Portable lift for handicapped persons

A portable lift is provided for use in aiding handicapped individuals in boarding or debarking from boats, airplanes and other vehicles, and in entering and exiting swimming pools and saunas, including multiple adapter systems designed to facilitate each of the above uses.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates generally to the field of portable lifts, and more 
specifically to portable lifts designed to accommodate handicapped 
persons, and to adapt to a number of different circumstances. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
In the past, inventors have addressed their efforts toward design and 
development of lifting mechanisms which would permit the loading of an 
occupied wheelchair into a van. Other inventions were designed 
specifically to provide lifting apparatus for conveying a wheelchair into 
an airplane or a ship. Other prior art relating to lifts includes 
elevators and cargo lifts. While efforts in the past were successful in 
providing lifts which were quite safe and, in some cases, portable, none 
of the prior art discovered by applicant was directed toward a lift for 
handicapped persons having the degree of adaptability which the present 
invention possesses. The present invention, because of its portable 
features, may be used to load a wheelchair into an airplane or to lift a 
handicapped person into or out of a sauna, into or out of a swimming pool, 
or into or out of a boat or an airplane. None of the prior art discovered 
has disclosed this degree of flexibility. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to an improved portable lift designed to 
facilitate the movement of physically handicapped individuals into or out 
of airplanes, buses, other vehicles, tubs, pools or saunas. The basic lift 
consists of a structural frame which includes a mount attached to the 
frame in such a way that it slides up and down on tracks which are 
attached to and form part of the frame. To insure safety, a motor and 
threaded rod/bearing combination is employed to accomplish the lifting or 
lowering of the mount. Receptacles are provided on the mount for mounting 
a seat, a sauna seat, or a wheelchair base. The seat used with the lift is 
designed so that it swivels, thereby giving a 360 degree field of movement 
when raised above the top edge of the structural frame. The structural 
frame is further designed to be held in place at the top by extensions 
from an adapter for use with a given vehicle, and has standoffs which hold 
it rigid once in place. The lift includes adapters which permit its use on 
the side of a boat, with a hot tub, with a swimming pool, and with an 
airplane.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Viewing FIG. 1, a portable handicap lift is designated generally as (9). 
The frame of the lift (9) consists of two vertical structural members, 
(24) and (29), joined together at the top by horizontal structural member 
(23), and at the bottom by horizontal structural member (26). The basic 
frame members, (24), (29), (26) and (23), are constructed of hollow 
aluminum rod, although solid aluminum rod, hollow steel rod, solid steel 
rod or some other appropriate material could as well be used. Hollow 
aluminum rod was chosen for use in these structural members because it is 
strong and lightweight. Two vertical slide support members (27) and (28) 
are provided, and are attached at the bottom to horizontal structural 
member (26), and at the top to horizontal structural member (23). These 
two vertical slide support members (27) and (28) are constructed of 
aluminum I-beam. Although other metals could be used effectively, aluminum 
was chosen because it is strong and lightweight. A steel threaded rod (22) 
is provided which is supported at the bottom by bearing (46), which is 
attached to horizontal structural member (26), and is supported at the top 
by motor transmission unit (21), which is attached to horizontal 
structural member (23). This threaded steel rod (22), in conjunction with 
threaded piece (137) more fully shown in FIG. 2, raises and lowers the 
seat structural and attachment system (33) when it is turned. 
Standoff support bases (34) and (36) are provided, and are attached to 
vertical structural members (24) and (29) respectively. Standoff supports 
are provided consisting of hollow standoff support portion (39), which is 
constructed of hollow aluminum rod; solid standoff support portion (42), 
which is constructed of hollow or solid aluminum rod and which slides into 
hollow standoff support portion (39); bumper attachment (134); and 
standoff bumper (43), which is constructed of rubber or some other 
acceptable material. Hollow standoff support portion (39) is connected to 
standoff support base (34) through the use of pivot pin (38), thereby 
permitting the standoff support to swing upward or downward. A second 
standoff support is provided as partially shown (40), (41), (44) and 
(136). Both standoffs are constructed in the same way, so that they can 
swing upward or downward on pivot pins (37) and (38). FIG. 1 further shows 
the adapter plate (10), which is designed to permit the use of the lift 
system with a boat. This adapter plate (10) consists of a thick aluminum 
plate which is bent in the shape of a U. Attached to aluminum adapter 
plate (10) are hanging bar supports (11) and (12), which are constructed 
of aluminum or other appropriate metal. Hanging bars (16) and (17) are 
attached to hanging bar supports (11) and (12) through the use of bolts 
(13) and (14), which permit hanging bars (16) and (17) to swing upward. 
Additionally, a swivel bar (18) is attached to hanging bar (16), and 
permits the lift to swivel thereon. The swivel arrangement and movement of 
hanging bar (16) and swivel bar (18) is shown in greater detail in FIG. 5. 
Horizontal structural member (23) slips into hanging bar clamps (19) and 
(20), which are attached to swivel portion (18) and hanging bar (17) as 
shown. 
Now going to FIG. 2 of the drawings, a close-up perspective view of the 
seat structural and attachment system (33) is shown, along with the 
construction of the seat. Tongue receptacles (56) and (57), which are 
constructed of aluminum, are attached to load support member (58), which 
is also constructed of aluminum. Threaded steel rod (22) is threaded 
through threaded piece (137), which is attached to load support member 
(58), thereby permitting the load support member (58) to be raised or 
lowered when threaded steel rod (22) is turned. Support tongues (47) and 
(48) fit into tongue receptacles (56) and (57). The seat support is 
constructed of seat structural support members (52) and (53), which are 
attached to seat support tongues (47) and (48), and of seat structural 
support members (49), (50) and (51), all of which are constructed of 
aluminum, but which could also be constructed of other appropriate metal. 
The seat (30) swivels with respect to seat structural support member (51) 
on pin (54). 
FIG. 2 further shows roller support members (61), (62), (63) and (64) in 
greater detail. A more detailed view of the placement of the rollers with 
respect to these roller support members (61), (62), (63) and (64) is shown 
in FIGS. 4 and 4A. 
Now going to FIG. 4, a vertical cutaway view is given showing the placement 
of the rollers and other parts with respect to horizontal structural 
member (23). Rollers (70), (71), (72) and (73), which are constructed of 
nylon, plastic or other appropriate material, roll and are provided to 
facilitate smoother sliding of the lift unit along vertical slide support 
members (27) and (28). These rollers are held in position by and turn on 
pins (66), (67), (68) and (69), which are connected to roller support 
members (61), (62), (63) and (64). Roller support members (61), (62), (63) 
and (64) are constructed of aluminum, but could as well be made of other 
appropriate metal or other appropriate material. Roller support members 
(61), (62), (63) and (64) are connected to and held in place by load 
support member (58). FIG. 4 further shows the connection of tongue 
receptacles (56) and (57) to load support member (58) in much greater 
detail. 
FIG. 4A is a detailed side view showing the relative position of rollers 
(70) and (71) with respect to roller support member (64), and further with 
respect to vertical slide member (27). It should be noted that roller (70) 
rolls in the channel of slide support member (64), opposite the loaded 
area. It should further be noted that roller (70) is placed in a position 
higher than that of roller (71), thereby providing support when the lift 
unit is heavily loaded. 
Now going to FIGS. 3 and 5, the specific movements involved in folding the 
lift over the edge of a boat for storage are shown. It will be noted that 
swivel bar (18) swivels on pin (60) with respect to hanging bar (16) and 
that, as the lift frame is swung upward, horizontal structural member (23) 
continues to be held in place by hanging bar clamp (19), but that 
horizontal structural member (23) slips out of hanging bar clamp (20). The 
lift frame is then swung upward, and vertical structural member (29) is 
slipped into hanging bar clamp (20). This being done, the lift frame may 
be swung up and over into a horizontal position by swinging hanging bars 
(16) and (17) upward. FIG. 5 further shows hanging bar stops (74) and 
(76), which are constructed of aluminum and which support hanging bars 
(16) and (17) in a horizontal position when the lift frame is mounted 
thereon. 
Now going to FIG. 6, a sauna chair adapted for use with the portable lift 
is shown. Support tongues (79) and (78) are constructed of aluminum or 
some other appropriate material and, in operation, are fitted into tongue 
receptacles (56) and (57), shown in FIG. 2. Support tongues (78) and (79) 
are further attached to support base (80), which is in turn attached to 
vertical member (82) through the use of bearing (81), thereby permitting 
vertical member (82) to swivel with respect to support base (80). 
Horizontal member (83) is attached to vertical member (82), and further 
attached to sauna chair (84). 
Now continuing on to FIG. 7, the portable lift unit is shown in place on 
the side of a boat. As will be noted, adapter plate (10) fits over the 
side of the boat, and the portable lift unit is attached thereto. It will 
further be noted that inner standoff bumpers (43) and (44) fit snugly 
against the boat, thereby maintaining stability while in use. 
FIG. 8 shows a poolside adapter (86) for use with the portable lift (9). 
This poolside adapter consists generally of wheels (87) with a structural 
base (88) made of steel or some other appropriate metal, and with a handle 
(102) attached thereto for purposes of moving the unit. Tongues (89) and 
(90), which are attached to the structural base (88), are adapted to fit 
into tongue receptacles (98) and (99), mounted at the edge of a pool, and 
are held in place through the use of bolts (100) and (101). The portable 
lift unit is held in place with respect to the poolside adapter by being 
hung upon hanging clamps (91) and (92), and is given further stability by 
attachment of poolside unit (86) to standoff support bases (34) and (36) 
through the use of bolts (96) and (97). 
Now going to FIG. 9, an airport transport unit (104) for use with the 
portable lift unit in loading disabled passengers on airplanes is shown. 
The airport transport unit (104) consists of a structural base (111) with 
four wheels (107), (108), (109) and (110) attached thereto, thereby 
facilitating movement, and further with a handle (106) attached at one 
end. Further, structural supports (112) and (113) are attached to the 
structural base (111) and to structural piece (138) at pivot points (114) 
and (116). A boom (117) is attached to the structural piece (138) at one 
end and, at the other end, to a boom structural support system consisting 
of bars (119), (120), (139), (140), (141), (121) and (142). The portable 
lift unit is held in place with respect to the airport transport unit 
(104) by hanging bar clamps (122) and (123), and by connecting bar (121) 
to standoff support base (36) with an appropriate connection on the 
opposite side which is not shown in this figure. 
Now going to FIG. 10, a support base for a wheelchair is shown consisting 
of ramp (128), metal support structure (124), wheel supports (126) and 
(127) and wheelchair platform support tongues (129) and (130). All of the 
parts of the wheelchair platform are constructed of aluminum or some other 
appropriate metal. In actual operation, support tongues (129) and (130) 
are inserted into tongue receptacles (56) and (57), as shown in FIG. 9 and 
previously discussed. 
In operation, the basic portable handicap lift can be used to assist 
physically handicapped individuals to enter or exit boats, pools, 
airplanes and saunas. In the configuration for use with a boat, because of 
the light weight of the unit, a handicapped person, having lifted himself 
to a point from which he can enter the boat, can fold the unit upward and 
over onto the side of the boat. Furthermore, when boating, the handicapped 
individual has the flexibility of being able to lower himself into the 
water, go swimming, and raise himself back into the boat without depending 
on the help of any other person. As a result, handicapped persons can 
engage in water sports which were heretofore impossible for them to enjoy 
without the help of another person. Because of the unique design of the 
lift and the hanging bar clamp arrangement, along with the standoff 
support and standoff support base arrangement, a single lift can for the 
first time be used by handicapped persons to enable them to engage in 
boating, swimming, sauna bathing and the use of airplanes without having 
to purchase individual units for each of those uses. 
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment is for illustrative 
purposes only and, because persons skilled in the art will readily see 
modifications and further adaptations of this system, it is applicant's 
intention not to be limited by the scope or breadth of the discussion of 
the preferred embodiment, but to be limited only by the scope of the 
claims which follow.