Patent ID: 6095747
Filing Date: 2000-08-01
Classification: A61G,B60P,Y10S

Abstract:
A wheelchair lift comprising:(a) a platform frame movable between an extended position and a retracted position;(b) a wheelchair platform coupled to the platform frame, the wheelchair platform being movable between a raised position and a lowered position;(c) a wheelchair barrier, rotatably coupled to at least one side of the wheelchair platform and being movable between a fully retracted position in which the wheelchair barrier lies adjacent an upper surface of the wheelchair platform and a fully extended position in which the wheelchair barrier extends outward from the wheelchair platform in approximately the plane of the wheelchair platform,(d) a control system for controlling the movement of the barrier between the extended and retracted positions; and(e) a sensor assembly for sensing the position of the wheelchair barrier and providing position information regarding at least three positional states of the wheelchair barrier, the fully extended position, the fully retracted position, and an intermediate position in which the wheelchair barrier extends upward approximately perpendicular to an upper surface of the wheelchair platform to the control system, the control system using the position information to prevent the wheelchair barrier from being moved to an improper position erroneously, wherein the sensor assembly produces default positional information upon at least partial failure of the sensor assembly, and wherein the control system uses the positional information provided by the sensor assembly in order to prevent the wheelchair barrier from moving from the fully extended position beyond the intermediate position in the case of the sensor assembly failing.