Geared Ramp Assembly for Flush Floor Wheelchair Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automobile manufacturers do not produce passenger vehicles specifically designed for physically limited passengers, leading to the need for aftermarket modifications that often struggle with stowing and deploying ramps flush with the vehicle floor.
Innovation Solution
A ramp assembly with a frame, track system, and a wheel mechanism that allows the ramp to be slidably coupled, rotated, and pivoted to move between stowed, lowered, and raised positions, ensuring seamless integration with the vehicle floor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the ramp is stored below the vehicle floor, then vehicle space is preserved, but the ramp deployment and stowing becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The ramp assembly is divided into multiple components: the ramp surface, side rails, support structure, and drive mechanism. Each segment can move independently through the track system, allowing complex deployment sequences that transition the ramp from stored to deployed position without requiring the entire assembly to be maneuvered as one unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The ramp transitions through multiple dynamic states: stored below floor level, deployed to ground level, and raised to flush position. The side rails dynamically adjust their orientation and position relative to the ramp surface, enabling the ramp to adapt to different operational requirements while maintaining space efficiency when stored.
2Ease of operation
If the ramp is deployed to ground level, then accessibility is improved, but ensuring the ramp is flush with the vehicle floor becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The drive block mechanism provides controlled movement of the ramp along the track system, enabling precise positioning. The system can detect when the ramp reaches the flush position with the vehicle floor and automatically adjust to maintain proper alignment, ensuring both accessibility and precise alignment without requiring manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The ramp assembly changes its vertical position parameter through controlled movement along the track system. By adjusting the ramp's position from below-floor to ground-level and flush positions, the system achieves both accessibility and proper alignment with the vehicle floor through parameter control rather than fixed positioning.
3Ease of operation
If a wheel mechanism is used to raise and lower the ramp, then deployment smoothness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel mechanism acts as an intermediary between the drive block and the ramp surface. Rather than directly lifting the ramp, the wheel rotates along the track system to convert rotational motion into vertical movement, providing smooth deployment while distributing mechanical stress across the track-wheel interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The traditional direct-lift mechanical system is replaced with a wheel-based system that travels along a track. This substitution transforms the deployment mechanism from direct vertical force application to rotational motion along a guided path, achieving smoother operation while the track system provides structural support.
Data Source
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AI summary
A ramp assembly to accommodate a wheel-chaired passenger to enter or exit a motorized vehicle having a conventional floor includes a frame and a ramp. The ramp is slidably coupled to the frame. The ramp assembly further includes a drive block configured to translate longitudinally along the track system. The ramp assembly further includes a wheel pivotally coupled to the ramp. The wheel has a longitudinal axis and is rotatably coupled to the drive block or the frame for rotation about the longitudinal axis to move the ramp between a raised position and a lowered position.