VEHICLE ACCESS DEVICE MOUNTED HOLDER FOR EQUIPMENT

Abstract

An equipment holder for mounting on an access device of a vehicle, such as on a side rail of a retractable stair or ladder of the vehicle. The holder can be configured to hold one or more wheel chocks and/or one or more fire extinguishers. The holder can be mounted by a unique mounting bracket. Other equipment may be carried in the holder e.g. one or more radio communications handsets, first aid equipment, protective clothing (such as a hard hat, weatherproof jacket) or a tool kit, or combinations of two or more thereof. The holder can include a cradle or rack mounted to the access device by the mounting bracket.

Claims

1. A holder on a deployable and retractable access device for a vehicle, the holder comprising a stowage for portable equipment, the holder configured to move with the access device during deployment and retraction movements of the access device.

2. The holder of claim 1, comprising at least one first retainer retaining the equipment when the access device is in a deployed position until the at least one first retainer is bypassed or released.

3. The holder of claim 1, comprising at least one second retainer retaining the equipment when the access device is in the retracted position until the at least one second retainer is bypassed or released.

4. The holder of claim 2, wherein the at least one first retainer is configured to retain the equipment when the access device is in the retracted position until the at least one first retainer is bypassed or released.

5. The holder of claim 1, comprising at least one elongate member extending across an access region of the holder for accessing the equipment to remove the equipment from the holder.

6. The holder of claim 5, wherein the at least one elongate member comprises at least one bar, beam, rod or mesh barrier.

7. The holder of claim 2, wherein the at least one first retainer comprises at least one projection preventing the equipment from sliding out from the holder.

8. The holder of claim 3, wherein the at least one second retainer comprises at least one projection preventing the equipment from sliding out from the holder.

9. The holder of claim 1, wherein the holder is arranged to invert with the access device as the access device rotates from a downward and outward deployed position with respect to the vehicle to an inverted retracted position for stowage.

10. The holder of claim 1, wherein the holder is arranged to lay side down with the access device as the access device rotates from a downward and outward deployed position with respect to the vehicle to lying sideways retracted position for stowage alongside the vehicle.

11. The holder of claim 1, wherein the holder is at least a wheel chock holder, or at least a fire extinguisher holder, or at least a combined wheel chock and fire extinguisher holder.

12. The holder of claim 1, comprising a bracket for mounting to the access device.

13. The holder of claim 12, wherein the bracket comprises one or more fastening points allowing the holder to be fastened to a side of the access device.

14. The holder of claim 1, comprising at least one releasable tie-down or strap for firmly restraining the equipment.

15. The holder of claim 1, comprising a cradle, rack or storage container within which the equipment is stored.

16. The holder of claim 1, comprising a main support structure for mounting to the access device, and an equipment support structure for receiving and releasably retaining the equipment.

17. The holder of claim 16, wherein the main support structure is mountable to a bracket on the access device or comprises the bracket to mount the main support structure to the access device.

18. The holder of claim 16, wherein the main support structure includes the at least one first retainer and/or the at least one second retainer for retaining the equipment.

19. The holder of claim 16, wherein the equipment support structure is removable from the main support structure.

20. The holder of claim 1, comprising a latch and release mechanism to releasably attach the equipment support structure to the main support structure.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0054] One or more embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described with reference to the accompanying Figures, of which:

[0055] FIGS. 1 to 7 show a holder for wheel chocks according to an embodiment of the present invention, the holder mounted to a side of an access device. FIGS. 1 to 4 show the access device in a deployed orientation, FIG. 4 shows the wheel chock partially removed from the holder. FIGS. 5 to 7 show the access device in a retracted orientation.

[0056] FIGS. 8 to 13 show a holder for a fire extinguisher according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the holder mounted to a side of an access device. FIGS. 8 to 10 show the access device in a deployed orientation, and FIGS. 11 to 13 show the access device in a retracted orientation.

[0057] FIG. 14 shows a representative mounting of an access device to a vehicle, the access device shown in a deployed position with respect to the vehicle and including a pair of equipment holders according to at least one embodiment of the present invention provided as wheel chock holders.

[0058] FIG. 15 shows the access device and equipment holders of FIG. 14 but with the access device in a retracted position with respect to the vehicle.

[0059] FIG. 16 shows a representative mounting of an access device to a vehicle, the access device shown in a deployed position with respect to the vehicle and including a fire extinguisher holder according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] FIG. 17 shows the access device and fire extinguisher holder of FIG. 16 with the access device in a retracted position with respect to the vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0061] FIGS. 1 to 7 show an embodiment of the present invention providing a holder 10 for one or more wheel chocks 12.

[0062] FIGS. 8 to 13 show an embodiment of the present invention providing a holder 100 for a fire extinguisher 121.

[0063] The holder is mounted to a side rail 16, 160 of an access device 14, 140 by a unique mounting bracket 12, 120.

[0064] The access device mounts to a vehicle 1, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 14 to 17. The equipment holder can be any embodiment of a holder of the present invention. For example, in FIGS. 14 and 15 the holder is for wheel chocks, whereas the holder shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 is for a fire extinguisher.

[0065] Other equipment may be carried in the holder, for example, one or more radio communications handsets, first aid equipment, protective clothing (such as a hard hat, weatherproof jacket) or a tool kit, or combinations of two or more thereof.

[0066] The holder 10, 100 includes a cradle or rack 18, 180 mounted to the access device by a mounting bracket 20, 120.

[0067] The cradle or rack can have a base 22, 122.

[0068] One or more retainers and/or holders stabilisers 24, 124, 24a, 24b, 125, 125a is/are provided to restrain the equipment within the holder.

[0069] As shown in FIGS. 1-7, the holder 10 is used for stowage of equipment e.g. wheel chocks 12.

[0070] The holder can have a lip 24b as a first retainer to retain the equipment in the holder when the access device 14 is deployed. FIGS. 1-4 show the access device deployed.

[0071] When the access device is retracted to, in this example, an inverted or upright position as shown in FIGS. 5-7, another retainer, the second retainer 24a, arrangement helps prevent accidental removal or slipping of the equipment from the holder.

[0072] For either type of retainer 24a, 24b, the equipment has to be lifted clear thereof before being able to be removed from the holder. These retainers prevent accidental loss of the equipment.

[0073] Likewise, an alternative form of the second retainer 124 is provided for the fire extinguisher holder embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 to 13. This retainer provides the equivalent of the second retainer 24a in the previous embodiment in relation to wheel chocks when the access device is retracted.

[0074] The embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 to 13 also includes an alternative form of the first retainer 125a which acts to bias the fire extinguisher against the rear 126 of the holder. This form of the first retainer can include a biasing means, such as a spring clip or strap arrangement, or a combination thereof. A front protection 125 for the equipment is provided.

[0075] The holder as shown has a main support structure, such as an outer support frame 128 for mounting to the access device, and an equipment support structure 130 for receiving and releasably retaining the equipment.

[0076] For example, the main support structure can be mounted to a bracket 120 on the access device or may include the bracket 120 to mount the main support structure 128 to the access device.

[0077] The main support structure may include the at least one first retainer and/or the at least one second retainer for retaining the equipment.

[0078] The equipment support structure 130 may be removable from the main support structure 128. Thus, the equipment may be interchanged for replacement equipment, such as replacing the fire extinguisher in a cradle with a recently tested fire extinguisher.

[0079] The main support structure may receive interchangeable equipment support structures, whereby the type equipment to be retained by the holder is interchangeable using the same main support structure.

[0080] Thus, the present invention can provide a modular system wherein the type of equipment or alternative number of the same equipment may be interchanged and retained in a main support structure mounted to the access device.

[0081] The access device 14,140 mounts to a vehicle 1, as shown in FIGS. 14 to 17. The access device can have a mounting plate 14.1, 141 by which the access device is mounted to the vehicle 1, such as adjacent a platform 1.1 of the vehicle.

[0082] The access device is driven by an actuator 14.2, 142 (such as a hydraulic or pneumatic ram, or an electrically powered device) for retraction (and optionally for deployment, though gravity deployment with optional resistance from the actuator can be employed).

[0083] A linkage mechanism 14.3, 143 can be used to translate forces from/to the actuator.

[0084] As previously mentioned, an example of such a pivotably deployable/retractable access device is disclosed in international (PCT) patent application number PCT/AU2006/001807 published as WO 2007/062464, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.