Abstract:
A motor coach comprises a front door, a front stairwell, an upper aisleway, upper seats, a side door and a mobility impaired area. The front stairwell leads from the front door. The upper aisleway leads from the front stairwell. The upper aisleway is generally at the level of the top of the upper stairwell. The upper seats are along the upper aisleway. The side door may be lower than or at the same height as the front door, and leads to the mobility impaired area, which is inside and generally at the level of the bottom of the side door. The upper aisleway, upper seats, and mobility impaired area are all together in one unified passenger compartment while separated by differences of location of doors for loading and heights of floors. Numerous advantages flow, including but not limited to the following: loading and unloading times for mobility impaired passengers are substantially improved, especially as compared to typical high floor, wheelchair lift equipped coaches.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/297,474 filed Feb. 19, 2016, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This patent relates to motor coaches, the layouts of such coaches to benefit the mobility impaired, and mechanisms of securement of the vehicles of the impaired. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Coach Layouts 
         [0004]    Common double decker buses have seating on an upper level, can have one or more stairwells, can have two doors, and can have open space on a lower level. Examples are provided in U.S. Pat. No. 1,905,842 and U.S. Patent Publication 2009/0224570. 
         [0005]    Other related examples include, for example, European Patent Application EP 2 340 798 which discloses a space in a coach set aside for the mobility impaired. The coach has a typical layout of a central aisle and pairs of seats. The space is provided by removing several pairs of seats along one side of the aisle.  FIG. 6  looks down from overhead at the set-aside space. A wheelchair is present. Four belts—marked by numbers  40 ,  40 ′,  70 ,  70 ′—hold the wheelchair. They are secured to the coach inside boxes below the floor of the coach. They are fastened to the chair by hooks— 42 ,  42 ′,  72 ,  72 ′. A seatbelt— 50 ,  50 ′—is also provided. Winding mechanisms are included and provide for retracting and extending the belts. A shoulder belt may be added. 
         [0006]    U.S. Design Pat. D62813351 discloses a coach interior. As in  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the patent, the design of Design Pat. D62813351 is a side-facing stadium-seating layout of passenger seats. Three rows of seats all face to one side of the coach. Each row that sits behind another row is elevated for passenger viewing above the heads of the passengers in the row ahead. U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,671 also has stadium seating, this time oriented toward the front, rather than sideways. It also includes a movie screen at the front, as in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,583 discloses an RV. As in  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the patent, an RV has at least three levels. They are for living space. The lower level includes a “walking portion.” The upper level is a deck. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,774 discloses a motor coach with a broadcast booth and a separate office. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the coach includes two levels. A driver&#39;s area is on the lower level. A stairway leads to the upper level. The stairway is in the middle of the coach. The upper level includes two compartments. Furnishings on the coach include a desk and a cabinet for electronic equipment in each compartment. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 2,405,136 discloses a double deck vehicle, a Pullman train car.  FIGS. 1 and 2  are the two ends of the car. Seats in the center are on two levels. Upper seats include a central aisle. Lower seats are turned outward and include side aisles. Side stairwells lead from the lower seating level aisles to a middle, non-seating, service level at either end. A central stairwell leads to the central aisle of the upper seating level. 
         [0010]    Canadian Patent 2,652,352 discloses a coach with seating that varies in floor level, one level in the front, and another in the back. The two levels are joined by a step. 
         [0011]    Securement for Wheelchairs and Wheelchair Ramps 
         [0012]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,963,730 discloses in its background a disfavored tie-down system of straps with hooks to engage wheelchair frames and lugs to engage floor receptors. It asserts advantages of greater safety, reduced delays, lack of need for dedicated floor space, and occupancy of mobility-impaired space by the able-bodied as appropriate. The tie-down is adjacent folding chairs. 
         [0013]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,717,655 discloses a set of wheelchair securement mechanisms. A module at the back has two retractor assemblies with belts. Another belt is at the front. The back belt spools are latchable and otherwise rotating. A control operates the latching. It may be operated by the driver and have a time delay. 
         [0014]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,081 discloses a two part wheelchair ramp and a wheelchair securement system. As in  FIG. 1 , the ramp in its two sections may extend out diagonally, or be stowed with the two sections upright and tight against each other. As in  FIG. 5 , the securement includes upright posts and locking members. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    A coach design concept includes a private space for mobility-impaired passengers. This space is out of the main traffic flow of other passengers. It is at a lower level that may be closely adjacent the roadways under the coach. The lower level may be accessed from the coach exterior through a door that is also out of the main traffic flow, and also accessed through a ramp, such as a flip ramp, at this door. The ramp, or flip ramp, may assist in achieving the low level of the floor. The private space may be accessed from the coach interior through a second stair or step well also out of the main traffic flow. The second stair or step well may be located at the rear of the private space. The space has capacity for two wheelchairs, and in their absence, may provide a number of fold-down seats including, for example, five seats for either mobility challenged passengers or companions of mobility impaired passengers. The configuration of the coach includes single seats where needed to accommodate an offset of a central aisle adjacent the mobility-impaired private area. Securement for wheelchairs is optional, and, may be automatic. The configuration of the coach in some aspects is typical, with a standard front entry, high driver&#39;s area, central main aisle, and seating in pairs off the main aisle. 
         [0016]    Objects of the concept may include the following: significantly reducing loading and unloading times for mobility impaired passengers, especially those in wheelchairs, as compared to motor coaches that include typical elevated seats and an aisle with a stairwell to the aisle and seats; significantly reducing loading and unloading times of all other passengers in the presence of loading for mobility impaired passengers; diminishing the attention the mobility impaired passengers receive from other passengers when loading and unloading; in more detail, eliminating the blocking of stairwells, aisles, corridors and the like, eliminating lights flashing and buzzers blaring; and securing to mobility impaired passengers respect for their personal effects including their vehicles, with wheelchairs being considered a form of vehicle; eliminating cramping, getting hit with bags, and similar and other intrusions into personal spaces of mobility impaired passengers; eliminating conflicts between mobile passengers who have assumed seats in mobility-reserved spaces and mobility impaired passengers in need of such spaces; eliminating difficult maneuvering on and off vehicles and concomitant stress; avoiding significant driver interaction for cumbersome securement; preserving high capacity seating in forward facing seats; preserving passenger comfort in seats, ride quality and amenities; preserving high passenger and driver floors; eliminating non-level loading for mobility impaired passengers through mechanisms such as vertical lifts; minimizing loss of storage; preventing motion sickness due to seats facing directions other than forward; garnering support from the user community; and preserving high MDBF and reliability. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    The drawings accompanying this description include eight figures. The figures are briefly described as follows: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of relevant portions of an embodiment of a motor coach of the disclosure, with the driver area of the coach to the right, the rear of the coach to the left, wheel well spaces along the lower portions of the coach body, and portions of the coach removed to show interior detail. 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the preferred motor coach of this disclosure, again with the roof removed, taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of the motor coach, as in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a mobility impaired area of the preferred motor coach, with an exterior sidewall and side door of the coach removed to show interior detail. 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of relevant portions of an embodiment of a motor coach of the disclosure, with the driver area of the coach to the right, the rear of the coach to the left, wheel well spaces along the lower portions of the coach body, and portions of the coach removed to show interior detail. 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view of the preferred motor coach of this disclosure, again with the roof removed, taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 7  is a side elevation view of the motor coach, as in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a mobility impaired area of the preferred motor coach, with an exterior sidewall and side door of the coach removed to show interior detail. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0026]    Referring to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 1  is as stated briefly above, a perspective view of relevant portions of the preferred motor coach  10  of the invention. A driver area  12  of the coach  10  is to the right in this orientation of the coach  10  in  FIG. 1 . A passenger area extends along the longitudinal forward-to-backward direction of the coach behind the driver area  12 , the direction and longitudinal extent of the area being represented by double-ended arrow  14 . Thus, passenger seats extend from the front row of coach passenger seats  18  to the rear row of coach passenger seats  16 . The seats exist in distinct groups of seats, to be explained in greater detail below. The seats also extend across the transverse side-to-side direction of the coach, with direction and extent represented by arrow  20 . The rear of the coach is to the left in this orientation. 
         [0027]    Wheel well spaces  22 ,  24  are along the lower portions of the coach body. The roof of the coach  10  is removed to show interior detail. As would be anticipated, the coach is completed by a chassis, an engine, drive train including transmission and axles, and wheels, all not shown, operator controls such as the steering wheel  26 , a storage bay  28  with door, not shown, safety equipment such as a wheel end detection system patented in U.S. Pat. No. 8,594,900, issued to Motor Coach Industries Ltd. In 2013, incorporated in full by reference, emission control equipment, windshield, windows, air conditioning and heating, brakes, lights, carpeting, and all other accoutrements of the most modern and best of coaches, all not shown. 
         [0028]    Returning to matters of more significance to the disclosure, and directing attention to all of  FIGS. 1-3 , but especially  FIG. 2 , the coach  10  further comprises a central aisle  30 , represented by the longitudinal line  30 , that extends from the front of the driver area  12  to the front of the rear seats  16 . The aisle  30  includes a lateral offset region  32 , composed of a laterally offset, longitudinally extending portion  34 , and two skewed or jogged portions  36 ,  38 , at either end of the portion  34 . The remainders of the aisle are transversely centered portions  40 ,  42 . 
         [0029]    The seating can now be explained, and explained in terms of places along the aisle  30 . The rear seats  16 , as indicated by the aisle  30  preferably ending at their front, extend laterally across the full width of the seating area, and in the preferred embodiment shown, include five individual rear seats. Numerous pairs  44  of rearward seats extend forward from the rear seats  16  to adjacent the skewed aisle portion  36 , and in the preferred embodiment shown, include 10-16 pairs  44  of seats, 5-8 pairs  44  on either side of the aisle portion  40 . A privacy screen  46  exists forward of the rearward seat that is forward-most among such seats and also adjacent-most to the skewed aisle portion  36 , best seen in  FIG. 1 . The screen  46  protects a passenger in the seat relative to other passengers moving in the aisle  30 . Adjacent the screen  46 , and forward of the rearward seat pairs  44 , seats exist in rows of single seats or “singles”  48 , as marked in  FIG. 3 , and in the preferred embodiment shown, include 5-7 singles. The singles  48  extend from the front-most of the rearward seat pairs  44  forward to forward seat pairs  50 , to be described, but unlike the seat pairs  44 ,  50 , extend along one side of the skewed portion  34  of the aisle  30 , and that one side only. The forward seat pairs  50  then extend forward from the singles  48  in slightly longitudinally offset pairs to the front of the passenger area  14 , on either side of the forward portion  42  of the aisle  30 . 
         [0030]    At the front, the forward portion  42  of the aisle opens to the driver area  12 , and laterally opposite the driver area  12 , to a front stairwell  52 . See  FIG. 3 . The stairwell extends up and down from the bottom step and forward door, not shown, provided for mobile passengers up to and down from the raised level of the aisle  30 , which as can be seen is indeed a raised aisle on a raised floor  55 , see  FIG. 4 , a floor that extends under all the described seats and the driver area  12 . The floor  55  is essentially flat. The stairwell may be a traditional or conventional strictly laterally extending stair, as shown, or be a curved stairwell, as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,579 issued to Motor Coach Industries Ltd. In 1997, incorporated in full by reference. 
         [0031]    The width of the aisle  30  is substantially uniform throughout its longitudinal extent. Two trapezoidal areas are formed along the aisle  30  in the areas of the skewed or jogged portions  36 ,  38 . These may be considered to include the aisle  30  and adjacent spaces on the floor. 
         [0032]    Laterally across the aisle from the singles  48 , the coach  10  includes another internal, privacy, safety, and aisle-defining wall, in this case marked wall  54  in  FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 . The wall  54  is in the nature of a “pony” wall, a wall that extends upward from the floor, best considered to be the “upper floor,” of the coach  10 , but that does not extend upward to the roof of the coach. The term “pony” wall is known to be used for abbreviated or “half height” walls. As best seen in  FIG. 4 , the wall  54  may be formed of opaque, translucent or transparent material, and as preferred and shown in  FIG. 4 , is translucent, with a three-dimensional texture on its surface. Back to  FIG. 2 , the wall  54  provides a protective, more or less waist height barrier, that protects passengers as they walk the aisle portion  34  and its jogs  36 ,  38 , due to structure to be explained, and also provides an upper viewing area that permits them to observe the coach passenger area front to back as they traverse the aisle  30 . 
         [0033]    Attention is now directed to a mobility impaired area  56 , marked in all of  FIGS. 1-4 . The area  56  is bounded on one lateral side by the exterior of the coach, and bounded on the remaining three sides of the rectangular area by the interior of the coach. The floor  58  of the area  56 , see  FIG. 4 , is closely adjacent the roadways under the coach  10 . The floor  55  of the mobile passenger area is substantially vertically above the floor  58 . The surface area of the mobility impaired area  56  in some embodiments may be less than about 25 percent of the surface area of the raised floor  55 , or may be less than about 33 percent of the surface area of the raised floor  55 . An inner longitudinal wall  60  of the mobility impaired area  56  rises from the area floor  58  to the height of the mobile passenger area floor  55 . Forward and rearward transversely extending walls  62 ,  64  also extend from the mobility impaired area floor  58  to the raised mobile passenger floor  55 , and from the inner surface of the exterior wall  66  of the coach  10  toward the longitudinal wall  60 . Thus, in the forward-to-backward area of the singles  48  and the offset aisle portion  34 , the mobility impaired area  56  occupies the remainder of the width of the coach  10 . The width of the area  56  is such that wheelchairs, such as chairs  70 ,  72  in  FIG. 4 , may sit aligned toward the front or the back of the coach  10 . The occupants of the chairs  70 ,  72 , may thus face forward, or rearward, as desired. As shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , wheelchair  70  is shown forward facing while wheelchair  72  is shown rearward facing. In  FIGS. 5-8 , another embodiment of the motor coach, however, both wheelchairs  70  and  72  are shown forward facing. 
         [0034]    Access to the area  56  is available in two ways. First, as in  FIG. 4 , a coach side doorway  66  is defined by a doorframe  68 . The width of the doorframe  68  is adequate to accommodate wheelchairs, such as  70 ,  72 . The height is also adequate for both the mobility impaired and the mobile of common heights. Because the coach lower componentry is elevated a typical short distance off the roadways, a ramp  74  is provided. 
         [0035]    As in  FIG. 4 , the ramp  74  is excellent for both the mobility impaired and those who may assist them. It is unlike the vertically lifting devices of patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,043,741 issued to Ricon Corporation in 2000. It need not have and as preferred does not have a scissoring mechanism to accomplish a substantial vertical lifting of an occupied wheelchair while the occupant sits idle, under the supervision of a driver or similar person deploying the lift. It does not lift to the raised upper floor  55 . It also need not have and does not have as preferred a transversely extending and retracting platform, again on which an occupied wheelchair sits with an idle occupant, and which under action of the driver moves into the interior of the coach. Instead, with the short distance of the floor  56  to the road, the ramp  74  may take the form of a device that occupies the bottom of the doorframe  68  when it is stowed alongside the side  66  of the coach  10 , and may pivot outwardly and downwardly to contact the roadway at its outer extremity. The ramp  74  presents a gently sloped short incline from the roadway to the floor  56 , an incline that many if not all mobility impaired persons including wheelchair occupants can maneuver up and get themselves and their mobility aids into the coach  10  with no assistance, or at most minimal assistance. Mobility impaired occupants of the coach  10  including wheelchair occupants are thus able to enter the area  56  in short order, with dignity, under their own power or with minimal assistance, with uninterrupted possession of their mobility aids and personal effects, and in privacy relative to the movement of mobile passengers up the stairway  52 . 
         [0036]    The second manner of access to the mobility impaired area  56  is up and down a second internal stairway  76  of the coach  10 . See  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The stairway  76  is well to the rear of the front stairway  52 , and entirely within the confines of the coach  10 , and without a door at either upper or lower end. It extends between the lower floor  58  and the upper floor  55 . As most preferred, the stairway  76  is at the rearward end of the mobility area  56 , between the longitudinal inner wall of the area  56  and the rearward wall  64 . The stairway  76  occupies a corner between these walls. At the top of the stairway  76 , the upper floor  55  has an edge at a diagonal to the longitudinal and transverse directions, which defines the top edge of the top step of the stairway, and a side edge of the trapezoidal floor area in the area of the aisle jog  36 . The remaining steps of the stairway  76  have edges that follow the diagonal of the top step. All steps are thus most preferably on a diagonal, while the lateral width of the steps remains constant and they are longitudinally aligned with each other and the rear portion  40  of the aisle  30 . 
         [0037]    The benefit and purpose of the pony wall, wall  54 , may now be seen, as it separates the aisle portion  34  from the mobility impaired area  56 , because of the height difference between the floors  55 ,  58 , and the presence of the vertical wall  60  along the aisle portion  34 . The wall drops away on an angle toward the rear as the stairs of the stairwell  76  rise, presenting less height difference between each step and the upper floor  55 . The wall  54  includes, however, an extension wall  80 , as in  FIG. 4 , which extends from the wall  54  around to the front of the mobility area  56 , providing a barrier and safety between the floor levels  55  and  58  along the more forward portions and front of the mobility area  56 . The extension wall  80  may be shaped, as most preferred and shown in  FIG. 4 , to have an upper portion rearward of the wall  62  of the area  56 , to accommodate the seat backs and reclining of the forward seat pair  50  that is directly forward of the extension wall  80 , and to occupy a few inches of longitudinal space well above the floor  58  of the area  56 . A similar but independent rear wall  84  completes the barrier and safety between the floor levels  55 ,  58 . The rear wall  84  is above the mobility area wall  64 , and is also in pony form. A stairwell defining longitudinal wall section  86  extends forward from the rear wall  84  alongside the stairwell  76  and defines a sloped upward edge at hand heights useful for mobile and even somewhat mobility impaired passengers and the driver using the stairwell  76 . 
         [0038]    As can be seen, especially in  FIG. 4 , the mobility area  56  is perfectly open to and is an integrated part of the passenger area, especially in that no walls separate the mobility area from the remainder of the passenger area above the walls  54 ,  80 ,  84 . Air circulation occurs between the mobility impaired portion of the passenger area and the mobile portion of the passenger area. Windows and lighting are shared. Ambience is shared. 
         [0039]    Mobile passengers and the driver may interact easily with mobility impaired passengers, by simply getting their attention and speaking with them, from positions on the stairway  76 , above the walls  54 ,  80 ,  84 , and in the case of the driver, through the coach loudspeaker system. Attention may be provided between the mobility impaired and the mobile, if needed, as well, while the coach is moving. And when mobility impaired are loading on and unloading from the mobility impaired area  56 , through the door  66 , the non-mobility impaired may accompany them, as needed, and then seat themselves without exiting and reentering the coach  10  through the front door and stairway  52 , by using the stairway  76 . Non-mobility impaired, or companion/caregiver seating, is provided in area  56 . 
         [0040]    The mobility impaired area  56  is completed with securements for the wheelchairs, which may take the form of any one or more of the securements of the prior art identified above, such as straps with hooks on retracting reels, secured to the mobility impaired area floor  58 . The area  56  is also completed with folding seats  85 ,  87 , see  FIG. 4 , which rim the perimeter of the area  56 . The mobility impaired area folding seats  85 ,  87  may be used when the mobility impaired are not present or expected. In some embodiments, additional folding seats (not shown) may be located along wall  60 . They may also be occupied by close companions and aids of the mobility impaired when necessary. As described above, non-mobility impaired, or companion/caregiver seating, is provided in area  56 . 
         [0041]    A preferred embodiment, the invention, and features, aspects and advantages of the preferred embodiment and the invention, have now been described. Claims conclude this specification. The claims are not to be limited to details of the preferred embodiment except as stated to exist in the claims, and definitions of claim terms are not to be used as a subterfuge to limit the claims to details of the preferred embodiments by defining claim terms narrowly such that they incorporate details of the preferred embodiment. 
       CONCLUSION 
       [0042]    The present invention is disclosed above and in the accompanying drawings with reference to a variety of examples. The purpose served by the disclosure, however, is to provide an example of the various features and concepts related to the invention, not to limit the scope of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that numerous variations and modifications may be made to the aspects described above without departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims.