초록 ▼

The present invention provides a compact wheelchair lift mechanism useable within a relatively small vehicle cabin space, such as a pickup truck with an extended cabin. The wheelchair lift includes a lateral actuator and a vertical actuator that cooperate to move a wheelchair support laterally in an

The present invention provides a compact wheelchair lift mechanism useable within a relatively small vehicle cabin space, such as a pickup truck with an extended cabin. The wheelchair lift includes a lateral actuator and a vertical actuator that cooperate to move a wheelchair support laterally in and out of a vehicle cabin and vertically between the cabin floor and the ground. The vehicle includes a lowered floor for expanding the vertical opening available to the lift, wheelchair, and vehicle occupant. The lift is positioned within the vehicle cabin such that no loss of seating capacity results from the installation of the lift.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A wheelchair lift system comprising: a vehicle having a vehicle body including a floor, a passenger side and a driver side, an opening formed in at least one of said passenger and driver sides, the vehicle body defining a vehicle cabin accessible by said opening, said cabin having a front seat po

1. A wheelchair lift system comprising: a vehicle having a vehicle body including a floor, a passenger side and a driver side, an opening formed in at least one of said passenger and driver sides, the vehicle body defining a vehicle cabin accessible by said opening, said cabin having a front seat positioned in a front seat area and a rear seat positioned in a rear seat area contained therein;a lateral actuator arm laterally extendable with respect to said vehicle body, said lateral actuator arm moveable between an extended position and a retracted position, said lateral actuator arm disposed underneath the rear seat in the vehicle cabin when said lateral actuator arm is in said retracted position;a vertical actuator arm coupled to said lateral actuator arm, said vertical actuator arm moveable between said extended position and said retracted position such that said vertical actuator arm is disposed outside said vehicle cabin in said extended position and inside said vehicle cabin in said retracted position, said vertical actuator arm vertically slidable with respect to said lateral actuator arm between a raised position and a lowered position; anda wheelchair support coupled to said vertical actuator arm, said wheelchair support positioned inside said vehicle and extending into the front seat area when said lateral actuator arm is in said retracted position and said vertical actuator arm is in said raised position, said wheelchair support positioned outside said vehicle when said lateral actuator arm is in said extended position and said vertical actuator arm is in said lowered position. 2. The wheelchair lift system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said vehicle body includes a lowered floor assembly on at least one of said passenger side and said driver side, said lowered floor assembly increasing a vertical clearance of said opening as compared to a vertical clearance defined by said floor of said vehicle body. 3. The wheelchair lift system of claim 2, wherein said lowered floor assembly includes a reinforcement member connected to said lowered floor assembly and said vehicle body. 4. The wheelchair lift system of claim 2, wherein said lowered floor assembly comprises: a floor deck;a rear wall affixed to a rear edge of the floor deck;a side wall affixed to an inside edge of the floor deck, anda front wall affixed to a front edge of the floor deck, such that the floor assembly includes an open outside edge. 5. The wheelchair lift system of claim 4, wherein said lowered floor assembly further comprises a ramp disposed on said floor deck, said ramp including a platform support surface and a ramp surface adapted to guide said wheelchair support between said outside position and said inside position. 6. The wheelchair lift system of claim 4, wherein said lowered floor assembly further comprises a guard, said wheelchair support including a cutout sized to receive said guard when said wheelchair lift system is inside said vehicle cabin. 7. The wheelchair lift system of claim 1, in combination with: a lateral actuator assembly comprising said lateral actuator arm in combination with a lateral actuator housing coupled to the vehicle body underneath said rear seat in said vehicle cabin, said lateral actuator arm extendable from and retractable into said lateral actuator housing; anda vertical actuator assembly comprising said vertical actuator arm in combination with a vertical actuator housing coupled to the lateral actuator arm, said vertical actuator arm extendable from and retractable into said vertical actuator housing. 8. The wheelchair lift system of claim 7, wherein said vehicle includes front and rear doors sized and adapted for use with said opening, said front and rear doors fused into a single side door, said single side door coupled to one of said vertical actuator housing and said lateral actuator arm, whereby said single side door moves laterally when said lateral actuator arm moves between said extended and retracted positions. 9. The wheelchair lift system of claim 8, wherein: at least a portion of said vehicle body includes a lowered floor assembly increasing a vertical clearance of said opening as compared to a vertical clearance defined by said floor of said vehicle body; andsaid single side door includes a skirt and lower seal attached along a bottom edge thereof to accommodate and seal against said lowered floor assembly. 10. The wheelchair lift system of claim 7, wherein at least one of said lateral and vertical actuator assemblies includes a linear actuation means positioned within at least one of said lateral and vertical actuator arms. 11. The wheelchair lift system of claim 10, wherein said linear actuation means comprises: a lead screw operably connected to at least one of said lateral and vertical actuator arms;a motor coupled to at least one of said lateral and vertical actuator housings; anda transmission operably connecting said motor to said lead screw. 12. The wheelchair lift system of claim 7, wherein at least one of said lateral and vertical actuator assemblies includes a linear actuator positioned within at least one of said lateral and vertical actuator arms. 13. A wheelchair lift system comprising: a vehicle comprising: a vehicle frame; anda vehicle body including a floor, a passenger side and a driver side, an opening formed in at least one of said passenger and driver sides, the vehicle body defining a vehicle cabin accessible by said opening, said cabin having front and rear seats contained therein;a lowered floor on at least one of said passenger side and said driver side of said vehicle body, said lowered floor increasing a vertical clearance as compared to said floor of said vehicle body, said lowered floor offset downwardly as compared to said floor of said vehicle body, said lowered floor establishing a gap between said vehicle body and said vehicle frame such that said vehicle body is raised relative to said vehicle frame to a lifted position relative to an original position of the vehicle body on the vehicle frame, the lifted position spaced a vertical distance from the original position;spacers disposed between said vehicle body and said frame, said spacers sized to span said gap; anda wheelchair lift coupled to said vehicle body, said wheelchair lift having a raised and retracted configuration and a lowered and extended configuration, whereby a wheelchair supported by said wheelchair lift is disposed inside said vehicle cabin when said wheelchair lift is in said raised and retracted configuration, and the wheelchair supported by said wheelchair lift is disposed outside said vehicle cabin when said wheelchair lift is in said lowered and extended configuration. 14. The wheelchair lift system of claim 13, wherein said lowered floor is a part of a lowered floor assembly including a reinforcement member connected to said lowered floor assembly and said vehicle body. 15. The wheelchair lift system of claim 13, wherein said lowered floor is a part of a lowered floor assembly comprising: a floor deck;a rear wall affixed to a rear edge of the floor deck;a side wall affixed to an inside edge of the floor deck, anda front wall affixed to a front edge of the floor deck, such that the floor assembly includes an open outside edge.