Ceiling-Mounted Wheelchair Backrest With Rail Stowage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing backrest arrangements for wheelchair users in motor vehicles either occupy valuable space, restrict adjustability, or require complex and cumbersome installation, failing to provide adequate support and flexibility for wheelchair users and passengers.
Innovation Solution
A backrest arrangement with a fastening device featuring a rail system that allows the backrest to be stowed in the vehicle ceiling, pivotally mounted for ergonomic adjustment, and equipped with a telescopic rod for height adjustment, ensuring secure and space-efficient support for wheelchair users, with optional safety features like a safety belt and headrest.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the backrest is attached to the side wall using pivot arms, then the backrest can be swiveled out to the back position, but the arrangement restricts the vehicle interior space and requires large attachment structures
Solution Approach 1:
The backrest arrangement is moved from side wall attachment to ceiling attachment, changing the spatial dimension from horizontal to vertical. This allows the backrest to be stored in the ceiling area above the wheelchair user's head, freeing up side wall space and improving vehicle interior accessibility while maintaining backrest functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The backrest arrangement is extracted from the side wall area and relocated to the ceiling space. This separates the backrest storage function from the passenger seating area, allowing the backrest to be housed in the otherwise unused ceiling volume above the wheelchair user.
2Strength
If the backrest is attached to the side wall with long pivot arms, then the lever is increased, but the attachment to the vehicle wall must be designed to be correspondingly large
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment point is moved from the side wall to the ceiling, changing the leverage geometry. The ceiling attachment position provides a more favorable moment arm for supporting the backrest weight without requiring large attachment structures on the vehicle body.
3Ease of operation
If the backrest is stored in the vehicle floor behind the wheelchair, then the wheelchair can be driven in and out, but the backrest is difficult to handle and requires strong supports
Solution Approach 1:
The backrest storage location is moved from the vehicle floor to the ceiling area. This vertical relocation eliminates the need to manually handle and relocate the backrest when entering or exiting the vehicle, as the ceiling-mounted arrangement remains in place and does not interfere with wheelchair access.
4Area of stationary object
If the backrest arrangement is fastened to the ceiling with a rail system, then space efficiency is improved, but the fastening device must have high stability and load-bearing capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The ceiling attachment system is divided into separate functional components: a rail system for guiding backrest movement and a fastening device for securing the backrest. This segmentation allows the load-bearing function to be concentrated in the fastening device while the rail provides guided movement, distributing the structural requirements across specialized components.
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
The arrangement (1) has a fastening device (2) for securing the arrangement in a ceiling of a motor car. The fastening device is attached to a seat back (4) for supporting a wheelchair user. The seat back is movable between a stowed storage position in the fastening device and in an extended operative position. The seat back is highly adjustable along a horizontal traveling direction. The seat back is placed along rails of the fastening device. The rails are parallely arranged from each other. A three point safety belt is fastenable in the seat back.