Patent ID: 8333389

Claim:
An apparatus capable of assisting a wheelchair and an occupant thereof to ascend or descend a stairway or stairway-like structure, the apparatus comprising: a pair of connected frame members, each of the frame members including one or more belt guides for mounting and guiding a motorized belt that is further spaced or positioned around the respective frame member; a drive assembly connected at least indirectly to the pair of frame members for driving movement of the motorized belts around the frame members; a head-rest assembly connected at least indirectly to the pair of frame members; a handle-bar assembly connected at least indirectly to the pair of frame members; an assist assembly connected at least indirectly to the pair of frame members; a housing at least partially storing the motorized belts and the frame members, the housing including a top cover and a bottom cover, the bottom cover having a depression therein for storing at least a portion of the assist assembly; a roller assembly extending from the housing; and one or more wheelchair attachment assemblies connected at least indirectly to the pair of frame members; wherein the assist assembly is operable to: a) provide, in tandem with the roller assembly, an apparatus support arrangement; b) at least partially support the wheelchair and any occupant thereof as the wheelchair and any occupant are tilted backwardly and/or otherwise lowered until at least one of the belts engages or otherwise interacts with the stair steps or stair step-like structures of the stairway or stairway-like structure; and c) deploy from a storage position in which the assist assembly is at least partially stored with respect to the housing in the depression to a working position in which the assist assembly extends from the depression of the housing.