Method of modifying a motorized vehicle for wheelchair accessibility and system thereof
AssigneeBraun GmbH
InventorsChristopher C. Wegner, Michael Laird
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hybrid passenger vehicle includes a chassis supported by at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel, a body coupled to the chassis including at least one door, and a vehicle floor coupled to the chassis. The body defines an interior space configured to be occupied by at least one passenger when operating the vehicle, and the vehicle floor has a front end and a rear end. A rear wall is coupled to the rear end of the vehicle floor such that the rear wall defines a rearmost boundary of the vehicle floor. A rear suspension assembly is coupled to the chassis. The rear wall is arc-shaped, and the rear suspension assembly is located rearward of the rear wall.
Claims20
A passenger vehicle, comprising:
- a chassis supported by at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel;
- a body coupled to the chassis including at least one door, the body defining an interior space configured to be occupied by at least one passenger when operating the vehicle;
- a vehicle floor coupled to the chassis, the vehicle floor comprising a front end and a rear end;
- a rear wall coupled to the rear end of the vehicle floor, the rear wall defining a rearmost boundary of the vehicle floor;
- and
- a rear suspension assembly coupled to the chassis;
- wherein, the rear wall is arc-shaped;
- wherein, the rear suspension assembly is located rearward of the rear wall.
A method of modifying an OEM vehicle to a modified vehicle capable of transporting at least one wheelchaired passenger, the OEM vehicle including a chassis supported by a pair of front wheels and rear wheels, a vehicle floor, and a rear suspension assembly, the method comprising:
- disassembling the rear suspension assembly from the chassis;
- coupling an arc-shaped rear wall to the vehicle floor, where an apex of the arc-shaped rear wall is located as a furthest rearward point of the arc-shaped rear wall;
- decoupling a front cross-member from a first mounting arm and a second mounting arm of the rear suspension assembly;
- coupling a second front cross-member to the first mounting arm and the second mounting arm;
- and
- assembling the rear suspension assembly with the second front cross-member to the chassis such that the second front cross-member is located rearward of the apex of the arc-shaped rear wall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.