Portable lifting and transferring techniques for assisting in the mobility of disabled persons are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a portable lifting and transferring apparatus for assisting disabled persons that is compact, lightweight, and portable for use in different locations. Preferably, such an apparatus would provide multiple pivot points for providing multiple degrees of maneuvering freedom when lifting and transferring disabled persons and/or their mobility devices and for providing compatibility with a wide range of vehicles. The techniques may also be realized in other embodiments as disclosed herein.

A transfer device for loading/unloading of a cargo such as wheelchair from a structure such as a vehicle the device having a platform movable from a deposit position at the level of the ground level to an access position at the floor level keeping the platform substantially horizontal. The platform is provided with a front safety barrier rotatable to serve as a ramp when the platform is at ground level, and with side safety barriers each substantially constituted by an articulated quadrilateral, such that when the platform is at the ground level, the side safety barriers fold down by kinematic mechanisms while preferably corresponding side ramps are made available. This arrangement allows transition of the wheelchair from/to the ground from any side of the platform, by virtue of the automatic folding of both the front and side barriers and the simultaneous presentation of the corresponding ramps.

A transfer device for loading/unloading of a cargo such as wheelchair from a structure such as a vehicle the device having a platform movable from a deposit position at the level of the ground level to an access position at the floor level keeping the platform substantially horizontal. The platform is provided with a front safety barrier rotatable to serve as a ramp when the platform is at ground level, and with side safety barriers each substantially constituted by an articulated quadrilateral, such that when the platform is at the ground level, the side safety barriers fold down by kinematic mechanisms while preferably corresponding side ramps are made available. This arrangement allows transition of the wheelchair from/to the ground from any side of the platform, by virtue of the automatic folding of both the front and side barriers and the simultaneous presentation of the corresponding ramps.

A patient transport loading and unloading apparatus for an emergency vehicle includes at least one support configured for mounting at the access opening of the vehicle. The support is deployable between a stowed position (in which the support cannot support the patient transport apparatus) and a deployed or loading position. Further, the support is configured to remain generally horizontal when the patient transport apparatus is loaded onto the support and while the patient transport apparatus is moved into the vehicle through the access opening.

A cot fastening system for fastening a cot to an emergency vehicle includes a frame configured for mounting to the floor of an emergency vehicle, which has a longitudinal axis and a cot loading direction along the longitudinal axis. The system includes a first restraint assembly for coupling to a first cot attachment of the cot, which is mounted to the frame. The system further includes a second restraint assembly for coupling to a second cot attachment, which is also mounted to the frame. The system further includes a spring, such as a coil spring, for biasing the cot in a direction opposed from the loading direction of the frame to thereby apply a pre-load on at least one of said restraint assemblies.

To permit wheelchair access, a door assembly of an OEM vehicle may be modified with a replacement door hinge that increases the door swing angle while maintaining clearances between door and a front door assembly, the vehicle body, and a wheelchair ramp installed in the door opening. To preserve the door's OEM closed position, the replacement door hinge (when in the closed position) may match the geometry between the OEM hinge's door and vehicle connection points. Additionally or alternatively, the door assembly may be modified to include a powered door opening assembly comprising a slider block configured with a motor to reciprocate along a width of the door and a connecting rod pivotally coupled between the vehicle and the slider block.

A system for loading a patient transport apparatus into a vehicle is described. The system includes a loading and unloading system including a track and a trolley supporting a receiver movable between locked and unlocked configurations. The system also includes a patient transport apparatus for attachment to the loading and unloading system including a base, a litter, and a lift mechanism to facilitate arranging the litter at different heights relative to the base with an actuator movable between fully-retracted and fully-extended configurations, a coupler for engaging the receiver to secure the patient transport apparatus, first and second sensors configured to output a first signal and second signal and a controller to determine a target lift configuration during unloading from the emergency based on first and second values and to drive the actuator to the target lift configuration to limit relative movement between the patient transport apparatus and the trolley.

A vehicle lift includes a lift base, a movable lift tower, and a movable platform. A first rail is configured to move the lift tower horizontally, and includes a outer extruded rails secured to the lift base, central extruded rails movable with respect to the outer extruded rails, and inner extruded rails movable with respect to the central extruded rails and fixed to the lift tower. A second rail assembly is fixed to the lift tower and may move the platform vertically with respect to the lift tower, and includes a outer extruded rails secured to the lift tower, central extruded rails movable with respect to the outer extruded rails, and inner extruded rails movable with respect to the central extruded rails and fixed to the lift tower.

A cot fastening system for fastening a cot to an emergency vehicle includes a frame configured for mounting to the floor of an emergency vehicle, which has a longitudinal axis and a cot loading direction along the longitudinal axis. A first restraint assembly is for coupling to a foot end cot attachment of a cot and is mounted to the frame. A second restraint assembly is for coupling to a head end cot attachment of the cot and is mounted to the frame. The frame includes a first section and a second section. The first section has a first width less than the spacing between head end wheels of the cot to allow the cot to straddle the frame. The second section extends from the first end of the first section along the longitudinal axis of the frame and diverges away from the longitudinal axis of the frame to a second width greater than the first width but less than the spacing between the head end wheels to form a guide for guiding the head end wheels of the cot when the head end cot attachment has passed the first restraint assembly and is at or near the second restraint assembly to thereby guide the head end cot attachment into alignment with the second restraint assembly.

A motor coach comprises a front door, a front stairwell, an upper aisleway, upper seats, a side door and a mobility impaired area. The front stairwell leads from the front door. The upper aisleway leads from the front stairwell. The upper aisleway is generally at the level of the top of the upper stairwell. The upper seats are along the upper aisleway. The side door may be lower than or at the same height as the front door, and leads to the mobility impaired area, which is inside and generally at the level of the bottom of the side door. The upper aisleway, upper seats, and mobility impaired area are all together in one unified passenger compartment while separated by differences of location of doors for loading and heights of floors. Numerous advantages flow, including but not limited to the following: loading and unloading times for mobility impaired passengers are substantially improved, especially as compared to typical high floor, wheelchair lift equipped coaches.