Wheelchair accessible vehicle having a swing door and modification methods therefor
AssigneeBraun GmbH
InventorEric Sajed Dosenbach
Life of this patent
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Abstract
To permit wheelchair access, a door assembly of an OEM vehicle may be modified with a replacement door hinge that increases the door swing angle while maintaining clearances between door and a front door assembly, the vehicle body, and a wheelchair ramp installed in the door opening. To preserve the door's OEM closed position, the replacement door hinge (when in the closed position) may match the geometry between the OEM hinge's door and vehicle connection points. Additionally or alternatively, the door assembly may be modified to include a powered door opening assembly comprising a slider block configured with a motor to reciprocate along a width of the door and a connecting rod pivotally coupled between the vehicle and the slider block.
Claims20
A method of modifying an existing vehicle, wherein the existing vehicle includes a door assembly comprising at least a first hinge connecting a door to a vehicle body at a door opening whereby the door is pivotable about a first hinge axis of the first hinge relative to the vehicle body between an original closed position and an original fully open position, the method comprising the step of modifying the door assembly whereby the door is pivotable about a second hinge axis relative to the vehicle body between a modified closed position and a modified fully open position, the modified fully open position being different from the original fully open position wherein an obstructive width of the door blocking the door opening is decreased in the modified fully open position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.