WO2000054717A1 - Device for the use of motor vehicles by wheelchair-bound individuals - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a wheelchair with removable wheels in combination with a pivoting and lifting device, whereby said swinging and lifting device can be mounted in a motor vehicle and comprises a coupling element which can be coupled to a corresponding coupling element that is accordingly mounted on the wheelchair, said coupling being carried out within certain angular and positional tolerances. The pivoting and lifting device essentially consists of a vertical pillar which is mounted behind the so-called B pillar of a motor vehicle and is provided with a horizontal link chain having vertical articulated axles. The link chain is fixed to a hoisting device. The wheelchair is latched and raised together with the user thereof. The side components of the wheelchair and the wheels are dismounted. The seat of the wheelchair together with the user thereof are pivoted into the motor vehicle and the seat latched at the undercarriage in such a way that the seat of the wheelchair is at the same time the seat of the car. In addition, a second pivoting device is provided. A carry case for receiving the side components of the wheelchair and the wheels is hung up at said second pivoting device. The carry case can thus be transported to the back seat of the motor vehicle.

Description

 Device for the use of motor vehicles by people tied to a wheelchair

Description:

The invention relates to devices according to the preamble of claim 1, the disabled, z. B. paraplegic and therefore tied to the wheelchair people, climbing, using and leaving their motor vehicle.

Disabled people, for example paraplegic people, are easily able to control a motor vehicle if the functions normally operated by the feet are automated and / or converted to manual operation. A problem for the disabled is changing from a wheelchair to the

Vehicle seat and back. Physically trained disabled people can do this. However, the wheelchair still standing next to the motor vehicle must then be taken care of. This requires an assistant who folds the wheelchair and stows it in the trunk, for example. The assistant is also needed if the wheelchair has to be taken out of the trunk at the end of the car journey, opened and placed next to the vehicle.

From DE 41 11 634 A a seat arrangement for a motor vehicle is known which tries to solve part of the problems described above. For this purpose, a first turntable is first mounted between the chassis floor of the motor vehicle, from which the commercially available seat fastening rails have been removed, and a second turntable is mounted thereon with an offset axis. The second turntable in turn carries two telescopic rails, at the free ends of which Motor vehicle seat is releasably attached. The motor vehicle seat is provided with footrests for the paralyzed legs of the disabled person.

To get into the motor vehicle, the disabled person drives his special wheelchair next to the motor vehicle. He must position the wheelchair in such a way that the telescopic rails swiveled and driven out of the vehicle can snap into the coupling elements attached to the vehicle seat, since height-level adjustment of the telescopic rails is not possible. After loosening the connection to the chassis, the vehicle seat and disabled person are retracted into the vehicle and swiveled in the direction of travel. The wheelchair chassis stops next to the motor vehicle and must be stowed by an assistant. The possibility provided in DE-A 41 11 634 A for stowing the four wheels of the chassis between the vehicle floor and the vehicle seat cannot be realized with the wheelchairs customary in practice, for example because the distance between the door sill and the central tunnel of an average motor vehicle is smaller than the diameter of the standard wheelchair rear wheels.

Another device which is intended to enable a disabled person to climb onto a motor vehicle while sitting on the wheelchair seat is the subject of DE 31 38 375 A. This device has a lifting and swiveling device, alternatively a lifting and tilting device which is located next to the front of the car the door hinges, ie in the area of the A-pillar, after the standard motor vehicle seat has been removed. The device also has a telescopic swivel arm, at the end of which a holding fork is attached, which enters corresponding receptacles on the wheelchair. After both the rear and the north wheels have been removed from the wheelchair, the lifting and swiveling device moves the wheelchair and the disabled person sitting on it into the motor vehicle. The removed north and rear wheels must then be stowed in the motor vehicle by the disabled, but usually by an accompanying person. After completing the car ride the same problem arises in reverse order. The assembly of the north wheels is particularly problematic due to the spatial conditions.

Another problem with this known device is that the wheelchair sits in the holding fork without any securing means, so that it can come loose from the fork in the event of an accident. In addition, the use of standard seat belts is not possible. The swivel radius of the fork only requires car types with extremely wide doors, so that this device cannot be used in most commercially available cars.

Another device is known from DE 34 13 412 A which is intended to make it easier for a disabled person to change from a wheelchair to a motor vehicle seat and vice versa. This device consists of a lifting and swiveling device that is mounted on the passenger side next to the B-pillar. A foldable auxiliary seat is provided on the lifting and swiveling device. The disabled person must first step out of his wheelchair onto the auxiliary seat. As soon as the auxiliary seat is raised to the level of the front passenger seat, the disabled person must climb from the auxiliary seat to the front passenger seat and from the front passenger seat to the driver's seat. The auxiliary seat is then folded up vertically next to the front passenger seat so that the vehicle door on the front passenger side can be closed. An assistant must then stow the wheelchair. An evaluation of the prior art shows that neither the commercially available nor the devices described in the literature do justice to the situation of the disabled. Devices in which the wheelchair has to be brought into an exact position with respect to the auxiliary device can only function if the local conditions when getting in and out of the vehicle correspond to the ideal condition assumed by the manufacturer. Many devices neglect the almost always existing height differences from the wheelchair seat level above the footpath to the car seat level above the street as well as the passive safety of the disabled in the motor vehicle. All devices, however, have in common that the stowing of the wheelchair or the wheelchair parts almost is only possible with the help of an assistant. This is unsatisfactory for the disabled. In addition, wheelchairs or wheelchair parts are not always spotlessly clean, so that the motor vehicle becomes dirty when stowed, regardless of whether it is stowed in the motor vehicle rear or in the trunk. The present invention has for its object to provide a device of the type mentioned, which allows every disabled person to use a motor vehicle with full passive safety and the wheelchair parts that are not required during the car journey quickly and easily without help and without the risk of pollution dismantled, stowed safely in the vehicle and just as easy to reassemble after finishing the car journey.

This object is achieved by a device with the features of claim 1.

Thanks to the present invention, the coupling between the lifting and

Swiveling device on the one hand and the wheelchair on the other hand can also be produced if the relative position of the wheelchair and motor vehicle deviates from the ideal position. Another advantage is the use of a support arm that can perform combined lifting-swiveling-sliding movements. This makes it possible to move the wheelchair freed from the undercarriage with the disabled person sitting on it through narrow vehicle doors without bumping against the door frame or - if the device is on the driver's side - on the steering wheel. It is particularly helpful that the two side parts of the wheelchair that form the chassis are removed. As soon as the lifting and swiveling device according to the invention has swiveled the wheelchair seat into the correct position inside the vehicle, it is fixed to the holding devices attached to the vehicle floor. These can be the standard seat rails. In any case, the wheelchair seat itself forms the vehicle seat, in the driver or front passenger position, with no differences to standard vehicles, not even with regard to the standard seat belts.

It is understood that the releasable connection between the wheelchair and the lifting and swiveling device is of particular importance. This connection must also be able to be established under unfavorable relative positions, it must be able to be established quickly, it must be secure and it must also be releasable just as quickly. This object is achieved according to a development of the invention in that the first coupling element comprises a locking ball and two holding surfaces corresponding to the wheelchair middle part, while the second coupling element is an opening corresponding to the locking ball.

This type of connection is particularly indicated when, according to an embodiment of the invention, the seat and backrest of the wheelchair middle part form a self-supporting shell construction.

As already mentioned, the holding arm must be able to perform combined lifting, swiveling and sliding movements. This task is solved by a support arm that includes a U-shaped bracket on the lifting console and a fully movable link chain with vertically oriented axes on the bracket. Such a construction is far more space-saving than the turntables, telescopic rails etc. used in the prior art, the bracket allowing the spatial play around the various car door pillars and the link chain in the manner of a pair of scissors to extend or shorten the sliding movement.

In order to enable the handicapped person sitting on the wheelchair to operate the lifting and swiveling device, an arm with a control console - also as a support for the electrical control elements - is attached to the support arm. As stated at the beginning, the storage of those removed from the wheelchair

Rear wheels problematic for several reasons. One problem results from the large diameter of the standard wheelchair rear wheels. A second problem is pollution. A third problem results from the fact that the Wheelchair according to the invention the two side parts forming the complete chassis are removed as a whole. These side parts are heavier than the rear wheels alone and can also carry more dirt. To remedy this situation, another lifting bracket is attached to the lifting column of the lifting and swiveling device, to which a crane arm is articulated. At the end of this crane arm there is a holding device for a suitcase holding the wheelchair side parts. With the help of this crane arm, which according to a preferred embodiment is in two parts, the empty suitcase can be swung out of the vehicle interior and parked next to the wheelchair. As soon as the lifting and swiveling device has lifted the middle part of the wheelchair, it can be placed on the

Disabled wheelchair users remove the two side panels, fold them and stow them in the suitably standing suitcase. The crane arm then swings the case with the side parts into the interior of the vehicle and places it across the back seat. There the case is fixed by the backrests of the front seats, so that there is no danger to the occupants even in the event of an accident.

If the space normally occupied by the suitcase in the back seat is needed for the transport of people, the suitcase can easily be accommodated in the trunk by an assistant because it is only loosely suspended from the crane arm, which can also be unplugged in this case. In both cases, the case protects the vehicle from dirt.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the top of the case has cutouts for the armrests on the wheelchair side parts. It has been found that in this way the folding of the side parts, which is done by simply lifting the armrests, and the subsequent storage in the case can be accomplished particularly easily.

A handle is attached to the case itself for hanging the case on the crane arm, but especially for transporting the case by an assistant.

Based on the drawing, the invention will be explained in more detail in the form of an embodiment. They each show a purely schematic representation 1 shows a section of a motor vehicle with a wheelchair standing in front of it, with a lifting and swiveling device and with a storage case,

2 shows the detail of FIG. 1 at a time after the side parts of the wheelchair have been stowed in the suitcase,

Fig. 3 shows the detail of FIGS. 1 and 2 at a later time, when the case with the side parts was placed on the back seat of the vehicle, and

Fig. 4 shows an enlarged section of the lifting and

Swivel device with support arm, first coupling element, wheelchair middle section and second coupling element.

1 shows a schematic illustration of a detail of a motor vehicle 10, consisting of a chassis floor 11 with a door sill 12 and a central tunnel 13. Furthermore, the so-called A-pillar 14 on which a vehicle door 15 is attached, and the so-called B-pillar 17 An indicated windshield 16 and a steering wheel 18 complete the motor vehicle 10. The standard seat rails 19 can be seen on the chassis floor 11. The standard driver's seat has been removed.

A wheelchair 30 stands in front of the door opening. For the sake of clarity, the disabled person who is normally sitting on the wheelchair 30 is not shown.

The wheelchair 30 consists of a middle part 31, formed by a seat 33 and a backrest 34, and two wheelchair side parts 32 detachably connected to the middle part 31. Each side part 32 comprises a rear wheel 36 with a large diameter, a steerable front wheel 37 with a small diameter , an armrest 38 and a footrest holder 42. The rear wheel 36 sits on one Rear swing arm that is pivoted. The armrest 38 is part of a folding linkage with the aid of which the rear wheel 36 and the rear wheel swing arm can be pivoted forward by simply lifting the armrest 38, so that the rear wheel 36 with a large diameter covers the remaining structural elements of the side part 32. This results in a very compact folding position. 2 and 3 show more details.

In the interior of the motor vehicle 10, a support column 21 is mounted next to the B-pillar 17. On this, a lifting bracket 22 can be moved up and down by motor. On the lifting bracket 22 is first a U-shaped bracket 23 and attached to this a fully movable link chain 24 with vertically oriented axes. Bracket 23 and link chain 24 form a support arm, which is explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 4.

At the tip of the support arm 23, 24 there is a first coupling element 25, which corresponds to a second coupling element 35 on the middle part 31 of the wheelchair. Details are explained with reference to FIG. 4.

A second lifting bracket 28 is attached to the support column 21 above the first lifting bracket 22. A two-part crane arm 29 is pivotably mounted on this. The free end of the crane arm 29 is connected to a case 40, which has the task of receiving the side parts 32 removed from the wheelchair 30. Details will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

2 shows the situation at a later point in time. The lifting and swiveling device 20 formed by the support column 21, the lifting console 22 and the support arm 23, 24 carries the middle part 31 of the wheelchair. The storage case 40 was swiveled out of the vehicle 10 with the aid of the crane arm 29 and parked next to the wheelchair 30. The removed side parts 32 are folded and stowed in the case 40. The case 40 has two upper cutouts for the armrests 38, which simplifies the stowing of the side parts 32 in the case and the later removal of the same.

A handle 41, on which the crane arm 29 engages, can be seen between the armrests 38. If the case 40 has to be carried by an assistant, the handle 41 is also useful.

In FIG. 2, the female part of a quick coupling 39 can be seen on the side of the wheelchair seat 33, with the aid of which the quick, safe, permanent and detachable connection between the wheelchair center part 31 and the wheelchair side parts 32 can be established.

3 shows the situation at a later point in time. The case 40 equipped with the wheelchair side parts 32 was placed on the rear seat (not shown) of the motor vehicle 10 with the aid of the crane arm 29. If the connection between the case 40 and the crane arm 29 remains, the case 40 has a secure position. Thanks to the case 40, contamination of the motor vehicle 10 is excluded.

If the space on the back seat that is taken up by the case 40 is required for the transport of people, the case 40 can be transported by an assistant into the trunk of the motor vehicle 10. In this case too, contamination of motor vehicle 10 by dirty wheelchair side parts 32 is excluded. In this case, the possibly disruptive crane arm 29 can be released from its lifting element 28 by means of a plug lock and also e.g. be stowed in the trunk of the car.

As soon as the case 40 is stowed with the side parts 32, the lifting and pivoting device 20 lifts the wheelchair middle part 31 with the disabled person sitting on it (not shown) and swivels it in through the door opening the interior of the motor vehicle 10. As soon as the wheelchair middle part 31 has reached the end position, comparable to a standard motor vehicle itz, holding devices (not shown) provided on the bottom of the wheelchair seat 33 are connected to the holding devices provided on the chassis floor 11, for example the standard seat rails 19. That way it fulfills that

Wheelchair middle part 31 the function of the standard motor vehicle seat. All standard safety devices can be used without any problems. Fig. 4 shows the essential elements of the lifting, carrying and swiveling device 20 and the wheelchair middle part 31. From the lifting, carrying and swiveling device 20, sections of the support column 21 and the lifting bracket 22 which can be moved up and down there can be seen on the the U-shaped bracket 23 and in turn the link chain 24 with vertically oriented axes are attached. At the free end of the link chain 24, a first coupling element 25 can be seen, comprising two holding surfaces 25 ′, 25 ″, for example oriented at right angles to one another, and a detent ball 27.

The second coupling element 35 corresponding to the first coupling element 25, 27 in the form of a locking opening corresponding to the locking ball 27 can be seen on the wheelchair center part 31. To establish the connection between the lifting, carrying and swiveling device 20 and the wheelchair middle part 31, the latching ball 27 only has to be inserted into the latching opening 35 from below, the holding surfaces 25 ', 25 "fitting snugly against the backrest 34 of the wheelchair middle part 31. corrective support.

In order to enable the disabled person to operate the lifting and swiveling device 20 and the crane arm 29, a control console 26 is provided which is mounted on the support arm 23, 24 or the first coupling device 25 with the aid of an extension arm.

Claims

Protection claims: 1. Device, the incapable, z. B. paraplegic and therefore to a wheelchair (30) tied people climbing, using and leaving their motor vehicle (10), substantially comprehensive - A wheelchair (30) with - a seat (33) and removable wheels (36, 37) - And a lifting and swiveling device (20) with - one next to the B-pillar (17) of the motor vehicle (10) mountable Support column (21), - A lifting bracket (22) that can be moved up and down on the support column (21) - and a support arm (23, 24) articulated on the lifting console (22), characterized by the features: a first coupling element (25) is attached to the tip of the support arm (23, 24), - The support arm (23, 24) allows combined pivot-slide movements of the first coupling element (25), - The wheelchair (30) has a seat (31) and possibly a backrest (33) Middle part (31), two side parts (32) forming the undercarriage (36, 37), - two quick couplings (39) for releasably fastening the side parts (32) to the central part (31), - and a second coupling element (35) corresponding to the first coupling element (25, 27), - The middle part (31) of the wheelchair (30) - forms the vehicle seat - And can be fastened in the motor vehicle (10). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized by the feature: on the bottom of the wheelchair middle part (31) retaining clips are provided which can correspond to the standard seat rails (19) in the vehicle (10). 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the features: the first coupling element (25) comprises - A locking ball (27) - and two corresponding to the wheelchair middle part (31) Holding surfaces (25 ', 25 "), - The second coupling element (35) comprises an opening corresponding to the locking ball (27). 4. Apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized by the feature: - Seat (33) and backrest (34) of the wheelchair middle part (31) form a self-supporting shell construction. 5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by the feature: - The support arm includes - A U-shaped bracket (23) on the lifting console (22) - And a fully movable link chain (24) with vertically oriented axes on the bracket (23). 6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by the Feature: - An arm with a control console (26) is attached to the support arm (23, 24, 25). 7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by the features: on the support column (21) a second lifting bracket (28) is provided, - on the second lifting bracket (28) a crane arm (29) is articulated, at the end of Crane arm (29) is a holding device for a suitcase (40) receiving the wheelchair side parts (32). 8. The device according to claim 7, characterized by the feature: - The crane arm (29) is in two parts and can be inserted into the lifting bracket 28. 9. The device according to claim 7 or 8, characterized by the feature: the case (40) has space for two folded side parts (32). 10. The device according to claim 7, 8 or 9, characterized by the feature: - The case (40) has a handle (41). 11. The device according to one of claims 7 to 10, characterized by the feature: - The case (40) has upper cutouts for the armrests (38) on the wheelchair side parts (32).