Method for pulling a person sitting in a wheelchair in a vehicle, as well as a vehicle for transporting a person sitting in a wheelchair

Abstract

A winch device for a vehicle 1 for transporting a person 13 sitting in a wheelchair 11 has two winch units 21 and 23 for pulling the wheelchair 11 into the vehicle via a ramp 7. In order to be able to pull a wheelchair 11 straight into the vehicle, the vehicle is provided with a control unit 41. This control unit is connected to both winch units 21 and 23 and has measuring units for continuously determining the lengths over which the straps 25 and 27 are unwound. If a wheelchair 11 is not standing straight in front of the ramp 7, the straps 25 and 27 are wound at different speeds, with strap 25 being wound faster than strap 27 until the mutual distance between the ends 25a and 27a of the straps is zero or almost zero. Then both straps 25 and 27 are wound at the same speed.

Description

[0001] Method for pulling a person sitting in a wheelchair in a vehicle, as well as a vehicle for transporting a person sitting in a wheelchair

[0002] DESCRIPTION:

[0003] Technical field of the invention

[0004] The invention relates to a method for pulling a person sitting in a wheelchair on a ramp, which ramp is provided with a highest end that is present at a higher level than the other end during use, which method comprises the following steps: pulling out a first and a second strap from a first and a second pulling device respectively and coupling the first strap with an end to the wheelchair near a first corner point of the side of the wheelchair facing the pulling devices and coupling the second strap with an end to the wheelchair near a second comer point of the said side of the wheelchair, followed by retracting the straps by the pulling devices in such a way that the distance between the ends of the straps coupled to the wheelchair in the longitudinal direction of the ramp continuously goes to zero, so that the wheelchair is retracted in a direction of travel parallel to the longitudinal direction of the ramp, when pulling the two straps out of the two pulling devices and coupling them their ends to the wheelchair, a first length is determined by the control unit over which the first strap is pulled out and a second length is determined over which the second strap is pulled out, and during the retraction of the straps by the pulling devices the retraction speeds of both straps are continuously and automatically controlled by the control unit.

[0005] Background of the invention

[0006] A method according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from JP2011224126A. This known method only works well if the two pulling devices can be placed on the vehicle floor at the same distance from the ramp opening. A method is known from US2018 / 0338875A1 in which a left-right direction signal is given via a manually operated control unit to a steering unit that, on the basis of this signal, makes a winch drum rotate faster than another winch drum in order to steer the wheelchair while pulling the wheelchair up over the ramp.

[0007] Summary of the invention

[0008] An object of the invention is to provide a method of the type described in the preamble, whereby the wheelchair is automatically pulled straight into the vehicle and whereby no requirements are imposed on the position of the pulling devices on the vehicle floor. To this end, the method according to the invention is characterised in that: the distance between the pulling devices in a direction parallel to the lengthwise direction of the ramp is measured and entered into the memory of a control unit, this distance being defined as positive if the first towing device is closer to the ramp than the second towing device, whereby during retraction the difference between the value of the first length and the value of the second length is kept as close as possible to the value of the distance between the two towing devices.

[0009] In the method according to the invention, a wheelchair that is positioned diagonally in front of the vehicle's ramp is first automatically straightened and then automatically or almost automatically (with little steering by an assistant) pulled into the vehicle, so that little or no assistance is required to pull the wheelchair up over the ramp, regardless of whether the distances of the pulling devices on the vehicle floor to the ramp are equal to or different from each other.

[0010] An embodiment of the method according to the invention is characterised in that the strap for which the distance between the end of the strap connected to the wheelchair and the highest end of the ramp is the greatest is retracted faster than the other strap until the difference between the distances of the ends of the straps connected to the wheelchair and the highest end of the ramp is zero or less than a limit value. If the difference between these distances exceeds a maximum value, the retraction of the other strap is preferably stopped until the distance between the ends of the straps is zero or almost zero, after which both straps are retracted.

[0011] A further embodiment of the method according to the invention is characterised in that the distance between the two pulling devices is measured by first pulling out the ends of the straps to the highest end of the ramp and measuring the pulled-out distances from which the mutual distance between the pulling devices is then determined. In this way, the distance between the two winding devices can be determined simply and accurately.

[0012] Preferably, the pulling out and retracting is done by winding the strap from and onto a winch drum. Furthermore, the pulled-out lengths of the straps are preferably determined by measuring the number of revolutions of the winch drum during extension and retraction.

[0013] The invention also relates to a vehicle for transporting a person sitting in a wheelchair, comprising: a vehicle floor, two winch units attached to the vehicle floor, which winch units are each provided with a winch drum on which winch drums straps are wound which are to be coupled to the wheelchair with one end and which winch units are each provided with an electric motor which electric motors are connected to the winch drums, an entry opening through which the wheelchair can be driven into the vehicle, a ramp which connects to the entry opening and via which the wheelchair can be driven into the vehicle, and control means comprising: measuring units for continuously determining the lengths over which the straps are unwound, control units for controlling the electric motors, and a control unit configured to control the control units such that the distance between the ends of the straps coupled to the wheelchair in the longitudinal direction of the ramp is controlled to zero, so that the wheelchair is pulled towards a direction of entry straight into the vehicle.

[0014] JP2011224126A also discloses a vehicle according to the preamble of claim 6.

[0015] A further object of the invention is to provide a vehicle equipped with winch units for assisting a wheelchair, with the user present in it, to be driven into a vehicle, whereby the positions of the pulling devices on the vehicle floor can be freely selected. To this end, the vehicle according to the invention is characterised in that the control means further comprise an input unit for entering the distance between the winch drums measured in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the ramp. By automatically straightening a wheelchair that is positioned diagonally in front of the ramp of the vehicle during or before retraction, no or less assistance is required than in the known vehicle where continuous steering is required by an assistant. It is possible that the winch units, viewed in the longitudinal direction of the ramp, are not next to each other but are attached to the vehicle floor at different distances from the entry opening. When determining the tilt of the wheelchair based on the length over which the strap is unwound, any distance between the winch units must be taken into account.

[0016] An embodiment of the vehicle according to the invention is characterised in that the control unit is configured to rotate the winch drum, that is coupled to the strap whose end is furthest from the entry opening, faster than the other winch drum until the difference between the distances of the ends coupled to the wheelchair and the entry opening is zero or less than a limit value. If the difference between these distances exceeds a maximum value, the other winding drum can be stopped until the distance between the ends of the straps is zero or almost zero, after which both straps are wound onto the drums. Instead of stopping a winch drum, it can also be rotated more slowly than the other winch drum.

[0017] Brief description of the drawings

[0018] The invention will be further elucidated below on the basis of drawings. These drawings show an embodiment of a vehicle provided with the winch device according to the present invention. In the drawings:

[0019] Figure 1 shows the vehicle while a wheelchair is being driven in using two winch units;

[0020] Figure 2 shows the vehicle with the wheelchair being driven in;

[0021] Figure 3 shows a winch unit of the vehicle without housing in side view;

[0022] Figure 4 shows the winch unit without housing in top view; and

[0023] Figure 5 shows the winch device of the vehicle in top view while a wheelchair is being pulled in.

[0024] Detailed description of the drawings In figure 1, a vehicle 1 for transporting a person 13 sitting in a wheelchair 11 is shown schematically with broken lines. The vehicle is provided with a cabin 3 with a space for the person sitting in the wheelchair. The vehicle has a vehicle floor 5 on which the wheelchair 11 can be secured. The vehicle 1 is also provided with a ramp 7 that can be coupled to the vehicle floor 5 to enable the wheelchair 11 to be driven into the vehicle. Figure 2 shows the vehicle 1 with the wheelchair 11 driven in. The vehicle 1 is provided with a winch device for driving the wheelchair 11 into the cabin 3 with the person 13 sitting in it. The winch device has two winch units 21 and 23 for pulling the wheelchair 11 into the vehicle via the ramp 7. The winch units 21 and 23 are attached to the vehicle floor 5 and are provided with winch drums 29 on which straps 25 and 27 are wound. The straps are with an end 25a and 27a coupled to the wheelchair 11.

[0025] Figure 3 shows a side view of one of the winch units 21, with the housing omitted. The winch unit 21 has a winch drum 29 on which the strap 25 is wound. The winch drum 29 is driven by an electric motor 31 which is present in the winch drum 29. The electric motor 31 is directly connected to the winch drum 29 by its housing. The shaft 32 of the electric motor 31 is attached at the end to the housing 22 of the winch unit 21.

[0026] The winch units 21 and 23 are further provided with a spiral spring 33 which is connected at one end to the winch drum 29 and at the other end to the housing 22 of the winch unit 21. The spiral spring 33 works in the direction in which the strap 25 is wound onto the winch drum 29 and ensures that the strap 25 remains taut. Furthermore, the winch units 21 and 23 are provided with a disc 38, see figure 4, which is connected to the winch drum 29 and which is provided with teeth, and a pawl 39 which hooks behind the teeth by a spring to prevent unwanted unwinding of the strap 25 during winding.

[0027] The winch device also has a control unit 35 for switching the winch device on and off, see figure 4 in which the winch unit is shown in top view with the housing also omitted. The control unit 35 is designed as a wireless remote control. The control unit 35 is provided with an on / off switch 37 with which the winch device can be switched on and off. With this on / off switch 37 the winch device can only be switched between an on position and an off position.

[0028] In order to be able to pull a wheelchair 11 straight into the vehicle, the vehicle is provided with control means that comprise a control unit 41, see figure 3. This control unit 41 is connected to both winch units 21 and 23. The control means also have measuring units 43 for continuously determining the lengths LI and L2 (see figure 5) over which the straps 25 and 27 are unwound. These measuring units 43 count the number of revolutions over which the strap is unwound from the winch drum and wound onto the winch drum. Based on the known thickness of the strap, the diameter of the winch drum with fully wound strap and the number of windings that have been unwound compared to a strap fully wound onto the winch drum, the control unit 41 determines the reduction in the diameter of the outer strap winding. From the number of unwound strap windings and the associated diameters, the control unit 41 calculates the length of the strap that has been unwound from the strap fully wound onto the winch drum and thus the distance between the winch drum / winch unit and the wheelchair is known.

[0029] The winch units 21 and 23 can be attached to the vehicle floor 5 where there is space for them. If the distance from one winch unit 21 to the entry opening 9 is not equal to this distance from the other winch unit 23, the difference gives the mutual distance D (see figure 5) between the winch units in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the ramp 7. When determining the mutual distance between the ends 25a and 27a of the straps that are connected to the wheelchair 11, the control unit 41 takes into account any mutual distance D between the winch units 21 and 23. By connecting the straps with the ends 25a and 27a to a reference, for example the edge of the entry opening 9, and thereby determining the length over which the straps are unwound, the mutual distance between the winch units 21 and 23 in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the ramp can be determined. This distance is stored in the control unit so that the control can take it into account. This storage can be done, for example, by pressing a button on an input unit 45 connected to the control unit 41 after coupling the straps to the edge of the drive-in opening, on which the measured strap lengths are stored in a memory of the control unit 41.

[0030] The control means also have two control units 47 for controlling the electric motors 31 of the winch units 21 and 23. These control units 47 are controlled by the control unit 41 in such a way that the distance between the ends 25a and 27a of the straps coupled to the wheelchair 11 is continuously controlled to zero in the longitudinal direction of the ramp 7, so that the wheelchair 11 is pulled straight into the vehicle in an entry direction 15. While the wheelchair 11 is being pulled over the ramp 7 into the vehicle, the unwound length of the straps 25 and 27 is continuously determined and, taking into account any mutual distance between the winch units 21 and 23, the mutual distance of the ends 25a and 27a of the straps and thus any tilt of the wheelchair 11 is determined. If the wheelchair 11 is positioned at an angle in front of the vehicle ramp 7, the control unit 41 ensures that the wheelchair 11 is automatically pulled straight during or before retracting. As a result, little or no assistance is required to pull the wheelchair 11 straight into the vehicle.

[0031] Figure 5 shows the vehicle's winch system in top view during the retraction of a wheelchair 11 that is not standing straight in front of the ramp 7. In this situation, the strap 25 can first be wound onto the winch drum until the wheelchair 11 is straightened, and then both straps can be wound. It is also possible to wind both straps 25 and 27 at different speeds, with strap 25 being wound faster than strap 27 until the mutual distance between the ends 25a and 27a of the straps is zero or almost zero. Then both straps 25 and 27 are wound at the same speed. It may happen that one strap is wound faster than the other strap. This causes the ends of the straps to be spaced apart and as soon as this mutual distance exceeds a preset limit value, the control is activated again.

[0032] Although the invention has been explained above using the drawings, it should be noted that the invention is by no means limited to the embodiment shown in the drawings. The invention also extends to all embodiments that deviate from the embodiment shown in the drawings within the framework defined by the claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Method for pulling a person (13) sitting in a wheelchair (11) on a ramp (7), which ramp (7) is provided with a highest end that is present at a higher level than the other end during use, which method comprises the following steps: pulling out a first and a second strap (25, 27) from a first and a second pulling device (21, 23) respectively and coupling the first strap with an end (25a) to the wheelchair (11) near a first comer point of the side of the wheelchair (1) facing the pulling devices and coupling the second strap with an end (27a) to the wheelchair (1) near a second corner point of the said side of the wheelchair (1), followed by retracting the straps (25, 27) by the pulling devices (21, 23) in such a way that the distance between the ends (25a, 27a) of the straps (25, 27) coupled to the wheelchair (11) in the longitudinal direction of the ramp (7) continuously goes to zero, so that the wheelchair (11) is retracted in a direction of travel (15) parallel to the longitudinal direction of the ramp (7), when pulling the two straps (25, 27) out of the two pulling devices (21, 23) and coupling them their ends (25a, 27a) to the wheelchair (11), a first length (LI) is determined by the control unit (41) over which the first strap (25) is pulled out and a second length (L2) is determined over which the second strap (27) is pulled out, and during the retraction of the straps (25, 27) by the pulling devices (21, 23) the retraction speeds of both straps are continuously and automatically controlled by the control unit (41), characterized in that: the distance (D) between the pulling devices (21, 23) in a direction parallel to the lengthwise direction of the ramp (7) is measured and entered into the memory of a control unit (41), this distance (D) being defined as positive if the first towing device (21) is closer to the ramp (7) than the second towing device (23), whereby during retraction the difference between the value of the first length (LI) and the value of the second length (L2) is kept as close as possible to the value of the distance (D) between the two towing devices.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the strap (25, 27) at which the distance between the end (25a) of the strap (25) coupled to the wheelchair and the highest end of the ramp (7) is the greatest, is retracted more quickly than theother strap (27) until the difference between the distances of the ends (25a, 27a) of the straps (25, 27) coupled to the wheelchair (11) and the highest end of the ramp (7) is zero or less than a limit value.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the distance between the two pulling devices (21, 23) is measured by first pulling out the ends (25a, 27a) of the straps to the highest end of the ramp (7) and measuring the pulled-out distances from which the mutual distance between the pulling devices (21, 23) is then determined.

4. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pulling out and retracting is done by winding the strap (25, 27) from and onto a winch drum (29).

5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pulled out lengths of the straps (25, 27) are determined by measuring the number of revolutions of the winch drum (29) during the pulling out and retracting.

6. Vehicle (1) for transporting a person (13) sitting in a wheelchair (11), comprising: a vehicle floor (5), two winch units (21, 23) attached to the vehicle floor (5), which winch units (21, 23) are each provided with a winch drum (29) on which winch drums (29) straps (25, 27) are wound which are to be coupled to the wheelchair (11) with one end (25a, 27a) and which winch units (21, 23) are each provided with an electric motor (31) which electric motors (31) are connected to the winch drums (29), an entry opening (9) through which the wheelchair (11) can be driven into the vehicle (1), a ramp (7) which connects to the entry opening (9) and via which the wheelchair (11) can be driven into the vehicle (1), and control means comprising: measuring units (43) for continuously determining the lengths over which the straps (25, 27) are unwound, control units (47) for controlling the electric motors (31), and a control unit (41) configured to control the control units (47) such that the distance between the ends (25a, 27a) of the straps (25, 27) coupled to the wheelchair in the longitudinal direction of the ramp (7) is controlled to zero,so that the wheelchair (11) is pulled towards a direction of entry (15) straight into the vehicle (1), characterised in that the control means further comprise an input unit (45) for entering the distance between the winch drums (29) measured in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the ramp (7).

7. Vehicle (1) according to claim 6, characterised in that the control unit(41) is configured to rotate said winch drum (29) coupled to said strap (25) whose end (25a) is furthest from the entry opening (9) faster than the other winch drum (29) until the difference between the distances of the ends (25a, 27a) coupled to the wheelchair (11) and the entry opening (9) is zero or less than a limit value.

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