Interchangeable pump mount for a wheelchair lift

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11523949-B2
Application number	US-202117151967-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 19, 2021
Priority date	Jan 21, 2020
Publication date	Dec 13, 2022
Grant date	Dec 13, 2022

Abstract

A lift for transferring a user to and from a vehicle, the lift including a lift platform and a pump unit to adjust the position of the lifting platform. The pump unit includes: i) a first cover having a plurality of first cover apertures to receive a plurality of connectors, ii) a pump, iii) a pump block operatively connected to the pump. The pump block includes a first side with first side block apertures and a second side with second side block apertures, wherein the first side block apertures are arranged to be collocated with the plurality of first cover apertures and the second side block apertures are arranged to be collocated with the plurality of first cover apertures. A manual pump actuator extends from one side of the pump assembly, wherein the manual pump actuator is oriented in once a first direction or a second direction with respect to the pump cover.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A pump unit for adjusting a position of a wheelchair lift including a first hydraulic cylinder and a second hydraulic cylinder, the pump unit comprising:
a first cover including a side wall having a plurality of first cover apertures to receive a plurality of connectors;
a pump assembly including a pump block, wherein the pump block includes a first side having first side block apertures and a second side having second side block apertures, wherein the first side block apertures are arranged to be collocated with the plurality of first cover apertures and the second side block apertures are arranged to be collocated with the plurality of first cover apertures, and a manual pump actuator extending from one side of the pump assembly, wherein connection of the first side block apertures to the first cover apertures orients the manual pump actuator in a first direction with respect to the pump cover and connection of the second side block apertures to the first cover apertures orients the manual pump actuator in a second direction with respect to the pump cover.

2. The pump unit of claim 1 further comprising a mounting bracket, the mounting bracket includes mounting bracket apertures arranged to be collocated with the first side block apertures and to be collocated with the second side block apertures.

3. The pump unit of claim 2 further comprising a second cover connected to the first cover, wherein one of the first cover and the second cover includes two slots to provide access to the manual pump actuator in either the first direction of the second direction.

4. The pump unit of claim 3 wherein the second cover includes second cover apertures and a portion of the mounting bracket apertures are arranged to align with the second cover apertures to connect the first cover to the second cover with one or more connectors.

5. The pump unit of claim 4 further comprising a display plate, wherein one of the first cover and the second cover includes a first opening and a second opening and the display plate is located at one of the first opening and the second opening to cover at least a part of the first opening and the second opening.

6. The pump unit of claim 5 further comprising a cover plate, wherein the cover plate is located at the other of the first opening and the second opening to cover the first opening or the second opening.

7. The pump unit of claim 6 further comprising a slot cover, wherein the slot cover covers one of the two slots of the first cover or the second cover.

8. The pump unit of claim 7 wherein one of the first cover and the second cover includes a cutout, wherein the cutout uncovers the display plate when the first cover and the second cover are connected.

9. The pump unit of claim 8 further comprising a display located at the display plate, wherein the display displays alphanumeric characters.

10. The pump unit of claim 9 further comprising a hose assembly operatively connected to the pump assembly, wherein the pump assembly includes a first hose and a second hose having a substantially similar length to the first hose, wherein the hose assembly develops a substantially similar fluid pressure in each of the first hose and the second hose to position the wheelchair lift in a relatively level position.

11. A lift for transferring a user to and from a vehicle, comprising:
a lift platform for receiving the user, the lift platform being movable between a first position and a second position;
a lifting assembly coupled to the lift platform, the lifting assembly including a first hydraulic cylinder and second hydraulic cylinder; and
a pump unit to adjust the position of a lifting assembly, the pump unit including: i) a first cover having a plurality of first cover apertures to receive a plurality of connectors, ii) a pump, iii) a pump block operatively connected to the pump, the pump block having a first side with first side block apertures and a second side with second side block apertures, wherein the first side block apertures are arranged to be collocated with the plurality of first cover apertures and the second side block apertures are arranged to be collocated with the plurality of first cover apertures, and iii) a manual pump actuator extending from one side of the pump assembly, wherein connection of the first side block apertures to the first cover apertures orients the manual pump actuator in a first direction with respect to the pump cover and connection of the second side block apertures to the first cover apertures orients the manual pump actuator in a second direction with respect to the pump cover.

12. The lift of claim 11 wherein the pump unit includes a second cover connected to the first cover, wherein one of the first cover and the second cover includes two slots to provide access to the manual pump actuator in either the first direction of the second direction.

13. The lift of claim 12 wherein the second cover includes second cover apertures and a mounting bracket, coupled to the one of the first side block apertures or second side block apertures, is aligned with the second cover apertures to connect the first cover to the second cover with one or more connectors.

14. The lift of claim 13 wherein the pump unit includes a display plate, wherein one of the first cover and the second cover includes a first opening and a second opening and the display plate is located at one of the first opening and the second opening to cover at least a part of the first opening and the second opening.

15. The lift of claim 14 wherein the pump unit includes a cover plate, wherein the cover plate is located at the other of the first opening and the second opening to cover the first opening or the second opening.

16. The lift of claim 15 wherein the pump unit includes a slot cover, wherein the slot cover covers one of the two slots of the first cover and the second cover.

17. The lift of claim 7 wherein one of the first cover and the second cover includes a cutout, wherein the cutout uncovers the display plate when the first cover and the second cover are connected.

18. The lift of claim 17 wherein the pump unit includes a display located at the display plate, wherein the display displays alphanumeric characters.

19. The lift of claim 18 further comprising a hose assembly operatively connected to the pump assembly, wherein the pump assembly includes a first hose and a second hose having a substantially similar length to the first hose, wherein the hose assembly develops a substantially similar fluid pressure in each of the first hose and the second hose to position the wheelchair lift in a relatively level position.

20. A method of configuring a pump unit to be located at one of a rear side or a front side of a lift for transferring a user to and from a vehicle, the pump unit including a first cover having first cover features, a second cover having second cover features, and a pump assembly, the method comprising:
disengaging the first cover features from the second cover features to disengage the first cover from the second cover;
determining a first orientation of the pump assembly with respect to one of the first cover and the second cover;
removing the pump assembly from one of the first cover and the second cover;
determining a second orientation of the pump assembly with respect to the one of the first cover and the second cover from which the pump assembly was removed, wherein the second orientation is about one-hundred eighty degrees different than the first orie

Assignees

• Braun Corp

Inventors

• Anderson Nicholas

Classifications

• A61G3/062 Primary

  using lifts connected to the vehicle · CPC title