Slidably collapsible two arm wheel chair lift
AssigneeRicon Corporation
InventorsSteven Fisher, Miguel Monge
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A wheelchair lift for use in conjunction with a vehicle having a floor. The lift includes a power actuating system, a platform assembly having first and second platform sections, a linking assembly having first and second vertical arms connected to the platform assembly, and first and second fold-facilitating links connecting the first and second vertical arms respectively to the first and second platform sections. The linking assembly connects the power actuating system to the platform assembly. During a folding process, the first and second fold-facilitating links cause the first platform section to pivot with respect to the second platform section and the first vertical arm to move with respect to the second vertical arm.
Claims20
A wheelchair lift for use in conjunction with a vehicle having a floor, the lift comprising:
- a power actuating system;
- a platform assembly comprising at least first and second platform sections;
- a linking assembly connecting the power actuating system to the platform assembly, the linking assembly having first and second vertical arms connected to the platform assembly;
- and
- first and second fold-facilitating links connected to the first and second vertical arms respectively and the first and second platform sections,
- wherein during a folding process, the first and second fold-facilitating links cause the first platform section to pivot with respect to the second platform section and the first vertical arm to move with respect to the second vertical arm.
A method of stowing a wheelchair lift in a vehicle having a floor, the method comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a wheelchair lift having a power actuating system, a platform assembly and a linking assembly connecting the power actuating system to the platform assembly, the linking assembly having first and second vertical arms connected to the platform assembly;
- and
- b. moving the platform assembly from a floor level position to a stowed position while simultaneously folding the platform assembly along a longitudinally oriented fold perpendicular to an extended edge of the vehicle floor.
A wheelchair lift for use in conjunction with a vehicle having a floor, the lift comprising:
- a power actuating system;
- a platform assembly including first and second platform sections;
- a linking assembly connecting the power actuating system to the platform assembly, the linking assembly having first and second vertical arms connected to the platform assembly, wherein at least one of the first and second vertical arms is movable toward the other vertical arm;
- at least one fold-facilitating link disposed between the first vertical arm and the first platform section, wherein during movement of at least one of the vertical arms towards the other vertical arm, the at least one fold-facilitating link causes the platform to fold along a longitudinally oriented fold pivotally connecting the first and second platform sections.
The wheelchair lift of 15 wherein the movable tower defines a slot through which the at least one track extends.
In a wheelchair lift having a platform, a power actuating system and two vertical arms connecting the power actuating system to the platform, the improvement comprising at least one fold-facilitating link for folding the platform along a longitudinally oriented fold pivotally connecting a first platform section to a second platform section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.