Vehicular wheelchair docking and capture apparatus

Abstract

A transit vehicle docking system including a pair of press plates driven inwardly against the opposite side of a wheelchair docked in a docking space in the transit vehicle.

1 . A transport vehicle including a floor having a docking area for receipt of a wheelchair and comprising:
 first and second press devices disposed on opposite sides of the docking area, including first and second cushions facing the docking area, at least one of the press devices configured to be advanced from a retracted to a constraining position engaging the first cushion against one side of the wheelchair located in the docking area to press it toward the other press device with sufficient force to, when the wheelchair is parked in the docking area, cause the cushions to conform to the respective opposite sides of the wheel chain;   a driver for driving the at least one of the press drivers from its retracted to its constraining position; and   a control system for controlling the driver.   
     
     
         2 . The transport of  claim 2  wherein:
 the cushions are configured with vertical and horizontal dimensions of at least 10 inches. 
 
     
     
         3 . A transport vehicle including a floor having a docking area for receipt of a wheel chair carried on wheels having laterally outwardly facing non-planer surfaces and comprising:
 a pair of press devices mounted on opposite sides of the docking area to engage the respective non-planer surfaces when the wheelchair is located in the docking area;   at least one of the press devices being movable from a retracted position to a constraining position against one of the non-planer surfaces to constrain the wheelchair between the press devices;   a press driver to drive the at least one of the press devices between its retracted and constraining positions;   at least one passenger seat assembly disposed in the docking area and including at least one seat element disposed between the press devices and retractable through a path from a horizontal position to a retracted vertical position clear of the at least one of the press devices;   a seat retractor operable to retract the seat element to its retracted position; and   arm rest frames on opposite sides of the docking area and mounting respective ones of said press devices.   
     
     
         4 . The transport vehicle of  claim 3  that includes:
 holders mounted on the press devices and including respective contact surfaces to contact the respective non-planer surfaces, the holders being constructed to, upon the press driver being actuated, conform the respective contact surfaces to the non-planer surfaces. 
 
     
     
         5 . The transport vehicle of  claim 4  wherein:
 the holder devices include respective compressible cushions. 
 
     
     
         6 . The transport vehicle of  claim 3  that includes:
 holders mounted on the respective press devices and including respective projections configured to when the holders engage the respective non-planer surfaces, be non-uniformingly retracted in respective directions away from the respective non-planer surfaces so that the projections which are not retracted facilitate holding the respective wheels. 
 
     
     
         7 . The transport vehicle of  claim 3  that includes:
 holders mounted on the respective press devices including respective cushions. 
 
     
     
         8 . The transport vehicle of  claim 5  wherein:
 the respective cushions include a plurality of projections spaced there across. 
 
     
     
         9 . The transport vehicle of  claim 3  wherein:
 at least one of the press devices includes a rigid plate lined on the side confronting the wheelchair side with a compressible material. 
 
     
     
         10 . The transport vehicle of  claim 8  that wherein:
 the projections are flexible. 
 
     
     
         11 . The transport vehicle of  claim 10  for use with a wheelchair including wheels including spokes and wherein:
 the projections are constructed to be projected between the spokes. 
 
     
     
         12 . The docking apparatus of  claim 3  wherein:
 the press devices include respective resilient holders constructed to engage the wheelchair and operative to cooperate in applying sufficient holding force to the wheelchair to resist an inertia force of 2000 pounds applied forwardly to the wheelchair. 
 
     
     
         13 . The docking apparatus of  claim 3  that includes:
 a control device for controlling travel of the at least one press device, including an actuator positioned relative to the docking area to be accessible by an occupant of the wheelchair. 
 
     
     
         14 . The transport vehicle of  claim 3  that includes a drivers seat and that includes:
 a control system for controlling the driver, including a control panel mounted adjacent the driver's seat. 
 
     
     
         15 . A transport vehicle including a floor having a docking area for receipt of a wheel chair carried on wheels having laterally outwardly facing non-planer surfaces and comprising:
 a pair of press devices mounted on opposite sides of the docking area to engage the respective wheel surfaces when the wheelchair is located in the docking area;   at least one of the press devices being movable from a retracted position to a constraining position against one of the wheel surfaces to constrain the wheelchair between the press devices;   holder devices on the press devices, including respective contact surfaces constructed to conform to the respective non-planer surfaces; and   a press driver to drive the at least one of the press devices between its retracted and constraining positions.   
     
     
         16 . A transport vehicle including a floor having a chair docking area for receipt of a wheelchair carried on wheels with respective laterally outwardly non-planer surfaces comprising:
 a pair of press devices mounted on opposite sides of the docking area, including respective holding devices with respective laterally inwardly facing holding surfaces to engage the non-linear surfaces of the wheelchair located in the docking area and constructed to, upon application of a predetermined force, conform to the respective non-planer surfaces;   at least one of the press devices being movable laterally from a retracted position to a constraining position; and   
       a drive coupled with the at least one of the press devices operable to drive the at least one of the press devices to the constraining position with the predetermined force.