There is disclosed a system (18) for drawing a wheeled passenger support (16) into a vehicle (10) and selectively restraining the passenger support against movement. The wheeled passenger support may take the form of a wheelchair, wheeled bed or stretcher. One disclosed system comprises: first and second winches (24a/b), each winch comprising a spool (28a/b), a flexible elongate winch element (30a/b) which can be wound on to the spool and which is adapted to be coupled to the passenger support, and a motor (32a/b) for driving the spool to reel in the winch element; and a control system (34a/b) for controlling operation of the first and second winches. The first and second winches are adapted to be mounted within the vehicle and are operable to draw the passenger support into the vehicle, via the flexible elongate winch elements. The control system comprises a first sensor (36a/b) for monitoring rotation of the first winch spool, a second sensor (38a/b) for monitoring rotation of the second winch spool, and a controller (40a/b) which is arranged so that it can operate the first and second winch motors independently, based on information relating to rotation of the first and second winch spools provided by the first and second sensors, to maintain a substantially even pull on the passenger support during draw-in.
B66D 1/18 - Power transmissions between power sources and drums or barrels the drums or barrels being freely rotatable and the power being transmitted from a continuously-operating and irreversible prime mover
A61G 3/06 - Transfer using ramps, lifts or the like
B60P 1/43 - Vehicles predominantly for transporting loads and modified to facilitate loading, consolidating the load, or unloading using a loading ramp mounted on the vehicle
B60P 1/54 - Vehicles predominantly for transporting loads and modified to facilitate loading, consolidating the load, or unloading using cranes for self-loading or self-unloading
There is disclosed a system (16) for drawing a wheeled passenger support (17) into a vehicle (10) and selectively restraining the passenger support against movement, and for controlling movement of the passenger support during unloading from the vehicle. The wheeled passenger support may particularly take the form of a wheelchair. One disclosed system comprises a winch (18) comprising a reel (20) and a flexible elongate winch element (22) wound on to the reel, in which the winch is adapted to be located within an interior of the vehicle; a drawing member (24) coupled to the flexible elongate winch element so that, on activation of the winch, the drawing member is pulled towards the winch; at least two restraints (26a, 26b) for the passenger support, the restraints being coupled to the drawing member and adapted for coupling to the passenger support so that, on activation of the winch, the passenger support is pulled towards the winch and so drawn into the vehicle; and a locking assembly (28) which is operable to restrain the drawing member, and the wheeled passenger support coupled to the drawing member, against movement in a direction away from the winch.
B60P 1/43 - Vehicles predominantly for transporting loads and modified to facilitate loading, consolidating the load, or unloading using a loading ramp mounted on the vehicle
A61G 3/06 - Transfer using ramps, lifts or the like
There is disclosed a wheelchair restraining system for a vehicle, and a vehicle comprising such a wheelchair restraining system. One wheelchair restraining system (16) is disclosed which comprises: a first anchoring member (18) which can be secured to a vehicle (10); a second anchoring member (20) which can be secured to the vehicle; a gate (22) which can be moved between open and closed positions to permit access of a wheelchair (32) into the vehicle, in the closed position, the gate extending between and secured to the first and second anchoring members; a primary restraint (28) by which a wheelchair can be secured to the gate; and a secondary restraint (30) by which an occupant (34) of the wheelchair can be secured to the gate; so that, in use, the load of a wheelchair and an occupant of the wheelchair is transferred through the gate and the first and second anchoring members to the vehicle.
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