VEHICLE

Abstract: There is disclosed a vehicle (11) adapted to carry a wheelchair (12) comprising a chassis (13) on ground-engaging wheels (14A, 14B) and having a floor pan (15) adapted to receive and unload a wheel chair (12).

Description: VEHICLE This invention relates to vehicles and particularly to vehicles for use by people with impaired mobility who normally use a wheelchair. Wheelchairs may be pushed by an accompanying pedestrian, propelled by hand or powered. Mostly, however, they are essentially confined to even, level or only slightly inclined surfaces, lawns, pavements or roads, outdoors. Wheelchairs are not suitable for irregular terrain such as rough pasture and wheelchair-bound people are thus precluded from many rural pursuits such as shooting, fishing and orienteering. The present invention provides a means by which wheelchair-bound people can follow such pursuits. The invention comprises a vehicle adapted to carry a wheelchair comprising a chassis on ground-engaging wheels and having a floor pan adapted to receive and unload a wheelchair. The floor pan/ramp may be tiltable by means of a hydraulic ram arrangement, which may comprise ram means connected between the chassis and the floor pan/ramp. The vehicle may have front and rear wheel drive - a four-wheeled vehicle would have four wheel drive. Each wheel may be driven by an individual motor, which may be a hydraulic motor, supplied with hydraulic fluid from a pump, which may be driven by an internal combustion engine. The chassis may be in two articulated parts. A forward part may have the floor pan/ramp and a rear part may carry a power unit. Steering may be effected by controlled articulation of the two parts, which may be by hydraulic ram means. The two parts may tilt relatively so as to maintain all wheel ground contact. A control arrangement for traction and steering may be provided, which may comprise a joystick controlling steering by left and right movements and traction (including reverse) by fore and aft movements. The vehicle may have restraint means for a wheelchair, which may comprise a raisable and lowerable front wall to the floor pan. One embodiment of a vehicle according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a side elevation; Figure 2 is a side elevation like Figure 1 showing the floor pan tilted; Figure 3 is a plan view; Figure 4 is a front elevation; and Figure 5 is a rear view. The drawings illustrate a vehicle 11 adapted to carry a wheelchair 12 (Figure 4) comprising a chassis 13 on ground-engaging wheels 14A (front), 14B (rear) and having a floor pan 15 adapted to receive and unload a wheelchair by tilting to form a ramp. The floor pan 15 is tiltable by means of a hydraulic ram arrangement comprising ram means 16, one on each side, connected between the chassis 13 and the floor pan/ramp 15. In effect, the ram means 16 pitch the vehicle up and down about a rear axle 17 carrying the rear wheels 14B. The vehicle 11 has four wheel drive, each wheel 14A, 14B being driven by an individual motor. Whilst it is feasible to use electric drive, battery requirements using conventional technology impose a prohibitive weight requirement for reasonably sustained operation, and a practical arrangement as illustrated uses hydraulic motors 18 supplied with hydraulic fluid from a pump 19. The pump 19 is driven by an internal combustion engine 21 with a fuel tank 22. The chassis 13 is in two parts, a forward part 13 A and a rear part 13B which are articulated. The forward rear part 13 A has the floor pan/ramp 15, the rear part 13B carries the power unit - engine 21 and pump 19. Steering is effected by controlled articulation of the two parts 13 A, 13B, controlled by hydraulic ram means 23. The two parts 13 A, 13B tilt relatively (as seen in Figure 4) so as to maintain four wheel ground contact. The forward chassis part 13 A has side members 24 carrying a control arrangement 25 which comprises a joystick 26 controlling steering by right and left movements and fraction (including reverse) by fore and aft movements. The control arrangement also has valving, not shown, for the floor pan tilting, and other controls may be added as required for lights and direction indicators, adapting the vehicle for road use as well as off-road use. Restraint means - hooks or the like, not shown, for straps, and a raisable and lowerable front wall 15A for the floor pan 15 - are provided. The side members 24 and a rear wall 15B to the floor pan 15 act as primary restraint. A roll-over bar 27 provides additional safety. The vehicle can have the usual vehicle accoutrements - mudguards 28, an optional canopy, not shown, for example. Friction braking may be provided but is not necessary with hydraulic drive. A speed limiter may be incorporated for safety reasons - a safe speed might be, say, 12Kph, over rough terrain, but for road use the limit might be set higher, say, 30Kph, and a road/off road switch may be incorporated in the control arrangement 25. The control arrangement 25 may be situated either to right or to left of the vehicle, a matching box on the other side being available for carrying requirements such as cartridges, fishing tackle, refreshments and so on. The vehicle can be of suitably rugged construction, and the illustrated design has a low centre of gravity giving good stability even on inclines. Wide, high- grip tyres facilitate soft terrain or beach operation, and since the engine and electrics are mounted high up (a battery for engine starting, lighting and so on is conveniently carries on the floor pan, beneath the wheelchair) the vehicle can also be driven into tide, for sea fishing. Though the tilting floor pan has been described as of pre-eminent importance, it is possible to envisage other arrangements facilitating wheelchair access - a deeper front wall 15 A, for example, might provide a suitable ramp without lowering the floor pan 15 as a whole. Or the floor pan itself may simply be lowerable flat to the ground allowing the wheelchair to be driven or pushed straight on to it, then the floor pan elevated hydraulically to afford adequate ground clearance. Tilting about the rear axle appears to have the merit of simplicity of construction combined with ease of operation and use.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A vehicle adapted to carry a wheelchair comprising a chassis on ground- engaging wheels and having a floor pan adapted to receive and unload a wheel chair. 2. A vehicle according to claim 1, in which the floor pan is tiltable by means of a hydraulic ram arrangement to form a ramp. 3. A vehicle according to claim 2, in which the hydraulic ram arrangement comprises ram means connected between the chassis and the floor pan/ramp. 4. A vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, having front and rear wheel drive. 5. A vehicle according to claim 4, having four wheel drive. 6. A vehicle according to claim 5, having four wheel drive. 7. A vehicle according to claim 6, in which the motors are hydraulic motors supplied with hydraulic fluid from a pump. 8. A vehicle according to claim 7, in which the pump is driven by an internal combustion engine. 9. A vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 8, of which the chassis is in two articulated parts. 10. A vehicle according to claim 9, comprising a forward part having the floor pan/ramp and a rear part carrying a power unit. 11. A vehicle according to claim 9 or claim 10, in which steering is effected by controlled articulation of the two parts. 12. A vehicle according to claim 11, in which the articulation is controlled by hydraulic ram means. 13. A vehicle according to any one of claims 9 to 12, in which the two parts tilt relatively so as to maintain all wheel ground contact. 14. A vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 13, having a control arrangement for traction and steering. 15. A vehicle according to claim 14, in which the control arrangement comprises a joystick controlling steering by left and right movements and traction (including reverse) by fore and aft movements. 16. A vehicle according to claim 15, having restraint means for a wheelchair. 17. A vehicle according to claim 16, said restraint means comprising a raisable and lowerable front wall to the floor pan.

Inventors: PRINCE DAVID TIMOTHY, PRINCE, DAVID, TIMOTHY
Applicants: PRINCE DAVID TIMOTHY, PRINCE, DAVID, TIMOTHY
Application year: 1998
Main classification: A61G3
IPC codes: A61G3, A61G5