GB2301082A

GB2301082A - Access Ramp

Info

Publication number: GB2301082A
Application number: GB9510615A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David John Blackett; Grant Malcolm Lockhart
Original assignee: Omni Coach Ltd
Current assignee: Omni Coach Ltd
Priority date: 1995-05-25
Filing date: 1995-05-25
Publication date: 1996-11-27
Also published as: GB9510615D0

Abstract

An access ramp, suitable for affording access to vehicles and/or buildings for persons of limited mobility, comprises a filed first ramp section (12) having an inclined upper surface and a second ramp section (14) pivotally mounted (15) at the lower end of the inclined upper surface. The second ramp section is pivotable between a first position in which it abuts the inclined surface and presents, as its underside, a horizontal surface (16, Fig. 1) and a second position in which its upper surface is aligned with the inclined surface of the first section (12) as a continuation of the latter surface. Preferably, in its second position, the folded ramp acts as a step. The ramp may have an interlock to prevent the vehicle being driven whilst extended. The ramp may have an extendable portion.

Description

Access Ramp The present invention is concerned with access ramps, of the type which are intended to afford access to vehicles and/or buildings for persons of limited mobility. Although the invention is widely applicable in such situations, it is best illustrated in its applicability to vehicles, especially to public service vehicles such as buses and coaches.

Access to a vehicle such as a bus, via a doorway, usually in one side of the vehicle, may need to be provided from different levels.

Thus an intending passenger may need to step up from road level or from a kerb, the height of which will depend upon surrounding circumstances. For a person of limited mobility, even stepping up from kerb level may prove difficult. When the passenger is in a wheelchair, the step is a serious potential source of difficulty. It is therefore increasingly usual for some form of lift or access ramp to be provided to overcome this problem.

One approach which has proved successful has been to provide a ramp which can be extended horizontally from the side of the vehicle as required and then retracted into the vehicle after use. However, in order to accommodate different loading heights, it has been judged necessary to provide a mechanism for lowering the adjacent side of the vehicle by an appropriate amount. Such a mechanism adds to the complexity and cost of the installation. Furthermore, to enable the ramp to be retracted after use, the ramp is installed below the underside of the vehicle, where it is somewhat vulnerable to road dirt and damage.

Against this background, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved access ramp, suitable in particular for affording access to vehicles as well as to other locations.

The access ramp according to the present invention comprises a fixed first ramp section having an inclined upper surface and a second ramp section pivotally mounted at the lower end of said inclined upper surface, said second ramp section being pivotable between a first position in which it abuts said inclined surface of the first section and presents, as its underside, a generally horizontal surface and a second position in which its upper surface is generally aligned with the inclined surface of the first section as a continuation thereof.

In order to function as indicated, the second ramp section is preferably triangular in cross-section, so that when it is folded about its pivot into the first position in which it lies upon the first ramp section, its underside (which in this folded condition lies uppermost) is generally horizontal. Thus the angle between the upper and lower faces of the second ramp section is preferably at least approximately the same as the angle of inclination of the first ramp section relative to the horizontal. This angle preferably lies within the range from 5 degrees to 15 degrees of arc in each case.

In this folded condition, the third face of the second ramp section very preferably is generally vertical, in which case the folded ramp presents itself to the user as a shallow step.

When the second ramp section has been pivoted into its second position, the upper surfaces of the two sections are in general alignment. In that position, the surfaces form between them a continuous ramp for ready access to the vehicle or other location.

The second ramp section may have only two possible positions but preferably the ramp may be moved from the first, closed position, through a continuous range of progressively more open positions, to a final position which either corresponds to the second above-defined position or possibly is pivotally beyond that second position.

The pivoting together of the two ramp sections may be by means of one or more hinges, for example a so-called "piano" hinge extending across the full width of each ramp section, but it is preferred to use pivots located at the sides of the ramp sections for this purpose. Whichever means of pivoting is adopted, desirably the aligned upper surfaces of the two ramp sections in the position of use form a continuous ramp surface with minimum interruption or protrusion.

The lengths of the two ramp sections in the direction of length of the ramp are preferably equal and preferably the length of each ramp section lies in the range from 0.5 m to 1.0 m. Thus the overall length of the ramp when extended preferably lies in the range from 1.0 to 2.0 m. However it is also possible to make at least one of the ramp sections extendable, in order to give an increased overall ramp length for a given folded ramp dimension.

The swinging of the second ramp section between its first and second positions may be brought about manually but alternatively the ramp section may be power-operated. For example the second ramp section may be moved electrically, hydraulically or pneumatically.

In its folded or stowed condition, the ramp preferably fits flush with the surface, for example a bus floor, to which the ramp offers access. Thus the underside of the second ramp section is very preferably aligned with that surface when the ramp is folded.

The underside is preferably decorated in a way which distinguishes it clearly from the surrounding surface. A latch or loop or other means of lifting the ramp section may be provided.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example only, one preferred embodiment of the access ramp according to the present invention and wherein Figs. 1 and 2 are simplified drawings, in perspective view, of the access ramp in its closed and an open position respectively; Fig.3 is a schematic elevational view of the ramp in its closed position; and Figs. 4 and 5 are corresponding views of the ramp in use in two different situations.

The illustrated ramp is shown as installed in the doorway 10 of a bus 11. The ramp consists of a first section 12, which is secured as shown, in a fixed position, in a well 13 in the floor of the bus, and a second section 14, pivoted at 15, 15 at the lower end of the ramp section 12. The underside 16 of the ramp section 14, which of course is uppermost in the closed position of the ramp illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, lies generally horizontally in that closed position and, with the upright third face 17 of that ramp section, forms a flat, shallow step over which passengers not of restricted mobility may enter or leave the bus 11. The surface 16 is marked to distinguish it from the surrounding floor 18 of the bus and is provided with a loop 19 by which this second ramp section may be lifted manually. However, because the surfaces 16 and 18 are aligned in the closed position of the ramp, the closed ramp does not interfere with normal use of the bus.

By pivoting about the pivots 15, 15, the second ramp section 14 may be swung from the closed position into a position of use, such as illustrated in Figs. 2, 4 and 5. In an intermediate position in which the ramp is less than fully open (Fig.4), the outermost end of the ramp section 14 may rest upon an adjacent kerb 19, to afford access direct to a pavement. In this position, the surfaces of the two ramp sections are not exactly aligned but still offer a smooth transition from bus to pavement.

In a further open position, which in the illustrated embodiment is the fully open position (Figs. 2 and 5), the surfaces of the ramp sections 12 and 14 are fully aligned and afford access to and from the level of the ground surface 20 upon which the bus is standing.

Typically, each of the ramp sections measures approximately 0.75 m in the direction of the length of the ramp. The angle of inclination enclosed between the top and bottom surfaces of the second ramp section may typically be of the order of 13.5 degrees.

An electrical or mechanical interlock (not shown) is provided to prevent the bus being driven when the ramp is not in its fully closed position.

While, as can readily be seen, the access ramp according to the present invention, in particular in its illustrated form, is of particular value in affording access to buses, it may be used in any situation where persons of restricted mobility, for example in wheelchairs, require to move from one level to a somewhat higher level without having to mount a step, for example in the home or in public buildings.

Claims

1. An access ramp comprising a fixed first ramp section having an inclined upper surface and a second ramp section pivotally mounted at the lower end of said inclined upper surface, said second ramp section being pivotable between a first position in which it abuts said inclined surface of the first section and presents, as its underside, a generally horizontal surface and a second position in which its upper surface is generally aligned with the inclined surface of the first section as a continuation thereof.

2. An access ramp as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the second ramp section is triangular in cross-section.

3. An access ramp as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the angle between the upper and lower faces of the second ramp section is at least approximately the same as the angle of inclination of the first ramp section relative to the horizontal.

4. An access ramp as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said angles each lie within the range from 5 degrees to 15 degrees of arc.

5. An access ramp as claimed in Claim 2, wherein, when in said first position, the third face of the second ramp section is generally vertical.

6. An access ramp as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein said second ramp section may be moved through a continuous range of positions between said first and second positions.

7. An access ramp as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the two ramp sections are pivoted together by means of one or more hinges.

8. An access ramp as claimed in Claim 7, comprising one said hinge extending across the width of each ramp section.

9. An access ramp as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the two ramp sections are pivoted together by pivots located at the sides of the ramp sections.

10. An access ramp as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the lengths of the two ramp sections are equal in the direction of length of the ramp.

11. An access ramp as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the ramp sections is extendable.

12. An access ramp as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the pivotal swinging of the second ramp section is effected electrically, hydraulically or pneumatically.

13. An access ramp as claimed in any of the preceding claims, installed in a vehicle and provided with an interlock to prevent the vehicle being driven when the ramp is not in its fully closed position.

14. An access ramp substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.