AU736823B2 - Loading and unloading assist device and method - Google Patents

Description

S F Ref: 429812

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

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Name and Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL [311 Application No(s) P09633 Christopher John Davldson 20 Miamba Avenue Carllngford New South Hales 2118

AUSTRALIA

Christopher John Davidson Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia Loading and Unloading Assist Device and Method APPLICATION DETAILS [333 Country

AU

[321 Application Date 3 October 1997 The following including the statement is a full description of this invention, best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5815 LOADING AND UNLOADING ASSIST DEVICE AND METHOD FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a loading and unloading assist device and method and, more particularly to such a device and method particularly adapted, although not exclusively, to assist in the loading and unloading of loads such as wheelchairs into and from vehicles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A modern trend is to assist the disabled to maintain as normal a lifestyle as possible after disability strikes. A corollary to this is the necessity to assist carers of the disabled to achieve this goal.

A mundane but critical task in relation to those disabled people who are wheelchair bound is the frequent necessity to load the wheelchair into cars or other o conveyance devices for transport of both the disabled person and their wheelchair from one location to another.

15 Devices already exist to seek to achieve this task. Such devices include miniature cranes incorporating motorised winches which use electricity supplied by a vehicle battery to winch a wheelchair in and out of, for example, a car boot.

The taxi industry and minibuses often use a motorised platform onto which the wheelchair is placed (with or without occupant) and the platform, operating in the manner of a lift, is raised from a ground position to a vehicle lip or tray position for off S* loading of the wheelchair into the vehicle interior.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device of this type which does not require motorised assistance and yet is easy to operate and provides at least some mechanical advantage when lifting and lowering a load such as a wheelchair so Athat an operator does not bear the full weight of the wheelchair or like load during a loading or unloading operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, in a first aspect, the invention provides a loading and unloading assist device comprising a slide assembly including a slide member slideably moveable relative to a slide support member, said slide member including an anchor member pivotally connected by a pivot connection to a load support member, said load support member including clamping means for releasably clamping a load thereto, wherein said load is pivotable about said pivot connection between a relatively lower free-standing position and a relatively higher pre-load position and said load is slideably moveable between said pre-load position and a loaded position by relative sliding movement of [iN:i\L1DGiuO38:DM said slide member with respect to said slide support member such that a user of said loading and unloading assist device is mechanically assisted to move said load between said free-standing position and said loaded position.

Preferably, the weight of said load when moving between said free-standing position and said pre-load position is distributed between said anchor member and said user.

Desirably, said slide member acts as a guide to ensure said load is placed consistently in a predetermined position relative to said slide support member when in said loaded position.

In a second aspect, the invention provides a method of mechanically assisting a user to move a load from a relatively lower free-standing position to a loaded position, said method including distributing the weight of said load between an anchor member and said user when said load is moved between said relatively lower free-standing position and relatively higher pre-load position, preparatory to moving from said i" 15 relatively higher pre-load position to said loaded position.

S• Preferably the method further includes guiding said load to said loaded position whereby said loaded position is predetermined consistently relative to the slide support member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 20 Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the S"accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 illustrates the basic principles of operation of a loading and unloading assist device according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention and its method ooooo of operation; Fig. 2 is a plan view of a loading and unloading assist device of a second preferred embodiment following the principles of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device of Fig. 2 in a loaded position; Fig. 4 is a side, partial section view, of the device of Fig. 2 in free-standing position; Fig. 5 illustrates steps in the operation of the device of Fig. 2; and Fig. 6 illustrates a device according to a third preferred embodiment of the invention, incorporating the principles described with reference to Fig. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to Fig. 1 there is shown the basic elements for operation of preferred embodiments of the loading and unloading assist device and method of the present invention sequenced as steps A, B and C.

Firstly, with reference to Fig. 1A there is shown a first embodiment of a loading and unloading assist device 10 substantially located at an elevation H above the ground 11 (or other reference base). In this form the device 10 comprises a slide assembly 12 made up of a slide support member 13 with respect to which a slide member 14 is slideably moveable.

The slide member 14 is comprised of an anchor member 15 pivotally connected about pivot 16 to a load support member 17.

The anchor member 15 acts to support the pivot 16 and hence the load support member 17 with respect to the slide support member 13.

A load 18, in this instance comprising a wheelchair in a folded configuration, is releaseably clampable by clamps 19 to the- load support member 17 from a freestanding position as shown in Fig. 1A.

The method associated with the device 10 comprises rotating the load support member 17 from the free-standing position of Fig. IA to a pre-load position illustrated 15 in Fig. 1B (at which time the weight of the load 18 is distributed between a user 20 and the anchor member 15 via the pivot 16).

From the pre-load position of Fig. 1B the user 20 urges the load support member 17, complete with the load 18, horizontally in the direction of the slide support *"member 13 whereby the slide member 14 slides in a substantially horizontal plane relative to the slide support member 13 so as to move the slide member 14 together with the load 18 to a loaded position as illustrated in Fig. IC.

Reversing the above operation moves the load from the loaded position of Fig.

1C through the pre-load position of Fig. 1B to the free-standing position of Fig. 1A.

In use, the slide support member 13 will be located in a position elevated H 25 above ground 11, typically in the boot (trunk), or other loading compartment of an automobile or like vehicle.

It will be noted that the principles of operation of the device illustrated Jin Fig.

1 allow a user to conveniently move a load from a free-standing position to a loaded position (and the reverse) with the mechanical advantage provided by the assembly being sufficient to make the operation considerably easier than would otherwise be the case.

Figs 2 to 5 show a second embodiment of a loading and unloading assist device 21, operating according to the principles of Fig. 1, and particularly adapted for use where a load must clear a lip or other like obstacle when in the pre-load position, is shown.

As best shown in the side view of Fig. 4, the slide support member in this instance comprises a substantially rectangular frame 22 with respect to which is pivotally mounted via first pivot 23 and gas struts 24 a slide member 25 comprising an anchor member 26 in the form of a first tubular member 26A inside which is IN:\LIBD100638:DMB -4supportably, telescopically slideable an extendable tubular member 26B. A hinge 27 pivotally connects the anchor member 26 to a load support member 28.

In this embodiment a substantially rectangular support plate 29 is attached to, and bridges between, the left right hand sides of the support member 28, as best shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 2. The support plate 29 also includes hooks 30 adapted to releasably connect to a load, for example, a wheelchair 31.

The hooks 30 co-operate with a clamp assembly 33 to secure the wheelchair to the support plate 29. The assembly 33 includes a pivotally mounted handle 34 attached to the plate 29 by pivot pin 35. Pivotally attached to the handle is a toggle member 36 by pin 37. The member 36 has at its extremity a clamp plate 38 to engage the wheelchair. The handle 34 and member act as an "over center" toggle clamp mechanism which is operable to secure the wheelchair in position by pressing the wheelchair against the adjacent hooks With reference to the description of Fig. 1 it will be seen that Fig. 4 illustr-te.

the device 21 in a free-standing position with the wheelchair 31 still sl,..

ground 11 but also held by the hooks 30 to the load support member via the plate 29 t and the hooks Fig. 2 illust,.*es the device 21 moved to a pre-load position with the slide member 25 fully extended with respect to the anchor member 26.

Finally Fig. 3 illustrates the device 21 in the loaded position with extendable tubular member 26B fully slideably inserted within tubular member 26A.

e The gas struts 24 assist to tilt the slide member 25 about the first pivot 23 between the loaded position and the pre-load position to a position where the hinge 27 clears a lip 32. The lip 32 could be encountered, for example, when the device 21 is S* 25 installed in the boot (trunk) of a vehicle.

Fig. 5 illustrates in detail the method of operation and relative positioning of the components comprising the device 21 starting from the loaded position of Fig. (but with no load supported), following which the gas struts are activated in Fig. 5B to allow the hinge 27 to clear the lip 32 in Fig. 5C as the slide member 25 is deployed to the pre-load position of Fig. 5C and subsequently the free-standing positions of Fig. and Fig. 5E at which point the load 18 (the wheelchair 31) is releasably attached to the load support member 28, then moved to the pre-load position of Fig. 5F. The slide member 25 is then moved to its non-extended position in Fig. 5G preparatory to the collapse of the gas struts 24 so that the device 21 adopts the loaded position of Fig. The load 18 can be unloaded by following the reverse procedure from Fig. through to Fig. Fig. 6 illustrates a third embodiment of a loading and unloading assist device 33. Like reference numerals, as used to denote like features with reference to the second embodiment shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.

LN:\LIBDjOC6038:DMH The substantive difference is that, in this third embodiment, the slide member is comprised of C-shaped flanged members 34 adapted to retain rollers therewithin permitting slideable extension of a second anchor member 36 with respect to a first anchor member 37.

Operation of the third embodiment otherwise follows the principles shown in Fig. 1 and as specifically exemplified with reference to the second embodiment shown in Figs. 2 to The above describes only some embodiments of the present invention and modifications obvious to those skilled in the art can be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

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Claims (17)

1. A loading and unloading assist device comprising a slide assembly including a slide member slideably moveable relative to a slide support member, said slide member including an anchor member pivotally connected by a pivot connection to a load support member, said load support member including clamping means for releasably clamping a load thereto, wherein said load is pivotable about said pivot connection between a relatively lower free-standing position and a relatively higher pre- load position and said load is slideably moveable between said pre-load position and a loaded position by relative sliding movement of said slide member with respect to said slide support member such that a user of said loading and unloading assist device is mechanically assisted to move said load between said free-standing position and said loaded position.

2. The loading and unloading assist device of claim 1 wherein the weight of said load when moving between said free-standing position and said pre-load position 15 is distributed between said anchor member and said user. So: 3. The loading and unloading assist device of claim 1 wherein said slide •.•member acts as a guide to ensure said load is placed consistently in a predetermined position relative'to said slide support member when in said loaded position.

4. The loading and unloading assist device of claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein S 20 said load support member slides substantially horizontally from said pre-load position to said loaded position. The loading and unloading assist device of claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said load support member slides downwardly inclined from said pre-load position to OVOG• said loaded position.

6. The loading and unloading assist device of any one of claims 1 to wherein said anchor member is pivotally connected to said load support member by a hinge.

7. The loading and unloading assist device of any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein said anchor member is non-slidably connected to said slide support member.

8. The loading and unloading assist device of claim 7 wherein the anchor member is pivotally connected to said slide support member at an end remote from said pivot connection.

9. The loading and unloading assist device of claim 8 including at least one gas strut connected between said anchor member and said slide support member, said gas strut(s) adapted to assist in raising the pivot connection end of said anchor member relative to said slide support member end. The loading and unloading assist device of claims 1 to 9 wherein said anchor member is length extendable. INA:\LIBDj00638:DMB

11. The loading and unloading assist device of claim 10 wherein said anchor member includes first and second telescopic tubular members adapted to be extendable relative to each other.

12. The loading and unloading assist device of claim 10 wherein said anchor member includes a first C-shaped member adapted to retain therewithin a roller mounted to a second member, said first member and said roller arranged to allow said first and second members to be extendable relative to each other.

13. The loading and unloading assist device of any one of claims 7 to 12 wherein said slide support member is the floor of an automotive vehicle boot (trunk).

14. The loading and unloading assist device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said device includes a pair of said slide members arranged substantially parallel and spaced apart. The loading and unloading assist device of claim 14 wherein each of said slide members include an associated said anchor member, said anchor members 15 connected to each other by said load support member.

16. A method of mechanically assisting a user to move a load from a ".*:"relatively lower free-standing position to a loaded position, said method including distributing the weight of said load between an anchor member and said user when said S• "load is moved between said relatively lower free-standing position and relatively higher pre-load position, preparatory to moving from said relatively higher pre-load position to S-said loaded position.

17. The method of Claim 16 further including guiding said load to said loaded position whereby said loaded position is predetermined consistently relative to a slide support member. 25 18. The method of claim 16 or 17 wherein said pre-loaded position and said loaded position are substantially the same height. S19. The method of claim 16 or 17 wherein said pre-loaded position is slightly elevated above said loaded position. The method of any one of claims 16 to 19 wherein said load is pivoted between said free-standing position and said pre-load position.

21. The method of any one of claims 16 to 20 wherein said load slides between said pre-load position and said loaded position.

22. The method of any one of claims 16 to 20 wherein said load slides and is pivoted between said pre-load position and said loaded position.

23. A loading and unloading assist device, said device substantially as described herein with reference to Fig. 1, Figs. 2 to 5 or Figs. 6A to 6D of the accompanying drawings. iN:\LBDO0638:DM5

24. A method of mechanically assisting a user to move a load, said method substantially as described herein with reference to Fig. 1, Figs. 2 to 5 or Figs. 6A to 6D. of the accompanying drawings. DATED this Twenty-eighth Day of September 1998 Christopher John Davidson Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON ft. ft 9. ft... ft ft a. ft ft. ft. ft ft 9 9e ft ft. 9.. ft C ft C ft *fttftftft ft C. ft be ft ft... Din,, s~~A I IN:\LIBD]00638:DMB