WO2016101054A1 - System for transporting passengers with locomotive disabilities and method for embarking and disembarking passengers with locomotive disabilities in public transport vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention pertains to the field of mechanical and automotive engineering, in particular to the field of parts and accessories intended to provide accessibility to passengers with locomotive disabilities in public transport vehicles. The present invention provides a system for transporting passengers with locomotive disabilities comprising a seat (1) that is movable between a loading/offloading position outside the vehicle and a travelling position inside the vehicle, means for moving the movable seat between the travelling position and the loading/offloading position, wherein the seat (1) performs a bidimensional movement when transferred between the travelling position and the loading/offloading position. Also provided is a method for embarking and disembarking passengers with locomotive disabilities in a public transport vehicle using said system, the method comprising the following steps: sliding at least one seat (1) from the inside of the vehicle (V) to a point for accessing the outside of the vehicle (V); placing a passenger (U9 in the seat (1) or removing a passenger (U) from the seat (1); sliding the seat (1) with the passanger (U) towards the inside of the vehicle.

Description

 Patent Invention Descriptive Report

 PASSENGER MOVEMENT SYSTEM WITH HANDLING DIFFICULTY AND LANDING AND LANDING PROCESS OF PASSENGER WITH

COLLECTIVE TRANSPORT

Field of the Invention

 [0001] The present invention pertains to the field of mechanical and automotive engineering, in particular parts, parts and accessories intended to provide accessibility for passengers with limited mobility in public transport vehicles and provides a system for the movement of passengers with difficulty. locomotion comprising a movable seat between a loading / unloading position outside the vehicle and a travel position within the vehicle, and a boarding and disembarking process for passengers with difficulty in locomotion in a public transport vehicle.

Background of the Invention

 People with walking difficulties, especially those who depend on wheelchairs, crutches, canes, walkers, caregivers or their equivalent, or even those who are able to move without the aid of equipment on land. but who find it difficult to climb stairs, walk on inclined planes, or who rely on handrails and / or supports to move from one place to another, face a daily series of difficulties to perform ordinary tasks, which are rarely idealized solely with people without any walking difficulties.

People with walking difficulties are people with physical disabilities (paraplegic, quadriplegic, lack of limbs, insufficient muscle strength; fragility in bones; motor coordination problems; among others), or people who are temporarily with walking difficulties (people who had fractured limbs, recovering after surgery, passed out, among others).

 Among the common activities that the group defined by people with walking difficulties face, the access to transport vehicles is highlighted, where it is necessary to make a certain effort to reach the seat of the vehicle and, thus, to travel safely.

 Some prior art solutions, such as those highlighted by GB2331504, US3,236,556, US5,769,480, US2004 / 189,075, US2013 / 1 13,258, WO2008 / 097531, are intended solely for driver and driver access. / or passenger of passenger cars. Such vehicles have the particularity of being relatively low in relation to the ground, having travel seat height close to the height of wheelchairs or even normal chairs, making the passenger / user only need to be able to sit stand at the height of a conventional chair or slide from your wheelchair to the vehicle seat. Some solutions even project the seat of the vehicle out of the seat, in order to facilitate passenger / user boarding, freeing him / her to worry about possible collisions of his head with the roof of the vehicle, making the process more comfortable.

 In public transport vehicles, however, where the height of the travel seat and / or floor of the vehicle's internal region relative to the ground is substantially higher than in passenger vehicles, there is an even greater difficulty for the vehicle. passenger access with limited mobility.

 In the context of public transport, train, subway and bus with elevated platforms aims to level the height between the access platform floor and the height of the vehicle interior floor, allowing access to the interior of the vehicle. give in an easy way.

Another present prior art solution, as presented by EP2246022, is the use of platforms lifts to move the passenger vertically to vehicle floor level. This solution is commonly used on buses and elevates the passenger from the sidewalk level to the bus floor level. Once the passenger enters the vehicle, the passenger needs to transfer to one of the vehicle's seats or, in some cases, has the wheelchair secured at a particular location on the bus by means of locks and / or seat belts, keeping the passenger in his own wheelchair all the way.

 The bus interior floor has a substantially higher ground clearance compared to cars because the components (tank, engine, gearbox, differential, among other compartments) are more robust and also because the The height above the ground must necessarily be high to allow the vehicle to travel on undulating terrain, rough terrain and at points of change of relief, without resulting in contact or locking of the floor with the ground.

 In this sense, road buses present as an additional factor to increase the height of the vehicle's floor in relation to the ground, the fact that it also needs to understand a luggage compartment for the transport of luggage and belongings of the occupants, being therefore the most common case. critical when it comes to the floor height relative to the ground.

 In terms of accessibility, road buses also have the hindrance of internal traffic space, which is reduced due to wide seats (to provide passenger comfort for long journeys) without exceeding the vehicle width limits set by Traffic. For this reason, the passage of wheelchairs along the corridor is impossible, as well as the provision of a region for wheelchair accommodation, which would result in the loss of armchairs, impacting the profit of the bus companies, and the discomfort of passengers. who would have to travel in their own wheelchairs.

For road buses, access to the bus interiors is commonly given by the loading of the passenger with difficulty moving up the stairs, passing through a generally tight and difficult to reach space. In this regard, some state of the art solutions such as AT9264, CA1 168183, DE102008007164, EP2636396, JPS63272350, US4,306,634, US2004 / 022,614 feature elevators for moving the passenger up the stairs but still need to be loaded or moved. struggling inside the bus. In these buses, the access of disabled people is obligatorily given with the help of third parties who need to carry such passengers on their laps, to the first seats of the vehicle, which are usually intended for passengers with special needs. This type of treatment can cause passenger discomfort and embarrassment, inhibiting the passenger to travel.

[0013] Much has been done in recent years to make public environments more accessible to all types of audiences so that even people with physical disabilities or walking difficulties can move smoothly and have access to any public environment. It should be noted, however, that a problem still exists in the situation where a person with mobility difficulties wants or needs to travel using public transport vehicles. Such vehicles, when adapted to receive passengers that fit this scenario, present inefficient solutions.

 There is therefore a need to develop a means of permitting the embarkation of passengers with limited mobility in a simplified, unencumbered manner and ensuring their comfort and safety on boarding and disembarking, as well as throughout the entire journey.

From the research literature, no documents were found that solve all the problems presented by the state of the art nor that anticipate or suggest the teachings of the present invention, so that the solution proposed here has, in the eyes of the inventor. , novelty and inventive activity against the state of the art. Summary of the Invention

 [0016] The present invention provides accessibility for passengers with limited mobility in public transport vehicles by means of a mobility-impaired passenger movement system comprising a mechanism for arranging the passenger seat that accommodates the passenger during travel accessible to the passenger. , in the external region of the vehicle, performing the movement of the seat, already accommodating the passenger, to the internal region of the vehicle. The present invention also relates to the process of boarding and disembarking passengers with limited mobility and to a bus equipped with said system.

 It is therefore an object of the present invention a system for the movement of passengers with limited mobility comprising:

 i. a movable seat (1) between a loading / unloading position outside the vehicle and a travel position inside the vehicle;

 ii. means of moving the armchair between the travel position and the loading / unloading position,

wherein the seat (1) performs a two-dimensional movement in the displacement between the travel position and the loading / unloading position.

It is a further object of the present invention a boarding and disembarking process for passengers with walking difficulties in a mass transit vehicle using a passenger movement system as defined above, wherein the process comprises the steps of:

 The. sliding at least one seat (1) from the interior of the vehicle (V) to an access point to the external region of the vehicle (V); B. accommodate or remove a passenger (U) from the seat (1); ç. slide the seat (1) with the passenger (U) into the interior of the vehicle.

It is another object of the present invention a bus comprising a system for moving people with limited mobility. as defined above, the system being concealable and housed within the luggage compartment capable of providing a passenger (U) with movement between the sidewalk level (8) and the vehicle floor level (4.1).

 [0020] These and other objects of the invention will be immediately appreciated by those skilled in the art and companies having an interest in the segment, and will be described in sufficient detail for their reproduction in the following description.

Brief Description of the Figures

 Figure 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a variation of the system of the present invention, in front perspective.

 Figure 2 shows a preferred embodiment of a variation of the system of the present invention, in front perspective.

 Figure 3 shows a preferred embodiment of the system of the present invention, in a driven condition, with the guided movable frame (2) in the passenger boarding condition.

 Figure 4 shows a preferred embodiment of the system of the present invention, in a retracted condition.

 Figure 5 shows a preferred embodiment of the system of the present invention, in a retracted condition.

 Figure 6 shows a schematic front view of a preferred embodiment of the invention with the seat arranged in the travel position within the vehicle.

 Figure 7 shows a schematic front view of a preferred embodiment of the invention, with the guided movable frame (2) disposed in several intermediate positions, between the travel position and the boarding position.

Figure 8 shows a schematic front view of a preferred embodiment of the invention, with the seat (1) in intermediate positions, between the travel position and the embarkation position, in the latter arranged next to a wheelchair (C) on a sidewalk (8), the height (h) of the wheelchair seat (C) being equivalent to the height of the seat (1).

 Figure 9 shows a sectional perspective view of a section of a bus, indicating the vehicle floor (4.2), the vehicle floor (4.1), the seat (1) in the traveling position and associated the travel guide (11) and a wheelchair (C) disposed on the sidewalk (8).

 Figure 10 shows a view similar to that shown in Figure 9, however with the seat (1) in a boarding position.

 Figure 11 shows a second preferred embodiment of the travel guide (11), being defined by a retractable lattice structure (9) driven by a primary bar (B1) and secondary bar (B2) comprising an element. lock (T) of the guide (1 1) in the driven and / or retracted position.

[0032] Figure 12 shows the embodiment of Figure 11, with the travel guide (11) in an intermediate position between the setback condition and the passenger access condition.

 [0033] Figure 13 shows a second intermediate position of the system shown in Figure 12.

 Figure 14 shows the embodiment of Figures 11 to 13, with the travel guide arranged in a passenger access position.

Figures 15 and 16 show the embodiment of Figures 11 to 14, with the seat (1) in two stages of displacement between the travel position and the boarding position.

 Figures 17 and 18 show a schematic front view of a second preferred embodiment of the invention, with the seat (1) in the boarding position, disposed beside a crutches and wheelchair dependent passenger (U) ( C) respectively where the height (h) of the wheelchair seat (C) is equivalent to the height of the seat (1).

Figure 19 shows a third preferred embodiment of the travel guide (11), defined by a retractable pantographic structure (10) driven by a primary bar (B1) and secondary bar (B2), comprising a locking element (T) of the guide (11) in the actuated and / or retracted position and defining the seat opening opening (A) (1).

 Figures 20 and 21 show the embodiment of Figure 19, with the seat (1) in two stages of displacement between the travel position and the boarding position.

 Figures 22 and 23 show a schematic front view of a third preferred embodiment of the invention, with the seat (1) in the boarding position, disposed beside a crutches and wheelchair dependent passenger (U) ( C) respectively where the height (h) of the wheelchair seat (C) is equivalent to the height of the seat (1).

 Figures 24 to 26 show the embodiment of Figure 19 in a three-dimensional view of a section of the bus, with the seat (1) in stages of displacement between the travel position and the boarding position.

Figures 27 and 28 show a schematic three-dimensional view of a third preferred embodiment of the invention, with the seat (1) in the boarding position, disposed beside a crutches and wheelchair dependent passenger (U) ( C) respectively where the height (h) of the wheelchair seat (C) is equivalent to the height of the seat (1).

Detailed Description of the Invention

 The present invention relates to the segment of parts, parts and / or accessories and improvements made to armchairs used in city / road buses. The invention provides a complement to the functionality of the seat, allowing greater accessibility and safety to the user, as it allows the embarkation and disembarkation to take place in a wide and specific area.

[0043] It is an object of the present invention to provide an improvement in armchair of mass transit vehicles, with the addition of devices that allow the displacement and access to the interior of the bus of persons with partial or total motor disabilities. The mobility-impaired passenger movement system of the present invention comprises a movable seat (1) between a loading / unloading position outside the vehicle and a traveling position inside the vehicle provided with means for displacing the vehicle. movable armchair between the travel position and the loading / unloading position, with the seat (1) making a two-dimensional movement in the displacement between the travel position and the loading / unloading position.

For the purposes of the present invention, travel position is understood to be the position of the seat (1) when disposed within the vehicle, fixed in the condition that will remain throughout the journey, ensuring passenger safety and comfort.

 For the purposes of the present invention, the position of loading / unloading is understood to be the position of the seat (1) when the passenger is allocated to or removed from the seat (1), such position being arranged in a region external to the vehicle. and at a height equivalent to that of a chair seat arranged on a sidewalk (8), for the purpose of providing comfort in the transfer of the passenger from a wheelchair (C) to the seat (1), for example, or even to the seat. accommodation of passengers who rely on crutches, walkers or their equivalent to get around. In one embodiment of the present invention, the loading / unloading position is arranged beyond the plane of one of the vehicle walls, i.e. entirely in the outer region thereof.

 The movement system in one embodiment comprises seat (1) and travel guide (11), with the seat (1) being associated with a guided movable structure (2), defining the passenger accommodation seat at the throughout the trip.

The guided movable structure (2) is associated with a travel guide (11) and the travel guide (11) defines a path for the guided mobile structure (2) having a first vertical linear section and a rototranslatory section, with the purpose of providing the movement of the seat (1) from a high ground position to a sidewalk position (8) outside the vehicle.

 In one embodiment, the travel guide (11) is retractable between the setback positions for accommodation inside the vehicle during travel, and the position of use to allow movement of the guided structure (2) between the vehicle floor level (4.1) and the sidewalk level (8), allowing the travel guide (11) and other movement system components to be retracted during vehicle traffic.

 In one embodiment the seat (1) maintains the degree of inclination relative to the ground throughout the trajectory of the guided movable structure (2) along the travel guide (11), in order to prevent tipping of the seat. comfort and comfort, resulting from a transition between travel and boarding / disembarkation positions without swings or imbalances.

 In one embodiment the travel guide (11) is defined by a primary rail (3.1) and secondary rail (3.2) acting as a guide for casters associated with the guided movable structure (2), the primary rail (3.1) being ) guide the primary rail casters (7.1) and the secondary rail (3.2) guide the secondary rail casters (7.2).

 In one embodiment, the travel guide (11) is defined by a fixed frame (5.1) and a movable frame (5.2), pivotally associated with each other by means of pivot points (6).

In another embodiment, the travel guide (11) is defined by a primary rod driven retractable frame (B1) associated with the vehicle by fixed linkage of the primary bus (A1 B1) and associated with the travel guide (1). 1) by movable secondary bar pivot (A2B1) and secondary bar (B2) associated with the vehicle by fixed articulation of secondary bar (A1 B2) and associated with travel guide (11) by secondary bar movable articulation (A2B2) . In another embodiment, the retractable structure is defined by a lattice structure (9) pivoted by the primary bar (B1) and secondary bar (B2) into a region of the vehicle, preferably the luggage compartment.

In another embodiment the retractable structure is defined by a pantographic structure (10) hinged by the primary bar (B1) and secondary bar (B2) into a region of the vehicle, preferably the luggage compartment, comprising such pantographic structure with The aim is to occupy as little space as possible inside the luggage compartment, reducing the impact on the useful volume of luggage carried by the vehicle.

 In one embodiment the system comprises a lock (T) for releasing and / or preventing movement of the travel guide (11) and, furthermore, the passenger accommodation seat along the ride comprises adjusting the height of the seat in relation to sidewalk level (8).

 In one embodiment the seat (1) alternates between the travel position inside the vehicle and the passenger boarding position, the passenger boarding position being arranged in a plane external to that defined by the outer walls of the vehicle and in a height from the sidewalk level (8) equivalent to the height of a wheelchair (C).

 In one embodiment the seat (1) is pulled by one of the group defined by: linear actuator; rotary actuator; electric motor; internal combustion engine; straps; chains; wire rope and / or a combination thereof.

 It is a further object of the present invention a boarding and disembarking process for passengers with mobility difficulties in a public transport vehicle, comprising a passenger movement system as defined above, wherein the process comprises the steps of:

The. sliding at least one seat (1) from the interior of the vehicle (V) to an access point to the exterior of the vehicle (V); B. accommodate or remove a passenger (U) from the seat (1); ç. slide the seat (1) with the passenger (U) into the interior of the vehicle.

 [0060] The present invention consists of a bus provided with a system for moving people with limited mobility as defined above, the concealed system being housed inside the luggage compartment, capable of providing the movement of a passenger (U) between the sidewalk level (8) and vehicle floor level (4.1).

 The proposed accessibility system is preferably comprised of one or more passenger seats coupled to two guides and two folding rails through which pulleys move the seats from the ground-level threshold within the bus hall and displace. off the bus until you reach the level of the sidewalk where the user accommodates for the commute. After the mechanism is activated, the passenger is transported from the sidewalk to the interior of the vehicle, boarded in the same seat that will be used for the trip and the wheelchair is placed in a specific place in the luggage compartment.

 [0062] The disembarkation is carried out according to the same procedure, with the opening of the side door of the bus and displacement of the passenger to the level of the sidewalk. The entire procedure is performed by a trained person from the service company and conveniently to the passenger.

Therefore, the mobility-impaired passenger movement system of the present invention promotes access of the travel seat to the outer region of the vehicle.

 Those skilled in the art will enhance the knowledge presented herein and may reproduce the invention in the embodiments disclosed and in other embodiments within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

SYSTEM FOR MOVEMENT OF PASSENGERS WITH LOCAL DIFFICULTY AND PASSENGER LANDING AND LANDING PROCESSING PASSENGERS IN COLLECTIVE TRANSPORT 1 . Passenger movement system with limited mobility characterized by the fact that it comprises:  i. a movable seat (1) between a loading / unloading position outside the vehicle and a travel position inside the vehicle;  ii. means of moving the armchair between the travel position and the loading / unloading position, wherein the seat (1) performs a two-dimensional movement in the displacement between the travel position and the loading / unloading position.  System for the movement of passengers with limited mobility according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a seat (1) and travel guide (11), where:  i. the seat (1) is associated with a guided movable structure (2), defining the passenger accommodation seat during the journey;  ii. the guided movable frame (2) is associated with a travel guide (11);  iii. the travel guide (11) defines a path for the guided movable structure (2) provided with a first vertical linear section and a second rototranslatory section; iv. the travel guide (11) is retractable between the setback positions for accommodation inside the vehicle during travel and the position of use to allow the guided structure (2) to move between the floor level of the vehicle ( 4.1) and the sidewalk level (8). System for the movement of passengers with limited mobility according to claim 2, characterized in that the seat (1) maintains the degree of inclination in relation to the ground throughout the trajectory of the guided movable structure (2) along the travel guide (1 1).  System for the movement of passengers with limited mobility according to any one of claims 2 to 3, characterized in that the travel guide (11) is defined by a primary track (3.1) and a secondary track (3.2); acting as a guide for castors associated with the guided mobile structure (2), where:  The. the primary rail (3.1) guides casters of the primary rail (7.1); and b. the secondary rail (3.2) guides the secondary rail casters (7.2).  System for the movement of passengers with limited mobility according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the travel guide (11) is defined by a fixed structure (5.1) and a movable structure (5.2). , articulated jointly with each other through articulation points (6).  System for the movement of passengers with limited mobility according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the travel guide (11) is defined by a retractable structure driven by:  The. primary bar (B1) associated with the vehicle by fixed articulation of the primary bar (A1 B1) and associated with the travel guide (11) by secondary bar movable articulation (A2B1); and  B. secondary bar (B2) associated with the vehicle by fixed articulation of the secondary bar (A1 B2) and associated with the travel guide (11) by movable articulation of the secondary bar (A2B2). System for the movement of passengers with limited mobility according to claim 6, characterized in that the retractable structure is defined by a lattice structure (9). System for the movement of passengers with limited mobility according to claim 6, characterized in that the retractable structure is defined by a pantographic structure (10).  System for the movement of passengers with limited mobility according to any one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that it comprises a lock (T) for releasing and / or preventing movement of the travel guide (11).  System for the movement of passengers with limited mobility according to any one of claims 2 to 9, characterized in that the passenger accommodation seat along the journey comprises adjusting the seat height in relation to the sidewalk level (8). ).  1 1. System for the movement of passengers with limited mobility according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the seat (1) alternates between the travel position inside the vehicle and the passenger boarding position, the position being passenger boarding plane arranged in a plane external to that defined by the outer walls of the vehicle and at a height in relation to the sidewalk level (8) equivalent to the height of a wheelchair (C).  System for the movement of passengers with limited mobility according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the seat (1) is pulled by one of the group defined by: linear actuator; rotary actuator; electric motor; internal combustion engine; straps; chains; wire rope and / or a combination thereof.  The boarding and disembarking process of passengers with limited mobility in a public transport vehicle, characterized in that it uses a passenger movement system as defined in claims 1 to 12, wherein the process comprises the steps of:  The. sliding at least one seat (1) from the interior of the vehicle (V) to an access point to the external region of the vehicle (V); B. accommodate or remove a passenger (U) from the seat (1); ç. slide the seat (1) with the passenger (U) into the interior of the vehicle.  14. A bus characterized in that it comprises a system for the movement of persons with limited mobility as defined in claims 1 to 12, the system being concealed and housed within the luggage compartment, capable of providing the movement of a passenger (U) between level sidewalk (8) and the floor level of the vehicle (4.1).