Adjustable wheelchair ramp having fewer parts
View Patent ↗A modular portable wheelchair ramp comprising a plurality of mechanically interconnected modular ramp sections and railing sections. The ramp sections are essentially one piece, and the railing sections are essentially one piece that are easily assembled on site. The sections slide together and are held in place by an adjustment bolt and a bolt through an outer post aperture.
1 . A modular ramp comprising,
a plurality of ramp sections connected end to end,
the plurality of ramp sections each having a first longitudinal sidewall running along its length,
a railing connector coupled to the first longitudinal sidewall,
the railing connector having an attachment channel cut into an outside flange,
a plurality of railing sections comprising,
an inner post, an adjustable leg and, an adjustment bolt and,
an outer post having an outer newel channel wherein,
the plurality of ramp sections are connected to the plurality of railing sections at the railing connectors wherein,
the railing connectors comprise,
a square C-channel having an open end facing away from the ramp section.
2 . The modular ramp of claim 1 wherein,
the railing connectors are oriented vertically.
3 . The modular ramp of claim 1 wherein,
the attachment channel is horizontal.
4 . The modular ramp of claim 1 further comprising,
a first transverse sidewall having a male J-hook configured to connect to a female J-hook of another ramp section.
5 . The modular ramp of claim 1 wherein,
the adjustable leg comprises,
a fixed portion and an inner leg that slidably fits within the fixed portion,
a foot affixed to the end of the inner leg,
a channel configured to allow the inner leg to slide past an adjustment bolt.
6 . The modular ramp of claim 5 wherein,
the adjustment bolt clamps the inner leg in place relative to the fixed portion and,
connects the railing section and ramp sections together.
7 . The modular ramp of claim 1 wherein,
the railing section is one piece comprising,
a handrail,
a mid-rail and,
a foot rail running longitudinally between the inner post and the outer post.
8 . The modular ramp of claim 1 wherein,
the outer post is a square C-channel configured to receive an inner post within it.
9 . The modular ramp of claim 8 further comprising,
an outer newel aperture in the outer post and,
an inner newel aperture in the inner post wherein,
the outer newel aperture is configured to align with an inner newel aperture of an adjacent railing section and,
the inner newel aperture is configured to align with an outer newel aperture of an adjacent railing section.
10 . A modular ramp section comprising,
a ramp section,
the ramp section having a first longitudinal sidewall running along its length,
a railing connector coupled to the first longitudinal sidewall,
the railing connector having an attachment channel cut into an outside flange,
a railing section comprising,
an inner post having an adjustable leg and an adjustment bolt,
an outer post having an outer newel channel wherein,
the ramp section is connected to the railing section at the railing connector wherein,
the railing connector comprises,
a square C-channel having an open end facing away from the ramp section,
the railing connector is oriented vertically and,
the attachment channel is horizontal.
11 . The modular ramp section of claim 10 wherein,
the adjustable leg comprises,
a fixed portion and an inner leg that slidably fits within the fixed portion,
a foot affixed to an end of the inner leg,
a channel configured to allow the inner leg to slide past the adjustment bolt.
12 . The modular ramp section of claim 11 wherein,
the adjustment bolt clamps the inner leg in place relative to the fixed portion and,
connects the railing section and ramp sections together.
13 . The modular ramp section of claim 10 wherein,
the railing section is one piece comprising,
a handrail,
a mid-rail and,
a foot rail running longitudinally between the inner post and the outer post.
14 . The modular ramp section of claim 13 further comprising,
an outer newel aperture in the outer post and,
an inner newel aperture in the inner post wherein,
the outer newel aperture is configured to align with an inner newel aperture of an adjacent railing section and,
the inner newel aperture is configured to align with an outer newel aperture of an adjacent railing section.
15 . A method of assembling modular ramp comprising the steps of,
positioning a ramp section at a desired height and orientation,
inserting a male J-hook connector of an adjacent ramp section into a female J-hook connector of the ramp section,
sliding an inner post of a railing section into a railing connector,
positioning the inner post such that an adjustment bolt slides into an attachment channel in a railing connector,
sliding an outer post over an adjacent railing section's inner post
wherein,
an outer post has a channel that is slightly larger than the inner post and is configured to fit over the inner post, and
a large tube at a second end of the railing section is slightly larger than a small tube on a first end of the railing section and is configured to fit over the small tube.
16 . The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of,
aligning an outer post aperture and an inner post aperture and,
bolting the outer post to the inner post by tightening a bolt extending through the outer and inner post apertures and into a nut that fits inside the inner post.
17 . The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of,
adjusting an inner leg to a ground surface and,
tightening the adjustment bolt which is configured to:
keep the inner leg from sliding within the inner post and,
keep the railing section from exiting an attachment channel.