Material or article handling – Self-loading or unloading vehicles – Loading or unloading by other carrier or mover means – and...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-27
2001-02-20
Werner, Frank E. (Department: 3652)
Material or article handling
Self-loading or unloading vehicles
Loading or unloading by other carrier or mover means, and...
C414S545000, C414S921000, C414S558000, C187S222000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06190112
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to lifting devices for use in motor vehicles, such as vans or buses. More particularly, this invention relates to a wheelchair lifting device that can be inserted in place of a portion of the frame of a motor vehicle and a method for installing the device in a motor vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Wheelchair lifting devices to raise and lower wheelchairs from a surface, such as the ground, to a door of a motor vehicle, such as a van or bus, have been used in the past. However, all of the prior art wheelchair lifting devices have heretofore been large and bulky and required installation with components either inside the compartment of the motor vehicle, or underneath the frame of the motor vehicle.
Accordingly, the prior art wheelchair lifting devices have suffered from several disadvantages. For example, lifting devices within the motor vehicle compartment have occupied usable space within the compartment of the motor vehicle. Lifting devices located underneath the frame of the motor vehicle have been susceptible to damage from stones or dirt during operation of the motor vehicle or being struck by the road surface when a speed bump or pothole is driven over.
Also, many of the prior art devices utilize sensors to detect when the platform of a wheelchair lifting device is in the proper position. Unfortunately, these sensors can become damaged or, if they rely on optical sensing, the optical sensors can become obscured so that they no longer operate. This is particularly troublesome in wheelchair lifting devices which are located underneath the frame of a motor vehicle, and therefore exposed to the elements. In addition, in colder climates, wheelchair lifting devices that are located underneath the frame of a vehicle are exposed to extremely low temperatures, such that either the lifting device, or the sensors, no longer operate.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved wheelchair lifting device which can be efficiently installed in a motor vehicle without having portions exposed to the elements and the road surface underneath the frame, or, having portions occupying usable space within the interior of the motor vehicle. Also, there is a need in the art for a wheelchair lifting device that is compact so that it can be installed in narrow locations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to at least partially overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. Also, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved type of wheelchair lifting device and method to install the wheelchair lifting device in a motor vehicle. Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for installing a wheelchair lifting device that does not require much space for installation, and in one embodiment, can be installed in place of a portion of the frame of a motor vehicle.
Accordingly, in one of its aspects, this invention resides in a lifting device for installation in a motor vehicle at a location where a portion of a frame of the motor vehicle has been removed, said device comprising: a stationary frame installable in the location where the portion of the frame has been removed; a movable frame movable with respect to the stationary frame; a platform having a fixed portion fixed to the movable frame and a movable portion movable with respect to the fixed portion; a platform lifting device for lifting and lowering the platform when the movable portion and the movable frame are in an extended position; a driving mechanism operatively engaging the movable frame and the movable portion to separately move the movable frame and the movable portion; and wherein the driving mechanism moves the movable frame and the movable portion from a stored position, where the movable frame, the platform and the platform lifting device are contained within the portion of the frame of the motor vehicle that has been removed, to the extended position where the platform lifting device can lift and lower the platform.
In a further aspect, the present invention resides in a method of placing a lifting device in a motor vehicle having a unibody frame comprising the steps of: attaching a subframe to a lower part of the unibody frame from a first longitudinal position to a second longitudinal position; removing a portion of the unibody frame longitudinally from the first longitudinal position to the second longitudinal position and transversely from a side of the frame a distance sufficient to accommodate the lifting device; and installing the lifting device in a location where the portion of the frame was removed.
Accordingly, one advantage of the present invention is that, in one embodiment, the device can be installed at a location where a portion of the frame of the motor vehicle has been removed. In this embodiment, the device is not exposed to the elements or subject to damage by stones or bumps in the surface of the road. A further advantage of this embodiment of the invention is that the lifting device does not occupy any space within the motor vehicle and the floor of the motor vehicle extends completely across the lifting device.
A further advantage of the present invention is that the lifting device has a single drive mechanism which can move both a telescoping movable portion of the platform and the movable frame. In this way, a simple drive mechanism can be used to move the movable portion of the platform and the movable frame from a stored position to an extended position where it can be used to lift and lower an object, such as a wheelchair. A further advantage of this lifting device is that it is compact and can be installed in a narrow location, such as in the frame of a motor vehicle.
A still further advantage of the present invention is that the wheelchair lifting device does not have any sensors exposed to the outside environment. In other words, all of the sensors required to accurately extend the lifting device from the stored to extended position, or, to lower and lift the platform are located within the stationary frame when the movable frame and platform are in the stored positions.
Further aspects of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and drawings which illustrate the invention and preferred embodiments of the invention.
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1244754 Ontario Ltd.
Pervanas Jeffrey
Riches McKenzie & Herbert LLP
Werner Frank E.
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