Abstract:
An apparatus for securing a scooter with a footplate to a vehicle having a floor includes a main beam having proximal and distal ends and being connectable to the vehicle floor to move between an up, rest position and a down, locking position, the down, locking position including a portion of the main beam extending generally laterally over and across the footplate of a scooter positioned thereunder; actuator means including a follower pin received for limited movement in a slot defined by guide means connected to the main beam, the actuator means being for moving the main beam between the up, rest position and down, locking positions; and latch means for securing the distal end of the main beam to the vehicle floor when in the down, locking position.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to devices for securing mobility devices and, more particularly, to an apparatus for securing a mobility device such as a scooter to the inside of a vehicle. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Many people with limited physical capabilities transport themselves around using a mobility scooter or similar mobility device. A typical scooter will have four wheels, an electric motor, bicycle style handlebars, a large padded seat and a footplate. The rear wheels are driven and the front wheels steer. It is commonly driven or moved into a wheelchair access vehicle via a lift or ramp and, the disabled person alights the scooter and moves into the driver seat to drive the vehicle or into a passenger seat. Once inside the vehicle, it is desirable to secure or tie down the scooter, so that it does not move around while the vehicle is moving and, worse, become a massive and dangerous projectile in the event a sudden deceleration or accident. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Generally speaking, there is provided an apparatus for securing a mobility device such as a scooter to the inside of a vehicle. 
         [0004]    The present invention is directed to an apparatus that is operable to anchor a mobility scooter or similar mobility device into a position from which it cannot move inside of a vehicle. When a mobility scooter is located in the desired position the user will actuate a switch which will lower a powered arm from a vertical parked position into a horizontal position across the middle of a mobility scooter. The powered arm will locate either into the floor or latch to a post secured into the floor (depending on the variant fitted to the vehicle) thereby restricting the movement of the mobility scooter in the event of an accident. 
         [0005]    In one embodiment, an apparatus is provided for securing a scooter with a footplate to a vehicle having a floor. The apparatus includes a main beam having proximal and distal ends and being connectable to the vehicle floor to move between an up, rest position and a down, locking position, the down, locking position including a portion of the main beam extending generally laterally over and across the footplate of a scooter positioned thereunder; actuator means including a follower pin received for limited movement in a slot defined by guide means connected to the main beam, the actuator means being for moving the main beam between the up, rest position and down, locking positions; and latch means for securing the distal end of the main beam to the vehicle floor when in the down, locking position. 
         [0006]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved device for securing mobility devices such as scooters on the inside of a vehicle. 
         [0007]    Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a side, elevational view of an apparatus  10  for securing a scooter in a vehicle in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, with apparatus  10  shown in the generally vertical up and resting position  14  as it would appear when it is not in use. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is perspective view of the apparatus  10  of  FIG. 1   
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a side, elevational view of the apparatus  10  of  FIG. 1 , with its central beam  18  shown in the generally horizontal position, apparatus  10  being nearly in the fully down, locking position  15 , and showing in phantom the scooter footplate  71  that it would be locking down. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of a portion of the apparatus  10  of  FIG. 3  at detail A and showing the foot beam  19  as its locking knob  52  is nearly fully latched into the keyhole opening  59  of floor socket  3 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is perspective view of the portion of apparatus  10  of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged view of a portion of the apparatus  10  of  FIG. 5  at detail B and showing the foot beam  19  as its locking knob  52  is nearly fully latched into the keyhole opening  59  of floor socket  3 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the floor socket  3  of the apparatus  10  of  FIG. 6  showing the underside of the floor socket. 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a side, elevational view of the apparatus  10  of  FIG. 1  shown in the fully down, locking position  15 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the apparatus  10  of  FIG. 8 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0017]    For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, and any alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device and further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated are being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. 
         [0018]    Referring to the  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  8  and  9 , there is shown an apparatus  10  for securing a mobility device such as a scooter to the inside of a vehicle. A typical scooter (not shown) has four wheels, an electric motor, bicycle style handlebars, a large padded seat and a footplate. The rear wheels are driven by the electric motor, and the front wheels are steered by the user via the handlebars. Other configurations of scooters are known and/or contemplated (having only three wheels, for example), but the present invention is directed to all such mobility devices that have a footplate connecting the front and rear portions of the mobility device and being located near to the ground. 
         [0019]    Briefly,  FIG. 1  illustrates the device in the vertical position as it would be when not in use. It is bolted to the floor of an adapted vehicle through a plate  2 . A main beam  1  is raised and lowered via a toggle switch  78  and powered by a motor  5  with joint at the end of the beam so it pivots using a gas strut  7 . The device locks into floor socket  3  by the locating pin  4  latching into it. 
         [0020]    Apparatus  10  generally includes a main beam  1 , plate  2 , a floor socket (or latch)  3  and an actuator assembly  11  that articulates (that is, one or more of components are moved via hinged interconnections) apparatus  10  between an up, resting position  14  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) and a down, locking position  15  ( FIGS. 8 and 9 ). Main beam  1  (or arm) includes a base beam  17 , a central beam  18 , a foot beam  19  (or arm) and proximal and distal hinge members  21  and  22 . Base beam  17  is connected to plate  2 , which is mounted to the floor of the vehicle in any appropriate manner 
         [0021]    Central beam  18  is hingedly connected to base beam  17  by hinge member  21  to pivot about a pin  25 . Hinge member  21  is fixedly connected to base beam  17  and includes a stop plate  26  that extends about 90 degrees (that is, generally horizontally) from the generally vertically extending base beam  17 . 
         [0022]    Foot beam  19  is hingedly connected to central beam  18  by hinge member  22  to pivot about an axis  27  via a pin  28 . Hinge member  22  is fixedly connected to foot beam  19  and includes a stop plate  29  that extends about 90 degrees from the length (that is, the long axis) of foot beam  19 . 
         [0023]    Actuator assembly  11  includes a motor  5  with linearly extending/retracting output rod  33  (i.e. a linear actuator), the motor  5  being pivotally mounted to the base beam  17  via a bracket member  34 , which is fixed to base beam  17 , and whereby motor  5  is pivotally mounted to bracket member  34  by a pin  35 . At the distal end of the motor&#39;s output rod  33  is a follower in the form of a pin  38  that rides within slots  39  and  40  defined by guide plates  41  and  42 , respectively, that are fixed to extend upwardly (as shown in  FIG. 9 ) from central beam  18 . A connector rod  45  is connected to and extends from the distal end of output rod  33 , the two here being connected together by the pin  38 , and toward the distal end of central beam  38  where it is pivotally connected via a pin  46  to a bracket  47  that is fixedly connected to foot beam  19 , as shown. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , at the distal end  50  of foot beam  19  is the locating pin  4  (a first member) that is sized and configured to engage and releasably lock with the floor socket  3  (a second member). Locating pin  4  has a main shank  51  connected to and extending from distal end  50 , and then at the distal end of shank  51  is a larger sized locking knob  52 . Knob  52  has a generally flat surface (or ledge)  55  extending radially outwardly from its junction to shank  51  and has a rounded outer surface  56  at its outermost side. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIGS. 4 ,  6 ,  7 ,  10  and  11 , floor socket  3  is a plate defining a keyhole shaped opening  59  that is sized, at its outer end  60  (that is, the end to be the farthest away from the mounting of base beam  17  (here, via plate  2 ) to the vehicle floor), large enough for locking knob  52  to pass therethrough, and that is sized, at its inner end  61  (the end closest to the mounting of base beam  17  to the vehicle floor), only wide enough for the narrower diameter shank  51  to be received therein. Floor socket  3  also is thinner at its outer end  64  than at its inner end  65 , and at a portion near the junction  66  of the thinner/thicker portions  64 / 65 . And, on opposite sides of the opening  59  and at its underside, floor socket  3  is ramped (at  68 / 69 ) to facilitate a smooth entry of the shank  51  from the larger outer end  60  into the smaller inner end  61  of opening  59  as the flat surface ledge  55  engages ramps  68 / 69  on the underside of floor socket  3  and slides to a snug locking position at the inner opening end  61 . 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , apparatus  10  further includes two gas struts (or gas shocks)  72  and  73  to dampen the articulating movement of the base, central and foot beams  17 - 19 . Inner gas strut  72  is connected at one end  74  to bracket  34  and at its opposite end  75  to central beam  18 , and outer gas strut  73  is connected at one end  76  to the outer end of central beam  18  and at its opposite end  77  to rod  45 . 
         [0027]    In assembly, apparatus  10  is installed by mounting the base beam  17  via its plate  2  to the vehicle floor and by mounting floor socket  3  also to or in the vehicle floor (preferably flush with the floor) at such distance from the mounting of plate  2  so as to leave the desired gap between beams  17  and  19  to accommodate the intended scooter and as defined by the length of central beam  18 . Where the lengths of central beam  18  and the actuator assembly  11  are adjustable, the positionment of floor socket  3  is selected within the range of such adjustability and the width of the scooter. 
         [0028]    In use, once the scooter is maneuvered into position, as shown at  71  in  FIG. 3 , the user activates motor  5  (via an appropriate switch, such as toggle switch  78  or a remote or other device), which causes output rod  33  to extend, its outer end being guided by the pin  38  riding within slots  39  and  40 , and central beam  18  is forced to pivot down about its hinged connection at pin  35 . Likewise, as pin  38  moves within slots  39  and  40 , connector rod  45  moves outwardly, and foot beam  19  is forced to bend at its hinge axis at pin  28 . As beams  18  and  19  bend, central beam  18  swings down over the scooter  71 , and locating pin  4  approaches floor socket  3  until: central beam  18  has reached it pivot limit (via hitting stop plate  26 ); foot beam  19  has reached its pivot limit (via stop plate  29  hitting central beam  18 ; and locating pin  4  has entered all the way into a snug locking engagement within the small, inner end  61  of keyhole opening  59 , as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , which constitutes the down, locking position  15 . To unlock the scooter, the toggle switch  78  or similar switch is activated to reverse the motor  5 , which retracts output rod  33 , and central and foot beams  18  and  19  are pivoted in the opposite directions until apparatus  10  is in its up, resting position ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) and now stowed out of the way. 
         [0029]    While electric motor  5  minimizes the effort required by the operator to use apparatus  10 , alternative embodiments are contemplated wherein apparatus  10  lacks a motor, and the beams  17 - 19  are manually moved between the up, resting and down, locking positions  14  and  15 . In this configuration, the gas struts  72  and  73  are particularly helpful to avoid damage to the scooter or user from inadvertently dropping the assembly  10  before it has reached a position resting on and locking with the vehicle floor. Likewise, the gas struts can be omitted from the assembly  10  or such dampening action can be achieved in other means, such as friction bushings or similar elements at the hinged connections between the beams. 
         [0030]    Alternative embodiments are contemplated wherein central beam  18  and some portion of the actuator assembly  11  (that is, one or more of motor  5 , output rod  33 , connector rod  45  and other components connected thereto) are made for their length to be adjustable. That is, apparatus  10  is intended for use with scooters and/or similar mobility devices which might be of varying widths. The gap between base beam  17  and foot beam  19  in the down, locking position  15  is therefore contemplated to be made to readily accommodate such mobility device therebetween, but to not be too wide where apparatus  10  takes up more space than is necessary. Alternative embodiments are also contemplated wherein the base and foot beams  17  and  19  are made to be vertically adjustable to likewise readily accommodate the scooter or other mobility device contemplated for use therewith. 
         [0031]    Alternative embodiments are contemplated wherein the main beam  1  is mounted, not to the vehicle floor, but to any other part of the vehicle, so long as it moves between an up, rest position out of the way and a down, locking position securing the scooter. For example, main beam  1  could lack a base beam  17 , and the central beam  18  would be movably (e.g. pivotally) connected to some structure of or connected directly to the vehicle&#39;s side wall. 
         [0032]    While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only preferred embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.