JP7666260B2 - Wheelchair fixing device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a wheelchair fixing device.

The following Patent Document 1 discloses a wheelchair fixing device that automatically latches a locking member provided on the wheelchair to fix the wheelchair to the vehicle compartment.

JP 2018-134243 A

However, conventional one-touch fixing devices, including the wheelchair fixing device described in Patent Document 1, protrude above the floor of the vehicle even when a wheelchair is not loaded. This raises the floor of the vehicle interior, narrowing the interior space, which may impair the comfort of other passengers.

The present invention takes the above into consideration and aims to provide a wheelchair fixing device that ensures a large interior space when a wheelchair is not loaded.

The wheelchair fixing device of the present invention described in claim 1 is mounted on a vehicle, and when a wheelchair is not mounted on the vehicle, is in a stored state stored under the floor of the vehicle, and when the wheelchair is mounted in the wheelchair storage space of the vehicle and fixed, a locking part that locks a locked part provided on the wheelchair in an upright state raised from under the floor above the floor, and a drive part that is provided under the floor and raises the locking part from under the floor to above the floor to the upright state when the wheelchair is fixed, and when the wheelchair is released from the vehicle, the drive part lowers the locking part from the upright state to under the floor and returns it to the stored state.
having
The locking portion includes a front locking portion that locks the locked portion of the wheelchair from the front side in the vehicle front-rear direction when fixed, and a rear locking portion that locks the locked portion of the wheelchair from the rear side,
The vehicle further has a front support shaft extending in the vehicle width direction and supporting the front engagement portion, and a rear support shaft extending in the vehicle width direction and supporting the rear engagement portion, and the drive unit has a linear motion unit provided between the front support shaft and the rear support shaft when viewed from the front of the vehicle, and when transitioning from the stored state to the upright state, the linear motion unit pushes the front engagement portion in one direction in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle while abutting against the front engagement portion, rotating the front engagement portion around the front support shaft, and pushes the rear engagement portion in the one direction while abutting against the rear engagement portion, rotating the rear engagement portion around the rear support shaft.

According to the present invention described in claim 1, when the wheelchair is not loaded onto the vehicle, the locking part is stored under the floor of the vehicle.

On the other hand, when the wheelchair is loaded and fixed in the wheelchair storage space of the vehicle, the locking part stored under the floor is raised above the floor by a drive unit provided under the floor, and is in an upright position. The locked part of the wheelchair loaded in the wheelchair storage space is then locked by the locking part raised above the floor. This secures the wheelchair to the vehicle.

When the wheelchair is released from the vehicle, the locking part, which is in an upright state above the floor, is lowered by the drive unit to the floor and stored. This releases the engagement between the locked part of the wheelchair and the locking part, allowing the wheelchair to move. In this way, the locking part is stored under the floor of the vehicle when it is released from the wheelchair.
Furthermore, the locked portion of the wheelchair is locked from the front and rear in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle (the direction of travel of the vehicle) by the front locking portion and the rear locking portion, respectively. As a result, the locked portion provided on the wheelchair is firmly fixed to the vehicle by being sandwiched from the front and rear by the locking portions.
The front engaging portion is pushed in one direction in the vehicle fore-aft direction by the linear moving portion and rotates about the front support shaft to be raised, and the rear engaging portion is pushed in the same direction as the front engaging portion by the linear moving portion and rotates about the rear support shaft to be raised.
Here, the linear motion part is provided between the front support shaft and the rear support shaft when viewed from the front of the vehicle. As a result, the front locking part and the rear locking part pressed by the linear motion part are rotated in opposite directions. Therefore, by moving one linear motion part in one direction, both the front locking part and the rear locking part are rotated in opposite directions, and the locked part of the wheelchair can be locked from the front and rear.

The wheelchair fixing device according to the present invention described in claim 2 is the invention described in claim 1, in which the drive unit pushes the locking part horizontally and rotates it to raise the locking part above the floor.

According to the present invention described in claim 2, the locking part is pushed horizontally by a drive part provided under the floor, so that it rotates and rises above the floor. Therefore, the dimensions of the wheelchair fixing device in the vertical direction of the vehicle can be made smaller than with a mechanism in which the locking part is raised from below by a drive part.

The wheelchair fixing device of the present invention described in claim 3 is the invention described in claim 1 or claim 2 , in which the linear motion portion engages with the front engagement portion and the rear engagement portion when the front engagement portion and the rear engagement portion are in the upright state.

According to the present invention described in claim 3 , the front and rear locking portions are raised by the linear moving portion and then engaged with the linear moving portion to maintain the upright state. In other words, the linear moving portion functions as a stopper for the front and rear locking portions in the upright state, and prevents the front and rear locking portions from falling over.

The wheelchair fixing device of the present invention described in claim 4 is an invention described in any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the drive unit includes a motor that moves the linear motion unit in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and a movable shaft that connects the linear motion unit and the motor in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the linear motion part is connected to the motor in the front-rear direction of the vehicle by the movable shaft. In the event of a sudden start, sudden braking, or collision of the vehicle, a load is input from the locked part of the wheelchair to the front locking part, rear locking part, and linear motion part of the wheelchair fixing device. The load input to the front locking part, rear locking part, and linear motion part is dispersed in the vehicle width direction via the front support shaft and rear support shaft. This makes it possible to suppress the input of the load to the movable shaft and the motor.

The wheelchair fixing device according to the present invention as set forth in claim 5 is the invention as set forth in claim 4 , further comprising a switch for controlling the motor provided in the passenger compartment of the vehicle near the wheelchair placement space.

According to the present invention as set forth in claim 5 , when a wheelchair user in a vehicle operates a switch, the motor is activated. This causes the locking part to rise from under the floor to above the floor. The wheelchair is then fixed in place by locking the locked part of the wheelchair placed in the wheelchair placement space to the locking part in the upright position. Also, when the wheelchair user wants to release the locking of the wheelchair from the vehicle, the wheelchair user can operate the switch to activate the motor, disengaging the locking part from the locked part, and allowing the wheelchair to move.

The wheelchair fixing device of the present invention described in claim 6 is an invention described in any one of claims 1 to 5 , further comprising a case for storing the engaging portion, the drive portion, the front support shaft and the rear support shaft, the front support shaft and the rear support shaft being connected to the case, and the case being fixed to a vehicle frame provided under the floor of the wheelchair placement space in the vehicle.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the wheelchair fixing device is packaged in a case, and the case is fixed to the vehicle frame under the floor of the vehicle. The front support shaft and the rear support shaft are connected to the case. Therefore, in the event of a sudden start, sudden braking, or collision of the vehicle, the load input from the wheelchair to the front support shaft and the rear support shaft via the locking part and the linear motion part is transmitted to the vehicle frame via the case.

The wheelchair fixing device of the present invention described in claim 7 is an invention described in any one of claims 1 to 6 , in which the engaging portions are arranged at a distance in the vehicle width direction and include a left hook and a right hook which each engage the engaged portion of the wheelchair in an upright position.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the engaged portions of the wheelchair are engaged with the left and right hooks provided spaced apart in the width direction of the vehicle.

The wheelchair fixing device according to the present invention as set forth in claim 8 is the invention as set forth in claim 7 , wherein the engaging portion includes a connecting portion that connects the left hook and the right hook under a floor of the vehicle.

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the left hook and the right hook are linked together via a connecting portion.

The wheelchair fixing device of the present invention described in claim 9 is an invention described in any one of claims 1 to 8 , wherein, in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, the floor surface in the wheelchair placement space is located at a height lower than the general surface of the passenger compartment floor of the vehicle.

According to the present invention as set forth in claim 9 , when the wheelchair is not loaded, the wheelchair fixing device is disposed below the floor surface of the wheelchair placement space (under the floor). When the wheelchair is fixed, the engaging portion is raised from below the floor surface of the wheelchair placement space (under the floor) to above the floor surface (above the floor), thereby fixing the wheelchair.

As described above, the wheelchair fixing device according to the present invention as set forth in claim 1 has the excellent effect of ensuring a large interior space in the vehicle when a wheelchair is not loaded.
Also, there is an excellent effect that the wheelchair can be stabilized against a load input in the traveling direction of the vehicle.
Furthermore, there is an excellent effect that the wheelchair can be efficiently fixed with a small drive unit.

The wheelchair fixing device according to the present invention described in claim 2 has the excellent effect of being compact and capable of being mounted on a vehicle in the minimum required space.

The wheelchair fixing device according to the present invention as set forth in claim 3 has the excellent effect of being able to perform two functions, namely, raising the engaging portion and preventing the wheelchair from tipping over, with a single member.

The wheelchair fixing device according to the present invention as set forth in claim 4 has the excellent effect of suppressing damage to the power source.

The wheelchair fixing device according to the present invention as set forth in claim 5 has the excellent effect of allowing a wheelchair user to fix and release the wheelchair to and from the vehicle by himself.

The wheelchair fixing device of the present invention as set forth in claim 6 has the excellent effect of making it easy to mount the device on a vehicle on an assembly line, and of efficiently dissipating the load input from the wheelchair to the vehicle.

The wheelchair fixing device according to the present invention as set forth in claim 7 has the excellent effect of making the wheelchair more stable against a load input in the traveling direction of the vehicle.

The wheelchair fixing device according to the present invention as set forth in claim 8 has the excellent effect that two engaging parts spaced apart in the width direction of the vehicle can be moved simultaneously by one driving part.

The wheelchair fixing device according to the present invention as set forth in claim 9 has the excellent effect of ensuring a larger interior space in the vehicle when a wheelchair is not loaded.

1 is a plan view showing a stored state of the wheelchair securing device according to the present embodiment, as viewed from above the vehicle with the floor surface of the vehicle omitted. 2 is a rear view of the wheelchair fixing device in the stored state shown in FIG. 1 , taken along line AA, as viewed from the rear side of the vehicle. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the wheelchair fixing device in the stored state shown in FIG. 1 taken along line BB, as viewed from the right side of the vehicle. FIG. 1 is a plan sectional view showing the wheelchair fixing device according to the present embodiment in an upright state, the view being taken from above the vehicle with the floor of the vehicle omitted, and corresponds to FIG. 5 is a rear view of the cross section of the wheelchair fixing device in the upright state shown in FIG. 4 taken along line CC, as seen from the rear side of the vehicle, and corresponds to FIG. 2. 5 is a side view of the cross section of the wheelchair fixing device in the upright state shown in FIG. 4 taken along line DD, as viewed from the right side of the vehicle, and corresponds to FIG. 3. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an operation mode of the wheelchair securing device according to the present embodiment, illustrating a transition from a stored state to an upright state and a method of securing the wheelchair. FIG.

The wheelchair securing device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 7. Note that the arrow FR, as shown appropriately in each figure, indicates the front side in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle equipped with the wheelchair securing device according to this embodiment, the arrows LH and RH indicate the left and right sides, respectively, in the left-to-right direction of this vehicle, and the arrow UP indicates the upward and downward directions of this vehicle. Furthermore, when the directions of front-to-rear, left-to-right, and up-to-down are used in the following description unless otherwise specified, they will respectively indicate the front-to-rear, left-to-right, and up-to-down directions of the vehicle equipped with the wheelchair securing device according to this embodiment.

[Stored state (when wheelchair 60 is not loaded)]
As shown in Fig. 1, the wheelchair securing device 10 is mounted on a vehicle 12. First, a state in which the wheelchair securing device 10 is stored under the floor of the vehicle 12 (hereinafter referred to as the "storage state") will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3.

Figure 1 shows a plan view of the wheelchair fixing device 10 in a stored state, viewed from above. Under the floor of the vehicle 12, a left vehicle frame 50 and a right vehicle frame 52 are provided as vehicle frames extending in the approximately fore-aft direction of the vehicle.

The wheelchair fixing device 10 is stored in a square cylindrical case 14 having a substantially rectangular cross section. The case 14 is disposed between the left vehicle frame 50 and the right vehicle frame 52. The left side wall 14A of the case 14 is fixed to the left vehicle frame 50 of the vehicle 12 by bolts 16A, 16B, and 16C (see FIG. 2) and a bolt not shown. Similarly, the right side wall 14B of the case 14 is fixed to the left vehicle frame 50 of the vehicle 12 by bolts 16D, 16E, and 16F (see FIG. 2) and a bolt not shown. In other words, the left side wall 14A and the right side wall 14B of the case 14 are fastened to the left vehicle frame 50 and the right vehicle frame 52, respectively, at four points spaced apart in the front-rear and up-down directions. Note that the fixing points of the bolts 16A to 16F and the two bolts not shown are not limited to those described above. The wheelchair fixing device 10 may also be fixed to the underfloor of the vehicle 12 by a method other than fastening.

As shown in FIG. 1, the wheelchair fixing device 10 has a front locking portion 18 provided at the front and a rear locking portion 20 provided at the rear. The front locking portion 18 and the rear locking portion 20 are each formed in a roughly U-shape. In the stored state shown in FIG. 1, the front locking portion 18 is oriented so that it forms a U-shape with the front side open in a plan view. On the other hand, the rear locking portion 20 is oriented so that it forms a U-shape with the rear side open in a plan view in the stored state.

Here, a left front hook 22 is formed as a left hook on the left side of the front engagement part 18, and a right front hook 24 is formed as a right hook on the right side. Similarly, a left rear hook 26 is formed as a left hook on the left side of the rear engagement part 20, and a right rear hook 28 is formed as a right hook on the right side.

The rear end 22A of the left front hook 22 in the stored state and the rear end 24A of the right front hook 24 in the stored state are connected in the approximately left-right direction by the front connecting part 30. In addition, the front end 26A of the left rear hook 26 in the stored state and the front end 28A of the right rear hook 28 in the stored state are connected in the approximately left-right direction by the rear connecting part 32. The left front hook 22, the right front hook 24, and the front connecting part 30 of the front locking part 18 are integrally molded. Similarly, the left rear hook 26, the right rear hook 28, and the rear connecting part 32 of the rear locking part 20 are integrally molded. Note that the front locking part 18 and the rear locking part 20 are not limited to being integrally molded, and may be molded and joined using different members.

The front connecting portion 30 is formed so that its length in the left-right direction is longer than that of the rear connecting portion 32. In other words, the left front hook 22 and the right front hook 24 are disposed outboard in the vehicle width direction relative to the left rear hook 26 and the right rear hook 28. However, this is not limited thereto, and for example, the left front hook 22 and the right front hook 24 may be disposed inboard in the vehicle width direction relative to the left rear hook 26 and the right rear hook 28.

Here, a left front locking groove 22C that is connected in the vehicle width direction is formed on the upper surface of the front end 22B of the left front hook 22 in the stored state. Similarly, a right front locking groove 24C is formed on the upper surface of the front end 24B of the right front hook 24 in the stored state. Also, a left rear locking groove 26C is formed on the upper surface of the rear end 26B of the left rear hook 26 in the stored state. Similarly, a right rear locking groove 28C is formed on the upper surface of the rear end 28B of the right rear hook 28 in the stored state.

In addition, in the middle of the front-rear direction of the case 14, a front support shaft 34 that connects the left side wall 14A and the right side wall 14B of the case 14 extends in the approximately left-right direction. Both left and right ends of the front support shaft 34 are fixed to the left side wall 14A and the right side wall 14B of the case 14. Here, the front support shaft 34 penetrates the front connecting part 30 in the left-right direction. The front connecting part 30 is rotatably connected to the front support shaft 34. In other words, the front locking part 18 is supported by the front support shaft 34 so as to be rotatable around the front support shaft 34 with the left-right direction as the axial direction. Note that the front locking part 18 and the front support shaft 34 may be fixed, and the front support shaft 34 may be rotatably connected to the case 14.

Similarly, a rear support shaft 36 is provided in the middle of the case 14 in the fore-and-aft direction and rearward of the front support shaft 34. Details of the rear support shaft 36 are similar to those of the front support shaft 34, so a detailed description is omitted.

The driving unit 36 of the wheelchair fixing device 10 is provided at the front side in the case 14, in the middle in the left-right direction. The driving unit 36 includes a motor 38 as a power source, a movable shaft 42 connected to the motor 38 via a reduction gear (not shown), and a linear motion unit 40 arranged on the rear side of the movable shaft 42 and movable along the movable shaft 42. The movable shaft 42 is configured as a feed screw extending approximately in the front-rear direction, and is configured to rotate around its axis via a reduction gear (not shown) when the motor 38 rotates forward or backward. The linear motion unit 40 includes a block-shaped moving piece (not shown), and the movable shaft 42 is screwed into a female thread formed on the moving piece, so that when the movable shaft 42 rotates around the axis, the movable piece (and thus the linear motion unit 40 including the movable piece) moves along the movable shaft 42. The linear motion unit is guided to move along the movable shaft 42 by a guide means (not shown). The linear motion part 40 is positioned in a position where it abuts the front connecting part 30 of the front locking part 18 from the front side in the stored state.

Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the cross section taken along line A-A in Figure 1, seen from the rear of the vehicle. As shown in Figure 2, the vertical length of the case 14 in which the wheelchair fixing device 10 is stored is shorter than the vertical lengths of the left vehicle frame 50 and the right vehicle frame 52. In the stored state, the wheelchair fixing device 10 is stored in a position that fits between the left vehicle frame 50 and the right vehicle frame 52.

In addition, in the stored state, the wheelchair securing device 10 is stored under the floor of a space 56 (hereinafter referred to as "placement space 56") for placing a wheelchair 60 (see FIG. 7) in the passenger compartment 54 of the vehicle 12. In other words, the wheelchair securing device 10 is stored below a floor surface 56A in the placement space 56 for the wheelchair 60. The floor surface 56A is formed at the same height as a general surface (not shown) of the passenger compartment floor of the vehicle 12.

Furthermore, a fixing switch and a release switch (not shown) that control the motor 38 are provided near the arrangement space 56 on the right side (not shown) inside the passenger compartment 54 of the vehicle 12. The fixing switch is, for example, a three-position toggle switch, and the release switch is, for example, a push button switch. The types of switches are not limited to those described above, and other switches such as a rocker switch may also be used. The fixing switch and the release switch may also be provided in other locations inside the passenger compartment 54.

Here, the front support shaft 34 of the wheelchair fixing device 10 is located lower than the rear support shaft 36. Furthermore, in the stored state, the front engaging portion 18 and the rear engaging portion 20 are arranged so that the upper end 30A of the front connecting portion 30 is located lower than the lower end 32A of the rear connecting portion 32.

Figure 3 shows a side cross-sectional view of the cross section taken along line B-B in Figure 1, viewed from the right side. As shown in Figure 3, the left front hook 22 is formed in a roughly U-shape with a concave upper surface in the center in the front-to-rear direction in side view when in the stored state. On the other hand, the left rear hook 26 is formed in a roughly rectangular shape in side view. Note that the shapes of the left front hook 22 and the left rear hook 26 are not limited to this, and for example, the left front hook 22 may be formed in a roughly rectangular shape in side view, and the left rear hook 26 may be formed in a roughly U-shape in side view. The right front hook 24 and right rear hook 28 (see Figure 1) are similar to the left front hook 22 and right front hook 24, respectively, and therefore will not be described.

The left front locking groove 22C formed in the left front hook 22 is formed in a generally U-shape with a curved bottom surface 22C1 in a side view. On the other hand, the bottom surface 26C1 of the left rear locking groove 26C formed in the left rear hook 26 is formed to be generally flat. The left rear locking groove 26C is formed shallower than the left front locking groove 22C. Note that the shapes of the left front locking groove 22C and the left rear locking groove 26C are not limited to this, and for example, the left rear locking groove 26C may be formed to be deep and generally U-shaped like the left front locking groove 22C. The right front locking groove 24C and the right rear locking groove 28C (see FIG. 1) are similar to the left front locking groove 22C and the left rear locking groove 26C, respectively, and therefore will not be described.

A base end 40B formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape is provided on the vehicle front side of the linear motion part 40. A plate-shaped tip part 40A having a vertical thickness and formed one step lower than the base end 40B is formed on the rear side of the base end 40B. Note that the shape of the linear motion part 40 is not limited to this, and for example, the tip part may be formed in a cylindrical shape.

The linear motion section 40 is disposed so that the tip 40A is located at a height above the front support shaft 34 and below the rear support shaft 36. More specifically, the tip 40A of the linear motion section 40 is disposed at a vertical position and size that covers from the upper end 30A of the front connecting section 30 to the lower end 32A of the rear connecting section 32 in the stored state. In the stored state, the tip 40A1 of the tip 40A of the linear motion section 40 on the rear side of the vehicle abuts against the front surface 30A1 of the upper end 30A of the front connecting section 30.

[Standing state (when the wheelchair 60 is fixed)]
Next, using Figures 4 to 6, we will explain the state in which the front engagement portion 18 and the rear engagement portion 20 are raised from below the floor surface 56A (under the floor) to above the floor surface 56A (above the floor) (hereinafter referred to as the "standing state").

As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the front locking portion 18 and the rear locking portion 20 are configured to be able to lock a one-touch fixing bar 62, which serves as a locked portion of the wheelchair 60, in the upright position. As shown in Figures 7(C) and 7(D), the one-touch fixing bar 62 extends in the width direction of the wheelchair 60 at the lower part in the middle in the fore-aft direction of the wheelchair 60. As shown in Figure 4, when the wheelchair 60 is fixed (hereinafter referred to as "when fixed"), the linear motion portion 40 is positioned further rearward of the vehicle than in the stored state shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 shows a rear cross-sectional view of the cross section taken along line CC in Figure 4, as seen from the rear. As shown in Figure 5, in the upright state, the front locking portion 18 and the rear locking portion 20 are both oriented in a U-shape with an open upper side. The vertical length of the left front hook 22 and the right front hook 24 in the upright state (front-to-rear length in the stored state) is set to be longer than the distance between the front support shaft 34 and the floor surface 56A. Similarly, the vertical length of the left rear hook 26 and the right rear hook 28 in the upright state (front-to-rear length in the stored state) is set to be longer than the distance between the rear support shaft 36 and the floor surface 56A.

That is, in the standing state, the left front hook 22, the right front hook 24, the left rear hook 26, and the right rear hook 28 protrude upward from the floor surface 56A through openings (not shown) in the floor surface 56A. The floor surface 56A is provided with door sections (not shown) that can open and close each opening. In the stored state, each door section is closed and each opening is blocked. Meanwhile, in the standing state, the left front hook 22, the right front hook 24, the left rear hook 26, and the right rear hook 28 are configured to push up each door section and rise up onto the floor through the openings. Note that in the stored state, the openings may be blocked by other methods than the door sections.

Figure 6 shows a side cross-sectional view taken along line D-D in Figure 4, viewed from the right side. As shown in Figure 6, in the upright position, the front locking part 18 locks the one-touch locking bar 62 of the wheelchair 60 from the front side by accommodating the one-touch locking bar 62 in the left front locking groove 22C. On the other hand, in the upright position, the rear locking part 20 locks the one-touch locking bar 62 from the rear side by abutting the one-touch locking bar 62 against the bottom surface 26C1 of the left rear locking groove 26C.

When the front engaging portion 18 and the rear engaging portion 20 are in the upright position, the lower surface 40A2 of the tip portion 40A of the linear motion portion 40 abuts against the upper end surface 30B of the front connecting portion 30, and the upper surface 40A3 of the tip portion 40A abuts against the lower end surface 32B of the rear connecting portion 32.

The front locking portion 18 is biased by a torsion spring (not shown) in a direction that rotates clockwise when viewed from the right side. On the other hand, the rear locking portion 20 is biased by a torsion spring (not shown) in a direction that rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the right side. Note that the method of biasing the front locking portion 18 and the rear locking portion 20 is not limited to a torsion spring, and other methods may be used.

(Actions and Effects of the Present Embodiment)
Next, the manner of use of the wheelchair fixing device 10 will be described with reference to Figs. 7(A) to 7(D), and the operation and effect of this embodiment will be described through this description.

Figures 7(A) to 7(D) show how the linear actuator 40 sequentially raises the left front hook 22 of the front engaging portion 18 and the left rear hook 26 of the rear engaging portion 20 to engage the one-touch fixing bar 62 of the wheelchair 60.

According to the wheelchair securing device 10 of this embodiment, when the wheelchair 60 is not loaded onto the vehicle 12 (hereinafter referred to as "not loaded"), the wheelchair securing device 10 is in the stored state shown in FIG. 7(A), and both the front engaging portion 18 and the rear engaging portion 20 are stored under the floor of the vehicle 12.

When the wheelchair 60 is mounted and fixed in the wheelchair 60 placement space 56 in the vehicle 12 (see FIG. 7(D)), as shown in FIG. 7(A) to FIG. 7(D) in sequence, the front engaging portion 18 and the rear engaging portion 20 are raised above the floor by the drive unit 36 provided under the floor, resulting in the upright state shown in FIG. 7(D). As a result, the wheelchair 60 mounted on the vehicle 12 is engaged with the front engaging portion 18 and the rear engaging portion 20, respectively, and fixed to the vehicle 12.

Furthermore, when the wheelchair 60 is released, the front engaging portion 18 and the rear engaging portion 20 are lowered from the upright state above the floor by the drive portion 36 to the bottom of the floor, and are again in the stored state (the order is changed to FIG. 7(D), FIG. 7(C), FIG. 7(B), and FIG. 7(A)). This stored state is maintained even after the wheelchair 60 is dismounted from the vehicle 12.

Therefore, when the wheelchair 60 is not loaded, the interior space of the passenger compartment 54 in the vehicle 12 can be secured to be large. This allows passengers other than the user of the wheelchair 60 to feel that the passenger compartment 54 is spacious when the wheelchair 60 is not loaded. This improves the comfort of the other passengers.

In addition, with the wheelchair fixing device 10 according to this embodiment, the front engaging portion 18 and the rear engaging portion 20 are pushed from the front to the rear by the drive portion 36, so that they rotate and are raised above the floor. Therefore, the vertical dimension of the wheelchair fixing device 10 in the stored state can be made smaller than with a mechanism that lifts the front engaging portion 18 and the rear engaging portion 20 from below. This allows the wheelchair fixing device 10 to be compactly mounted on the vehicle 12 in the minimum necessary space.

Furthermore, according to the wheelchair fixing device 10 of this embodiment, the one-touch fixing bar 62 provided on the wheelchair 60 is engaged from the front side by the left front hook 22 and the right front hook 24, and is also engaged from the rear side by the left rear hook 26 and the right rear hook 28 (see Figures 4 and 5). As a result, the one-touch fixing bar 62 provided on the wheelchair 60 is sandwiched from the front and rear and fixed to the vehicle 12. Therefore, since the wheelchair 60 is firmly fixed to the vehicle 12, it is stable against sudden changes in acceleration of the vehicle 12 (sudden starts and sudden braking, etc.), collisions in the front-rear direction (frontal collisions, rear-end collisions, etc.), and load input in the traveling direction of the vehicle 12.

Furthermore, according to the wheelchair fixing device 10 of this embodiment, the front support shaft 34 is provided below the rear support shaft 36. Furthermore, the linear motion part 40 is provided between the front support shaft 34 and the rear support shaft 36. Specifically, the tip part 40A of the linear motion part 40 is disposed at a height above the front support shaft 34 and below the rear support shaft 36.

As shown in Figures 7(A) and 7(B), the left front hook 22 is pushed rearward by the linear motion part 40. At this time, in the front connecting part 30 in the stored state, the front surface 30A1 of the upper end part 30A located above the front support shaft 34 is pushed rearward (see Figure 3). As a result, the front engaging part 18 rotates around the front support shaft 34 and is raised upward and rearward (see arrow M in Figure 7(B)).

As shown in Figures 7(C) and 7(D), the left rear hook 26 is also pushed rearward by the linear motion part 40. At this time, in the rear connecting part 32 in the stored state, the front surface 32A1 of the lower end part 32A located below the rear support shaft 36 is pushed rearward by the linear motion part 40. As a result, the rear engaging part 20 rotates around the rear support shaft 36 and is raised upward and forward (see arrow N in Figure 7(D)).

In other words, the left front hook 22 and the left rear hook 26 pushed by the linear motion part 40 are rotated in opposite directions. Therefore, by moving one linear motion part 40 in one direction (towards the rear of the vehicle), both the left front hook 22 and the left rear hook 26 are rotated in opposite directions, and the one-touch fixing bar 62 of the wheelchair 60 can be locked from the front and rear. Therefore, the wheelchair 60 can be fixed efficiently with a small drive part 36. This allows the wheelchair fixing device 10 to be arranged even more compactly under the floor of the vehicle 12. The right front hook 24 and the right rear hook 28 are similar to the left front hook 22 and the right front hook 24, so a description thereof will be omitted.

In addition, according to the wheelchair fixing device 10 of this embodiment, the tip end 40A of the linear motion part 40 abuts the upper end 30A of the front connecting part 30 and the lower end 32A of the rear locking part 20, respectively, when the front locking part 18 and the rear locking part 20 are in the upright state (see FIG. 6). In other words, after the front locking part 18 and the rear locking part 20 are raised by the linear motion part 40, they are engaged with the linear motion part 40 and kept in the upright state. In other words, the linear motion part 40 functions as a stopper for the front locking part 18 and the rear locking part 20 in the upright state, and prevents the front locking part 18 and the rear locking part 20 from falling. As a result, one member can fulfill two functions, that is, raising the front locking part 18 and the rear locking part 20 and preventing the front locking part 18 and the rear locking part 20 and preventing the front locking part 18 and the rear locking part 20 from falling. Therefore, the wheelchair fixing device 10 can be mounted on the vehicle 12 in an even more compact manner.

In addition, according to the wheelchair fixing device 10 of this embodiment, the linear motion part 40 is connected to the motor 38 in the front-rear direction by the movable shaft 42 (see FIG. 4). Here, when the vehicle 12 suddenly starts, brakes, or crashes, a load is input from the one-touch fixing bar 62 of the wheelchair 60 to the left front hook 22, right front hook 24, left rear hook 26, right rear hook 28, and linear motion part 40 of the wheelchair fixing device 10. Then, the load input to the left front hook 22, right front hook 24, left rear hook 26, right rear hook 28, and linear motion part 40 is dispersed in the left-right direction via the front support shaft 34 and rear support shaft 36. Therefore, the load input to the movable shaft 42 and the motor 38 can be suppressed. This can suppress damage to the power source of the wheelchair fixing device 10.

Furthermore, according to the wheelchair fixing device 10 of this embodiment, a fixing switch and a release switch (not shown) for controlling the motor 38 are provided on a side wall (not shown) near the arrangement space 56 in the passenger compartment 54 of the vehicle 12.

When a user of a wheelchair 60 in the vehicle 12 moves the fixed switch one position, the motor 38 of the drive unit 36 is activated, and the linear motion unit 40 is moved rearward until it abuts against the rear connecting unit 32 of the rear engaging unit 20 (see FIG. 7(B)). As a result, the front engaging unit 18 is raised from below the floor to above the floor (see FIG. 7(A) and FIG. 7(B)).

Next, the user of the wheelchair 60 confirms that the front locking portion 18 is raised, moves the wheelchair 60 to the placement space 56 as shown in FIG. 7(C), and locks the one-touch fixing bar 62 to the raised front locking portion 18.

When the user of the wheelchair 60 further moves the position of the fixed switch in this state, the motor 38 operates again, and the linear motion part 40 is moved further rearward until the rear surface 40B1 of the base end 40B on the vehicle rear side abuts against the rear connecting part 32 (see FIG. 7(D)). As a result, the rear engaging part 20 is raised from under the floor to above the floor (see FIG. 7(C) and FIG. 7(D)).

In this way, the wheelchair 60 is fixed to the vehicle 12 by the user of the wheelchair 60 operating the fixing switch to raise the front locking portion 18 and the rear locking portion 20 in that order. Note that, although the control for raising the rear locking portion 20 has been described as the user of the wheelchair 60 operating the fixing switch again, this is not limited to this. For example, a sensor may be provided on the front locking portion 18, and when the sensor detects that the one-touch fixing bar 62 has been locked to the front locking portion 18, the rear locking portion 20 may be automatically raised.

When the user of the wheelchair 60 wants to release the wheelchair 60 from the vehicle 12, the user of the wheelchair 60 presses the release switch, which operates the motor 38 in the reverse direction from when it was locked. This releases the engagement between the front and rear locking parts 18 and 20 and the one-touch locking bar 62, allowing the wheelchair 60 to move.

As described above, a user of the wheelchair 60 can easily secure and detach the wheelchair 60 to and from the vehicle 12 by himself or herself.

In addition, according to the wheelchair securing device 10 of this embodiment, the wheelchair securing device 10 is packaged in a case 14 (see FIG. 1). The case 14 is then fastened to the left vehicle frame 50 and the right vehicle frame 52 under the floor of the vehicle 12 with bolts 16A to 16F and two bolts not shown. This makes it easy to mount the wheelchair securing device 10 on the vehicle 12 on an assembly line.

Furthermore, in the event of a sudden start, sudden braking, or collision of the vehicle 12, the load input from the wheelchair 60 to the front retaining portion 18, the rear retaining portion 20, and the linear motion portion 40 is input to the front support shaft 34 and the rear support shaft 36 (see FIG. 4). Here, both left and right ends of the front support shaft 34 and the rear support shaft 36 are fixed to the left side wall 14A and the right side wall 14B of the case 14. Therefore, the load input to the front support shaft 34 and the rear support shaft 36 is input to the case 14. Then, it is transmitted to the left vehicle frame 50 and the right vehicle frame 52 fastened to the case 14. Therefore, the wheelchair fixing device 10 can efficiently release the load input from the wheelchair 60 to the vehicle 12.

Furthermore, according to the wheelchair fixing device 10 of this embodiment, the front engaging portion 18 is provided with a left front hook 22 and a right front hook 24 that are spaced apart in the left-right direction (see FIG. 4). This allows the wheelchair 60 to be fixed more firmly to the vehicle 12. This makes the wheelchair 60 even more stable against load input in the traveling direction of the vehicle 12.

The front hook 18 also includes a front connector 30 that connects the left front hook 22 and the right front hook 24 (see Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5). As a result, as shown in Figs. 7(A) to 7(D), when the left front hook 22 transitions from the stored state to the standing state, the right front hook 24 connected by the front connector 30 also rises up from under the floor to above the floor in conjunction with the left front hook 22 (see Fig. 5). Also, when the left front hook 22 transitions from the standing state to the stored state, the right front hook 24 also descends from above the floor to below the floor in conjunction with the left front hook 22. Thus, the left front hook 22 and the right front hook 24, which are spaced apart in the vehicle width direction, can be simultaneously moved by a single drive unit 36. Similarly, for the rear hook 20, the left rear hook 26 and the right rear hook 28 are connected by the rear connector 32, so they are interlocked. Therefore, the wheelchair securing device 10 can be mounted on the vehicle 12 in an even more compact manner.

Furthermore, according to the wheelchair fixing device 10 of this embodiment, in the vehicle interior 54 of the vehicle 12, the floor surface 56A in the placement space 56 for the wheelchair 60 is provided at the same height as the general surface of the vehicle interior floor (not shown) of the vehicle 12. In other words, the distance from the floor surface 56A in the placement space 56 for the wheelchair 60 to the roof surface of the vehicle interior 54 is approximately the same as the distance from the general surface of the vehicle interior floor other than the placement space 56 for the wheelchair 60 to the roof surface of the vehicle interior 54.

When the wheelchair 60 is not loaded, the wheelchair securing device 10 is disposed below (under the floor) the floor surface 56A in the placement space 56 for the wheelchair 60. Therefore, the wheelchair securing device 10 can ensure an even larger interior space in the vehicle compartment 54 when the wheelchair 60 is not loaded. In addition, because the wheelchair securing device 10 is compactly stored under the floor of the placement space 56, it is possible to ensure a large space for loading other vehicle parts in the vehicle 12.

Furthermore, according to the wheelchair fixing device 10 of this embodiment, the rear locking part 20 is biased by a torsion spring (not shown) in a direction to rotate counterclockwise when viewed from the right side. As a result, when the locking is released, if the linear motion part 40 is moved forward to release the engagement with the rear connecting part 32, the rear locking part 20 rotates toward the rear of the vehicle and falls down, returning to the stored state. At this time, the rear locking part 20 is restricted from rotating beyond the position shown in FIG. 3 (the position in the stored state) by a rotation stopper (not shown).

The front locking portion 18 is biased by a torsion spring (not shown) in a direction that rotates clockwise when viewed from the right side. As a result, if the linear motion portion 40 is moved further forward to release the engagement with the front connecting portion 30, the front locking portion 18 rotates toward the front of the vehicle and falls down, returning to the stored state. At this time, the linear motion portion 40, which has stopped at the position shown in FIG. 3, restricts the front locking portion 18 from rotating beyond the position in the stored state shown in FIG. 3.

[Supplementary explanation of the above embodiment]
In the above embodiment, the front locking portion 18 and the rear locking portion 20 are described as being pushed rearward by the linear motion portion 40 to stand up, but this is not limited thereto, and for example, the linear motion portion may push the locking portions in the left and right direction to rotate them. Also, the mechanism is not limited to a mechanism that pushes the locking portions horizontally to rotate them, and the locking portions may be raised by lifting them from below upward.

In the above embodiment, the wheelchair 60 is fixed by clamping the one-touch fixing bar 62 of the wheelchair 60 from the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle with the left front hook 22 and right front hook 24 of the front locking part 18 and the left rear hook 26 and right rear hook 28 of the rear locking part 20, but this is not limited to the above. For example, one side in the front-to-rear direction may be locked with a hook, and a wall-shaped stopper may be erected on the other side. Also, for example, the wheelchair 60 may not be locked from the rear, but may be locked diagonally from below and from the front against the one-touch fixing bar 62 to suppress the movement of the wheelchair 60 in the front-to-rear direction.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the wheelchair 60 is moved forward in the vehicle 12, and the one-touch fixing bar 62 provided in the width direction below the wheelchair 60 is engaged from the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, but this is not limited to the above. For example, other parts of the wheelchair 60 may be fixed. Also, for example, the wheelchair 60 may be moved left and right in the vehicle 12, and the wheelchair 60 may be engaged from the left and right direction of the wheelchair 60 (the front and rear direction of the vehicle).

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the front locking portion 18 and the rear locking portion 20 are each pushed rearward by a single linear motion portion 40, but this is not limited thereto, and each locking portion may be pushed by a separate linear motion portion.

In the above embodiment, the linear motion part 40 is described as engaging with the front locking part 18 and the rear locking part 20 in the upright state, but this is not limited thereto. A stopper separate from the linear motion part 40 may be provided to prevent the locking part from falling over.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the drive unit 36 is described as having a movable shaft 42 and a motor 38 that move the linear motion unit 40 in the forward and backward directions, but this is not limited thereto, and the locking unit may be raised in a different manner.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a locking switch and a release switch are provided on the side wall of the passenger compartment 54, but the method of controlling the motor 38 is not limited to this. For example, a single switch may control both locking and release. The motor may also be controlled by input using a touch panel or voice input. Furthermore, a sensor may be provided in the placement space 56, and the front engagement portion 18 may be automatically raised when it detects that the wheelchair 60 has begun to enter the placement space 56.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the user of the wheelchair 60 is described as operating the lock switch and release switch, but this is not limited to the above, and for example, a caregiver may operate the switches.

In the above embodiment, the wheelchair fixing device 10 is described as being stored in a rectangular cylindrical case 14, but this is not limited to the above. For example, only side walls that fix both ends of the front support shaft 34 and the rear support shaft 36 may be provided. In addition, the front support shaft 34 and the rear support shaft 36 may be directly fixed to the left vehicle frame 50 and the right vehicle frame 52.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the front engaging portion 18 is described as having a left front hook 22 and a right front hook 24, and the rear engaging portion 20 is described as having a left rear hook 26 and a right rear hook 28, but the arrangement and number of hooks are not limited to this. For example, the front engaging portion 18 may have a left front hook 22 and a right front hook 24, while the rear engaging portion may have only one central rear hook in the center in the left-right direction.

In the above embodiment, the front connecting portion 30 and the rear connecting portion 32 are pushed by a single linear motion portion 40 to rotate the front locking portion 18 and the rear locking portion 20, but this is not limited to the above. For example, the left front hook 22, the right front hook 24, the left rear hook 26, and the right rear hook 28 may be pushed directly by separate linear motion portions to rotate them.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the floor surface 56A in the placement space 56 for the wheelchair 60 is described as being at the same height as the general surface of the vehicle interior floor, but this is not limited to this. For example, the floor surface of the placement space 56 may be located at a lower position than the general surface of the vehicle interior floor, or at a slightly higher position as long as it is at approximately the same height.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the front locking portion 18 and the rear locking portion 20 are each biased by a torsion spring to return to the storage position, but this is not limited to the above. For example, the rear support shaft 36 may be provided forward of the center of gravity of the rear locking portion 20 in the upright state, so that the rear locking portion can be tilted backward by its own weight.

10 Wheelchair fixing device 12 Vehicle 14 Case 18 Front locking portion (locking portion)
20 Rear locking portion (locking portion)
22 Left front hook (left hook)
24 Right front hook (right hook)
26 Left rear hook (left hook)
28 Right rear hook (right hook)
30 Front connection part (connection part)
32 Rear connection part (connection part)
34 Front support shaft 36 Rear support shaft 38 Motor 40 Linear motion section (drive section)
42 Movable shaft (drive part)
54 Car room 56 Space for placing wheelchairs
56A Floor surface 60 Wheelchair 62 One-touch fixing bar (retained part)

Claims (9)

a locking part which is mounted on a vehicle and is in a stored state in which it is stored under the floor of the vehicle when the wheelchair is not mounted on the vehicle, and which locks a locked part provided on the wheelchair in an upright state in which it stands up from under the floor onto the floor when the wheelchair is mounted in the wheelchair placement space of the vehicle and fixed in place;
a drive unit that is provided under the floor, and that raises the engaging portion from under the floor to above the floor to the standing state when the wheelchair is fixed, and that lowers the engaging portion from the standing state to under the floor and returns it to the stored state when the wheelchair is released from the fixing of the wheelchair to the vehicle;
having
The locking portion includes a front locking portion that locks the locked portion of the wheelchair from the front side in the vehicle front-rear direction when fixed, and a rear locking portion that locks the locked portion of the wheelchair from the rear side,
The vehicle further includes a front support shaft extending in a vehicle width direction and supporting the front engagement portion, and a rear support shaft extending in the vehicle width direction and supporting the rear engagement portion,
the drive unit includes a linear motion unit provided between the front support shaft and the rear support shaft in a front view of the vehicle,
When transitioning from the stored state to the upright state, the linear motion portion pushes the front engaging portion in one direction in the vehicle front-rear direction while in contact with the front engaging portion to rotate the front engaging portion around the front support shaft, and also pushes the rear engaging portion in the one direction while in contact with the rear engaging portion to rotate the rear engaging portion around the rear support shaft.
Wheelchair securing device. The wheelchair fixing device according to claim 1 , wherein the drive unit raises the engaging portion above the floor by pushing the engaging portion horizontally and rotating it. 3. The wheelchair fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the linear movement portion is fitted with the front engaging portion and the rear engaging portion in the standing state in which the front engaging portion and the rear engaging portion are raised. The wheelchair fixing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the drive unit includes a motor that moves the linear motion unit in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and a movable shaft that connects the linear motion unit and the motor in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle. 5. The wheelchair fixing device according to claim 4, further comprising a switch for controlling the motor, the switch being provided in the passenger compartment of the vehicle near the wheelchair placement space. a case for storing the locking portion, the driving portion, the front support shaft, and the rear support shaft;
the front support shaft and the rear support shaft are connected to the case,
The wheelchair fixing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the case is fixed to a vehicle frame provided under the floor of the wheelchair placement space in the vehicle. The wheelchair fixing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the engaging portions are spaced apart in the vehicle width direction and include a left hook and a right hook that respectively engage the engaged portions of the wheelchair in an upright position. The wheelchair fixing device according to claim 7, wherein the engaging portion includes a connecting portion that connects the left hook and the right hook under a floor of the vehicle. The wheelchair fixing device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein in a passenger compartment of the vehicle, a floor surface in the wheelchair arrangement space is provided at a height equal to or lower than a general surface of a passenger compartment floor of the vehicle.