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US 10,292,879 B2Granted
Wheelchair passenger securement system with bumper
AssigneeValeda Company, LLC
InventorsJean-Marc Girardin, Joe Esteireiro
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The embodiments described and claimed herein are improved wheelchair passenger securement systems and stations. In particular, one embodiment described and claimed herein includes a mobility aid restraint, a bumper, and a tensioning mechanism, wherein the tensioning mechanism is adapted to pre-tension the mobility aid restraint whereby the wheelchair restraint exerts a force on the mobility aid in a direction at least partly toward the bumper.
Claims13
A securement system adapted for securing a mobility aid in a vehicle, the securement system comprising:
- a first mobility aid restraint, a second mobility aid restraint, a bumper, and a tensioning mechanism that are configured to cooperate to resist movement of the mobility aid;
- whereby the first mobility aid restraint is adapted to extend between and attach at one end to the vehicle and at the other end directly to the mobility aid for securing the mobility aid during transit;
- the first mobility aid restraint comprises a first retractor and the second mobility aid restraint comprises a second retractor, wherein the first and second retractors are self-tensioning;
- the first mobility aid restraint is angled slightly upward with the one end being at a lower elevation than the other end, whereby the first mobility aid restraint is adapted to exert a downward force on the mobility aid;
- the bumper is not directly attached to the mobility aid, is adapted as a touch point between the vehicle and the mobility aid for restraining the mobility aid during transit, and is adapted to be positioned at least partially between the first retractor and the second retractor;
- and,
- the tensioning mechanism is adapted to induce tension into the first mobility aid restraint, whereby the first mobility aid restraint exerts a force on the mobility aid in a direction at least partly toward the bumper.
4 more elements
A securement system adapted for securing a mobility aid in a vehicle, the securement system comprising:
- a mobility aid restraint, a bumper, and a tensioning mechanism that are configured to cooperate to resist movement of the mobility aid;
- at least one module, wherein at least one of:
- (a) the mobility aid restraint and (b) the bumper are fixed to the at least one module;
- the at least one module comprises a wall-side module and a barrier module, wherein the mobility aid restraint is fixed to the wall-side module;
- whereby the mobility aid restraint is adapted to extend between and attach at one end to the vehicle and at the other end directly to the mobility aid for securing the mobility aid during transit;
- the mobility aid restraint is angled slightly upward with the one end being at a lower elevation than the other end, whereby the mobility aid restraint is adapted to exert a downward force on the mobility aid;
- the bumper is not directly attached to the mobility aid and is adapted as a touch point between the vehicle and the mobility aid for restraining the mobility aid during transit;
- and,
- the tensioning mechanism is adapted to induce tension into the mobility aid restraint, whereby the mobility aid restraint exerts a force on the mobility aid in a direction at least partly toward the bumper.
6 more elements
A securement system adapted for securing a mobility aid in a vehicle, the securement system comprising:
- a mobility aid restraint, a bumper, and a tensioning mechanism that are configured to cooperate to resist movement of the mobility aid;
- at least one module, wherein at least one of:
- (a) the mobility aid restraint and (b) the bumper are fixed to the at least one module;
- the at least one module comprises a wall-side module and a barrier module, wherein the mobility aid restraint is fixed to the barrier module;
- whereby the mobility aid restraint is adapted to extend between and attach at one end to the vehicle and at the other end directly to the mobility aid for securing the mobility aid during transit;
- the mobility aid restraint is angled slightly upward with the one end being at a lower elevation than the other end, whereby the mobility aid restraint is adapted to exert a downward force on the mobility aid;
- the bumper is not directly attached to the mobility aid and is adapted as a touch point between the vehicle and the mobility aid for restraining the mobility aid during transit;
- and,
- the tensioning mechanism is adapted to induce tension into the mobility aid restraint, whereby the mobility aid restraint exerts a force on the mobility aid in a direction at least partly toward the bumper.
6 more elements
A securement system adapted for securing a mobility aid in a vehicle, the securement system comprising:
- a mobility aid restraint, a bumper, and a tensioning mechanism that are configured to cooperate to resist movement of the mobility aid;
- whereby the mobility aid restraint is adapted to extend between and attach at one end to the vehicle and at the other end directly to the mobility aid for securing the mobility aid during transit;
- the mobility aid restraint is angled slightly upward with the one end being at a lower elevation than the other end, whereby the mobility aid restraint is adapted to exert a downward force on the mobility aid;
- the bumper is not directly attached to the mobility aid and is adapted as a touch point between the vehicle and the mobility aid for restraining the mobility aid during transit;
- and,
- the tensioning mechanism is adapted to induce tension into the mobility aid restraint, whereby the mobility aid restraint exerts a force on the mobility aid in a direction at least partly toward the bumper, wherein the tensioning mechanism is separate from the at least one mobility aid restraint.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.