Abstract:
A paratransit lift is provided with safety belts with separable components. The components are configured for attachment of the lift without any alteration of the lift structure.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Applications No. 61314722 filed on Mar. 17, 2010 and No. 61347250 filed on May 21, 2010. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention generally relates to paratransit lift systems and more particularly to safety devices from such lifts. 
         [0003]    Paratransit lifts typically provide an elevating platform onto which a person with limited personal mobility may be positioned for transfer between ground level and a floor of a vehicle. For example, the limited-mobility person may be in a wheel chair or may use a walker. The person may enter the platform with or without assistance. In either case, there is a risk that the person and/or the person&#39;s wheel chair may not remain securely on the platform as the platform moves to an elevated or lowered position. 
         [0004]    As can be seen, there is a need for a safety system that may be employed to assure that an occupant of a paratransit lift platform may be prevented from accidentally falling from the platform. Additionally, there is a need for such a system that may be conveniently used by an operator of the lift and does not require modifications of the lift which might require regulatory re-certification of the lift. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In one aspect of the present invention, a paratransit lift may comprise at least one safety belt with separable components wherein the components are configured for attachment of the lift without any alteration of the lift structure. 
         [0006]    In another aspect of the present invention, a safety belt for a paratransit lift may comprise: two lengths of webbing; a separable latch positioned between the two lengths of webbing at first ends of the webbing; and bolt-attachment grommets at second ends of the webbing opposite the first ends. 
         [0007]    In still another aspect of the present invention, a safety belt for a paratransit lift may comprise: two lengths of webbing; a separable latch positioned between the two lengths of webbing at first ends of the webbing; and attachment loops at second ends of the webbing opposite the first ends. 
         [0008]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a paratransit lift in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the paratransit lift of  FIG. 1  in a raised position; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a plan view of a rear safety belt in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a front safety belt in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a detailed view of a loop portion of the safety belt of  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
         [0015]    Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features. 
         [0016]    Broadly, embodiments of the present invention generally provide safety belts at a front and a back side of a paratransit lift that may prevent an occupant of the lift from accidentally falling from the lift. 
         [0017]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2  it may be seen that a paratransit lift  100  may comprise a platform  102 , lifting arms  104  and handles  106 . In operation, the lift  100  may be attached to a vehicle so that a person may enter the platform  102  and be lowered to the ground or lifted to floor height of the vehicle. 
         [0018]    The lift  100  may be provided with a rear safety belt  10  and a front safety belt  11 . The safety belts  10  and  11  may be provided with latches  20  (e.g., seat-belt latches) so that the safety belts may be opened or closed as desired. As an occupant enters the platform  102  from the vehicle, the front safety belt  11  may be kept closed and the rear belt  10  may be opened. After the occupant is on the platform  102 , the rear safety belt  10  may be closed. As the lift platform  102  moves to ground level, the occupant may be prevented from falling from the platform  102  even if the occupant inadvertently tilts a wheelchair backward or moves the wheel chair forward. This process may be reversed when the occupant is moved from ground level to floor level of the vehicle. 
         [0019]    In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the safety belts  10  and  11  may be configured so that they may be attached to a conventional paratransit lift without a need for any modifications of the lift. 
         [0020]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the rear safety belt  10  may comprise two lengths of webbing  12  (e.g., nylon webbing). The latch  20  may be attached to the webbing  12  with box stitching  18 . Abrasion resistant reinforcement  14  (e.g. Kevlar® fabric) may be attached to ends of the webbing  12  and a grommet  16  may be placed through the reinforcement  14  and the webbing  12 . The grommet  16  may be large enough to accommodate a bolt  17  so that the safety belt  10  may be attached to the lifting arms  104  with bolts  17 . It may be noted that conventional paratransit lifts typically have assembly bolts located on each of the lifting arms  104 . One or more of these assembly bolt locations may be employed for the bolt  17 . A preexisting bolt of the lift  100  may be removed and the bolt  17  may be passed through the grommet  16  and then placed into a pre-existing bolt location in the arm  104 , thus precluding a need to perform any drilling or other modifications of the paratransit lift. 
         [0021]    Referring now to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the front safety belt  11  may comprise two lengths of the webbing  12 . The latch  20  may be attached to the webbing  12  with box stitching  18 . Attachment loops  32  may be formed at ends of the webbing  12 . The loops  32  may be employed to attach the front safety belt  11  to the handles  106  of the lift  100 . 
         [0022]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , it may be seen that a hook and loop attachment system (e.g., Velcro®) may be employed for holding the front safety belt  11  on the lift  100 . Each of the handles  106  of the lift  100  may be wrapped with a piece of hook and loop material (e.g., a hook member  22 ). The hook member  22  may be adhesively secured to the handle  106 . A piece of the hook and loop material (e.g., a loop member  24 ) may be adhesively secured within the loop  32 . When the loop  32  is placed over the handle  106  the hook member  22  and the loop member  24  may engage with one another to hold the safety belt  11  in position on the handle  106 . As is the case with the rear safety belt  10 , there is no need to perform any modification of the lift  100  in order to attach the front safety belt  11  to the lift  100 . 
         [0023]    Some of the abrasion reinforcement  14  may be applied to the safety belt  11  so that chafing damage of the belt  11  may be prevented when the lift platform  102  is in its retracted position as shown in  FIG. 2 . Additionally the safety belt  11  may be provided with length-adjustment buckles  3   
         [0024]    The latches  20  may be provided with an internal battery-operated audible alarm system that may notify a lift operator that the latches  20  may not be connected as required. 
         [0025]    It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.