Foldable Vehicle Ramp With Side Flanges for Bariatric Trolley Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle ramp assemblies are unsafe and inefficient for transporting both standard and bariatric patient trolleys and wheelchairs due to inadequate side clearance, leading to potential safety hazards and space constraints when stowed, and require complex assembly and deployment processes.
Innovation Solution
A foldable ramp assembly with upstanding rigid flange members along its sides, securely storable within a vehicle pan, which prevents wheels from moving over the edges and includes a sealing band to prevent fluid and fume ingress, ensuring safe and efficient access and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ramp width is increased to accommodate bariatric trolleys and wheelchairs, then safety clearance is improved, but the ramp cannot be stowed within the vehicle pan
Solution Approach 1:
The ramp is divided into multiple sections that can fold relative to each other. The side members are segmented into first and second portions that can be positioned at different heights, allowing the ramp to maintain sufficient width for bariatric equipment while folding into a compact configuration for stowage within the vehicle pan.
Solution Approach 2:
The ramp transitions from a static fixed-width structure to a dynamic adjustable-width structure. The side members can be positioned in different configurations (extended for width, retracted for stowage) allowing the ramp to adapt its dimensions based on operational requirements versus stowage constraints.
2Reliability
If tapered side members are used to prevent wheel movement, then safety is improved, but the height is limited by available space rendering them ineffective
Solution Approach 1:
Each side member is divided into a first portion and a second portion that can be positioned at different heights. The first portion provides the primary wheel-preventing barrier at a height sufficient to stop trolley wheels, while the second portion extends upward to provide additional safety margin without exceeding the limited space between the vehicle pan and platform.
Solution Approach 2:
The side members have non-uniform height distribution with the first portion optimized for wheel prevention and the second portion optimized for additional safety clearance. This local differentiation allows each segment to perform its specific function effectively within the constrained overall height.
3Reliability
If portable ramps are stored in the vehicle cabin when not in use, then safety is improved, but available cabin space is significantly reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The ramp assembly is integrated directly into the vehicle floor structure, merging the ramp with the vehicle chassis. The ramp stows within a dedicated pan formed in the vehicle floor, eliminating the need for separate portable ramp storage and preventing cabin space reduction while maintaining safety through permanent integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The ramp assembly serves its own storage needs through the integrated pan design. The pan is specifically configured to receive and retain the ramp in a folded position, allowing the ramp to self-stow without requiring additional cabin storage space or manual storage procedures.
4Reliability
If assembly and attachment processes are required before use, then proper installation is ensured, but deployment delays are added to patient transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The ramp assembly is pre-integrated with the vehicle chassis during manufacturing, with hinge mechanisms and attachment points permanently installed. This eliminates the need for separate assembly and attachment procedures at the time of use, allowing the ramp to be deployed immediately when needed without adding deployment delays to patient transfer operations.
5Ease of operation
If the ramp is permanently secured to the vehicle chassis, then deployment ease is improved, but assembly complexity before use increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ramp is permanently integrated with the vehicle chassis through hinge mechanisms that are built into the floor structure. This merging of the ramp with the vehicle body during manufacturing eliminates the need for separate assembly steps before use, while the hinge design allows simple deployment motion without complex assembly procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
A foldable ramp assembly for providing wheelchair and patient trolley access from ground level to the interior of a vehicle cabin whose floor includes a pan which is configured to receive and retain the ramp assembly when not deployed. The ramp assembly comprises an elongate section which, when the assembly is deployed, engages at one end with the ground and at its other end through a hinge mechanism with the vehicle pan. The elongate section of the ramp assembly includes along each side edge an upstanding rigid flange member of a height sufficient to prevent a wheel or wheels of a wheelchair or trolley travelling along the ramp assembly inadvertently passing over one or other side edge of the ramp assembly. The pan includes side channels which are inclined downwardly towards openings formed in an external surface of the vehicle cabin and which are dimensioned to receive said flange members when the ramp assembly is located within the inclined pan.