Automatic wheelchair restraining device
OwnerAlfred Lewis Budd, Jeffrey J. Hermansoninventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a mechanism for moving a vehicular wheelchair restraining device back and forth between a remote, stowed position and a deployed position from which it may lockingly engage a wheelchair to prevent it from freely moving around the vehicle. The mechanism includes a shallow platform having ramped sides over which a wheelchair may easily roll, and a motor and drive train for moving the wheelchair restraining mechanism between its remote position and its deployed position.
Claims10
A wheelchair lockdown device, comprising:
- an elongated member having a proximal end, a distal end, a substantially flat top portion, a bottom portion and tapered elongated sides extending from the bottom portion to the top portion;
- a motor connected to said elongated member and having a rotatable drive member;
- a pulley mounted to said bottom portion of said elongated member substantially near said distal end and substantially covered by said top portion;
- a slotted guide track formed in said elongated member;
- a lockdown apparatus slideably mounted in said slotted guide track and adapted to releasably engage a wheelchair;
- and
- a flexible drive connector extending from said lockdown apparatus around said pulley and around said rotatable drive member and back to said lockdown apparatus;
- wherein said flexible drive connector tractionally engages said rotatable drive member;
- and
- wherein rotation of said rotatable drive member causes movement of said flexible connector and actuates sliding of said lockdown apparatus in said slotted guide track.
An apparatus for securing a wheelchair in a motor vehicle, comprising, in combination:
- a raised platform having a top portion, a bottom portion mounted to the floor of the motor vehicle, ramped side portions extending from said bottom portion to said top portion, a proximal end and a distal end;
- a pulley positioned substantially at said proximal end between said top portion and said bottom portion;
- a guide track formed in said top portion and linearly extending substantially from said distal end to said proximal end;
- a motor coupled to said platform and having a rotatable drive member;
- a lockdown apparatus having a guide track-engaging portion operationally coupled to said guide track and adapted to move in said guide track;
- a drive train having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end is connected to said lockdown apparatus;
- wherein said drive train extends from said lockdown apparatus to said motor and engages said rotatable drive member and extends around said pulley and back to said lockdown apparatus;
- and
- wherein said second end is connected to said lockdown apparatus.
A wheelchair lockdown device, comprising:
- a platform having a proximal end and a distal end;
- a guide track formed in said platform and substantially extending from said proximal end to said distal end;
- a lockdown apparatus slideably mounted in said guide track and adapted to releasably engage a wheelchair;
- and
- a motor operationally coupled to said platform and to said lockdown apparatus;
- wherein said motor is adapted to move said lockdown apparatus in said guide track.
A method for securing a wheelchair to a vehicle, comprising:
- providing an engaging member extending downwardly from the wheelchair;
- positioning the wheelchair above a portion of the platform with the engaging member extending downwardly from the wheelchair for engagement;
- moving a wheelchair restraining apparatus along said platform from a stowed position to a wheelchar engaging position;
- and
- coupling the wheelchair to the wheelchair restraining apparatus via the engaging member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.