EP0748618A1 - Device for immobilizing a wheelchair - Google Patents

Abstract

The immobiliser consists of two shutters (2) which are let into the floor (3) of a vehicle. They are actuated by two push-buttons (8,9) on a raised pedestal (10) which is accessible to the wheelchair user. The two shutters are raised and lowered by a power cylinder and lever mechanism located in the pedestal and beneath the floor. In the raised position they fit to the front and rear of at least one wheel of the wheelchair, preventing it from moving in either direction, while when lowered they lie flush with the floor and cause no hindrance to movement.

Description

The present invention relates to devices for transporting patients or people with reduced mobility, in general, and relates, more particularly, to a device for immobilizing a wheelchair.

Document US Pat. No. 3,955,847 discloses a device for immobilizing a wheelchair comprising two ruts capable of each receiving one or the other of the two wheels of the wheelchair as well as means for fixing a transverse bar. now the two wheels in their respective ruts.

It is also known from document US 3 937 376 a device for immobilizing a wheelchair comprising two means making it possible to block the front and the rear of each of the two wheels of the wheelchair.

The two devices described in these documents are both based on the use of means having the effect of directly blocking the front and rear of each of the two wheels of the wheelchair.

Also an object of the invention is to provide a device for immobilizing a wheelchair that can adapt to all existing standards.

It is therefore the merit of the applicant to propose a device for immobilizing a wheelchair, the structure and implementation of which is different from the structures and implementations known from the devices of the prior art.

According to the invention, the device for immobilizing a wheelchair, is characterized by means for blocking the front and rear of at least one of the wheels of said wheelchair, said blocking means comprising two articulated flaps capable of being positioned one at the front and the other at the rear of said wheel of said wheelchair.

• lorsque ledit dispositif est installé dans un plancher d'un véhicule, les deux volets articulés sont intégrés dans l'épaisseur dudit plancher,
• l'un des deux volets est un volet fixe,
• des moyens de commande desdits volets articulés sont disposés de manière à être accessibles à la personne utilisant le fauteuil roulant,
• des moyens de verrouillage coopèrent avec des moyens de maintien 6A desdits moyens de verrouillage de manière à reprendre les efforts appliqués sur l'un et/ou l'autre desdits volets articulés lorsque lesdits volets articulés sont en position d'utilisation,
• des moyens de guidage coopèrent avec lesdits moyens de verrouillage, lesdits moyens de verrouillage coulissant dans lesdits moyens de guidage et étant guidés par lesdits moyens de guidage jusqu'à ce que lesdits moyens de verrouillage soient maintenus dans lesdits moyens de maintien, lesdits moyens de guidage reprenant les efforts appliqués sur l'un ou l'autre desdits volets articulés pendant la phase de montée ou de descente desdits volets articulés.

The wheelchair immobilizer of the invention also satisfies at least one of the following characteristics:

• when said device is installed in a floor of a vehicle, the two articulated flaps are integrated into the thickness of said floor,
• one of the two components is a fixed component,
• control means for said articulated flaps are arranged so as to be accessible to the person using the wheelchair,
• locking means cooperate with holding means 6A of said locking means so as to take up the forces applied to one and / or the other of said articulated flaps when said articulated flaps are in the position of use,
• guide means cooperate with said locking means, said locking means sliding in said guide means and being guided by said guide means until said locking means are held in said holding means, said guide means taking up the forces applied to one or the other of said articulated flaps during the ascent or descent phase of said articulated flaps.

An advantage of the immobilizer of a wheelchair of the invention is that the passenger is autonomous in the passenger car.

Another advantage of the device for immobilizing a wheelchair of the invention is that the control means are easily maneuverable.

Another advantage of the device for immobilizing a wheelchair of the invention is that the device of the invention does not hamper free movement in the passenger car when it is not in use.

Another advantage of the wheelchair immobilization device of the invention is that the device can be operated under the most severe conditions, namely: emergency braking, transverse and longitudinal acceleration.

Another advantage of the device for immobilizing a wheelchair of the invention is that the device is in one piece, hence easier assembly.

Another advantage of the device for immobilizing a wheelchair of the invention is that the device integrates easily into the environment.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective du dispositif d'immobilisation d'un fauteuil roulant conforme à l'invention en position hors service,
• la figure 2 reprend la vue en perspective de la figure 1 lorsque le dispositif d'immobilisation d'un fauteuil roulant de l'invention est en position d'utilisation,
• la figure 3 représente une vue frontale d'un mode de réalisation préféré des moyens de commande des volets articulés,
• les figures 4 et 5 sont des vues en coupe partielle des moyens de commande des volets articulés représentés à la figure 3.

Other objects, characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the description of the preferred embodiment of the immobilizer for a wheelchair, description made in conjunction with the drawings in which:

• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device for immobilizing a wheelchair according to the invention in the out-of-service position,
• FIG. 2 shows the perspective view of FIG. 1 when the device for immobilizing a wheelchair of the invention is in the position of use,
• FIG. 3 represents a front view of a preferred embodiment of the means for controlling the articulated flaps,
• FIGS. 4 and 5 are views in partial section of the means for controlling the articulated flaps shown in FIG. 3.

Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views of the immobilizer of a wheelchair according to the invention.

The immobilizer of a wheelchair of the invention is capable of being installed in a floor, for example a floor of a passenger car of a rail or road vehicle or even a floor of an airplane or 'a boat.

The immobilizer of a wheelchair of the invention is also suitable for operating as an escalator, for example in a private home or in a public or private building.

The immobilizer of a wheelchair of the invention consists of mechanical means integrated into the thickness of the floor and control means of these mechanical means also integrated and accessible to the person using the wheelchair.

According to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, the integrated mechanical means of the immobilizer of a wheelchair of the invention consist of two articulated flaps 2 arranged in a box 1, the assembly being integrated in the thickness of the floor 3 of the vehicle.

The two articulated flaps 2 each have a wall 2A movable in rotation relative to the base of the articulated flap concerned.

These sides of the movable walls of the two articulated flaps are arranged parallel to each other and to the floor.

The two articulated flaps 2 have the function of immobilizing the main wheels R of the wheelchair because the movable walls 2A of the two articulated flaps 2 are positioned, respectively, on either side of the main wheels of the wheelchair, the movable walls then forming a Vé.

The immobilization of the wheelchair takes place once the wheelchair is put in place between the two articulated flaps and after these two articulated flaps are actuated.

In other words, in the out-of-service position (see Figure 1), the two hinged flaps are flush with the floor while in the operating position (see Figure 2), the two hinged flaps form an obstacle above the floor. sufficient to prevent movement of the wheelchair during maximum acceleration, especially in the event of emergency braking.

According to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, the control means of the integrated mechanical means comprise two push buttons 8, 9 preferably arranged on the upper part of a cover 10 so as to be accessible to the person using the wheelchair.

The control means of the integrated mechanical means are for example mechanical, electrical, pneumatic or hydraulic means.

Locking means 11 for controlling the integrated mechanical means can be used to override the control of the integrated mechanical means when no wheelchair is placed between the two articulated flaps.

Authorization to put the wheelchair immobilizer into service is for example carried out using the train service agent's service key.

FIG. 3 represents a front view of a preferred embodiment of the means for controlling the articulated flaps.

This FIG. 3 is supplemented by FIGS. 4 and 5 which are views in partial section of the means for controlling the articulated flaps.

In these Figures 3 to 5, the box 1 and the hinged flaps 2 are again shown.

The articulated flaps 2 are actuated by means of actuators by means of means for transmitting the force produced by the actuator means.

The actuator means consist, for example, of a jack 4.

The transmission means are, for example, links 5.

The cylinder 4 is for example a pneumatic cylinder.

The jack 4 is arranged vertically relative to the floor 3 of the vehicle.

The articulated flaps 2 are arranged on either side of the jack 4 and are made integral at one end of the jack by means of the rods 5.

Locking of the articulated flaps in the use position is ensured by locking means 6. These locking means 6 have the function of resuming the forces applied to one and / or the other of the articulated flaps when said articulated flaps are in the operating position, mainly when moving the vehicle or during the operation of the escalator.

To do this, the locking means 6 cooperate with holding means 6A of the locking means 6.

These holding means 6A are preferably cylindrical in shape, they are arranged coaxially with the jack 4 and with the locking means 6 and are fixed in the lower part of the box 1.

The locking means 6, when the locking device is in the use position, are in the low position and are at least partially held by the holding means 6A.

Guide means 7, of U-shaped cross section, are arranged parallel to the jack 4.

These guide means 7 cooperate with the locking means 6 in that the locking means 6 are such that they slide in the guide means 7 so as to be guided by them until the locking means 6 are held in the holding means 6A.

These guide means 7 have the function of taking up the forces applied to one or the other of the articulated flaps 2 during the raising or lowering phase of the articulated flaps.

According to another embodiment not shown, the device for immobilizing an armchair roller of the invention comprises a fixed flap and an articulated flap.

The fixed flap forms an obstacle above the floor sufficient to prevent the movement of the wheelchair beyond this fixed flap.

The wheelchair is then likely to come into abutment against the fixed shutter, the articulated shutter being integrated into the thickness of the floor.

The second articulated flap is then ordered as described above.

The main wheels of the wheelchair are immobilized effectively because the fixed wall of the fixed flap and the movable wall of the articulated flap are, respectively, on either side of the main wheels of the wheelchair, the walls then forming a V .

It is clear that the walls of the articulated flaps and of the fixed flap preferably form a V when the flaps are in the position of use. However, this may not be the case.

Finally, the walls of the flaps can be flat or even convex or concave, for example, made of embossed stainless material so as to be non-slip.

Claims (6)

Device for immobilizing a wheelchair, characterized by means for blocking the front and rear of at least one of the wheels of said wheelchair, said blocking means consisting of two articulated flaps (2) capable of to be positioned one at the front and the other at the rear of said wheel R of said wheelchair. Device according to claim 1, in which, when said device is installed in a floor of a vehicle, the two articulated flaps are integrated into the thickness of said floor. Device according to either of Claims 1 and 2, in which one of the two flaps is a fixed flap. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which means for controlling said articulated flaps are arranged so as to be accessible to the person using the wheelchair. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which locking means (6) cooperate with holding means (6A) of said locking means (6) so as to take up the forces applied to one and / or the other of said articulated flaps when said articulated flaps are in the position of use. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which guide means (7) cooperate with said locking means (6), said locking means (6) sliding in said guide means (7) and being guided by said guide means (7) until said locking means (6) are held in said holding means (6A), said guide means (7) taking up the forces applied to one or the other of said articulated flaps (2) during the ascent or descent phase of said articulated flaps.

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