Wheelchair-accessible vehicles

Abstract

This design improves wheelchair accessibility by allowing the gap between the vehicle body and the tailgate to be closed when using the tailgate and ramp of a different vehicle with a different rear structure. [Solution] The wheelchair-accessible vehicle 1 includes a tailgate 15 rotatably supported at the rear of the vehicle body, a ramp 20 that forms a wheelchair passage, and a closing member 70 that closes the gap B formed between the tailgate 15, which is rotated to the rear of the vehicle, and the rear of the vehicle body 2.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle equipped with a wheelchair that can carry a wheelchair.

Background Art

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a wheelchair-mounted vehicle provided with a back door and a slope at the rear of the vehicle. At the rear of this vehicle, a tailgate is provided below the back door so as to be openable and closable. The slope is attached to the inner surface of the tailgate in the vehicle compartment via a rotation axis extending in the left-right direction, and in a state where the back door is open, it is deployed outside the vehicle from an opening provided at the rear of the vehicle and is bridged between the opening and the ground. The slope is used when boarding and alighting a passenger sitting in a wheelchair in a seated state.

[0003] Further, when a wheelchair is mounted on the vehicle, while the slope is set to a standing posture, when a wheelchair is not mounted on the vehicle, the slope is configured to be tilted forward and used as the floor surface of the cargo compartment.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By the way, even in wheelchair-mounted vehicles of the same vehicle type, there may be a four-wheel drive specification and a front-wheel drive specification. Since these are of the same vehicle type, the appearance and vehicle width are the same between the four-wheel drive specification and the front-wheel drive specification. Therefore, if the tailgate and slope used in the front-wheel drive specification wheelchair-mounted vehicle are also used in the four-wheel drive specification wheelchair-mounted vehicle, cost reduction can be achieved.

[0006] However, because the structure of the rear of the vehicle differs between four-wheel drive and front-wheel drive versions, using the tailgate and ramp designed for a front-wheel drive wheelchair-accessible vehicle on a four-wheel drive vehicle may create a gap between the vehicle body and the tailgate, making it difficult to board and alight the wheelchair.

[0007] This disclosure is made in view of the above, and its purpose is to improve wheelchair accessibility by closing the gap between the vehicle body and the tailgate when using the tailgate and ramp of another vehicle with a different rear structure. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the above objective, one aspect of the present disclosure may be based on a wheelchair-carrying vehicle in which an opening for loading and unloading a chair is formed in the rear of the vehicle body, and the wheelchair loaded through the opening is configured to be loaded in the passenger compartment behind the driver's seat. The wheelchair-carrying vehicle comprises a tailgate supported at the rear of the vehicle body so as to be rotatable around a lower hinge axis whose lower part extends in the vehicle width direction, a ramp attached to a portion of the tailgate located above the lower hinge axis and forming a wheelchair passage that slopes downward toward the rear when the tailgate is rotated toward the rear of the vehicle, and a closing member that closes the gap formed between the tailgate when it is rotated toward the rear of the vehicle and the rear of the vehicle body.

[0009] In this configuration, by rotating the tailgate rearward around the lower hinge axis, a wheelchair passage that slopes downward toward the rear is formed by the tailgate and the ramp. However, if the tailgate and ramp from a different vehicle with a different rear structure are used, a gap may be formed between the tailgate and the rear of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the gap formed between the tailgate and the rear of the vehicle is sealed by a sealing member, thus improving the ease of getting in and out of the wheelchair.

[0010] A wheelchair-accessible vehicle may have a support shaft that extends in the width direction and rotatably supports the vehicle-side end of the blocking member relative to the rear of the vehicle body. In this case, the side of the blocking member opposite to the side supported by the support shaft can be brought into contact with the interior surface of the tailgate. This allows the blocking member to rotate in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the tailgate.

[0011] A wheelchair-accessible vehicle may be equipped with a biasing member that constantly biases the blocking member in a direction that brings it into contact with the interior surface of the tailgate. That is, with the tailgate rotated rearward to form a wheelchair passage, the blocking member can be reliably brought into contact with the tailgate, thereby forming a portion of the wheelchair passage with the blocking member.

[0012] The tailgate may be provided with a guide portion that guides the closing member away from the interior surface of the tailgate when the tailgate is rotated in the closing direction. As a result, when the tailgate is rotated in the closing direction with the closing member in contact with the interior surface of the tailgate, the closing member is guided by the guide portion and moves away from the interior surface of the tailgate, so that the closing member does not interfere with the interior surface of the tailgate and the tailgate can be closed smoothly. In addition, a guided portion that slides against the guide portion may be provided on one side of the tailgate in the vehicle width direction. In this case, the guide portion can be provided on one side of the tailgate in the vehicle width direction.

[0013] The support shaft may be positioned further forward and above the lower hinge shaft. This allows the closing member to span from the interior surface of the tailgate to the rear of the vehicle body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] As explained above, the gap formed between the tailgate, which is rotated to the rear of the vehicle, and the rear of the vehicle body can be sealed with a sealing member, thereby improving the ease of getting in and out of the vehicle in a wheelchair. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a vehicle equipped with a wheelchair according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the rear portion of a vehicle equipped with a wheelchair according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the case where the slope is in the deployed state. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a view corresponding to Figure 2 showing the state in which a wheelchair is mounted. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a view seen in the direction of the Y arrow in Figure 2. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing an enlarged view of the vicinity of the bulging portion. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a view corresponding to Figure 4 showing the state in which a wheelchair is mounted. [Figure 7] Figure 7 schematically shows in one figure the cases where the slope and the closing member are in the deployed state, the standing state, and the fallen state. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a plan view of the closing member. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX in Figure 8. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is an exploded view of the closing member.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings. Note that the following description of the preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present invention, its applications, or its uses.

[0017] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a vehicle 1 equipped with a wheelchair according to an embodiment of the present invention. In each figure, the front side of the vehicle 1 equipped with a wheelchair is shown as "front", the rear side as "rear", the right side as "right", and the left side as "left". The vehicle width direction of the vehicle 1 equipped with a wheelchair is the left-right direction.

[0018] Figures 1, 2, 4, and 5 show the case where the wheelchair 50 is not mounted, and Figures 3 and 6 show the case where the wheelchair 50 is mounted at a predetermined mounting position. In Figure 1, the foldable slope 20 is shown in a state of being laid down toward the inside of the vehicle. As shown by the phantom line in Figure 1, the slope 20 can also be stored in the vehicle in a standing posture. In Figures 2 to 4, the foldable slope 20 is shown in a deployed state where it is deployed outside the vehicle and spanned between the ground and the floor panel 8 of the vehicle body 2.

[0019] The wheelchair-mounted vehicle 1 has a vehicle body 2 to which a front door (not shown) and the like are attached so as to be openable and closable. In the passenger compartment R formed inside the vehicle body 2, a front seat 3 and a rear seat 6 are arranged. The front seat 3 is arranged in the front portion of the passenger compartment R more than the center in the front-rear direction, and includes, for example, a driver's seat located on the right side and a passenger seat located on the left side. The rear seat 6 is positioned behind the front seat 3 and is composed of a so-called bench seat that is continuous in the left-right direction, seats that are independent on the right side and the left side, or the like. The space behind the rear seat 6 in the passenger compartment R is a luggage compartment R2. Note that the rear seat 6 may be omitted.

[0020] The floor panel 8 that constitutes the floor surface of the vehicle body 2 has a front panel portion 8a, an intermediate panel portion 8b, and a rear panel portion 8c. The front panel portion 8a constitutes the front portion of the floor panel 8 and is the portion to which the front seat 3 is attached. The intermediate panel portion 8b extends rearward from the rear end of the front panel portion 8a and is the portion to which the rear seat 6 is attached. The intermediate panel portion 8b extends substantially horizontally in the front-rear direction. The rear panel portion 8c extends rearward from the rear end of the intermediate panel portion 8b and is, for example, the portion that forms the floor surface of the luggage compartment R2 behind the rear seat 6. The floor panel 8 may be composed of a single plate material or may be composed of a combination of a plurality of plate materials.

[0021] The rear seat 6 is equipped with a conventional sliding mechanism, which allows its position to be adjusted in the front-to-back direction. The rear seat 6 is also equipped with a conventional folding mechanism and a flip-up mechanism. Figures 2 and 3 show the rear seat 6 folded by the folding mechanism and flipped up by the flip-up mechanism (storage state). By flipping up the rear seat 6 to the storage state, as shown in Figures 3 and 6, it becomes possible to load a wheelchair 50 from the intermediate panel section 8b to the rear panel section 8c, and the wheelchair 50 loaded in the predetermined loading position is placed on the intermediate panel section 8b and the rear panel section 8c. The space in the vehicle compartment R in which the wheelchair 50 can be loaded is called the wheelchair loading space R1. When the rear seat 6 is unfolded, the unfolded rear seat 6 is positioned in the front part of the wheelchair loading space R1, and in this state, the wheelchair 50 cannot be loaded. The wheelchair space R1 may also accommodate luggage and other items in addition to the wheelchair 50, or it may accommodate both the wheelchair 50 and luggage. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the area behind the unfolded rear seat 6 is designated as the luggage compartment R2, but the area behind the unfolded rear seat 6 may be designated as the wheelchair space R1 without providing a luggage compartment R2.

[0022] The roof portion 2a of the vehicle body 2 extends continuously at approximately the same height from above the front seats 3 to behind the rear seats 6, that is, to the rear of the vehicle body 2. This makes it possible to accommodate an occupant 51 seated in a wheelchair 50 in the wheelchair space R1. An example of a vehicle having such a vehicle body 2 is a minivan-type vehicle, which may be a light vehicle or a regular car.

[0023] An opening 2b is formed at the rear of the vehicle body 2. The opening 2b is an entrance for the occupant 51 to get in and out of the wheelchair 50 while seated. Therefore, it is a large opening 2b, and the lower edge of the opening 2b is formed by the rear edge of the rear panel 8c. In other words, the rear panel 8c extends forward from the lower edge of the opening 2b.

[0024] Furthermore, the upper edge of the opening 2b is formed by the rear edge of the roof portion 2a. This increases the vertical dimension of the opening 2b, allowing the occupant 51 to board and alight the wheelchair 50 while remaining seated. In addition, in this embodiment, the rear panel portion 8c slopes downward towards the rear, which further increases the vertical dimension of the opening 2b. Although not shown, the left edge of the opening 2b is formed by the rear edge of the left side wall of the vehicle body 2, and the right edge of the opening 2b is formed by the rear edge of the right side wall of the vehicle body 2. The opening 2b can be used not only for boarding and alighting the wheelchair 50, but also for storing luggage in the passenger compartment R or for unloading luggage from the passenger compartment R.

[0025] As described above, the vertical dimension of the opening 2b is long, so the rear of the vehicle body 2 is provided not only with a back door 7 for opening and closing the opening 2b, but also with a tailgate 15. The upper edge of the back door 7 is supported so as to be rotatable around an upper shaft 7a that extends in the vehicle width direction relative to the upper edge of the opening 2b, i.e., the rear edge of the roof portion 2a. Examples of members having the upper shaft 7a include hinges, and the upper edge of the back door 7 is attached to the rear edge of the roof portion 2a via the hinges.

[0026] A window glass 7b is provided in the upper part of the back door 7. The rearward view of the vehicle is ensured through the window glass 7b. The lower edge of the back door 7 when closed is separated upward from the lower edge of the opening 2b, and the part of the opening 2b below the lower edge of the back door 7 is closed by the tailgate 15.

[0027] The tailgate 15 is composed of a member that is elongated in the left-right direction. The lower part of the tailgate 15 is rotatably supported around a lower hinge shaft 15a that extends in the vehicle width direction relative to the lower edge of the opening 2b, i.e., the rear of the rear panel portion 8c which constitutes the rear of the vehicle body 2. The member having the lower hinge shaft 15a can be, for example, a hinge shaft, and the lower part of the tailgate 15 is attached to the rear of the rear panel portion 8c via the hinge.

[0028] As shown in Figure 2, the tailgate 15 can be opened by rotating it rearward around the lower hinge shaft 15a. When open, the tailgate 15 is positioned to protrude rearward from near the lower edge of the opening 2b and is in a downward sloping position toward the rear. Although not shown, latch mechanisms are provided on both the left and right sides of the tailgate 15 when it is closed. When the tailgate 15 is closed, the latch mechanisms engage with strikers fixed to the vehicle body 2, holding the tailgate 15 in the closed position. The latch mechanisms can be operated from the outside by an operating handle (not shown), and the tailgate 15 can be opened by operating the operating handle. The back door 7 is configured to be able to engage with and disengage from the upper part of the closed tailgate 15 by a latch mechanism and a striker. The back door 7 can also be opened from the outside by operating an operating handle (not shown). Such configurations of the back door 7 and tailgate 15 are conventionally known.

[0029] The wheelchair-accessible vehicle 1 is equipped with a ramp 20. The ramp 20 is attached to a portion of the interior surface of the tailgate 15 located above the lower hinge shaft 15a, and together with the tailgate 15 rotated to the rear, forms a wheelchair passage S (shown in Figure 2) that slopes downward toward the rear. Figures 2 and 3 show the tailgate 15 in the open position and the ramp 20 extended outside the vehicle to form the wheelchair passage S, and as shown in these figures, a gently sloping wheelchair passage S is formed. In this state, the ramp 20, the tailgate 15, and the blocking member 70 (described later) enable smooth boarding and alighting of the wheelchair 50. The wheelchair 50 can be loaded by moving forward and alighted by moving backward.

[0030] The wheelchair-accessible vehicle 1 is either a rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive vehicle. Therefore, the wheelchair-accessible vehicle 1 is equipped with a rear axle 41 for transmitting driving force to the left and right rear wheels 40 (only the right rear wheel is shown in each figure). The rear axle 41, although not shown, includes a left drive shaft connected to the left rear wheel 40, a right drive shaft connected to the right rear wheel 40, a differential gear 41a disposed between the left and right drive shafts, and a casing 41b that houses the left and right drive shafts and the differential gear 41a. Since the outer diameter of the differential gear 41a is larger than the outer diameter of the left and right drive shafts, the vertical dimension of the left-right intermediate portion (the portion housing the differential gear 41a) of the casing 41b of the rear axle 41 is set to be longer than the vertical dimensions of the left and right portions of the casing 41b. Therefore, the middle section of the casing 41b of the rear axle 41 is raised upward compared to the left and right sections.

[0031] On the other hand, the rear panel portion 8c of the floor panel 8 is designed to be as low as possible to accommodate a wheelchair 50, and therefore slopes downwards towards the rear. Lowering the rear panel portion 8c in this way may cause it to come into contact with, or interfere with, the portion of the rear axle 41 casing 41b that houses the differential gear 41a. A fuel tank (not shown) is located in front of the rear axle 41 below the rear panel portion 8c.

[0032] In this embodiment, a bulge 8d is formed in the middle of the rear panel 8c in the vehicle width direction, and below the bulge 8d on the floor panel 8 is the portion of the rear axle 41 that houses the differential gear 41a. The formation of the bulge 8d prevents the middle portion of the casing 41b of the rear axle 41 from interfering with the rear panel 8c, even when the suspension is in full stroke. In other words, the size of the bulge 8d and the height of the bulge 8d from the reference plane are set so that even if the casing 41b of the rear axle 41 moves to the upper limit of its range of motion, the middle portion of the casing 41b in the left-right direction does not come into contact with the rear panel 8c. The bulge 8d can also be called a bulge-shaped portion.

[0033] The portion of the rear panel section 8c of the floor panel 8 that is rearward from the bulge 8d is sloped downwards as it approaches the rear. The front end of the deployed ramp 20 is continuous with the portion of the rear panel section 8c that is rearward from the bulge 8d.

[0034] The bulge 8d is positioned between the front wheel 52 on the right side of the wheelchair 50 and the front wheel 52 on the left side of the wheelchair 50, and is located in an area where the left and right front wheels 52 of the wheelchair 50 do not roll when getting on or off the wheelchair 50. Furthermore, the rear of the wheelchair 50 is provided with rear wheels 54 on both the left and right sides. The bulge 8d is positioned between the right rear wheel 54 and the left rear wheel 54 of the wheelchair 50, and is located in an area where the left and right rear wheels 54 of the wheelchair 50 do not roll when getting on or off the wheelchair 50. Therefore, the bulge 8d does not come into contact with the left and right front wheels 52 or the left and right rear wheels 54 when getting on or off the wheelchair 50.

[0035] An anchor bar 53 is provided in the middle of the wheelchair 50 in the front-to-rear direction. The anchor bar 53 is a component that prevents the wheelchair 50, when mounted on the wheelchair-carrying vehicle 1, from moving forward from its predetermined mounting position. Specifically, a hook mechanism 60 having a shape that opens to the rear is provided in the middle of the rear panel portion 8c of the floor panel 8 in the left-to-right direction. When the wheelchair 50 is mounted in the predetermined mounting position, the hook mechanism 60 engages with the anchor bar 53 from the front to hold the wheelchair 50. When lowering the wheelchair 50, the anchor bar 53 is disengaged from the hook mechanism 60 by moving the wheelchair 50 backward.

[0036] The areas on which the left and right front wheels 52 of the wheelchair 50 roll are the right and left portions of the rear panel portion 8c relative to the bulge portion 8d, and a first inclined surface 8e is formed on both of these portions. The first inclined surface 8e is a surface for raising the left and right front wheels 52 of the wheelchair 50 until the anchor bar 53, which is provided in the middle of the wheelchair 50 in the front-rear direction, is not in contact with the bulge portion 8d. In addition, a second inclined surface 8f is formed on the rear panel portion 8c of the floor panel 8, extending forward from the front end of the first inclined surface 8e while sloping downward. Furthermore, a third inclined surface 8g is formed on the rear panel portion 8c of the floor panel 8, sloping upward from the front end of the second inclined surface 8f as it moves forward.

[0037] As described above, the wheelchair-carrying vehicle 1 according to this embodiment has a rear axle 41, but even for wheelchair-carrying vehicles of the same type, there is also a front-wheel-drive version. In the case of the front-wheel-drive version, there is no rear axle 41, so the rear structure of the vehicle body 2 is different from the version with a rear axle 41. On the other hand, the front-wheel-drive version and the version with a rear axle 41 are the same in terms of appearance and vehicle width, so by using the tailgate 15 and ramp 20 used in the front-wheel-drive wheelchair-carrying vehicle in the wheelchair-carrying vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, costs can be reduced. Therefore, in this embodiment, the tailgate 15 and ramp 20 used in the front-wheel-drive wheelchair-carrying vehicle are used.

[0038] However, since the rear structure of the vehicle body 2 differs between the specification with a rear axle 41 and the front-wheel drive specification, if the tailgate 15 and ramp 20 used in the front-wheel drive wheelchair-carrying vehicle are used in the wheelchair-carrying vehicle 1 with a rear axle 41, a gap B will be created between the rear of the vehicle body 2 and the front end of the open tailgate 15, as shown in Figures 4 to 7. If a gap B is created between the rear of the vehicle body 2 and the front end of the open tailgate 15, the presence of this gap B will make it difficult to get in and out of the wheelchair 50. Note that Figure 7 schematically shows the cases in which the ramp 20 and the blocking member 70 are in the extended, upright, and reclined states in a single diagram. The tailgate 15 is in the same position whether the ramp 20 and the blocking member 70 are in the upright or reclined state.

[0039] The wheelchair-carrying vehicle 1 according to this embodiment is equipped with a sealing member 70 that closes the gap B formed between the tailgate 15, which is rotated to the rear, and the rear of the vehicle body 2. The sealing member 70 is made of a high-strength material such as a metal plate, and has a long shape in the left-right direction, as shown in Figures 2, 8 to 10. The left-right dimension of the sealing member 70 is set to be approximately equal to the left-right dimension of the ramp 20, for example.

[0040] When the sealing member 70 is in the state where it is sealing the gap B (unfolded state), it is tilted in accordance with the slope of the ramp 20, so that the sealing member 70 is positioned lower towards the rear. The left and right ends of the sealing member 70 each have protruding plate portions 70a that protrude in the thickness direction. With respect to the unfolded state, the protruding plate portions 70a protrude upward and extend in the front-rear direction.

[0041] Brackets 71 are fixed to both the left and right sides of the rear end of the rear panel portion 8c, which is the rear of the vehicle body 2, to which the left and right sides of the closing member 70 are attached. The brackets 71 are components that constitute part of the wheelchair-carrying vehicle 1. The brackets 71 extend in the vehicle width direction and are equipped with a support shaft 72 that rotatably supports the vehicle body 2 side end of the closing member 70 relative to the rear of the vehicle body 2. Stays 70b are fixed to the vehicle body 2 side end of the protruding plate portion 70a of the closing member 70. A cylindrical member 70c extending in the vehicle width direction is fixed to the stays 70b. The inner portion of the support shaft 72 in the vehicle width direction is inserted into the cylindrical member 70c and supported. With the inner portion of the support shaft 72 in the vehicle width direction inserted into the cylindrical member 70c, the support shaft 72 and the cylindrical member 70c are rotatable relative to each other. The support shaft 72 is positioned forward and above the lower hinge shaft 15a.

[0042] The side of the closing member 70 opposite to the side supported by the pivot shaft 72 extends until it contacts the interior surface of the tailgate 15. As a result, when deployed, the closing member 70 is stretched from the rear end of the rear panel portion 8c to the interior surface of the tailgate 15, forming a surface on which the front wheels 52 and rear wheels 54 of the wheelchair 50 can roll.

[0043] The wheelchair-accessible vehicle 1 is equipped with a biasing member 73 that constantly biases the side of the closing member 70 opposite to the side supported by the pivot shaft 72 in a direction that contacts the interior surface of the tailgate 15. The biasing member 73 is made of, for example, a torsion spring. When the biasing member 73 is made of a torsion spring, the torsion spring is held by the cylindrical member 70c with a cylindrical member 70c inserted through the coil portion of the torsion spring. One arm of the torsion spring engages with a stay 70b fixed to the closing member 70, and the other arm of the torsion spring abuts against a bracket 71. This makes it possible to bias the closing member 70 in a direction that rotates around the pivot shaft 72. The direction in which the biasing force of the torsion spring acts is indicated by arrow C in Figure 7. The direction indicated by arrow C is towards the rear of the wheelchair-carrying vehicle 1. In other words, the side of the sealing member 70 opposite to the side supported by the pivot shaft 72 is brought into contact with the interior surface of the tailgate 15. Therefore, the sealing member 70 will not lift away from the tailgate 15. Furthermore, the biasing of the sealing member 70 makes it less likely for rattling to occur.

[0044] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, a guide portion 75 is provided on the side of the tailgate 15 away from the lower hinge shaft 15a, which guides the closing member 70 away from the interior surface of the tailgate 15 when the tailgate 15 is rotated in the closing direction. The guide portion 75 is provided on the right side of the tailgate 15 (one side in the vehicle width direction), and is formed so that the amount it protrudes from the interior surface of the tailgate 15 increases the further it is from the lower hinge shaft 15a. Specifically, the guide portion 75 includes an inclined surface, and this inclined surface is inclined so that it moves away from the interior surface of the tailgate 15 the further it is towards the rear when the tailgate 15 is in the extended state.

[0045] On the right side of the blocking member 70, there is a guided portion 76 that slides against the guide portion 75. The guided portion 76 is fixed to the protruding plate portion 70a on the right side of the blocking member 70 and protrudes to the right from the blocking member 70. The guided portion 76 and the guide portion 75 may be provided as needed. Alternatively, the guided portion 76 and the guide portion 75 may be provided on the left side.

[0046] When the sealing member 70 is in the deployed state, the guided portion 76 is positioned in front of the guide portion 75. As a result, the guided portion 76 is separated from the guide portion 75, allowing the side of the sealing member 70 opposite to the side supported by the pivot shaft 72 to be in contact with the interior surface of the tailgate 15.

[0047] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 7, when closing the tailgate 15 from the open position to raise the ramp 20, the tailgate 15 pushes the blocking member 70. As a result, the blocking member 70 rotates around the pivot shaft 72 against the biasing force of the biasing member 73 as the tailgate 15 rotates around the lower hinge shaft 15a. At this time, since the pivot shaft 72 is positioned further forward and above the lower hinge shaft 15a, the guided portion 76 fixed to the blocking member 70 moves toward the guide portion 75 fixed to the tailgate 15, and eventually comes into contact with the inclined surface of the guide portion 75, guiding the blocking member 70 toward the inward surface of the tailgate 15. This allows the tip of the blocking member 70 to be switched to the upright position without interfering with the ramp 20. On the other hand, when the tailgate 15 is rotated in the opening direction, the closing member 70, which is constantly subjected to a biasing force by the biasing member 73, also rotates in the same direction. In this way, the closing member 70 can be made to move in conjunction with the tailgate 15.

[0048] The slope 20 can be in an upright position (upright state). An upright position is a position in which the slope 20 extends in the vertical direction. The slope 20 in the upright state may extend vertically or may be slightly inclined forward or backward, but all of these cases are included in the definition of an upright position.

[0049] The tailgate 15 side of the ramp 20 is supported by the tailgate 15 by a ramp hinge 20a having a pivot axis extending in the vehicle width direction. As shown in Figure 7, the ramp 20 can be switched from an upright state to a reclined state by rotating the ramp 20 forward around the axis of the ramp hinge 20a. When the ramp 20 is in the reclined state, it extends approximately horizontally and can form a floor surface. The ramp 20 in the reclined state may be inclined so that it is lower towards the front or lower towards the rear, but all of these cases are included in the definition of the reclined state.

[0050] When the upright slope 20 is rotated forward to a downed position, the blocking member 70 is pushed forward by the slope 20. As a result, the blocking member 70 rotates forward around the support shaft 72 in conjunction with the rotation of the slope 20 around the slope hinge 20a. On the other hand, when the downed slope 20 is rotated to an upright position, the blocking member 70, which is constantly subjected to a biasing force by the biasing member 73, also rotates in the same direction (rearward). In this way, the blocking member 70 can be made to move in conjunction with the slope 20.

[0051] (Effects of the embodiment) As described above, according to this embodiment, the tailgate 15 provided at the rear of the vehicle body 2 of the wheelchair-carrying vehicle 1 can be rotated rearward around the lower hinge shaft 15a, and the ramp 20 can be extended outside the vehicle. At this time, since the tailgate 15 and ramp 20 of a different vehicle with a different rear structure of the vehicle body 2 are used, a gap B is formed between the tailgate 15 and the rear of the vehicle body 2. However, since the gap B formed between the tailgate 15 and the rear of the vehicle body 2 is closed by the closing member 70, a continuous wheelchair passage S can be formed by the tailgate 15, ramp 20 and closing member 70. This improves the ease of getting in and out of the wheelchair 50.

[0052] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative in all respects and should not be interpreted restrictively. Furthermore, any modifications or changes that fall within the equivalent scope of the claims are all within the scope of the present invention. For example, the rear seat 6, etc., can be omitted. The present invention can also be applied to a vehicle with three rows of seats. [Industrial applicability]

[0053] As described above, the present invention can be used in wheelchair-accessible vehicles that have a space for carrying wheelchairs at the rear of the vehicle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 1. Wheelchair-accessible vehicles 2 car bodies 2b opening 8 Floor Panels 15 Tailgate 15a Lower hinge axis 20 slopes 70. Sealing member 72 Spindle 73. Biasing member 75 Information Department 76 Guided part B Gap

Claims

1. A wheelchair-accessible vehicle having an opening formed at the rear of the vehicle body for loading and unloading a wheelchair, and configured to allow the wheelchair loaded through the opening to be positioned behind the driver's seat in the passenger compartment, A tailgate is supported at the rear of the vehicle body so as to be rotatable around a lower hinge axis that extends in the width direction of the vehicle, A ramp attached to a portion of the tailgate located above the lower hinge axis, which forms a wheelchair passage that slopes downward toward the rear when the tailgate is rotated toward the rear of the vehicle, A wheelchair-accessible vehicle comprising a sealing member that closes the gap formed between the tailgate, which is rotated to the rear of the vehicle, and the rear of the vehicle body.

2. In the wheelchair-equipped vehicle according to claim 1, A wheelchair-accessible vehicle having a support shaft that extends in the vehicle width direction and rotatably supports the vehicle body-side end of the closing member relative to the rear of the vehicle body, with the side of the closing member opposite to the side supported by the support shaft in contact with the interior surface of the tailgate.

3. In the wheelchair-equipped vehicle according to claim 2, A wheelchair-accessible vehicle, comprising a biasing member that constantly biases the aforementioned sealing member in a direction that brings it into contact with the interior surface of the tailgate.

4. In the wheelchair-equipped vehicle according to claim 3, A wheelchair-accessible vehicle, wherein the tailgate is provided with a guide portion that guides the closing member away from the interior surface of the tailgate when the tailgate is rotated in the closing direction.

5. In the wheelchair-equipped vehicle according to claim 4, On one side of the blocking member in the vehicle width direction, a guided portion is provided that slides against the guide portion. The aforementioned guide section is provided on one side of the tailgate in the vehicle width direction, in a wheelchair-accessible vehicle.

6. In the wheelchair-equipped vehicle according to claim 2, A wheelchair-accessible vehicle in which the aforementioned support shaft is positioned forward and above the aforementioned lower hinge shaft.

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