TRANSFER DEVICE

• US 20110280700A1
• Filed: 02/02/2010
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bruno Independent Living Aids, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bruno Independent Living Aids, Inc.
• Inventors: Hooper, Adam C., Lampe, Kristopher O., Uttech, Scott K., Bayer, Andrew A.
• Application Number:
  US13/145,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20110280700A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/540
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 3/062 using lifts connected to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 3/067 with compartment for horizontally storing the ramp or lift
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/1019 Vertical extending columns or mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/1059 Seats

Abstract

A transfer device to assist a user in moving between vertically displaced locations has a storage enclosure mounted or mountable to the exterior of a motor vehicle. The storage enclosure protects components from external conditions, weather, etc., and typically is made of steel, plastic, etc. A user platform is supported on a drawer assembly that can be completely encased in the storage enclosure. Movement of the drawer assembly is controlled by a drawer extension mechanism that selectively extends and retracts the drawer assembly into and out of the storage enclosure between a stored position completely inside the storage enclosure and an operative position outside the storage enclosure. When the drawer assembly is in an operative position outside the storage enclosure, a platform elevating mechanism can raise and lower the user platform between a lower, compacted storage position and an elevated position using a scissors linkage that links the user platform to a drawer assembly support such as a tray. The elevating mechanism can be an actuator having a cylinder pivotably mounted to the tray and a slidable rod pivotably mounted to the scissors linkage in a manner that permits raising the seat as the rod is extended outwardly from the actuator cylinder. A control system monitors the position of the drawer assembly and the vertical position of the user platform and can prevent undesired operation such as when a motor vehicle engine is still running or a motor vehicle door is closed.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle occupant transfer device mountable to the exterior of a motor vehicle, the transfer device comprising:

a storage enclosure mountable to an exterior motor vehicle mounting position below a passenger door, the enclosure comprising a door and a plurality of walls defining the enclosure;

a drawer assembly configured to slide horizontally into and out of the enclosure, the drawer assembly comprising;

a drawer support coupled to the enclosure door;

a drawer extension mechanism coupled to the drawer support, the drawer extension mechanism comprising a motor assembly configured to move the drawer horizontally into and out of the enclosure between a fully retracted position inside the enclosure and a fully extended position outside the enclosure; and

an elevating mechanism comprising;

an expandable and compactable scissors linkage mounted between the drawer support and a user platform; and

an actuator configured to expand and compact the scissors linkage between a fully compacted position and a fully expanded position to raise and lower the user platform; and

a control system operatively coupled to a power source, the motor assembly and the actuator and configured to control horizontal movement of the drawer assembly and vertical movement of the user platform.

2. The transfer device of claim 1 wherein the control system comprises:

a first plurality of sensors mounted to the enclosure and configured to detect the horizontal extension of the drawer assembly relative to the enclosure;

a second plurality of sensors mounted to the actuator and configured to detect the vertical position of the user platform based on actuator position; and

a microprocessor-based control board operatively coupled to the first and second pluralities of sensors.

3. The transfer device of claim 4 wherein the control system is configured to partially retract the drawer assembly when the scissors linkage is at an intermediate position between the fully compacted position and a fully expanded position.

4. The transfer device of claim 1 wherein the scissors linkage comprises a plurality of X-linkages mounted vertically together.

5. The transfer device of claim 4 wherein the actuator comprises a cylinder pivotably mounted to the drawer support and a rod slidable within the cylinder and pivotably mounted to the scissors linkage.

7. The transfer device of claim 1 wherein the drawer extension mechanism further comprises:

a rack affixed to one wall of the plurality of walls in the enclosure;

a plurality of drawer slide guides affixed inside the enclosure to two or more of the plurality of walls; and

a plurality of drawer slides coupled to the drawer support, wherein each drawer slide engages a drawer slide guide in the enclosure.

8. The transfer device of claim 7 wherein the motor assembly comprises a motor coupled to a pinion gear engaging the rack.

9. The transfer device of claim 4 wherein the enclosure is less than 6 inches in height and further wherein the elevating mechanism raises the user platform more than 20 inches between the fully compacted position and the fully expanded position.

10. The transfer device of claim 2 wherein the control system further comprises one or more disabling switches comprising at least one of the following:

a switch to disable the transfer device if the engine of a motor vehicle to which the transfer device is mounted is running;

a switch to disable the transfer device if a door of a motor vehicle to which the transfer device is mounted is closed;

a switch to disable the ignition of a motor vehicle to which the transfer device is mounted when the drawer assembly is not in its fully retracted position.

11. The transfer device of claim 4 wherein the enclosure is adapted to be a motor vehicle step up when mounted to the exterior of a motor vehicle.

12. The transfer device of claim 11 wherein the enclosure is made of at least one of the following:

plastic;

aluminum;

stainless steel;

steel.

13. The transfer device of claim 2 wherein the control system comprises a user pendant comprising one or more buttons controlling operation of the transfer device.

14. The transfer device of claim 4 wherein the user platform is one of the following:

a non-rotatable user seat;

a rotatable user seat;

a user standing support.

15. The transfer device of claim 2 comprising at least one of the following:

a warning light operable when the drawer extension mechanism is operating or when the elevating mechanism is operating;

an audible warning alarm operable when the drawer extension mechanism is operating or when the elevating mechanism is operating.

16. The transfer device of claim 4 wherein the transfer device is also configured to be operated manually.

6. (canceled)

17. A transfer device comprising:

a box mountable to the exterior of a motor vehicle, the box comprising a door and a plurality of walls defining the box;

a drawer assembly slidable into and out of the box, the drawer assembly comprising;

a drawer support coupled to the door;

a drawer extension mechanism coupled to the drawer support, the drawer extension mechanism comprising a motor operatively connected to a pinion gear engaging a rack affixed to the interior of the box and adapted to move the drawer generally horizontally into and out of the box between a fully retracted position inside the box and a fully extended position outside the box; and

an elevating mechanism coupled to the drawer support, the elevating mechanism comprising;

a compactable linkage mounted to the drawer support and to a user platform and adapted to raise the user platform vertically; and

an actuator coupled to the drawer support and to the compactable linkage and adapted to move the user platform vertically between a fully collapsed position and a fully raised position.

18. The transfer device of claim 17 further comprising a control system operatively connected to the drawer extension mechanism and to the elevating mechanism to control horizontal movement of the drawer assembly and vertical movement of the user platform.

19. The transfer device of claim 18 wherein the compactable linkage comprises a scissors linkage.

20. The transfer device of claim 19 wherein the compactable linkage comprises a scissors linkage comprising a plurality of X-linkages mounted vertically to one another.

21-25. -25. (canceled)

26. A transfer device comprising a motor vehicle comprising a passenger door, comprising:

a storage box affixed to an exterior motor vehicle mounting position below the passenger door, the storage box comprising;

a plurality of walls and a door defining the storage box;

a plurality of drawer slide guides affixed internally to the plurality of walls; and

a rack affixed internally to one of the plurality of walls;

a drawer assembly affixed to the door and being slidable into and out of the storage box, the drawer assembly comprising;

a tray coupled to the door and comprising a pair of drawer slides, wherein each drawer slide engages a drawer slide guide in the storage box;

a motor coupled to the tray and to a pinion gear engaging the rack, wherein motor is operatively connected to move the drawer assembly generally horizontally into and out of the storage box between a fully retracted position inside the storage box and a fully extended position outside the storage box below the passenger door; and

a seat elevating mechanism coupled to the tray and comprising;

a scissors linkage mounted to the tray and having a top end mounted to a user seat; and

an actuator pivotably mounted to the scissors linkage and operatively connected to move the user seat between a fully collapsed position and a fully raised position at approximately the same height as the interior passenger seat;

wherein the seat elevating mechanism in its fully collapsed position fits completely within the storage box when the drawer assembly is in its fully retracted position; and

a controller operatively connected to the motor and the actuator and comprising a microprocessor-based control board and one or more buttons for controlling operation of the motor and the actuator.

27-34. -34. (canceled)