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(11) | EP 2 340 798 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Transport vehicle provided with a space for accommodating a wheelchair user |
| (57) Transport vehicle, such as a bus or a coach, comprising a chassis, a floor defining
a space (20) for accommodating a wheelchair user, or WU, retaining elements of a first
type (34, 34', 64, 64') designed to retain the wheelchair with respect to the chassis,
and also retaining elements of a second type (44, 44') designed to hold the user in
his wheelchair, these various retaining elements being movable between a storage position
and a retaining position in which they cooperate either in pairs or with the wheelchair,
characterized in that the various retaining elements have a body (36, 36', 46, 46',
66, 66') mounted permanently on the chassis, these retaining elements being accommodated,
in the storage position, in at least one housing (30, 60) formed in the vehicle.
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[0001] The present invention relates to a transport vehicle provided with a space for accommodating a wheelchair user.
[0002] For the sake of convenience, the expression "wheelchair user" will be abbreviated to WU in the remainder of the description.
[0003] The invention is aimed at any type of transport vehicle whose journey includes at least one stop during which people are able to get into this vehicle or else get out of it. In other words, this type of transport vehicle can thus be a bus or a coach.
[0004] The invention is aimed more particularly at such a vehicle which defines a space specifically dedicated to the accommodation of a WU. To this end, one of the bench rows is interrupted so as to form such a space.
[0005] European Directive 2001/85 or ECE R.107 regulation has issued a number of standards relating to the safety of this space for accommodating a WU. Thus, the wheelchair must on the one hand be fastened to the chassis. Moreover, the user himself must be attached to his wheelchair.
[0006] In a conventional manner, the prior art makes provision to connect the wheelchair and the chassis by means of four belts. Each of these belts extends between the structure of the wheelchairs and an attachment means placed on the floor of the vehicle, generally formed by a block.
[0007] Moreover, this solution requires the use of two lap belts for retaining the user in his wheelchair. Finally, in an optional manner, there is provided a shoulder belt ensuring lateral retention.
[0008] The various belts mentioned above are stowed in an independent case when the space for accommodating a WU is not used. In these conditions, when a WU takes his place in this space during a stop, the driver must extract the various belts from their stowing case and then install them in a suitable manner so as to provide the retaining functions required by the above Directive.
[0009] It will therefore be appreciated that this solution involves certain disadvantages. Specifically, the operation which consists in installing the belts proves to be relatively long. This loss of time may be aggravated if the driver does not manage to identify immediately the location of the various belts.
[0010] This being the case, the invention is aimed at overcoming these various disadvantages. It is aimed in particular at proposing a solution for reducing the time it takes the driver to install a wheelchair user. It additionally aims to propose such a solution which allows the driver a simpler and more convenient installation than in the prior art.
[0011] Accordingly, the subject of the invention is a transport vehicle, such as a bus or a coach, comprising a chassis, a floor defining a space for accommodating a wheelchair user, or WU, retaining elements of a first type designed to retain the wheelchair with respect to the chassis, and also retaining elements of a second type designed to hold the user in his wheelchair, these various retaining elements movable between a storage position and a retaining position in which they cooperate either in pairs or with the wheelchair, characterized in that the various retaining elements have a body mounted permanently on the chassis, these retaining elements being accommodated, in the storage position, in at least one housing formed in the vehicle.
[0012] According to other advantageous but optional features, considered on their own or in any technically feasible combination:
- there are provided two housings situated respectively at the front and rear of the space for accommodating the WU, with reference to the direction of advance of the vehicle;
- a first housing is formed below the bench seat situated immediately to the rear of the space for accommodating the WU, while a second housing is placed below the bench seat situated immediately in front of this housing;
- the or each housing is closed off by a hatch which can be actuated using quick-locking means;
- each retaining element is a retractor belt;
- the retractor belt comprises a box forming a body, which is mounted permanently on the floor of the vehicle, and also a retractable strand whose free end is provided with an attachment means designed to cooperate either with the wheelchair or with another attachment element;
- each housing respectively accommodates two retaining elements of the first type, while one of the two housings additionally accommodates the two retaining elements of the second type; and
- there is additionally provided a shoulder belt, of the retractable type, the body of which is mounted on the side of the chassis of the vehicle;
[0013] The invention will be described below with reference to the appended drawings given solely by way of non-limiting example, in which:
- Figure 1 is a schematic view, illustrating a transport vehicle according to the invention;
- Figures 2 is a perspective view illustrating a space for accommodating a wheelchair user, defined in this vehicle;
- Figure 3 is a front view illustrating the space for accommodating a wheelchair user;
- Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views, on an enlarged scale, illustrating more precisely elements for retaining a wheelchair, in their storage position; and
- Figure 6 is a plan view, illustrating these retaining elements in their retaining position.
[0014] The vehicle according to the invention, illustrated in Figure 1, comprises in a customary manner a body 2, which is mounted on front 4 and rear 6 wheels respectively. Moreover, front 8 and rear 10 doors respectively allow access to the interior of the vehicle. It will be noted that the arrangement given here is indicated completely by way of non-limiting example, such that the vehicle according to the invention can have a different number and/or layout of wheels, and also a different number and/or layout of doors.
[0015] The vehicle according to the invention additionally comprises seats which are divided into two respective right 12 and left 14 rows, with reference to the direction of advance of the vehicle. In the example, the left row 14 is interrupted so as to form a space 20 allowing the accommodation of a wheelchair user, or WU. Moreover, the bench seat situated immediately in front of this space is denoted 22, and the bench seat situated immediately to the rear of this same space is denoted 24.
[0016] The front bench seat 22 is provided with customary seats, the seat part of which is not mobile. By contrast, the seats of the rear bench seat 24 have a seat part 24' which can be raised. In other words, these seats are folding seats or jump seats, thus making it possible to increase, if appropriate, the dimensions of the space 20.
[0017] Below the rear bench seat 24 is provided a housing 30 of substantially parallelepipedal shape. This housing 30 is closed off by a hatch 32 which can be locked and unlocked using conventional means, such as a key (not shown).
[0018] This rear housing 30 first of all accommodates two retractor belts, termed belts for the rear retention of the wheelchair. Each retractor belt 34 or 34' comprises first of all a box 36 or 36', forming the body of the belt. This box is permanently mounted on the floor 38 of the vehicle, inside the housing.
[0019] Each of these belts additionally comprises a strand 40 or 40', one end of which is fastened to the box 36 and the other end of which is provided with a hook 42 or 42', allowing attachment to the wheelchair. Each belt additionally comprises a winding mechanism of conventional type, which particularly comprises means for returning the free end of the strand 40 or 40' towards the inside of the box 36 or 36'.
[0020] Moreover, the rear housing 30 contains two additional retractor belts, termed lap belts. The structure of each lap belt 44 or 44' is completely analogous to that of the first belts 34 or 34' described above. Thus, they comprise a box 46 or 46' mounted permanently on the floor, and also a strand 50 or 50' of which a first end is fastened to the box and of which the free end is provided with a corresponding attachment means 52 or 52'. More precisely, these attachment means 52 and 52' are intended to cooperate, not with the wheelchair but in a mutual manner, in order to attach the two strands around the lap of the user.
[0021] Moreover, the vehicle according to the invention comprises an additional housing 60, placed below the front bench seat 22. In an analogous manner to the first housing, the front housing 60 is closed off by a hatch 62 which is locked and unlocked by any suitable means (not shown).
[0022] This front housing 60 contains two other retractor belts 64 or 64', termed belts for the front retention of the wheelchair. These belts have the same structure as those 34 or 34', namely they comprise a box 66 or 66' permanently mounted on the floor, and also a strand 70 or 70' of which the end is provided with a hook 72 or 72', allowing attachment to the wheelchair.
[0023] Finally, the side wall of the vehicle is provided with a shoulder belt, denoted in its entirety by the reference 134. This belt, of the retractable type, comprises first of all a box 136, forming a body, which is formed in the heating duct 137 of the vehicle. Moreover, this belt comprises a strand 140, associated with an attachment means 142, designed to cooperate with a base 143, placed above the box.
[0024] The use of the road vehicle according to the invention, described above, will now be explained in the following.
[0025] It is assumed first of all that, when the vehicle arrives at a stop, its space for a WU is initially not occupied. In these conditions, it is now assumed that a person of the WU type wishes to be allowed access on board this vehicle. To this end, the WU is admitted to the vehicle floor level by any suitable means, in the direction of the space 20. Then, the two hatches 32 and 62 are opened by means of suitable unlocking elements, such as a key. This allows access to the two housings 30 and 60, and also to the various belts 34 and 34', 44 and 44', and 64 and 64'.
[0026] The four strands 40, 40', 70 and 70' are deployed so as to secure the hooks 42, 42', 72 and 72' to the wheelchair. This therefore ensures that this wheelchair is retained with respect to the chassis. Furthermore, the two strands 50 and 50' are deployed so as to allow the attachment means 52 and 52' to cooperate mutually. This makes it possible to retain the user in his wheelchair. Finally, the strand 140 is deployed so as to ensure an additional lateral retention, by virtue of the shoulder belt 134.
[0027] Subsequently, if the WU has to get out of the vehicle, it is required to detach the various attachment means, either with respect to the wheelchair or to one another. More specifically, the hooks 42, 42', 72 and 72' are removed from the structure of the wheelchair, the attachment means 52 and 52' are mutually detached, and the shoulder belt is retracted. It should be noted that, given the "retractor" design of the various belts, they have a tendency to retract naturally into their box. Under these conditions, once retracted, these various belts are stowed in a simple manner in their housing, which can again be closed off by locking the hatches 32 and 62.
[0028] The invention makes it possible to achieve the aforementioned objectives. Specifically, it makes it possible to simplify substantially and also to accelerate considerably the manoeuvres required to install a WU in his dedicated space. Moreover, the fact of integrating the body of the belts inside the closed housings prevents any obstacle with regard to the space of the WU. In other words, when the belts are retracted, they are entirely accommodated in their corresponding housing, thereby not interfering with the various manoeuvres inside the vehicle and additionally preventing any act of vandalism.
1. Transport vehicle, such as a bus or a coach, comprising a chassis, a floor defining
a space (20) for accommodating a wheelchair user, or WU, retaining elements of a first
type (34, 34', 64, 64') designed to retain the wheelchair with respect to the chassis,
and also retaining elements of a second type (44, 44') designed to hold the user in
his wheelchair, these various retaining elements movable between a storage position
and a retaining position in which they cooperate either in pairs or with the wheelchair,
characterized in that the various retaining elements have a body (36, 36', 46, 46', 66, 66') mounted permanently
on the chassis, these retaining elements being accommodated, in the storage position,
in at least one housing (30, 60) formed in the vehicle.
2. Vehicle according to the preceding claim, characterized in that there are provided two housings (30, 60) situated respectively at the front and rear
of the space (20) for accommodating the WU, with reference to the direction of advance
of the vehicle.
3. Vehicle according to Claim 2, characterized in that a first housing (30) is formed below the bench seat (24) situated immediately to
the rear of the space for accommodating the WU, while a second housing (60) is placed
below the bench seat (22) situated immediately in front of this housing.
4. Vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the or each housing is closed off by a hatch (32, 62) which can be actuated using
quick-locking means.
5. Vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each retaining element is a retractor belt.
6. Vehicle according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the retractor belt comprises a box (36, 36', 46, 46', 66, 66') forming a body, which
is mounted permanently on the floor of the vehicle, and also a retractable strand
(40, 40', 50, 50', 70, 70') whose free end is provided with an attachment means (42,
42', 52, 52', 72, 72') designed to cooperate either with the wheelchair or with another
attachment element.
7. Vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each housing (30, 60) respectively accommodates two retaining elements of the first
type (34, 34', 64, 64'), while one (30) of the two housings additionally accommodates
the two retaining elements of the second type (44, 44').
8. Vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that there is additionally provided a shoulder belt (134), of the retractable type, the
body of which is mounted on the side of the chassis of the vehicle.