Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Seats with body modifications
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-15
2001-09-04
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Seats with body modifications
C296S065030
Reexamination Certificate
active
06283528
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field
The invention is in the field of devices for assisting persons who have difficulty entering and exiting motor vehicles due to the use of a wheelchair or otherwise due to their physical limitations, and more specifically to vehicle access devices that mount within the space between the door and seat of such motor vehicles.
2. State of the Art
Various devices are available for assisting handicapped persons who utilize wheelchairs to enter and exit motor vehicles. For example, specially modified vans having elevator lifts mounted in the doorway thereof have been used for years. Such lifts typically include a ramp upon which the entire wheelchair with person is wheeled which lifts by means of a pair of hydraulic cylinders mounted at opposite sides thereof and to the outer frame of the doorway. The hydraulic power to operate the hydraulic cylinders comes from a hydraulic pump mounted to the vehicle engine. Such a lift system requires modification to the motor vehicle and only fits on certain model of vans. Likewise, specially modified commercial buses are built with hydraulic lifts in the front doorway thereof with similar disadvantages to the van. Such specially modified vans and particularly buses are obviously not affordable by most individuals.
Regarding modified private automobiles and vans for wheelchair access, there is a powered base which replaces the standard fixed base in full-sized Ford cars made by the Braun Corporation of Winamac, Ind. Such power base allows the front driver or passenger seat to pivot sideways and tilt downwardly such that the front edge thereof is at about the height of a wheelchair positioned adjacent to the vehicle so as to facilitate transfer therebetween. Once such transfer from the wheelchair to the car seat has been made, the power base lifts and pivots the occupant into a standard position in such car. Such system requires modifications to the vehicle, costs approximately $3,000, and only fits certain car models.
The Bruno Corporation of Oconomowoc, Wis. manufactures a powered base for use in full-sized pick-up trucks which lowers the driver or passenger from his seat by about six and one half inches from the standard position so as to facilitate transfer to and from a wheelchair therebeside. Such powered base does not allow the seat to pivot, costs approximately $2,500, and requires modifications to the vehicle.
The Bruno Corporation also manufacturers a folding seat lift system for use with full size vans and pickup trucks. Such lift system includes a pair of lift towers which install to the floor of the vehicle adjacent the outside edge of the driver's side seat. A lift bar spans between the respective towers with a pivotally attached seat which has a horizontal position extending out the vehicle doorway with the door open and a vertical position for stowage during driving with the vehicle door closed. A folding L-shaped armrest and safety bar attached to one of the towers aids in maintaining the occupant in the seat during use. This lift system presumably uses electric screw or hydraulic type lifting. Such lift system is also relatively expensive.
There is a need for a low-cost transfer system which can be used particularly in small, energy efficient automobiles and small pickup trucks which requires no modification to such vehicle for installation therein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A folding motor vehicle entry seat for facilitating the entry and exit of a person who uses a wheelchair or other persons with physical limitations in entering and exiting a vehicle, such as from a wheelchair positioned adjacent such vehicle to a seat of such motor vehicle and vice-versa. The entry seat is completely manually operated and uses no hydraulic, motor, or other powered assist and can be manufactured to attach to the vehicle using the floor of the vehicle body and/or the existing connections such as the standard vehicle bolts and brackets which attach the vehicle seat and optionally the seat belt to the vehicle body or other such vehicle structure (hereinafter called the vehicle body) without requiring any or only minor modification of the vehicle.
The entry seat comprises a main frame means, which can be of extendible length, end a seat means which is pivotally connected thereto by a pivot means. The main frame means typically comprises a pair of upstanding post means held in a spaced relationship by a cross member means. The main frame means extends generally parallel to and adjacent the side of the vehicle seat, can include portions at front and/or rear ends thereof which extend laterally inwardly thereof, and which uses the vehicle body, the floor of the vehicle body, and/or existing connections to attach to the vehicle. The main frame means includes spaced-apart, vertically operable guide means, typically at least partly formed by the post means, between which the inside edge portion of the seat means is positioned and to which the seat means is pivotally connected by the pivot means. Such pivotal connections can vertically slide along the guide means to move to a deployed position wherein the seat means is at the top portion of the guide means in an outwardly extending, generally horizontal position at about the height of the seating surface of the vehicle seat. The guide means typically comprises respective vertically extending slots into which respective pin portions of the seat means extend so as to slide therealong.
The seat means is supported in the horizontal, deployed position by a seat stop means of the main frame means which contacts the inside edge portion of the seat means and which supports the seat means along with the pivotal connections which contact respective upper ends of the guide means. The seat means folds to a stowed position by grasping and lifting the outside edge portion thereof so as to pivot the seat means about the pivotal connections and to be disengaged from the seat stop means to a vertical position and then vertically lowered along the guide means to a stowed position between the guide means adjacent the outside of the vehicle seat.
The portions at the front and/or rear ends of the main frame means which extend inwardly can comprise separately bolted-on adapter brackets to adapt to particular motor vehicles, such as to bolt directly to the vehicle body, the floor of the body, and/or to one or more existing connections which retain the seats and seat belts of the vehicle to the body thereof. The front and rear adapter brackets typically include respective upper and lower ends, the upper ends of which are removably attachable to the main frame means using a bolt means which extends through respective holes in said main frame, typically one or more of a plurality of holes which extends vertically on the main frame means, for selective attachment of the front and/or rear adapter brackets at a plurality of vertical positions thereon to fit the particular vehicle, and the lower ends which are attachable to the body of the vehicle, typically the floor thereof. The lower portion of the adapter brackets car include respective pairs of generally V-shaped notches at opposite edges thereof interconnected by respective bend lines disposed at an angle to the longitudinal centerline of said adapter bracket, such that the height at which said adapter bracket mounts to the respective post is configurable to the particular motor vehicle by attaching the respective adapter bracket to the respective post at the desired vertical position for the particular motor vehicle and bending the respective lower portion along the respective bend line for proper attachment to the floor of the vehicle.
The seat stop means can further comprise a pivoting brace means which extends from the seat means adjacent the outside edge thereof to the upper surface of the body lower doorway portion of the vehicle for additional support. A brace stop means thereof, typically being adjustable so as to fit various vehicles, positions the brace means at the proper angle to contact the body lower doorway portion of the pa
Dayoan D. Glenn
Mallinckrodt & Mallinckrodt
Morrow Jason
Rayve Brian R.
LandOfFree
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