WHEELCHAIRS

The present invention relates to a lifting device, particularly for lifting wheelchairs.

More specifically, the invention relates to a device of the above kind, particularly for loading and unloading wheelchairs from inside a vehicle provided with means for receiving a disabled person wheelchair.

In the following the specification will be specifically addressed to the use of the device according to the invention for lifting disabled person wheelchairs, but it is well evident that the same device can be used for any type of lifting.

As it is well known, different devices exist for easing the loading and unloading of a wheelchair from a vehicle.

They are mainly electro- or hydraulic- or pneumatic- or mechanic- devices permitting moving a loading and unloading platform on which the wheelchair must be positioned, with the disabled person seat on, between a vehicle floor level and a ground level, and thus storing the same upturned platform within the vehicle.

In this technical field is included the lifting device according to the invention, providing an innovative solution for lifting and lowering the wheelchair support platform, permitting realising the lifting device in a much easier and economic way.

It is therefore specific object of the present invention a lifting device, particularly for lifting disabled person wheelchairs, comprising means for fixing to the floor of a vehicle, a substantially "C" shaped support structure, hinged on said floor vehicle fixing means, three cloths or cloth strip assemblies, each one coupled on one side of said substantially "C" shaped support structure, so as to be able to take a fully wound or lifting position and a fully unwound or loading and unloading position, and a platform, coupled at the bottom of said three cloths or cloth strip assemblies, so as to follow its lifting and lowering movement, and means for upturning, when storing the device, the assembly comprised of the substantially "C" shaped support structure - three cloths or cloth strip assemblies - platform.

Preferably, according to the invention, said substantially "C" shaped support structure provides three rolls, one for each side, at least one of which is a drive roll and the others mechanically coupled with the same, each one of said rolls wounding and unwinding a relevant of three cloths or cloth strip assemblies.

According to the invention, two or three rolls can be drive rolls.

Furthermore, according to the invention, horizontal sliding guides are provided in correspondence of hinging of said substantially "C" shaped support structure on the floor.

In an embodiment of the device according to the invention, said means for upturning the substantially "C" shaped support structure - three cloths or cloth strip assemblies - platform are comprised of two vertical arms, fixed to said plate of said vehicle floor, and a cable system, having one end coupled with the most outer end of the arms of the substantially "C" shaped support structure, and the other end coupled on said sliding guides, said cables sliding passing through the upper end of said vertical arms.

In a further embodiment of the lifting device according to the invention, said means for upturning the assembly comprises of substantially "C" shaped support structure - three cloths or cloth strip assemblies - platform are comprised of two parallelograms, guiding the substantially "C" shaped support structure within said two guides.

Particularly, said parallelograms, operated by electric or hydraulic motors, make the substantially "C" shaped support structure rotating and translating, thus said structure positioning with a 90° angle with respect to the vehicle floor, abutting against the two vertical arms.

Always according to the invention, said platform can be foldable.

Always according to the invention, said device is fixed on the resting surface, being it provided a support and spacing frame with respect to the resting plane.

The present invention will be now described, for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, with particular reference to the figure of the enclosed drawings, wherein:

figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the lifting device according to the invention in a first position;

figure 2 is a perspective view of the lifting device of figure 1 in a second position;

figure 3 is a perspective view of the lifting device of figure 1 in a third position; figure 4 shows a particular of the lifting device of figure 1 ;

figure 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the lifting device according to the invention in a first position;

figure 6 is a perspective view of the lifting device of figure 5 in a second position; and

figure 7 is a lateral view of device of figure 5.

Observing first figure 1 - 4 of the enclosed drawings, it is shown an embodiment of the lifting device according to the invention, generically indicated by reference A, having a plate 1 for fixing to the vehicle floor, on which two linear guides 2 are provided, and at the end of which faced outward with respect to the vehicle body, is hinged on a "C" shaped bearing structure 3. By reference number 4 it is schematically indicated the vehicle entry opening.

Three rolls 5 are provided in said structure 3 that can be partially seen in figure 4, one of which is a drive roll, and coupled each other by gears 6 with 45° teeth.

A relevant cloth 7 is coupled with each one of said rolls 5, so as to be able to take at least two positions, a fully unwind position (figure 1) and a fully wound position (figure 2). Under said cloths 7 it is coupled a rigid lifting plate 8.

In the arrangement of figure 1 , C shaped structure 3, along with three cloths 7 and platform 8, creates a housing and lifting seat for a disabled wheelchair.

In the embodiment of figures 1 - 4 it is provided a C shaped structure 3 upturning structure, with wound cloths 7 and platform 8 substantially flush, in order to put the lifting device A according to the invention, when not used, within the vehicle, said structure comprising two vertical arms 9, fixed to said plate 1 , and a cable system 10, said cables having one end coupled with the most outer end of said C shaped structure arms, and the other end on said linear guides 2, said cables sliding passing through the upper end of said vertical arms 9.

As it can be observed, C shaped structure 3, when projecting from vehicle is supported by the two cables 10. When the lifting step is finished and the user has freed platform 8, the vehicle storage step within starts: cables 10 are wound by a suitable pulleys mechanism contained within the two vertical arms 9. Said mechanism is operated by two electric motors (not shown), electronically synchronised and always positioned within the arm vertical arms.

Lifting C shaped structure 3, pulled by two cables 9, starts rotating about hinges 13, up to reaching a 90° angled position with respect to the vehicle floor. Now, passing pushing opposed by two gas springs 14, provided within said linear guides 2, C shaped lifting structure 3 is stored within the vehicle up to abutting against the two vertical arms 9.

As far as the lifting device A exit step is concerned, in order to place the same in lifting or descent position, releasing cables 9, electronically controlled by electric motors, lifting device A is pushed outside the vehicle by the extension action of the two gas springs 14; when two springs 14 reach the maximum extension, prosecuting releasing cables 9, C shaped lifting structure 3 rotates of 90° up to reaching the lifting position.

By reference number 11 it is indicated motor driving the drive roll 5.

As already said, platform 8 can be fold.

In the embodiment of figures 5 - 7, storage step of lifting device A within the vehicle is obtained, in lieu of the cables and pulleys arrangement, by a parallelogram structure. In this case, two parallelograms 12 are provided, bringing C shaped lifting structure 3 within the two guides 13.

Also in this case, C shaped lifting structure 3, when projecting, is supported by the two cables 10. When lifting step is finished, and the user is no more on platform 8, storage step starts: parallelograms 13, operated by electric or hydraulic motors, make C shaped lifting structure 3 rotating, thus positioning the same with a 90° angle with respect to the vehicle floor, abutting on vertical arms 9.

With this arrangement, cables 10 only have a passive holding function when C shaped lifting structure 3 is projecting from the vehicle.

The same parallelogram 13 could be passive, with the only function of guiding the movement, in case it is connected with the guide motor 14.

In this arrangement, gas springs are not provided.

Moving parallelogram 13 or guide 14 in the opposite direction,

C shaped lifting structure 3 is brought outside the vehicle, up to reaching the lifting position. Obviously, lifting device A according to the invention will be provided with all the safety solutions both for its movement and for loading and unloading the wheelchair necessary to obtain the homologation, and that will be not described in the following since they are not specific part of the invention.

The present invention has been described for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, but it is to be understood that modifications and/or changes can be introduced by those skilled in the art without departing from the relevant scope as defined in the enclosed claims.