Chrysler Corporation

Daimlerchrysler Corporation

Chrysler Motors Corporation

John E Crain

Lance R Wagner

William A Dayton

Robert N Hubbach

K Neil Walling

Joseph S Dehner

Osamu Shikado

Robert S Ackerman

Mark D Hall

Steven W Ferrerio

John E Herlitz

Joel Baccus

Donald A Renkert

John D Bucci

David C McKinnon

Ernest J Barry

Ricardo Z Aneiros

Thomas C Slanec

Eric M Stoddard

Mariano T Cadiz

David Smith

Steven N Holmes

Adrian Reynard

Nigel Stroud

James J Todd

Steven N Bollinger

Lawrence J Teal

Automobile body

Vehicle trailer body

Vehicle

Automobile

A wheelchair lift apparatus which may be adapted for use in an existing motor vehicle in lieu of a seat structure removably coupled to the floor pan. The lift apparatus includes a motor driven horizontal screw for laterally moving a platform across the vehicle to exit the rear passenger compartment through a side door opening. The platform has a vertical side extension and carries a foldable wheelchair, for example, whose two sides collapse inwardly. The lift apparatus further includes motor driven linkage members for pivoting the platform and folded wheelchair from outside the rear passenger compartment toward the front of the vehicle. The platform and folded wheelchair are next vertically adjusted alongside either the driver or a front seat passenger door opening, depending upon whether the side door opening is on the right or left side of the vehicle. An additional motor driven linkage member is operative for downwardly pivoting the vertical side extension to a coplanar position with the platform so as to extend its effective surface for supporting the unfolded wheelchair, ready to receive the driver or front seat passenger; and a motor driven vertical screw for lowering and raising the platform and wheelchair.

Wheelchair lift apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Birmingham, MI, United States of America

John E Crain