VEHICLE RAMP ASSEMBLY

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. A ramp assembly for providing wheelchair and patient trolley access from ground level to the interior of a vehicle cabin, the assembly comprising: a floor pan including side channels which are inclined downwardly towards openings formed in an external surface of the vehicle cabin; a foldable ramp comprising an elongate section which, when the ramp is deployed, engages at one end with the ground and at its other end through a hinge mechanism with the pan, said elongate section of the ramp including 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 inadvertently passing over one or other side edge of the ramp, wherein the pan is configured to receive and retain the ramp when not deployed with the side channels being dimensioned to receive said flange members when the ramp is located within the pan.

2. A ramp assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the height of each flange member is between 30 mm and 70 mm.

3. A ramp assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein the height of each flange member is between 50 mm and 55 mm.

4. A ramp assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ramp is produced from a ferrous metallic or non-metallic material.

5. A ramp assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the ramp is produced from stainless steel.

6. A ramp assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thickness of each flange is between 1.25 mm and 10 mm.

7. A ramp assembly as claimed in claim 6 wherein the thickness of each flange is between 50 mm and 55 mm.

8. A ramp assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each side channel is inclined towards the rear of the vehicle and is open at its end remote from the pan to enable fluids to drain to the outside of the vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:—

[0022] FIG. 1 is an isomeric view of a vehicle ramp assembly in accordance with the invention when positioned in a pan set in the floor of a vehicle;

[0023] FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the ramp assembly of FIG. 1 is deployed;

[0024] FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the assembly shown in FIG. 2 to a larger scale;

[0025] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the uppermost side of the illustrated pan;

[0026] FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the underside of the pan shown in FIG. 4;

[0027] FIG. 6 illustrates a detail of the pan illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3; and

[0028] FIG. 7 is an isometric view partly in section of the illustrated ramp assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] The assembly illustrated in the drawings comprises a wedge-shaped foldable ramp 10 which, when not deployed, locates within an inclined wedge-shaped pan 12 which is set in the floor 14 of a cabin of a vehicle such as an ambulance designed to convey patients to and from hospitals or other locations, including patients on trolleys and in wheelchairs. Thus, the pan 12 is shaped and dimensioned to receive the ramp 10 when not deployed thereby enabling full access to the vehicle cabin.

[0030] Typically, the pan 12 is fabricated from steel, preferably stainless steel, and the ramp from a lighter material such as aluminium. Other rigid materials having similar properties could, however, be employed for both the ramp and the pan.

[0031] The ramp is connected to the frame through stub axles which enable it to pivot about a horizontal axis between its stowed position shown in FIG. 1 and its deployed position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings.

[0032] When deployed, the ramp angle is preferably between 10 and 16 degrees.

[0033] As will be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, the pan 12 includes an inclined floor 16 bordered on two sides by tapered walls 18 each formed with an outwardly extending lip 20.

[0034] When positioned in the pan 12, the generally triangular shaped side walls 22 of the wedge-shaped ramp 10 lie alongside the generally triangular shaped adjoining side walls 18 of the pan 12.

[0035] Although the ramp 10 and pan 12 are shown as being positioned close to the rear of the vehicle cabin, they could, alternatively, be positioned close to one or each side of the vehicle cabin where appropriate access is provided.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 1, when not deployed, the underside of the ramp 10 comprises two generally flat horizontal surfaces 24, 26 separated by a step 28. The surface 24 defines a platform onto which a person can step when entering the vehicle cabin on occasions when the single-phase inclined surface of the ramp is not required. As will also be seen from FIG. 1, the surface 24 projects beyond the cabin floor 14.

[0037] As will be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, when deployed the ramp 10 comprises a single-plane inclined surface which terminates in a ground engaging edge section 30 shaped to enable relatively easy patient trolley and wheelchair access to the ramp.

[0038] As also will be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, an upstanding fixed rigid elongate flange 32 is positioned along substantially the full length of each inclined side edge of the ramp 10 to assist safe loading and unloading of patient trolleys and wheelchairs to and from the vehicle cabin, particularly bariatric patient trolleys and wheelchairs.

[0039] As mentioned previously, the width of a standard bariatric patient trolley or wheelchair leaves little room for safely manoeuvring a patent trolley or wheelchair into and out of an ambulance or other vehicle. The function of the flanges 32 is to prevent the wheels of a patent trolley or wheelchair passing inadvertently over one or other of the side edges of the ramp thereby endangering a patient being transported to or from the cabin 14.

[0040] To achieve this objective, the flanges 32 are produced from a rigid material such as steel (preferably stainless steel) and are of a height sufficient to prevent inadvertent movement of a patient trolley or wheelchair over one or other side of the ramp 10. This criterion requires the height of the flanges to be at least 30 mm. A preferred height is 50 mm.

[0041] To accommodate the flanges 32 when the ramp 10 is located within the confines of the inclined pan 12, elongate channels 34 are provided along each of side of the pan 12 into which the flanges 32 locate when the ramp 10 is in its stored position as shown in FIG. 1. Each channel 34 includes in its floor a series of slotted openings 36.

[0042] The channels 34 and openings 36 are best illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

[0043] Preferably, the depth of each channel equates approximately to the height of each flange 32.

[0044] As will be seen from the underside view of the pan shown in FIG. 5, each channel 34 extends over substantially the entire length of the pan 12 and is open along its upper side to receive the respective flange 32.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 6, each channel 34 includes an opening 38 at its rearmost end to enable rainwater and other matter which may find its way into the channels to be discharged from the vehicle. For hygiene reasons, all fluids must be enabled to drain freely from the ends of the channels.

[0046] Of equal importance is to prevent road spray, dirt and exhaust fumes from entering and travelling through the channels to the cabin interior. Dirt entering the channels would likely end up on the ramp flanges 32 and represent an infection weak spot.

[0047] It is also necessary to prevent or at least minimise the ingress of exhaust fumes into the vehicle cabin.

[0048] To prevent such occurrences a sealing band 40 is, as shown in FIG. 7, positioned across the back of the ramp, the band being pulled tight when the platform is stowed within the pan 12. This band effectively seals the gap formed across the width of the ramp between the platform and the pan.

[0049] The ends of the band 40 cover the opening 36 thereby preventing the ingress of dirt, fluid and fumes and are hinged along their upper end to allow fluid and dirt to be discharged from the channel.

[0050] It will be appreciated that the foregoing is merely exemplary of vehicle ramp assemblies in accordance with the invention and that modifications can readily be made thereto without departing from the invention as set out in the appended claims.