Folding Side Platform for Reduced Mobility Vehicle Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor tricycles designed for individuals with reduced mobility face difficulties in easy access due to inclined ramps, which can be challenging for those without sufficient strength and may stress shock absorbers when lowered, complicating the vehicle's design and operation.
Innovation Solution
A vertically movable platform with a folding side that can pivot between raised and lowered positions, allowing for horizontal access without altering the vehicle's height or stressing shock absorbers, and incorporating stabilizing means for safety during access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a hydraulic system is used to temporarily lower the entire tricycle for easier access, then access ease is improved, but device complexity increases and shock absorbers are compressed
Solution Approach 1:
The platform is divided into a stationary portion and a movable portion that can independently move vertically. This segmentation allows the movable portion to be lowered for easier access without requiring the entire vehicle to be lowered, thus avoiding compression of shock absorbers and reducing the complexity of the lowering system.
Solution Approach 2:
The access difficulty is isolated to the movable portion of the platform rather than the entire vehicle. By extracting the lowering function from the whole vehicle system and applying it only to the movable portion, the solution simplifies the overall system while maintaining improved access.
2Ease of operation
If the ramp slope is increased to improve access, then access ease is improved, but strength requirements increase for users
Solution Approach 1:
The movable portion of the platform can dynamically adjust its vertical position to create a gentler slope for the ramp. By lowering the movable portion closer to the ground, the ramp length increases while the height difference remains the same, reducing the slope angle and the force required by users with reduced mobility.
3Ease of operation
If the side door length is increased to improve access, then access ease is improved, but vehicle width increases
Solution Approach 1:
The movable portion of the platform can be lowered to reduce the vertical distance that users must traverse through the side door. This dynamic adjustment improves access ease without requiring an increase in the horizontal length of the side door, thus maintaining the vehicle's original width.
4Device complexity
If conventional motorization positioning is maintained, then device complexity is reduced, but access ease may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The platform is segmented into stationary and movable portions, with the movable portion equipped with a simple vertical movement mechanism. This segmentation allows conventional motorization positioning to be maintained for the majority of the vehicle while providing localized access improvement through the movable portion, balancing complexity and ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a motor vehicle (1) comprising a chassis frame (2), a platform (5) and at least one folding side (6) movable between a raised position and a lowered position. The platform (5) comprises a stationary portion (50) and at least one lateral movable portion (51) vertically movable between a high position, in which it is flush with the stationary portion (50), and a low position, in which it has been lowered, there being provided means (7) for controlling the vertical movement of the at least one movable portion (51). The or each folding side (6) is connected to a respective movable portion (51) in such a way that they are vertically movable in one piece while the folding side (6) is in the lowered position.