leg 56 of the wheelchair 52.

During the third cycle of the operation, the gear motor 20 is actuated to pivot the first arm 14 and second arm 18 upwardly, as shown in FIG. 7. As the arms 14 and 18 are raised, the second hook member 16 extending from the end of the second arm 18 engages the distal leg 56 of the wheelchair 52, thereby lifting the wheelchair 52. As the second arm 18 is raised to the raised position, as shown in FIG. 8, the sprocket drive motor 26 is locked so that the pinion gear 40 remains stationary and, as described above, the second arm 18 is automatically retracted, thereby collapsing the wheelchair 52 to a storage position. The wheelchair 52 is now stored and folded within the vehicle 48 as shown in FIG. 8.

During cycle four, the wheelchair 52 is removed from the vehicle 48 by the gear motor 20 being driven to lower the first arm 14 and second arm 18. The sprocket drive motor 26 is locked as during cycle 3, thereby automatically extending the second arm 18 as previously described, and thereby unfolding the wheelchair 52. The second hook 16 is then disengaged from the distal leg 56 of the wheelchair 52, and the wheelchair 52 is backed away from the assembly 10, disengaging the first hook 12 from the first leg 54.

During cycle five, the gear motor 20 lifts the first arm 14 and second arm 18 to the raised position. The sprocket motor 26 is locked so that the second arm 18 is automatically retracted to its initial position as previously described.

Thus, the instant invention provides a method of raising and collapsing the wheelchair 52 by attaching the first arm 14 to the proximal leg 54 of the wheelchair 52, extending the second arm 18 and attaching the second arm 18 to the distal leg 56 of the wheelchair 52, pivoting the first arm 14 and second arm 18 upwardly to raise the wheelchair 52 attached thereto, and retracting the second arm 18 relative to the first arm 14 to collapse the legs 54 and 56 of the wheelchair 52 together.

The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than limitation. Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.