Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
218~791
WHEELCHAIR LIFT
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to hoists for lifting wheelchairs
into vehicles, particularly of the type which can be operated by the
5 wheelchair user.
BACKGROUND
Some disabled and injured individuals who use wllJ~l~h-! ~ are
able to drive vehicles outfitted for driving by hand controls. Such an
individual often faces the problem of loading the wheelchair into the vehicle
10 after ~etting into the vehicle his/herself. This problem can often be dealt
with by simply foldin~ the wheelchair and manually liftin~ it into a position
for storage behind the driver's seat.
This solution although practical for use in vehicles such as cars
and vans, where there is space behind the driver's seat that is easily
15 e--os "e, does not work well for vehicles such as pickup trucks. Pickup
trucks usually do not have any space behind the back seat where a
wheelchair could be stored. Since it is illl~u,cll,licdl for an individual who
uses a wheelchair to lift the wheelchair over the side wall of the car~o box
and place it into the cargo box while at the same time sitting in the cab of
20 the truck another solution is needed.
SUMMARY
According to the present invention there is provided, in a
vehicle having a cab with an access door and a cargo box:
a wheelchair hoist for use by a person sitting in the cab of the
25 vehicle for loading a v."e~ air into the cargo box of the vehicle from a
location beside the door of the cab, said wheelchair hoist comprising:
an upright support member having an upper portion and a lower
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portion, with the lower portion fixed to the cargo box of the vehicle st a
location behind the cab of the vehicle and with the upper portion mounted
for rotation on the lower portion and for movement on the lower portion
between raised and lowered positions;
S a wheelchair support arm secured to the upper portion of the
upright support member and extending laterally outwards from the upper
portion, said wl,eelclla.. support arm being selectively movable with the
upper portion of the support member between a stored position below the
top of the cab and behind the cab, and a lifting position above the cab
10 projecting beyond the door of the cab; and
means for raising and lowering the wl ,eel~ ;r towards and
away from the wheelchair support arm at a position spaced from the
support member.
Plt~t~la~ly the means for raising and lowering the wheelchair
15 comprises a suspension means on the support arm at a position spaced from
the support member; a reversible winch means; an elongate flexible member
extending from the winch means, over the suspension means to a free end;
and connection means for connecting the wheelchair to the free end of the
elongate flexible means; and wherein operating the winch in a first mode
20 causes the free end of the elongate flexible member to be drawn upwards
towards the support arm thus raising the wl,eelcl,~:.; and wherein operating
the winch in a second mode causes the free end of the elongate flexible
member to move downwards thus lowering the ~I,eelch2;(.
r,~rl ~ably the upper and lower portions of the upri~ht support
25 member telescope relative to each other and the upper portion is raised by
operating the winch.
Prer~,ably the means for pivoting the upper portion of the
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upright support member include a handle fixed at one end to the upper
portion of the upright support member extending laterally outwards
ll,er~:r,~r". The handle is arranged such that pivoting the handle about the
upright axis pivots the upper portion of the upright member about said
upright axis thereby allowing for posiLio";"g of the free end of the support
arm and the ~t.; ,eelcll~ir. The support is located to make the handle
~r~cess;'~le from the cab, for example through a rear window.
BRiEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accoll" a"ying drawings, which illustrate an exemplary
embodiment of the present invent~on:
Figure 1 is a side view of the wheelchair hoist showing the
hoist elevated;
Figure 2 is a side view of the wl,eelcllc,i. hoist showing the
hoist lowered;
Figure 3 is a front view of the wheelchair hoist;
Figure 4 is a rear view of the wheelchair hoist; and
Figure 5 is a top view of the vehicle and wheelchair hoist
showing the hoist in various positions.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to Figures 1 and 5 the wheelchair hoist is shown
generally at 10. The wheelchair hoist 10 is used for loading a wheelchair 12
into the cargo box 14 of a pick up truck or similar vehicle 16. The
wheelchair hoist 10 co",,,)rises an upright support member 26, a wheelchair
support arm 35, means for raising and lowering the wheelchair 12; means
for elevating the upper portion of the upri~ht support member; means for
pivoting the upper portion of the upright support member; and control
means 24 (Figure 5) for controlling the operation of the hoist.
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The upright support member 26 c~",prises an upper portion 28
and a lower portion 30. The lower portion 30 is an upright cylindrical
member sized such that when it is in place in the cargo box of the vehicle it
does not project above the height of the cab 17. The lower portion 30 is
fixed at its bottom end 32 to a base plate 34. The base plate 34 is fixed in
turn to the floor 36 of the cargo box 14 of the vehicle 16, thereby securing
the upright support 26 in place in the cargo box 14.
The upper portion 28 of the upright support member 26 is a
cylindrical tubular member, having a diameter sized to allow it to slide over
the lower portion 30. This allows the upper portion 28 to telescope over
the lower portion 30, and also to pivot about the lower portion 30.
Referring to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 the upright support member
26 includes a guide collar 31. The guide collar 31 is fixed to the vehicle 16
by a connecting member 33 and is arranged around the upper portion 28 of
the upright support member 26 such that the upper portion 28 of the
upright support member 26 may slide within the collar 31. This
a,~ ",e"l provides lateral support to the upri~ht support member 26 and
guides the up and down movement of the upper portion 28.
The ~I,eelclla:. support arm 35 extends laterally outwards from
the upper portion 28 of the upright support member 26 to a free end 37.
The support arm 35 includes a upright member 38 arranged adjacent and
spaced laterally from the upper portion 28 of the upright support member
26. The upright member 38 is fixed to the upper portion 28 of the upright
support member 26 by first and second co,)"e-.lion members 40 and 42.
The first connection member 40 is fixed at one end to the bottom of the
upright member 38 and at the other end to the upri~ht support member 26
near the bottom end of the upper portion 28. The second connection
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member 42 is fixed at one end to the top of the upright member 38 and at
the other end to the upright support member 26 near the top end of the
upper portion 28.
The wheelchair support arm 35 also includes an arm member
5 44 extending ho,i~unL~. ly and laterally outwards from a first end 46, which
is fixed to the upright member 38, to the free end 37. The arm member 44
extends outwards from the upright member 38 from opposite the upper
portion 28 of the upright support member 26 such that the arm member
44, the upright member 38, and the upper portion 28 of the upright support
10 member 26 are aligned with one another. A strut member 47 extends from
a point near the first end 46 of the arm member 44 to a point near the top
end of the upright member 38. The strut member 47 gives support to the
arm member 44.
The means for raising and lowering the wheelchair 12
cor"p,i ,es a first pulley 48, a winch 50 cable guides 52 and a connection
means 54.
The first pulley 48 is arranged at the free end 37 of the arm
member 44 of the wl ,eelcllail support arm 35. The first pulley 48 is
mounted by a pair of opposed flanges 49 arranged one on either side of the
arm member 44 extending outwards from the free end 37 and Iying in line
with the support member 44. The flanges 49 extend past the pulley and are
joined together at their ends by a connecting member 51 extending between
the flanges 49. The connecting member 51 acts as a stop when raising the
cable member 58.
The winch 50 col"p~i~as a cable winch driven by a reversible
electric motor 56. The cable member 58 extends upwards from the winch
50 to the arm member 44 of the ~;,eelcl~di, support arm 35. The cable 58
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extends along the arm member 44 to the first pulley 48, and then
downwards over the first pulley 48 to an Qnd 60 of the cable 58.
The cable guides 52 are spaced apart from one another and are
arranged alon~ the top surface 53 of the arm member 44. The cable guides
52 align the cable 58 with the first pulley 48 and guide the movement of the
cable 58 over the arm member 44 to the first pulley 48.
The connection means 54 are arranged at the free end 60 of
the cable 58 and connect the v.l~eel~.l,a;r 12 to the hoist 10. The
connection means 54 is a hook fixed to the end 60 of the cable 58.
The wheelchair 12 may be raised by operating the winch 50 in
a first mode which causes the winch 50 to reel in the cable 58 such that the
free end 60 of the cable 58 is drawn upwards towards the puiley 48 thus
raising the wl)eel~ l,air 12. The wheelchair 12 may be lowered by operating
the winch 50 in a second mode which causes the winch 50 to pay out the
cable 58 such that the free end 60 of the cable 58 is lowered away from the
pulley 48 thus lowering the wheeichair 12.
The means for elevating the upper and lower portion of the
upright support member comprise the upper and lower portions 28 and 30
of the upright support member 26 and an elevating ",ecllal,i.,",.
The elevating ",e- l,ar,;;.", co"",ri~es the winch 50 a second
pulley 66, and a cable guide 68 fixed to the upper portion 28 of the upright
member 26. The second pulley 66 is fixed to the vehicle 16 by a
connectin~ member 67 and is arranged at a position above the winch 50
such that it can cooperate with the winch 50. The cable ~uide 68 is fixed
to the upper portion 28 of the upright support member 26 adjacent a bottom
end of the upper portion 28. The cable guide 68 has an opening 69 for
receiving the winch cable 58. The opening 69 is arranged to lie laterally of
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the upper portion 28 of the upright support member 26.
The cable 58 is arranged to extend from the winch 50 upwards
to the second pulley 66, then downwards to the cable guide 68. The cable
passes through the cable guide 68 and upwards to the cable guides 52 on
the arm member 44 and finally downwards over the first pulley 48.
To elevate the hoist 10 first the connection means 54 is raised
by operating the winch 50 until the conne.,~ioll means 54 is in contact with
the connecting member 51 and the first pulley 48. Once this has been done
the winch 50 is further operated to elevate the upper portion 28 of the
upright support member 26. Since the conne~.lion means 54 is in contact
with the conne~.li"g member 51 and the first pulley 48 the end 60 of the
cable 58 cannot be reeled in any further, this causes the cable 58 to apply
an upwards force to the cable guide 68 on the upper portion 28 of the
upri~ht support member 26. The upwards force causes the upper portion
28 to move upwards and thus more cable to be reeled in thereby elevating
the wheelchair support arm 35. The connection member 40 is fixed to the
upper portion 28 and acts as a stop causing the upward motion of the upper
portion 28 to stop when the connection member 40 comes into contact with
the collar 31.
The wheelchair hoist 10 includes a locking means 70 for
locking the hoist 10 in the elevated position. This allows the hoist to lower
the wheelchair 12 when in position in f~ont of a door of the vehicle 16. The
wheelchair can then be lowered while keeping the upper portion 28 of the
upright support member 26 in the elevated position and clear of the side
wall 13 of the cargo box 14. The locking means 70 coi"~,,is~s a threaded
hole 72 arranged in the upper portion 28 of the upright support member 26
near the bottom end thereof, and a threaded member 74 extending through
_ _ _ _ _ , .
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the threaded hole 72. Turning the threaded member 74 in the hole 72 locks
the upper portion 28 in place relativs to the lower portion 30.
The means for pivoting the hoist and w~.~rl~l,3:. 12 include a
handle member 76 fixed at one end to the upper portion 28 of the upright
S support member 26 extending laterally outwards therefrom. The handle 76
is arranged such that pivoting the handle 76 about the longitudinal axis 78
pivots the upper portion 28 of the upright member 26 about the same
longitudinal axis 78. This enables the user to swin~ the arm member 44
thereby l~pO~iLio~, l9 the free end 37 of the arm 44 between a range of
lO positions from adjacent the driver's side door of the cab 17 to over the
cargo box 14 of the vehicle 16.
The hoist 10 is operated by electrical control means 24 which
operate the winch motor 56 from a location remote from the hoist 10. The
control means 24 is arranged inside of the pdssen~r co",)a,L"~e"~ of the
15 vehicle 16 within easy reach of an individual sitting in the driver's seat.
To use the wheelchair hoist the individual in the wheelchair 12
maneuvers to a position next to a door in the cab 17 of the vehicle 16 and
gets into the cab. The individual then operates the hoist 10 by actuating
the control means 24 to elevate the wheelchair support arm 35 from the
20 stored position with the free end below the top of the cab to a position
above the cab 17 of the vehicle. The hoist 10 is then locked in the elevated
position by turning in the threaded member 74. This allows the connection
means 54 to be lowered without causin~ the ~I,eel~ l~; supporting arm 35
to be lowered from the elevated position. Once this is done the upper
25 portion of the hoist 10 is pivoted by grasping the handle 76 and pivoting it
about the upright axis 78 until the free end 37 of the arm member 44 lies in
a lifting position adjacent the door of the cab 17 and above the wheelchair
. , . . ~
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g
1 2.
Next, the chair 12 is attached to the hoist 10 using the
connection means 54. The vi~.tel~llai( 12 is now raised by actuating the
control means 24 causing the winch 50 to raise the connection means and
S chair 12. The wheelchair 12 is raised to a height where it clears the side
wall 13 of the cargo box 14 of the vehicle 16. The upper portion 28 of the
hoist 10 is now pivoted about the upright axis 78 so that the free end 37
and wheelchair 12 is po:,ilio,led over the cargo box 14. Now the locking
means 70 is released by turning the threaded member 74 outwards and the
10 winch 50 is reversed to first lower the hoist 10 into the lowered position
and then lower the wheelchair 12 on to the floor 36 of the cargo box 14.
The wheelchair 12 is left in this position with the co~lne~.lio~l means 54 stillattached to the chair 12 so that the hoist may be used to lift the wheelchair
12 back out of the cargo box 14 without reattaching the cable 58 to the
IS wheelchair 12.
To remove the wheelchair 12 from the cargo box 14 the above
method is simply performed in reverse.
After lowering the w''.t~ ' 12 to the ground the hoist 10 is
pivoted from the position adjacent a door of the vehicle 16 to a storage
20 position over the cargo box 14, and the hoist 10 is lowered from the
elevated position to the lowered position.
The wheelchair hoist and controls may be positioned on either
the driver's or passt:"~er side of the vehicle.
Alternative arrangements may have additional t~!e~p l9
25 sections and/or may have the upper portion~s) arranged to telescope into the
lower portion(s~ instead of over the lower portion(s~.
While one ~", ~ ,lel,l of the present invention has been
, . _ _ . . . _ . , ... .. _ _ _ _ _ _
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described in the fore~oin~, it is to be understood that other embodiments
are possible within the scope of th~ invention. The invention is to be
conside,~d limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.