Wheelchair lift for a stage

A wheelchair lift assembly reciprocally disposed in a cavity located below a lower surface when in a stowed position, the wheelchair lift assembly comprising:

• (a) a lift platform;
• (b) a lifting mechanism coupled to the lift platform for actuating the lift platform between a lowered position, wherein the lift platform is substantially coplanar with the lower surface, and a raised position, wherein the lift platform is substantially coplanar with an upper surface;
• (c) an upper surface barrier in communication with the lifting mechanism;
• and
• (d) an upper surface barrier actuating assembly coupled to the upper surface barrier for actuating the upper surface barrier between a stowed position, wherein the upper surface barrier is disposed substantially flush or below the upper surface, and an extended position, wherein the upper surface barrier extends above the upper surface to impede ingress and egress from the lift platform.

A wheelchair lift assembly disposed in a cavity located below a lower surface, the wheelchair lift assembly comprising:

• (a) a frame;
• (b) a lift platform coupled to the frame, the lift platform actuatable between a lowered position, wherein the lift platform is substantially coplanar with the lower surface, and a raised position, wherein the lift platform is substantially coplanar with the upper surface;
• (c) a handrail coupled to the lift platform, the handrail actuatable between a stowed position and a raised position;
• (d) a lift platform barrier coupled to the lift platform, the lift platform barrier actuatable between a stowed position, wherein the lift platform barrier permits ingress and egress from the lift platform, and a raised position, wherein the lift platform barrier is inclined relative to the lift platform to impede access to the lift platform;
• and
• (e) an actuating assembly coupled to the lift platform, handrail, and lift platform barrier, the actuating assembly adapted to configure the lift platform between the lowered and raised positions, the handrail between the stowed and raised positions, and the lift platform barrier between the stowed and raised positions.

A combination wheelchair lift assembly and barrier assembly comprising:

• (a) a frame;
• (b) a lift platform reciprocally mounted to the frame for actuation between a lowered position and a raised position;
• (c) a first barrier assembly coupled to one end of the lift platform, the first barrier assembly selectively actuatable between a raised position, wherein the first barrier impedes access to the lift platform, and a stowed position;
• and
• (d) a second barrier in communication with the lift platform for selective deployment, the second barrier deployable between a stowed position and a deployed position, wherein access to the lift platform is impeded by the second barrier.

A combination wheelchair lift assembly and barrier assembly comprising:

• (a) a frame;
• (b) a lift platform reciprocally mounted to the frame for actuation between a lowered position and a raised position;
• (c) a retractable barrier disposed in proximity to the lift platform, the retractable barrier selectively reciprocal between a deployed position to impede access to the lift platform and a stowed position to permit access to the lift platform, the retractable barrier comprising:
• (i) a first panel having a pivot axis;
• (ii) a second panel having a pivot axis;
• and
• (d) an actuation assembly, the actuation assembly comprising a linkage assembly coupled to the retractable barrier, the linkage assembly adapted to reciprocate the retractable barrier between the deployed and stowed positions along a predetermined path by rotating each of the panels about their respective pivot axis and by displacing the first and second panels in a direction inclined relative to the pivot axes.

A barrier assembly for selectively impeding and permitting access to a selected area, the barrier assembly comprising:

• (a) a retractable barrier comprising:
• (i) a first panel having a pivot axis;
• (ii) a second panel having a pivot axis;
• and
• (b) an actuation assembly, the actuation assembly comprising a linkage assembly coupled to the retractable barrier, the linkage assembly adapted to reciprocate the retractable barrier between a stowed position to allow access to the selected area and a deployed position to impede access to the selected area along a predetermined path by rotating each of the panels about their respective pivot axis and by displacing the first and second panels in a direction inclined relative to the pivot axes.