AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT (Original) APPLICATION NO: LODGED: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION LODGED: ACCEPTED: PUBLISHED: RELATED ART: NAME OF APPLICANT: John Anthony Neville Bromberger ACTUAL INVENTOR(S): John Anthony Neville Bromberger ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: LORD AND COMPANY, Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys, of 4 Douro Place, West Perth, Western Australia, 6005, AUSTRALIA. INVENTION TITLE: "IMPROVEMENTS TO LOADING MOBILITY DEVICES INTO VEHICLES" DETAILS OF ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION NO'S: Australian Provisional Patent Application Number 2006901291 filed on 14 March 2006 The following Statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me/us: TITLE "IMPROVEMENTS TO LOADING MOBILITY DEVICES INTO VEHICLES" The present invention relates to a device for loading local mobility devices into vehicles. In particular, the invention relates to a device which facilitates easy and efficient loading 5 of a local mobility device, such as a wheelchair, into a storage compartment of a vehicle. Conventionally, some individuals may have little or no walking capacity due to congenital, degenerative or accidental damage to the body's systems. Individuals with limited or no walking capacity rely on devices including but not limited to wheelchairs, walking frames and small electric powered transports for mobility. 10 There is often a need to be able to transport such local mobility devices to a different location with the walking impaired individual. However, lifting the local mobility device into a vehicle for transportation is often a strenuous and difficult task. Further, it is often the case that the local mobility device is being lifted by an elderly or frail person or by the walking impaired individual themselves. 15 Conventionally, vehicles have been fitted with an electric and or hydraulic lifting device to enable easy loading of the local mobility device. However these systems are know to be expensive, and require that modifications be made to the vehicle. Further, these systems often involve the attachment and storage of the local mobility device outside the vehicle. As a result the local mobility device is exposed to natural elements such as wind, 20 rain and sunlight, resulting in deterioration of the device as well as mechanical problems. The present invention attempts to overcome at least in part the aforementioned disadvantages of previous local mobility device lifting systems. 2 In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a loading device for loading local mobility devices into vehicles comprising a slider member arranged to receive a local mobility device, a ground protection mat arranged to protect the slider member from damage and a vehicle protection mat arranged to be disposed over an end 5 of a storage compartment of a vehicle, the vehicle protection mat comprising a portion of relatively low friction arranged to be uppermost, in use, such that the slide member containing the local mobility device can be slid over the mat and located into the storage compartment The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the 10 accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a part of a vehicle loading device in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the loading device of the present invention; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the loading device of Figure 2 in use; 15 Figure 4 is a perspective view of the loading device of Figure 2 being loaded into a vehicle; and Figure 5 is a perspective view of the loading device of Figure 2 loaded into a vehicle. Referring to the Figure 1, there is shown a vehicle storage compartment 10 having 20 provided therein a storage compartment liner 12 having a thin slippery surface portion 14 and a thick padded portion 18. The thin slippery surface portion 14 is provided with first and second fixing portions 16, for attaching the thin slippery surface portion 14 to the vehicle storage compartment 10. As shown in Figure 1, the thick padded portion 18 is provided with a non-slip portion 20. The non-slip portion 20 extends in a substantially 3 horizontal direction across the thick padded portion 18. A first end of a strap 24 extends from a lower portion of the thick padded portion 18. A second end of the strap 24 attaches to a ground protector 26. Figure 2 shows a slider 28 having a rigid portion 30, a base portion 32 and a folding 5 portion 34. A top end 31 of the rigid portion 30 is provided with first and second attachment portions 36 on either side as shown in Figure 2. In a preferred embodiment the attachment portions 36 may be looped portions. An attachment strap 38 is provided such that it can extend from either side of the rigid portion 30 as shown. The folding portion 34 is provided with attachment straps 40 at either side of an open end 42. An 10 outer surface 46 of the folding portion 34 is provided with first and second gripping members 48 as shown in Figure 3. As shown in Figure 4, further gripping portions 50 are provided at a corner 52 of the slider 28, where the rigid portion 30 and the base portion 32 meet. In other embodiments of this invention, the gripping portions 48 may be provided at 15 varying orientations on the slider. Further there may be provided more than first and second gripping portions, to enable easier lifting of the slider. In use, the storage compartment liner 12 is arranged in the vehicle storage compartment 10 such that the thin slippery surface portion 14 covers a substantial area of the vehicle 20 storage compartment 10 as shown in Figure 2. The thick padded portion 18 of the storage compartment liner 12 is arranged so as to extend outwards from the storage compartment 10 and hang over the rear end of the vehicle 22. The thick padded portion 18 is arranged such that the non slip portion 20 covers an upper portion of the rear of the vehicle. The fixing portions 16 may be formed of a sticking fabric such as Velcro. These fixing 4 portions 16 can be pressed onto the surface of the vehicle compartment 10 to secure the storage compartment liner 12 in place. The ground protector 26 is placed on the ground in front of the vehicle storage compartment 10 as shown in Figure 1. A strap 24 extends from a portion of the thick 5 padded portion 18 of the storage compartment liner 12 to an edge of the ground protector 26. Referring to Figure 2, the slider 28 is positioned such that the base portion 32 is resting on the ground protector 26. The rigid portion 30 of the slider 28 is provided in a substantially upright position and rests on the thick padded portion 18 of the storage 10 compartment liner 12. The top end 31 of the rigid portion 30 should be positioned to extend above the rear of the car 22. The folding portion 34 extends from the base portion 32 along the ground. A local mobility device 44, which is in a folded state, is moved in the directions of the arrows A, until the local mobility device 44 is positioned centrally on the base portion 32. 15 The local mobility device 44 should be oriented such that it is in contact with the base portion 32 and the rigid portion 30. Referring to Figure 3, the folding portion 34 is then folded in the direction of arrow B to a substantially upright position such that an open end 42 of the folding portion 34 contacts the top end 31 of the rigid portion 30, to cover the local mobility device 44. 20 Referring to Figure 2 and Figure 3, the attachment straps 40 are placed through the attachment portions 36 and then folded back to attach to gripping portions (not shown) provided on the outer surface 46 of the folding portion 34. The attachment strap 38 is wrapped around a side of the local mobility device 44 and also attaches to a further gripping portion (not shown) provided on the outer surface 46 of the folder portion 34. 5 The attachment strap 38 is able to wrap around either side of the local mobility device 44 in order to prevent any portion of the local mobility device 44 from being positioned outside the slider 28. The means of attachment of the attachment straps 38 and 40 provided on the slider 28 include but are not limited to buckles and Velcro. 5 The local mobility device 44 can then be lifted into the vehicle storage compartment 10 as described hereafter, with reference to Figure 4. A user holds on to the gripping portions 48 provided on the outer surface 46 of the folding portion 34. The user lifts the slider in the direction of arrow C, whilst ensuring that the rigid portion of the slider 28 maintains in sliding contact with the non-slip 10 portion 20 of the thick padded portion 18. When the slider reaches a predetermined position, the slider is able to pivot at a ninety degree angle such that the rigid portion 30 and the folding portion 34 are oriented in downwardly tilting position. The user then pushes the slider 28 in the direction of the arrow D. The thin slippery surface portion 14 of the storage compartment liner 12 allows the slider 28 to move easily 15 along the storage compartment liner 12, until the slider 28 is positioned completely inside the vehicle storage compartment. The user is then able to fold the thick padded portion 18 in the direction of the arrow E, such that the thick padded portion 18 covers the slider 28. By gripping and lifting the strap 24, the user is able to lift the ground protector 26. The ground protector 26 can then 20 be positioned inside the vehicle storage compartment, with the slider 28 and the storage compartment liner 12. A method for removing the local mobility device 44 from the vehicle storage compartment 10 will now be described with reference to Figure 5. Firstly, the ground protector 26 is removed from the vehicle storage compartment and placed on the ground. 6 The thick padded portion 18 is then unfolded so that it drapes over the rear of the vehicle 22. The user then grips the extra handles 50 and lifts the slider in the direction shown by arrow F, until a portion of the rigid portion 28 is resting on an upper portion of the thick 5 padded portion 18. The user then pulls the slider 28 in the direction of the arrow G. When the slider 28 reaches a predetermined position, the user is able to pivot the slider 28 against the rear of the car, to return the slider to a substantially upright position. The user then lowers the slider in the direction of arrow H until the base 32 of the slider 28 engages with the ground protector 26. 10 The attachment straps 38 and 40 can then be unattached from the outer surface 46 of the folding portion 34. The folding portion 34 can then be returned to the ground position shown in Figure 2. The user can then remove the local mobility device 44 from the base portion 32 of the slider 28. Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to 15 be within the scope of the present invention 7