Patent Description:
In order to make vehicles suitable for wheelchair users, the OEM-side-mounted vehicle floor is often removed to the extent that essentially only the vehicle body, including the vehicle body floor and vehicle body side parts, remains. A separately produced vehicle floor is then mounted on the vehicle body. In comparison to the OEM-sided vehicle floor, the replacement floor is designed in such a way that considerably more space is available, especially in the vertical direction, so that even a wheelchair user can sit upright on the wheelchair in the vehicle interior and is safely accommodated. Usually, vehicle ramps are attached to the replacement floor in such a way that they can still be swivelled so that the wheelchair user can easily enter and leave the vehicle.

With growing environmental awareness, it gets more and more important to make electrically powered vehicles suitable and accessible for wheelchairs. Usually electrically powered vehicles have more components that need to be considered when installing a base floor part for carrying the wheelchair in the vehicle. In particular, the battery for providing the driving force of the electrically powered vehicle can be very large. <CIT> proposes a method for installing a wheelchair bay in an electrically powered vehicle, wherein the wheelchair bay is located behind the battery in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

As there are many different types of vehicles, there are vehicles that comprise a smaller rear cargo space and/or a larger battery than the vehicle in <CIT>, so that with the method proposed in <CIT> it is not possible to install a base floor part for carrying a wheelchair in those vehicles behind the battery.

<CIT> discloses an expanded interior space and improved access mini-van.

<CIT> discloses a foldable ramp allowing an invalid wheelchair passenger enter into a vehicle.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of the state of the art, in particular to provide a base floor part that uses the installation space available for the base floor part in a more efficient way so that it can be implemented in a larger number of vehicles, in particular in vehicles with little installation space for the base floor part such as electrically powered vehicles.

This object is solved by the subject matter of the independent claim <NUM>.

According to an example embodimentof the present invention, a base floor part for carrying a wheelchair is provided. The base floor part is adapted to be connected to a body of an automobile, in particular an electrically powered automobile. The connection between the base floor part and the automobile body can be realized for example by gluing and/or screwing. The base floor part can be adapted to replace the OEM-sided manufactured vehicle floor in order to convert the automobile into a wheelchair accessible automobile. Therefore, the base floor part can comprise predefined attachment sections configured in design such that they may be attached to corresponding attachment sections of the automobile body where the OEM-sided original vehicle floor has been attached to. In particular, the base floor part can be designed and configured such that a wheelchair can be stored on it in the rear cargo space of the automobile. The base floor part can be made of plastic or composite material, in particular fiberglass, and/or can be manufactured by injection or resin tranfer molding. For example, a mold may be used for the fiberglass material and vaccum to fill the mold. It is also possible to manufacture the base floor part from sheet metal on a press.

The base floor part according to the first aspect is adapted to be connected to an automobile that comprises a battery for providing at least part of a driving force of the automobile, such as an electric automobile or a hybrid automobile. The battery for providing at least part of the driving force, that can also be referred to as tracktion battery, can provide a high voltage of about <NUM> to <NUM> V. Further the tracktion battery can have a high capacity of <NUM> to <NUM> kWh. The tracktion battery can be very heavy and way up to <NUM>. By these features, the battery for providing the driving force can be easily distinguished from other batteries of the automobile, such as a conventional automobile battery having a capacity of about <NUM>,<NUM> kWh, as well as additional batteries of the automobile and/or a wheelchair access system connected to the base floor part, such as a battery of a lifting mechanism to pull or lift the wheelchair onto the base floor part. It should be clear that the term battery within the meaning of the present invention refers to the tracktion battery for providing at least part of a driving force of the automobile and does not refer to other batteries that might be present in the automobile and/or the wheelchair access system.

The base floor part extends in a longitudinal direction, wherein a wheelchair can be pushed or driven onto the base floor part from a rear end in longitunidal direction of the base floor part. The longitudinal direction of the base floor part can extend in a horizontal direction. In an assembly state, in which the base floor part is connected to the automobile body, the longitudinal direction of the base floor part is preferably arranged parallel to a longitudinal direction of the automobile. The longitudinal direction of the automobile is defined by the driving direction of the automobile.

The base floor part is designed in such a way, that it can be arranged at least partly above the battery. In the assembly state, the base floor part and the battery overlap in a vertical direction over a certain distance in longitudinal direction of the base floor part and/or the automobile. In other words, is the base floor part within this distance arranged above the battery in vertical direction. By overlapping the base floor part and the battery, the base floor part can be installed in automobiles with a smaller rear cargo space and/or a bigger tracktion battery, because the base floor part can at least partly be installed in the installation space normally occupied by the battery. Another advantage is that the same base floor part can be used for different automobiles because the length of overlapping between the base floor part and the battery can be changed flexibly. In other words, the portion of the base floor part overlapping with the battery can be adapted without changing the base floor part. Further no modifications and/or relocation of the battery is necessary to install the base floor part in the automobile. Therefore, the base floor part according to the first aspect provides a cheap, flexibel and reliable way to install a base floor part in an automobile and at the same time enables to use the installation space in a very efficient way. The base floor part therefore makes it possible to make even automobiles with a small rear cargo space accessible for wheelchairs.

In another example embodiment, the base floor part comprises a substantially horizontal battery section, also called forward section. In longitudinal direction of the base floor part, the battery section can be arranged at the forward end of the base floor part. The battery section comprises a substantially horizontal top side and/or a substantially horizontal bottom side. Preferably both, the top side and the bottom side, are substantially horizontal, so that they extend parallel to each other. Hence, the battery section can have a substantially constant wall thickness, so that the battery section and the base floor part can be manufactured in an easy and cheap way. In this embodiment the base floor part is designed in such a way, that the horizontal battery section can be arranged at least partly above the battery.

In the invetion, the battery section has a length between <NUM> and <NUM>, preferably between <NUM> and <NUM> or about <NUM>. The base floor part can is designed in such a way, that the battery section can be arranged above the battery substantially over the whole length of the battery section, to provide a base floor part requiring minimal installation space.

According to another example embodiment of the present invention, that can be combined with the previous aspects and example embodiments, a base floor part for carrying a wheelchair is provided. The base floor part is adapted to be connected to a body of an automobile, in particular an electrically powered automobile. The connection between the base floor part and the automobile body can be realized for example by gluing and/or screwing. The base floor part can be adapted to replace the OEM-sided manufactured vehicle floor in order to convert the automobile into a wheelchair accessible automobile. Therefore, the base floor part can comprise predefined attachment sections configured in design such that they may be attached to corresponding attachment sections of the automobile body where the OEM-sided original vehicle floor has been attached to. In particular, the base floor part can be designed and configured such that a wheelchair can be stored on it in the rear cargo space of the automobile. The base floor part can be made of plastic or composite material, in particular fiberglass, and/or can be manufactured by injection or resin tranfer molding. For example, a mold may be used for the fiberglass material and vaccum to fill the mold. It is also possible to manufacture the base floor part from sheet metal on a press.

Wheelchairs in general comprise two large rear wheels and two smaller front wheels. Normally a wheelchair also comprises a seat for the wheelchair user and a foot rest, where the wheelchair user can place his feet. Often the foot rest is arranged forward of the front wheels and/or at least partly protrudes over the front wheels in forward direction. Comercially available wheelchairs often have a total length of <NUM> or in the case of electric wheelchairs a length of <NUM> from a forward end of the foot rest to a rearward end of the rear wheels. The width of commercially available wheelchairs can be between <NUM> and <NUM>.

The base floor part according to invention comprises a wheelchair storage section configured for carrying the rear wheels and the front wheels of the wheelchair. With other words is the wheelchair storage section configured to completely carry the wheelchair, meaning that the front wheels and the rear wheels can be placed on the wheelchair storage section at the same time. Therefore, the wheelchair storage section has a length and a width large enough to carry all wheels of the wheelchair at the same time. In the longitudinal direction of the base floor part, the wheelchair storage section can be arranged at a rear end of the base floor part. A rear end of the wheelchair storage section can be connected for example to a ramp for enabling access for the wheelchair onto the wheelchair storage section.

According to the invention, a top side of the wheelchair storage section is inclined at an angle between <NUM>% and <NUM>% with respect to a horizontal direction. In particular, the wheelchair storage section can be inclined at an angle of less than <NUM>%, <NUM>% or <NUM>% with respect to the horizontal direction. As the wheelchair storage section is configured to carry the front wheels and the rear wheels, the wheelchair is inclined at the same angle as the wheelchair storage section, when stored on the wheelchair storage section. With the inclined wheelchair storage section, it is possible to increase the effective length of the wheelchair storage section that can be used to store the wheelchair, in particular to carry the wheels of the wheelchair, within the same rear cargo space of the automobile, compared to a wheelchair storage section extending in horizontal direction. Hence, with the base floor part according to this aspect it is possible to make automobiles with smaller rear cargo space, for example because of a large tracktion battery in electrically powered automobiles, accessible for wheelchairs without the need to change the automobile body and without the need to change or relocate the tracktion battery of the automobile. With a smaller inclination angle the comfort for the wheelchair user can be increased but at the same time the effective length of the wheelchair storage section is reduced. The inventors of the present invention found out, that with an inclination angle between <NUM> and <NUM>°, preferably less than <NUM>%, <NUM>% or <NUM>% an optimum between cheap installation of the base floor part, efficient use of the available installation space and comfort for the wheelchair user can be reached.

According to an example embodiment, a bottom side of the wheelchair storage section is inclined at the same angle with respect to the horizontal direction as the top side of the wheelchair storage section. In this embodiment the top side and the bottom side extend parallel to each other, so that the wheelchair storage section has a substantially constant wall thickness. A base floor part according to this embodiment can be manufactured in an easy and cheap way and/or less material is required for manufacturing the base floor part.

According to another example embodiment, the top side of the wheelchair storage section has a constant inclination angle over the entire length of the wheelchair storage section. This way the wheechair can be pushed or driven onto the wheelchair storage section in an easy way without the need to overcome edges on the top surface between portions of the top surface with different inclination angles and at the same time the base floor part can be manufactured in an easy and cheap way. Additionally or alternatively, the bottom side of the wheelchair storage section has a constant inclination angle over the entire length of the wheelchair storage section.

According to a further example embodiment, the wheelchair storage section has a length that is shorter than a total length of the wheelchair, in particular shorter than <NUM>. In a preferred embodiment, the wheelchair storage section can have a length between <NUM> and <NUM>, preferably about <NUM> or <NUM>. In this embodiment the wheelchair storage section is adapted to carry the front and rear wheels of the wheelchair, while the footrest can be located outside of the wheelchair storage section at a forward end of the wheelchair storage section. With this embodiment a base floor part requiring minimal installation space is provided.

According to an aspect of the present invention, that can be combined with the previous aspects and example embodiments, a base floor part for carrying a wheelchair is provided. The base floor part is adapted to be connected to a body of an automobile, in particular an electrically powered automobile. The connection between the base floor part and the automobile body can be realized for example by gluing and/or screwing. The base floor part can be adapted to replace the OEM-sided manufactured vehicle floor in order to convert the automobile into a wheelchair accessible automobile. Therefore, the base floor part can comprise predefined attachment sections configured in design such that they may be attached to corresponding attachment sections of the automobile body where the OEM-sided original vehicle floor has been attached to. In particular, the base floor part can be designed and configured such that a wheelchair can be stored on it in the rear cargo space of the automobile. The base floor part can be made of plastic or composite material, in particular fiberglass, and/or can be manufactured by injection or resin tranfer molding. For example, a mold may be used for the fiberglass material and vaccum to fill the mold. It is also possible to manufacture the base floor part from sheet metal on a press.

The base floor part according to the invention comprises in a longitudinal direction of the base floor part a rearward wheelchair storage section and a forward section arranged at a forward end of the rearward wheelchair storage section. The wheelchair storage section is configured for carrying the rear wheels and the front wheels of the wheelchair. With other words is the wheelchair storage section configured to completely carry the wheelchair, meaning that the front wheels and the rear wheels can be placed on the wheelchair storage section at the same time. Therefore, the wheelchair storage section has a length and a width large enough to carry all wheels of the wheelchair at the same time. In the longitudinal direction of the base floor part, the wheelchair storage section can be arranged at a rear end of the base floor part. A rear end of the wheelchair storage section can be connected for example to a ramp for enabling access for the wheelchair onto the wheelchair storage section. The wheelchair storage section can preferably be inclined to increase the effective length of the wheelchair storage section that can be used to store the wheelchair. The forward section can preferably extend in a horizontal direction and/or be located at least partly above a battery for providing at least part of a driving force of the automobile.

According to the invention, a step is formed between the rearward wheelchair storage section and the forward section, such that the forward section is stepwise elevated from the forward end of the rearward wheelchair storage section. With the step it is possible to lower the forward end of the wheelchair storage section with regard to the forward section. At the step, a distance in vertical direction between the base floor part and the ground, that can be referred to as ground clearance increases abruptly in longitudinal direction of the base floor part. The step allows to use the installation space available for the base floor part in a more flexible and efficient way. With the step, the base floor part can easily be adapted to different components and/or conditions defining the installation space in the automobile, such as a tracktion battery and/or the length of the installation space. When the automobile comprises a large tracktion battery it is possible to arrange the forward section above the battery without the need to raise the forward end of the wheelchair storage section which would normally lead to a reduced height in vertical direction in the automobile interior, so that a wheelchair user might not be able to sit upright and/or to an increased inclination angle of the wheelchair storage section which reduces the comfort for the wheelchair user. Additionally or alternatively, the step can be used to lower the forward end of the wheelchair storage section so that the height in vertical direction in the rear cargo space available for the wheelchair user can be increased and/or the distance in vertical direction between the forward end and a rearward end of an inclined wheelchair storage section can be reduced. With the shorter distance in vertical direction between the forward end and the rearward end of the wheelchair storage section, the inclination angle of the wheelchair storage section can be reduced, which increases the comfort for the wheelchair user.

According to an example embodiment, the step comprises a lower end and an upper end in vertical direction. The upper end of the step can be formed by a rearward end of the forward section and the lower end of the step can be formed by the forward end of the wheelchair storage section. The upper end and/or the lower end of the step extend perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the base floor part. Additionally or alternatively the upper end and/or the lower end are linear.

According to another example embodiment, the step comprises a substantially planar rearward side and/or a substantially planar forward side in longitudinal direction of the base floor part. The rearward side of the step faces the wheelchair, and the forward side of the step faces the forward end of the automobile and a battery that the automobile can comprise. Preferably the rearward side and the forward side extend parallel to each other, so that the step has a substantially constant wall thickness. The step and the base floor part according to this embodiment can be manufactured in an easy and cheap way. The step can have the same wall thickness as the wheelchair storage section and/or the forward section, but the step can also have a different wall thickness than the wheelchair storag section and/or the forward section.

According to a further example embodiment, the step extends in a vertical direction or is inclined with respect to the vertical direction at an angle between <NUM> and <NUM>°. Preferably the step can be inclined about <NUM>° with respect to the vertical direction. With a vertical step the effect of lowering the forward end of the wheelchair storage section with regard to the forward section can be maximized. However, an inclination of the step can have the advantage that the base floor part can be manufactured in an easier and cheaper way and that the step can be adapted to the shape of other components of the automobile, such as a battery and/or an automobile body.

According to another example embodiment, the step has height in vertical direction between <NUM> and <NUM>, preferably between <NUM> and <NUM> or about <NUM>. The inventors of the present invention found out that a step height in this range offers maximal comfort to the wheelchair user, when the footrest of the wheelchair is arranged above the forward section and at the same time allows to use the available rear cargo space in an efficient way.

According to a further example embodiment, the base floor part is manufactured in one piece. Prefrably the horizontal section, the step and the wheelchair storage section are manufactured in one piece. In this way the base floor part can be manufactured in an easy and cheap way. Another advantage is that the base floor part can be installed in the automobile in an easy and cheap way without the need to mount separate parts of the base floor part before, during and/or after connecting the base floor part to the automobile body.

According to a further aspect of the present invention that can be combined with the previous aspects and example embodiments, an automobile comprising a base floor part for carrying a wheelchair is provided. The base floor part of the automobile can be configured according to one of the previous aspects and/or example embodiments and can have the same features and advantages described for the previous aspects and/or example embodiments. The automobile further comprises an automobile body that the base floor part can be connected to. The automobile further comprises a battery for providing at least part of a driving force of the automobile. Hence, the automobile can be an electric automobile or a hybrid automobile.

According to the further aspect of the invention, the base floor part is arranged at least partly above the battery. In the assembly state, the base floor part and the battery overlap in a vertical direction over a certain distance in longitudinal direction of the base floor part and/or the automobile. In other words, is the base floor part within this distance arranged above the battery in vertical direction. By overlapping the base floor part and the battery, the base floor part can be installed in automobiles with a smaller rear cargo space and/or a bigger tracktion battery, because the base floor part can at least partly be installed in the installation space normally occupied by the battery. Another advantage is that the same base floor part can be used for different automobiles because the length of overlapping between the base floor part and the battery can be changed flexibly. In other words, the portion of the base floor part overlapping with the battery can be adapted without changing the base floor part. Further no modifications and/or relocation of the battery is necessary to install the base floor part in the automobile. Therefore, the automobile according to the first aspect provides a cheap, flexibel and reliable way to install the base floor part in the automobile and at the same time enables to use the installation space in a very efficient way.

In an example embodiment, a ground clearance between the ground, for example the road on which the automobile stands and/or is driven, and a bottom side of the battery is larger than <NUM>, preferably larger than <NUM>. The ground clearance is the distance in vertical direction between the battery and the ground. The ground clearance according to this embodiment ensures that the battery does not collide with the ground even in case of bumps on the ground and/or the additional weight of the base floor part and/or the wheelchair and the wheelchair user. Additionally or alternatively, the battery can be arranged in an initial position as provided by a manufacturer of the automobile. In other words, is the battery arranged in the position as provided by the OEM so that no modification and/or no relcation of the battery is necessary. With the battery arranged in the initial position it is possible to install the base floor part in the automobile in an easy and cheap way with no additional mounting steps before the base floor part is connected to the automobile body.

In an example embodiment, the base floor part comprises a substantially horizontal forward section located forward in a longitudinal direction of the automobile. The horizontal forward section can comprise a substantially horizontal top surface and/or a substantially horizontal bottom surface. In this embodiment the horizontal section is arranged at least partly above the battery.

In a further example embodiment, the base floor part is arranged above the battery over at least <NUM>%, preferably about <NUM>%, of a length of the base floor part in longitudinal direction of the base floor part. In a preferred embodiment, the forward section is arranged above the battery over at least <NUM>%, preferably <NUM>% or at least <NUM>%, of a length of the forward section.

According to another example embodiment, a top side of the battery and at least part of a bottom side of the base floor part, in particular at least part of a bottom side of the forward section, extend parallel to each other. In this embodiment, the bottom side of the base floor part or the forward section can be adapted to the top side of the battery, to be able to arrange the base floor part as low as possible in vertical direction to increase the height available for the wheelchair user in the interior of the vehicle.

According to a further example embodiment, a gap between the bottom side of the forward section and the top side of the battery is between <NUM> and <NUM>, preferably between <NUM> and <NUM> or about <NUM>. With these gap dimensions the base floor part is not affected when the battery heats up during driving and the battery and the base floor part do not collide in case of bumps on the street and/or when the weight of the wheeclahir and the wheelchair user acts on the base floor part when a wheelchair is stored on the base floor part.

According to a further aspect of the present invention that can be combined with the previous aspects and example embodiments, an automobile comprising a base floor part for carrying a wheelchair is provided. The base floor part of the automobile can be configured according to one of the previous aspects and/or example embodiments and can have the same features and advantages described for the previous aspects and/or example embodiments. The automobile further comprises an automobile body that the base floor part can be connected to.

The base floor part extends in a longitudinal direction, wherein a wheelchair can be pushed or driven onto the base floor part from a rear end in longitunidal direction of the base floor part. The longitudinal direction of the base floor part can extend in a horizontal direction. In an assembly state, in which the base floor part is connected to the automobile body, the longitudinal direction of the base floor part is preferably arranged parallel to a longitudinal direction of the automobile. The longitudinal direction of the automobile is defined by the driving direction of the automobile. The base floor part comprises a wheelchair storage section configured for carrying the rear wheels and the front wheels of the wheelchair. With other words is the wheelchair storage section configured to completely carry the wheelchair, meaning that the front wheels and the rear wheels can be placed on the wheelchair storage section at the same time. Therefore, the wheelchair storage section has a length and a width large enough to carry all wheels of the wheelchair at the same time. In the longitudinal direction of the base floor part, the wheelchair storage section can be arranged at a rear end of the base floor part. A rear end of the wheelchair storage section can be connected for example to a ramp for enabling access for the wheelchair onto the wheelchair storage section.

According to the further aspect of the invention, a top side of the wheelchair storage section is inclined at an angle between <NUM>% and <NUM>% with respect to a horizontal direction. In particular, the wheelchair storage section can be inclined at an angle of less than <NUM>%, <NUM>% or <NUM>% with respect to the horizontal direction. As the wheelchair storage section is configured to carry the front wheels and the rear wheels, the wheelchair is inclined at the same angle as the wheelchair storage section, when stored on the wheelchair storage section. With the inclined wheelchair storage section, it is possible to increase the effective length of the wheelchair storage section that can be used to store the wheelchair, in particular to carry the wheels of the wheelchair, within the same rear cargo space of the automobile, compared to a wheelchair storage section extending in horizontal direction. Hence, with the autombile according to this aspect it is possible to install the base floor part in a smaller rear cargo space, for example because of a large tracktion battery in electrically powered automobiles, without the need to change the automobile body and without the need to change or relocate the tracktion battery of the automobile. With a smaller inclination angle the comfort for the wheelchair user can be increased but at the same time the effective length of the wheelchair storage section is reduced. The inventors of the present invention found out, that with an inclination angle between <NUM> and <NUM>°, preferably less than <NUM>%, <NUM>% or <NUM>% an optimum between cheap installation of the base floor part, efficient use of the available installation space and comfort for the wheelchair user can be reached.

The base floor part extends in a longitudinal direction, wherein a wheelchair can be pushed or driven onto the base floor part from a rear end in longitunidal direction of the base floor part. The longitudinal direction of the base floor part can extend in a horizontal direction. In an assembly state, in which the base floor part is connected to the automobile body, the longitudinal direction of the base floor part is preferably arranged parallel to a longitudinal direction of the automobile. The longitudinal direction of the automobile is defined by the driving direction of the automobile. The base floor part comprises a rearward section located rearward in a longitudinal direction of the automobile and a forward section located forward in the longitudinal direction of the automobile. The rearward section is configured for carrying the rear wheels and the front wheels of the wheelchair. With other words is the wheelchair storage section configured to completely carry the wheelchair, meaning that the front wheels and the rear wheels can be placed on the wheelchair storage section at the same time. Therefore, the wheelchair storage section has a length and a width large enough to carry all wheels of the wheelchair at the same time. In the longitudinal direction of the base floor part, the wheelchair storage section can be arranged at a rear end of the base floor part. A rear end of the wheelchair storage section can be connected for example to a ramp for enabling access for the wheelchair onto the wheelchair storage section. The wheelchair storage section can preferably be inclined to increase the effective length of the wheelchair storage section that can be used to store the wheelchair. The forward section can preferably extend in a horizontal direction and/or be located at least partly above a battery for providing at least part of a driving force of the automobile.

According to the further aspect, a step is formed between the rearward section and the forward section, such that the forward section is stepwise elevated from the forward end of the rearward section. With the step it is possible to lower the forward end of the rearward section with regard to the forward section. At the step, a distance in vertical direction between the base floor part and the ground, that can be referred to as ground clearance increases abruptly in longitudinal direction of the base floor part. The step allows to use the installation space available for the base floor part in a more flexible and efficient way. With the step, the base floor part can easily be adapted to different components and/or conditions defining the installation space in the automobile, such as a tracktion battery and/or the length of the installation space. When the automobile comprises a large tracktion battery it is possible to arrange the forward section above the battery without the need to raise the forward end of the rearward section which would normally lead to a reduced height in vertical direction in the automobile interior, so that a wheelchair user might not be able to sit upright, and/or to an increased inclination angle of the rearward section which reduces the comfort for the wheelchair user. Additionally or alternatively, the step can be used to lower the forward end of the rearward section so that the height in vertical direction in the rear cargo space available for the wheelchair user can be increased and/or the distance in vertical direction between the forward end and a rearward end of an inclined rearward section can be reduced. With the shorter distance in vertical direction between the forward end and the rearward end of the rearward section, the inclination angle of the rearward section can be reduced, which increases the comfort for the wheelchair user.

According to another example embodiment, the automobile further comprises a battery for providing at least part of a driving force of the automobile. The battery has a predefined shape. A bottom side of the base floor part, in particular a bottom side of the forward section, and/or a forward side surface of the step facing the battery are at least partly adapted to the shape of the battery. In other words, the bottom side of the forward section and/or the forward side of the step can comprise the same shape as the battery. Due to this the base floor part can be arranged close to the battery and the available installation space can be used in an efficient way.

According to another example embodiment, a gap between a forward side of the step facing the battery and a side surface of the battery is between <NUM> and <NUM>, preferably between <NUM> and <NUM> or about <NUM>. With these gap dimensions the base floor part is not affected when the battery heats up during driving.

According to a further aspect of the present invention that can be combined with the previous aspects and example embodiments, a system comprising a base floor part for carrying a wheelchair adapted to be connected to an automobile and a wheelchair or a system comprising an automobile with a base floor part for carrying a wheelchair and a wheelchair is provided. The base floor part and/or the automobile can be configured according to one of the previous aspects and/or example embodiments and can have the same features and advantages described for the previous aspects and/or example embodiments.

The base floor part comprises in longitudinal direction of the base floor part and/or the automobile an inclined rearward section and a substantially horizontal forward section. The inclined rearward section is configured for carrying the wheelchair. According to this aspect of the invention, a length of the inclined rearward section in longitudinal direction of the base floor part is shorter than the wheelchair, in particular shorter than <NUM>, such that a footrest of the wheelchair is arranged above the horizontal forward section. With this embodiment a base floor part requiring minimal installation space is provided. To keep the wheelchair from rolling back when stored on the inclined rearward section, the wheelchair can for example be secured with one or more belts that are connected to the base floor part and/or the automobile.

The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers may be used in different drawings to identify the same or similar elements. In the following description, for purposes of explanation and not limitation, specific details are set forth such as particular structures, functionality, etc. in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various aspects of the claimed invention.

However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the present disclosure that the various aspects of the invention claimed may be practiced in other examples that depart from these specific details. In certain instances, descriptions of well-known devices and methods are omitted so as not to obscure the description of the present invention with unnecessary detail.

In the following description of prefered embodiments of the invention by means of the enclosed figures, a base floor part according to the invention is generally indicated with the reference sign <NUM> and an automobile according to the invention comprising a base floor part <NUM> is generally indicated with the reference sign <NUM>.

<FIG> and <FIG> show different perspective views of a base floor part <NUM> with a wheelchair <NUM> stored on the base floor part <NUM>. The base floor part <NUM> comprises the following main parts: a horizontal battery section <NUM>, an inclined wheelchair strorage section <NUM> and a step <NUM> between the battery section <NUM> and the wheelchair storage section <NUM>.

The base floor part <NUM> is manufactured in one piece. Hence, the horizontal section <NUM>, the step <NUM> and the wheelchair storage section <NUM> are manufactured in one piece. The base floor part <NUM> can be made of plastic or composite material, in particular fiberglass, and/or can be manufactured by injection or resin tranfer molding. For example, a mold may be used for the fiberglass material and vaccum to fill the mold. It is also possible to manufacture the base floor <NUM> part from sheet metal on a press.

The base floor part <NUM> extends in a longitudinal direction L, wherein the wheelchair <NUM> can be driven or pushed onto the base floor part <NUM> from a rearward end <NUM> in longitudinal direction L of the base floor part. The battery section <NUM> is located forward in longitudinal direction L and comprises a horzizontal top side <NUM> and a horizontal bottom side <NUM>. As can be seen in <FIG>, due to this the battery section <NUM> comprises a constant wall thickness over the whole length of the battery section <NUM> in longitudinal direction L. The wall thickness is also constant over the width of the horizontal section <NUM> perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L. In the example embodiment shown in <FIG> and <FIG> the length of the horizontal section <NUM> in longitudinal direction L is about <NUM>.

The wheelchair storage section <NUM> is configured to carry the wheelchair <NUM>. The wheelchair <NUM>, as most commercially available wheelchairs, comprises two large rear wheels <NUM> and two smaller front wheels <NUM>. The wheelchair <NUM> also comprises a foot rest <NUM>, where a wheelchair user can place his feet. The foot rest <NUM> is arranged forward of the front wheels <NUM> in longitudinal direction L. Comercially available wheelchairs often have a total length of <NUM> from a forward end of the foot rest <NUM> to a rearward end of the rear wheels <NUM> and a width of <NUM> to <NUM>.

The wheelchair storage section <NUM> is located rearward in longitudinal direction L of the base floor part <NUM> and is configured to carry all for wheels of the wheelchair <NUM>, namely the two rear wheels <NUM> and the two front wheels <NUM> at the same time, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>. Therefore the width of the wheelchair storage section <NUM> is larger than the width of the wheelchair <NUM> and the length of the wheelchair storage section <NUM> is larger than the distance between the rear wheels <NUM> and the front wheels <NUM>. The wheelchair storage section <NUM> comprises a top side <NUM> that is inclined at an angle between <NUM>° and <NUM>°, preferably less than <NUM>°, <NUM>° or <NUM>° with respect to a horizontal direction H. In <FIG> the inclination angle is indicated with reference sign <NUM>. As can be seen in <FIG>, a bottom surface <NUM> of the wheelchair storage section <NUM> is inclined with the same angle <NUM> with respect to the horizontal direction H as the top side <NUM>, so that the wheelchair storage section <NUM> has a constant wall thickness over the entire length of the wheelchair storage section <NUM>.

The wheelchair storage section <NUM> has a rearward end <NUM> in longitudinal direction L, that is the lowest point in vertical direction V of the wheelchair storage section <NUM>. Respectively a forward end <NUM> of the wheelchair storage section <NUM> is the highest point in vertical direction V. As can be seen in <FIG>, the top side <NUM> has a constant inclination angle <NUM> over the entire length of the wheelchair storage section <NUM> from the rearward end <NUM> to the forward end <NUM>.

The step <NUM> is located between the battery section <NUM> and the wheelchair storage section <NUM>. At the step <NUM> the battery section <NUM> is stepwise elevated from the forward end <NUM> of the wheelchair storage section <NUM>. A detailed view of the step <NUM> is shown in <FIG>. The step <NUM> extends between a lower end <NUM> formed by the forward end <NUM> of the wheelchair storage section <NUM> and an upper end <NUM> formed by a rearward end <NUM> of the forward section <NUM>. The upper end <NUM> and the lower end <NUM> extend linear and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L along the entire width of the forward section <NUM> and the wheelchair storage section <NUM>. The step comprises a planar rearward side <NUM> facing the wheelchair <NUM> and a planar forward side <NUM> facing the battery <NUM>. In the embodiment in <FIG>, the rearward side <NUM> and the forward side <NUM> extend parallel to each other, so that the step <NUM> has a constant wall thickness. The step <NUM> is inclined with regard to the vertical direction V at an angle of about <NUM>°, that is indicated in <FIG> with the reference sign <NUM>. In the embodiment in <FIG>, the height of the step <NUM> in vertical direction V, hence the distance in vertical direction V between the forward end <NUM> of the wheelchair stirage section <NUM> and the top side <NUM> of the battery section <NUM> is about <NUM>.

In the embodiment in <FIG> and <FIG>, the battery section <NUM> and the wheelchair section <NUM> comprise side walls <NUM>, <NUM> on both sides that protrude from the top surface <NUM> of the battery sections and the top surface <NUM> of the wheelchair storage section <NUM> in vertical direction V. The side walls <NUM>, <NUM> each have a substantially horizontal top side <NUM>, <NUM>. The side walls <NUM>, <NUM> comprise on the top sides <NUM>, <NUM> a number of connection points <NUM> for connecting the base floor part <NUM> to a body of an automobile (not shown in <FIG> and <FIG>).

<FIG> and <FIG> also show a battery <NUM> for providing at least part of a driving force of an automobile <NUM> according to the present invention or an automobile that the base floor part <NUM> is adapted to be connected to. The battery <NUM> has two connection points <NUM> for connecting the battery <NUM> to the body of the automobile <NUM>.

The effects and advantages of the base floor part <NUM> according to the invention will be described in view of <FIG>, that shows a schematic view of a rear cargo space <NUM> of an automobile <NUM> according to the invention with the base floor part <NUM> installed in the automobile <NUM>.

The automobile <NUM> comprises a battery <NUM> for providing at least part of a drinving force of the automobile <NUM>. The base floor part <NUM> is connected to a body (not shown) of the automobile <NUM> in longitudinal direction L in the area of a rear suspension and the rear wheels <NUM> of the automobile <NUM>, hence in the rear cargo space <NUM> of the automobile <NUM>. In the embodiment in <FIG> a ground clearance of the battery, hence a distance in vertical direction between the ground <NUM> the automobile <NUM> is placed on and a bottom side <NUM> of the battery <NUM> is about <NUM>. This corresponds to the position in which the battery <NUM> is arranged when the automobile <NUM> comes from a manufacturer of the automobile <NUM> before the original vehicle floor is replaced with the base floor part <NUM>. Hence no battery relocation or modification is necessary to install the base floor part <NUM> in the automobile <NUM>.

Therefore, the geometry of the base floor part is adapted to the small rear cargo space in the following way to use the rear cargo space in an efficient way.

The battery section <NUM> of the base floor part <NUM> is arranged above the battery <NUM> over almost the entire length of the battery section <NUM>. It can be seen in <FIG>, that the battery <NUM> and the battery section <NUM> overlap in vertical direction V over almost the entire length of the forward section <NUM>. By overlapping the forward section <NUM> and the battery <NUM>, the base floor part <NUM> can be installed in a smaller rear cargo space and/or in automobiles with a bigger battery, because the base floor part <NUM> can at least partly be installed in the installation space normally occupied by the battery <NUM>.

It can be seen in <FIG> and also in <FIG> that the bottom side <NUM> of the forward section <NUM> and the forward side <NUM> of the step <NUM> are adapted to the shape of the battery <NUM>. Between the bottom side <NUM> of the battery section <NUM> and a top side <NUM> of the battery <NUM>, that extend in the horizontal direction H parallel to each other, a gap <NUM> of about <NUM> is formed. These gap dimensions allow to place the base floor part <NUM> as low as possible without colliding wit the battery <NUM> even if the ground <NUM> has bumps and/or the weight of the weheelchair <NUM> and/or the wheelchair user acts on the base floor part <NUM>. It further prevents that the base floor part <NUM> is affected by rising temperatures of the battery <NUM> during driving of the automobile <NUM>. Between a rear side surface <NUM> of the battery <NUM> and a forward side <NUM> of the step <NUM> facing the battery <NUM>, a gap <NUM> of about <NUM> is formed. With these gap dimensions the base floor part <NUM> is not affected when the battery <NUM> heats up during driving but allows to install the base floor part <NUM> as far forward as possible.

The inclination of the wheelchair storage section <NUM> is a further feature that helps to reduce the rear cargo space <NUM> needed for installing the base floor part <NUM>. The inclination of the wheelchair storage section <NUM> allows to increase the effective length of the wheelchair storage section <NUM> that can be used to store the wheelchair <NUM>. The inventors of the present invention found out, that with an inclination angle <NUM> between <NUM> and <NUM>°, preferably less than <NUM>%, <NUM>% or <NUM>% an optimum between cheap installation of the base floor part <NUM>, efficient use of the available installation space and comfort for the wheelchair user can be reached.

The step <NUM> allows to reduce the inclination angle <NUM> of the wheelchair storage section <NUM>. With the step <NUM> the forward end <NUM> of the wheelchair storage section <NUM> can be lowered with regard to the battery section <NUM> that is arranged above the battery <NUM>. Due to the lowered forward end <NUM>, the distance in vertical direction V between the forward end <NUM> and the rearward end <NUM> of the wheelchair storage section <NUM> can be reduced. With the shorter distance in vertical direction V between the forward end <NUM> and the rearward end <NUM> the inclination angle <NUM> can be reduced, which increases the comfort for the wheelchair user. In addition, the height in vertical direction V in the rear cargo space available for the wheelchair user can be increased so that the wheelchair user can sit upright on the wheelchair <NUM> in the interior of the automobile.

Claim 1:
Base floor part (<NUM>) for carrying a wheelchair (<NUM>) adapted to be connected to a body of an automobile, the wheelchair (<NUM>) comprising rear wheels (<NUM>) and front wheels (<NUM>), the base floor part (<NUM>) comprising in a longitudinal direction (L) of the base floor part (<NUM>) a rearward wheelchair storage section (<NUM>), configured for carrying the rear wheels (<NUM>) and the front wheels (<NUM>) of the wheelchair (<NUM>), and a forward section (<NUM>) arranged at a forward end (<NUM>) of the wheelchair storage section (<NUM>), wherein a step (<NUM>) is formed between the wheelchair storage section (<NUM>) and the forward section (<NUM>), such that the forward section (<NUM>) is stepwise elevated from the forward end (<NUM>) of the wheelchair storage section (<NUM>),
wherein a length of the forward section (<NUM>) is between <NUM> and <NUM>,
wherein the base floor part (<NUM>) is designed in such a way, that it can be arranged at least partly above a battery (<NUM>) of the automobile for providing at least part of a driving force of the automobile,
wherein a top side (<NUM>) of the wheelchair storage section (<NUM>) is inclined at an angle (<NUM>) between <NUM>% and <NUM>% with respect to a horizontal direction (H).