# US 10,945,897 B2 · Wheelchair securement system and device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,945,897 B2 - Document ID: US10945897B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/896,024 - Filed: 2018-02-13 - Published: 2018-06-28 - Granted: 2021-03-16 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-15 - Assignees: Valeda Company, LLC - Applicants: Valeda Company - Inventors: Jean-Marc Girardin; Joseph Esteireiro; Patrick Girardin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10945897B2 ## CPC - A61G 3/0808: {Accommodating or securing wheelchairs} - A61G 3/08: Accommodating or securing wheelchairs {or stretchers} - B60P 7/0823: {Straps; Tighteners} - A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00) - B60P: VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS (vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients or disabled persons, or their personal conveyances A61G3/00) ## Abstract The restraint and retractor assembly described and claimed herein are for securing a wheelchair to a support while the wheelchair is in transit. In one embodiment, the system includes at least one securement assembly having a configuration in which a portion of the wheelchair is secured in the vehicle. In this embodiment, the securement assembly includes a retractor secured to the vehicle and a restraint that has both of its ends secured to or near the retractor and a middle segment extends to and from a spool in the retractor, a middle segment is connected to the wheelchair by a connector and passes through an opening in the connector, providing a double length of flexible webbing to secure the wheelchair to the support surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A mobility aid tie-down system comprising: a restraint extendable from a retractor, the retractor being self-tensioning; the restraint passing from the retractor to a wheelchair connector and back to a point at or near the retractor, whereby the restraint runs double between the retractor and the wheelchair connector, and the wheelchair connector is a hook; the retractor being connected to an anchor by a first non-hand-releasable connection and the restraint terminating in a second non-hand-releasable connection to the anchor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The mobility aid tie-down system of claim 1, wherein the restraint movably passes through an opening in the wheelchair connector. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The mobility aid tie-down system of claim 1, wherein the retractor has a housing that defines an interior space, a retractor spool is disposed within the housing, and a portion of the restraint is wound on the retractor spool. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The mobility aid tie-down system of claim 3, wherein a terminal end of the restraint is secured to a portion of the housing. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The mobility aid tie-down system of claim 3, wherein a terminal end of the restraint is secured external to the housing of the retractor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The mobility aid tie-down system of claim 1, wherein a terminal end of the restraint includes a connector for removably connecting the restraint to the point at or near the retractor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The mobility aid tie-down system of claim 1, wherein the restraint is selected from the group comprising webbing, strap, rope, cord, or cable. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The mobility aid tie-down system of claim 1 wherein the anchor is adapted for direct connection to a mounting location in a vehicle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The mobility aid tie-down system of claim 8, wherein a terminal end of the restraint is secured to the anchor. ### Claim 10 A mobility aid tie-down system securing a wheelchair in a vehicle comprising: a restraint having a first segment extending directly between a retractor and a wheelchair connector that is connected to the wheelchair at a wheelchair connection point, the retractor being connected to the vehicle at a mounting location and being self-tensioning; the restraint having a second segment extending directly between the wheelchair connector and an anchor point on the vehicle at or near the retractor and terminating in a fixed, non-hand-releasable connection to the anchor point, whereby the restraint runs double between the retractor and the wheelchair; and, wherein the wheelchair connector comprises a hook. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The mobility aid tie-down system of claim 10, wherein the restraint movably passes through an opening in the hook at the wheelchair connection point. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The mobility aid tie-down system of claim 10, wherein the retractor has a housing that defines an interior space, a retractor spool is disposed within the housing, and a portion of the restraint is wound on the retractor spool. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The mobility aid tie-down system of claim 12, wherein a terminal end of the second segment of the restraint is secured to a portion of the housing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The mobility aid tie-down system of claim 12, wherein a terminal end of the second segment of the restraint is secured external to the housing of the retractor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The mobility aid tie-down system of claim 10, wherein a terminal end of the second segment of the restraint includes a connector for removably connecting the restraint to the point at or near the retractor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The mobility aid tie-down system of claim 10, wherein the restraint is selected from the group comprising webbing, strap, rope, cord, or cable. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The mobility aid tie-down system of claim 10 further comprising an anchor for directly connecting the retractor to the mounting location in the vehicle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The mobility aid tie-down system of claim 17, wherein a terminal end of the second segment of the restraint is secured to the anchor. ### Claim 19 A mobility aid tie-down system comprising: a restraint comprising a first restraint segment and a second restraint segment, the first restraint segment being extendable from a retractor, the retractor being self-tensioning; the first restraint segment passing from the retractor to a wheelchair connector and the second restraint segment extending back from the wheelchair connector to a point at or near the retractor, whereby the restraint runs double between the retractor and the wheelchair connector; a terminal end of the second restraint segment has a first aperture and a housing for the retractor has a second aperture, the first and second aperture receiving a same connecting hardware to connect the second restraint segment and the retractor to an anchor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The mobility aid tie-down system of claim 19, wherein the restraint movably passes through an opening in the wheelchair connector. ### Claim 21 A mobility aid tie-down system comprising: a restraint comprising a first restraint segment and a second restraint segment, the first restraint segment being extendable from a retractor, the retractor being self-tensioning; the first restraint segment passing from the retractor to a wheelchair connector and the second restraint segment extending back from the wheelchair connector to a point at or near the retractor, whereby the restraint runs double between the retractor and the wheelchair connector, wherein the restraint movably passes through an opening in the wheelchair connector and the wheelchair connector comprises a hook, the hook having an eye that defines the opening. ### Claim 22 A mobility aid tie-down system comprising: a restraint comprising a first restraint segment and a second restraint segment, the first restraint segment being extendable from a retractor, the retractor being self-tensioning; the first restraint segment passing from the retractor to a wheelchair connector and the second restraint segment extending back from the wheelchair connector to a point at or near the retractor, whereby the restraint runs double between the retractor and the wheelchair connector, wherein the retractor includes a first tongue and the second restraint segment terminates in a second tongue, whereby the first tongue and the second tongue are aligned in overlying relation for collective securement to an anchor.