Storage rack for human transporter
AssigneeUnited States Postal Service
InventorsRichard W. Fraer, Brad J. Suchy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There is disclosed a storage rack that can onload, secure, and offload a human transporter device such as a SEGWAY HT. The storage rack is attached to a vehicle such as a postal vehicle. The vehicle can thus transport a human transporter while the human transporter is itself secured to the storage rack. The storage rack includes a ramp. A human transporter can be loaded onto the storage rack under its own power by moving up the ramp, and the human transporter can be offloaded from the storage rack under its own power by moving down the ramp. The ramp is secured to the storage rack in an upright position when the carrying vehicle is in motion.
Claims25
A storage rack for transporting a human transporter comprising:
- a platform for receiving a human transporter;
- a ramp module hingeably attached to said platform and wherein the human transporter can move over said ramp module to said platform;
- a vertical support column attached to said platform;
- and
- means for securing said ramp module to said vertical support column.
A storage rack locking mechanism for securing the control bar of a two-wheeled, self-balancing human transporter to said storage rack, said locking mechanism comprising:
- a locking arm with two ends, one end of said locking arm attached to said storage rack, and the opposing end of said locking arm terminating in two forked sections with each forked section having a recessed area, and wherein the area defined by said two forked sections is formed to hold the human transporter control bar;
- a vertical support column affixed to said storage rack having a pin block;
- at least one pin attached to said pin block, said pin capable of receiving the recessed area of said forked section;
- and
- at least one locking bar pivotally attached to said pin block, said locking bar having a recess for engaging said pin.
A storage rack for carrying a two-wheeled self-balancing human transporter on a vehicle comprising:
- a pair of ramps held in substantially parallel position with the distance between the center lines of said ramps approximating the distance between the wheels of the human transporter, said pair of ramps allowing the human transporter to travel on a surface of said pair of ramps;
- a cross member positioned between said pair of ramps for holding said ramps in position;
- a framework attached to the vehicle;
- a pair of runners mounted on said framework, said pair of runners held in substantially parallel position with the distance between the center lines of said tracks approximating the distance between the wheels of the human transporter;
- each of said pair of runners attached to each of said pair of ramps by a hinge thereby allowing said pair of ramps to move from an unloading position to a closed position, said pair of runners allowing the human transporter to travel on a surface of said pair of runners;
- a vertical support column affixed to said framework in a substantially orthogonal direction;
- a locking bar with two ends, rotatably attached to said cross member at one end thereby permitting said locking bar to swing freely;
- means for securing said locking bar to said vertical support column
A method of transporting and securing a two-wheeled, self-balancing human transporter onto a storage-rack affixed to a vehicle comprising the steps of:
- moving the human transporter from the ground onto and over a pair of ramps connected to a platform;
- passing the human transporter from said ramps onto platform runners;
- bringing the wheels of the human transporter to rest in cutouts on said platform runners;
- and
- securing the human transporter on said storage rack by raising said ramps to a substantially vertical position thereby engaging a locking bar with a vertical support column.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.