System for boarding a wheelchair on a vehicle

A vehicle comprising,

• a door;
• a wheelchair lift disposed in an interior of the vehicle adjacent to the door, the wheelchair lift comprising:
• a pair of tracks affixed to the interior of the vehicle;
• a panel slidably disposed on the pair of tracks;
• a scissor lift mechanism having a first end affixed to the panel;
• a platform configured for receiving a wheelchair, the platform affixed to a second end of the scissor lift mechanism;
• a first actuator configured to move the panel along the pair of tracks;
• and
• a second actuator configured to operate the scissor lift mechanism;
• a controller;
• a first sensor configured to detect when the panel has reached a fully-extended position with respect to the tracks;
• a second sensor configured to detect when the platform has returned to a predetermined stow height with respect to the panel;
• wherein the controller is configured to enable operation of the second actuator only after the first sensor detects the panel has reached the fully extended position, and to enable operation of the first actuator to retract the panel only after the second sensor detects the platform has returned to the predetermined stow height;
• wherein the second actuator includes a force sensor configured to monitor the force being exerted by the actuator and to stop operation of the actuator upon reaching a maximum force limit.

A vehicle comprising:

• a door;
• a wheelchair lift disposed in an interior of the vehicle adjacent to the door, the wheelchair lift comprising:
• a pair of tracks affixed to the interior of the vehicle;
• a panel slidably disposed on the pair of tracks;
• a scissor lift mechanism having a first end affixed to the panel;
• a platform configured for receiving a wheelchair, the platform affixed to a second end of the scissor lift mechanism;
• a rotary actuator configured to move the panel along the pair of tracks;
• a linear actuator configured to operate the scissor lift mechanism;
• one or more sensors configured to monitor one or more of a position of the door, a relative position of the panel and the pair of tracks, and a relative position of the panel and the platform;
• and
• a controller configured to operate the linear actuator and the rotary actuator based at least in part on a user command and data received from the one or more sensors, the controller further configured to:
• enable operation of the linear actuator only after a first sensor detects the panel is fully extended with respect to the tracks;
• enable operation of the rotary actuator to retract the panel only after a second sensor detects the platform is stowed with respect to the panel;
• wherein the linear actuator includes a force sensor configured to monitor the force being exerted by the actuator and to stop operation of the actuator upon reaching a maximum force limit.